18. Episode The Peacock and the Crow
The Sails billowed in the wind while the captain shouted his commands to one of his crewmembers. The port was close and Crow knew that in these moments the experienced captains would win it from those that were new in their trade of work. He had to manoeuvre the ship just right to keep it from scalping cliffs and port safely at the docks. The entire time his slave had been below deck, out of view of the lustful crewmembers that could make his stay on the ship far from pleasant if they would hit the sul paga to hard. Crow was even now careful, calculated and very much aware of risks, problems or things that might harm his quest.
When they had left the dock he had given the Peacock thought. He wondered about a place – called Earth – were love between men and women might be equal. He himself found himself a hard believer that such things could exist. Perhaps it was the idea that she would draw to much attention to herself and perhaps succeed. She was a remarkable woman that had a lifetime of experiences that would fill many nights of storytelling. The last something he often enjoyed, but only when he choose so.
The hand that had been around throats to squeeze their last breath now rested on the wood of the ship. A hand that could tell as many stories and yet still able to caress softly or wield a blade with precision. Was it his independence that had him walk away ? He noticed his girl kneel next to him, after calling for her now the Port was in view. Why was she there and the Peacock not ? Perhaps there was this part of him that knew that she was of no use to him as a slave. Perhaps his age of taming women to beautiful and exquisite slaves were over. He brushed the hair of her shoulder and gave her one of his rare smiles. “Nearly there, mine.” He stated. “Prepare – since I won’t dwell long on this ship when we have docked.” He added.
The girl hurried to do his bidding and while she did, he knew he could have predicted her eagerness to do as she was told. Even this slave held perhaps that longing for being in his arms, his care for he wasn’t careless when it came to slaves and this one was one he had known over years. She was funny, talkative and sensual, things that humoured him when he was at camp – far from others that were not part of his caste. In his camp he felt at home, a place where he could joke, just listen without being alert all the time. The camp was as always good secured and circled with traps that would alarm him in time.
He narrowed his eyes to see in the distance the dock that held many banners. The ribbons seemed to be of all colours and welcoming to strangers that would make their halt there. “Some things need to remain uncaged and untamed.” He mused while his thoughts went back to Su. “A Peacock would pull its own feathers when it is caged to small. A collar of me – would be too small for a woman as you – Peacock” he whispered in the wind as if he hoped the breeze would carry it to her. “Your beauty and new found life should be celebrated in many places not in the presence of darkness or shadows.” He added in an afterthought.
A world so far from his own, might have given him more options.
A world so far from his own, might have given him more things to consider.
A world so far from his own, might have been foreign and with alternatives.
In his mind there was only one world. A world that is uncompromising to his manhood. A world that gave him no things to consider but his own caste and comfort. A world that was known and with only one option.
He was alone with gold and steel.
Crows Murder 
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