Chapter 13:

  Asylum?

  The groups did not get very far as when they tried to break off into their own separate directions from the town square, the guards directed Allura, Ricardo, and Suzie to the common slave barracks.

  “Okay. New plan. Since we can't walk around with the slaves in tow, Ricardo and Suzie will each take on the task of finding a clandestine and less than obvious method of egress, respectively. I'm guessing the debt was gambling, right?”-Allura

  Suzie fidgets in embarrassment “Yes.”

  “Good. Then you know what to keep an eye out for when going around the red-light district. And Ricardo, I'm tasking you with the clandestine ways of getting out of the city because I suspect that someone with a past of being on the run would know how to find a way to get out of somewhere quickly that other people might not find easily.”-Allura

  “Got it, Boss. And what will you be doing?”-Ricardo

  “Me. I'm going to have the hard part, going to the embassy of the Holy Kingdom and trying to see if I can get safe passage to take the POW's back to Furcadia to repatriate and reintegrate into society. Wish me luck.”-Allura

  “OUCH!”-Suzie and Ricardo.

  “In half an hour, head to the Holy Kingdom Embassy. That's the new meeting place. We can compare notes. We should be ready to try for a quick escape, seeing as the duke's likely got more clout, and it's almost certain that we did not get into this city unnoticed, especially as I saw that painter looking my way more than once.”-Allura

  The common slave barracks is run down and decrepit, as if the word “hygiene” is a fairy-tale.

  Allura speaks to the, for lack of a better term “stable boy” manning the place. “I suppose it's too much of a bother to wash the place down every so often?”

  The lad, with an age barely in the double digits, “Aye, ma'am, 'tis only I manning this here place. Be beggin' yer pardon, but the Holy Kingdom be wantin' nathin' to do wit' the place and the Sydonia Kingdom....”

  “Say no more, we understand. Is there a way to keep our lot separate from the rest? They're for a 'special' client and we don't want them getting sick, or worse.”-Allura

  “Well, if ye be sayin' so, Ma'am, but they all be like this!”

  “That's alright, if you could just set a place apart for the ones in our group, and we'll take care of the rest. You could come with us and see if you like.”-Allura.

  “Well, if'n that be okay, Ma'am, the price will be one silver per head per day. This way if'n ye please.”

  “A silver a head? Per day? For this establishment?! That's robbery!”-Suzie

  “It's alright. I have a plan.”-Allura.

  The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

  “Here ye be, Ma'am. Payment before they be goin' in...”

  “Hang on, a moment, lad. I'd like to check it out first before sending them in. Is that alright?”-Allura

  “'Tis mighty unusual. Most folk be just dumpin' 'em in, place offends their 'sensibilities!' That it does!”

  “Oh, this place more than offends, but not your fault. Let me show you something real quick.” Allura proceeds to walk the length and breadth of the area, with Jade using [Analysis] to get rid of all the filth, leaving the place completely spotless.

  “Aye! Whad'ya do?!”

  “A simple cantrip an alchemist friend of mine made for me, I can trade you a device that allows you do something similar, would save you a lot of work...”-Allura

  “What ye askin'?”

  “We're not planning to stick around for long. All I ask in return is free housing for our lot, including 2 good meals a day, and you can keep this tool for the rest of your life. I can even make it soul-bound so no one can steal it from you. Sound good?”-Allura

  “That be a mighty fine offer, Ma'am, but ye mind me tryin' it first?”

  “Not at all. As a matter of fact, here.”-Allura

  The boy takes the proffered wand and proceeds to point it at Allura.

  “Now, two warnings, lad. First, it won't work on living beings, so pointing it at me won't do you any good. At best, you'll make me angry, and you don't want that. Second, whatever you use it on will be gone forever, so be extra careful about what you use it on.”-Allura.

  The boy tries it on Allura and true to form, it has no effect. Then he tries in on a spider web up in the ceiling, over 2 meters up, and after a second of concentration, the web vanishes, dropping one very confused spider at his feet, which promptly gets squashed.

  “Well blimey! That be a fine wand, Ma'am.”

  “Would you like a full description, lad?”-Allura.

  System Notice: Wand of Disintegration, soul-bound.

  Current Owner: None.

  Description: Wand made of an unidentified species of wood with several gems along the shaft, emerald, ruby, sapphire, diamond, opal. This wand will, at the user's discretion, disintegrate any inanimate object designated by the user for disposal in a straight line from the wand's tip. Objects destroyed by this wand have all their matter sent at the atomic level to the storage space of [Redacted] and can not be restored. This wand does not work on living things. Additional restriction. User can not use this wand to destroy objects recognized as being in the possession of another by The System. Mana cost for using this ability, 1 MP/gram of target object.

  “Well, it be a right pleasure to accept yer deal, Ma'am.”

  System Notice: Contract established. Wand of Disruption is now the property of the stable boy, Eunis, in exchange for unlimited free room and board for the slaves under the custody of Allura, Suzie, and Ricardo.

  “We'll be back as soon as we can, wolf-man and serpent-kin. Hopefully we'll be able to get you out of those collars by then.”-Allura

  They part ways and head out of the establishment.

  “So the plan is for you to go to the embassy while the rest of us look for less conventional means of leaving the city on the side of the Holy Kingdom, correct?”-Suzie.

  “Exactly. If anything, at all, goes wrong, head to The Holy Kingdom embassy, and try to find me there. But first try to meet me here at the slave holding center, and check on the slaves, in say, an hour or so. If I'm a no-show, head to the embassy and try to save yourselves.”-Allura

  “Understood!”-Suzie and Ricardo say in unison.

  Meanwhile, Duke Deokk and his men go to all the local guilds and begin distributing a wanted poster based on the painting made by one Dick Richardson.

  Wanted: Rewards for information leading to the arrest of this woman on charges of grand theft, murder, and terrorism. She is considered armed and extremely dangerous. Do not confront or approach. She was last seen leaving the territory of Sydonia with a group of beast-kin slaves.

  “Simple and effective at getting the message across. Are you sure you're not a bard, Mr. Richardson?”-Deokk

  “Not for lack of trying, Sire. I can paint a pretty picture with either paint or words, but I couldn't carry a tune if you gave me a bucket, and forget about musical instruments of any kind. About the only success I had was with a bandoleer, and that was as a blunt weapon, for a few good whacks before it broke.”-Dick.

  (Nods Sagely) “Indeed, there's always something we're not good at. But if you're ever interested, my door will always be open to you. I'm always on the look for good and competent men, regardless of field. Now we head onward to the Holy Kingdom Embassy and hope we get there first. If she manages to get them to give her and the slaves she stole asylum, this will all quickly be for naught, or close to it,”-Deokk