Don't Mess With The Xioquo [Sio]

[Lief]

She could not live without her Shahbânu, the woman whose service she had been born to and raised within. While the Mistress she had been sent to serve wasn't necessarily bad, and certainly not the worst, she certainly didn't understand Aro on the same level as Semiramis. Aro had been her bodyguard, in her presence most hours of the day, a personal favourite, and losing that status had been a major blow. Aro hadn't felt the same since.

While she had seen upon arrival where fleeing got bad slaves, she couldn't help but try herself. Of course, rather than outright running she made it seem as though she had errands to run outside of the estate. From there she had been alone, trekking across the planet with what few supplies she had managed to snatch.

Aro had joined her Queen on many journeys, but that didn't mean she was well versed in the geography of the land. So it was only natural that she had gotten really rather lost. And into darker territory than intended. From thereon in it had been a downward spiral into chaos.

So it was that she had been captured by her dark brethren, the Xioquo. Aro did not entirely know what it was they intended to do with her, but she wasn't too keen on finding out either. Knelt in a makeshift cage, the Qadiri lamented her mistakes. Had the Lady Siobhan not been her Queens choice in Master? Did that not make her service to Sio even greater than it had been under Semiramis? She didn't exactly know.

She was just a slave, she should have done as she was told.

[member='Siobhan Kerrigan']

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


Footsteps could be heard outside. The darkness in the cave made it difficult to see anything or anyone, though if one concentrated enough one would be able to see that Aro was not alone in the dungeon. Indeed, there were a great many tiny cages inside it. Slaves, most of them Qadiri, were huddled inside them.


Many looked bloody, broken and in a number of cases malnourished. Cries of pain were heard coming from one cage, where a slave was being brutally whipped by a masked torturer. The door to Aro's jail opened, and a statuesque, cruel looking Xioquo slaver stepped in.


A sadistic smirk crossed her lips when she roughly grabbed Aro by her ears. Elf ears were very sensitive, which in this case would cause her a good deal of pain.


"Look what we got here. One of Semiramis' dirty slaves," she spat disdainfully when she saw the brand. She traced a knife across Aro's cheek, enough to draw blood. "Well, forget about her. You're never gonna go back. Now you serve the mistress race...in any way we want. The Priestesses will take your mind and make you forget everything. Even your name."


Electricity crackled from her fingertips, then a burst of lightning gave Aro a good, shocking zap. "Our Goddess has risen. Zeheb will be ashes. As will the sky demons." At that she gave Aro a very hard kick.


Suddenly there was loud noise echoing from further away in the cave. Pained screams, accompanied by the sound of explosions and the clap of thunder. Abruptly the slaver spun around, only to find that one of her minions, ashen-faced, was running towards her. "What is the meaning of this?" she snarled.


"Mistress...she is h-here."


"Who?! Speak, or I will have you whipped till you're bloody."


"She...Kariszhar. The Destroyer."

 

[Lief]

Kneeling, it seemed, had been a mistake. Her knees were sore, stones digging into the skin, but that wasn't the worst of it. There was no way to rest, there was a steady drip of perspiration from the ceiling of the cave which would land upon her brow every so often. And then came her captor; the woman was far taller than she, that much could be seen even from her low vantage point.

Naturally, she shied back against the bars. But it was no use, there was nowhere to hide.

As the slaver reached out and grasped her by the ear Aro could not help but cry out in pain. In the same instance she rose slightly, as if it would ease the pain or at the very least weaken the grip. But there was no reprise. Then the elf had the gall to badtalk her Queen, though fear held Aro's tongue. Under different circumstances she would have fought her Mistresses corner, though.

The cold touch of a knife ran along her cheek, though the pain which it brought was nothing compared to her ears so she clenched her jaw and tried to ignore it. She could not find her voice, she wanted to stop the Xioquo... But before her lips could even form the words she felt a shock flow through her body as the accompanying stench of sulfur graced the air.

Back on her knees, as if she was grovelling at the woman's feet - which she most definitely was not! - Aro did her best to bite back a whimper but ultimately failed.

The kick was the last thing she really noticed, before her hearing was filled with the sound of raised voices and threats. What was going on? And who was Kariszhar?

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


"We must retreat. I'll take this whore with me. The Council will rew...," the Xioquo slaver boss never got the chance to finish the sentence, for there was suddenly a loud boom and the entire cave seemed to shake as if struck by tremors.


The broken body of a Xioquo warrior was flung through the and crashed into a wall, splattering blood across it. A figure clad from head to toe in imposing armour, face obscured by a helmet with a T-shaped visor, stepped into the cave.


"Kill her!" Xioquo warriors opened fire with their musquets and tossed spears at the intruder. But the shots had no effect upon her armour and seemed to disintegrate upon contact.


The attacker drew upon her own Sciia and directed it outward in form of a shockwave. Xioquo struck by it were not just flung around like ragdolls, but completely broken. The slaver boss slowly backed away, seemingly terrified by the horrible sight. Then she found her courage and raised both hands, unleashing a powerful blast of lightning towards the attacker.


The stench of sulfur and ozone filled the air. The figure shook just a bit, but then retracted her gauntlet and raised her hand, which soon glowed brightly as she caught the Lightning...and reflected it back. At far higher power and intensity. Screams, spasms, pain. Aro's would-be tormentor crumpled to the ground after her body had been reduced to a charred husk. The figure stepped across the corpses, paying them no mind. Then she slowly removed her helmet, revealing a long firemane and a scarred face. Siobhan Kerrigan's eyes fell upon Aro.

 

[Lief]

Aro kept her head down, she wanted no part in this and she definitely didn't want to be carted off to Force knew where with the dark skinned fiend. Thankfully something cut short her captors words, but the Elf wasn't feeling up to finding out exactly what it was. She was exhausted and sore, and had she been in a better state she might have joined the fight. Some Bodyguard she was at this point in time.

Slowly though she sensed her tormentors disperse and glanced up to see the armour-clad individual who had downcast everyone save the captives. Relieved, reached out and took up the knife that had previously been used against her which was now resting against the ground. Having the hilt in her grasp, despite its odd craftsmanship compared to what she was used to, was in and of itself a comfort.

But as the individual stepped over the corpses and toward her a new sense of ease washed over her, there was something soothing about the person's presence... Despite the massacre which had occurred at their hand.

And as the helmet was removed, Aro swiftly found the reason for it. Her Fiery-Mistress had found her. The very thing she had been betraying had come to her rescue, and the realisation of her mistake made her lower her head in shame. "Forgive me, Mistress" the young elf muttered, her voice cracking and parched.

It seemed her Queen had been correct all along.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


The Xioquo were all massacred and Siobhan turned her eyes towards the wayward slave. "I am disappointed in you, Aro," she said sternly. "I am the protector of your queen, Semiramis, and she gave you to me. I was gentle and kind to you...and you ran away. In doing so you didn't just insult me, but also Semiramis."


She approached Aro, nonchalantly walking over the corpses of dead drows. "But your transgression was born out of loyalty and you feel remorse, so I shall forgive you. I saved you from the Dark Ones, your life is in my debt. Do you pledge yourself to me now?" It was clearly not really a question, but she wanted to hear these words from Aro. However, though Sio's words were stern, concern could be seen in her eyes when she scrutinised Aro for injuries. "Unconditionally and irrevocably, unless I set you free."

 

[Lief]

Aro all but flinched to the reprimand, cowering back slightly where she knelt.

The woman was right, she had disobeyed both her Mistress and her Queen in one fell swoop - and look where it had landed her. In some damp cave cut and bruised, quivering at the feet of the one who had taken her in.

She heard Sio's approach and tensed, waiting for some sort of punishment. But words met her instead. They spoke of a life debt now owed, one Aro would have to stand by from hereon out. That, if nothing else, would keep her loyal.

"Yes, Mistress" she said, her voice a little stronger now - it had to be, pledging oneself wasn't necessarily for the weak. It took a lot of strength to give oneself to another. "I pledge myself to you, unconditionally - eternally."

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


Siobhan raised her hand after Aro had spoken. However, rather than strike the girl in order to 'remind her of her place' or something similarly cruel, she fondly stroked the contrite slave's hair. "Good girl. Then we shall put this episode past us. You will serve my family and me in any way I desire, and I shall treat you kindly," she spoke, before pulling Aba into a kiss. Her tone was soft, but still with a strong lilt of command.


Telekinetic power wrapped around the shackles restraining the elf and broke them. "A healer will look at your injuries. Can you walk?" Briefly she glanced over to the mass of cages in the caves. Firemane minions had followed in her wake and were helping the slaves out.

 

[Lief]

Naturally Aro flinched as the hand was raised, eyes closing to brace for some sort of strike. Only instead she felt her Mistress' gentle touch within her hair, and her calm yet commanding tone once again graced her ears. Without thinking, Aro leaned into the woman's touch. It was soothing, and it made her feel at peace within what had been a chaotic period of her life.

"Yes Mistress" she said, still not looking up... Until the woman kissed her. Aro was slightly taken aback by the gesture, she wasn't used to not being punished and it didn't quite sit right with her. But it wasn't her place to question Sio's methods.

Without much warning the shackles snapped and when the air met the sore skin where the iron had sat Aro sucked in a sharp breath. It seemed as though everything was sore. She could, however, walk. That much she knew.

Saying nothing at all the Elf rose and finally looked upon her saviour. "Thank you, Mistress" she whispered; the sincerity of her tone, matched with a few stray tears, revealed the girl's relief. She just wanted to go home, and put foolish thoughts from her mind.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


"Good. Then come with me," Siobhan spoke in a confident, firm tone. She had seen how Aro flinched when she raised her hand. It was a natural reaction to be expected from a slave, especially after what Aro had just went through, but internally it still made her feel bad.


The girl would expect punishment and the lack of it visibly confused her, but the idea of striking someone weaker than her to prove a point didn't well with Sio. Yes, sometimes the Butcher of Roche was too moral and caring. It was truly a strange world.


However, she resisted the urge to give the girl a hug when she saw the stray tears. "We are going home now." 'Home' was spoken with particular emphasis to reassure the Qadiri. And so Siobhan turned away, beckoning Aro to follow. After a short trip through the damp, dirty caves that were littered with the bodies of dead Xioquo, they would step out into the light of the day, where a dropship awaited. The other slaves had been similarly herded by the Firemane soldiers and led outside.

 

[Lief]

Aro was quick to follow, stepping over the charred remains of those who had captured her and several others. She could see fellow slaves being ushered from the cave, the crude cages reduced to hollow shells.

Home, she thought, Forget this place, and think of home. It may not have been a home fit for Kings, on her part, but it was safe and warm and there no one sought to harm her.

Shuddering as they passed through the caves, noticing the occasional dead slave who must have been slain by the now deceased dark elves, Aro felt the breeze from outside and felt both refreshed and chilled in unison.

Not wanting to be left behind in what had become a graveyard in its own right, Aro picked up the pace and hurried along behind Sio. She was a little slower than she might have been on a better day, but the urge to leave pushed her on despite her injuries.

When they finally stepped outside and into the view of the dropship Aro exhaled in relief. Thank the maker, it wouldn't be too long now.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


Finally Aro was safe. Now she only needed to endure the trip inside the flying metal beast and then she'd be home. A room with a soft bed in the servants' quarters awaited here there. Along with a life of service to her Mistress.


"Come on. We'll be home in two hours," Siobhan said encouragingly as she stepped onto the dropship, taking Aro's hand in the process. After they had embarked, the landing ramp was raised and the ship lifted off from the ground and into the sky, leaving the accursed cave behind it.


Siobhan glanced over to a soldier and gestured to her. "Trooper Hawke, fetch my slave some clothes." Obediently, the trooper headed over towards a chest and then came back. One imagined that Aro could use some fresh clothes to replace the dirty rags she was wearing. Especially since it was chillier here up in the north than in her native Qadiri lands. "Put them on, Aro." As ever Siobhan's tone was soft, but commanding.

 

[Lief]

While the ship was preferred over the cave, that didn't mean Aro liked it. Or the idea of having to crawl up inside the great metal beast. They terrified her, unnatural things that they were. But as she heard her Mistress' encouragement, and felt her hand take her own, Aro braved the steps up the ramp and into the ship.

Once inside Aro glanced around. There were several others already onboard and a couple more to get on. But rather swiftly everyone was accounted for and the ramp rose with the ship quick to follow. Aro tensed as the beast juddered in response.

Naturally she kept close to her saviour even once onboard, after all she hadn't been told to sit or leave her presence.

Aro was very grateful when the fresh clothes were brought to her, though she remained slightly tentative about the whole thing. That was until Siobhan instructed her to put them on. Well, it would not do for her to undress infront of such company, so instead she began to pull them on over what she had already been wearing, that way she would look presentable and feel warm as they left the heat behind.

"Thank you Mistress" she said once the warmth engulfed her, eyes to the floor as ever.

Aro did not feel deserving of such a kind Mistress.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


Looking towards Aro, Siobhan reached out with her hand and fondly petted the elf like a favourite pet. "You may sit down, dear." Two hours passed swiftly as the dropship flew across the sea and then across the mountains. Soon it was sweeping across the city of New Santaissa, the new capital of the Eldorai ever since the destruction of Kaeshana.


Much of the city was still under construction, but a good deal of progress had been made. Word was that the Eldorai would soon be building a new ziggurat, though it would probably be a while before the Star Queen actually lived there. However, their destination was not the city, but rather the magnificient villa that lay upon the hills overlooking it. As would become clear once the shuttle swooped down towards the landing pad, an honour guard had been prepared for Siobhan. After all, she loved being the centre of attention.


"We're home. C'mon. Your quarters are still the same. A healer will see to your injuries, then you'll get freshened and have something to eat." Siobhan still remembered her own faux pas during their first encounter. Thus she understood that Aro wouldn't accept food that she hadn't either made herself or been given by a fellow slave instead of a free servant.


Another lesson she'd also learned was that she should give Aro some training with more modern weapons. Perhaps one of the reasons for Aro's escape was that she hadn't felt valued enough. After all, before being sent to Siobhan as a gift she'd been the Shahbânu's bodyguard.

 

[Lief]

Aro was grateful for being able to sit, and immediately took advantage of the situation.

Throughout the journey back Aro succumbed to exhaustion, her eyes threatening to shut at any moment. But she didn't. She couldn't. Every time she even blinked she could see nothing but the face of the Xioquo woman who had scarred her cheek and shocked her.

When they finally landed her gaze moved to Siobhan and she rose up from her seat. She followed her Mistress from the ship, listening to each word that she said, hanging on every last syllable.

"Yes, Mistress" she responded, a little nervous about having to go and see a healer. "I feel okay though." Okay, so maybe she was dehydrated and sore but she didn't want to seem pathetic or weak.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


"You are not ok," Siobhan said firmly. "Besides, I am your Mistress, so I know best." Ok, maybe that was a little bit pompous. Stern maternalism seemed to be the order of the day. Turning around, she patted Aro on the shoulder and gave it a good squeeze.


"You are a very valued slave in my household. Ergo your wellbeing important to me. The healer sees to my injuries as well. You'll be fine, sweetie. You will also be receiving more thorough combat training, so that you never go through such a horrible ordeal again and can serve my family perfectly as a bodyguard."


Perhaps she had partially said the last line to reassure the girl about the fact that she didn't consider her pathetic or weak. After all, otherwise she wouldn't bother with training and stuff.


Pep talk over, she walked towards the villa, expecting Aro to follow. The doors to the manour opened, revealing a reception area that could only be described as tastefully opulent. Upon stepping inside, both of them would come to face a rather striking, redheaded Eldorai dressed in simple black robes.


"Siobhan, glad you're back," she said sweetly, giving the Countess a kiss when she approached. Then she turned her eyes towards the wayward slave. "You must be Aro. Your Mistress told me about you. She was very worried when you disappeared. My name is Eileithya, priestess of the Eldorai. I will see to your injuries." Her aura radiated a sense of calm and she tried to soothe Aro's nerves a bit through her empathic gifts. Nothing too invasive that would magically take the girl's anxieties away, but something that would make her less nervy.


[member="Valiens Nantaris"]

 

[Lief]

Aro inclined her head and accepted that her Mistress' word was final on this matter. It would not do for her to try and argue after she had just been rescued and pledged herself to the woman. The little pat of her shoulder was enough to reassure her that no harm had been done.

The next statements to leave her Master's mouth however caused her to look up in surprise. She was going to be trained? Aro inhaled slowly, her eyes were genuinely wide and her mouth almost agape. "You're too kind, Mistress" she replied, all at once dropping to her knees. There was no way that Siobhan could possibly understand how much that small sentiment meant to her.

But she couldn't kneel there all day, so as Sio turned to walk up the steps Aro hastily followed suit a few steps behind.

As the redhead came into view Aro bit back a gasp; she was beautiful, mesmerizing even, and the mere sight of her had her lowering her gaze in embarrassment. "I'm sorry, Mistress" she said, when the Priestess informed her of her Mistress' worries, to both of the women. Keeping her gaze down, Aro waited patiently.

Truly she had missed her home, but nothing more so than she had missed her Mistress. Even if she had run from her.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


"It is alright, dear. Your Mistress knows," Eileithya spoke soothingly and patted Aro on the head. Siobhan was the one whose behaviour towards the slave could be called stern maternalism, but the Priestess was not particularly comfortable with that.


She strongly opposed slavery, but her time on experience on Tygara had taught her she had to deal with it. Simply telling a slave that they were free would not automatically make it so. Especially when they were so psychologically dependent on having a mistress as Aro seemed to be since she hadn't known anything else. Hopefully Siobhan would not end up enjoying being a slaveholder too much. Otherwise she might've have to punish her in an unpleasant way.


"You're sorry, so she forgives you. So does the Goddess." Both the Eldorai and the Qadiri revered a Goddess as their creator, though under a different name, "Come with me, dear." Taking Aro by the arm she led her out of the reception area into a comfortable looking room.




No implements of modern medicine could be found in it. Both to reassure Aro, since the Qadiri was probably not used to that, and simply because Eileithya wasn't fond of modern medicine. "Sit down on the bed. Where do you hurt?"

 

[Lief]

Aro was not so sure what she was to address the Priestess as. So she hesitated when it came to responding to what the woman said, looking across to her Mistress for a brief second. She, too, was divine to look upon, so much so that Aro felt rather humbled in their presence.

When the woman gave her head a light pat Aro practically purred, though she did her best to cover it up. Many of the slaves she was raised amongst abhorred their station, but Aro adored it. She knew no other life, it was true, but at the same time she enjoyed her duty; protecting, serving, she was a born submissive, and realising that she had upset her Mistress, even if the slight had been forgiven, would play on her mind for quite some time to come.

All that she could do was make it up to the woman. And right now that meant being obedient and allowing her wounds to be treated.

As Aro was led from the room, the Priestess' arm looped through her own, the young Elf raised her gaze and took in the sight of home she had missed.

While the Priestess may not have been her Master, Aro could not help but follow the instructions as if they were a command all the same. Not knowing what to refer to her as, definitely not wishing to recycle 'Mistress' lest the word lose its meaning, she sat down upon the bed and tried to ponder a more apt response.

But she had nothing, and it was time for talking.

"I'm not sure, My Lady," she decided upon, cheeks flushing in embarrassment almost immediately. Was that the wrong one to use? "Everything seems to hurt." The latter was whispered, she felt bad because she had just told Siobhan that she didn't feel unwell at all. But that had been far from the truth.

Curse her for lying to her Mistress.

[member="Siobhan Kerrigan"]

 

[Siobhan Kerrigan]

[member="Aro'di Sahr"]


Eileithya suppressed the urge to tell the poor girl to refer to her by her name. "Priestess or Revered Mother suffices, dear. I hold no title or property. I only serve the Goddess," she said gently. A frown creased her features when she heard Aro's response to her query.


"If you're hurt, never keep it to yourself. You're very dear to your Mistress. If you were in pain or sick and did not tell her, she'd be very upset." The Priestess did not like using this line of argumentation, but she supposed it would resonate best with the young elf. She applied her hand to the girl's cheek, calling upon her Sciia to let its energies flow to her and mitigate the pain a bit.


"The Goddess has blessed me with a gift. I shall see to your injuries and make the pain go away. You will just have to take it easy for the rest of the day. Remove your shirt, dear."