Whisked Away

27. The Cost

Shifra's POV
None of us got much sleep that night. If we did it was short lived and did not serve any purpose but to help pass the time. At around four a.m. Lucy asked quietly, "So what will you answer to Caspian when we get out of this?"

It may have seemed inappropriate timing, but I knew that she was trying to distract me. For, while my tears had long before dried up I was still miserable. "Well yes I suppose," I replied, my voice horse after so much crying, "but I know not if we will."

"Of course we will," Lucy replied with hope filling her voice, "I have faith in Aslan that we will." At the mention of Aslan my tears, which I thought were long dried up began to fall again. "Shifra? What ever is the matter?"

I tried to pull myself together as I explained, "I-I heard him, Aslan. H-he told me t-to not f-fight and to not speak when we were taken, but seeing Caspian bought like that, I...I..."

"Shh," Edmund soothed, for he had been listening and began to try and comfort me, but nothing in the world could change how I felt right now. When morning finally came, we were all brought to a tent.

"Now, see," said Pug, "I think this one needs gotten rid of first." He pulled me from the group and it was Lucy's turn to cry. "Alright everyone, 'ow much 'or the winged lady?" As the bidding began I tried to hold in tears. Caspian and Drinian did not get to the tent until night or at the earliest late afternoon. I was screwed.

"I'll take her for 'undred and seventy five crescents!" a voice called. I looked up to see a rough looking man who already had with him two slaves about my age. I was flung towards him after money changed hands and led out of the tent. The man took us to a large house and we were instantly led to a room near the back. "Now," he said in his deep, harsh voice, "Here are your chains and I better not hear a peep out of any of you."

He clasped the chains on our wrists and mine, which still had dried and even somewhat fresh blood on them, throbbed so painfully I let out another yelp. Before I could do anything, a large hand was slapped across my face, sending my tumbling on the floor. I tried to stand up, but the man shoved me into a wall holding me by my throat and yelled, "Did I tell you you could stand up?" I shook my head, hoping he would just let me go, but of course not.

He pressed into my throat, cutting off my windpipe until my vision began to blur and the edges became black and fuzzy. He then flung me on the floor and chained the other two girls. He left, slamming the door shut and leaving us on our own. I did not know how long I remained there until I heard the door slam open and a tall, lean figure entered.
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Caspian's POV
When we had finally kicked the old Governor Gumpas out and made Lord Bern a Duke, it was growing to be afternoon. We saddled horses and made all haste to the tent where the slave traders were. After I had freed the slaves, I asked Pug, "Where are my friends?"

"You mean the winged one and the other two fine people? They were snatched up at once," Pug replied.

"We're here, we're here, Caspian," cried Lucy and Edmund's voices from another part of the tent. I rushed over to them and saw that they were unharmed. I saw the Calormen merchants behind them and knew already what it was they wanted.

"Pug pay every man back what they paid you for this abominable trade and bring out my other friend," I ordered. Then turning to the other two, I asked, "Where is Shifra?" Lucy's tear filled eyes were all the answer I needed. "Pug," I thundered, "Who bought Shifra? Who you call the winged one and who is the General of Narnia, where is she?"

My voice echoed throughout the tent and when Pug made no answer, a fair haired man said, "Your majesty, she was bought by a Calormen who lives in these parts. He lives in the first house just outside this tent." I thanked him quickly and with Edmund, Lucy, Reepicheep, a sulking Eustace, and the others I had brought with me, we charged to the house.

I knocked on the house, but got no answer, so with a loud crash I kicked the door down and ran frantically looking for her. I had checked every room except one and when I opened it my heart stopped. Shifra was laying motionless on the ground. Two other girls were sitting next to her trying to help, but I could tell even from a distance that it was bad.

Her wrists were bleeding from the chains that had been tightened far too much. A red mark was on her cheek where I supposed she had been hit and a hand shaped bruise was forming on her throat. I gently pushed aside the two other girls and picked up Shifra in my arms. Lucy and Edmund, who had just come in, picked up her wings so they no longer dragged across the ground.

She seemed to wake slightly when we got back out into the sunshine and the first thing I saw was her smiling at me. Before I could say a word, she whispered, "I'm ok, Casp, and yes, I would love to marry you." With those words she drifted off.