by Stevie Woods
I looked over at Hollis, who was talking quietly with one of the other prisoners. I wondered what they were talking about so earnestly and for a moment I was jealous. Then I smiled as I realized how stupid I was being.
"More interesting thoughts?" asked Fortil, so close to my ear that I started.
"Damn it! Back off," I snapped.
Fortil just laughed and glanced over at the other cage. I followed his gaze and saw Hollis watching, an angry look on his features. I am not a violent man, but I could cheerfully have hit Fortil at that moment. We had enough trouble without making life difficult for each other. I smiled, and Hollis' expression eased.
It was actually four days later when I saw the ship approaching what was obviously a harbor. The masts of half a dozen ships were visible as the ship rounded the headland. We had been traveling parallel to the coast since early yesterday morning, and I had heard murmurings from a couple of fishermen who suggested the ship had moved nearer to land to avoid any possible patrols by my father's ships, though I doubted that as our ships stayed closer to our own shores.
I sought out Hollis in the opposite cage. Looks and signals were all we had been able to trade over the past few days, and I missed the sound of his voice, the rumble of his laughter, his snort at something outrageous, his snarl when he was angry. Lords, but I just missed his presence. I had been growing afraid this separation might be more than temporary, that when we reached our destination in this strange land I might never see him again. I found that more terrifying, more painful than whatever else my future might bring.
A sailor shouting nearby brought my thoughts to a sudden halt. I saw he was calling to a man on the quay, which was much closer than I had realized. The sailor was preparing to throw a ship's hawser to the man so he could toss it over a large stone bollard. There were other lines being thrown to tie off the ship, and there seemed to be noise everywhere. I tried to see into the town beyond the crowded bustling dock, but I couldn't see much. It didn't appear to be as large a settlement as I had expected.
I half-smiled to myself at the thought: expected? By the Lords of Creation, how could I expect to understand this alien place where it was acceptable to steal folk from their homes and treat them as little more than cattle? I could almost hear Hollis telling me I thought too much. I wanted nothing more right then than to see his eyes twinkle as he uttered those words to me, so close I'd be able to feel his warm breath on my face.
Lords of Creation, please, please, don't let him be taken from my side.
It wasn't much later they came for us. I saw Cor'lyn watching as the guards opened the gates to the cages, calling for us to behave and not try anything or we would be sorry. As if we weren't sorry already. We were drawn out of the cage in pairs again, the leading chains were fed through the waist rings and we were led toward the gangplank.
I looked over my shoulder to see where Hollis was, but the guard shoved me forward.
"Keep moving," he admonished, and, as I turned forward again, I caught sight of Cor'lyn watching me. I dropped my eyes, having no wish to draw his attention any more. The man unsettled me.
It didn't take long before everyone was led down the gangplank to the quay. As my group was there first, I was able to watch as Hollis disembarked. He caught my eye, and I was a little disconcerted when, instead of the expected smile, he almost seemed to stare through me. Then abruptly I felt eyes on me and knew instinctively that Cor'lyn was watching once again and that Hollis had been aware of it. I decided to take my lead from Hollis, planning not to make my interest in him so obvious.
We were led from the quay past other ships loading or unloading cargo, but we didn't see any more slaves being brought ashore. We walked down a narrow, twisting path, passing a small fish market on one side opposite a long, low building with a swinging sign indicating it was an inn of some kind. As we came to the end of the narrow path, we found ourselves on a wide paved street, with high buildings on each side made of stone with tiled roofs. I couldn't tell how big, or otherwise, the place was.
The area did not seem very busy, just a few people walking or riding horses, and once I saw a wagon down a side street. Toward the end of the avenue, I saw more people and I realized I was seeing this society's version of a shop. It had no glazed windows or doors; the whole interior area was exposed to the street with awnings open to either side. The roof was formed by another large sheet of canvas. Inside, customers milled about, inspecting the items for sale. As we were marched past, no one seemed to take any notice of the long line of chained men and women. It was apparent slavery was a part of life here.
The climate was very similar to what we were used to, maybe even a little warmer as we were farther south. Just as I was wondering how much farther we would have to walk, we were led off the main thoroughfare down a narrow side street, which ended in a pair of very heavy wooden gates about nine feet high.
Cor'lyn called out and a man leaned over from the top of the gate, presumably on a walkway up there, patrolling perhaps. The man called to someone below and there was the distinct sound of a lock being turned, a large lock by the sound of it. Then the gates swung open, and we were led inside.
We entered a large open area, which I could only think of as a compound with its hard, sandy ground. It was roughly hexagonal in shape and its perimeter was bordered by large constructs. There were four distinct buildings with double doors opening into the compound, each separated by the continuing wall, as tall as the gates, but slightly lower than the buildings. Inset into each section of wall was a gate, four in all, like points on a compass.
I supposed this was some kind of holding pen for the slaves before the sale took place. I felt a frisson of fear wondering what kind of future we were facing here. I looked around, trying to find Hollis, and I saw the guards push him and his companion back to maintain a line across the centre of the compound. It was only then I realized the women were continuing to the gate opposite and they were taken through, the exit closing behind them.
Hollis had managed to stand a little ahead of the line so he could see me, and we traded a glance before he was forced to step back.
Chapter 4
Our "host" had at last decided to introduce himself, odd name though it was. Though, at his next statement, even if I'd been allowed to say anything I'd have been speechless! Mr. Tall-good-looking had stood there and calmly told us we'd be sold only after we'd been trained.
Trained, damn it!
"You'll remain here in the training area," Cor'lyn went on, "and you'll be schooled to fight with a variety of weapons and in unarmed combat. When I consider you are ready, you'll be sent to the market, where patrons will bid against each other to purchase the best combatants. I warn you to give of your best while being schooled; it will gain you nothing but pain to disobey."
What kind of society was this? People taken into slavery for little more than some kind of barbaric entertainment! No wonder they'd only wanted the young and strong. I thanked my lucky stars that, for whatever reason, the leader of this group had decided to bring me along, too.
I wasn't worried about the instruction we were supposed to undergo--there wasn't a weapon made I couldn't use--but I was worried about Liander. While I had taught him enough he could competently protect himself, he was no warrior. It hit me then that if we were training together, Liander and I--
"You will be divided into groups for the training, and you will remain chained to each other as an added precaution against escape."
Fuck! Was the man reading my mind?
"Hear me," Cor'lyn said sharply. "There's no chance of escape from the arena." His gaze slid over all of us, and I could have sworn it momentarily settled on me. "Even if by some miracle you could accomplish the impossible and get beyond the guards and the high wall, there's nowhere for you to go. Outside the city, beyond the growing area, there's naught but desert for hundreds of miles."
I found it odd he made no mention of the ocean. I guessed the harbor area was guarded and, th
en again, home was many days across the sea. It would be enough of a deterrent to most men, but Liander and I were not most men. And we had to trust the others would not let out that vital piece of information. So far to our captors, we were just two more members of the tribe of the seven villages, and we needed to keep it that way.
The guards moved among us again then, removing the long chain linking us together and removing the waist chains, too, leaving only the manacles on our ankles joining us in pairs.
"Your training will begin in earnest tomorrow. Tonight you will be allowed to bathe, eat and rest. You will split into two sections; one section will take the left hall, while the other takes the right."
This was my chance, if only I could get in the same section as Liander. I'd begun to drag Ledo toward the other end of the line when all at once Cor'lyn blocked my path.
"Ah, the tall one. You intrigue me. I see a wolf among the sheep. You will bear watching. I also think I want to keep you from..." He smiled and glanced in Liander's direction.
I could see the prince attempting to hang back, but he was being pushed toward the left hall by the guards. Turning back to me, Cor'lyn continued, "That one interests me, too." His eyes narrowed as he considered me, and I felt a chill creep up my spine. For whatever reason, Cor'lyn knew there was something different about Liander and me, and that made him dangerous.
Cor'lyn raised his chin at one of guards and indicated with a nod of his head that Ledo and I should be taken to the right hall. Only with a prod from the guard's weapon, I pivoted away from Liander.
I glanced over my shoulder, and Liander was walking with his back turned to me, head dipped. Fortil turned, saw me watching, and he grinned and licked his lips.
If that bastard as much as lays one hand on Liander... But what the hell could I do locked behind another door across this huge compound?
* * * *
Well, that was interesting; Cor'lyn really was quite clever. Telling us we were chained together to prevent escape, which, while true, was not the only reason for his speech. It was a distinct reminder we were prisoners, captive to someone else's whims. Not what I would call subtle, but very effective.
I wished I wasn't captive to Fortil's whims, too, because I had the distinct feeling his whims were generally very selfish and mostly unpleasant, at least for me. He had never shown much respect for my position and though I had expressed a wish his people didn't stand on ceremony with me, I'm not sure he'd have behaved much differently in any case. He was the most arrogant man I'd ever met and, considering the people I was sometimes forced to mingle with, that was saying a lot. He'd been making crude suggestions ever since I met him and now we were chained in such close proximity he was even more disgusting.
I saw the looks Hollis gave him, and I was grateful nobody else here knew Hollis as well as I did. I doubt anyone else would find Hollis' looks as blatant as I did. My Guardian was always much more perceptive than he wanted others to realize and, even though he hadn't seen or heard Fortil's overtures to me, Hollis knew enough to recognize the man was a threat. Now Hollis was shooting daggers at my companion.
While I wished Hollis could have joined us in this hall... Damn, but I wish I was chained to him. Lords, I've got to stop letting my libido take over my higher brain function! I never even knew I was remotely wired that way, but the idea of Hollis in chains...
What the hell had I been thinking about? Oh yes, Hollis and that weasel Fortil. Hollis had been furious enough at the looks Fortil gave me. If my Guardian were in there with us, I'd have had to drag Hollis off him if he'd heard even one of Fortil's more imaginative suggestions.
The guard directed us through the gates and into the hall. The interior was much larger than I expected. It was divided into sections by six thick columns supporting the domed ceiling. Depressingly, it had no windows I could see out, just four very high up, one in each arch of the roof so at least the sky was visible. Since there were eight pairs of slaves, we split up, each pair finding a comfortable bit of the hall to call their own. Most had migrated toward one of the columns, as had Fortil and I.
On the way in, each of us had been given a blanket and a rough piece of cloth, which I assumed was their idea of a towel. I looked around and spotted the toilet facilities--in the most generous use of the term--at the far end of the hall. I walked over to inspect them, and Fortil was forced, somewhat reluctantly, to accompany me. I discovered the pool in which I supposed we were to bathe. It was a large tiled rectangle sunk about a meter below floor level, one of the narrow ends abutting the outside wall.
I was intrigued to see the simple yet ingenious method of supplying fresh water to both the pool and the waste facilities. In the end of the rectangular pool, where it joined the outside wall, were a series of small, drilled holes through which water continuously flowed. At the opposite end was another series of holes, a little smaller, allowing the water to flow out and continually flush the narrow waste channel, flowing away under another section of the outside wall. It was a permanent system of fresh running water. I trailed my hand in the pool, expecting the water to be cold, and was surprised to find it pleasantly lukewarm.
Lost in what Hollis referred to as my culture mode, I'd forgotten Fortil was with me until his voice close to my ear reminded me.
"I can help clean that hard body of yours." His voice rasped, his hot breath brushing my ear and making me pull back. "Rub your soft tender skin, pass my hands over every delicate inch of you," he finished, slowly licking his lower lip.
My stomach roiled and in a voice I think Hollis would have been proud of, I snarled, "You lay one finger on me and I'll take pleasure in breaking it!"
He smirked at me and took a step back, pulling on the chain as he did so. I had to quickly regain control of my balance or I'd have fallen into the pool.
"I don't suppose our new master would look too kindly on you if you tried to damage one of his new slaves," he mocked me. "They chained us together and I don't have a problem with that. I've been telling you for weeks now what I'd like to do to you.
"You don't have anyone looking out for you any more, little prince. Your Guardian, Hollis," he said the name with disdain, "is a loooong way away. It's just you and me now...you and me."
The leer he gave me was so suggestive I thought I'd throw up. Pulling on the ankle chain myself, I said angrily, "Chains won't make me any more available to you. As you said, they won't like one of the new slaves damaged, but I'd rather be punished by them than touched by you. You try and touch me and I'll prove it."
He laughed at me. "You're a spoiled prince, who is nothing without a guardian," he said with derision.
His opinion of me was clear. I needed looking after, but now I had no protection, I was fair game. Well, I had no qualms at all about disillusioning him. Hollis had taught me quite a lot. While I might not be anywhere near his level of competence, I knew I could look after myself.
I smiled at him, not my usual smile, but one I had only had cause to use occasionally. It was what Hollis referred to as my goading smile, feral and challenging. Hollis told me once the reason he thought this smile had the effect it did was because my eyes glittered like chips of ice. I remembered that, not because I know if it was true or not, but because of the huskiness in Hollis' voice when he said it, and because it was one of the few times I ever remember him being the least poetic.
I watched now as Fortil's smile of derision faded and, for the first time, I saw a look of uncertainty cross his face.
The gate to the hall suddenly opened and half a dozen guards marched in. Two of them covered us with their weapons, while the other four moved among us. They were carrying more chains and manacles.
What next?
"You'll stand quietly," one of the armed guards announced to the room at large.
They began attaching manacles to our wrists in the same configuration as the ankle manacles and linking chains between them. Then they removed the ankle irons. When they finished, each pair was now linked by th
e wrists and our ankles were free. I couldn't decide if this was better or worse, or even why the change was necessary.
I soon found out.
* * * *
Oh, this was fucking wonderful. They came in and changed the ankle restraints to wrist ones, and I was trying to figure out why, assuming it must have something to do with the training we were to begin in the morning. Then they brought in a few women carrying new clothing for us all to wear and that's when the fun started.
A couple of the older women approached us with sharp blades and unceremoniously cut the tunics from our bodies. When we were all naked from the waist up, the women were shooed out.
One of the guards took a central position. "Take off the remainder of your filthy clothing and immerse yourselves in the water."
My clothes were a disgrace and I would like nothing better than to get out of them.
I struggled to keep a rein on my emotions as I had visions of Liander going through this same rigmarole in the other hall across the compound. The very idea of him stripping under the licentious leer of Fortil was making my blood boil and my stomach rebel. I knew Liander was strong morally and mentally, but emotionally he still felt far too much for my comfort.
The only relief I felt was the guards stayed on the periphery of the room while we took off our clothes and took a dip in the surprisingly warm water. There was no such thing as soap provided, but there were a few flat, somewhat rough stones passed among us, along with a few small squares of linen to scrub ourselves with before drying off with the sheets of coarse cloth they gave us when they provided the blankets.
The guards shoved us back to where our new clothing was left in piles and told us to dress. We pulled on pants similar to those worn by the guards, down even to the dark grey color, except the material was obviously cheaper. I was just wondering how the hell I could put on a shirt or whatever with my wrist chained to Ledo's when one of the guards showed us. It now became clear why our wrists were linked. We were given a pale grey tunic, which slipped over the head and was then fastened down the side seams by a couple of small bars pushed through loops.
