*
Several light darkenings of time passed. All the while Maanta took in the appearance of this new and foreign man, with golden cuffs and trinkets adorning his body. In several places streams of separating and intertwining gold appeared to have been scorched into flesh, joining body and the currency into one. Contrasted against the man's dark brown skin this golden, tattooed tapestry looked delicately beautiful. One stream of likewise golden bead drops trickled a ring across his otherwise barren forehead.
Was this man of royal blood? Maanta wondered. He had never seen any man or woman quite as decorated and could not imagine that any person without royal blood could afford to display himself like this. There was one thing though that caused him to doubt this conclusion. Along with the golden splendor adorning his body, this man was also marked in another fashion. Harshly scorched lines made out an eerie eye brand along the bare of his back.
Maanta had heard word of men who had enslaved others beyond Meridia in an effort to gain power and prestige.
It was rumored that the enslaved ones were branded much like this but surely, Maanta conceived, a slave would not be permitted so close to Meridia. And how could a slave amass such a vast array of fortune?