Iomi's History
When I found out that it was a requirement to submit a history of my past before coming to Gahlen, I have to admit that I was a little nervous, worried. It is not a story I like to tell, nor is it one I am proud of. I was reminded by someone close to me however, that everyone has a past and not all are grand and some are even similar to my own. So should you choose to continue to read, following is my story of where I came from and who I was before coming to Gahlen.
My earliest memory is from when I was very young, probably three or four years old. I remember sitting on the floor of a raised platform. There was a man standing next to me, talking to a crowd gathered in front of us. I don’t remember what he was saying, but I do remember him making me stand and turn around full circle. The people in the crowd started shouting, and I remember this frightened me. They were so loud. The shouting finally stopped and a large man came up onto the platform. He handed the man that was standing over me a pouch. I remember it jingled, I thought it was a pretty sound. He then grabbed me by the arm and started half pulling, half dragging me through the crowd and to a wagon that he threw me into the back of. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that memory was of me being sold to my master. I was bought to serve as a playmate to his daughter who was close to my same age. Life as a playmate to the master’s daughter was an easy one. It mostly involved her dressing me up in all her pretty dresses and brushing my hair, putting ribbons in it. It wasn’t until we both got older, and she grew tired of dressing me up that life in the master’s manor got hard.
First, I was thrown into the kitchens. I was still young, perhaps seven or eight. It was my job to wash the big pots and pans used to cook the master’s meals. When I was done with that, I was to scrub the floors and wipe down all the counters. It wasn’t until I got older, sixteen, seventeen that I was made to serve the master his meals. Before that I would do what I could to stay out of his way, to not draw attention to myself, in fear that he would beat me for something he thought I did wrong. He was notorious for beating slaves for the simplest of things, and I was scared of him and his wrath. This new job I was made to work frightened me. Before I could easily hide from the master, but now I would be front and center. Anything I did wrong would catch the master’s eye. Unfortunately, that is not what caught his eye. We will not go into detail and leave it at just that. This new job was by far my least favorite. I wished I could go back into the kitchens. To work so hard that I was tired to the bone. This is when I decided to leave. I couldn’t do it anymore. I just couldn’t.
I ran. I snuck out in the middle of the night and I ran, barefooted and in my threadbare shift. I ran so hard and so fast, afraid that the master would send his man, his ‘dog’, after me. Afraid of what he would do to me when he got me back. I ran through the desert all the rest of that night and through most of the next day. It wasn’t until I came upon a small forested area that I stopped. I had never seen trees like that. So big, so green, so lush. It caught me by surprise and I was in awe. I sat there in that forest for some time, hiding behind the shrubbery. It wasn’t until late into that night that I finally felt that I had gotten far enough away to move again. To the west there was a glow in the sky. A glow of a city, I had presumed. I found a nearby road and followed it towards the glow. I had been right, a city it was. The guards at the gate stopped me before I could enter and told me I had to go to customs. I couldn’t just wander the streets without checking with the Ambassador first. I did all that was required of me and for the first time, I walked through a city on my own.
I have now been in Gahlen for a few days. It is a marvelous city, full of wonder. I have met a few people and have even made friends. I have discovered and explored many wonderful new things with one of these friends I have become close to and hope to discover more. For the first time in my life, I feel safe. I am seeking to join the Waylumi temple and to become one of the Lady’s clerics. I love my new home, my new life, and I plan to stay here for a long time.
My earliest memory is from when I was very young, probably three or four years old. I remember sitting on the floor of a raised platform. There was a man standing next to me, talking to a crowd gathered in front of us. I don’t remember what he was saying, but I do remember him making me stand and turn around full circle. The people in the crowd started shouting, and I remember this frightened me. They were so loud. The shouting finally stopped and a large man came up onto the platform. He handed the man that was standing over me a pouch. I remember it jingled, I thought it was a pretty sound. He then grabbed me by the arm and started half pulling, half dragging me through the crowd and to a wagon that he threw me into the back of. It wasn’t until I was older that I realized that memory was of me being sold to my master. I was bought to serve as a playmate to his daughter who was close to my same age. Life as a playmate to the master’s daughter was an easy one. It mostly involved her dressing me up in all her pretty dresses and brushing my hair, putting ribbons in it. It wasn’t until we both got older, and she grew tired of dressing me up that life in the master’s manor got hard.
First, I was thrown into the kitchens. I was still young, perhaps seven or eight. It was my job to wash the big pots and pans used to cook the master’s meals. When I was done with that, I was to scrub the floors and wipe down all the counters. It wasn’t until I got older, sixteen, seventeen that I was made to serve the master his meals. Before that I would do what I could to stay out of his way, to not draw attention to myself, in fear that he would beat me for something he thought I did wrong. He was notorious for beating slaves for the simplest of things, and I was scared of him and his wrath. This new job I was made to work frightened me. Before I could easily hide from the master, but now I would be front and center. Anything I did wrong would catch the master’s eye. Unfortunately, that is not what caught his eye. We will not go into detail and leave it at just that. This new job was by far my least favorite. I wished I could go back into the kitchens. To work so hard that I was tired to the bone. This is when I decided to leave. I couldn’t do it anymore. I just couldn’t.
I ran. I snuck out in the middle of the night and I ran, barefooted and in my threadbare shift. I ran so hard and so fast, afraid that the master would send his man, his ‘dog’, after me. Afraid of what he would do to me when he got me back. I ran through the desert all the rest of that night and through most of the next day. It wasn’t until I came upon a small forested area that I stopped. I had never seen trees like that. So big, so green, so lush. It caught me by surprise and I was in awe. I sat there in that forest for some time, hiding behind the shrubbery. It wasn’t until late into that night that I finally felt that I had gotten far enough away to move again. To the west there was a glow in the sky. A glow of a city, I had presumed. I found a nearby road and followed it towards the glow. I had been right, a city it was. The guards at the gate stopped me before I could enter and told me I had to go to customs. I couldn’t just wander the streets without checking with the Ambassador first. I did all that was required of me and for the first time, I walked through a city on my own.
I have now been in Gahlen for a few days. It is a marvelous city, full of wonder. I have met a few people and have even made friends. I have discovered and explored many wonderful new things with one of these friends I have become close to and hope to discover more. For the first time in my life, I feel safe. I am seeking to join the Waylumi temple and to become one of the Lady’s clerics. I love my new home, my new life, and I plan to stay here for a long time.
