Chapter 19: Confession

With Cal willing to store and procure the weapons, Nelwynn and I had thus taken our leave. Making our way back to father's stall to aid in selling the remaining goods. Along the way, shortly after we'd finished our business with Cal, Nelwynn had spoken up.

"Landyn, you don't have to do this."

Nelwynn was shaking, giving me a worried look as she'd voiced me her thoughts. On seeing this, I took hold of her soft hands, clasping them within my own. Nelwynn's natural reaction was a small jump in shock, in fear that I'd reprimand her. Her fears however, ended up being for naught, as I'd then gently caressing the back of her head before calmy retorting her.

"No, I do. Not only for your freedom, but for the freedom of Cal, Kendall, and the others too."

Nelwynn had looked into my eyes, stunned by my retort. She could not believe that I wished not only for her freedom, a slaves freedom, but also for the freedom of commoners. However, as grand as Nelwynn's intellect was, she did not entirely understand what I'd meant when I said that I desired freedom for Cal and Kendall, whom were both commoners. Afterall, the commoners were not slaves, they were not bound in shackles, they were required to obey their lords and nobles true, but they held more freedom than slaves, or so she believed.

"Landyn, the commoners are already free though, are they not?"

Seeing this I looked at Nelwynn, with a somewhat dissatisfied look before offering my response. This had caused Nelwynn to grow even more puzzled.

"Nelwynn, as much as you may know, there are some things that remain unknown even to you. Yes, the commoners are "free" at least officially. As you'd stated though, they must obey their lords, their nobles, their masters. Tell me, do you know the punishment a commoner faces for the so called crime of disobeying their lord?"

Nelwynn's eyes had opened wide, finally understanding my words. That the commoners, even if they did not wear the same shackles as slaves, they too bore shackles much like the slaves. They must adhere to the whims, the unjust demands of the tyrants above them. Thus Nelwynn responded to my question, albeit with hesitation.

"The most commonplace punishment would be imprisonment, or lashings. However they could too face execution or exile, could the not?"

I took a brief moment to respond, though at first ignorant of what I'd meant, Nelwynn quickly found herself understanding that commoners too are slaves, just not officially.

"Yes, however, slaves do not even have right of exile or imprisonment, thus leaving their punishment to be either lashings or death. However, those privelages donot a freeman make. Slavery in all forms is a stain on this world regardless of who enforces it. Be they demons, humans, elves, dwarves, or any other, it matters little.

So long as even one person remains enslaved, the privelages that all others enjoy will forever remain only as privelages, and not as rights. Furthermore, it is of my own belief that all peoples must hold the rights to land, freedom, food, and happiness."

Nelwynn now pressed only two more questions on me, with teary eyes.

"Is that what you and that commoner had meant before? about unity?"

"Yes, as was said, it is unity that makes us strong, and the moment we lose that unity, is the moment we lose ourselves. It is the moment we lose those we care for, those we love. It is the moment that we are truly defeated, when we lose it. Thus, we must all strive to hold onto our unity, we must be willing to stand in solidarity, regardless of whether the one we stand beside is of another race, regardless if they're of another class."

Nelwynn thusly asked her final question to me.

"Then, is that why you want for even my freedom?"

Nelwynn had gently placed one of her hands upon her chest and looked at me with hope in her watered eues upon asking me this. Thus, I'd answered her, while simultaneously pressing her hand against mine.

"Yes, though, there is another reason I desire your freedom, Nelwynn."

Nelwynn looked at me, wondering just what my other reason may be, before I'd taken my hand and softly pressed it against her cheek. As I did so, Nelwynn had shyly asked what the other reason was.

"And... what is that other reason?"

As she asked, she'd placed her hands softly behind my head, on my neck, pulling me in. Thus, I'd softly I answered her.

"The other reason is that, I love you, Nelwynn."

Nelwynn's face was now right before mine, as we'd pulled each other closer to each other. It was then that I'd felt her soft lips lock with mine, maintaining our lock for several moments before releasing, as a thin string of saliva was all that had remained connecting our lips. After realizing what'd just hapoened, Nelwynn's face once more turned a bright red.

"I.. um I, you... too..."

Nelwynn softly spoke, with her face still a clear shade of red. Seeing this, I was enamored by her cuteness, before letting out my response to her.

"I know."

Nelwynn looked back, her redness brightening even more.

"Y-you do?"

I simply nodded to her before delivering to her one more kiss.

"Yes, I do."

Following this, I'd taken hold of Nelwynn's hand, as we'd continued our way towards father's stall. Whereupon father was selling the last remaining goods. Upon our sighting and drawing near, father had teased the both of us, seeing our hands were locked with each other.

"Hm, you're both back rather early? Enjoy your date?"

Father smirked at me, wishing to see me flustered, however it was only Nelwynn who'd become flustered, frantically responding to my father's jest.

"I, we um."

Nelwynn had begun fidgeting frantically, trying to come up with a means of responding to father's teasing.

"Yes father, the day was quite enjoyable. Did you finish selling the products?"

Nelwynn by this point was covering her face in embarassment, burying herself into my back. Father in the meantime had put on a more serious face, after releasing a small chuckle.

"hmhm. Yes, though we still will be unable to travel to Saltbrook, The trading done here in Traer can still be counted as a success. I'm happy you both enjoyed our time here."

Father now looked directly at me, instructing me of duties upon the return home.

"Now Landyn, do not forget to begin work on an expansion to the house, for Nelwynn's room, once we return."

"Yes, father."

Nelwynn still recovering from her embarassment had softly asked my father why she could not sleep within my room. Fidgeting all the while she did.

"Um, Mr. Raye, could I not sleep in the same room as Landyn?"

Upon finishing her question, her face once more brightened as she buried herself into me once more.

"As much as Ornelle and I would desire grandchildren, I still believe the both of you too young for such endeavors. Besides, it seems that even Landyn does not wish to entertain the idea at the moment."

Father redirected his gaze to me once more, along with Nelwynn who looked up at me blushing ear to ear.

"Landyn?"

I'd simply patted Nelwynn's head and had told her that I've no problems with sharing a bed.

"I've no problems sharing a bed until your room is built, Nelwynn, though, as father stated, I've no desire not to father children at the moment."

Immediately after doing so, I'd whispered softly into Nelwynn's ear.

"Once you are free, we will continue this conversation. Not as a slave to their "master" but as an equal."

Upon hearing my whisper, Nelwynn's face maintained it's bright red color while she'd calmy, though filled with excitement, nodded at me.

Seeing this, father chuckled once more, before redirecting his gaze to a customer interested in purchasing the remaining goods. After business was done with, we assisted father in packing up the sacks and peddling mat father had been using, and once more made way to the inn, for what would be our last night in Traer.

On our way back, I'd requested father to allow me use of the cart to transport some personal items I'd acquired from Alan's smithy, though I did not immediately inform them that what I'd wished to transport were weapons. Father thus let out an intrigued tone, asking what I'd desired to transport that would require the cart.

"Hm? And what is it you wish to transport that would require use of the cart?"

"Metal pipes and wood, father."

Seeing that I was being somewhat cryptic in what I'd wished to transport, father decided it best not to pry further. Nelwynn said nothing, still smiling from what I'd told her earlier, that I'd be willing to share the bed with her, and that I'd be willing to share more with her upon her freedom. Nelwynn was in her own world, carrying several sacks in her arms, almost not paying attention to the conversation between father and I.

"Very well, though, please don't cause any trouble with whatever it is you're hsing the cart to transport. Last thing I need is Oswin's dogs on my back."

"Of course father."

With permission from father granted, we'd made way to the inn for rest. It would be the early morning tomorrow, when I'd proceed to Alan's smithy to receive the arquebus rifles he'd managed to assemble, before my leaving.