The Ireem Chronicles

I had just gotten off-duty and I was taking a walk near the beach as I often do. I paused on the stairs by the arena to take in the view, and looked down into the slavers camp. I do this from time to time to see what they're up to (a habit left over from my time as a knight), and they usually ignore me. While I was standing there, I saw the girl Allie in the camp. I couldn't hear all that was going on, but she was told to leave or released, I'm not sure which. As she did, though, the slaver Jaime went after her. One of the slaves in the camp called out a warning, which drew my attention.

I followed the two up to the market area in front of the arena, hearing Allie calling for help herself at that point. Up top, I found them, Jaime already having a hold on the girl. Across the square, I could see at least one knight, Seraf I believe, standing only a few strides away and doing nothing to help her. So, I demanded to know what was happening. Jaime tried to convince me I'd been mistaken, but when I told him I'd actually seen what happened, he gave up the argument. I told him there were knights all about and he laughed it off, unconcerned. So I drew my sword and attacked. We traded blows a few times, then he challenged me to a fight in the arena, on the condition that Allie would be freed if I won. I accepted.

Now, at this point, the knights present still had not responded to the cries for help or the fight breaking out only a few yards away. I went to the arena while Jaime went down to patch up the slight wound I'd already given him. In that time, to my knowledge, still no one tried to waylay the slaver or even ask what was happening. When he arrived at the arena, we fought. Thankfully, I beat him, though I was nearly killed in the process and may have to spend some time off my feet. It's a struggle just to write this account, in fact. After the fight had ended, I stumbled out of the arena and across to the knights (there were now two or three, including Seraf and Ringo, and possibly Primo, though I can't be sure if he didn't arrive while I was relating the incident to Tre - I was a bit hazy after the fight). I confronted them on their failure to act, in front of the assembled crowd, and was roundly ignored.

I'm writing down this account for Tre in the hopes that more exposure of this failure will shame the knights for their inaction. It should not fall to off-duty dungeon keepers to do the knights' jobs for them, particularly when a prey all but runs right past them screaming for help.

- Gwendoline