Not for Glory

[jdd2035]

The next thing I clearly remember is waking up, I had a splitting headache, my ears were ringing, and my skin felt like it was going to boil off where anything heavier than air touched it.

"Is he alive?" questioned a feminine voice through the fabric walls walls of the tent I found my self in.

"He's alive" I announced, before making the mistake of trying to sit up. The instant my head rose from the rug that was my makeshift pillow the tent spun like a tumbling act and I dropped back onto it, which made my head ache even worse. I rubbed my face and noticed that there was a thick growth of stubble on my chin, I did not want to think about how long I was unconscious.

That was when another voice from the corner of the dark tent spoke "I wouldn't be too hasty in getting up. I had to sew your scalp back on with horse hair. You are lucky to be alive."

My hand instantly went up to the coarse stitches holding my head together and I replied "You have my thanks." I turned my head in the direction of the voice and saw a shrewd looking older gently man in at least the late forties, he had a sharp pointed beard of salt and pepper hair. He was wearing a light tan or dark off white turban, and matching robe that was common of the people of P'Tah.

He smiled at me with a set of bright white teeth and replied, "Before you thank me. You should know that you owe my wife and I your life. I believe that your people have a tradition that if you owe someone a debt that you can not repay, you become their slave?" Now the wheels were turning in my head, he had me over a barrel and at this very moment I couldn't fight it but I could get a better sense of what kind of master I would be doing work for.

Smiling at the situation because really there wasn't much else I could do about it yet I asked "Some time soon, I will be healthy enough run from this place. What is to stop me from doing that one night?"

The old man smiled back at me and stated "Where would you go? This is a foreign land to you. You may know the general direction of your home land but you do not know where food or water is to be had beyond the caravan road. There are bandits, poisoned wells, the sun, and many other things that can kill you within a day. Besides, if you run, I alert the nearest garrison about a runaway slave. You will then be tracked down, taken prisoner, whipped for running away, and then worked to death in a salt mine." This was a matter of fact statement not a threat just what will happen if the situation presented itself.

My eyes had finally adjusted to the dimness of the tent and I had noticed that my gladius and lorica where also collected. I smiled at the old man and said "then I find being your bond servant until I am able to repay my debt."

The mans devilish smile grew on his face and he replied "Good. For your work you will be given food, water, some wine, a tent over your head, and a portion of the money gained with the sell of our animals." As bond servant agreements went, that was a very generous one. I offered my hand and said "Help me up" the tent spun once again but I was able to maintain my balance and we stepped outside.