Rosalinde had nothing and knew no one. She was free, but she was so far from home, or the memories of home. She did not even know if her family lived or not. The witch Emma-Lynne, and her friends – the sorcerer el-Ahmikz, the warrior-priestess Tiphanie, and the skald Reverence – had saved her and brought her out of bondage. The others, the guard Ricimer, the other sorcerer Jon, and the fallen vala Mathild\u00eb, had departed. The friendly farmer had put them up in his home for the night. She heard a knock and the witch entered.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is cold here in the north,\u201d Rosalinde said with a slight smile.<\/p>\n
Em nodded. “Definitely.” She looked Rosalinde over. “Are you warm enough?” she asked gently and with care.<\/p>\n
She pulled the fur over herself. \u201cyes I am.\u201d She paused and the asked, \u201cMa\u2019am you freed me, and I thank you. You asked me what I wanted to do. I think I have an answer. I am trained in a few arts. Most have to do with pleasure, but others have to do with gaining information. I did so often for my master, especially when he needed to know something about one lord or another. But that is all I know. A few languages I suppose, but that is it. Someday I wish to go back to Vaasa, find those who kidnapped my parents and myself, and then punish them. Someday I wish to go back to Storuvahn and find those who were my friends, and free them. Someday, I wish to be someone special. I am less than twenty years of age, and I know little that is practical, but I wish to someday pay you pack for the kindness you gave me.\u201d<\/p>\n
Em took Rosalinde’s hand in hers. “We aren’t so different. I’m barely even 20 winters myself, and I trained my whole life to be an entertainer. The day I decided to help people who were hurt by goblins was the very first day I was given magic. I went through a lot; saved some people and risked my life many times. But then Baron Roland d’Uzec noticed me. In his way he tested me, too. But however I did I managed to interest him. Now, I really love him. I think he loves me, though that love is bound by duty and the necessities of position. I never let anyone so close to me as he. I became his lover.<\/p>\n
“You are the only person I have let as close to me as he. Maybe… I’m foolish. You were only doing a job that you had to do, after all. Or maybe it’s because you are young and people find you beautiful and you have red hair and so you are much like me. I don’t know. I immediately trusted you and I didn’t want to leave you with no future of your own. I wanted to share what I had.<\/p>\n
“I sought comfort with you because I was very unsettled. I can’t express how disturbing the idea of slavery is to me. Being surrounded by it… Well. Not long before I think I went a little crazy. Maybe it was just as crazy to ask you to sleep with me when I’m devoted to my Baron. But you helped me so much more than you know. You helped me really come the rest of the way back to myself. So, I would like to help you as much as I possibly can. If you want a tutor, I’ll get one. If you just want to get revenge what happened to you, I’ll help you. I only ask for your friendship.”<\/p>\n
“Certainly. But who would teach me? You said a tutor, but what kind of tutor could teach me to survive this place, use what I know to the best of my abilities, learn how to defend myself, and learn how to gather what I need to know to someday free my friends and find my family. What kind of people teach those things?” she asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think you are unique here,\u201d Emmeline said. \u201cIf you wish to learn to use your natural talents as a tool and a weapon, I can teach you some of that myself. Even how to defend yourself. Should you wish to learn to appear and disappear when and how you wish, then I know an elf that might teach you. In gathering information, we tend to have opportunities to make connections we need as we travel widely. In fact, I believe we will need to pass very near your homeland after Spring. If you train hard, work hard, then you could be ready to make such a journey with my friends and I and a capable and important member of our party.”<\/p>\n
“I would be open to whatever you and the others recommend. My thrall-master was Ursula. She taught me everything I know. It was…difficult. At times at least. I can work very hard if need be,” she replied.<\/p>\n
Em tapped her chin and though through it again more carefully. \u201cYou haven\u2019t Tiffanie\u2019s athleticism to make a powerful warrior, nor magic like mine or River\u2019s to make you generally dangerous. But I know you are very nimble, quick, and flexible. You\u2019re beauty and grace will be an asset if you find yourself in a formal or court setting, just as I have found, but while that\u2019s an advantage here and perhaps in gathering information, it won\u2019t help you find and survive delivering justice to your kidnappers.\u201d <\/p>\n
Em gave Rosalinde her analysis. “You need to learn skills of subterfuge, escape, and stealth. To free the people you wish to free, you\u2019ll need to know how to bypass locks, too. You\u2019ll have to be incredibly good at it if you ever try something like this on your own, or they\u2019ll catch you and probably do worse than just kill you. I\u2019ve met some slavers \u2014 happily killed them, too. But they are brutally ruthless and their ability in a fight shouldn\u2019t be underestimated. <\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to help you do what you need to do as best I can and I\u2019ll start with finding you the mentor you need to capitalize on your natural talents. I don\u2019t know who yet, but I will.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThank you,\u201d Rosalinde replied. I look forward to it.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Rosalinde had nothing and knew no one. She was free, but she was so far from home, or the memories of home. She did not even know if her family lived or not. The witch Emma-Lynne, and her friends –<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2013,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[2],"tags":[4],"class_list":["post-2656","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-thalassa","tag-emmeline"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p8aqU2-GQ","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":2721,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2016\/01\/09\/renee-and-lothiel\/","url_meta":{"origin":2656,"position":0},"title":"Ren\u00e9e and Lothiel","author":"Illuminatus","date":"January 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"After getting set up at an inn within Derien, Emmeline next needed to find and speak with the elf mage, Lothiel. Having been directed to find her by Willow, a bounty hunter and likely also assassin, this was her best lead to finding Silverleaf's clan. This seemed like a perfect\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":3153,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2016\/09\/13\/spring-year-449\/","url_meta":{"origin":2656,"position":1},"title":"Winter-Spring, Year 449","author":"Edward","date":"September 13, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"With the beginning of the next session (after 9\/13\/2016), the following information is true: Winter is here and Uzec's passes are about to be snowed in. 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After attending several social events, the party left for an inn \"The Squirrel\" where they took up their aliases. From there they took ship without incident\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Thalassa"","block_context":{"text":"Thalassa","link":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/category\/thalassa\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":2633,"url":"https:\/\/countlessworlds.org\/thalassa\/2015\/10\/23\/clarity\/","url_meta":{"origin":2656,"position":4},"title":"Clarity","author":"Illuminatus","date":"October 23, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"After the bath and period of relaxation, Emmeline had rejoined the others with a smile on her face. River had thrown her a heated look and stormed away back to her room, and Emmeline was surprised. 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