Enslaved

Chapter 2: Together

The days melted into each other. It was hard to tell how long Thane and Nera had been taken by the slavers. With the long line of captives and an even heavier caravan, the travel is long and slow. 

The slavers themselves have not been in a good mood. Often they’d take it out on the captives with Thane and Nera being their main targets. 

Thane did the best he could to take much of it but most of the slavers preferred harassing the little girl. They’d never take them out of their cage but would shake them, pull at their shackles and on the worst days would grab Nera’s red hair, pulling her until she’s pressed against the cage like an animal. 

The nights were just as worst as the days, they would hear things happening to the other captives that have burned into their young minds permanently. 

Thane and Nera found comfort in each other, bodies pressed to each other for warmth and solace. In the past few days, Thane has been offering much of his food to Nera who needed it more. She took it hesitantly but would hardly utter any words. The circumstances had made her quiet.

On a particular night where it was extremely terrible, Thane laid down beside Nera and stared up at the sky, counting stars and gazing up at the large moon.

“Where are you from?” He asked to try and distract her from the horrific sounds happening around them. 

Nera’s blue eyes shifted from the sky to him. She had picked up on his attempt and gladly took the distraction. “Evordon forest.” 

Thane would have gasped if he didn’t need to be so quiet. Evordon forest is a beautiful land by the outskirts of the city borders. Known for its high towering trees, breathtaking and mystical landscape, and serene environment, the forest is dubbed as a paradise on earth but the land is famously not controlled by any kingdom. The forest is one of the few independent places where there is a different kind of authority. A feared and powerful Chieftain, a warlord of sorts who governs over the paradise. It’s no wonder Nera’s features are so unique and exotic. She came from there. “I heard it’s beautiful there.” 

“It’s home.” She whispered painfully, grasping her hands. The other night she had been crying loudly in her sleep and an annoyed slaver came for her. He had reached into the cage and crushed her fingers with the end of his sword. Nera faced Thane then, eyes piercing into his soul. “Where is your home?”

Thane flinched at the question. He didn’t know the answer to her question. Where was his home? The streets? “I have no home. They caught me out in the streets.”

Nera didn’t question his answer. “I’m the same. They caught me when I was playing by the river. I wasn’t...” She paused, lips trembling. “I wasn’t supposed to be out but I didn’t listen.” 

Thane carefully inspected her. She has finally grown accustomed to him since her arrival. He saw it progress as Nera no longer seethed at him or looked at him distrustfully. “How old are you?” 

Biting her chapped lips, Nera stared up at the sky once more. “I just turned eight.” 

“I’m eleven.” Thane murmured, sounding haunted. 

They became quiet then. The horror of how young they were creeping under their skin like the cold windy air. They were the youngest in the group of captives. Most have died or were left to be eaten by whatever monsters were in the darkness. Suddenly, Thane felt a warm hand latch onto his. He looks down and sees Nera’s tiny fingers holding him tightly… desperately. 

Nera’s bright fiery hair fell to her eyes. “Where do you think they’re taking us?”

He wanted to lie to her but knew nothing would come of it. “To Slaugh.”

Nera drew back, a fearful expression creasing her youthful face. She’s heard of Slaugh and the horrors there. Nera’s throat dries. “Oh.”

They were doomed. Whatever hope she might have had before being told of this vanished instantly. She knew of Slaugh. Everyone did. A nightmare reincarnated.

They slept that way, hand in hand until his eyes fluttered open. Nera was crying in her sleep again. If she continued and woke a slaver, he didn’t want to know what else could happen to her. Thane crept closer to her shaking body and wrapped his arms around her. He imitated how his mother used to hug him and ran his hand up and down Nera’s arm comfortingly. To his surprise, she finally stopped crying and buried her head on his chest. 

Despite Nera stopping, a slaver still walked up to them along with Brutus. Thane shut his eyes, pretending to sleep. He didn’t want any trouble and especially didn’t want Nera to get even more hurt than she already was. The sound of her fingers breaking was still fresh on his mind. 

“Let me have a taste of her.” The slaver tells Brutus pointing at Nera’s frail body. 

Horror pumped through Thane’s bloodstream but thankfully Brutus snorted. “No. She’s more valuable untouched.”

“Valuable? What if I buy her?” The slaver continued to push. Thane distinctly heard him lick and smack his lips together as if hungry. 

Brutus merely waved off his henchmen. “You can’t afford her. She’s the Chieftain’s only daughter. She’ll sell for a high price in Slaugh.” 

Thane had to use all his strength not to gape in surprise. He could not believe it. Nera was the Chieftain’s only daughter? He was imprisoned with a different kind of royalty. It was no wonder she was dressed so finely. Brutus managed to capture the heir to the paradise.

“Who would buy her?” The slaver continued to question. 

Brutus chuckled deeply, the amusement clear. Thane felt him reach forward brushing Nera’s hair like he would a priceless pet or... something else entirely. “Plenty of old and rich men who want a taste of the exotic. They’ll do what they want of her.”

The slaver scoffed. “She won’t last a day.”

“She’s not there to last.” Brutus countered. “Only to take advantage of.” 

An anger from the very depths of Thane’s souls raises. He felt as though the devil himself was dancing on his chest. He couldn’t allow them to take her. They had to escape before Slaugh, even if it killed them. Nera would suffer something more painful than death if they make it there. 

The retreating footsteps of the two brutes allowed Thane to open his eyes only to find Nera watching them go. 

She heard them. He had hoped she didn’t hear them. Thane thought she was asleep. He winced at the expression on her face and hugged her. 

Nera did not fight his proximity nor did she seem opposed to it. Thane understood where she was coming from. After all, she's merely the age of eight, shackled and caged, and was already taken away from her family. It’s obvious she lived a sheltered life and was still fighting through what was happening. He gingerly rubbed the side of Nera’s arms comfortingly, hoping to provide ease even for just a moment. 

Nera seemed strong and mature for her age but also fragile at the same time. Able to hold high and protect herself but also needed protection and comfort. A beautiful contradiction. 

In complete silence, the two locked eyes once more. From deep within Thane’s being, he felt a new purpose emerge, the urge to protect her as best he could and to face even his own nightmares of the situation they are placed in. 

Thane didn’t release her from his grasp. He was afraid that if he did, he’d lose her to them just like how he lost his family. 

She was all he had in that moment.

“I will get you out of here.” Thane swore to her. 

Nera grasped the bars of their cage. “Is there a way out?”

Thane knew what she was really asking. For weeks, they’ve been watching the few brazen captives attempt to escape only to die in the worst possible way. “We’ll make one.” 

And he meant it. 

Somehow or some way, he’d find a way out of here for Nera. He wouldn’t let her hurt like his family did. Thane was powerless then, helpless and scared but it would be different now. He would make it different.

It takes two grueling and painful weeks before Thane was able to act on his plans to escape. It took him that long to study movements, count and familiarize with each and every slaver as well as figuring out where they should go if they do manage to pull it off. For starters, they were in a locked cage, in chains with the only key strapped around Brutus’s neck. 

Thane and Nera were never let out. Their cage was always on the caravan except when the slavers were raiding another defenseless village and needed to rearrange the cargo. It was the only time the cage was brought down.

If they do manage to get out, it comes down to outrunning fully grown men with horses. They would need to run to water and hope for the best. 

They waited patiently, watching the slavers equip and arm themselves as they settled at the edge of a farming village. They were getting ready to lay siege upon the small village. Before leaving, Brutus himself came around each captive, pulling on the chains and double checking the locks. 

He checked on Thane and Nera last. He grinned at his two youngest captives, running his sharp sword on the bars of their cage making it rattle, hiss and clack. Brutus frowned as the two didn’t cower like they used to.

Has he been going too easy on them? Surely, he hasn’t? Wanting to get a reaction out- specifically to the young girl who he loved patronizing, Brutus leaned forward trying to reach for her behind Thane. The boy always protectively shielded her. 

Thane made to hit Brutus’ arm but Nera was much quicker. She bit down on the slaver’s leader with her teeth… hard. Nera mangled his fingers just like what they’ve done to her until she tasted blood. 

Brutus shouted and cursed loudly. He yanked and pulled but Nera would not let go. 

“Stupid b***h!” Brutus screamed, getting the attention of the other slavers. They all gather around the back of the caravan trying to help their leader but he shoves them away. “Out of my way! I’ll deal with this heathen.”

Thane backs away, pushing Nera deeper into the cage to give her distance from Brutus as best as he could. With one hand, Brutus unlocks the bars and for the first time since Nera came, opened it. He reaches with both hands in, one equipped with a sharp knife aimed directly at Nera.

“I’ll teach you manners you brute of a child.” Roughly, Brutus grabbed Thane by the collar of his tattered and filthy clothes shoving him to the side.

Thane fought him but he was overpowered quickly. He was after all malnourished, weakened and four maybe five times smaller than Brutus. Thane is brutally thrown against the steel bars, his head meeting with the cage making his vision blur and his mind swim.

Through his clouded vision he saw Brutus lift Nera by the hair out of the cage. She glared and snarled at Brutus, fighting for her life as she thrashed around his hold. Laughter from all around the slavers grows, finding amusement in her fleeable attacks. 

Thane tugs at Nera’s feet, pulling her back inside the cage. “Let her go!”

Brutus merely flicked him away but Thane refused to let go of Nera. He wouldn’t. Never. He wouldn’t allow anything to happen to her as long as he was alive. 

Done with the two young captives and their pathetic attempts, Brutus swings his knife around slicing Thane on the face and Nera by the arm. She lets out a whimper as she gets tossed back into the cage. 

“Wait until I get back from this raid and I’ll make you beg for mercy.” Brutus threatened from behind the bars. 

Nera rushed to Thane who bled profusely, ignoring Brutus as he walked away with his men towards the village.

“Oh no, Thane. He got you.” She spoke mournfully in a quiet voice. 

Thane shook his head, hand still clamped on the side of his face. “I’m all right. You’re bleeding too.”

“It’s a shallow cut.” She murmured, trying to get a better look of Thane’s injury.

Thane let her look him over, his heart in his throat and the pump of adrenaline in his body strong. Nera ripped through the bottom of her dress and pressed it on the cut. It wasn’t as bad as it looked despite the blood that came out. Thankfully, it missed his eye but it did trail down all the way to his jaw. 

It looked gruesome and painful but Thane didn’t make a sound, his eyes focused to where Brutus disappeared.

When he started hearing screams of terror coming from the village, he took Nera’s hands in his. “We have to escape now.”

Nera drops her head low, feeling foolish. “But how? I didn’t succeed in getting the key like we planned.” 

Thane managed to smile despite the pain on his cheek before pulling out the key he had taken from Brutus’ neck before they were thrown back into the cage. “But I did.”

She gasped, looking from side to side in worry someone would see them. “You’re brilliant.”

“We can talk about that later. We have to go before they come back.” He grinned, crouching to reach for lock on the cage.

Nera kept an eye out as he fiddled with the key. Thane’s hands shook nervously but he forced himself to focus. They didn’t have much time before the slaver who was left to watch over the caravan checks on them or worse for Brutus to return from the raid early.

A distinct click can be heard as both Nera and Thane let out a relieved breath. Quietly, Thane pushed the door open. It creaked but not enough to get the attention of the slaver not too far away from them. 

With their heart pounding, Thane helped Nera out of the cage first before he followed. They crawled out of the caravan and looked around. The screams from the village were still loud and the slaver’s attention was focused there, waiting for Brutus’ return. 

Hiding behind the cargo and boxes of stolen goods, they had to jump down the high caravan. Hand in hand, they leapt but weeks and months of not walking has made their legs momentarily forget how to work and they fall roughly on the ground. 

Thane saw the exact moment the slaver turned to them. It was as if everything went into slow motion. The slaver’s mouth opened in a shout, running for them. The other captives motioned to them. Thane pushed himself up and helped Nera as well. He pointed to the woods opposite the village, urging her to go, to run, to be free.

And they ran.