We talked about what we could. It was depressing to think my days would now be filled with only polite conversation. I enjoyed talking to Rose and Fuji. When the outside door opened we all looked down and waited.

The room was soon filled with the sounds of men. They noted I had no kneeling place. Damien told them they didn't Like me to kneel; I used the furniture. He couldn't understand why I was currently sitting on the floor.

Bane pulled me to stand and sat me on a chair next to Rose. The room was utterly silent for a moment. I kept my gaze on Rose's head and tried to remember to breath.

No one asked about my seating arrangement. They had killed something and were busy making it into an edible meal. I felt the silent looks and the questioning stares though.

When Evan handed me a plate to eat the other men had suffered enough of this strange behavior. All the men wanted to know what was wrong with Damien and his Brothers. They were treating me incorrectly.

Christof informed his friends that slavery was wrong. Keeping a sentient creature and using it for your own needs was inappropriate. I liked to feed myself and I liked to sit on the furniture. Fuji, Rose, and I had innate rights to our own opinions about how to spend our lives.

Fuji screamed Like a cat and wrapped herself around one of her owner's legs. She didn't like this conversation, it upset her. Looking up at her men she begged them not to get rid of her.

The men shushed her and stroked her head. One of them set her kneeling place right beside him and told her to stay close. That seemed to make her feel better.

Basin knelt next to Rose and tilted her face up to his. He stroked her cheek and looked at Christof.

“We care for what is ours. These slaves were too weak to survive alone. They require us to help them," he said standing.

Christof disagreed politely. We would have done fine on our home worlds. Slavery was wrong. The taking and degrading of a creature such as a human was not honorable.

Basin wasn't swayed by Christof's argument. Rose had been delivered to them injured. It had taken them many turns of the small moon to heal her. The creatures slavers captured needed the care of strong, benevolent Masters.

I watched Rose and she watched the floor. Later I would ask Rose what Basin was talking about. For now we sat quietly as the men held a polite debate on the issue.

Lunch was handed around. The conversation got back to the women and mountains. As we ate Damien and his Brothers explained the mountains and the rules to their friends.

Even when I was connected to them there were things I didn't know or wouldn't have thought to tell the girls. The men talked calmly and answered all the questions their cousins had. They were completely honest and open, holding nothing back.

After Lunch the men went outside and I sat with Rose and Fuji. None of us were in a talkative mood. Fuji was upset, Rose was quiet, and I felt guilty. When the men reappeared and asked us to come outside we did quickly.

Basin's Brother was curious what watching me fight would be Like. Damien relented, so in front of the three families and my two best friends Bane continued my training.

I was weak and slow compared to Bane. He seemed to be using just a tiny bit of strength to train with me. In sharp contrast I was huffing and puffing doing everything I could to keep up with him.

The men noticed every nuance and every misstep. There was a man in Rose's family that apparently Liked to teach. He helped Bane point out every mistake and wouldn't stop until it was corrected.

The man in Rose's family asked about getting me a shield. It seemed wrong to train without one. As Bane taught me I heard the man talking to Damien, he thought they should have one made for me.

Bane made a few changes to his training regimen. In front of his friends he didn't slap me with his blade. Instead when I got distracted by the audience he'd reach forward and push me. Before I learned to anticipate the shoves I landed on my backside several times.

“It's like watching you try to train a shopkeeper child," someone laughed as I tried to do what Bane told me.