Part 9

A young teen finds herself with difficult decisions to make when thrust into a new chapter within the slave trade.

But then the sickness came on. A soft groan escaped her lips as she leaned forward in her chair and lowered her head, her eyes shut tightly. Her stomach wasn't used to so much good food that it was rejecting it like any ordinary hairball, a very uncomfortable process. Using nearby furniture and walls for support, Surani slowly made her way out of the room.

 

“Surani, my dear? Are you okay?” Habib rushed out the door to be by her side, his face filled with concern, but she had already started making a mad dash to the bathroom. The sound of retching echoed through the house.

 

Just when she thought this torturous experience would be over, her body seemingly attempted to get rid of her stomach altogether rather than just its contents. Her muscles convulsed and quivered uncontrollably, and she felt entirely drained of energy.

 

Finally, after what seemed like too long, her body stopped, and she was able to wipe her lips clean, and curl up into a little ball on the floor in absolute defeat. Her ear swiveled to the sound of the door opening, an indication that Habib was entering the room.

 

“My poor girl...” He picked her up effortlessly, and she was too spent to protest. “Do you know why this has happened?” Habib paused for a moment in anticipation of Surani's response, but none came, for she merely covered her muzzle with her paws. “You are malnourished. Your body is used to having so little food that this large amount upset it greatly. I should've known... I should've prepared... I'm sorry. Cūrāre.” This last word he mumbled, a word of magic, to cure her nausea. Instantly the feeling of being sick lifted and disappeared, but her muscles were still exhausted, and her mind hadn't entirely cleared from the experience.

 

The comfort of resting on the massive, cushy bed was greatly appreciated. The sheets smelled so lovely, in the way that old but well-maintained furniture often does. Through a herculean amount of strength, Surani opened her eyes and examined her surroundings. A fireplace that she hadn't noticed previously lay before her, the mantle decorated with sienna photographs. Photographs? Habib wasn't kidding when he boasted of cutting-edge technology. The photographs piqued her interest, and she decided to examine them when the energy came to her. The bed sank slightly as it received the weight of Habib, though this observation was tucked away to the back of her mind, for something quite grand caught her eye. Two long, silver blades with beautifully braided leather handles rested above the mantlepiece of the fireplace in an X form.

 

“What are those?” Surani breathed in admiration.

 

Habib followed Surani's gaze and smiled as he spotted the swords. Covering the distance between the bed and the empty fireplace in a few strides, he stood on the tips of his toes and extended his arm to take the decoration off of its wall mount. “These are called Dao. They are from a far-off, distant land, used by mounted warriors as chopping weapons. Dao are typically used with a shield, though sometimes, advanced users will dual-wield them, meaning they have one in each hand.” Habib stood before Surani and offered for her to take the swords. Initially she hesitated. To be offered a weapon was a concept completely foreign to her. What if she accidentally hurt herself, or Habib, or destroyed something in the room? “Go on, take them.” The Tiger murmured good-naturedly in response to her reluctance.

 

The world didn't end when she held the massive swords in her hands, and this caused her to chuckle, for she didn't really know what she was expecting. As long as they were resting in her lap like this, they couldn't do any harm. Each sword had a single edge, and that single edge was serrated into three long, razor-sharp teeth, that were curved towards the handle. Between the teeth and the center of the blade were one large hole per tooth. Large enough for things to pass through but not so large as to sacrifice the strength and durability of the sword. “Why are there holes in it?” Surani inquired.

 

“These weapons are decorative. They've never seen battle, nor are they meant to. But they are meant to mimic the properties of highly effective swords. The three teeth, for example, are not typical of any type of sword, but they are useful. The holes are there so that should the sword get imbedded in something, like flesh, than a suction effect won't keep it stuck, so it can be pulled out. Violent and efficient, eh?” Habib gave a soft chuckle, and set the swords back on their mounts.

Author's Note

This is a story set during the industrial revolution, in a parallel third world. Magic exists along with science, and sentient animals walk among man. I feel confident about this part, Act I, and I have a solid foundation for Act III, but I'm struggling with the bridge between the two: Act II. I would love some constructive criticism and some recommendations of how to continue the story and overcome writer's block.