Manservant

19

"How does it feel, being back in Laria?" I asked Theo.

It was only a few days later, but I felt as if we had been journeying for weeks. We were resting in a large, inn-tent on a cold night, and the howling winds outside were a reminder that I was far from home.

I still couldn't believe we were here, alone, together, off in a strange land. This marked the first time I'd ever been out of Casra.

Yet, oddly enough – or maybe it wasn't all that odd – I felt calm. I wasn't as homesick as I'd expected to be, and I was enjoying being in a new land and meeting new people.

Although the weather, and the dull, baggy clothes (meant to cool the body) were not my favorite parts of the journey.

"Strange," Theo admitted with a sigh, dropping down to rest next to me on the cushions. "Truth be told, it wasn't hard for me to leave."

"Leave? Weren't you caught by slavers?"

He said nothing at first, staring straight ahead of him. "Not exactly."

"What do you mean?"

"This is going to sound strange, maybe even downright stupid, but I kind of ... let myself get captured."

"You what? Why?"

He did a slow shrug. "I wasn't doing anything with my life. I had no home, no money, no place to go. When those slavers found me, and it all went through my head – everything that I knew would happen – I had this bizarre sense of wanting to go along with it."

"Why?"

He turned towards me, a wicked look in his eye. "So I could be a horrible slave."

"Excuse me?"

"Did you ever wonder why I went for so little in the market, the day you bought me?"

"I figured we just got a good deal."

He did a dry smirk. "I caused my former employers a lot of problems."

"On purpose?"

"Mmhmm."

"Didn't you get in trouble for that?"

"Sometimes," he said, his face shadowing as he said it. "But other times, they merely sent me back and demanded a refund."

"That's terrible. But ... you weren't like that with our family."

"No. I guess I became too distracted to cause my usual trouble."

"I do wonder what on earth caused you to be so distracted," I said innocently.

"Must have been all the fresh air and gorgeous views."

I laughed. "So, you are a rebel at heart."

"I don't like that word. I guess I just like throwing people off."

"Is that why I found all those propaganda materials in your room?"

He sat up a little straight, a flash of guilt coming over his face. "I know – it was stupid. Sure, I like stirring things up now and then, but I shouldn't have gotten caught up in all of that."

"I'm just glad you decided not to be a part of it. Otherwise ... "

" – otherwise, I wouldn't be here with you now," he finished.

I nodded, leaning closer and kissing him on the shoulder. I snuggled against him, and he put an arm around me to keep me warm.

"I can't tell you how happy having you here makes me. But as I said, I have nothing to my name. It's going to be hard making a life for ourselves."