"I didn't expect to see you here, of all places." -From the Prince of Egypt starters! ((I didn't have an exact place in mind so feel free to make this as serious or as silly as you want!))
Prince of Egypt Sentence Starters | Accepting
“To be fair, I didn’t plan to be here.” And honestly, he should’ve been the one saying that. Even while dodging the Order, he’d ended up in his own trouble with a manticore apparently also just as keen on killing him. Which.. was why the centuries-young wizard was currently stuck up a tree in the middle of a forest in Colorado.
“Dare I ask why you’re here, Skrael? And even worse, dare I ask where Bellroc is?”
Eventually, he found them. One said Rapid response! and another 99% accurate from the day of your missed period! Most were colored pink, with the one on sale (buy two, get three) a horrible baby blue. The lettering was big on all of them, no room for ambiguity. He supposed nobody picked up a pregnancy test ad hoc unless they were in a heightened state of either ecstatic hope or bottomless fear.
Well, anyone but Pepper. He could picture her, standing in this same aisle, looking at the same products and flipping to the back of every box before making her choice. Pepper wasn’t a risk-taker. He pegged her for Clearblue, the digital one. It seemed like the most elaborate of the bunch. Of course he would never have certainty. She could have gone for more than one, maybe made a second trip after the first one showed positive because she’d been afraid of a false result.
He picked it up and turned it over. A pixelated screen would tell you if you were PREGNANT or NOT PREGNANT. It was undoubtedly some cheap sensor picking up on the same color change as any other test line before flashing its output. It would probably seem reassuringly high end to Pepper though.
A kind woman told me the best way to get him safe. I dressed up in my best kimono and took my two closest male friends to retrieve him.
I was so scared, but I was strong.
I paid five hundred thousand for his safe return. The horrible man running the operation wanted more, but I would not let him have it. I gave them the money, and they brought my husband to me. It took all my strength not to cry.
We held each other, I cleaned his wounds, I led him to our new bed in our new home. I hope the changes didn’t make things too difficult for him. He was overjoyed to hear about the twins. I’m glad I could at least lift his spirits a little. Just holding him in my arms seemed to help, too, but he’s still so afraid.
I can’t imagine how awful it must have been for him. He said he was alone most of the time, save for when they made him fight. How cruel. It makes me want to stay by his side forever, so he’ll never have to feel that again.
I think it will take some time before he’s fully healed of the emotional scars. I could feel the fear on him when he clung to me. But I’ll be there to heal him in whatever way he needs.
And I’ll never let anyone hurt him or our family again.
“…Liah. Liiiiah? C’mon, answer me, I ain’t gonna call all night.”
Hama’s linkpearl!
She shot up and threw the covers off her aching body, and her hand flew upwards to press to the device on the back of her horn.
“Hello?” Her voice came out in a squeak. Her throat was so dry. She swallowed and tried again. “Hello? Who is this?”
“You’re Liah, right?”
“Yes. My husband, he’s —”
“He’s alive, yeah. In bad shape, but alive.” A woman’s voice. Young. Gruff. Liah breathed quietly as the voice cleared her throat. “You wanna find him, yeah?”
“Yes. Please.” One hand clutched at the collar of her nightgown. “I, I know he’s fighting at an underground arena.”
“Yeah. You know where it is?”
“Yes, but, I can’t —“
“I’ll help you get him out.” The voice interrupted. “You’re pregnant, right? Can’t fight?”
“…yes. I, I heard there are many guards.”
“Yeah, fighting’s a bad idea. Money, on the other hand—“
“I have money.” Liah was the one to interrupt. “I can bring money, if, if it’s safe.”
“If you show up with a sackload of money, Rito ain’t gonna hurt you.”
Taking a quick breath, Liah replied. “How much.”
The voice on the other end hummed. Thinking. Liah felt like her heart was about to leap out of her chest in anticipation.
“He’s makin’ him around sixty, seventy every night, and if Rito’s gonna throw the match, he’ll probably bring in at least a couple hundred thousand.”
“I’ll bring that.” Liah swallowed again. Hope. “I’ll bring more than that.”
“Probably a good idea. Not too much, though, he’s a greedy fucker.”
“Right. When do I come?”
“Best time’s before the fights start. You’re a market person, right? Third, fourth afternoon bell’s a good time. Not a lot of people around, and daylight’ll be better for walkin’ home, yeah?”
Liah nodded, then realized her mistake. “R-right. Yes. I’ll come very soon. Tomorrow. Third bell.”
“Good. I’ll let ‘im know.” The woman chuckled. “Think he’ll be happy to get out of here.”
“Thank you.” Liah curled forward, closing her eyes. “Thank you very, very much.”
The voice on the other end laughed. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. I get paid, I do my job.” Then, she let out a huff. “Anyroad, I’m gonna put this back with his stuff, so good luck, and uh, see ya.”
The voice faded into a shuffling sound, then the line went dead, leaving Liah with her shallow breathing and the pounding of her racing heart.
A chance. A chance!
She was suddenly overwhelmed by the desire to pray. Stumbling to all fours, she crawled over to the small shrine, careful not to wake the sleeping Miqo’te on her couch. Bowing her head deep, she clasped her hands tightly together and funneled all her excitement and fear into gratitude.
It’s been three and a half weeks now that my husband’s been gone.
The first week was the worst. I could barely sleep, save for V’tehn forcing me to lie down every night, and I was an emotional wreck. I worked, but my heart was always pounding. My eyes were always looking for him. After work, we would go searching for him, but I didn’t find any clues, and the cycle continued.
But by the second week, I was so tired, I almost wanted to give up. I couldn’t keep worrying so much. It was bad for my health, and I can’t risk my health. Not now. Not when I have two little ones depending on me.
I’ve been working hard, trying not to think about it. V’tehn and Kyrio and Kaede have been helping to find clues, but besides signs of a scuffle below a tree on his usual route home, we didn’t find anything. I called his linkpearl a few times. No one responded. So I kept working.
But today, a clue came to us.
A man from Hama’s workplace knew we were looking for him and came to my stall with the information — that a man named Mason had spoken about Hama fighting, recently, somewhere else.
I set off immediately to find him, taking V’tehn with me. We found the bastard working there, like the man said. I let V’tehn do the dirty work. He tackled the man to the ground and held him there while I asked the questions. Eventually, he admitted to his crime. It took all my strength not to punch him in the face.
Apparently, he had a rivalry with my Hama at work. I don’t understand why; I only heard good thing about my husband’s work. It could be a matter of personalities clashing. But that’s not what’s important.
He paid someone to capture my husband and force him into slavery. Illegal fighting matches, he said. Hama’s been hurt, but he’s alive. “Winning.” He’s strong. Thank goodness.
He told us where we can find him. But it’s dangerous. It’s heavily guarded. And I’m afraid if I try to fight my way in, they might threaten to kill the both of us.
If he paid for him to be taken, maybe I can pay to take him back.
I don’t know what to do. I’m so scared. Every day that passes is another day he might be killed down there. I have to act quickly.
…I’ll start putting money together. I have enough, I hope. And Hama is worth every penny I have.
Gods, ancestors, please let him stay alive until I can get to him.
