Chapter eleven B.

When we had bathed and dressed, we made our way to the front counter to settle the bill for the room and marina. Sasha wore a light blue sundress and blue flats. Her eyes sparkled almost as brightly as her smile. I wore thicker wool pants, a pair of boat shoes, and a light white tunic.

The room and marina fee were 12 gold coins, with the food and services I had used brought the total to 18 gold coins. I pulled the coins from my storage ring and the early morning assistant tucked them quickly into a drawer. “Pleasant travels lord Grayson. If you are ever back in the city, we are at your disposal.”

After having taken care of the bill, both Sasha and I headed out down the docks. The sun had just crested the horizon, and the air had a slight chill to it. I walked to the boat slip that had been assigned to me. As I approached, I noticed Sasha was looking at the completely wrong vessel. My twenty-five-foot (7.6m) boat on the left was far less impressive next to the fifty (15m) or sixty-foot (18m) vessel on the right. Sasha stared at the larger boat and exclaimed, “Wow, it’s so big Eric.”

As she stood in front of me, I cleared my throat with a slight tang of embarrassment. “A hum, mine is this one.” I said, indicating mine on the left.

Sasha’s face fell a little, then forcefully picked back up into a smile, “Oh… It’s so pretty… and looks nice.”

“Thanks… it’s got some unique features I added when I made it.” I said as I watched a blush come over Sasha.

I smiled playfully at her for a few seconds until she said, “Ummm… permission to come aboard captain? That’s what I’m supposed to ask right?”

“Yes, I suppose it is. Yes, you may come abord Sasha.” I waved my hand at the sailboat. Sasha lightly hopped into the back and stood watching me untie the boat from the dock cleats.

Once the boat was untied, I tossed the ropes onto the deck, and with a flick of Magic, they coiled themselves neatly. I stepped into the back also and stood next to Sasha. I had spent some time this morning going over a few changes I wanted to make to the vessel to make it easier to handle.

“I just have to make a few changes,” I said as I let my mana flow out of me. Sasha stared wide-eyed at me as I began to grow two handles near the right-hand seat by the tiller. It took only moments for two brass boat acceleration handles to take shape. Then for the tricky part, I attached the right and left handles, respectively, to two air and water enchantments; I placed three-quarters of the way down the back of the boat on the left and right side.

This had the effect of acting as twin engines would and would make the boat much easier to steer. In the center of the handles, under a covering, I placed a small mana crystal. With its current mana pool, it would propel the boat for over just over three hours. I tied the mana crystal into the Enchantment for the propulsion and to what I like to think of as the autopilot. Luckily making such an Enchantment was easy for me, as I already had a working knowledge of how the propulsion should work.

[Enchantment created: Hydrostatic Propulsion: This Enchantment allows for the use of water to provide high torque thrust when enchantment location is underwater. Mana cost: 1 mana per minute.]

“Did you just… I don’t even… I didn’t know… Magic.” Sasha said as a terrified tenor filled her voice, and she sank to her knees, pressing her head to the floor. “For give me exalted master mage… I did not know…I never…” she trailed off as the quiver in her voice sent chills down my spine. What the hell had come over her.

“Sasha, what the fuck are you doing? You’re freaking me out.” I asked, dumbfounded.

All she did was stay hunched over on the deck, muttering over and over, “please… please… please…” the terror in her voice was so palpable I felt sick to my stomach.

I looked around, making sure no one was looking at us. Luckily the marina was empty except for some guards off in the distance. I knew we should get out of here. So, I sat in the seat and gently used the new force engine enchantments to back us out of the slip and take us toward the river. As the boat cleared the marina wall and glided back out into the river, I set the enchantments to off, sat up, and leaned over to start stroking Sasha’s back.

“Sasha, will you sit up for me? Nothing’s changed, I’m still the same. Will you explain why your so scared?” I said in my most calming voice. The lazy rocking of the boat was gentle as the tiller began a slow path downstream to the center of the river.

She didn’t move for long seconds, but finally, she managed in a small voice, “Yes your most excellence. You are… you are a… I did not know you were of the exalted nobility.”

“Sasha, I want you to sit up and take a seat across from me. Calm your mind and explain.” I said as I felt the Magic of the bond take hold and force her to do as I commanded. It made me sick to feel the terror coming from her through the bond, but I had to put her at ease. This beautiful girl should never know such fear.

She sat up almost instantly and sat across from me. Her head was still downcast as she began to explain, “Most people have some magic, like myself and we can learn a few spells. But… but, true magi have the ability to manipulate mana. They go to a school in the capitol and upon enrollment they are given the title of exalted lord, upon completion of their training they are given the title of exalted baron. They outrank any one at their same level within the nobility.” She took in a long shuddering breath, the Magic of the bond forcing her to remain calm and explain.

She continued, “True magi are powerful and are the backbone of the Empire. Every slave knows to be in service to a magus is a great and terrible privilege. Slaves know we are nothing more than fodder for their spells. And it is expected that horrors are to be worked upon our flesh.” She finished.

“I understand Sasha.” I said as I moved to my knees and wrapped her in my arms. “I guess I had better explain some things to you then.” I said.

As she sat in my arms trembling, I began to tell her what had happened to me over the past few days. How I had been given a quest of sorts by the Goddess Amara. Of my world and how I viewed slavery as an abomination. As I spoke to her, she began to calm until she was slightly back to normal.

“So, you really aren’t a noble? And you’re not from this planet? And you took me on because I follow Amara, truly?” she asked as her courage began to build back up.

“In truth, no I am not a noble on this planet and yes I am from another planet in another universe most likely. As for why I took you on, you asked and madam Bristol did not seem to be a kind mistress, and I saw your brand.” I said.

“No, she was not. So, are you going to use me for magics?” Sasha asked with a tremble still in her voice.

“Never. I have had a great deal of fun with you and truly find myself lucky that you desired to be with me.” I said as I lightly rubbed her back and around her fox ears. I had spent the better part of an hour now calming Sasha down and getting her to return to some semblance of normalcy.

She did not truly believe me, but through the slave bond, she could tell I was telling the truth. One of the few things the bond allowed a slave to intuit.

I just held her for a time allowing for the rest of her anxiety and fear to bleed away. “Now that we have that out of the way beautiful. Why don’t you take a moment to go down below and explore the rest of my ship? I have to get the sails up and make a few more adjustments.”

“Okay. I think I can do that. Thank you, Eric.” Sasha said with deliberate determination in her voice. Before she got up to go and explore below decks, she kissed me. It was at first more to put her at ease than anything else, but after a few seconds, the kiss deepened, and I felt the remaining fear began to leave her.

As Sasha went below deck, I turned my attention to a few more of the enchantments I wanted to work into my sailboat. I focused on the tiller and the Enchantment that I placed on it. I expanded its navigation ability, upgrading it without changing the base enchantment. Now it would scan three or 400 yards ahead of the boat and determine the depth of the water. It would also scan for any obstructions or obstacles that were in the path of the vessel.

I heard Sasha’s excited giggles coming from down below and was happy to note that there was no tension coming through the slave bond. I raised the sails of the boat, and the wind that blew to the south quickly picked up the speed of the vessel.

I would not say that I wasn’t bothered by how Sasha reacted to seeing the size of my vessel. It was, however, concerning, seeing as I was going to be trying to pass myself off as a noble. And of Sasha by all common accounts of this world, a common slave expected more from me than anyone in a position of power would expect a lot more.