Ayoka tried to run as she saw her mother grabbed; turning like a tabuk in flight she took off toward the door, her long red hair flowing out behind her. She felt her hair grabbed from behind and she screamed, landing on her knee. Over her stood a tall, dark Warrior, his large hand grabbing her arm. Farnic laughed softly as he gazed upon her beauty. Ah yes, she will make a priceless slave. He squeezed her arm as he peeled back her veils one at a time, wanting to drag out her torment, her whole body silently screaming as she tried to get free from his grasp. All the men sneered, mocking and laughing at her helplessness. She saw one man making fun of her by picking up her veils, placing them upon his face, his friend then stripping them back off and ko`laring the other, maliciously caressing his breast. She tried to bite the man who was holding her, but grinning from ear to ear he tore the last veil from her face. Her sea blue eyes darting around the room for her parents, desperate she searched for a way to escape. Finally she thought of the only way, she brought up her knee as she twisted her agile young body, and came down hard on his maleness, causing him to double over. The steel ko`lar fell to the floor, as she pulled from his grasp. Farnic growled as he doubled over in pain, he felt the girl pull away as he grabbed his groin. "You damn Laybisti, you whore, and I am going to kill you. I am going to let the whole army have you, you no good slut" He quickly recomposed but not quick enough the girl vanished from his sight. Farnic just started after the girl when his leader came through the door. "Lets get out of here, it is time to leave, we have all of the sluts chained, and any precious goods strapped down." his deep voice resonated throughout the hall as his men began to leave.
Ayoka ran through the alcoves through the back door to the servery, then into the cool room. She quickly crawled behind the large casks of paga and dropped to her knees, her breathing hard and raspy.
Perspiration ran down her face, though her soft supple body was quivering from the cold air in the cool room where she was hidden. She heard her mother screaming as one of the men face stripped the older woman, placing a ko`lar on her neck. Ayoka shivered, she felt the tears flow down her young face, as she relived the last hour, the horror of being seized, humiliated in front of all those men eating at her soul. The images of her father’s death tearing at her heart as she watched the battle axe fall upon his neck. Then peeking around the corner of the servery to the main hall as she saw the men, drag the slave girls by their hair to coffle them together, and then drag them out into the night air. Ayoka screamed within her mind, yet she dare not make a sound.
The sounds of the attack began to lessen, she gasped as she heard the door to the cool room open. Ayoka held her breath when two men came through the door; they began to gather up supplies. Ayoka cringed behind them as close to the floor as she could, praying that they would not find her. Tanukan, glanced around the room, his near black eyes inspected all of the stores.
Ayoka felt hot breath against her neck as the short man walked past the paga casks, his heavy breathing causing her heart to skip a beat. She just knew she would be caught.
"Danouk, get all of the kalana, and I will get the Bosk and other meats here."
Danouk, grumbled to himself, thinking, yeah you get the easy work, leave the heavy job to me damn you anyway. He quickly set about to gather all of the bottles of kalana. Tanukan gathered all the skins of meat he could find, then quickly left the room as he heard their leader call Danouk's and his name.
Ayoka because, of kneeling behind the cask for what seemed like hours began to get sleepy, with her lips turning blue she closed her eyes thinking to herself, please, just for a minute, I am so cold. She fell into a restless sleep.
Suddenly she heard a loud noise, and she crawled out of the room on her hands and knees. She silently moved across the stones of the servery to the outside door. Holding her breath she turns the latch and slipped out into the darkness of the night. A strong wind was blowing as she crawled down the path, making her way to the woods just beyond her mother’s garden. La Donmaski' Tavern was normally a very busy place but today all of the men were on a slave hunt, one of their neighbors slaves had run, and most of the men of the area was out looking for her, wanting the reward. Ayoka's heart was broken, tears scattered in the dirt as she continued to make her way to the woods.
Standing up, she took off into the darkened pathway. Ayoka, softy sobbed as she wandered along the path going away from her homeland of Turia. There was no way for her to go back, news of her humility would have reached the city. The only thing left for her to do was to survive in the woods alone, until such a time she could find a way to get more veils, and perhaps find a new name. She listened to the nocturnal animals about their nightly life. She wondered how she would survive, or would she become one of their meals. Stumbling along the path she searched for a safe place to sleep for the night, her young body exhausted she needed to rest.
Ayoka glanced to the side of the path and noticed a little used path, the grass was barely broken, stepping on to it, and she followed signs of an animal or man, who had passed through perhaps a week ago. She was becoming very thirsty; she glanced around for anything, fruit, berries, and a stream. A small urt scampered out in front of her; she had all she could do not to scream. But fear of being caught held the sound deep within her throat. She wandered down that broken path for hours when finally she saw a small cave, entering it she dropped to her knees, and fell into a deep sleep.
Her dreams were not of the restful kind, the nightmares of the past 24 hours tearing her apart. Ayoka tossed and turned that night to be awakened by a small urt crawling across her leg. She screamed then slapped her hand over her mouth as she opened her eyes. The Gorean sun was shining brightly as she peeked out of the cave. Letting her eyes adjust she stepped out into the sunlight, her soft white silks brushing against her creamy thighs. Her white dress torn and tattered, it resembled a slaves silks more then the dress of a virgin FreeWoman.
Months passed as she wandered the great Gorean lands, she had many times nearly been caught yet she managed to stay free. Ayoka remembered the stories of the Taluna, and how they were Free Women, not needing to wear veils. She was trying to find her way to their lands, she knew that they would help her to remain free. Ayoka was so tired of being alone; her heart ached to have a family again. Many nights were spend on wondering where her mother had vanished to, knowing she would probably never see her again.
Ayoka heard a sound, stopping dead in her tracks she listened. The sound of an animal's growl was heard in the distance. She reached for the sharpened stone that she had used as a cutting tool, "you probably will be of no use, but you are all I have", she thought.
Suddenly from through the trees a large sleen leaped at her. She screamed, and then thrust the sharpened stone at the furred throat of the feline. Ayoka, kicked, struggling to keep the teeth from her flesh, but the animal grabbed her exposed calf, tearing a double-sided gash with its two rows of teeth. She screamed stabbing again at its neck, bringing back her other leg she kicked as hard as she could, she felt the leg freed as she rolled away. Scrambling she got to her feet, dragging her injured leg behind her she ran into the thickness of the brush, trying to lose the animal. Dragging her leg behind her she stumbled through the trees. She dragged her leg behind her, the pain and burning causing dizziness, the loss of blood. She stumbled upon a stone falling into the darkened pathway passing out in a bloody crumbled heap upon the ground below her.