Life was simple now. Or at least, a different kind of simple. Food was regularly provided and she no longer had to toil in the hot fields or experience the sharp bite of the man’s whip anymore. If it were not for the chains and her cage at night, Ardessi might have enjoyed it all a bit more. Especially now that she had a friend. Maggie was kind, the young woman spoke to her like she mattered and made her feel more human and less like a monster. When she was forced to walk behind the other’s, her hands shackled as she was tethered to the saddle of one of the officers, Maggie walked with her. The woman would coo to her and tell her tales of a world that was better.<br/><br/>Where a heroine, who funny enough looked just like Ardessi, would challenge the wrong and save the innocent. Ardessi always wanted to be a hero, wanted to have people love her and care for her, to just belong rather than be a thing for people to use and mistreat. Maggie made her hopeful and had started to teach her to read as well as write. It was slow, very slow and sometimes she would get frustrated and the familiar rage would begin to set in. In those moments Maggie was, even more, valuable for she was able to soothe her, to calm her and allow Ardessi to keep control of her magic. This war was of no importance to the wild mage, but she tried her best for Maggie’s sake. Beating from the officers and other soldiers were nothing to her and did little to motivate her to work any harder.<br/><br/>Life had been about abuse and pain. It was all she had ever known until Maggie stepped in and made her see how it could be. No one else mattered. Not even the other mages who seemed to avoid her whenever possible, which was just fine with her. People were scared of her and hurt her, so if they wanted to stir clear of her, that was just fine for the giant. At the edge of the woods they stopped and Maggie offered her some water, which Ardessi happily drank up. Their leader spoke again though she could not hear him enough to care because she knew she did not have a choice in whatever it was he spoke about. As the other’s around her shouted, she just polished off the offered waterskin and handed it back to Maggie.<br/><br/>Hands bound, she still managed to gesture forward and shrug and Maggie understood her request for more information. “We march to kill dragons,” the woman spoke and gestured with her hands at the same time. “Behind their lines, we are to strike at the heart of the territory and win big,” those in front began to hurry off so Maggie rushed to finish. “Don’t worry. I will stay with you and protect you.”<br/><br/>Ardessi smiled at the comment and shook her head. Thumbed at herself and then pointed to Maggie. She was strong and brave, like the heroes in the stories so she would protect her friend. After all, everyone seemed to be afraid of her, even the dragons.