Sa’manatha was silently awaiting her fate next to Jace. The moment the caravan was attacked until the end of the game of Meri’ack she hugged to his side and tried to stay out of sight. She was surprised during the attack that Jace didn’t make a run for it. She wanted to flee the moment the killing started, but he just stood there and watched. When she saw the driver of their carriage get cut down right in front of her face when he turned to flee she nearly collapsed on the spot. Had it not been for Jace standing still as if everything would be ok, she probably would have broke down into hysterical crying. She was surprised about her keen need to live. She never really had all that much interest in living before. Before meeting Jace. She made plans in her head, fantasies really of casting herself in front of a kindred blade to save Jace's life. It was a brief morbid fantasy, which she couldn't say why she entertained.

When that young Kindred man Varngus demanded her for a tal of gold she actually feared Jace would sell her. That tal was worth far more than she was. When he upped the price to 30 or so, she had already made peace with her life. Jace could have lived a life of comfort with that type of coin, what did he owe the people of this world for dragging him into their troubles. Yet he turned it down instantly. She didn’t know why he did. Her life wasn't worth a fraction of that amount. She could tell the woman was looking for a reason to kill him. If he didn’t sell her he probably would die.

Then he led that young man into a game of Meri’ack. At first she thought it was the Kindred’s idea but as they started their face off and she went back through the conversation up to that point, she felt like Jace had intentionally lead Varngus into suggesting a game of Meri'ack. Once that thought bloomed in her head, she started to review how expertly he angled the conversation. She wasn't sure if she was right until the third strip of flesh was ripped off. Jace had tears in his eyes, and clearly in excruciating pain, yet not a hint of noise came from him. With every strip of flesh ripped out her heart soared higher and higher. She grew more and more confident that this had been Jace's plan all along. There was nothing he couldn't do. The death sentence she thought was guaranteed was removed from their heads.

Not only did he valiantly outwit a Kindred but he beat one at a game of Meri’ack. She thought she’d explode with excitement at the turn of events. Her mind went over the last turns of the battle again and again, there Jace was sitting like a god, his chiseled muscles barely flinching as he ripped one stripe of flesh off after another. It was an awe inspiring scene. She almost thought she should worship the sight. A glance at the other humans showed a similar look of respect and awe. A glance at the kindred showed, approval.

From start to finish every single step he took was treading a narrow path to survival. She never felt so safe around someone as she suddenly felt near Jace. He clearly was chosen by prophacy to save mankind.

Sa'manatha watched the beautiful kindred woman walked over to their bloody bodies and rested a hand on each head, when she took it away both men were healed as if they had never been injured. It was strange but she felt no danger from the woman, no fear she'd suddenly try to kill Jace. After the past hour's events she was certain that Jace was guided by the hand of Elis through this danger. The beautiful woman then knelt down and pressed her forehead into the ground and spoke. “This slave pledges herself to follow her master.” Sa'manatha felt those words were right and felt pleased at hearing them. She was proud for Jace. The woman in black also stepped forward and duplicated the gesture and said the same lines.

Jace stood up and snagged the bag of gold then looked at the two women with a complicated expression. He was nude, but rather then looking akward or ugly, he looked like a God judging mortals. He then looked at Varngus for a moment, and walked over the young man’s armor and weapons. He dressed in his old blood stained clothing and gathered the won goods, and walked back to the carriage depositing them. He then walked back to the prostrating women.

He looked at her and gave her a one armed hug, the feel of him pressed against her set her heart aflutter, then looked at the two kneeling women. For the first time all day he looked unsure. Then he looked at the young man left with just his small cloths and spoke. “It seems I have some slaves for sale. Two kindred women. I’ll take one copper tal for each.”

Varngus did a double take then immediately smiled, though instead of the cruel smile from before it was a much more genuine one. It was the first time he smiled honestly all day, he walked over to one of the kindred men, and spoke with him. It looked like the one who admonished his mother about his behavior. The kindred man handed him something. The young man returned and said “I’ll buy the one in black. But I must warn you that her market value is far higher than a single tal of copper. When she was purchased it was for 8 Tals of silver. I would feel guilty taking her for a tal less then 8 silver.

Jace looked perplexed. “I said I have two slaves for sale. Not one. Your mother I think you’d want your mother as well correct?”

The young man replied “We don’t enslave out own tribe. Even if I wanted her free I cannot buy it for her.”

Jace smiled then took the 8 silver. Then he turned to the woman Verna (?), and said “Stand up, you I now free of your slavery.” He looked rather amused with himself and offered the 8 tals to her to 'start a new life.'

The woman stood gracefully and smiled and replied “Kindred do not dispose of their oaths so easily. I swore to serve you as my master, and so shall I do so.”

The words brought almost a look of panic from Jace face as he glanced at Varngus a moment, the looked back at her, “you know you’re disobeying me right?”

“Some orders I can’t follow.” Her answer was smooth as silk.

Jace looked at Varngus helplessly. Varngus simply shrugged and replied “What do you want me to do, you won her now she’s your problem.”

For the first time that day, she felt that Jace had been defeated.