Enslaved

Chapter 11: Stew

The two began their travels way before the city woke. Although merchants and other stores were starting their day already. The smell of freshly baked bread wafts through their nose and coffee... strong coffee.

Thane stops his horse and dismounts in front of a bakery. “Let me restock our supplies.” 

As he perused the selection, Nera joined him, eyes wide as she took in the delectable confections in various sizes and shapes. Each time her eyes widen and gawk at a particular item, Thane would point towards it to the shopkeeper and pay for it.

In the end, it took them almost an hour to finish gathering supplies. Thane’s arms were filled and heavy with everything Nera seemed to like as he hauled it back to their horses.

By the time they were finally ready to leave, the city was already awake and bustling with activity. Shoppers and all kinds of people merged within the trade district becoming a melting pot of cultures. Different languages were spoken, joyous laughter were shared and all were at peace. In the midst of it, stood Thane and Nera getting ready to face their nightmares. 

They venture out of Caelum leaving the hustle and bustle of the city, leading towards the dirt road and heading north for Tosa. It’s a treacherous journey with very little civilization before their destination. 

Before that though, the two pass through a vast woodland of stately hardwoods nestled just below the foothills. The area surrounding Caelum is a gorgeous span of fertile land and thick forests. Lakes and streams make the land lush and full. The weather is almost always sunny and cheerful during the day and silent and peaceful at night. If it does rain, it’s always gentle and soothing enough. There are patrolling knights and guards who go up and down the roads, watching out for danger and keeping raiders at bay. 

“They should have had that before.” Nera tells Thane, remembering how when they ventured here when they were young there was no guardianship of any kind. It was every man for himself until you made it to the gates. 

Thane watched a pair of heavily armed guards trudge through the road, weapons always at the ready. “At least some of what the King promised is true.” 

“Some.” She repeated. 

Over the years, Caelum’s surrounding territories have gotten better, livelier. The woodland is pleasant and tranquil, and a diligent militia keeps it safe from attacks and other things. Especially now with the fair happening, families and children lingered near the walls collecting wild flowers and fishing in lakes. A distance away is a newly built village strictly for farmers and fishermen that are connected to Caelum, bringing life to the already booming economy. 

Nera takes it all in, making the most out of the peace knowing if they continue on north, it would be less peaceful and more dangerous. 

They travel slowly and hardly stop unless it’s for food and to rest their horses. Soon, the guards patrolling the roads vanished along with other travelers. It seems no one else is heading north. 

Thane and Nera travel for a few more days, stopping to sleep but continuing their journey until the two start to notice the landscape slowly change from golden grassy hills and thriving trees, to a drab, moldy dead land. Darkness fell despite having a few hours left of the sun and beneath the external blanket of darkness, there were creatures that hissed and drew back at them. 

“We won’t stop here tonight. We’ll push on until we reach Tosa. These lands are invested with animals we do not want to encounter.” Thane tells her, watching the shadows closely. On all sides, he felt dangerous creatures lurking and watching. 

Nera shivered, pulling her cloak tighter around herself as she glanced around the god forsaken place. The roads seemed to be covered with a permanent layer of mold and grime. The trees were gnarled and dead with no fruits or leaves. Nights have become colder and harder as they neared their destination. 

As they couldn’t see anything ahead of them anymore, they were forced to stop and make camp. “How far until Tosa?”

Thane narrowed his eyes and tightened his hold on the hilt of his sword, looking around. “A few more hours.” 

Nera started a fire for them and placed her hand out to the warmth it gave. It’s colder in the north and as Evordon mostly enjoyed the tropical weather, she was not used to this kind of chill. 

Around them there were no sounds of any kind. No owls hooting, no insects buzzing, no wind blew. Thane never thought silence could be so loud and daunting. 

As Nera began making them a quick dinner, Thane heard a rustling in the distance. He looked up just in time as a group of men dressed in dark patched leather jumped towards them. Thane drew back, grabbing Nera by the wrist and pulling her out of harm's way.

Thinking quickly, he unsheathes his sword and hooks it around the pot cooking by the fire. Swiftly, he throws it along with the boiling stew drenching the men. 

Cries of pain emerge, particularly Nera’s. “MY STEW!” 

“Really, Nera?” Thane grumbled, drawing his blade in front. 

She smacked him lightly on the arm, grabbing a pair of knives from inside her cloak. “Don’t ‘really, Nera’ me!” 

“I’m trying to protect us right now.” He parried swords which whirled towards them. 

“Protect us without harming my delicious food.” She argued, expertly throwing knives at their assailants. They were thugs and bandits looking to rob innocent travelers. 

“Oi, are you serious?” He blew out a breath, swinging his great sword with an ease of a well practiced warrior. Like a beautiful and dangerous dance, Thane slashed, swiped and plunged his blade. He made quick work of them, rapping the butt of his sword on their knuckles disarming before swiftly killing the thugs where they stood.  

“Dead serious.” Nera on the other hand was quicker and more agile than Thane. She jumped, leapt, sidestepped all while throwing knives in all directions. Nera brandished her short blades effortlessly cutting tendons and sensitive flesh.

Finally, the remaining thugs they haven’t killed ran away, retreating with tails between their legs like animals. 

Nera drew a breath and made a mistake of uttering the words, “I did good for my first time.” 

Thane who was wiping blood from his sword, froze and turned. “What did you say?”

Her lips parted. “I...” 

“You said you were a trained fighter?” He pressed, eyebrows furrowed and angry.

Nera tuck out her lower lip and took a step back from him. “I might have bent the truth a little.”

Thane’s nose flared. “You mean you lied.” 

“A white lie?” She offered nervously, forcing a smile. 

“What? Did you lie also about being allowed to go on this dangerous crusade?” He meant it as a joke but when he saw her face turn apologetic, he knew they were screwed. “I have to take you back.”

Nera jumped away from him as he grabbed her hand. “You can’t!”

“Why ever not? What we’re about it to do is dangerous, Nera. Your father would have me killed if he found out.” Tight lipped, he cursed inwardly. “And if anything happened to you, I would kill myself.” 

She shook her head. “My father doesn’t know where I am exactly. I told him I’m visiting Caelum to get to know my affiance better.”

Thane massaged the sides of his head, fighting off a headache that he was getting from his girl. “Won’t he know?” 

“Byroc, the man who found you will keep my secret.” Nera explained. It seems she had thought of everything. 

“Who’s Byorc?” Thane questioned, forgetting who that was.

“My...” She hesitated and winced. “My manservant.”

“I knew he wasn’t a warrior.” He blanched. His instincts were never wrong. “Nera, this is too much. I thought you were trained.”

“I am trained!” She argued defiantly. “I just lack experience.” 

“Tosa is not the place to get experience.” Thane rebuked. Tosa is a ghost land, a dying village.

Not having a care and was more than confident with her abilities, Nera shrugged. “It’s the perfect place to get experience.” 

He sighed. “What is this really about?” 

She spread her arms wide as if the explanation was bigger than anything else. “Many things! I don’t want to be married off to some prince-“

Thane cut her off. “You ran away.”

“Momentarily and for a good cause! If I wait until I marry to do this, it’ll be too late. They won’t let me out, they’ll control me and Brutus... and Brutus will wreak havoc as he’s always done.” She shut her eyes, pained with yet another remembrance of what happened to them. Unconsciously, she massaged her wrists scarred from the slavers’ shackles.”I won’t allow Brutus to make more people suffer. I can’t let what happened to us happen to someone else. I just can’t.” 

Noting that her heart was in the right place, Thane placed a hand on her cheek in comfort. “That’s all well and good but there are people that can do this.”

Nera’s eyes flutter open, a new found determination and anger within them. “Didn’t you hear Alice? The King didn’t believe her. No one will catch Brutus. It’s up to us.”

Thane groans, angry at himself and angry at Nera. She made sense but the dangerous path ahead of them made him hesitate. His mind raced. “All right. I need you to listen and to listen well.”