Astra Thinks of Escape

Now that she had an end in view, of travelling to the city that she had seen, she felt more motivated and less lethargic, though she was still weak. Of course, before she could go anywhere, there was the little matter of escaping to be dealt with. That was unlikely to be easy, especially if she was too weak to fly. In any case, she reminded herself, the magic anklet that formed part of her leg irons prevented her from transforming, so unless she could find a way of removing it flight would be denied her. And anyway she was too weak at present to do so.

She decided that she had two options. She could try to escape at the earliest possible opportunity, somehow beg, borrow or steal enough wealth for her to recover her strength, and then head for the city of her vision, flying if she could or in human form if she must.

Or she could wait a little longer, until the crew attempted to sell her. Though they had not said as much, she was sure that that must be their intention. The men of this vessel had not treated her badly, but she was sure that the pirates would have had her killed as soon as she had adopted her human form if there was no profit to be made from her.

The question then would be what they intended to sell her as. It could be simply as a human slave, but it might be that they hoped to find a mage who would be interested in buying a dragon. She imagined that she would fetch a far higher price in those circumstances. In that case, surely the crew would have to demonstrate to the potential buyer that she really was a dragon and also that she was in good health? So wouldn't they have to give her some valuables, if only temporarily, and to remove the anklet? That might present her with a chance to escape, though no doubt they would attempt to take precautions against this.

Her musing was interrupted by the captain entering her cabin. "We have reached our destination of Colonia Gallia," he told her. "It is too late to do anything tonight, but in the morning you will be taken ashore in the ship's boat."

1. Though still weak, Astra attempts to escape that night.
2. Astra decides to bide her time.
3. It belatedly occurs to Astra that the magic anklet must itself be quite a valuable item,
4. Meanwhile, back on the other vessel...

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