She woke slowly, she was laying down, with the blanket pulled up around her shoulders. Had he...? She probably just rolled over and laid down in her sleep. She sat up, her back to Crixus. She then stood and folded the blanket carefully, setting it down on the floor. Turning, she jumped and gasped "I didn't know you were awake," she dipped her head "Thank you, for last night." she enjoyed talking to him. She dipped down again and went out the door, then she heard a commotion in the courtyard. She peered aroun the hut. Her brother! Her hair stood on end. He was arguing violently with the master. She ran to the castle wall and flattened herself against it, listening.

"Our father, King Eomer has sent a search party for her! He heard reports of her seen in these parts! You must do away with her!" her brother was shouting angrily.

"I will do no such thing! She is one of my best slaves, I cannot just exterminate her because of your foolishness!" her master growled.

"You must! Do you realize how much trouble you would bring upon yourself should she be found here amidst slaves? How angry her father would be that you beat and enslaved a princess of Rohan?"

Eonwe bit her hand to keep from crying out. Her father was searching for her? She remained hidden against the wall, listening intently.

Aradan rapped on the door to the elf's chamber. He was impatient to meet the owner of the slave he was interested in. The housemaid had scuttled to the side as he had approached, the deep scar on his face and his purposeful manner putting her off offering to help him. She stood there, pressed against the wall, debating leaving him on the landing or waking the strange woman for him. Her choice was taken from her as the door opened with a snap.
"You are late, madam," Aradan smiled.
The elf's cool features settled as she saw that it was him,"I am never late," she laughed in elvish. She had forsaken her worn travelling clothes and was clearly wearing something her host had laid out for her. The dress seemed odd on her; it was clearly expensive cloth, but it seemed shabby on her. "You, dearest friend, are too early."
He made a little bow and nodded to the stairs "Shall we away? I fear my 'master' will be expecting us. After all, your conduct has certainly spoken its way around the city. You'll have his household on their toes."
"I fear so. I miss the days when we could travel to these lands as anything other than a rarity. But we will do no business with those who cannot respect their fellows. If they cannot grant freedom to their fellows, how will they grant us freedom to move amongst them?"
The man grunted in reply. He himself was wary of her- Who was she to garner such respect from the rich of this city? He had killed countless times in their names, and yet he would never be more to them than the dirt that they trod on.

They left the house swiftly, bowing their way out as they were offered breakfast. Aradan was feeling ill, even more so when they reached the gates of the Master's house. Through the bars he could see the slaves milling around after their breakfast, enjoying a short respite before their crippling work began anew. With a pang he realised that his friends, or any that he had had were gone. Dead, presumably. He spied Crixus and pulled himself together. To the slave-owners in other cities he was a rare warrior; someone to be impressed by and to be impressed. He should not feel so limited by the old walls glaring at him, but he did. He was suddenly a nobody again. The elves' trust in him had built him up, but here he was, ready to fall.

There was his master, arguing with a strange man. No one moved to greet them or ask them inside. He could no hear their words, but it seemed about an important matter.
"You must bid them open the gates," the elf whispered to him softly, taking his arm to hold.
He flinched and almost pushed her away, but understood her meaning. He must appear a great man before those who had flogged him raw. She smiled, the jewelry draped on her glittering with inhuman cruelty in the sun. His voice caught in his throat the first time he spoke, but the words flew out as he tried a second time. He could feel her fingernails boring into his arm painfully.

"Open the gates!," he roared, feeling the strength he found in pain return. This time, he must be the master.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

Crixus had eaten, all the while watching the new strange man argue with his master. He was clearly foreign to these parts, letting out a laugh at how small he looked when compared to him he finished his food.
He saw Eonwe hiding, as if listening to their conversation, he then realized she had been doing so, probably ever since she had left his room in the morning.
Hearing a shout on the outside he saw a man and a woman, both appearing to be wealthy. More friends of the master?
Standing up,he went over to Eonwe curious, more than anything, both about her behavior and also about what he had heard her say the night before.
''Eonwe?'' he said making sure he wasn't visible to the master. Not that it mattered, as he was still locked in a loud argument.

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She jumped and bit her hand harder, then removed it "Crixus! I uhm---" she gasped as her brother yelled loudly "You must kill her! As her brother, and prince of Rohan I, Eoman, command you to be rid of her! I cannot--" the master gave him a disgusted look and raise his hand, signaling that the gates be opened for the visitors "Eonwe will not be killed or found out!" he snarled to Eoman.

Eonwe breathed a sigh of relief in the shadows. He would not kill her! But her brother was there, and he might. She glanced with guilt at Crixus. "I uhm..." she didn't know what to say.

Crixus began to think. Prince of Rohan? His sister, Eonwe? It slowly began to dawn on him and it showed in his eyes as he understood.She was a princess.
He merely nodded to show her he understood. Crixus moved closer and stood beside her, and lightly put his hand on her shoulder as he listened to their argument, and as the strangers were finally let in.

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She knew in that instant he had figured it out. She closed her eyes and set her head against the wall. He had placed his hand on her shoulder, she wondered why he would do that. Then the argument was over, and her brother and Master were greeting the strangers. She took that moment and fled to the stables in back of the castle. She did not know if Crixus followed, an she didn't know why he would. She collapsed in the hay pile, silent sobs shaking her, and tears coursing down her face. She nearly never cried, and hated it when she did.

"It is Eoman, Prince of Rohan!" the elf exclaimed in quiet surprise, her ears clearly more able to discern the words of the arguing men than his own. "I visited his fathers court some winters ago. Perchance he will not know me- he was only a boy at the time."
As the gates opened Aradan stepped forward, "Mylady, I could not care if you assisted at his birth. We are not here to reminisce your elaborate past," Stung, she tried to pull her arm away, but he held fast, surprised at the strength she had mustered in that simple movement "Do not do away with our plan so easily. We each play our parts."
He could hear her voice dripping with elvish sarcasm as she muttered in response, but held his head even higher as he approached the cruel-eyed man who had played with his life so easily and for so long.
He could feel Rhavaniel lagging slightly, her eyes fixed on what he assumed was Crixus and he pulled her along, pulling her closer to his side. She nearly stumbled, her elvish grace the only reason she remained standing tall. Her gaze flickered to his face, dripping poison. As he plastered a loving smile on his face, she smoothed her features instantly. She was merely an elf, smiling at the master of the slaves gathered in the yard. Content to merely learn of her companions history. He was a 'Beren', blessed with the love of an elf, he was wealthy without measure, he was fearless. He shivered as he felt sweat drip down his spine.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

Crixus saw her rush off, clearly in distress. Looking back he saw the master and the three others were now greeting each other. Seeing as they were distracted her slowly followed and after a few minutes found her in the stables.
He wasn't sure what to do so he just sat down beside her, his hand feebly reaching for her back.

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She gasped and jumped at his touch, her head spinning and her green eyes wide in surprise. "Why are you here?" she turned her face away, ashamed of the tears that fell. A slave had no right to cry. "I...I don't..." she stuttered. She did not know what would come of this. Eoman could seek her out and kill her anytime. not that it mattered. She wiped her tears away in frustration.

''You are upset and crying'' was all he could think to say. He wasn't sure if he should broach the subject of her heritage. He wasn't sure at all what he should do.
He spoke, the words strained, as if struggling to get them out for fear of something.
''I can...protect you. I am... here'' he groaned inwardly at how pathetic his words sounded but he hoped his meaning was clear. Odd how one should be protected from their own brother.

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"If you did that, master would most certainly have you flogged. I do not want that for you, I---" she was cut off by her brother's shout, and her eyes got wide. He had left the group and had come to find her. "Eonwe! Get over here!" he stood by the entrance to the stable, livid. She shrank away from him, as if she could escape into the hay. Eoman walked forward and grabbed her by her hair, dragging her away from the hay and glaring at Crixus, but saying nothing to him. He dragged her from the hay and intonthe aisle between stables. "You!" he dropped her to the floor and drew his sword. "You are the reason for my troubles! And this will end!" he raised his blade above her, getting ready to bring it down on her.

Crixus heard her words. She was concerned for his safety. He turned at the shout and saw who he knew was her brother, he came and dragged her by her hair, drawing his sword and ready to bring it down on her.
Crixus had to act. With a roar he ran and collided with Eoman knocking the sword from his hand and grappling with him on the floor. He threw a few punches at him and received one or two. Crixus lifted him and tossed him away standing between him and Eonwe, breathing heavily, daring him to make a move for her. As far as his master knew he was defending his wishes as he did not want her killed.
Crixus had the urge to protect her and he did.

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@Does the master have a name?

"My dear boy!" the master exclaimed, throwing his arms out in greeting."You've come home to me! And who is this jewel you bring from far off lands?"
Aradan didn't move closer, merely bowed his head slightly "My companion wished to know my heritage. I could not deter her."
"Mylord," the elf said softly, "I am interested to know all of men's traditions. My name is Rhavaniel, daughter of Melda of Greenwood that was."
The owner of the slaves took her hand and held it in a tight grasp "I heard you watched my men in the arena last night! Did you like what you saw?"
She pulled her hand away gently "I was surprised that men still fought in that manner. Tell me, what has upset your girl? She ran crying but a moment ago- Is all well with her? She was present last night as well,"her gaze flicked curiously to the man standing behing the slave owner. But before anything else happend he was off, marching in the direction of the girl.

The elf blanched and took up the slavers hands in hers "Do not let any harm come to her on our account, mylord, we beg you!"
Speechless the slave-owner nodded stunned as she let his hands drop and swept away after him, calling out in alarm as she saw the prince wielding his sword over the young woman on the floor. Before she had time to act the slave Aradan had been so interested in, barreled into the man and lay him flat out on the floor.

"Stop this!" she called out breathlessly, stepping between the two men.

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

(nope...I forgot to name him....)

Eonwe trembled on the floor, not believing what she had just witnessed. He had protected her, he had knocked Eoman away, but why? She stared at Crixus. She didn't know what to say, even if she did she wouldn't know how to say it. She stared at the people that rushed up, and saw the malice in her master's eyes as he looked at Crixus She knew what his intent was. She felt her old wounds opening up as she stood, and the warm sticky blood ran down her back. Yet that was not her concern. She knelt in front of the master "Please, do not harm him. It was I who asked him to do that. Please, punish me instead." the master nodded "Very well." he took her by the arm to drag her off, but before he did she sent Crixus a look, and she hoped she could see the gratitude in her eyes.

@ I shall name him then

"Enough!" said Aradan, his voice deep. He could sense the tension in the elf and saw an oppotunity, "My companion and I have travelled many miles, Abrax, to purchase a maid. We shall take the girl, and pay you richly."
Abrax paused, giving both the elf and his slave of old hard stares; "I do not think that wise, Aradan. Clearly, you have a lady of high standards, this," he spat, pointing at Eonwe "is not suited to elvish ways."
Rhavaniel drew herself up to her full height, her voice dangerously low. "We shall take her, sir, and be on our way."

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. O r b i s N o n S u f f i c i t .

"No." Abrax said firmly "I refuse to sell her, especially to be a maid. She works and will remain here under hard labor." he dragged Eonwe to the whipping post, Eoman followed behind, grinning his satisfaction. Abrax tied her to the post and Eonwe hung her head as he picked up a whip. "Thirty should do it." Abrax stated.