The Slums of Euridayl

13: Checkmate

The gods of Azzan were either very fond of Alais, or completely despised Lynet. At times it seemed both things could be true at once. Still, the two of them had found themselves rather lucky. Having won the favour of Miss D, a deal was struck.

Red had already earned herself a popular reputation with the men and a promotion had been coming her way regardless. Having met the girl in person, Miss D was sure she could reap the girl's natural rage and beauty to amass a great profit, being that there was already a marketable niche for dominant women in Euirdayl. So she set the girl up in one of her establishments in Castle District, where Red was given her own special room for the jobs and got to choose the decorum and toys present.

This meant for Lynet, that her Alais could be spared brothel jobs and be instead assigned the job as Red's accountant and caretaker. Miss D saw that Alais was educated in maths and turned over financial reports regarding Red every month.

Furthermore, both girls would make the trek from Castle District to Uptowns each Sunday to have lunch with Miss D and her family. After enough time passed, all of it became routine and nothing was amiss.

That was until Lynet and Alais decided the time had come to flee Euridayl.

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The soft glow of candlelight caressed both sets of hushed women at the dining table of their quaint home. It was unlikely anyone would overhear them. They'd yet to be disturbed in the comfort of their home in Castle District up until then, afterall.

"Drumwe makes the most sense. Sterstaal is hardly far enough, you'd be recognised there with haste. We can probably take the docks just outside the establishment, it'd be easy to slip out after work, no?"

Lynet's brows were heavy with thought as she flipped the idea in her head.

"Perhaps, but the guards are getting restless. I think Miss D knows we might make a run for it sometime soon. They'd see me slip out the back."

Alais smiled.

"But what if they didn't see you?"

"How in Xyris' name-"

"Simple, I sneak you out the back. They see me leave instead and you're spared."

"Wouldn't they grow suspicious of you?"

"Perhaps. But I'm not the one making them sackfuls of galleons every month."

"How would you sneak me out anyhow? I'm six feet of muscle and flaming red locks."

"I've thought that through already. Thursdays a carriage full of hay takes the back alley to the shop down the street. The weaver's shop. If you can get out Opalline's window at the right time, you can probably land in the hay and I can pay the carriage owners to stop by the docks that day."

"What if the carriage owners notice the thump? What if someone sees me jump from the window? What if the carriage tender gets sick that day. Alais..."

Lynet sighed. Her head was aching. It seemed there were too many ways in which their plan could fail; at this rate it'd probably be easier to kill Miss D than to escape her.

The brew of doubts in her mind was interrupted when two soft hands cupped her face.

"Lynet?"

She nodded very slightly, lost in the rushing stream blue of ehr companion's eyes.

"We will be free of this place."

Lynet nodded, a deep breath filling her chest. They would be free.

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