It was late in the afternoon when an elf entered, his skin a yellow brown, hair shining like gold and eyes the same golden color.  Accompanied by a pink skinned elf in blue robes, white haired and pale eyed.  One of the White cloaks, with a scroll in hand.  They stopped at a cell holding a dwarf. The Blue robe had the gate open, “Tagmon, you shall be fined for your drunkness. Again.  Get back to work!” 

The dwarf was pushed out and passed through the door.  

The pair of elves came to her cage. She kept her eyes down, ears down in submission. “This beast was caught stealing in the market and attacked children that spotted it.”  

She looked up at the frowning faces.  “No. They take. Me pay.” 

The pale one scanned the scroll. “No account outsider monster. No patron.”   To her he sneered. "You will pay for your crimes."

The blue robe looked down on her.  “Noble citizens of my district reported what they saw, beast. I think my citizens will be more truthful than a wandering foreigner, a monster and cannibal no less!  You shall be whipped in the Market, 20 lashes plus 10 for the attempted bribe, and pay a fine of 200 Gold coin for thieving and brawling, foul monster. If you do not pay, your bond shall be sold as a slave until it is paid by your labor which would be 100 or 200 days.  Be glad you never drew your sword or you would be lashed 100 times, sold for life or killed.”

  “ No me do. Me small many attack!”  

The blue robe turned his back and walked back to the door. The pale one nodding and bowing “Thank you Tribune Yao.”  

Dracna had jumped up and leaned against the cold iron bars. “No do! Goblin Rat Nest. Get slave!”   Voices outside beyond the door.  The Troll came in with her Centaur companion.  Dracna looked at them hopefully. “Ah! You true words?  You true tell me no do?” she asked in her squeeky, panting voice. 

“Goblin says no Ghenid in his rooms.”  

 Ears down, she gasped “Ah? But pay me do! Have metal.” 

  “Maybe but he wants nothing to do with you if you did. None of your lies if you didn’t.”   

Lips pursed, tight against her teeth. She thinks hard. “Cloth Gnome. Veborin.  Street shop close Big Gate market and little market me take.  Ask.”   

The Troll laughed.  “You’ll not put it off long making us chase tales.”  

Dracna let loose a sigh. 

The Centaur, she looked at Israe the Troll. “My Honor and duty demands it be checked lieutenant.”  

Israe rolled her eyes and snorted.  “Go, see about it and save your ticklish Honor.” 

The female centaur nodded and turned to exit the hall. Then paused looking back to the cage.  “Do you have a name?”  

Dracna thought for a second...if she gives a false name, she lays a false trail...but the gnome knows her name and she needs the truth where Chains and spies can’t be relied upon to force the truth. “Dracna” she said.  Turning to Israe she clanks the manacles against the bars. “Off now?”  

“Oh no.” replied the Troll. “Not going to risk a tussle with you free.” 

 Dracna’s ears drooped again. “Water?” she asks.  

Israe went to a bucket, scooping a ladle of water that she presented to the prisoner. Dracna opened her mouth,  setting fangs on it and tipping water into her mouth. Gulp. And again. 

“More?” asked Israe.  

A shake of the Ghenid’s maned head. 

The ladle returned to the bucket.  Israe walked to the doorway. “We’ll wait on O*Hwee and her report.” Dracna lay belly down on the cot, chin resting on the wooden beam along the side that the fabric stretches over and slept.

She awoke to the tapping of metal on the iron bars.  The Centaur female stood there - with the tailor.  The centaur said “This one will speak for you.  He says that you had a slave and a bag and made a deal with him and he directed you to the Rat’s Nest.”  

The Gnome bowed to her.  “What the Watch reports seems different from what I saw.”  

Dracna rolled to her side and pushed herself up with her manacled arms, sitting up and nodding. She walked to the bars. “In pants, coin. Yours.” She said to Veborin.  

“I do not know for certain the truth, but I do feel compelled to help you.  But ah..” His face  flushed red as he looked down from her face to her breeches.

 Dracna clanked the manacles against the bars. “No me do . You do.”  

The gnome looked to the Centaur ,who rolled her eyes, shaking her head and flowing hair.  “Oh, alright.” He untied the cinch of the breeches and thrust his arm in at the side and slid it around.  He looked up at her. 

“Other side” she said.  And he reached around as she turned to let him at her other hip.  

With a sigh of relief he withdrew, gripping a cloth bundle.  Unwrapping it he frowned “These are gold. You owe me copper and silver.”  He held up the brass key. 

Dracna nodded. “Room Rat Nest. Door 3 cave under ground, left side. You take coin for help, pay.”  

Veborin looked to the Centaur - “Constable, what is the fine?” 

“200 gold and the bribery money is forfiet.”  

“Of course.”  To Dracna “Do you have more coin in your bag? Enough for the fine?” Her ears dropped.  “Silver, copper gold coin.  Ten   ten hands gold.” she says.  

“Well, I guess I shall pay the difference and consider it well spent. I have no need for a ghenid warrior guard, nor her slave, and I can’t imagine taking you as an apprentice.” 

Dracna was confused “Prentice?”  

“Student to learn the tailoring trade.”  

Dracna shook her head.  “No.” she agrees.  

The Centaur leaned over  “You would need to pay the fine before she will be let go , that or her bond is sold, then tomorrow you would pay the bondsmen for her term.”  The gnome blew out a sigh.  “Oh dear. The landlord would not likely let me into her room, though I have a key.” 

 “You have about 30 minutes. Then it’s the bondsmen tomorrow. Though, it is true the Goblin denied renting a room. Likely trying to avoid trouble.”  

“Oh dear!" Replied a startled Veborin, hand to mouth.  He turned to Dracna “ Warrior, I shall hurry to get the money to pay your fine. I will hold the key with your permission, thank you!”  And he rushed  out the doorway.  The centaur followed after.

She watched the light shift further and further.  Israe, the Bahku and the Centauress O*Hwee returned.  They also had a bag. “Time is up” said the troll with a lazy scratch at her neck.  They unlocked the door.  “Armor comes off. “ commanded Israe putting Dracna in a hold while the other two removed greeves, bracers and belts, placing them in the bag. They unlocked the manacles and removed the chain and leather armor, then replaced the manacles.  The Ghenid took a remote, disconnected look letting them perform the duty. She had no chance of escape and gained nothing resisting.  She could fight them, but would be outnumbered severely. She has known pain and will endure it. Ghenid are hard and strong.  

She was walked back through the streets to the market in the early evening light.  A goblin waited there with a whip.  A loud voiced elf, glowing and reflecting the light of lanterns and the setting sun, called out, announcing the crimes of theft and attacking the children. As well as bribery attempted. The market seemed to have drawn in close, a small crowd watching, calling taunts and curses at her.  The sentence announced and her tunic cut from her body.  A few jeering “ Needs a shave!” and “Nice tits for a bitch!” on the line of three small sets of breasts on each side of her chest and laughter from the crowd.

The whip cracked and with bowed head, and clenched fists she took the burning white fire lashes across her shoulders and back.  Silently counting. Her whole back burning. Blazing heat and dripping blood, tickling as it trickled through her coat as she counted to the last five.  The crowd threw dry bread crusts and rotten fruit at her. “Learned you dog!”, “Teach you to attack children!’  The Grandmothers might have ordered this for any fault. She has had the same or worse, though the wasted food is strange to her. The glowing elf announced “The criminal’s bail is not paid and it will be sold as bond slave in the morning at the Livestock market!”

Dracna looked at the elf, the goblin, and the crowd as she was hauled to her feet and marched away, back to the Watch house jail.  Veborin was there waiting.  “You are too late.  You can make a deal with the bondsmen or bid at auction.” Said the human at the entry desk.

"But I have the money."

"Maybe for some other kinds, or a citizen. Not letting this monster loose. " The gnome had a sad look and was pushed back as Dracna was walked in.  She didn't understand the problem. 

"But..." the gnome started again. 

The desk human cut him off. "Now it is the bondsmen or word from a Tribune to release this one. Those are the choices."

"Armor me, give gnome!"  she barked out as she was pushed towards the cages.

O*Hwee, the centaur unlocked the manacles in the cell and offered a new thin cloth tunic, a blanket, a bucket and water. Her bread. Nodding Dracna took the water and bread and lay belly down on the cot, the tunic too much on the raw wounds of her back. It was set aside. She waited for dark.  In the torchlight she made her chants summoning her ghosts to her.  The cold presences easing her back. The ghosts of her cubs, her lost brother T’hae -though he might try to possess a living body.  The faint whisps of the youngest cubs, coming more slowly year by year, thinner and fainter.  The pale shadow of her younger daughter, the juvenile son,  Amkee, lost to the rage of an older male, and her dearest Ngokhu now owned by T’hae in the underworld while the sun ruled above.  She fed them drops of her blood in offering, the rite of T’Oahkhua. The youngest ones looking but not comprehending and barely licking up the blood. Ngokhu told her they might soon drift away, lost forever as they didn’t have enough apa (wits)  to focus on staying, even with the chains, the Aedoteerua, and lacking the angrhu (hunger/ambition) to even take the blood. Another of the Grandmother's lies- they were supposed to be hers eternally. Ngokhu has not yet found a power and Dracna’s Shadow, the ghost of one of her Grandmother’s brothers, had the power of Poltergeists to move small objects. This too she called up and offered her blood. She bade him return to the underworld and have grandmother come to partake of the blood.  She needed what favor she could get. Even with all the ghosts, even if she could break out and fight past the guards to escape, they knew her name, the room at the Rat Nest and the gnome. Where could she run and hide in the strangeness of the city? They would be vengeful if she escaped and much worse if she were caught again.  She would wait. Finally she made the chant and ritual pulling the chain on the slave. Ikheerha. Ikhi. She reminded him that he still belonged to her. And she lay in the night surrounded by her ghosts and berating her stupidity that had put her here.

Before dawn she was roused, and  given a bowl of warm porridge to eat.  Then the tunic tugged on, and placed again in the manacles.  She was taken out and loaded into a wagon with a few others - an old human female, a black furred, shaggy Bugbear with his swollen orange pumpkin-like head, slit nostrils, too wide mouth and small pointed ears.  "Sword, armor?" she quirried the guard.

"Confiscated." She was told.

"What is?"

"Taken to pay part of your fines and jailing."

Dracna pondered about this as the wagon began to roll, pulled by donkeys. It is just as in the tribes- the ones with power take as they please. She will recover and reclaim her sword and armor.  It is marked and bound. She can track it no matter where it may go.

They visited two other Watch stations, adding a debt prisoner at each - human male and a Bahku female with one eye. They arrived at the bondsmen’s with another five prisoners, were fitted with iron collars and set places on a walkway.

Dracna looked, straining to spot the Gnome.  Instead there was a rich robbed Ghenid, a male, his mane bleached white and greased to stand straight up.  He pointed ringed fingers at her, the Bugbear, and the Bahku while talking to a Bondsman.  A bag was handed over.  The male approached, licking his finger and making a mark on the Bugbear’s head while chanting.  Dracna knew this. The Rite of Chains, the metal binding or Aedoteerua.  She knew him, having followed his trade wagon just a few weeks ago.  She tried to shy away from his finger.  Instead he placed it on her shackled  arm, where she couldn't move. 

“For you, I want a good bite.” He said and repeated the rite another four times.

She called to the Bondsmen.  “ No! This no go!  Me two-hundred days, free be.  Gnome come me buy.” Not that she really feared the power of his few links against her hundreds of Chains to her cubs, her shadow, her tribe. He might influence, but not command her.

The bondsman laughed. “What do we care, monster?  Gazakral has bought your bonds.” He  shook the bag of coin at her.  “Bought and paid by your new master!”

“You tell gnome Veborin,  me go?’ she asked worriedly.  

Gazakral smiled. He turned to the guard " You may tell any that ask after this one, that it is now mine."  Turning back to her “Your price has gone up now.” His voice a nasal whine.