CHAPTER FIVE
691 Words
CHAPTER FIVE
The Barbarian fleet sailed towards Middlita, eventually arriving on the shores of Damolia. Their ships went to dock in the city of Terrolore but their arrival was not welcomed by the terrified Damolians. Unlike most of Middlita they had experienced Barbarian raids in the past and knew how dangerous they could be.
So while they were not openly hostile, happily resupplying the Barbarians, they did make sure the Barbarians knew they weren’t allowed off their ships. As Asomorph, who for a Barbarian was amazingly civilised, was still in charge, he accepted the tribute from the Damolian King and instructed his fleet to continue sailing to Frinte. His hope was that if each country paid them off then they could hire a mercenary force to help them retake their homeland.
Many of the Barbarians were tired of Asomorph’s restraint and were looking for a fight. Their view was that they would create a new homeland in these lush lands. The armies here were considerably weaker than the Elven forces and to them this seemed like an easy land to conquer. For now though Asomorph was keeping them under control. But Ulk was already conspiring with some of the other more rebellious Barbarians. They just weren’t yet ready to strike.
Roubar was finding the experience of jail more palatable than he had expected. This was mainly due to the fact that the inmates in Cell Block C were almost entirely political prisoners. Even the criminals had committed petty crimes like minor theft or more recently been caught drinking alcohol.
In the crowd of people assembled in the middle of Block C, Roubar recognised a friend from his time as Chief Priest of Asperia: Iolo, a former general in the Asperian Military.
“Great to see you again!” Roubar said waving at Iolo.
“Roubar?!?” waved back Iolo, moving quickly towards Roubar.
“How are you?”
“Considering we are imprisoned, pretty good. Apparently Toluk ordered all the most important political prisoners to be held in Block C!” said Iolo.
“How strange: I was expecting it to be much worse. I was surprised to find Toluk had betrayed the king. Maybe he feels guilty,” said Roubar.
“Yes, it surprised me as well. He was always a fairly dour man but I thought he was a loyal agent of the King. His whole attitude seemed to change a few months before the revolution, not long before you left for the East.”
“He did betray the King, though I always felt after the revolution in Frinte it was a real risk in Asperia. I am surprised how extreme it has been though,” said Roubar.
Iolo grabbed Roubar’s arm and dragged him slowly to a quieter area at the side of the cell block.
“Several of us are planning something. We have people with lots of skills in engineering and the military in this cell block. We are planning a massive escape,” said Iolo quietly to Roubar.
“We came here to free Princess Candera, but we ended up captured instead!” said Roubar, who saw Iolo giving him a stern look for talking too loudly.
“I doubt that will be possible; I would guess she is in the Central Core,” said Iolo pointing at a raised balcony at one end of the cell block covered with a grate.
“Can’t we get in there and free her when we escape?” said Roubar.
“We’ve tried to climb up there, but it is too high and alarmed. We know no other way of reaching it, or indeed getting out of this cell block, but we have started building a very long tunnel and hope to come out somewhere on the surface soon,” whispered Iolo.
“Let me know; if my friends and I can escape then maybe we can save Princess Candera when they take her to be forced to marry Toluk?” said Roubar.
“Toluk? Marry Princess Candera? I didn’t think he liked women?” said an incredulous Iolo.
“I think he was thinking more of a political union,” said Roubar.
“Still, it must be prevented; hopefully we can find some way into the Central Core before the tunnel is ready!” said Iolo.
Hilary and Krolith wondered what Roubar was doing, but as they wandered over, Iolo saw them and walked away.
“What was all that about?” asked Hilary.
“I am not sure I can tell you yet: let’s just say there is hope!” said Roubar.
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