Seth, A Naiad's Son (Generations of Eredwynn Book 3)

by Harris, Daniel B

  She blushed. “As long as it is only you looking at my curves, its fine, but now I will definitely change if we see people!”

  We walked all morning and located a few squirrels for lunch and continued until dusk. I’d managed to drop a pheasant in a clearing and it made for a great supper. We set up the tent and went through what had become our evening ritual. We sat with our arms around each other talking and just being close. Tabitha finally kissed me good night and went to the tent. With the camp shielded, I went quickly to sleep.

  I woke up the next morning and I’d made a decision. One thing that can be said about the Stephenson boys was when they knew something, they acted on it. I agreed with my brothers that it was part of the magic inside of us that caused us to trust our feelings.

  I was awake with my bedroll packed and breakfast laid out when Tabitha came out of the tent. I called her over and when she was in front of me, I took a knee. “Tabitha, I’ve told you that I love you. Chances are when we return to Eredwynn, my father will be giving me a castle and province to govern. I don’t want to be there without you, I don’t want to be anywhere without you. I know how sudden this is, but will you marry me?”

  She started trembling and threw her arms around me. “I’d considered being a courtesan or consort and had decided that I’d take a position like that if that is what you asked of me. I was willing to do whatever was required just to be near you. I never dreamed that you’d want me for your wife! My answer is yes! May the stars witness that my answer is yes, yes, yes!”

  I kissed her through the tears that were streaming down her cheeks. “Well, you were a bit vague, but I’ll take that as a yes. Thank you, Tabitha, you’ve made me a very happy man.”

  She regained control of her leaky eyes and we ate breakfast, packed up the camp and resumed our trek.

  Chapter Four

  It was nearing noon when we heard the far off shout of a human voice. We both froze and listened and heard it again. Tabitha looked at me and patted her clothes.

  “Do you think that you could get your dress out and change if I made you invisible?

  She nodded. “I’ve gotten dressed in the dark most of my life. It shouldn’t be that much different.” She pulled her pack off her back and pulled out her old dress. I made her invisible and watched as her uniform style tunic and trousers were laid on her pack. I turned away, trying not to think of what she looked like behind the veil of magic I’d covered her with. When she’d dressed, she let me know and I dropped her invisibility. She was still the most beautiful creature in the world but in less revealing clothing. I helped her with her pack, kissed her and we continued on toward the voice that we’d heard.

  The trees thinned as we walked until we came out of the forest into open country. We saw a couple dozen young people hoeing rows in an enormous field. Tabitha grinned when she saw it because it reminded her of the tiny farms that the Halflings had back home. The difference was that the size of the field that we were looking at was sectioned off and one section was about the size of the entire Halfling community!

  We were following a path that led between two sections and noticed that it would take us close to a group of workers. As we drew close the workers, who were no more than children, looked up. They did a double take when they saw us and waved us away. As quietly as they could call out without yelling, they were saying, “Run!”

  Tabitha nodded to me and we turned, going back the way we’d come. She commented, “They were wearing shackles; did you see that?”

  “I saw. Are you going to suggest, or am I, that we find out why?”

  “I love you. If we let this man coming up on the right catch us, I’m sure we’ll find out.”

  “I’ll keep us shielded, but if they try to separate us, things will get ugly and you’ll remember I’m a wizard.”

  A rope encircled both of us and pulled us together. An ugly bearded man laughed humorlessly. “So ya thought that y’all could check out a farm and not get caught? You learned that you were wrong. Dumb kids, I’ve seen it all now, when they just deliver themselves.”

  He dragged us to a small smithy and riveted shackles to our ankles. Not gently at all, he pulled us over to a storage shed and thrust a hoe at each of us. We were taken to a barracks and told to throw our packs inside. If they weren’t stolen, we could collect them for whatever was in them that we needed at the end of the day. We were taken back out to the fields and put close to the location of the children who had tried to warn us. Tabitha went right to work and the bearded man grinned and walked away. He figured that he’d captured two submissive kids that knew what they had to do if caught.

  “Tabitha, I barely know what end of this thing to hold. I want to look like I’m working out here, but what I really want to know is what just happened. Are we slaves now?”

  “Just watch what I do, you silly prince. We’ll work our way over to the kids and see what’s going on. My guess is that we are slaves now. I suppose that you could magic us out of these shackles when we need them off?”

  “The shackles are no problem, but if I see someone yank you around like that again, our spy mission is over. I just couldn’t decide whether to stun him or turn him into a human torch!”

  She laughed. “Do you want to talk or do you want me to? They seem like they’re the farmer type and might understand me better.”

  “Be my guest, my future princess. You go ahead and speak farmer. I’ll talk to the next king, lord, or prince we run across.”

  We worked our way beside the group of a half dozen kids and Tabitha spoke farmer, “Why’d we all of a sudden find hoe? We ain’t from here was walkin’ by and that grub snatched us. He didn’t say green days or nuthin’.”

  A boy of thirteen answered her gibberish, “Jus’ a camp is all. We’s being out when we’s eighteen. Sure y'all knows ‘bout camps?”

  Tabitha and I both shook our head while trying to look busy.

  “Strange, it ‘appens all over Gormesol. The folks can sell ya or nappers can grab ya if you’re out afta’ dark. Your folk could be dead or owe too much tax. They send ya ‘ere or one of the other camps all over and you stay ‘til you’re eighteen. They feed ya ok, mostly, and after dark we do what we want as long as we’s in the barracks.”

  I whispered to Tabitha, “This is a slave camp and the slaves are all children! It’s a common thing and they must be operating with the approval of the government! This is wrong and something must be done!”

  “Calm down, Seth. We’ll think this thing though. I agree with you, but we can’t try overthrowing a government without some plan. We’ll just have to think of a way to get this practice changed!”

  We worked until noon and we were allowed to stop for food and chased back into the field. We’d become the most interesting thing in the sad lives of these kids by showing up the way that we did. They’d work their way over to us and try to find out who we were and where we’d come from. We always turned it around and found out all we could about the life in the camps and the country in general. We learned that the slave camps were a relatively new creation of the king that took power twenty years ago. He’d introduced them into practice shortly after his brother’s sudden and unexpected death. A lot of the people in the country disagreed with the practice, but a decree from the king was law and couldn’t be questioned. When their children were taken, they allowed it to happen and rarely put up a fight.

  Tabitha and I talked and mulled over what we could do to help these kids. Short of overthrowing the present king, we couldn’t think of a thing. That would be a tall order for two people that were barely adults themselves. I thought that maybe we could get more support if we stopped one camp at a time, but we didn’t even know how many camps there were.

  Just before dusk, the bell was rung calling us to eat supper. We got our food and sat together with two dozen faces staring at us. It was a bit disconcerting, but it made it easier to know how my father felt when the court was full of lords and ladies. We rinsed our plates and we
re directed to the barracks. Inside we found that our packs had remained untouched so we retrieved them and went to a bottom bunk that looked unoccupied.

  We were sitting there talking when a boy of thirteen or fourteen came over. “‘Ay, new girl. You’re a bit young but still kinda cute. Wanna come with me and learn the only fun worth havin’ ‘ere?”

  Tabitha shook her head. “It’s been a long day and I’m pretty tired. I think I’ll just go to sleep soon.”

  The boy shrugged and walked off to look for someone else to play with on his bunk. I think that the way I was watching him leave gave away what I was thinking. Tabitha elbowed me. “Stop. Jealousy is only logical when you know the attraction is two-way. Besides, you know you’re the only man in the world that I want to be with.”

  I smiled and snuck a quick kiss. Judging from the sounds coming from all over the barracks, a kiss wouldn’t even be noticed. I thought I’d figured out the only fun worth having for these kids who were just becoming sexually aware. I wondered how many babies were created on these farms.

  We talked for an hour before Tabitha murmured, “I hate to ask, but would you mind walking me to the outhouse?”

  I smiled. “Actually, I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

  We left our bunk and walked toward the door. Halfway there, the boy that had been so friendly hopped up from a bunk. “So, did you change your mind?”

  Tabitha smiled and shook her head. He shrugged and watched her walk past. Just as she got past him, he swatted her soundly on the backside, turned and gave me a ‘what are you going to do about it’ look. I punched him in the jaw. It wasn’t a hard punch because I didn’t want to hurt him and I knew that the low powered ‘stun’ spell I hit him with would knock him out for a good five minutes. He was unconscious before he hit his bunk. Violence is the language of the ignorant and sometimes when dealing with the ignorant, you have to speak their language. Tabitha kept walking, but there had been a few witnesses to the altercation and she’d seen it, too. As we went out the door, I braced for a lecture.

  She asked, “Did you have to hit him that hard?”

  I chuckled. “I barely touched him. Stun spells don’t count as hitting, do they?”

  “Seth Stephenson! You can’t cast spells on people like that! We’re supposed to be hiding your magic.”

  “There are different rules when someone lays a hand on my future bride’s backside. I’ve never even laid a hand on your backside, so I feel justified. No one saw the spell and they’ll just think that I hit really hard for a little kid. Please don’t be upset with me. I’d hate for us to have our first fight over something like this.”

  She sighed. “Since he touched me in a place you’ve never touched and you have much more right to, I’ll forgive you. I think I’d have been more surprised if you hadn’t done anything. Now wait for me here and I’ll be right back.” Of course I waited for her because I always wanted to be wherever she was, except for maybe in the outhouse.

  She came back out and we returned to the barracks. We could feel the guard’s eyes on us the entire time. I held the door for Tabitha and followed her inside. Silence fell as we entered and I knew that the word of the altercation had spread. The stunned boy had recovered with no ill effects, but looked at me with either respect or fear; I couldn’t tell which it was exactly. As long as he didn’t touch Tabitha again, I didn’t care which it was, either.

  We returned to our bunk and lay down. Tabitha said, “I think I know what we have to do. Slavery is wrong in any country and we are the only ones here that we know of who can do something about it.”

  “So what are you thinking? Should we find out where the capital city is and go ask the ruler to put a stop to it? For some reason, I don’t think he will listen to us.”

  She sighed. “We need to talk to all the slaves here and find out who would be willing to join us in a revolt. You could use whatever spell you have that would remove these damnable shackles.”

  “Spells? As in somethin’ like magic spells? I’d be one of ‘um that would revolt if I could get these rattlin’ things offa me!” said a soft voice from directly above us.

  Tabitha climbed over me so fast I couldn’t even enjoy it. She stood on the side of the bunk and looked up on the top. “Come down here so we can talk to you, please. Don’t say anything to anyone about what you’ve heard.”

  “Not a problem, Hun,” said the voice, “from what I heard y'all wanna get us outta here. I won’t do nuthin’ to get in the way of that!”

  Tabitha climbed down and back over me. A girl climbed off the top bunk, scooted me over and lay down beside me. Tabitha took a deep breath and said, “Here’s what you need to know. Seth and I are both small for our ages. I’m sixteen and he’s seventeen. He’s also a very powerful wizard and is able to get all of our shackles off. We’re from the country of Eredwynn across the sea to the east. Slavery like this isn’t allowed there and we don’t think that it should be allowed here. I think that a revolt would be a good start. Seth could use his magic to unchain us, and he could stun all the guards that would stop us. We could travel from camp to camp freeing the kids and have them join us. What do you think and who are you?”

  The girl laughed softly. “My name is Anne and it’s nice to meet y'all. I heard your names while layin’ up there. I’m sixteen and I’ve been here ‘bout two years now and I’m ready to go. Everyone would go if the guards weren’t on us like hounds on a rabbit. The ‘stars gift to women’ bully that you knocked out would go too. He’s mentioned it to try to sound brave to get some new girl in his bunk from time to time.”

  Tabitha smiled. “So we can count on you? It would help to have someone that everyone knows to whisper the word around. We need to know if someone isn’t going to be with us and I’m afraid Seth would have to stun them too, when the time came.” Tabitha looked at me. “How long would you be able to stun someone for, my love? The boy you stunned a bit ago was up when we got back. Can you stun for longer?”

  “My love? Are y’all a couple, then?” Anne asked before I could answer.

  I answered, “We’re engaged to be married. I’d just asked her and she accepted before we were grabbed by the guards here. I hope to marry her as soon as we get this situation settled and that’s another reason to do it quickly.” I turned to Tabitha. “I hit the boy with a very light stun and knew it would only last a few minutes. I just wanted to make my point that he should keep his hands off of you. I could hit the guards with a medium stun that would knock them out for a few hours. A heavy stun would knock them out for a couple days, but that really wouldn’t be safe for them. Wolves, bears or whatever might want a snack.”

  Both girls giggled at that and Tabitha stated, “That would be good, I think. A few hours head start and you could stun them again if they caught up with us. Anne, do you have any idea where the closest camp is?”

  “It’s ‘bout thirty miles north and the nex’ one would be ‘bout the same to the west. The camps circle the capital city of Omedo. It would take some time to walk them all, but it could be done if y’all really wanna free everyone.”

  Tabitha nodded and I asked to be let up. I told the girls that I wanted to go appear friendly to all the kids so they’d be more inclined to go along with the plan. They both smiled and nodded and I started going bunk to bunk. I saw blistered hands and chafed ankles on everyone. I sent healing magic through everyone that I talked to and moved on. They knew that something had happened, but couldn’t definitely say that I’d caused the healing. Magic was a complete unknown here as it had been in Eredwynn just over two decades ago. By the time I’d finished making my rounds and returned to my bunk, Anne was back on top asleep and Tabitha was barely keeping her eyes open. I pulled my shackled legs under the covers and slid over beside her. She snuggled back against me and I put my arms around her. I checked our personal shields and quickly fell asleep.

  Chapter Five

  The next morning we were rudely awakened by a clanging bell. I woke with a sta
rt and smiled. Tabitha awoke still in my arms and smiled back at me. I didn’t mind the rude man with the bell nearly as much.

  We followed everyone out and fell in line for breakfast. After we ate, we were shown to the fields where we were to work that day. On the way over, I told Tabitha and Anne about the healing I’d done the night before. If they decided to talk to the others about my magic, they could use that as proof that it existed. I also let them know that I wasn’t much of a people person and two cute girls might be more convincing than a grumpy little boy.

  This day was like the day before, except Tabitha wandered farther away than I’d have liked the day before. I watched the girls as they worked and moved around the field from group to group. They worked and talked, trying to appear nonchalant and harmless with the conversation they were having. The tactic seemed to be working because the bored looking guards paid no attention to what they were doing. They could see that the hoes were working and that’s all they cared about.

  The long day finally ended and I found out that my job wasn’t over. To prove that I had magic, the girls had promised that I’d heal everyone, when the day was done. They all had new blisters on their hands and chafing from the shackles. I stood beside my bunk and watched a line form. One at a time I’d take the kids by the arm and send healing magic coursing through them. They would watch in fascination as the blisters, cuts and chafing healed before their eyes. By the time we were done, I was afraid that we’d inadvertently created a child cult of some sort. I tried to tone down my abilities by telling them that where I came from there were dozens of people that could heal like I did. I told them that there was one lady who could actually heal just by looking at someone. That helped to curb their worshipful awe and we set about making our plans.

  We were pretty safe discussing the escape in the barracks because the guards rarely came inside. This was the free space that gave the slaves freedom to do whatever they wanted, to create a temporary feeling of independence. I learned about the morning routine, where the guards were stationed and where all the other adults on the compound could be found. My goal was to render everyone involved with this slave camp unconscious before we made a run for it. I hoped that it would make it harder to track us and we could make a clean getaway.