Early in the afternoon, a young boy with brown skin and tattered clothes showed up at Travanix' warehouse. He carried no weapon, and to the harsh inquiries of the warehouse guards, he replied only by setting a sealed letter on the ground. The young boy bowed deeply over it and said, "This is for Lord Travanix." He then left, leaving the letter for the guards to retrieve.
The letter was written in violet ink, on a thick cream-colored parchment. A nondescript blob of red sealing wax had been used to close the message, stamped with a blank circle. When Travanix opened it, however, the first line alone would identify the sender:
"My Lord Viper -
I received a most curious request this morning, from your cat. Though she had no collar when I saw her, and was dressed in a luxurious gown of her own choosing, you will soon see why I continue to call her "your" cat.
I had only heard of this creature through indirect reports; besides her brief history with my dear fiancee, I was interested only in talk of her progress. Imagine my surprise when this creature approached me, in a state of brazen liberty, and implored me to carry out a mission on her behalf!
Can you guess what she asked me? I would have expected a request to harm you, or somehow "get justice" for her captivity. Perhaps you have guessed what she truly wanted... you know her better than I.
Lucy considers herself to be stolen property. She professes herself unable to be a proper slave to you, and unable to give up her newfound freedom. But she is torn by remorse at having stolen herself from you, repeating to me that she is "not a thief". She begged me to approach you with a payment plan, whereby she can make up the lost value of her self and service.
This is a situation with a number of suitable responses. I await my Lord's word as to how it should be handled. Lucy refused to tell me where she is staying, but I plucked an image from her mind. I know where, and more important, I know who is giving her protection, so she dares defy you. I would be pleased to share this information with you in person.
Your dear associate,
Lady Anne"
The letter was written in violet ink, on a thick cream-colored parchment. A nondescript blob of red sealing wax had been used to close the message, stamped with a blank circle. When Travanix opened it, however, the first line alone would identify the sender:
"My Lord Viper -
I received a most curious request this morning, from your cat. Though she had no collar when I saw her, and was dressed in a luxurious gown of her own choosing, you will soon see why I continue to call her "your" cat.
I had only heard of this creature through indirect reports; besides her brief history with my dear fiancee, I was interested only in talk of her progress. Imagine my surprise when this creature approached me, in a state of brazen liberty, and implored me to carry out a mission on her behalf!
Can you guess what she asked me? I would have expected a request to harm you, or somehow "get justice" for her captivity. Perhaps you have guessed what she truly wanted... you know her better than I.
Lucy considers herself to be stolen property. She professes herself unable to be a proper slave to you, and unable to give up her newfound freedom. But she is torn by remorse at having stolen herself from you, repeating to me that she is "not a thief". She begged me to approach you with a payment plan, whereby she can make up the lost value of her self and service.
This is a situation with a number of suitable responses. I await my Lord's word as to how it should be handled. Lucy refused to tell me where she is staying, but I plucked an image from her mind. I know where, and more important, I know who is giving her protection, so she dares defy you. I would be pleased to share this information with you in person.
Your dear associate,
Lady Anne"