UPRISING

Chapter 7

The moment was palpably tensed as Bastian commanded his soldiers to ransack the travellers; this time, in a rigorous and aggressive way. But as fate would have it for Limah who clung her infant between her breasts to maintain quiet amidst the commotion and tensed moment, she soon lost control of the situation by a little lapse in concentration as she accidentally let her baby let out uneasy shriek and whimpers in a moment of discomfort. Limah's infant screeched letting out a high-pitched cry which brought the soldiers to a halt to switch focus on Bojan's chariots. The pitch of the baby's cry was high and had been borne out of sheer discomfort.

At hearing the shriek, Bojan snatched the infant from Limah who struggled to shush the noise. Of course, the soldiers were drawn towards Bojan's chariots as Bastian and his troop readied to siege the chariots to sate their curiosity. As they advanced towards Bojan's chariots, the clever Balkan merchant instantly made a little fire tilted the flames towards the woolen curtain in one of the side entrances. Bojan cradled the child in his arms and stealthily escaped through the other side entrance while leaving Limah behind.

''Seize that chariot and bring everyone to proper check!'' Bastian ordered his soldiers even as they advanced towards Bojan's chariot where the noise had emanated from.

It was not long, however, before the little fire raged and waxed stronger as the flames spread up across the curtain. This inferno came within the soldiers' eyeshot and made them advance really fast towards the burning chariots.

However, the growing flames and aggressive marching of the soldiers towards the chariots scared the horses as the beasts neighed aggressively and consequently launched into a frantic gallop amidst the crowd of travellers. The horses went wild as the inferno raged stronger behind the two beasts pulling the chariots, leaving Limah trapped within the flames and fire in the chariot. This sudden outburst caused a fatal uproar and commotion amidst the crowd of travellers as all travellers got on the loose away from the city's gate on impulse.

Panic was in play and the burning chariot were on the loose. The travellers wouldn't cease in their tracks as they deemed this the best chance to run free from the soldiers' oppression. Of course, the soldiers equally doubled up on their chase and went right after the fleeing travellers.

Bojan had wrapped the baby up in a dusty cashmere material. He cradled the baby still in his arms as he rode on a different horse in a bid to match the speed of the crazy horses and burning chariots which had Limah trapped within.

The inferno within the chariot waxed stronger and stronger and Bojan intensified effort to catch up and ride closer to the burning chariots in a bid to salvage Limah from the fire.

''Venerable priestess!'' Bojan shouted while keeping pace with the burning chariot and panicking horses. He sighted Limah all covered up in her black veil amidst the flames. ''Come on, let me have your hand. I will catch you, trust me!''