Leídan Aznawar of Khand

Neida roamed the streets alone; she had no friends here, no allies she could rely on. And then she could not come out who she really was. Her identity had to remain a secret, so she could wander unhindered around. Most people who walked the streets were men and boys. She saw sometimes women and barely just girls, or they were disguised as boys as if she was. For two days, she hid in the abandoned building with the Azumehda, the third day she dared to leave it in search of food, other shelter and a sign where her brother could be. She hid her weapons under her robes. Her first search rounds were without any results. Neida felt threatened in this city. She saw how men looked away from each other; cautious glancing around if nobody watched them. The women were no different, yet they tend to look at other females to ensure they were not in the wrong place. Why would men avoid looking at each other, while the women did? Was it dangerous to be masculine? More and more questions came up into her mind, as men seemed to do all sort of servant tasks, while the few women walked around and carried nothing.

In the end, she felt embarrassed and confused. It looked and felt if some male despot ruled here. But too many signs were there that indicated there was no male despot at all. Perhaps it was all fraud to serve a higher purpose as protection of a city full of women. It could be a vision to the outside world that protected this city. Real fear ruled here. Who was the ruler? Moreover, who were his advisors? So Neida changed her tactics and went to hunt for women’s clothing. The fabrics and fashion were different from in her homeland. She found something that fitted on her, and she withdrew herself to the temperate loggings she had created in the building where she had brought under the Azumehda. She appeared two days later into her new garb and accessed a new world. Now she had access to parts in town where servants and men were not allowed. She decided to use her own identity as Neida Aznawar. Most times, it was just sufficient to use her name she was called with. Men could not come into bathing facilities and among the library, some museums and other scientific institutions. All that had to do with science was forbidden for men. It amazed Neida considerable. But why was her brother abducted? And what had happened to their hosts in the last house they had their loggings?

While dwelling in the scientific buildings Neida accessed the local map of the city how the layout was. She was pretty with this and she studied it closely, quickly copying it all into her mind. After that she dived into the local card system to find out if there was something known about the last local raids. But the system had no news on that, it was about important buildings and plans in the city. The librarian could not help her either. Neida could not tell what her true purpose was. But when she left the library she saw a familiar shape of her former female host. The woman didn’t see her, but walked free and confident around. Neida hurried into one of the side streets and over thought the sudden nearly meeting. As she had surmised that something was wrong, she felt now right that truly something was odd happening here. She had to find a solution to the problem where her brother was. And then she had to get him free somehow.

Back into her shelter building, she slept a night over it, cleaned herself and dressed herself into clean clothing. She took her weapons with her and in the meanwhile, she began to form a daring plan. Neida knew it was risky, but otherwise she would never come to know why both had been practically sold, if she had woken up in time to hide. It could be nothing else than money being involved and the knowledge of the Aznawar name. Though she hated it, she went off to the slave market in the eastern part of Oud Ilaz to see what stock they had for sale. To the slaver she expressed her wishes that she wanted a maiden and two male servants, preferable of the most eastern tribe against the Ered Harmal. The slaver had one female, an older woman, and one male, some years younger and a young boy of not ten years old, all of the tribe she wished. If it was wise to buy a few slaves, she didn’t know. But after some bribing and negotiating she paid the middle price for all three slaves. The slave woman saw immediately that her stars had turned to better positions. The young boy was her son. The man she had no relation with. She thanked Neida humbly that her mistress had taken her son too. The Azumenúkhad, how far related from each other, always cared for each other, and if they met someone in prison of enslavement then they set out to get them free somehow. The tribe from the far northeast lands did everything to remain together.

Muïda was the name of the woman. She had the same light brown hide that marked the Azumenúkhad men and women. Back in the hiding place she gave all three more practical clothes. The boy, except for his hide, didn’t look so much like his mother. Amenur was he named, after the god of health. At the fire, Muïda cared for the dinner, as she was a better cook than Neida was. “I hope it tastes good. I learned from my grandmother,” she said, watching her son who assaulted his first good dinner in a long time. “My true name is Neida Aznawar. I am alone at the moment and thought it better to have some tribal company if possible,” told Neida between two tasteful brocks of bread. Muïda nodded friendly. “I am Muïda Nawanar, I was married, before we were captured. Amenur is my only surviving child.” The man sat quite alone from them, eating alone. Also he had not said anything. After dinner Neida explained why she had bought them, telling about her own safety and the imprisonment of her brother. Muïda nodded, as she had been expecting Neida was not truly alone in these lands. The two women began to lay out the first steps in an escape plan for Leídan. Now the name of Leídan fell, the man looked up and stared at them. Neida noticed it, and looked back, hoping he would join with them. But he remained sitting alone, not sharing his name or thoughts with them. Muïda understood why, as so were the customs among the tribe. Men and women did not mingle with each other. But Amenur could play a buffer to cross that problem. The young boy went to the man and tried to speak with him. A half hour later the man sat with them. His name was Nawúe Mizunar, he had lost his family in the same raid, and thus knew the Nawanar family. But they had no family ties to each other. Nawúe would try to find a way if he could visit the prison and see where Leídan was kept. Amenur got the task to take care of the Azumehda, while the grown-ups were gone to collect information. Somehow, they also had to leave this city also without drawing attention to themselves. But that was concern soon Leídan was free. As it seemed now, it would be harder than first thought. Oud Ilaz was a dangerous city. Muïda’s and Neida’s task was to find the right person who had stocked Leídan away, and most possible it was just a woman who had done it. Muïda spoke the local language and would do the talking. Neida would be her daughter. She could pass for one. So they sat out to find all the tools for the great escape.