help.”
Qenn nodded to his brother.
He liked how Tane had answered her. He almost smiled at the thought
that she was the person that they had traveled to find. He would
like that.
Kandish groaned, stretching
her long legs out before her, folding her arms in her chest. “You
two must be pretty desperate to look for help there.”
Tane and Qenn decided to
let the matter die there. They were unsure how much to tell her
just now; it was a matter that was still very painful to even talk
about.
The three were silent then
for a while as the wagon turned sharply this way then that, their
bodies gently sliding against the wooden walls with the sounds of
people around them still filling the air, though not as loud as
before. The wagon drivers began speaking again, yelling to others
in the streets, the voices yelling back. Seconds later the wagon
came to a sudden halt.
The three captives stood
immediately. Voices were heard at the back of the wagon, cursing
and arguing. Then it escalated. The sounds of a fight broke out,
quickly followed by a scream. Voices died down as it sounded like
the crowd began to dissipate.
“ We have no weapons, so
we’ll have to move fast.” Kandish was taking charge, moving towards
the door, ready for it to swing open. Tane and Qenn stood at her
side, reading themselves for the fight for their lives.
Outside the carriage, in an
alley behind a tavern located away from the main road, the two
gruff thieves were pushing aside drunks and other thieves, beating
those who would not move, guarding their keep. A man lay unmoving
next to the wagon wheel in a pool of dark liquid. The few men
hanging around the tavern were all hard faced and gruff, all sweat
and bruises, each appearing as if they had just lost a fight. The
wagon owners held their ground with long iron rods, speared at the
ends.
Finally after several long
minutes, a horse-drawn wagon arrived and stopped beside them. The
lone rider swiftly exited his seat and made his way over to the two
them guarding the wagon, who swallowed hard upon his arrival.
Others backed away whispering, their faces flush with caution and
recognition. Some left the scene altogether.
“ You Mason?” the smaller
thief called out, holding an iron rod is if ready to
strike.
“ I’m here for the Seers,”
the newcomer stated, his words laced in irritation. “Open the
door.”
The man was tall with a
knee-length black coat hiding his well-muscled physique. His hair
was long and brown, matted back. A lone scar decorated his tan face
just under his left eye, running across his slight beard to his
prominent jawbone. His eyes were dark and hard, fitting his
ever-present look of annoyance.
“ Hold on a minute,” the
smaller man objected. He pointed his iron spear at the other’s
face. “We also have a half-breed and an elf, so the price doubles.
Hand over the money, then you can take the wagon.”
Inside the carriage, the
three captives listened closely. The man they were being sold to
was there, and he didn’t sound at all pleasant. At least they would
be sold together, the brothers thought. They would have strength in
numbers.
Kandish’s face was lined
with anger. “Be quick, elf. And don’t be scared. If you have a
chance, kill them.”
Qenn stood at her side, his
nerves rattling him. His pulse raced like it did the last time he
was at home. He swallowed hard and tried to picture the Takers outside the wagon,
and the revenge he would have for them, but he couldn’t complete
the thought. The truth was, he was scared. And it was
showing.
Tane placed a hand on
Qenn’s shoulder to reassure him. “Stay close to me.”
“ Run when you get the
chance. And don’t stop.” Kandish barked. “You were wrong to come
here for help.”
In the darkening alley, the
two men guarding the wagon grew nervous as they stared down the
buyer. They whispered to each other in dismay for a few seconds
before the shorter man turned away, threatening the buyer with his
spear.
Qenn nodded to his brother.
He liked how Tane had answered her. He almost smiled at the thought
that she was the person that they had traveled to find. He would
like that.
Kandish groaned, stretching
her long legs out before her, folding her arms in her chest. “You
two must be pretty desperate to look for help there.”
Tane and Qenn decided to
let the matter die there. They were unsure how much to tell her
just now; it was a matter that was still very painful to even talk
about.
The three were silent then
for a while as the wagon turned sharply this way then that, their
bodies gently sliding against the wooden walls with the sounds of
people around them still filling the air, though not as loud as
before. The wagon drivers began speaking again, yelling to others
in the streets, the voices yelling back. Seconds later the wagon
came to a sudden halt.
The three captives stood
immediately. Voices were heard at the back of the wagon, cursing
and arguing. Then it escalated. The sounds of a fight broke out,
quickly followed by a scream. Voices died down as it sounded like
the crowd began to dissipate.
“ We have no weapons, so
we’ll have to move fast.” Kandish was taking charge, moving towards
the door, ready for it to swing open. Tane and Qenn stood at her
side, reading themselves for the fight for their lives.
Outside the carriage, in an
alley behind a tavern located away from the main road, the two
gruff thieves were pushing aside drunks and other thieves, beating
those who would not move, guarding their keep. A man lay unmoving
next to the wagon wheel in a pool of dark liquid. The few men
hanging around the tavern were all hard faced and gruff, all sweat
and bruises, each appearing as if they had just lost a fight. The
wagon owners held their ground with long iron rods, speared at the
ends.
Finally after several long
minutes, a horse-drawn wagon arrived and stopped beside them. The
lone rider swiftly exited his seat and made his way over to the two
them guarding the wagon, who swallowed hard upon his arrival.
Others backed away whispering, their faces flush with caution and
recognition. Some left the scene altogether.
“ You Mason?” the smaller
thief called out, holding an iron rod is if ready to
strike.
“ I’m here for the Seers,”
the newcomer stated, his words laced in irritation. “Open the
door.”
The man was tall with a
knee-length black coat hiding his well-muscled physique. His hair
was long and brown, matted back. A lone scar decorated his tan face
just under his left eye, running across his slight beard to his
prominent jawbone. His eyes were dark and hard, fitting his
ever-present look of annoyance.
“ Hold on a minute,” the
smaller man objected. He pointed his iron spear at the other’s
face. “We also have a half-breed and an elf, so the price doubles.
Hand over the money, then you can take the wagon.”
Inside the carriage, the
three captives listened closely. The man they were being sold to
was there, and he didn’t sound at all pleasant. At least they would
be sold together, the brothers thought. They would have strength in
numbers.
Kandish’s face was lined
with anger. “Be quick, elf. And don’t be scared. If you have a
chance, kill them.”
Qenn stood at her side, his
nerves rattling him. His pulse raced like it did the last time he
was at home. He swallowed hard and tried to picture the Takers outside the wagon,
and the revenge he would have for them, but he couldn’t complete
the thought. The truth was, he was scared. And it was
showing.
Tane placed a hand on
Qenn’s shoulder to reassure him. “Stay close to me.”
“ Run when you get the
chance. And don’t stop.” Kandish barked. “You were wrong to come
here for help.”
In the darkening alley, the
two men guarding the wagon grew nervous as they stared down the
buyer. They whispered to each other in dismay for a few seconds
before the shorter man turned away, threatening the buyer with his
spear.
Similar Books
