Chapter 17: A NEW MASTER
Thrall stood frozen with his mouth open as he watched his son's unmoving body. He quickly moved towards Rollo, followed by her daughter. Together, the two of them checked Rollo's pulse and let out a breath of relief as they found out that he was still alive. Whiles the two continued checking up on Rollo, the guests murmured among themselves.
What they had seen was beyond outstanding. Some of them wished they had Joda for themselves. Others were angry at the way Joda had treated his master and wished he will be punished severely. Orion on the other hand was all smiles. He had come here to Curry favor from Thrall and also to escape his boredom but had instead found gold where no one expected. The slave was just what he wanted for many things. It was time to make his move.
Joda knew Rollo wasn't going to wake up any moment then. He had made sure of it. Rollo will be bedridden for at least a week before he will go back to what he used to be. Hopefully, what he had endured will make him think twice before attacking Joda in the future. Still, Joda was a little worried. What if instead of being scared of him, Rollo started being even more dangerous?, What if he came back for revenge?
Joda wasn't worried about Rollo one bit, just what he could do with the little power his family had. Whiles Joda was silently contemplating the consequences of his actions, an angry Thrall stood up and made his way toward Joda.
Smack!!
A heavy-handed slap that resounded throughout the hall and caused the murmuring to pause brought Joda back to earth."How dare you lay your filthy hands on my son?"
Smack!!
A second slap followed and Joda was almost tempted to return the favor as his temper rose.
"You're dead slave! I will make sure of it!" Thrall shouted as he prepared to deal Joda another slap. But before he could even strike Joda, Thrall's hand was held by someone from behind. Anger coursed through the ugly Merchant as he turned to give whoever had stopped his hand a piece of his mind.
Thrall's anger immediately withered as he saw who had stayed his hand. It was Orion, the royal trainer. He looked displeased and very disappointed in Thrall as he looked down at the much shorter man. The people gathered around the group watched in silence to see what Orion was going to do.
"You forget what was going on between the two youngsters, Thrall." Orion started in a clear and calm voice that carried over to everyone present.
"The young boy didn't just attack your son out of the blue. It was a trial where they were fighting for their honor. Your son would have knocked him out too if he had the chance." The royal trainer reminded the Merchant and all those present.
"But that slave went too far! Look what he did to my son! He deserves to be punished!" Thrall refused to back down. Truth be told, he wasn't too worried about Rollo. The foolish boy had it coming to him. What the Merchant was really angry about was the new strain Rollo's condition was going to put on his already lean purse. Healers charged a lot and something was telling him that this time, they were going to charge even more. He couldn't let Joda just walk free.
"He deserves to be rewarded. That is the rule of the trial. He won the fight so that means that your son tried to frame him. Usually, I wouldn't talk for a slave, but this is the law, and everyone will obey it in my presence." Orion snarled and Thrall bit his lip to refrain from saying something stupid.
Orion turned to look at Joda. "Do you have anything you wish for this house to do for you?. Before you ask for anything, allow me to tell you that I can see there's nothing good here for you. Staying here will cripple your talent and limit your freedom. You are a warrior and deserve to be treated as such. With respect and awe. If you're interested I will like for you to come with me to my home. You will still be a slave, but only in name. You will be treated with far more respect than you will have here.
Your freedom will be limited, but it will grow if you work your way up the social ladder. I.have no desire to keep you as a slave. I want you to grow as the man you're supposed to be, get your freedom and then decide your own future. Will you like to come with me, young warrior?" The royal trainer asked Joda who nodded. Anything was better than staying a second more in Thrall's house where he was certain his life was in danger.
"What?!, This is unacceptable! He is mine and I forbid him from leaving!" Thrall shouted in anger.
"Not if his wish from the trial is to leave. Boy, is it your wish that this house free you?" Orion asked.
"It is," Joda answered calmly.
"Then that is what this house will do, Thrall." The royal trainer looked at Thrall coldly.
"Not until I get the money I wasted on him!" Thrall yelled in outrage.
"And how much exactly did you waste on him, dear Thrall?" Orion asked with a sarcastic smile.
"600 silver coins. He was quite the expensive one." Thrall lied through his teeth. He shot Joda a murderous glare that shut him up as the slave tried to call out his bullshit. Thrall had only bought Joda for 300 silver coins and was now selling him for double the amount to an unsuspecting Orion who only nodded as he scooped out a handful of gold which glistened under the many candles in the house, rivaling the glow of greed in Thrall's eyes.
"Here. 7 gold pieces. The equivalent of 700 silver coins. 600 coins as payment for the boy and a hundred silver coins for your troubles." Orion threw the coins onto the floor instead of giving them to Thrall. In Viking circles, such an act was very rude and disrespectful but Thrall didn't mind one bit. He would crawl the whole day on the floor if it meant picking gold coins thrown by others.
"Now that we are done doing business, I would have you know that I am a very generous man but I hate backstabbers. I will take the boy this very instant to my home. From henceforth he is under my protection. If I find you or any of your household trying to give him trouble, I will make you regret it." Orion's voice was calm but his eyes were cold and deadly as he spoke. Thrall just nodded and went back to picking the coins that had been thrown earlier, not caring for his son who was still passed out on the floor.
"Good...what should I call you, boy?" Orion asked the slave who was standing silently with a look of disgust on his face as he watched the greedy Merchant.
"Joda"
"Very well, Joda. Now if you'll follow me. We have quite the catching up to do. Your new home awaits." The royal trainer said with a smile which irked the guests gathered in the house to no end.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone