Nadi gnashed his teeth, clenching and unclenching his fist as they walked through the men who drank and made merry, and also laughed at their own jokes. There was no woman in their troop, just the men, and mostly the taskmasters. The aroma steaming out from the roasted animal they were eating did not perturb the cold air, but watching their laughter seemed to dig a hole through Nadi’s heart. It made him wonder why there was so much cruelty in the world. Why were some people obese and others go to bed hungry? Why were some constrained with chains and others free? Why was there suffering? He rubbed his hands on his pants and ignored the cold that pranged his skin. They made his hair stood, but Nadi seemed not to notice. He was way too distracted to pay any attention.
None of the men who wer
