Her jaw dropped. Had he just asked her to go with him? But why? She felt compelled to take him up on the offer. But she was still not her own person, she couldn't just--
"yes." it was almost as though someone else took over. But she knew she meant it. It just...was it possible? As she looked at him she searched her mind for the reason that he may have asked her to go with him. Logically she could find none.

Her answer took him completely by surprise. He had not believed she would agree.
Yet as she did, his face broke out into another rare smile. He nodded, in thanks, hoping she would see that he was happy at her answer.
He looked to the elf,
''Should we gather supplies and be on our way?''

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Rhavaniel watched the couple with a wistful smile on her lips, it had been many years since her mate had disappeared. It had been after they had escaped the dungeons of Baradûr, not long before the first fall of Sauron. She prayed the two humans were fated by Eru to stay together; they regarded each other so tenderly, even in the face of death. She took a deep breath:"Come, let us make haste. Any supplies I had are with Aradan, or in his chamber across town. I have nought but my bow and quiver in the chamber across from his. Lead the way Crixus."

Aradan raised his eyebrows the same moment Eoman did. Abrax had taken them both to the stables and had proposed to exchange the elf for the prince's purebred horse.
The prince seemed stunned, he rubbed his eyes blearily, trying to wake up "I do not understand the nature of this exchange."
"There must be some mistake," Aradan interrupted. He knew he had to act quickly; get Eonwe away before the elf had a chance to run. This was just another hurdle put in his path.
Abrax smiled "This fine man- My most prized fighter,"he said to the prince "Wished to exchange his companion for a younger- more human model. He finds the elf-lady most troublesome- She bought him his freedom, you see, mylord, and holds him hostage to her will. I told him he could not take your sister, sire, as she is condemned to death- But that he may arrange her death however he sees fit, and take your noble steed as thanks. In return, we keep the elf."

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

She liked his smile, she realized. He hardly ever smiled. She dropped her head and looked at him through her long lashes. She couldn't blame him for not smiling often, with what he had to do. She looked to the elf as she spoke and nodded, silent. She was angry. Her so called 'friend' was bartering her life away. Eonwe could not believe how people could sell another person for something of so little consequence as a bit of penny or stock. It saddened her, but more than anything made her angry. "I do not trust Aradan." she whispered to no one in particular.

Crixus agreed with Eonwe. He was not to be trusted.
He went and gathered his supplies and was able to get his weapons as well. He packed what he had as well as some food and water, it wasn't much but it was something.
Returning to them both, he spoke.
''We should leave now. We will need to remain quiet.'' Looking to the elf he spoke again ''We will have need of your elven senses, if we are to avoid being seen''

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Eonwe looked from one to the other. They did need to leave right then, if they wanted hope of ever getting out of there. She quickly grabbed her small blanket, which was her only possession, besides the thin dress she wore. She stood and waited for instruction, and she found that she was afraid and excited all at once. She didn't know what was to come of this.

Rhavaniel kept her tight lipped smile on her face "Everybody has their burdens," she whispered "Perhaps, if I were mortal I would have sold him away as well." But she knew deep inside she would not have. Her heart quivered as she thought of the glance he had thrown her before dawn, as he had marched into the slaver's house.
With a deep, steadying breath she motioned her two newfound companions to follow her out into the courtyard and towards the stables "For now you must walk with me as if you had every right to be here, but when we near the horses, we must all tread lightly. One neigh may alert the stable-hand to our where-abouts. If-" she caught herself immediately "When we reach the gates, we shall incapacitate whatever guards are posted there. If all goes well we might consider stealing a horse or two to aid our escape."
-
Aradan snorted loudly "One elf is worth more than a single horse, Abrax!"
Eoman cocked his head to one side, thinking hard. He suspected the freed man had planned to whisk his sister away to Edoras and claim her as his bride: "If you wish to take my sister, I must know that no harm will come to me or my reputation."
Abrax sipped gently from his goblet of wine, gently patting the neck of the prince's horse "You may always come and visit your elf, my boy. See her as a loan to us. On good faith."
Aradan felt the blood draining from his face. The tables were turning on him fast. He felt trapped again. The two men could over-power him easily- They could enslave him again without a single word. "It is I making the offer, mylords. It is non-negotiable."

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

Crixus nodded at her words and held his sword at the ready. Looking to Eonwe he gave her a reassuring look before he spoke.
''We will come to no harm'' he said, speaking to both women. Silently he began to lead the way to the stables, being as quiet as he could.

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Eonwe did as she said, nervous as anything. She prayed only good would come of this. She knew deep in her heart she only wished to be free, and to live the life she wanted. No doubt it would be a hard journey. She glanced at the elf woman, then at Crixus. She was still confused about things. She kept her thoughts to herself, her eyes shifted back to the castle grounds ahead of them, then to the ground as she walked. If they had to run, she feared falling because of her clumsiness.

Rhavaniel followed Crixus and unsheathed a long thin knife from her belt. It had been hidden by a fold in the silk that fell from her shoulders to her hip, flaring out bellow her belt. It was the only weapon she had brought with her. She had trusted Aradan, he had been kind and courteous to her, had promised his support if he was ever freed. They had met after a series of games in the arean, and become friends at arms length during the last visit of the elvish dignitaries to these lands. There had been sparks between them, but the awkwardness of the newly freed human and the strangeness of elvish ways to him had efficiently suppressed and deeper feelings that may have developed.
As they neared the stables, Rhavaniel signalled the two humans to walk more cautiously. She glanced back at Eonwe and smiled convincingly, even though her keen ears could hear the gentle murmur of voices. She assumed it was the groom and his stable-boy, tending the horses. It was only as they drew even closer, that she reached out a hand and clasped Crixus' shoulder, pulling him to a stop.

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

Eonwe tried to smile, but her worries prevented it. She stopped as the woman pulled Crixus to a stop. Oh no...she thought, something was wrong. She looked to her, then Crixus, not sure what they should do. She was too frightened to speak. If they were caught, they could all be killed.

He stopped as he felt a hand on his shoulder. He froze and turned, looking to her, as if asking her what was wrong.
But he heard voices, very faintly but he heard them.

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"They are inside;"she whispered.
She could hear Aradan's voice now, hear the tremor in it. His fear was contagious; she knew she should leave him behind, but she couldn't bring herself to do it. He was a living being, just like all the others she had been sent to save. If she let one down, wasn't she letting them all down? It was her duty to serve and protect.
"All three of them."

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

Eonwe groaned inwardly, all three of them, inside, blocking their way to a safely gained freedom. Maybe the rest of them needed a distraction to get away? "You go. I can distract them." she would gladly give up her freedom for the others, she wanted them to be free.

Crixus heard her words and grabbed her hand sharply, shaking his head. He would not leave without her, she would suffer the full brunt of the rage, likely ending with her death.
"I can toss something and as they investigate we may slip away?"

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He had suddenly grabbed her hand, and she stared at him in shock as he shook his head and spoke. "Why not?" she whispered, not speaking loud enough for the men in the stables to hear. "I would gladly do it so that both of you can go free."