Pure Moonlight (closed)

Luna saw the woman edging towards the rail of the ship and she saw the hopelessness in her eyes. It seemed bleak now, but there was always hope that things could get better. Glancing down at Arys, she murmured for the little girl to stay with Osa while she moved towards the woman to talk to her.

"Kosovo." Luna said softly, startling the tiger slightly as she glanced towards Luna with those wide, lost eyes. "I know what you're thinking. I ask that you don't. There has already been so much sorrow on this voyage that losing another one of us would harm those that are keeping out hope. This horrible situation isn't your child's fault either. It deserves a chance at life."

"What kind of life is any of this?" The Tigress whispered. "I've been in chains before. It doesn't get better. There's no light at the end of the tunnel unless you're lucky enough to slip your shackles and find a sympathetic soul. I had that luck once, and it's never going to happen again. Especially not in the Mediterranean. We and our children are going to be slaves forever. If we were going to the Empire or Switzerland I might hope, but not Rhodes. It's the gateway of werefolk slavery, and the whole world knows it. The very symbol of our slavery is the Colossus that used to stand over the bay."

"You don't know what your future will be. How can you think of doing something so permanent for a problem so temporary?" Luna pleaded with her. "This isn't worth killing yourself over. Hope is still out there no matter how bleak it seems."

"You've never felt chains around you before this. I can tell..." She murmured, turning to face the open sea beyond the rail, but she didn't try to go any further. It seemed for the time being, she would listen despite denying any hope. It wasn't long before buckets of water were tossed over them and they were allowed to stay out just long enough to dry and comb their fur before being forced back into the hold. Osa pressed a kiss to Luna's cheek as they went, in thanks for preventing another needless death.

Luna said nothing else as Osa thanked her for saving the tiger that still looked so forlorn. It was her job as a healer to stop needless death and suffering. She had learned from some of the best and they would have done much of the same.

That evening after they had been fed, Luna sat with Arys against her side, holding the little girl against her as the listened to the desperate voices around her. "What's your favorite story?" She murmured as she looked down at the little girl who still seemed so frightened.

Arys looked up at Luna slowly and murmured, "Da used to tell me story of the dragon in Inverness... and the Loch Ness Monster." That told Luna that this girl must've come from a nearby tribe. Her clothes, made of wool instead of hide, told Luna that she was from a town, likely one to the northwest or southwest of Inverness.

"My cousin has searched her entire life for the dragon in the loch." Luna said softly, soothing the little girl's white fur gently with her hand. "One day she knows that she'll find her. She promised to bring back some kipper eggs when she does."

"Ma said she'd take me to see the loch this summer," Arys murmured. "She's still at home with grandma and Uncle Irin." Meeting Luna's gaze, she seemed a little curious. "You told Urubay and Osa you have a family, the Ghis and the Maliar. Who are they? Did any of them get caught too?"

"My Uncle Brogan is the king of Inverness. He's been the king for a very long time and he's trying to make things safer for everyone to live in peace." Luna said softly as Arys admitted that she still had a family out there that was worried about her. "I don't think any of them were caught. I was walking alone in the woods and got caught in a trap. My Uncle Ghell use to be a slave in Spain but it's been a long time since he was there. It's not a good life, but as long as you obey and are good, you should be fine."

"That's what Da said... he was born in Spain," Arys nodded slowly. "My Grandpa was a rich trader from England and he bought Da's freedom so he could be an apprentice. He ended up being a trapper when he came to Scotland with Ma."

"I'm sorry about what happened to your Da, little one." Luna said softly as Arys opened up a little bit more. "You need to keep your hopes up because I know one day very soon you'll be back with the rest of your family. You've been very brave so far."

"Urubay said the same thing... I hope he makes it to Rhodes," the little girl nearly whispered, knowing Urubay was somewhere in the hold among the dead and the dying.

The journey took another two and a half months to sail down the European coast and through the Strait of Gibralar and into the Mediterranean. The heat made everything much worse for those in the hold, but they'd come to the point where only the strongest of will and body were still alive so very few were dying anymore. They'd picked up more along the way, and many of those werefolk were still alive, a little more suited to the warmer climate. When the ship finally came to dock, the hold was unloaded and the white werefolk were brought out last with hands and muzzles bound, and ankles shackled so they could walk, but not run.

Silas Carver was waiting to inspect them all after they were soaked with water and forcefully scrubbed down with soap and their fur quickly brushed to get rid of mats. The males were forced to dress in dark, rough trousers, and the females in a sort of dark halter top and a sarong skirt. The point was to show off their upper bodies for those with wide shoulders and powerful arms. The first to be sold off were a group of large males from the cargo hold and a few females with them.

Men were speaking around Luna and looking her and her fellow slaves over with critical eyes. She couldn't understand a word of their languages, but Silas certainly did. One pointed out the scar around Luna's foot, making a commotion about it as if he was being sold damaged goods, and Silas just shoved him away before looking Luna over. The wound had healed well and she could walk on it without a problem, so he continued on his way.

Arys pressed close beside Luna when a large dark grey werefox appeared with a collar about his neck, and knelt down beside her. He spoke softly with a smile, but Arys couldn't understand. Finally, he found the language she spoke, and he said, "Little one, are your parents here?"

"No..."

"I'm sorry dear... But if you'd like a good new home, my keeper takes in children like yourself and we travel all over the world as merchants."

"Back off," the voice of Urubay reached them as he was pushed into line next to Luna. "I know your type, you bastard."

The Wolf rose and fixed Urubay with an icy glare before moving on. Urubay murmured quietly to Luna, "We can't let anyone buy Arys alone. These people are ignorant enough to believe we might be her parents if we insist on it." It seemed his mate had already been sold without him, but he was trying to focus on what he could control.

Luna hated the loud skeptical that the docks had turned into. She hated the way that the men looked at her like she were something to purchase and was slightly afraid that they noticed the scar around her ankle as if it were something to kill her over. It wasn't her fault that she had been caught in a trap. However, that didn't seem to matter to Silas as he simply examined the wound and moved on with his business.

When Urubay appeared at her side, telling the were that had taken an interest in Arys to back off, Luna was slightly startled. She wanted to express her sympathies to him that his mate had already been taken from him, but she knew this wasn't the time or place. They had to focus on Arys.

"Little one, if they ask again, I am your Ma and Urubay is your Da." Luna said quickly, looking down at the little girl as she stared up at her with such terror in her gaze. "Do you understand me? If you don't, we will be separated."

Arys nodded quickly, desperate to stay with people she knew, and she tucked herself tightly between them. Urubay kept Luna close, putting on a front of a Wolf protecting his family. Silas would know it wasn't true, but if he could sell three at once, he really didn't care.

Many came up and down the line of slaves several times before choosing those they wanted, usually taking groups or at least pairs so no one was completely alone, just as Urubay had said they wouldn't be. Finally, a tall, very dignified man in a long coat with a polished medallion about his neck paused before them and called Silas over. They spoke quietly for a bit before the stranger asked aloud, "Are you a family?"

Urubay nodded once. "Yes sir."

"And her. How old is she?"

"Six years, sir."

"And you?"

"Thirty-eight."

"Hm... Young enough. I'll take them, Carver."

"Five-hundred."

"Really? I thought we were friends, Silas." The two went back and forth trying to make a deal and Arys clung a little tighter to Luna when the stranger mentioned taking just Urubay and Arys. Silas refused to split them, and finally they agreed on a price. Money was exchanged, they shook hands, and Silas split them from the line.

"Arken! Tyen!" The stranger called, and a lanky orange werefox and a burly white weretiger appeared from the crowd, steel collars about their necks decorated with vine patterns.

"Take these three home and get them collars from the blacksmith. Tell my wife I'll be along around dinnertime," the man ordered.

"Yes, Sir Evard," the Tiger nodded, and they took the three quickly to a horse-drawn cart and they set out on their way away from the hustle and bustle of Rhodes. The ride went on for a long time before the Fox turned around to look at them all.

"Well... you could've done much worse. Evard's a little cold, but not really cruel. It'll be Mr. Volos, the overseer, that you need to look out for." He offered out his hand for each of them to shake. "I'm Tyen, one of Sir Evard's wife's personal servants. So is Arken here. You all were bought to join us and help the lady of the house."

"Urubay Colum," Urubay introduced himself. "This is... our daughter, Arys. And my mate, Luna." He knew they'd need to hold up the lie or they might be separated even at their new home and only see one another maybe once a day. He had to make sure Arys was always with one of them.

Luna shook the were's hand as he offered it, listening to him talk about her new home. Arys was attached to her side, trembling slightly and she knew it would be a long time before the little girl was ever the same again. She was being brave, but a child like Arys deserved to be home with her family, living out her happy days of childhood.

"Who are our owners?" Luna asked softly, glancing towards Urubay as he took Arys from her side to comfort her for himself. "You say that they are fair, but what do they do for a living? How could they have afforded us?"

"Sir Michael Evard is a Belgian knight. He moved here to the Greek Islands to take part in the Greek Merchant Navy, which is one of the largest Merchant Navies in the world. He's an admiral, and sails aboard The Aphia taking goods all across the Mediterranean to other ports where other fleets will take the cargo out to their destinations. He never gets too far from home but he's a busy man. So his wife Ariadne is usually in charge of the house and she's actually quite fond of werefolk. She comes from a poor family in Rome, so I think that makes her a little more humane. She'll love little Arys. And you'll be her first white werefolk. Sir Evard usually doesn't buy white werefolk. He thinks it makes him look like a snob if he insists on a fur color."

"See, little one? I told you that you would be safe." Luna murmured as she glanced towards Arys practically hiding in Urubay's fur. "As long as you work hard and are nice and polite you won't have any problems."

She hoped that Arys was taking what she was saying to heart. She didn't think that she could deal with the death of the little girl if something were to go wrong.

The Tiger, Arken, looked back and gave Arys a small smile. "The mistress will love you." He didn't seem to speak much, so Arys took what little he did say, along with Luna's words, and tried to calm down.

The journey took them halfway across the island to a beautiful little bay just big enough for a couple ships docked there. A huge shipyard stood by, the skeleton of a new frigate already standing with all sorts of werefolk working on it with a few humans and overseers. Luna saw a new type of werefolk she'd only ever heard of in stories before. They were great minotaurs, working in harmony with their centaur cousins. As centaurs were notoriously afraid of sailing, those who were there must've gone through a hellish journey to the island of Rhodes. The only things that outsized the minotaurs were the weredragons and weredrakes, all sleek and tall with their long necks and angular long faces.

The majority of the werefolk worked either in the shipyard or a huge olive grove, while a large handful worked around the grounds keeping it neat, and a smaller few worked in the house. That was where Luna, Urubay, and Arys were headed, and a petite little woman with ebony hair and beautifully tanned skin waited beside a huge, old and grey minotaur dressed in fairly expensive black clothes which marked him as a house servant. All of the werefolk had the same vine-decorated steel collars.

Tyen and Arken brought the cart to a halt and helped the three out, unbinding them before the small woman approached, looking them over with a sort of barely-hidden excitement under practiced grace. "Welcome," she said brightly but softly. "Arken, go get the collars made. We don't want these three to be stolen. Now, tell me your names and where you come from?"

"Urubay, of Mongolia," Urubay said clearly. His mate had mentioned he'd once been in the Far East, but never said where he came from. "This is my daughter Arys, and my mate Luna of Scotland."

"Interesting, I've never met any werefolk from either of those places if I remember correctly. Your daughter is absolutely adorable," Ariadne smiled down at Arys, but the little girl was too shy and scared to look up. "This is my head serving man, Orin," she said motioning to the old minotaur. "He keeps the house and looks after those who work in it. Tell me what each of you are best at, and he'll find the perfect jobs for you."

"I was raised to be a miner, and I learned carpentry and construction in Africa," Urubay told her.

"A good man for repairs and upkeep, madame," Orin murmured in a low voice like thunder.

"Arys has never had a trade. She is too young." Luna said softly as she looked down at the little girl who was still so frightened. "I am a healer. I was about to become one of the head healers for my tribe before...before I was taken."

She knew that the stealing of a were probably didn't bother this woman in front of them but she decided that she was going to be completely honest with them no matter what. She valued honesty above everything else.

"It's a nasty business, this whole idea of slavery... but I'm afraid I can't go against my husband. So I try to treat those he buys like people instead of possessions. I can't do much to help you, but I can see that you eat well and have a place to sleep, and I can make sure the overseers aren't too harsh as long as you work hard. Does that sound like a deal?"

"Yes, ma'am," Urubay nodded, but it was clear in his eyes that he wasn't ready to trust such kindness.

"Good. Michael will have a talk with you when he comes home, but until then, Orin will set you up where you need to be." Ariadne nodded to Orin and the minotaur led them inside. He walked stiffly as if in pain, but he paid it no mind, leading them up a flight of stairs to the servants' quarters. He showed them to some open beds and where the washrooms were and where the weretiger in charge of laundry would hang their clothes.

Orin finally paused before the door, looking to Luna, "We can use a good healer... Many werefolk suffer from old pains from past owners, and someone is always getting hurt out in the grove or the shipyard... You'll be busy with that all the time, I imagine. Just let me know what you need as for herbs and tools. Urubay, if you'll come with me, I'll show you where the tool shed is and a few things that need fixing. Arys, stay close to your... 'mother.'" While the humans who kept slaves didn't care nor notice, Orin could tell Luna was too young to be Arys' mother, but he wasn't going to blow their cover in front of the humans.

Luna looked sharply at the man who showed them to their rooms, his comment telling them all that their secret was safe. She nodded softly, promising to make a list of things that she would need to do her job. She took Arys from Urubay, settling the both of them on the edge of the bed as the men left them in peace.

"So far it's not so bad." Luna said as she brushed her fingers through the little girl's white fur. "Until the mistress tells us what you will be doing, you need to stay at my side. Do not go off with anyone no matter what, alright? If anyone hurts or bothers you, you tell me or Urubay."

Arys simply laid her head in Luna's lap, looking entirely defeated, but she nodded as Luna spoke to her. She didn't have to say it, but it was clear all she wanted was just one more moment at home. If she was ever free again, she'd never take it for granted.

Luna worked to make sure that Arys was well taken care of. The little girl was fed and clothed in the clothing that the mistress sent for them. She even managed to get a little cloth doll for the sweet girl to try and lift her spirits. As Arys sat there on the bed that was now hers, looking down at the doll, Luna made a list of all the tools that she might have needed. She wondered briefly if she could get a letter out to her family, but she thought otherwise. That might get her punished or even killed.

The work was tough and sometimes Luna would go a couple days without sleep when she had patients who couldn't wait til morning for treatment. Evard seemed satisfied with his new slaves' work, especially when Arys showed a knack for sewing when Ariadne needed help making a dress. The little girl and her mistress got along quite well. Ariadne had no children of her own, so she almost treated Arys like a daughter when Evard was away. But things got a little tougher for Urubay and Luna when Evard made it clear that he expected them to have more children. Even if Urubay hadn't had a mate of his own somewhere else in Rhodes, he would've refused to touch Luna because it simply wasn't right among werefolk to be forced with a mate.

"He won't take no for an answer much longer." Luna said softly as she and Urubay sat side by side, eating their lunch in the shade of a large tree. "So, we either have to tell him that I'm barren and hope that he doesn't do away with me because of my healing skills or try to make a run for freedom."