by Pierce Smith
He was scared that the moment he would look back the guard would catch him. But his instinct told him now it was not one guard, but guards and once he was caught, he would be easy prey of their lusty paws. He ran, holding his belly, the voices coming from behind him screamed louder. He heard a horse chasing him. Did they get a cavalry to chase him? His heart stopped beating for a second. How long could he be safe now? Holding his pacing heart, he turned back and the leftover contemplation of his safety evaporated in that semi-arid place.
Ahead was the boundary of the same forest from where he came. Perhaps the other side of it, but it was still far. He heard the horse’s hooves near to his legs and then he felt a hand grab him up by his neck. Sam screamed, tearing his lungs, as loud as he could. He cried for Kyg, for the love with whom, he vowed to die. He cried to his god for his child and the next moment he felt himself falling and his feet dropping down hard onto the sand. The horse stumbled in the sand and the rider lost his grip on Sam’s neck. He grabbed his belly in his hand, protecting it from the stones scattered through the sand, while he kept down. The horse’s speed lowered in the sand and Sam got a chance to sprint into the sparse tree line, which soon became thicker with each passing step.
Sam ran towards the overgrown forest, letting it envelop him in its false protection., He turned to look at his chasers. Sturdy monsters not less than six or seven feet tall, beefy-muscled gods, heads covered under the bull helmets. The riders had to leave their horses and run toward him in the forest. Hiding behind bushes and scrub, he crawled deeper inside the undergrowth. Sam ignored all the cuts and bruises his soft skin earned, the shrubbery high enough to keep him safe.
He held his breath in his lungs and peeked from behind the shrubs at the same time as a sword slashed at him. He wasn't lost from sight of the dragons. They had got his smell. The tip of the sword almost touched his nose, breaking his resolve to be quiet, his petrified scream silenced the forest. The next moment, the sword fell again and this time more than one. Though they were not able to reach him, nor able to chop through the thick trunks, he still wasn't safe. Sam imagined them reaching through the undergrowth and yanking him to his death. He knew they would find a way to get him.
Sensing the monsters all around, he crawled deeper into the bushes. Slowly he crept inside, thorns and thick scrub scratching his skin, but he felt nothing as all his attention was on his baby. He tried his best, so that the monstrous dragons couldn't reach him. He could not think what would happen to him. Now he could barely see beyond his thorny walls. Yet, a few minutes later, the noise went silent. Only his mild breathing hushes filled the air. Sam crawled nearer the outer bushes. He tried peeking outside, but then he controlled himself. What if the dragons wanted him to come out? They would not let him go at any cost.
Still, he made space through the bushes and peeked outside. The area was clear. No noise. No voices, nor any calls to catch him.
Still he remained inside.
What if they reappeared?
What if he was imprisoned?
He lay still, resting against a large trunk, and then he heard whispers which he failed to decipher. Dragons were talking in their coded language. He turned his face to peek through the small hole he had made, and his eyes filled with fear. He crawled away quickly on all fours, away from his place, as far as he could, hiding behind another huge trunk. At the same time, a big flame burned the bushes where he had been. He hid his face under his legs. The blaze came with a rush and the next moment there was a huge fire. The bushes turned to ashes, his secure abode was open to attack. He ran deeper into the forest.
“You can’t escape from us,” one among them yelled, laughing viciously..
Sam ignored all the noise, even his heart’s scream of being caught, auctioned and warming the bed of his buyer. He kept hearing their voices, swords slicing and thrashing through the thick vegetation, their swords chopping the fallen trunks lying across the forest floor. They were making spaces to get closer to him. Sam looked ahead, but there was no space for him. In his haste, Sam had moved away from the safety of the city and headed up a hilly path. He was standing on a high cliff with a large lake underneath it. His thoughts trailed around dramatic Hollywood movies. What if he jumped down and Kyg came flying to rescue him? But did Kyg know he was here? Did he want to go back with Kyg? If yes, why would he run away from him? Whatever! He stamped his foot, but controlled himself and crept over to the edge of the cliff. He wouldn't die for sure. Even if these monsters would catch him and auction him. Maybe the booty hunter would have a heart and let him go. He wiped the tears flowing down his cheeks and waited until the dragons could come and get him.
“Surrender. We’ll not harm you,” the guard’s voice came.
Sam knew it was the guard who had seen him first. He remained silent. He knew it was a lie. A white lie.
“Come outside,” another guard growled.
Sam remained silent, though he could hear them reaching near to him, trees falling down and branches chopped off.
“You cannot escape. You know this. We are coming to get you. And bring your worst nightmare.” The lust-filled laughter warned him finally.
Sam knew what would happen to him now. His heart was thumping in his ears.
Dragons hitting the trunks were getting nearer, when for the first time Sam bawled, “Let me go. I’m a pregnant lady. Useless for you, dragon lords.”
In return Sam heard laughter. “She is crying.” A voice came.
“She will cry at our feet too,” another voice.
“She will cry in our beds too,” another voice cried out which was joined by other laughs.
“I’m begging you,” Sam cried, deafening all voices, but they didn’t stop yet. He crept back to the cliff, reaching the edge where not an inch was left between him and the air.
In return, once again there was only laughter. Trees were still falling down. Now both sides could see each other, clearly. Sam kept watching them reaching near to him, only a few trees maintained the distance, now. They kept hacking at the trunks until the last tree fell down the cliff and Sam heard a huge splash as it fell into the lake before slowly drowning in it. The voices were so still that Sam could hear the dragons’ excited hearts. He could read joy in their eyes, and the warmth coming through them. He needed all of those feelings, but not from them.
Sam saw them approaching, but his numb mind closed itself down, the reality too much for Sam to cope with. His eyes saw the brutally wounded hands, felt the broken bones, blood flowing through the bruises, gashed knuckles and more, but he failed to feel the pain. He could hear the laughter, the dragons talking among themselves, the knotting of his legs and hands, and being lifted on one of their back. He could see the hewn forest, from his detainment. He saw himself fastened to the horse’s back, and then shifting him to the carriage. Perhaps they saw Sam’s pregnancy and had some mercy. Lying on the floor of the carriage , he saw those monsters taking him to the city.
ON THE WAY, SAM FELT trouble approaching him. He peeked out through the window and saw another cavalry approaching them. He stayed safe on the floor of the carriage, but soon arrows pierced the windows and he heard men falling from the horses. There was a mild resistance by the dragons, but it appeared the arrival of the new group of men was unexpected and from behind, which left the dragons unprepared, and finally they lost the clash. He saw a few dragons flying back to the city.
The sounds of triumph, cherishing the new set of vocabulary and voices echoed in the carriage. Sam knew he was being taken over by the new gang of thieves.
He peeked through the hole made by an arrow and saw another set of men taking over the carriage. Sam steadied himself as best he could, when the carriage was turned away from the city. Scared to be stolen once again, he stood up and shouted, “Hey, who are you?”
And there, a thick piece of wood hit against the carriage by a burly guy, who threatened him. He fell back into the carriage and their hands came swiftly to lock the carriage from the outsid
e. Calming himself, Sam turned to look outside through another window and saw around ten men guiding horses quickly in a different direction. He peered through the same spot until the city was lost. The desert got replaced by grassland. It was quite a few hours. They kept handling horses until they entered into a forest. ‘Is this the same forest? Will the dragons come to look out for me? Were they thieves too?’ Sam kept thinking, and eventually fell asleep. He woke when the carriage’s wheel bumped over a small stone and it was about to fall back, but men came running from behind and supported the carriage, while Sam kept lying on the floor, protecting himself and his baby bump.
The men halted their horses, and reined in the carriage horses. Tying the horses to some nearby trees they walked up the steep slope. Sam expected they would take him out too, but they carried the carriage up the slope. Sam peeked outside, only to quickly sit back down when he spied a deep valley on both sides. The more he would look down, the more he would be scared. He would let destiny lead the way.
Soon they reached their destination. Someone opened the lock and with a swing, the door was open before him. He kept sitting at the back until he saw a sword entering inside.
“Move,” a voice called him.
“I can’t ,” Sam stated. “Kindly take it away.”
When no voice came, Sam shuffled forward. One of the men cut Sam’s bound feet free, enabling him to climb out of the carriage. He looked at the ten men standing around the carriage watching him intently. Their red-bearded faces appeared humanish, but he had met enough fantasy creatures, and he had no mood to explore more.
“I’m Sam,” he greeted, fetching smile over his face.
“We know,” another man spoke from the back, pushing the carriage door shut. He pushed Sam forward, not too gently, almost toppling him over. Perhaps he was the man who hit the window with the stick as only he carried the wood. One had a sword while the rest had bows and arrows. They wore long greenish gowns and long red leather boots. A perfect mismatched combination.
“Move,” another man spoke, and led the way to a cave. They carried wagon among themselves to avoid any clues being left behind.
Sam found himself standing in a series of natural rock caves with an abundance of flora growing everywhere. He turned back to find the outer cave was hidden behind lush, green trees full of flowers. The ground was a mix of pebbles and sand. Rocks jutted out everywhere eating up most of the spaces. They could be polished and removed to make a bigger room. They walked inside of the caves through smaller tunnels and larger caverns. Sam found less shrubs and more colorful mosses and lithophytes, epiphytes, and gorgeous ferns and orchids. They were, of course, unlike those found on Earth both in sizes and shapes. Scattered around the ground were ashes and unburnt wood; a large cooking pot hanging over a few remaining embers, showed they cooked dinner there. Wisps of smoke was disappearing through fissures in the rock.
They walked forward and soon the cave ended, so too did all the examination by Sam. He again found himself in the middle of nowhere, in a beautiful skylight cave. It was majestic with lush green trees bursting with sweet smelling flowers and small birds chirping on the branches. The sight soothed Sam’s heart. He needed something to pacify his eyes and calm his senses. Out of the ten men, three walked ahead of him leading the way, the rest, the rear guards.
Sam knew they were keeping an eye on him, watching with piercing eyes that made him shiver. With a turn they moved into another cavern which looked deeper and more mysterious than the former ones. His feet hit something, and to his surprise it was a gold bowl, it had fallen from a pile of gold loot. Jewels, utensils, coins, weapons and more, all made of gold. Gawking at all the gold, Sam stopped only to feel a hand prodding him onwards. Sam followed those men, still staring at all that gold and soon its glint was lost in the darker part of the cave.
Ahead were three dwarfs. Sam gaped at them as they gawked back at him.
“Aren’t you buggers late to get this shit?” One of the three shouted at the men with Sam.
Sam turned to look for a place to sit as he guessed it was the final settlement, but not yet. He found one dwarf jumping from a long greenish gown of one man, and then another one. And now there were more dwarves, and the gown and a long boot lay on the ground. So it was not men, but three dwarfs one stood on the shoulders of another. And so was the scene with rest of the men. Now there were thirty dwarfs rather than ten men. Sam held his smile, which caught the attention of one of the dwarf.
“Dare not to laugh, you shitty piece of human.” He ran towards Sam holding his wood.
“No, not at all,” Sam replied.
But the dwarf was caught by other dwarves in between and all of them fell over each other.
“He is worth ten horses full of gold. No one will touch him,” the dwarf from the cave shouted.
‘Am I sold? Am I the booty? Or someone hired these little buggers to kidnap me?’ Prospects ran through Sam’s mind and he sat on a large stone. He needed rest for his baby.
“Who is offering you that much gold for me?” Sam asked, looked at a waterfall which hid the other opening of the cave.
“A dragon. A gorgeous dragon. He will cook you and eat you,” one among them shouted.
First Sam thought it was Kyg, but he would definitely not cook and eat him. “I can give you more... if you drop me at the Byndra palace,” Sam propositioned another offer.
“Our deal was to get you from the palace, but luckily we got you from in between.” They replied.
One among them brought some fruit for Sam, “You must be hungry. We have no personal grudge with you, so make yourself comfortable.”
“The dragon will kill me and my baby.” Sam played with his words, “I can give you double of the offered gold,”
“Double?” they exclaimed.
“Twenty horses full of gold?”
They all gasped openmouthed.
“Yeah,” Sam said.
“Dare not you speak a word.” A dwarf came running holding a sword equal to his size. “He’s a word player. Don’t you know your dealer will burn us alive?” Turning to his friends, the dwarf spoke, “Feed him and put him aside until their men come forward for him.”
Sam took the fruit which he knew was edible and started eating them. He knew he had taken a wrong turn, his tears not stopping, but no one looked at him. He saw a few dwarves standing and chopping big leaves of orchids, enough to hide them under, and using them as an umbrella, he went outside with them through the falls into a small glade.
Chapter Nine
Sam at the Auction
MIRO STOPPED HIS TATTOO pen and the electric noise silenced. Kyg smiled, his calloused skin didn’t receive any pain. Miro patted a soft cloth over the ink and wrapped it with a protective dressing. He gestured to the other men to wipe Kyg’s entire body once again. Kyg reclined against the chair back and asked for a mirror, but Miro was prepared for it. The reflection of Sam in the mirror earned a new and a long-lasting smile at his lips. “You deserve to serve the Dragon lords, Miro.”
“Thank you, Master,” Miro stood, bowing before him. “Do you want me to serve you again?” he asked, indicating the fresh boner of Kyg.
“Ah! Not at all.” Kyg ignored Miro’s request. He looked for the gown and Miro offered him a new one. Other men helped Kyg in dressing. The tattoo was well hidden and in a new alien gown Kyg looked dashing. “I need to leave now. You will all wait for other orders. A member of my palace personnel will attend you and arrange all necessary requirements.”
Miro and the team bowed in respect as Kyg left the Prisoner's Hall. He strode towards Sam’s bunker, but on the way he turned towards the Women’s Hall, assuming he might come out to refresh his mood. Ladies there updated him. Sam had gone after him a couple of hours ago. He thanked them, before going in search of his lover.
Kyg kept walking, carrying a meaningful smile on his face and a skip in his step. He was making plans for tonight. That night he would go against Erga’s orders and fuck his husban
d. He was also excited to show Sam the new tattoo on his chest. He needed Sam and it had been too long since he’d been intimate with his lover, so he went straight to the bunker to find Sam. However, once he was in the bunker, he saw the wardrobes open and clothes scattered. With Sam’s bag missing from it, he knew immediately that Sam was gone. He checked to see if Sam had taken any clothing, and when he looked at the dresser his heart almost stopped. Sam had left his signet ring on the dresser. Without that ring anything could happen to him.
The ring was the one symbol all Byndraians understood. It was the symbol for the royal house of Kyg. Kicking himself in the ass, he communicated on the intercom with his brother, “Xeg, Sam’s missing. I went to get him from the Female Hall and he wasn’t there.”
Xeg snorted, then spoke to his brother like Kyg was a fool, “Do you wonder why you can’t find him?”
“Damn it, Xeg, I don’t have time for this shit. Do you know where he went, or has he left without my knowledge?”
“If he got a look at your naked wanton behavior in the Prisoner’s Hall, then I would say he’s left you. Sometimes, brother, I think you are extremely stupid.”
“I don’t give a fuck what you think of me. I need your help to find him. Meet me here in the bunker.”
Kyg groaned, Shit! Had Sam seen him lying on the huge cushions with the other men? Had Sam seen how fucking hard he was? Kyg moaned, running his hands through his hair, berating himself. He heard the secure elevator engage and knew Xeg was on his way down. It opened to let Xeg walk into the large living room.
“Do you have his scent?”
“Yes, he left out through the tunnels. It’s getting light outside and I am worried at how long he’s been gone.”
Heading to the tunnel entrance, Xeg spoke with Kyg. “If he saw what I saw take place, then you have wronged him deeply, my brother.”
“Don’t lecture me, Xeg, I understand and I fucking regret it. And when I find him, I am bringing him home and staying in bed with him for at least two days. Fuck Erga and no sex,” Kyg roared. “It’s all his fault.”
