The two adults immediately fell to the knees and began bowing to me, both sobbing in relief, "Your Highness," the woman gasped trying to speak clearly through her tears, "thank you! We had given up hope of ever being free again, of our children ever knowing what it is like to run for the sheer joy! I fear much longer in those collars and we would have become the beast of burdens Sir Thom treated us as."Glaring at Leian my anger grew, "Not people? Just animals? What do you call these?" Each of them had an earthiness to them. Roots that were solid, a foundation of bedrock that radiated hidden depths and strengths.
Their coloring in human form mirrored those that they displayed in their "horse" form. Even going so far as to reproduce the star-like pattern in the youngest girl"s hair. Their eyes were uniformly brown and contained that penetrating soul quality that exuded from the young or innocent.
"How did you come to be Thom"s slaves?" I asked examining them each with my perception, harnessing my anger at their obvious malnutrition and untreated wounds.
[Kelpie Knight Blayney: Level 3]
[Kelpie Knight Una: Level 1]
[Kelpie Commoner Irvin: Level 4]
[Kelpie Female: Alma]
[Kelpie Male: Briano]
"Trickery and stupidity," Knight Una admitted his voice dripping with resentment containing any fear or anger she might have felt. "Our herd was becoming too large, and the Lord was becoming concerned at the possibility of a rivalry with Blayney. We"d looked up to him growing up, but we knew that at some point Blayney would have to contend for herd Lord if we remained.
"We respected him. Trusted him. And didn"t want to initiate a contest for control of the Herd.
"So, we began searching for alternative solutions.
"We were informed that Lord Kel"s son wished to establish a new herd of Kelpie near Fief Kel. He was recruiting for an expansion to open and help police new pastures and farmland. A parcel of lands and waters were being offered for those interested in establishing a new herd colony. The network of ponds that were located on this newly opened land would be ours to control as we established a splinter herd.
"We agreed to migrate, hoping to build a new colony, and grateful that we wouldn"t have to fight for our position or kill our Lord. We were barely here two days before we were drugged, and while asleep, collared and enslaved.
"We haven"t been able to change form in almost a year, not since we were collared," Knight Blayney added.
"Did your herd Lord know what Thom had planned?" I asked.
"We hope not, but how could he not?" Knight Una said.
"Part of the deal when we migrated was to set up trading routes, with ten years of preferential treatment on all trades. Discounted prices that would help us to more easily get established.
"How would Thom explain to the herd Lord we no longer needed those trading rights?" Knight Una asked.
"They must have conspired together," Knight Blayney concluded.
My fury at what had been done to these people had not diminished, but it had become more of a slow simmer. I knew if I ever met Thom again, I would kill him. I wasn"t sure what else I could do to help this family, but I wanted to do something.
Belenos" lineage had a history that included dealing with issues of slavery, and I intended to continue and build on that history. But I hadn"t claimed any lands yet, and I wasn"t sure I should telegraph my intentions to give refuge to and free slaves to the current Monarchy before I had claimed those lands.
"Fego," I asked, tabling the greater issue for the moment, "are there anymore enslaved Kelpie?"
"Yes, Your Highness. There are two others."
"Bring them out so I can remove their collars."
"I"m sorry, My Lord. Those Kelpies are owned lawfully."
I looked around until I spotted Lohne, "Inform Lord Kel"s people that I will be claiming two additional Kelpie as spoils, if they have any problems with it, inform them that I would be more than willing to discuss how reprehensible I consider slavery."
"Fego!" I demanded, turning my attention and anger towards him once more.
"Now!"
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"Bring them out."
Fego rushed into the stables, wisely deciding to obey my order. He"d probably decided it was safer not to refuse.
"You"re sure there isn"t anyone in that keep you want to bring with us?" I asked Caraid. "I don"t want to leave anyone behind that you may have cared for."
[I"m sure. There are only two or three sprites that I have any real affection for besides Jennie, and they are happy here.]
[Sprites are a strange people; they always seem to live in the present. Past slights and grudges are just not something they worry about. Give them a task, show them you need them, and they are happy to serve.]
The sound of Kelpie complaining focused my attention back to the stable doors, and I gasped in shock at the condition of the two animals. Seeping open sores, splotches of hair missing, heads lowered in defeat. These n.o.ble creatures had been abused, systematically and continuously.
I was so furious that I lost control of Belenos Aura and activated it instinctively, something that hadn"t happened in a while. My anger and horror further fueled the energies released , a pulse of pure energy that shoved everyone aside, destroyed even the molecules that were contained in the slave collars, and sent soothing waves of healing that closed wounds, restored hair, and left their coats and eyes gleaming with health and energy.
I guess I wasn"t as familiar with the abilities of Belenos Aura as I"d thought. I wasn"t aware that my aura could trigger destruction, force, and healing all at the same time, but that was something to examine later. For now, I was pleased at the instant recovery of the Kelpie.
The Kelpie transformation between forms was just as spectacular, light and color released in an incandescence release of energy. The process was slower this time, and I was able to actually see the skin and bones shift and reform into their new forms. Two women this time, I noticed.
[Commoner Isolde: Level 7]
[Commoner Shaela: Level 2]
Both women moved quickly to join the other Kelpies, before falling to their knees and genuflecting towards me. I felt uncomfortable at the reminder that I hadn"t thought to have the first group stand and realized that until I gave the order they probably couldn"t. I wasn"t sure exactly how the politics between factions had developed, but Seelie were clearly the top of the food chain. "Get up, all of you. I am freeing you not collecting slaves and sycophants!"
[Quest Update: Two Slaves Freed]
[200,000 exp gained]
"Come on! Stand! Stand!" I pleaded.
"Someone, help that little boy."
"Your Highness," Jennie said grabbing my attention, "if you want them to remain free, you can"t leave them here. There has been too much resentment. They have been treated too harshly to ever live in peace. The Seelie would destroy them to stave off even the possibility of retaliation."
"What should we do then?" I mused thoughtfully, "if we return you to your former herd Lord, a battle or challenge will certainly happen.
"Still, maybe that isn"t such a bad idea. We can"t allow him to continue to do this to anyone that may threaten his leadership.
"Where exactly are his pastures and lands? What do you call his claimed holdings?"
Leian spoke up for the first time since I had begun my rant, "Their properties are called colonies, Your Highness, and the largest Kelpie settlement is in Duke A"Daoine"s realm. We will pa.s.s by it on our way to the stronghold."
I"m not sure what the expression on my face reflected, considering I was wearing a mask, it was hard to believe that my emotions bled through, but judging from the reaction of those around me as they took a step back, I"m guessing it may have mirrored the decision I"d made.
I would be paying this herd Lord a visit.