Brian Pratt - Fires of prophesy

Nodding her head, she says, “It’ll be just a few minutes for the special, but I’ll bring your ale right over. That’ll be a silver three.”

Once he’s handed the silver and three coppers over to her, she returns to the kitchen, returning momentarily with his mug of ale.

While he’s waiting for his dinner, he sits and looks out the window. He’s surprised when Delia, along with Tinok who’s carrying a box, comes into view. Curious, he watches as they go into the store across from the inn. Wonder what that woman is up to?

His meal arrives shortly after that and while he eats, he keeps an eye on the store. Finally, he sees them leave and Tinok is no longer carrying the box. Curious.

Before he’s done with his meal, which is surprisingly good if a bit spicy, a group of enemy soldiers ride up to the Broken Egg and tie their horses to the rail outside.

Upon entering, the soldiers cross the room and sit at a table not too far from where James is. The serving girl comes over to them and begins taking their order.

Nervous, James finishes his meal quickly and then gets up to go. As he crosses the room, one of the soldiers addresses him in their language. Frozen with fear, James pretends that he doesn’t realize he’s being addressed and continues to the door.

One of the soldiers gets up and comes over to him, stopping him by grabbing his arm.

James looks at him and says, “Sorry, were you talking to me? I didn’t understand what you’re saying.”

The soldier looks back to his officer, who asks him, “What is your business in these parts?”

“Just part of a caravan coming through,” he replies. Taking out the letter, he walks over and gives it to the officer.

Taking it, the officer scans through it and when he gets to the signature at the bottom, returns it to him saying, “Very well.” He nods to the soldier who has a hold of his arm, who then releases him. “Sorry to have bothered you, but you can never tell.”

“I understand,” James assures him and then proceeds to the door, exiting the Broken Egg. Legs shaking, he makes his way back to the camp. What does that letter say? he can’t help but wonder.

Returning to camp, Tinok comes and greets him before he even reaches the wagons. “Can I ask you a question?” he asks him.

“Sure,” James replies.

“Can you show me how you got the hair off your face?” he asks, somewhat embarrassed.

“Doing it for Cassie?” James asks, trying to keep the smile off his face.

Nodding his head, he says, “She just keeps going on about how nice you look. So, I thought if I did it too, she would be happy.”

“No problem,” James replies. “Just wait here and I’ll get my stuff.”

“Thanks,” he says, relief evident in his voice.

Going back to the wagon, he grabs his kit and then returns to where Tinok is waiting. Showing him what to do, he holds the mirror while Tinok runs the knife over his face, removing what little hair he has. When he’s done, he runs his hand over his now smooth face and says, “Thanks a lot.”

“Glad to help,” James assures him.

He watches as Tinok goes back over and sits next to Cassie trying to get her to see his newly shaven face, without letting on that he wants her to. She, unfortunately, has no clue about what he just did and he’s crestfallen when she doesn’t immediately recognize his efforts.

James just smiles and shakes his head at Tinok’s attempts to get her to notice. Replacing his kit back in the wagon, he goes over and joins them. The rest of the evening, Tinok continues trying to gain Cassie’s attention until finally taking her hand and rubbing it along his jaw line.

Her eyes open wide as she finally realizes what he’s done and he at last gets the praise and attention that he’s been wanting.

Before they fall asleep that night, James hears the hoof beats of the soldier’s horses as they leave, heading to the north.

The following morning before they head out, they fill their barrels at the inn’s well, which only costs them a couple coppers. They also find out that Korazan is about two more days to the south. Eager to get there, they set a quick pace all that day, until having to stop for the night along the road.

Shortly after starting the following morning, they pass through a village with not much more than huts and goat herds. The people there don’t seem too friendly, they just hurry out of their way, glaring at them as they pass. Having no reason to stop, they continue on through and soon the village disappears behind them.

For the rest of the day, they’re all fairly quiet as they ponder the likelihood of rescuing their friends from the hands of the slavers. Jiron pushes them onward, impatient whenever they must stop in order to water and feed the horses.

James is anxious too, hoping Miko has survived the trip down.

When the sun is high in the sky, they begin to see a large lake in the distance. “Tears of the Empress,” Roland says.

“What?” asks James.

“The water there,” he replies, “they call it ‘The Tears of the Empress’. Don’t know why.”

“Interesting,” James says.

“Korazan is situated next to it, probably on the other side,” he says.

“Good,” Jiron exclaims.

As they follow the road around the lake, they can see numerous fishing boats out upon it. From the smell in the air, James figures it to be fresh water. The road follows the shoreline, curving around until they begin to see a large city appearing on the shore ahead of them. Korazan.

The snap of the lash across his back wakes Miko from another restless, dream-filled night. He quickly gets to his feet before the lash strikes again and looks around at the others in the slave line being kicked or lashed awake. There are a number of empty spots along the lines where those who were unable to keep up are no longer with them. He tries not to think about them, lying dead in shallow graves along the road.

He remembers with anguish one old timer who collapsed in line and was lashed to get moving before they realized he was already dead. They had a couple of the other captives in line dig a hole in the ground to put him in. Thankfully, he was spared that duty.

The first night they stopped was the worst. His body ached from the long march and his mind was dizzy from the heat, as well as the lack of food and drink. But that wasn’t what had made it so horrible. After they stopped and everyone had been fed and given water, the slaver returned to the girl who had insisted that she wasn’t a slave and removed her from the line. She screamed the entire way as they took her to one of the tents they erected. The memory of her screams and cries as they echoed through the night still continue to haunt him. No one got any sleep that night, even after her screams had finally stopped, several hours later.

The next morning when he was awakened by the lash, he saw the girl had already been returned to her place in line. One eye was blackened and multiple bruises showed on every part of her body that wasn’t covered up. There was a vacant look in her eye and when given food she wouldn’t eat. Given water, she wouldn’t drink.

When the line made ready to move, she still remained sitting on the ground. Two slavers came over to her and proceeded to whip her until she came back to her senses and stood up. Once she was on her feet, crying with tears streaming down her face, one of the slavers steps in front of her and says loudly enough so everyone can hear him, “Are you a slave?”

A barely audible, “Yes,” escapes her lips.

The lash strikes her across the shoulders and he just glares at her. “Yes, master!” she cries out loudly.

Nodding, the slaver returns back to the front of the line by the wagon. Everyone in the slave line is quiet, unable to even look at the ravished, punished girl.