The group made it with little problem to the place where the females were held captive, knocking out the two guards standing watch, who were drunk, and they left the two at their posts, slipping inside.

Lei followed the others inside, sighing quietly and glad they were inside now. He then looked around the room still not saying a word.

Lyuthi wanted to help Chert, but knew they couldn’t slow down now. Falling back beside Lei, she didn’t enjoy the tension at the front.

The females inside were quite surprised to see the group march inside, frightened at first, but they relaxed as Veldahar quickly told them they were friends, and they were quiet, as the group settled inside, closing the door. Veldahar and Galdrias explained what they had in mind to the one who was the female’s leader, Chert flopping down to rest.

Lei looked around at them all, searching the crowd of females to try and reconize anyone from terror mountian.

As the plan was revealed to the captive females, there seemed to be some doubt between them. “We can’t risk our children…” Said one, frowning. “What if something happens and they are hurt… or…”

Lei looked around more as he heard the arguments. “When they are done with your husbands working here as slaves they will kill all of you.” He pointed out, looking around at them. “Do you want yourselfs, your children, and lovers trapped here until death?” He continued on, finally reconizing some from the mountians. So they had been brought here… hopefully what he had said wouldn’t make things worse… After all the people of the mountians hated him.

Bast nodded, though some flickers of recognition came to those who had seen Lei before in the mountains made the grumblings return. “They won’t hurt us if we obey!” “But what happens when the mines are dry?” “Those mines have been open for centuries!” “Will we stay here till we die of old age then?”

Lei noticed the looks, sighing quietly. “What your people are mining is for a huge army. Nothing in this world lasts forever. It will soon enough run out. Then what will you do? Do you want your children to grow only knowing the world as this place is? To grow up as slaves and knowing their fate is to work and die here?” He asked, looking around at them all.

Lyuthi beamed as Lei spoke, he had such a way with words! He was so confident too! She smiled as he spoke and hoped that he would spur the others to get free.

“Listen. If not now, things will get out of control at some point. You were all taken from your homes forcefully, and not given an option to fight back.” Veldahar pointed out, “And our plan means that if things go wrong, we are the only ones to suffer, you can just act as if you had nothing to do with it, and be safe.”

Lei nodded in agreement with Veldahar. “Wouldn’t you prefure to have atleast a chance of freedom? Go back to your homes safely with your family and try to rebuild what you have lost?”

“Don’t you want a better life for your children? Surely when they were born this wasn’t the life you wanted for them.” Lyuthi chimed in.

The females had gone mostly silent, exchanging looks of desperation and fear. Finally the leader sighed, “Very well, we’ll help you… and pray to the gods that things go well.”

Lei smiled as he heard that, nodding a little before looking at the others, hoping they did have aplan for how they could get word to the men.

Things went fairly smoothly after that, as the women helped the group dress in skirts and arrange their hair and wear bonnets where needed to disguise them and their weapons. Chert refused to put on a dress, and said he couldn’t look like a woman if he tried, and in the end it was decided he’d stay behind with Iris and the two kids.

Lei obviously disliked the idea of dressing as a girl, looking quite depressed to be dressed like this. He then looked at the others, and couldn’t help but chuckle at seeing them dressed up like this.

Lyuthi looked to Lei and blinked. “You know, you look good as a girl.” She said with a grin as she watched the others dress up.

Veldahar looked taller than ever in the skirt they chose for him, and he tugged at the material uncomfortably. He glanced at Lei and laughed, “You know, you do have the right curves…”

Bast was forced into a pink dress with frills, and sat down with a sigh, “Maybe I should stay behind…” He looked down at his false breasts and rolled his eyes.

Lei twitched at the two comments, face showing just a bit of red. “Thats enough about that… please…? You are making this harder then it already is.” He then looked over at Bast and couldn’t help but laugh a little.

Lyuthi turned to look at Veldahar and her face went blank. After a few moments of staring she burst out laughing. “…Wow..stick to being a male Veldahar.” She said with a laugh. Looking to Lei she grinned. “You are lucky both genders fit you so well!” She said grinning slightly.

Veldahar smirked, “I’m glad I’m a man…” Bast shrugged, deiding to make the best of the situation, he stood, posing sexily, he fondled his ‘breasts’, “Hey Lei, do these look good on me?” He batted his eyelashes.

Lei rolled his eyes as he watched Bast “Can you please stop and lets get going before Bast makes me lose my lunch?”

Lyuthi giggled. “I prefer you as a man too.” She said with a grin. She said nothing else about Lei looking good as a female and instead laughed at Bast. This was a good ploy to at least boost some their morale.

It was working. Many of the women laughed along, teasing the other draiks as well. By the time it was close to lunchtime, everyone was ready to go, and while they were more subdued, spirits were higher.

Lei was glad atleast everyone was ready, looking around at them all. “When shall we head out?”

Lyuthi enjoyed the small uplift in spirits, it would make the whole ordeal much better. Moving beside Veldahar she smirked. “So will this be the only time you will sport a dress around me?” She said low enough so only he could hear, a devilish smirk on her face.

Veldahar looked at her, raising an eyebrow, “Yep. Better enjoy it while it lasts.” He smirked back. Galdrias looked to the woman that had spoken for the group of captives. “They should come to get us to take us to the children soon.” She said.

Lei nodded as he heard that. “Lets hope everything goes smoothly.” He said quietly.

Lyuthi held back at laugh and instead poked his side. “I will get you in a dress again, mark my words.” She said happily amused by this plan.

The door opened a while later, two draconian guards, slightly drunk, waved the ‘females’ outside. In the corridor, a group of very dirty small mitchis held a pot of stew, and other foodstuffs. The draconian guards herded the group downt he corridors and out across the field to the mines.

Lei was silent as he followed along with the others.