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I caught a servant rushing by and ordered her to bring a tray.
"I'm Alahna, and this is my husband," I emphasized the last word, "Warlord Brogan."
"And the big oaf?" She jerked her chin at the king of the Vandalls.
"That's King Uthar, leader of the Vandalls. The Vandalls are our archenemies," I added the last part, partially because whatever had happened on their land between the humans and Vandalls had nothing to do with Thyre, or so I tried to tell myself, although even then I already knew better.
"I'm Colonel Christina McGuire of the Terran Confederation," she introduced herself.
"Terran Confederation?" I asked.
"Yes, many people were tricked to leave Earth. So many, in fact, that humans are teetering on the brink of extinction, which is why we made it our mission to find all these lost colonies built so many years ago and to free the humans and bring them back to where they belong, Earth."
I blinked. "But our home is here. We are free."
She put her arms through the bars, and I grasped them, even though Brogan hissed in displeasure. From the corner of my eyes, I noticed his hand go to the hilt of his sword and I shook my head.
"You don't have to live like this," Christina said beseechingly. "We came to liberate you. You can shape your own destiny again, without being fettered to a master."
"I don't think you understand," I said patiently, keeping my voice even. "Nobody is being fettered. Brogan is not my master; he is my husband. I married him of my own free will. The humans are here by their own free will. We live in towns around Thyre. Yes, we have to pay tythes—taxes—but doesn't everybody everywhere?"
She stared at me as if I lost my mind.
"We aren't slaves," I emphasized and saw Ammalia walk by from the corner of my eye and called her over.
"Ammalia, do you speak the old English language?"
"Only a tiny bit, Lady Ahlana," Ammalia said, eyeing Christina curiously.
In English I asked, "Are we slaves here?"
"Slaves?" Ammalia shook her head. "Good heavens, nyck. No."
"See?" I turned triumphantly to Christina.
The servant came with a tray holding tea and food, and I handed it to Christina through the bars, who took it with a scathing glare.
"Right," she snarled derisively, filling me with shame for how Uthar was treating her.
Pleadingly, I turned to Brogan. "Please."
"She won't go anywhere," Brogan argued with Uthar. "Alahna is right. We might gain more information if we let her out."
"Would you argue the same if she were a Vandall?" Uthar shot back.
"But she isn't," I intervened. "At the very least, allow us to lock her in a room. She isn't an animal."
"If you take responsibility for her," Uthar finally allowed, nodding at one of his warriors.
Christina warily watched the warrior as he opened the door to the cage.
"Tell her that she'll freeze to death if she tries to run," Brogan requested from me.
"They're letting you out of the cage, but you will have to remain inside the stronghold," I told Christina, who stepped one foot out of her cage.
"A prisoner has the right to try to escape," she pointed out.
I sighed. "There is nowhere for you to go. We've reached the heights of the cold season. You'll freeze to death out there. Besides, where would you go?"
