User:Akilly100

The Land of Minsele, and the surrounding islands-More to be added. Please do not change anything without the premission.

TIMELINE

Before recorded history-Tribes roam all over Minsele and are nomads.

Year 1- Scribes in Peral Isle invent the first written language.

Year 25- Trimden Kingdom is the first Kingdom in Minsele

Year 30- Kingdoms in Rimdindale and Mortanspeal form

Year 32- Teramont raids the Mortanspeal coast for the first time.

Year 50- Peral Isle colonizes parts of Mortanspeal and Dorumden

Year 55- Kingdom of Kentrine is Formed.

Year 65- Everyone but Greensharde,Tannermith, and Vectorstron stray from tribal life.

Year 100- Kingdom of Sunmore is formed.

Year 102- Kentrine and Sunmore wage a large war.

Year 109- Outsiders unknown to Minsele land on Canton

Year 120- Kingdom of Dorumden invades Rimdindale

Year 125- Dorumden loses the war and is captured by Rimdindale.

Year 135- Reinmith is colonized by Teramont.

Year 150- 48 year war between sunmore and Kentrine ends.

Year 155- Kentrine captures Greensharde and forms an Empire.

Year 159- Sunmore takes Reinmith and Tannermith small islands.

Year 165- Mortanspeal is invaded by Rimdindale.

Year 175- Rimdindale loses to Mortanspeal and loses Dorumden to rebels.

Year 180- Rimdindale only has half it's originial land and signs peace treaty.

Year 180- Termont sinks Mortanspeal Navy off the coast of Recklin.

Year 181- Teramont navy sacks and burns Coldtown (Old Mortanspeal capital)

Year 185- Teramont civil war errupts with outsiders arriving on its shores.

Year 190- Mortanspeal recovers, Rimdindale takes back it's original land.

Year 192- Caton is captured by Kentrine and added to it's growing empire.

Year 195- Trimden raids Vectorstron coasts.

Year 200- Trimden colonizes Vectorstron and Dorumden's coasts.

Year 210- Trimden Kingdom reaches its pick after taking northern Rimdindale.

Year 215- Reinmith pushes Teramont colonists off its islands.

Year 220- Teramont loses all colonial holdings as civil war destroys it's nation.

Year 225- Teramont civil war ends after the death of the orginial kings son, rebels take the throne.

Year 226- Teramont prepares to renew its conquests.

Year 230- Trimden king dies, it's small empire begins to lessen.

Year 235- Trimden loses all its gained land.

Year 236- Sunmore and the Kentrine Empire entire another war.

Year 237- Sunmore takes Canton from Kentrine.

Year 240- War between Kentrine and Sunmore ends again, Sunmore gains Victory and Canton.

Year 241- Sunmore takes title as Empire.

Year 242- Caton revolts and Sunmore loses title as Empire.

Year 250- Dorumden invades and captures peral Isle, 150 years of free rule is ended.

Year 251- Kentrine captures Canton again.

Year 252- Rimdindale takes some land from Mortanspeal and Trimden.

Year 255- Trimden and Mortanspeal defeat Rimdindale in a short war.

Year 256- Volcano erupts in Vectorstron.

Year 260- Peral Isle takes back it's independence after 10 or 11 years of the yoke under Dorumden.

Year 261- Teramont navy sunk by Reinmith navy when trying to re-colonize Reinmith.

Year 267- Reinmith enters war with Kentrine and takes Emralda and other islands off the coast of Greensharde.

Year 270- War ends between kentrine and Reinmith.

Year 275- Trimden coloinzes a piece of Vectorstron again.

Year 276- Peral Monk order is formed.

Year 285- Most peace in years exists in Minsele.

Year 290- Population in Minsele grows very large.

Year 295- The great cities in Rimdindale and Kentrine are built.

Year 300- Capital of Trimden, Fenheim builds a new quarter of the city on top of the sea.

Year 305- Many Kingdoms across Minsele begin expanding and filling cities as more people move in from the countryside.

Year 310- Kentrine builds colleges in Caton.

Year 325- Peace in Minsele is shattered by Rimdindale invading Mortanspeal.

Year 357- Recklin is captured and Mortanspeal is added to Rimdindale.

Year 358- Dorumden, and Trimden invade Rimdindale.

Year 359- War rages across Minsele's eastern half.

Year 360- Truce is made between Rimdindale and Trimden and Dorumden.

Year 361- Greensharde rebels against the Kentrine Empire after 106 years of rule under their heel.

Year 362- Malamako Greensharden Kings purge Greensharde of Kentrines and declares war on Kentrine.

Year 363- War between Greensharde and Kentrine ends in a draw.

Year 365- Rimdindale renews conquests and takes Dorumden head on.

Year 366- Rimdton is sacked by Trimden but their army is defeated.

Year 367- Laketon in Dorumden is sacked by Rimdalers.

Year 368- Trimden signs treaty of peace with Rimdindale.

Year 369- Greensharde finaly becomes stable, demesticly.

Year 370- Rocktide is captured by Rimdindale, Rimdindale Empire is formed.

Year 371- Rimdindale king dies two days before crowning, his son is crowned in his stead, Congren Firebane.

Year 372- Greensharde attacks Reinmith and captures two of its islands.

Year 373- Greensharde and Reinmith make peace, Reinmith takes back its lost islands and colonizes much of Tannermith which still is inhabitated by tribes.

Year 375- Vectorstron Tribes become more modern then normal "tribes" and can be considered "clans".

Year 379- Trimden breaks pact with Rimdindale and invades.

Year 380- Trimden loses its southern lands.

Year 384- Fenheim is sacked and the Trimdener king killed.

Year 385- Trimden last holdouts and colonies capuitulate and fall into Rimdaler hands, Trimden collapses.

Year 386- Congren announces the entire east of Minsele united.

Year 387- Alf Malamako rises to the throne of Greensharde after the death of his grandfather.

Year 389- Greensharde fights Reinmith a second time.

Year 390- Greenshardes small fleet sunk, Blackenfen sacked, Greensharde makes peace with Reinmith.

Year 392- Sunmore and Kentrine join their Kingdoms after the death of the eldest son of Sunmore, Sunmorian princess and Kentrine Prince marry and the Kingdom is united and transformed into the "Greater" Kentrine Empire.

Year 395- Rimdindale turns down offer of the marriage of their crown prince and a princess of Kentrine.

Year 396- Kentrine patrol is ambushed near Rimdindale border by unknown attackers. Kentrine claims it is Rimdindale.

Year 397- Teramont makes treaty not to attack the Rimdindale empire. Rimdaler sailors imprisoned after killing a magistrates son in Bar fight in Duskenspear.

Year 398- Kentrine vessel sank in retaliation by Rimdindale vessel.

Year 399- Kentrine attacks noblemen and 40 of his men from Rimdindale going to a wedding in western Kentrine by eidsfene. Rimdindale Empire declares war.

Year 400- Largest war in history begins. Rimdindale Royal navy beats Kentrine navy off the coast of Trembale, Rimdindale expendarionary force crushed south of Mannington.

Year 401- Kentrine Army smashes Rimdindale Royal army to bits with heavy cavalry south of Troval.

Year 402- Kentrine Army sacks southernly point and is defeated by Rimdindale's new army.

Year 403- Northern fleet sieges Mannington and sinks remains of Kentrine navy.

Year 404- due to heavy losses, Rimdindale levies troops from Dorumden, Mortanspeal, and Trimden and forms a large army, not part of the Royal army and sets it's sights on Mannington.

Year 405- Mannington falls.

Year 406- Kentrine capital changed to Eidsfene. Rimdindale Empire takes Troval and Norcheg surrenders.

Year 407- Kentrine army makes last ditch defense of Centurine, they are crushed, 2 months later Centruine falls.

Year 408- Northern fleet captures Rossden and most of Canton with it, Rimdindale Army lays siege to Eidsfen and Royal army sacks Trembale.

Year 409- Eidsfene falls, Kentrine Empire collapses.

Year 410- Remainder of the Kentrine Empire surrenders at Sandwave to Congren Firebane and the entire Kentrine Empire is added to Rimdindale who now controls all of Minsele but Greensharde, and Vectorstron.

Year 411- Refugees from all across the old Kentrine Empire (over 4 million) mostly x-soldiers and nobles who didn't switch sides to the Rimdalers go to Tannermith and take over the tribes in Tannermith (2 Million roughly) and establish the Kingdom of Tannermith.

Year 412- Tannermith has many problems domesticly.

Year 415- Greensharde raids Rimdindale shipping.

Year 416- Greensharde is warned and disregards it, Rimdindale Empire declares war on Greensharde.

Year 417- The Leaf war begins and 3 battles are fought at Mecklien field. Siege of Protonale goes badly for the Rimdindale empire after sacking the city and getting smashed back over the river by a relief army. Battle of Swampost ends with a crushing victory for Greensharde. Royal fleet burned at anchor in Becintin by the Ivory Fleet under Reinsmith who declares war.

Year 418-  Ivory Fleet and Northern fleet square off in the Great South Sea, off the coast of Rimdindale, Ivory fleet is routed and goes back to Reins beaten and half destroyed. Northern Fleet Captures Emralda and Greensharden isle chains.

Year 419- Greensharde wins the second battle at Swampost, Northern fleet sinks the entire Greensharden navy in Mosskler lake and lay siege to Mosskler. Reinmith ports are raided and Northbreach repels Rimdindale raids. Ald Malamako is assasinated by assasins, Many believe his Brother Proventus killed him. Greensharde turns over 50% of its land to Rimdindale in exchange for peace.

Year 420- Leaf war comes to a close after Reinmith pays large tributes and war payments for the destruction of the Royal fleet which is reformed. Rimdindale announces victory of the Leaf war. Vector tribes kill 5500 Rimdindale patrolmen in southern Vectorstron.

Year 421- Vector tribes liberate Norcheg and the Clandoms of Vectorstron is formed with the Vector Tribe and Kron tribe at the head along with other major tribes, Declartion of war sent to the Emperor of Rimdindale.

Year 422- Northern Fleet and Royal Fleet arrives in Caton, invasion forces amassed on Teal Isle(west of Trimden) and Canton, Rimdaler Army moved to Mannington, Kentrine villages raided near Vectorstron border.

Year 423- Against other tribes wishes, including the Vectors, Krons and other tribes move south to raid, Rimdindale invasion is launched, Krons army caught by suprise and destroyed south of Norcheg.

Year 424- Norcheg is sieged, Kronaw surrenders to Northern fleet, Monterport sieged by Rimdaler auxilary, Northern army sieges Avern, Northern fleet goes over Land and sieges Vectorburgh. Avern falls.

Year 425- Norcheg surrenders, Vectors destroy a third of Northern Fleet, Rimdindale army ends siege at Vectorburgh, it is burnt to ash, Monterport surrenders, Rovlen surrenders, Last major city, Tragar, falls to Rimdindale empire.

Year 426- Organized warfare ends, most tribes surrender, some continue fighting in the mountians, Hons Grencheg, chief of the Vector tribe is exacuted in Rimton. Wrenvogs switched to Rimdindale during the war, they rule as govenors over Vectorstron, they crush most of the mountian rebels.

Year 427- Congren Firebane announces a close to the War of the Grey Mountians and announces a new era of peace, Greensharde becomes a client state to Rimdindale for safety.

Year 430- Congren Firebane dies of natural causes at age 70, his son Sean Firebane is crowned Emperor at age 26, Empire prepares for a good rain.

Year 431- Sean Firebane marries a Noblewomen from Kentrine.

Year 435- Tannermith takes more Islands from Reinmith, another war begins between the two.

Year 436- War ends again, Reins loses 2 isles and colonies in Tannermith.

Year 437- Tannermith opens trade routes to Teramont.

Year 450- Minsele has a long era of peace.

Year 455- Vector tribes lose most of their idenity from Assimalation.

Year 465- Sean Firebane dies of natural causes at age 61. His son Jon Firebane is crowned at age 20.

Year 467- Emperor of Rimdindale sends word to Peral to join the empire, Peral refuses.

Year 468- Emperor of Rimdindale marries a noblewomen from Canton.

Year 470- War is declared on Peral by  The Empire of Rimdindale.

Year 471-  Northern Fleet blockades Rose Town, Peral's small navy wins a unbelieveable victory over the Royal Navy in Noon Bay due to the Emperor inexperince at sea warfare, Second Battle of Noon Bay leaves the Peral navy in ruins. Rosetown surrenders to Northern Fleet.

Year 472- Siege of Noonvale ends after a week with the surrender of Lady Antusa Greenmeadow, Peral is absorbed by the Rimdindale Empire,  Jon Firebane announces grand victory and says his achievements are as great as his Grand Father Congren, (No one believes this but himself).

Year 475- Monk order in Peral is dissolved by Rimdindale's EMperor.

Year 479- Head of the Monk Order of the Rose (Peral monk order) is hanged in Rocktide.

Year 485-  Emperor of Rimdindale's wife dies, he marries again at age 50, 9 months later.

Year 490- Emperor of Rimdindale taxes Rimdaler Greensharde to near revolt.

Year 491- Teramont raids Reinmiths shores again.

Year 495- Emperor of Rimdindale dies when choking on food at age, his 9 year old son of his new wife is crowned instead of his eldest by his first wife, his name is Kendare Firebane, his mother Lucia Firebane rules in his stead.

Year 496- Riots in Protonale are put down.

Year 499- Lucia Firebane dies of a strange diease (Caused by too many..partners) at age 32. Kendare, a dim witted soul now takes on full role of Emperor at age 13.

Year 500- Emperor of Rimdindale has his empire celebrate his 14th birthday across the Empire.

Year 510- Emperor of Rimdindale grows up to seem to be like his Grandfather Sean.

Year 515- New civil laws are made and living standards improve across the Empire of Rimdindale, to everyones suprise Kendare is not dimwitted or like his Father.

Year 520- Peace is upon much of the Empire, Reinmith finally pushes all Teramont invaders out again.

Year 526- Kendare marries a Dorumden noblewomen and has 9 kids, 7 boys and 2 girls, he is also known to father a few bastards.

Year 530- Tannermith's New King, Andorm Tolge bans worship of all gods and makes all Tannermith children go to school daily.

Year 532- Emperor Kendare Firebane dies hunting bears in Trimden at age 41.

Year 533- Kendares kids plunge Rimdindale into a MAJOR civil war and Minsele is torn to pieces between the 4 living sons of Kendare ( All the rest were all killded by the living brothers).

Year 535- King Tiberous Firebane controls Greensharde, Kentrine, and Sunmore. King Anchours Firebane controls Trimden, Canton, and Vectorstron. King Yoton Firebane controls Peral Isle, Rimdindale, Mortanspeal, and Dorumden and also has the Loyalty of the Royal navy and army.

Year 536- King Tiberous is murdered by assasins in Centurine. The Northern fleet beats the Royal navy off the coast of Noonvale.

Year 537- Tirberous' holdings is taken by Anchours who claims to Tiberous' supporters that Yoton has done it. Battles errupt on the Kentrine-Rimdindale border.

Year 538- The Northern Fleet burns Caringtin in Mortanspeal, Yoton employs the Teramont navy to sink the Northern fleet, The Teramont navy sinks the Northern fleet off the coast of Caringtin.

Year 539- The Royal Navy captures Fenheim and Trimden switchs to Yotons side along with Vectorstron.

Year 540- Riots across Kentrine erupt and Kentrine and Greensharde switch to Yoton. Sandwave is sacked by the Royal army and Duskenspear is sieged by the Northern fleet. All Vector army loyal to Yoton ferries to Caton and begins burning and killing everything in their path, they burn the grand College of Rossden to ash.

Year 545- Trembale is taken and Anchorus is found amoung the dead defenders, Sunmore and Canton switch to Yoton.

Year 546- Emralda is taken, civil war is over. Yoton Firebane at age 40 announces peace in the Empire of Rimdindale.

Year 550- Emperor marries a Peral Isle noble and vows to be peaceful for the rest of his days, he has one son.

Year 555- Teramont King prospects raiding the Mortanspeal coast.

Year 565- Emperor Yoton falls ill with leperce.

Year 568- College of Rossden rebuilt and repaired.

Year 570- Emperor Yoton, on his death bed revives the Order of the Rose in Peral Isle.

Year 571- Emperor Yoton Firebane dies of diease, His 21 year old son Marius Firebane is crowned Emperor of Rimdindale.

Year 572- Capital of The Rimdindale Empire is moved to Chestertown by the Emperor, Some Rimdindale nobles are outraged, Rimton, old capital, falls into decline and many local business' fail.

Year 575- Taxes are raised to its highest ever to pay for the Emperor's palace and other grand items for the emperpor.

Year 577- Revolts in Kentrine and Sunmore erupt. Rebellion in Vectorstron is renewed by a relitive of Hons Grencheg, who led the Vector tribes against Rimdindale during the rule of Congren firebane almost 180 years ago.

Year 580- Mortanspeal revolts, Norbfert becomes a battle ground between loyalists and Mortan rebels.

Year 581- Kentrine govoner Prectus morteran is killed by noblemen who re-create the Kingdom of Kentrine, The Kingdom of Greensharde attacks Rimdindale Empire and takes back lost land, Greensharde also invades Reinmith and takes a piece of its main Island.

Year 585- The Emperor Marius Firebane is murdered by assasins, the empire shatters into fragements and the Firebane line dies after hundreds of years of Rule.

Year 600- After a bloody free for all the nations of Mortanspeal, Dorumden, Peral Isle, Teramont, Vectorstron, Trimden, Rimdindale, Sunmore, Kentrine, Tannermith, Reinmith, and Greensharde stand alone.

Year 605- Canton breaks away from Sunmore and the Kingdom of Canton is formed.

Year 610- The Kingdom of Argial is in turmoil.

Year 629- Riots spark across the Kingdom of Argial as the Argalian King moves to put down the revolts.

The sand was cool between my toes as I cruised on the beach throwing pebbles into the water, I lived in Norrenal, a small town on the south coast in Dorumden. I was 17 at the time, lived on the family farm roughly a mile inland and I had a very peaceful yet dull life style, and I always wished for adventure. Uncle Rammel always talked about adventures and war stories but my father Kyre always said I was to be a farmer and little else. I left the beach and went back to the farm with my boots slung across my shoulder, they would hit my legs as I ran, I leaped over a few fences on the way which divided our many wheat and barley fields. I arrived Home at the farm a little past mid-day and it was past the time all my work I had to do that day was due. Mother was in a fit about it and was very mad. “Where were ye! Ye father’s been looking all over for you to help him in the fields! I had to milk the cow this morning ‘cause you was off wasting time Dole” shouted mother as she carried a bucket of water from the well into the house, I quickly followed her yelling back in the same tone “I need a break from all the work sometimes mum, you and pa are working me to death mum!” I almost lost my footing on the wet floors as I entered the house, it seemed mother was washing the floors…again. “Dole! You need to take control of yourself and do your work!” She yelled pointing to the barn “Go stack the hay your father put in this morning” I went off to my work pouting unhappily, Uncle Rammel probably never had to work, he got to fight battles and go on adventures all the time when he was younger.

I never understood why Mother and Father never wanted me to leave the farm, I was only allowed in town, they almost never let me go to the beach and rarely anywhere else besides the fields for work. I stacked the hay as I was bid and went back to the House where I was about to snatch a muffin until “Dole! Don’t touch my muffins! Get out of here they are for later!” She shouted with a fit. “But mum, I’m starving” I lifted my shirt and pointed at my stomach “Look how skinny I am getting mum!” She pushed me outside and yelled some more “Go tell your father dinner is in 2 hours, go help him with his work in the east fields Dole, do some work for once.” Again I walked off pouting and pondering why mother was always yelling and shouting about me being a little indolent. I went to the east fields where I found my father, covered in sweat as he swung an axe down on a tree, I could hear the exertion in his every breath as he dropped the axe down on the tree, putting all his weight into it. He had broad shoulders and large arms for a normal farmer. He was also one of the tallest men in the town besides Uncle Rammel, “Pa, I’m here to help you with the work” He swung around leaving the axe sunken into the tree. “About time Dole, were you helping your mother all morning? I needed help expanding the field for some fall planting before harvest” He said looking very much out of breath.

“Uhh yeah I was helping mum with a few things” I said trying to think up more excuses for being gone all morning. “Well eh alright, go get the axe over by the cart, I need some help with this last tree and then we’ll use Ronald to get the stump out. Ronald by the way was the only animal on the farm besides 17 chickens, one old cow named Merca, and a few ducks, Ronald was a donkey. “Aye pa, I’ll get the other axe.” I took the axe in both my hands and went over to the tree and began cutting on the other side. Sometimes when I was cutting trees, I always imagined them to be Teramont Pirates or Reinish Corsairs who would come in large waves and raid the coasts which was why mother and father did not like me going to the beach. A long time ago Father and uncle Rammel were called into war by the local official and they had to take up the sword and go fight a Teramont fleet which had attacked and sacked Rocktide and killed the king. I had another uncle named Delgan but he was killed in the war when he was sent secretly into the enemy camp and he ran up to the enemy King to stab him but he was caught and they had his hand burned off but he did not make a single sound of pain so the rumor goes. Then the King let him go out of respect that he could take all that pain. Delgan then told him that there was 500 others secreted in with his troops who had sworn to take his life. The King then lost his nerve and he ordered the army to break camp at dawn and head back to Teramont. Delgan started making his way back to his camp but ran into a Teramont foraging party which did not know he was a freed prisoner and they fought him and he died. As they were leaving the Dorumdeners attacked them as they began loading their ships and pushed them into the sea without half their army.

That was the story uncle Rammel told me, along with many others, he also told me my father was a great warrior and did well but my father never speaks of it. My father began speaking to me as we swung our axes into the tree, “So how was school Dole?” “Oh well it was alright father, we didn’t really do anything” My school was for one day of the week for 3 hours where they taught us very basic math, very basic history and some reading and writing but you would only do it for 4 years and it was by choice. Mother wanted me to do it but father didn’t see the point and he normally never asked about it. “Tomorrow is the Harvest Celebration if you haven’t forgotten pa” I said longingly “I know Dole, Your mother baked a lot of pies yesterday for it” “Well pa, I don’t have to work tomorrow then right?” “No ye don’t Dole, you have no work but you need to help your mother bring everything there and help her set up her stall” I nodded to him as I took another swing, my arms began to get a little sore as did my shoulders, we had been cutting for quite some time and finally the thick short tree came down. Father motioned for the Donkey, so I went and got Ronald and hooked him up to ropes which we tied around the tree stump. Pa told me to stay back as his hit the donkey gentle on the behind and it made some noise and started pulling. We could hear the roots of the stump being pulled out of the ground as Ronald pulled, then all at once it popped right out like a carrot and father had to stop Ronald from running off dragging the thing behind him. After we finished we went home where Mother had prepared dinner. “Dole pass the bread” I passed the bread over to my father, I was lucky my friend Joer said, being that I had no siblings and he had 7. Dinner was a Homely affair, we had beans, bread, pickled cabbage and some chicken. Last of all we had some assorted berry pie which was quite good. That night my arms were very sore from all the cutting and I went to bed quite quickly and dreamed of adventures and other things to come, that night I slept well. The next morning I could hardly wait to get outside. Today was the Harvest fair! I jumped out of bed and ran down stairs where my mother was getting her pies ready. “Dole its late and you are supposed to be at school!” she yelled. “Alright mum I’m going” I grabbed my single book and hugged her and ran out the door and down the road to town which was roughly 2 miles away. I arrived a bit late and went in and sat down. Since I was on my last year there I was seated in the back with 3 others my age. The “School House” was brown, made of logs of wood, and it had 3 rooms. One for the teacher to live in who was also an alchemist as her main job, one room for storage and the big main room for teaching which was just some benches with tables in front. I came in and we were studying “Our town’s history” mainly because of the fair. The teacher saw me sneak into the room and sit down, she pretended not to see me but I could tell. Most of the stuff was boring and I normally just talked with Joer the whole time, he sat right next to me and we were so far back she never heard of talk. “Is your mother making pie this year Dole?” “Aye, that she is Joer” I said smiling. He licked his lips a bit and thought about the pies for a moment. My mother’s pie was very popular in town and she had won 2 or 3 contests in the last few years but sometimes she lost to Mrs. Gallerd who was the wife to the provincial mayor, people claimed she had pies ordered in from Laketon or Rocktide. My Mother’s name was Alihia but most folks just called her Mrs. Fenjor which is my last name. Besides Jeor who sat near me there was Picket who I had a low opinion of, he was heavy set, annoying, and he bullied some of the younger kids, one time he pushed Jeor’s little sister and Jeor broke his nose but that was a few years ago when Picket was smaller but now he is much taller than Jeor and much…wider and Jeor just avoids him as much as possible. The thing that I hate most about Picket is that he always bothers the third person who sits in the back with us. Her name is Larissa Aventag. Now Jeor jokes with me about it and sometimes makes fun of me for it but I think she is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen. She is funny, smart, pretty, with long brown hair, all the things that you want, she might even like me a little bit but I am too shy to do anything or even talk to her sometimes. I mean I do but I can’t really say much besides hello, how she was doing, how her day was going, general things. Anyway Picket knows I liked her so he intentional bothers her just to ruffle my feathers. “Dole!” I looked up from my day dreaming about the celebrations to see my teacher standing over me. “Dole can you please tell me how old this town has been around” She looked as if testing to see if I was paying attention which she was. “Oh uhmmm you mean Norrenal ma’m?” I said partly clueless “Yes Dole, how long” I felt a bit embarrassed, and then I took a shot in the dark with a guess, my uncle always said this town is as old as the earth so I said “No one really….knows? She wheeled back a bit with a surprised look “That is partly true but they don’t exactly know how long” Larissa was looking towards me smiling, I smiled back, Jeor jabbed me a bit and pointed outside at the town square where stalls and other things were being set up. He grinned and said “pie” softly and licked his lips again.

The class ended and most of the smaller children ran for either exit. Jeor was in front of everyone, he wanted to get to the pie stands like his life depended on it. I walked out of the back door which lead directly into the square, the village itself was made up of several various buildings. There was the school, Town hall/Town center where the local judge and mayor were. Then there was the village guardhouse next to that and next to that was a Blacksmith/stable, a butcher, a baker, a water mill, which had a small creek connected to it. There was also a brick factory which was the largest building in town, and there was at least 40 to 50 Houses and other buildings in the village, our village was the biggest for a bunch of miles so two smaller hamlets came every year for gatherings. There was also a very large tavern which was a hub for activity mother said she’d beat me if I ever went in there for a drink. Uncle Rammel says drinking is a gift from whoever is upstairs but even I don’t believe that because he is quite the drunk.

There was lights being put up, stalls being set up, some travelling singers and music makers were practicing, the “fake” mages as Pa always says were practicing their disappearing and fire tricks. There was candied apples, cakes, muffins, fresh sugared fruit candies, a big single pig was being brought out of the butcher shop to be cooked on a spit in the middle of it all, Jome, the butcher liked to donate a pig or a goat every year for the fair, smart idea being everyone loves him for it and he’s never short on customers. Besides the singers, and the magic men, and the food, there was a grand teller of tails, there was horseshoes, rock tossing, and some various other games.

“AHAH! Dole! My favorite nephew!” yelled Uncle Rammel drunkenly, as he patted me hard on the back. “Uncle, I am your only nephew…” I said looking at the drunk before my eyes. “Well that there is true lad but if I had another, Yer my favorite!” He started having uncontrollable drunken laughter as he went back into the tavern for a new drink. I quickly hurried home to find mother loading her pies in the cart which Randal was tied to.

“Hello Mum, smells good mhmm.” I said sniffing the cart full of pies. “Dole, go in and get the last stack of pies, don’t taste them though, they are not for you to eat. I did as I was bid after I had a little taste of course. And I helped mother get it to the fair where we unloaded it and set up her stall. “Dole, do you see her over there.” She said pointing at the Mayor’s wife’s stall. “She doesn’t even bake it herself, there all from Laketon’s elegant bakery.” She had the meanest face on and she was staring right at her pies softly saying how terrible and obviously store bought they looked. There was 4 other contestants, The village Baker of course who won once in the last 15 years, The School teacher/alchemist, a little old lady who lived in one of the outlying hamlets. And last of all some newcomer who no one quite knew, he must’ve been from one of the distant surrounding farms. The fair was ran by the mayor with the help of his small staff and the 15 members of the town Guard. Most of them were Vets, they just kept the place safe, arrested thieves and disorderly drunk (Rammel at least twice) and helped out at events like this, they were not warriors. Only one had one man with a bow, and each either had an arming sword or a short spear. Anyway it gave everyone there a piece of mind, the Captain of the Guard was in command of that sort of business but he was short and heavy set and only seemed to enjoy the money. Anyway the festival was about to begin, Father was talking with some friends he only saw a few times a year, Rammel could be heard singing in the tavern with his mates it was a song Teramonts are said to sing on their ships. I found Jeor over by the sugared fruit table, shoving a few in his mouth when the stall owner was not looking (It was all free but there was no eating until it started) He made like a mouse and was going to snatch a candied apple and then “Hey Jeor!” I said as he jumped up terrified. “My goodness dole you little weasel, you startled me.” He said carefully turning around from the puzzled Vendor who was wondering where 19 of his candied fruit went to.

* Ding Ding* A bell in the center of the square next to the cooking spit was rung by the Mayor as he stood on top of a low stool trying to get everyone’s attention. “Alright everyone, welcome to the 189th Norrenal Fall harvest fair!” There was plenty of clapping as the mayor continued with his speech. “I remember when I first became mayor 18 years ago, we were at war, half of you were not here and yet more were with us. Anyway this village has grown from a gathering of hamlets into a thriving hub of small time trade and other such beautiful things! So the governor of this province of the Kingdom of Dorumden has granted us a charter to become a town! Yes folks a town, we will be building a small wooden wall around most of the village and we have funding for some new buildings!” Everyone was cheering now, becoming a town was a big plus for anyone involved in commerce and who wouldn’t feel safer with a nice wall around you? Some people were not so happy, one was my father and most of the other war vets (Besides uncle Rammel who was probably drunk and half asleep in the tavern) most of them had been to other places and there was a reason they settled here and not in Laketon or Crambal, because they didn’t want to live in a town. Although we lived on a farm outside of the limits of the village/town, but father and his friends were very much displeased with the news. “So without further ado let the festival BEGIN!” The mayor got another round of applause as he stepped off the stool. The Pig was put on the spit and the tasting of the pies by the judges began, there were 3 judges. Jome the butcher, Hobblin the owner of the Brick factory who was the richest man in town for obvious reasons. And most of all there was the mayor who indeed loved his pie.

Meanwhile all the boys of 14 or older were gathered around the games (except Jeor who was stuffing his face with food) I walked over to the rock toss. Now I was a strong lad for my age so I was told, I could hurl rocks quite far and Uncle Rammel always said I had my father’s strength and my mother’s wit although I wouldn’t say I was very smart at that time at least. Anyway when I saw Picket going to do it I jumped up to challenge him. “Hey Picket come over here” I said “What do you want?” He said with a lazy stare “I want to whop you in toss the rock.” I said staring him down. “Oh yeah bring it on kid, I’ll mess you up” So we went to the rock tossing, Jeor at this point was watching, I heard him say something to me but the food he was eating blocked any his speech. I picked up a rock at random, Picket grabbed the biggest just to show how strong he thought he was but of course he was not weak. Most of the kids were watching including Larissa probably but I did not see her so I knew I couldn’t mess this up now. Picket stepped far back and began running forward both hands on the rock, he lifted it up and threw, but just as it started leaving his hands he tripped and fell flat on his face and everyone laughed uncontrollably at him, yet his rock flew in the air none the less and soared to a mark that was above average. Now Picket was the butchers son so I knew he possibly never worked more than a few days in his life so my aim was I could hurl something heavy further even though I was not of his size in………width and stature. I backed up far, and I tried to avoid the dew puddle Pickets foot found so I backed up far and began running towards the line with the rock over my head, I hurled it with little struggle and it soared through the air, I felt as if time froze and everything was in slow motion as the rock glided until it thudded to the ground, it was 2 to 5 inches past Pickets rock! Picket at that moment shrilled “REMATCH!” he was furious “Nope, too bad picket, you lose” Picket curled his fist as if getting ready to hit me. The person in charge of the game called it fair and told Picket to calm down. He stomped off in anger, he always got mad when he was out done in anything he thought he was the best at which was normally everything.

Jeor ran over to me, this time without a stuffed face. “Hahaha, Dole you old weasel, you beat porky the pig good there!” He was doing almost a little jig. “Well he asked for it, I mean you hear him every day how he goes on about how strong he is.” I said curling my bottom lip. “Well Picket is just an old windbag who thinks he is king” Jeor said. We went over to the pie contest which by now was a loud hustle and bustle, the judges were about to announce a victor. They all spoke to one another in hushed whispers, father was standing next to mother to make sure she didn’t go off on the mayor’s wife if she lost which she threatened to do one year. “I am telling you Kyre, her husband will vote for her pie for sure.” Rammel had woken up from his drunken nap and was coming outside with some of his drinking buddies, he went over to me with a smirk “So I hear you beat poor little Picket in the rock throw?” He said. “Well he asked for it, every day in school he goes on about how much stronger he is then everyone else.” “Well Dole, sometimes you just have to let things go, even if Picket doesn’t want to, nothing will be done by trying to humiliate him” He said, looking to his left. “Why wouldn’t it Uncle?” I said clueless of his point. “Because he is looking at you right now like a piece of bacon.” At that point he directed my eyes over to a Picket red in the face glaring at me in his anger across the square, looking as if he was sizing me up for when his fork would go into me.

The judges had made their choice, the mayor stood up looking a bit grim and glancing over a bit at his wife who had her hands together as if about to pray. “The winner is…………. Alihia Fenjor” My mother almost gave a little skip as she came up to the table to receive her ribbon, the mayor’s wife looked as if she was making plans to do away with her husband as she stamped off to her house. My father was then challenged by Uncle Rammel in rock toss which they playfully went and did, Rommel lost due to being a little drunk. The sun was reaching the hills and it was time to dish out the pig! They made two big lines on each side for everyone wanted some of the ham. They also set up a dance floor in a VERY large warehouse which had been emptied for the festival. The singers and music players began playing and the mages started putting on their shows with their powders to make fire different colors. There was also an old man telling frightening stories to the small children by a bonfire. And of course a good portion of men were in the tavern drinking and singing again (Of course including Uncle Rammel) I and Jeor were by the cinder kegs just talking about the Knight that came into town next week who happened to also play a flute. “No Dole, real knights fight people, have giant maces and a big horse which they use to fight in wars” In my opinion he made an excellent point but I liked to argue just for the sake of it. “Alright then why did he have armor and a sword, he had a horse too” I said “Well no still, the town guard has swords and armor and does that make them knights, anyway the horse he has is weak and under fed” “No you don’t get the point though Jeor, the town guard has tiny swords when he has a big sword, they have leathery looking armor and he has shiny plated armor AND he has a knight helmet with a big feather on top” Jeor tried to think of something else “Well whatever, knights don’t play flutes!” I laughed as he shook his head filling his cup up with cold cinder. “Alright then know it all, if you’re so smart, why don’t you go ask Larissa to dance hm?” I kind of froze when he said it, took me a moment to produce words “um…um well no you know I can’t do that, we’ve been over this before, haven’t we?” “OH come on Dole, look at her sitting all alone flipping through a book just waiting for you to go ask her to dance.” He had a point, this would be my best opportunity to do it but I was just too nervous, I had butterflies in my stomach and I didn’t even say I was going to, and I just felt scared, more scared than ever before. “Dole, don’t be a wuss” He said smiling “I am not a wuss, you’re a wuss” I said frustrated with his comments “Relax, you don’t have to if you don’t want to but I think I should point this out to you before anything occurs.” He said with a mile wide grin “What are you talking about?” I said again, clueless “It seems Porky is out to do you in” We both looked and saw Picket staring at me from across the warehouse not too far from Larissa and then he did something that made me want to break both his chubby arms, he looked right at her and then at me with an evil grin, I knew what he was planning. “So if I was you mate, not that I’d want to be you in this position because I would’ve already done it, I’d go get her before Porky tries” “She would never” I said in denial “How would you know? Picket could be very convincing, who knows maybe she will out of pity and then porky will pull a fast one if you get my meaning hehe.” Jeor sipped his cider again still grinning “Jeor I can’t” I was terrified, but if I didn’t there was a chance picket would try to dance with her and who knows what could happen if she said yes.

“Dole, sometimes you have to tell life you don’t care and go for it, you got to jump off the cliff and close your eyes and say I’m not afraid of what you are sending to me, you got to make your own choices if you want to reap the rewards, so go and reap the rewards.” I thought to myself for a moment, when did Jeor become a poet? “Where did that come from?” I said “Oh jump off a cliff or telling life you don’t care?” He said proud of his phrase “Never mind, anyway I cannot do it, it’s too risky” I said shaking my head. “ Hey, she likes you too you know, maybe if you talked to her more you’d get that, anyway I got your back Dole, I will fix this problem.” I sat thinking what he was doing as he got up and started walking towards Larissa, and then it hit me and it hit me hard, I got up and started filling my mug very slowly with cider as if I was busy, I couldn’t believe Jeor was doing this to me. Meanwhile the music was still playing and the festivals were still on for 3 more hours. The butcher decided that when the pig was almost gone, he would also donate a goat! Everyone was pleased to hear this and another yet shorter line was made where the goat was almost finished.

I sipped my cider slowly trying to keep my head off it, I did not even want to look over but I did and I saw Jeor talking to her. Picket was nowhere to be seen, I took it as it was time to go see if there was any pig left. I exited the warehouse in a slight hurry and as I exited I ran right into Picket who clothes lined me. I hit the ground with a thud and tried getting up and once I did I saw I was surrounded by 2 other boys. Galen, and Doffer who were Pickets only friends, they were a year younger than me and they were the Grandsons of Galen Yuffel who ran the tavern. They were lean and known for being nuts. “Well Dole, seems you wondered into the wrong alley, what’s the matter did I hurt you?” I looked up at the kid imagining him roasting on a spit. “Go soak your head picket” “GRAB HIM!” He shouted and his friends tried grabbing my arms, I swung back and hit Galen right on the nose which he then tumbled down yelling “OUCH! He broke my nose, that rat!” Doffer kicked me in my knee which gave out and the he put me in a head lock and wrestled me to the ground. “I got him good and tight Picket, he’s all yours.” Picket grinned and drew back his arms. “Wait” I said “How about you fight me fair Picket, what aren’t you man enough?” And then picket stepped back a moment and said “If I did that Dole, we know who’d win so guess what, we’re doing it MY WAY!” and then his foot slammed into my stomach, I didn’t catch my breath yet and then Galen had gotten back up and punched me on the cheek “That’s for breaking my nose you piece of trash!” I flinched and I could feel the bruise forming on my cheek. “Hit him again picket! Hit him in his face!” shouted Doffer, Picket went to hit me but I lifted a foot up and slammed it into his hip, he lost his place and fell. Galen then hit me twice, once in the shoulder and again in the same place he hit me before. I was near going black when all of a sudden I heard a certain voice. “Hey Doffer, drop the kid, last I checked he isn’t your punching bag.” Picket and Galen whirled around to see Jeor Grinning wide holding a very large stick. “Go away Jeor this is none of your business!” Shouted Galen “Oh well you have my friend there so yeah it is my business so how about you go run away now and find your daddy before you get hurt “HE BROKE MY NOSE!” He shrieked “After you tried grabbing me!” Doffer said in my ear “quiet or ill put you to sleep” “Well boys, I never did like you much anyway” Jeor went right up to picket who was going to turn and run and knocked him in the stomach which he fell over instantly in pain. Galen took hold of the stick and stomped on Jeor’s foot and Jeor then gave him a very light punch on the bridge of his nose. Galen fell on the ground crying as he grabbed his nose. Doffer started tightening down on my neck so I jammed my elbow between his arm and grabbed his head with my other arm and since he was lighter than me, swung him around and tossed him into the wall. He jumped up ready to hit me but then saw Jeor standing in front of me with the club readied. “I think you should go, or I can give you the same feature as your brother.”

Doffer saw Picket running off so he called it quits and pulled up his brother and went home. I needed a little help up but I was mostly just out of breath besides a bruise or two. “You alright Dole, do you need me to get you to your dad?” Jeor said “No I’m fine, what I need is a mirror or something to see how bad my face looks” I said curling my lip. We found a mirror over by the cider barrel, the bruise was small and it had a tiny cut next to it as well, it was not so bad. The bruise and pain in my one leg was worse but it was not noticeable. “So how did things go with Larrisa, what did you say?” I said looking at my face in the mirror. “Well I asked her how her night was going, asked if she needed a dance partner, then she asked me how you were doing, and then I had to take a leak and that was it.” He said grinning as normally. “WAIT you did not ask her to dance with me?”

“Of course not, what gave you that idea? I merely buttered her up for you, anyway didn’t I say she asked how you were doing?” “Wait really?” I said joyfully. “Yeah she wondered if you had a dance partner tonight…” He looked at me staring with a big grin I didn’t know what to say. “Well I still can’t Jeor, you know me you know I’ll mess up.” Jeor’s grin went to a frown “Maybe I should’ve let porky finish you off in the alley hm? Come on man up and go take care of business.” I sat looking at the floor for a moment and I just said forget it. “Alright I’ll do it man, I’ll get it done” Jeor went back to his grin “I’ll give you a hand if you need it” He walked off keeping an eye on me. I was so nervous as I walked across the floor towards her, I felt my heart pounding as I got closer and closer. She didn’t even look up from her book and I was right next to her and then “Hey Dole, whatcha up to?” She looked up with her big hazel eyes and I felt so embarrassed and had no idea what to say besides hello. “Uhhh Hello Larissa, how is your evening?” She smiled back “It’s alright I suppose, no one has asked me to dance yet so I am just sitting here all alone.” It was my best opportunity but I couldn’t. “Okay well have a nic…” I was interrupted by Jeor who popped in “And he wants to know if you’d like to dance.” She smiled at me and lifted up her hand for me to take “Sure, although I am a dreadful dancer” I was still very nervous and on edge. “Oh that’s fine, I’m not very good myself” That was a lie, I had always gone dancing every year at every fair, just not with a girl. Now the dance that we did was not something someone from the city would know, it is a lot of twirls and foot work and if you don’t know it you’ll mess up bad. She ended up stepping on my shoe and I almost fell but she caught my arm and she was overly apologetic “Dole I’m so sorry, I told you I was a clumsy dancer” I didn’t want her to feel bad “No it was probably my fault.” She looked out of breath “Do you want to sit down?” She nodded her head still trying to catch her breath. I handed her a cup of cider which she sipped slowly. “So I have one important question for you Dole.” Oh no questions, I hated answering questions to girls, made me more nervous then I already was. “Go ahead, shoot” She smiled “Well why don’t you ever talk to me in class?” I stared down at the floor like I was looking for the answer there.

“Um frankly I have no idea” She giggled this adorable giggled which made me blush, I felt so weird and strange, like a different person. “Now that you asked, I have to ask” She giggled again “Shoot” “Who told you that you were a dreadful dancer?” She rolled her eyes “My sisters do, say I dance like a troll” I was surprised anyone would call her a troll, even her sisters although I was an only child so I did not know how the brother and sister thing worked very well. “Oh Dole, it’s very late for me, I have to go home, do you mind?” I nodded left to right “No it’s fine go ahead, I’ll see you in class” She smiled right at me and waved as she left the building. I felt it went alright but I wasn’t sure if I made a fool out of myself. I guess anyone watching could’ve told me. Jeor came up right after with a hail of questions. “Jeor nothing happened she just laughed at a joke or two, said I’d see her in school the end” He patted me hard on the back “Hey that is better than nothing, good work” The Music started dying down, some people were going home and I figured it was time to go. “Hey I’ll see you later Jeor, I got to go.” He nodded “Alright I’ll see you tomorrow, we can go fishing” “Sure Jeor, see you then” I went to the square where my parents were loading the cart for the short trip home, Randal was hooked up to it. “Dole, how was the dancing?” “It was good Pa” I helped him finishing loading up and mother came, I lay in the back as the cart started going, some music could still be heard from the tavern and a few campfires and lights were still on. I had a very fun and enjoyable night.

When we got home I was fast asleep, my father must’ve woken me up, I walked up stairs and fell flat on my bed. For a while I was awake, thinking a little bit about Larissa and the festival.

Very early that morning right before the sun came up I was woken up from my slumber by crackling noises and some shouting, I jumped up and looked outside and I was struck with horror. The barn was on fire! 3 men holding weapons were looting the chicken coup and several more were running about in the yard, one banging on my door. There was one thing to do, I ran downstairs carrying an axe for cutting trees, I found father about to go outside with his sword and shield he had taken off the fire place. “Son protect your mother and stay inside.” My mother was teary eyed and terrified. I looked outside the window as father fought the raiders, I realized now by the emblem on their shields that they were Teramonts! Uncle Rammel had described their symbol many times to me. A spiral like whirl pool, father opened the door and caught the one banging on it by surprise and came down on his neck with a side cut. Three more ran at him, he deflected a spear and rammed his sword through ones chest, than he kicked out another’s knee and parried the other. Father seemed to be doing well until ten more came running down the road. I felt a hand grab me by the shoulder just then, it was mother “Dole, go to the back coral and get on Ronald, now go before it’s too late, get help from Norrenal. I knew what I had to do, I tossed the axe in a haversack and ran out the back and jumped on Ronald our donkey. I smacked his behind and we were off, I rode up over the hill behind my house, I could hear the clinging and dinging of swords as I rode as hard as the donkey could be pushed. It took me a while but I was almost atop the hill where Norrenal was below of, I thought I could see the sun rising in the west which was strange because it was also behind me. And then I came over the rise and froze, even Randal stopped breathing. Norrenal was burning, I could hear screaming and metal hitting metal, I saw the buildings aflame and I could hear the shrieking of women, and men running about with swords and torches in the town. Everyone I thought I knew that night was dead or gone, my entire 17 years of life was all but a memory. My life was at an end I could feel it, why did this happen to me. There was one last thing to try and do, save my parents. I rode Randal hard, faster, I felt him begin to weaken, he fell to the ground and refused to move not far from my house, I ran the rest.

When I saw it I felt hot wet tears roll down my cheeks, my House was burning, my barn, the coral, the shed, even the chicken coup, I didn’t see mother or father, they must be dead I knew it, everyone I loved was gone, everything I loved was gone. Nothing was left to bring me happiness or joy. “Eh Boy” I turned and saw 3 Teramonts standing behind me, in a fit of rage I pulled the axe from my haversack and swung at his head but he jumped back, I then sent it straight into the foot of the one next to him. He yelled in pain, his companion whacked me over the head with a club and I was near blackness. Several more ran over from hearing the screams, one had a big feathered helmet. And he roared orders at them, “Take him to the ship!” The last thing I saw was the bottom of a Teramont boot.

“Quick learner” He grabbed my face with his hand and pulled it up to look into my grey eyes, I looked straight back, he didn’t waver or stop his gaze, “Move him into the villa” The Guards nodded and took me upstairs and put me in a room which looked rather meager but it had a bed and I flopped on it. Not a moment later the Master came in with 4 guards, “From now on I will command and you will obey, I have business with rivals in town, I am running for mayor of Seabale, help me in getting it and I’ll free you and 4 others.” I couldn’t believe my ears “What would you have of me?” He grinned an evil grin “Kill someone.”

I was pushed outside the villa where I was sent back to my work, the guards were no longer pushing me as they did before. I continued moving boxes onto the carriage, “Mehon, you inclined to busting out?” He nodded as he lifted a large brown box “I would” I smiled “We’ll talk at dinner.” I had accepted the offer and I was to go into another Villa and pretend I was his slave and then go into the Villa and kill him. I would be given a knife, an escape plan, a horse to tie up nearby and the location of his room and how many guards he had but I had no intentions of doing it for it was a death sentence, no wonder he was going to make a slave do it, expendable.

My arms ached with soreness and I had to stop for a while, Mehon nodded side to side “Come on Dole, is that all that’s in you?” “Yes it is” At that moment the bell rang and I got up and headed to the barn and then as I walked towards it, one of the slaves that was already there took off running out into the woods, I did not know him but the guards sounded the alarm and locked all of us in the barn. I went in with Mehon behind me and we came over to Jeor who was waving us over, he was drawing the complex in the dirt with a stick “Here is the villa, the barn, the houses, and then the guards place, now there is only two ways off this place and that is the road we came and a back trail, oh and the waterfall” He drew each thing in the dirt “Well the guards place is right next to that trail so we can’t go that way lad “ said Elberl I thought as they argued about the waterfall and then it hit me “If we try the road we will be caught like the one who ran off!” said Jeor, “Eh no I disagree lad, if we…” In interrupted Elberl “How about this, how far is the waterfall?" Jeor thought for a moment, “twenty feet perhaps?” I nodded “Good, how deep at the bottom?” Again he thought about it “Well it’s a pretty large pond and the waterfall falls in the center? Do you want to go down the waterfall?” I smiled “Yes I do” Elberl’s face turned into despair “Are you joking lad? We’ll all die going down that thing” I put my hand on his shoulder “Have a little faith, Jeor find out for sure what the drop size is and throw some rocks down the test” He scratched his head “Alright mate but I don’t know if it’ll work” “It will work if you get the measurement, in the meantime you guys think up a backup plan” I walked over to Larissa to leave the others to the plans. Even when she looked all tired she was still beautiful, I still had butterflies in my stomach every time she came next to me or spoke to me. “Hey Dole” She said depressingly sitting against the barn wall “Hey Larissa, you feeling okay?” She pushed her long hair to the side “Mhm, just tired” “Yeah me too, they worked me really had, but don’t worry we came up with a plan to get out of here” She looked up at me “What plan?” “Well it is not very developed but if the waterfall is not too far down and there is enough water in the pool below it we can try taking the risk and jumping in.” She smirked “Who made up that plan?” I took her hand and pointed her finger at my arm “Oh right, I knew you’d make the foolish plan” She giggled “Alright tell me what’s so foolish about it?” She thought for a second “That you trusted telling it to me” I laughed “Should I be afraid of what you’ll do?” She nodded “Terrified” and we both laughed. “Mind if I use you as a pillow while I sleep?” She smiled up at me “Sure I don’t mind” She laid against my arm and fell asleep quite quickly and Mehon came over “So what’s the plan I heard you talking about?” I smiled “Sit down” He said down opposite to Larissa “Tell me, why do you want to know the plan?” He shrugged “Why wouldn’t I, I want to escape” I signaled for him to whisper “Shh not so loud, alright here is the plan, we plan on going to the stables and stealing horses and riding down the main road into the woods.” He looked puzzled “That it?” “Well we will set one of the buildings on fire to make a distraction “Hm alright does not sound too bad a plan.”

“That all you require Mehon?” He nodded slowly “Yep that is about it, I’ll see you later on” “Alright” I watched him carefully as he walked off, I knew not to share the plan with anyone I did not trust, who knows if he will go tell the master for some sort of reward. Now I needed to find other more trust worthy people to reel into the plan, yet most of the people where young or I had no idea who they were but I decided it was time to make new friends. Suddenly the bell rang and the guards came in shouting “OUTSIDE!” We were marched outside where a makeshift hanging was about to take place, the slave had been caught and he was sitting on a horse with a rope around his neck tied to a tree. “Slaves, behold your fate if you try escaping from you’re good master! Grachi Vernouis!” Everyone was silent as they slapped the horse, time seemed to stop as I saw life drain from the boys eyes. He looked 14 or 15, the poor lad was torn from this world for living in a place known to be raided, I suppose. Larissa was crying and she leaned on my shoulder as she sobbed, it  was a reminder to me that these people were sick and cruel and I was also reminded of what happened to my village and my farm, I would make them hurt as they had hurt me someday.

Dinner was served, it was Bread and cabbages soup which was better than just bread. I sat with my friends not talking much, they were pointing out which guards could be more easily over powered and which ones to watch out for on escape day which I decided to set in 3 days at the least. I scanned the barn for anyone who I knew from my area that might be able to help. I saw a girl, I thought maybe 28 sitting by herself, I do remember she was at my school the first year I was there. She had red hair, she was my height and by all accounts pretty but I erased that from my mind or at least tried to. I walked over and sat down next to her, “Hey” I said she looked up surprised “Hello?” I put out my hand “Name’s Dole” “Mertia” She said trying to hold back a little smile. “So how you holding up, the fields must be hard work?” She nodded side to side, “No not as hard as you’d think, I did it back home before this” I found some common ground to work on “Yeah me as well, they killed my parents and burned everything around me including my home” “Oh I’m so sorry” “Thanks but no reason to be sorry” She played with her hair a bit “So I wanted to know if you would like to join in our break out attempt?” “Of course, how are we going to do it?” I scratched my chin and came to the conclusion she was trustworthy but just in case “We are going to go back down the back way, the back trail after we steal  some horses and then we will ride down to the river where we will make our escape, and as a distraction we will set the fields on fire.” She looked in agreement. “That could work, sounds like a good plan, why are you telling me this?” I tried to think of something good “Oh well I just tend to include nice people in nice escape plans.” She laughed “Yeah alright, well thanks I’m in” I shook her hand “Alright, come over to our little plan circle in a bit” I said with a grin “Sure plan circle” She smiled back.

I went back over to my friends who had finished eating, Larissa had fallen asleep again and I laid down nearby where Jeor, Elberl, Hemure, Corause, and someone I had never seen before was. “Who’s this fellow?” Jeor was about to speak “Name is Cranton” He extended his hand, he had a large scar under his ear and he was as hairless as it gets, he seemed to be age 35. “Cranton, how come you are here when did you get captured?” “Same day as all of you, I was a vender who came for the fair, I sold honey cakes from Laketon?” Jeor chimed in “You remember right, I took some cakes off his cart when he turned around?” Then I remembered him, his face did look familiar. “Alright, I guess you already told him the real plan?” Jeor nodded “Hm Okay well I got two on board, one seems trustable but the other does not” Elberl looked concerned “Who are they?” “Mehon is the first, I trust him the least, he is huge though, and then there is this girl, a few years older than me, red hair, she seems trustable but can’t tell for sure” Elberl poked the ground with his fingers “Well we need more besides me, you, Jeor, and Cranton” “What about Larissa?” Elberl looked her way and back at me “No I mean to do the heavy lifting, to get others down the waterfall, able bodied people, whether we want to avoid it or not we might have to fight off some of the guards when they pursue us but the tree’s will give us the edge.” I nodded in agreement “Alright but we can’t leave anyone behind, no one who wants to have their freedom, is that clear?” Everyone agreed. Afterwards I went and sat against a barrel next to Larissa who just woke up “Hey Dole” I waved at her and she laughed “That’s not funny stop” I grinned “Then why are you laughing?” She tried to think of something clever “Because I saw your face” I made as if I was crying “Ouch, you hurt my feelings” We both laughed, “I’m joking, I would never laugh at you if you were ugly” I thought of something clever too “So you do not think I’m ugly?” I said curious to her answer, looked like she froze a bit “Uhhh…” “I’m joking you don’t have to answer” She giggled “By the way are you sure you want to jump off a water?” She made it look like she was thinking really hard “Only if you jump first” “Sure” Mehon came over at that second “Dole, I found 2 others who want to join, Drisky and Klab” They stood behind him, I eyed them both, one was 14 and the other the same “Where are you two from?” They looked at one another “Village near Norrenel, called Andstine” I had heard of the place, it was a collection of some houses and a fisher on the coast, probably got hit first before us I figured. “Alright go over to Jeor and he’ll fill you in” They went and did as I said and I laid back down against the barrel “Oh so we are the King now?” I looked at her puzzled “King?” “Yeah you are ordering everyone around” She said with a smile. “Hey I haven’t told you what to do?” She made a fist and bumped my arm, “Yeah because you know I’ll hurt you if you do” I laughed intentionally “Like you could give me a bruise” “Want to find out?” She looked serious “No I’m kidding you’d turn me into dust” She smiled successfully “Can I go to bed your majesty?” “Sure, only if you don’t call me king” She already tuned me out before I said it. I felt a little like I was at home when I was talking and joking with her but then realization would always hit me and I’d realize that I was in a dangerous place surrounded by dangerous people. That night I had a nightmare I was unable to remember.

The bell rang loud and the guards were louder and more aggressive than the day before. We were given oatmeal and sent out to do our work. My job for the day was to build a small walking bridge at the creek so you could cross from the fields on that side, over to the buildings. Mohon and I dragged some logs over for a bit where Drisky and Klab lined them up and then caked it in mud and clay, we were slogging in mud knee deep, and the water was ice cold against my skin as it rushed past my legs, I could feel the muscles in my arms strain to their breaking point as I picked up a log and place it, almost crushed my fingers. We had been doing it for roughly an hour and I needed a quick break so I walked down by the waterfall not far off and threw some pebbles down and then some bigger rocks and came to the conclusion the water was at least 12 feet in the center, if we landed right we would be fine, if you didn’t the worst would be a twisted ankle, as try to avoid the cliff face, it was a good 18 foot drop, maybe even 20. I returned to the little bridge and we were almost done, Drisky slipped and fell into the water but I pulled him up. “Thanks Dole” I nodded “Did you guys hear about what the master is doing later today?” I was clueless “What is he doing Klab?” He itched his head “I heard he is inviting a bunch of people over for some sort of celebration, I think it is a Teramont religious thing.” I had no idea what it was, all I knew is they prayed to a mountain with a fire lizard inside. “The worse part though is that they sacrifice slaves to the fire Lizard “Really!?” He shivered “If you think that is bad, they give you a weapon and make you fight an animal and if you win they take your place as the sacrifice to the fire Lizard” I was suspicious “How do you know all this?” He looked around for an answer “I heard it on the slave ship here from other prisoners.” I was still a bit weary of him, Klab sounded like he was lying. Mohon threw more logs down “Let’s get this done before lunch, I don’t want to be standing in this icy cold water all day” We ended up finishing the walking bridge in time for lunch, it was surprisingly not so bad, it was eggs and bread, not a feast fit for a king but it was better than what we normally got.

Mertia came over to me while I was eating “So this plan you told me, not the real one?” I looked at her faking a puzzled face “It is my only plan.” “Mohon asked me if he knew who was setting the fire when we go down the main road, but you said the back…” I had an idea “What did you tell him?” “I said I did not know” This was good, she told him nothing about the plan I told her. “I told him a different plan because I think he might be working with the master” She came to a face of understanding “Alright, just let me know about that sort of thing ahead of time” “Will do ma’am” She turned around with a smirk “Did you just call me ma’am?” I was confused, she looked at least 28, she looked really mature so naturally I thought that was the right thing to say. “Umm, Sorry I thought uhh well you are just very mature” She looked at me with this face that scared me. “I’m 20, not 30, why does everyone think that I am 30?” I was puzzled “Oh well I am sorry I am not saying you look 30 I meant like maturity umm yeah” She started laughing uncontrollably but I didn’t get the joke “What is so funny?” She tried to stop herself “I’m sorry I had to do that, I was just messing with you it’s fine” I was relieved “Oh alright, so you are 30?” She gave me that face again and we both started laughing but just then the guards started shouting for us to get into the barn, I was still not use to the treatment.

Several of us were summoned outside after everyone else got inside the barn. The master had 10 of us lined up facing him, I was one of them, he walked past me and whispered “You are still doing it correct?” I just nodded yes with cool and calm cold eyes which he reflected, he said one word “Good” he walked back a little and addressed all 8 of us. “All of you will be helping me in the villa tonight at my party, none of you will deny my guests anything, if they tell you to get them wine you’ll do it, if they tell you to tell a joke you’ll do it, everything they desire.” He waved his hand and the guards herded us inside where the House slaves which I had never met before worked. “Hey, you there big guy” I turned curious as to who called me big guy and I saw a little old lady yelling out orders “I want you to go bring the ale into the cellar, there is barrels out back in the cart. She was in charge of the slaves within the Household, they had a special name for them. I and some guy I had never met before started unloading the cart as a guard watched us as he dozed off in a chair. “Name’s Dole” I extend my hand to him before he picked up the barrel “Berisk” He said as he shook my hand, we continued unloading the barrels as I spoke to him in a hush whisper “So Berisk, ever thought of escaping” He looked at me slowly “How’d you know?” I was puzzled “Know?” He made a sarcastic face “That I was going to bolt after we unloaded the barrels” I laughed “Sorry but they’ll catch you, if you want to get away you need to come with me and my friends, we have a plan and everything” He stopped and looked interested “Tell me what it is” I put the barrel I was carrying down “Alright but you can’t say a word to anyone, the day after tomorrow we are going to go and escape by using the waterfall, it is not as high as everyone thinks and the pool at the bottom is very deep so if we jump right in the center we should be fine, the master’s guards will take at least a half hour to get down to the waterfall and that is if they aren’t all drunk or asleep with they will be one of the two or both so we have almost 2 hours head start, meanwhile we are going to set one of the warehouses ablaze” He nodded “This is good I’m in” I studied him a bit and knew I could trust him, he seemed like one of those people who hated authority and didn’t like being told what to do. So altogether in our little group was Jeor, Elberl, Hemure, Corause, Drisky, Klab, Berisk, myself, Larissa, Mertia and Mohon, Mohon I did not trust. I felt we still needed more people for the escape and I pondered it as I brought in the last barrel of ale. “Big guy come here” Not this lady again I thought to myself

“Yes ma’am?” “Go out there and see to the guests and bring this tray out to the lady in green dress” I did as she said, all the while cursing under my breath, I felt the gaze of the guards everywhere I stepped foot. I walked into a very large main room with tables and couches and all sorts of things, there was carpet, nicely painted walls, and there was at least 50 guests all seated or standing up talking, there was music and talking and plenty of food, I saw the master speaking to some of the guests. I brought the tray over to a table where there was two women seated, one in a blue dress and one in a green one, they both looked mid-twenties with brown hair put back, I handed I placed the tray down silently, she gave me a warm smile “Hello, who might you be.” “Dole” She looked at the food “Do you think I should eat this fattening food?” I looked down at the salad “No?” She looked at her friend “See, if I eat this it will make me fat!” Her friend kind of smacked her forehead in frustration “It is salad, come on, I eat it all the time and I’m skinner then you!” She refused to eat it “Bring me something that won’t make me look like a cow”

Back in Dorumden, you ate what you got because what you got was mostly all you had, not just did these people enslave other human beings and treat them as animals, they were picky eaters. I walked back into the kitchen with the tray, “Ma’am” The old lady turned around and looked displeased upon seeing the tray “Why are here back here with that?” I cleared my throat, a bit nervous “The lady said she wants something else?” The old lady took the tray and gave me another tray of food. “She better want this one, you make sure she takes it.” I never imagined serving people at a dinner as a slave one month ago, I went back into the large room. I brought the tray to the lady again whose friend was up getting drinks “Oh look who is back” She looked at me with strange eyes “Here is you’re tray ma’am” She took it and kept looking at me with a half-smile, almost friendly until I realized it seemed like a lustful gaze, I was about to hurry away when the master came up to me. “You come with me” One guard stood next to him, hand on the pommel handle of his sword as just a reminder to me, I followed him as he went into a back room but we could still see the whole room “See that man over there, fat, bald, purple and red outfit” I saw the man laughing and drinking with 4 other men and 3 women “He is the man you will kill in three days” I tried hiding my expressions as he spoke to me “Are you sure you can do it?” “Yes” I had not the slightest intention to do it, intended on being far away from this accursed place. “Continue you’re duties, we will speak more on the day you will do it, after that you are free” Even though I would be free I couldn’t take the life of someone who never did anything to me and it was not the right thing to do.

I lined up with Berisk and 3 other male slaves in the main room “Why are we lined up like this Berisk?” “No idea” Berisk looked about my age but I couldn’t tell with his facial hair. Then the music stopped and the master stood in front of us “Friends, family, fellow countrymen! Today we celebrate our god Zycron, the Fire Lizard (There was several names for the fire lizard) and in his honor I will host something I feel you’ll all find most amusing. We were all given jester clothes “You’ve got to be joking….” Said Berisk as it was thrown down in front of him “Put them on” said a guard who stood in front of us with his sword drawn an inch. I slowly slipped it over my black cotton shirt and black cotton pants, it was hot under the clothes and then I put on the jingly jester’s hat. The entire crowd was laughing quietly as they saw us all in the outfits, then the guard said something I dreaded “Dance or sing, do it now!” We all began dancing and our hats jingled and I can imagine how hilarious we looked, I could see people laughing hard as I jingled about, some started throwing things at us telling us to sing “COME ON SING FOOLS!”  And more shouting followed then the guard yelled “Sing or I’ll see to it you’re all beaten till your skins are raw!” We began singing separate songs out of tune and nervously rushed, the laughing got louder and louder and Berisk got hit square in the head with an apple and he hit the ground with a thud, all around us were people laughing and pointing, there was even 2 kids throwing apples (Which one hit Berisk) Then one of the kids came up to me with a pitcher of wine and he giggled as he threw in on me and I slipped and fell back and tripped over Berisk on the ground and I hit the ground with a thud, even more laughing followed. I had never felt so alone or so made fun of before in my laugh, I didn’t know why they were doing this, what was the point? I struggled to get up and I noticed Berisk was starting to as well, then one of the others slipped and fell backwards, crushing Berisk who let out a groan of pain. I finally got up and I began dancing again for I saw the guard looking for a reason to beat one of us, then the kid came up with apples and started throwing them at me, 2 hit the other guy next to me and he fell again but when he threw one at me I caught it and everyone stopped laughing as I threw it on the ground in my anger, I curled my upper lip in anger at the kid who looked scared.

Then the guard came over with the whip and shouted “Take off the clothes and get back to the barn you useless scums MOVE!” We did it quickly and I helped Berisk outside, we were aching by falling and being hit with apples by the kid, most of us were tired and worn out. As I crossed the yard to the barn, I noticed how bright the stars were that night, I could see the 3 moons up high in the sky (There was always three moons but only one sun, the first moon was called Adran, that one was whitish silver, then there was Yeldal, that one was redish and then Xeene which was a greenish yellow, all were about the same size) The night was cool, even a bit cold I thought. The doors to the barn were opened and we went inside, most of everyone was asleep, I crept other next to Larissa who I thought was awake, she got up when I came over “You okay dole?” She said in a whisper, I could not really see her too well in the dark but I sat down next to her “Yea, just rough work at the villa” She leaned her head on my shoulder “Are you sure, you have a bruise on your cheek” She slowly touched my face, I started feeling really nervous but I felt safe but then we were interrupted by Jeor “Dole, you might want to come over by us for a second” I nodded, “I’ll be back in a bit Larissa, just go back to sleep” I said with a caring smile “Okay, tell me about it tomorrow” I went over to Elberl and Cranton. Drisky was sleeping next to them, the others in our escape plan were also sleeping a little ways away. “What is the problem?” I said to Elberl “I noticed Mohon is not here, did you see him at the party?” I thought for a moment “No, there is only 3 others in there still and their all girls, Mohon was not there”

“I doubt Mohon would betray us, he hates them with a passion, not to mention he said they wiped out his family when they raided his village, he would never” said Jeor nervously “If he is offered freedom I think he would do it” said Cranton looking back and forth between where Mohon normally slept. Elberl looked at me “Well, it is up to you lad, what should we do?” I thought for a moment “I don’t know, why do  I have to decide?” All three looked at me“Because, well……we all thought you were” said Elberl now puzzled realized in that moment I had changed, I was no longer that farm boy, they looked to me to make choices, I knew my purpose and it was time to be what my father always wanted of me in the future, to be a man.

“Alright, here is what I say” They all brightened up, “When he comes back, if he shows any signs of treachery we cut him loose from the plan” Jeor raised his hand “Go ahead Jeor” I said “Alright well if he is not working with the master and we cut him loose then he will tell the master about it because he’ll be mad and the master will know that we know that he is a spy if he is a spy……do you guys follow?” Everyone nodded “Alright then how about we string him along and ditch him at the end if we find him treacherous” said Drisky who had woken up and had been listening, we all looked at him “How long have you been listening said Elberl looking nervous “Um since you started talking” He said looking puzzled “You are Mohon’s friend, are you not?” He nodded side to side, “No he never even talks to us, just asks us if we wanted to escape and then took me and Klab to you guys.” I wondered if we could trust him, he and his twin brother (Not identical) were younger than most of us, I doubted he would betray us, he never really looked information either “Alright we think Mohon is a traitor and is working with Master Grachi Vernouis. Drisky looked stunned “Really?” We all nodded “But what if he isn’t?” He said “We are going to find out soon for sure, but for now we’ll do as you suggested, we’ll string him along” I said. Everyone agreed that we would pretend everything was alright and study him for evidence that he was working with the master “Also guys, I got someone else on board, his name is Berisk, he is a good fellow” They all nodded, “How old is he?” said Elberl, I scratched my head in wonderment “I believe 26 or 25” Elberl flopped onto his hay bed “Sounds good” I felt sleepy and I guessed everyone else was too. “Alright everyone go to sleep, Cranton stay up a while and watch for signs of Mohon’s return, then wake up Drisky after a while so you don’t get tired. I walked back over towards Larissa when I noticed Picket laying on the hay on the other side of the barn crying. I had not expected to see such a sight before, my heart went out to my once would be bully and I walked over to him to what was the matter “You alright Picket?” Picket dried his eyes “Yes I am” I looked around a bit and then looked back at him “We are escaping in a few days, feel like coming” His chubby face shook a bit as he nodded with a smile. “I will come and get you on that night” he nodded again and I went back over to where Larissa was, see was asleep and I could hear quiet little snoring as she slept, she looked so beautiful and I know you shouldn’t stare at sleeping people but I couldn’t help myself. I ended up falling asleep, the noises of the party could be heard in hushed sounds, and a lone figure entered the barn….

The next morning the guards were normally never so slow and never so passive, it took everyone awhile to get out to work, no meal was given. I felt so hungry, I had only ate scraps the previous night from a platter, that day I was to cut trees with Mohon and Berisk. Mohon was silent and didn’t say a word all morning and I had not spoken to the others about him yet. Berisk was also still sore from the previous night and we sawed away slowly at one tree while Mohon had already cut one and half way done with his second. I was cautious of him, I was positive he was working with the master and he was a dangerous fellow, he was strong and muscular and I could sense the ability to be ruthless. Berisk would always be talking about his mother’s meat pies and I tried blocking it out after it made my stomach ask for food. The sun rose high and it was midday and the bell rang and all the slaves came in and we were lined up and given a wooden bowel, and a wooden spoon. They then came around with a ladle and put some kind of soup in it, I thought it was potato and cabbage. It was not terrible tasting but not very good, I sat and talked with Elberl, Jeor, Cranton, and Berisk for most of the time as I ate “Who saw him enter the barn late last night?” Cranton raised his hand “I did” I nodded “Did he have anything or anyone with him?” Cranton scratched his chin “No, not that I recall seeing mate, but it was pretty dark, ye know?” I nodded and thought hard about it, there was no other reason for being gone for hours, we couldn’t take the risk.

“He’s out, don’t tell him this but we are going to leave him here, in fact I have an even better idea. He is still going to aid us in our escape, I have it all planned out perfectly but we have to leave tomorrow night, gather anything to use as a weapon, someone scout out the stable today and steal some of the wheat from the field and we will fill a sack with it, hide it in the barn and whoever is picking apples this afternoon, remember to take and hide a basket in the barn, alright?

Everyone grinned “Good plan” said Jeor, Cranton raised his hand a bit, I signaled him to go ahead “If I may sir but eh well what about the others?” “Well we will let them all know last second, instruct them to run either up or down and path and this way we have a distraction and most of them should escape but I’m not sure, anyway we cannot risk letting anymore people in on this, agreed?” Everyone nodded and finished their meal in silence, I did not want to leave anyone behind but we had no choice, it was either that or nothing.

As we worked I managed to take a mallet, 2 knives, a saw blade, and some nails, Berisk had taken less but he had a knife and a piece of leather. We finished our work later that day and we had cut 8 trees, 5 of which Mohon cut, we walked back to the barn where we were given scrap from the celebration the previous night.

I went over to Jeor, Cranton, Elberl, Drisky, Klab, Courase, and the other sailor whose name I had forgotten. We all put our weapons in the center of the circle, Courase was fashioning the nails onto a club he had found in the stable, and Elberl tied the saw blade to the end of a stick. They had also found some hammers, a metal rod, and a small sword called a Ricari which was a small short sword, Jeor had found it outside the barracks but it was rusty but he had cleaned it up a bit, I passed out the knives and weapons I had found and each of us had at least something with some to spare for the others. We had also found shovels and pitchforks but we needed small light weapons that could be hidden. We buried them all under Drisky’s hay pile that night directly after finishing. The stable also had plenty of horses and our aim was maximum confusion and as many slaves running around outside so the guards would be slow to stopping us, the main escape party, so we would have Mohon set the stable on fire, maybe he would or not but besides that we were setting 2 storage buildings ablaze and the wheat fields. We had gathered most of the food and weapons but more food was needed, we would need the cabbage and other stuff in the garden so Elberl was going to get a sack of that the next day. Mertia came over and Berisk gave her a knife, he had made a sling from the leather he had taken and we could find plenty of stones in the barn, he declared he was a great shot.

I had Larissa, Picket, Mertia, and several others besides Mohon come over to our corner of the barn. I slept well that night knowing soon I’d be free from the grasps of these slavers, that night I dreamed of when I was 12, then it was winter time and father was going to be slaughtering a chicken. “Pa why are you going to kill Rema” I said as he took my chicken Remo out of the coup. “Because son she is old and stopped laying eggs” I was sad and did not want him to “Please don’t pa” He turned and looked at me and crouched a tiny bit “Son, sometimes we must take life, this way we can keep on living and enduring life, it is the way the world goes, it’s like a clock going to a new number every hour, just like we face a different challenge at different points in our life” He placed the chicken’s head on the chopping block and the axe came down on the terrified chicken.

I awoke the moment the axe hit the block, for a while I thought about my parents and wondered why they had left me so soon, why they were killed, I could not find the purpose. But now I understood what my father had said so long ago, “We must take life to keep on living” I said so very silently to myself. I drifted back to sleep but I never really felt asleep because only moments later DING BONG DING! The loud bell in the courtyard exploded and we all got onto our feet. That morning it was rice, we all ate glad to have something, although this was not the rice you are thinking of, they gave us stale rice on the border of bad to eat and good to eat. That day I was to move stones with Drisky and Cranton in a goat pasture, they intended to plow it and make another field. I dug my feet into the ground and push with all my might, Drisky and Cranton did the same, we pushed hard, I put a log under the boulder and wedged it up and with a push we sent it rolling a few feet and then after some more pushes the boulder went smack into a tree by the tree line, the boulder was 3 foot tall or so but quite wide. Other smaller rocks were easier to move, I had done farm work like this before but Pa and I had used the donkey. Berisk came over shortly after to help but he was just gathering sling stones which was good, I wiped the sweat off my forehead “Drisky, did Elberl get the food from the garden yet?” He nodded as he searched the ground for good roundish smooth stones, he picked up a few as he spoke “Um yes mhm, I believe so mate” I took a ladle from a bucket of water we brought and sipped from it. “Good, go tell everyone else to also avoid the guards as much as possible until tonight, and tell Jeor to get light weight water skins or something to carry water. Berisk saluted “Aye captain” he said as he chuckled. I turned around seeing 3 guards watching us from the Villa roof, I got back to moving rocks and they turned their gaze away, soon enough I wouldn’t have to be slaving away at some huge farm for these rotten pigs, they can do it themselves. Later that day we finish our work, we had worked through lunch since there was none, dinner was soon judging by the position of the sun. “Dole where you from again?” said Cranton as we pushed a large rock towards the trees “Dorumden” He smiled “Where about?” I stopped to catch my breath “Oh eh not too far from Laketon, in a large village near the coast. He nodded “Yea I’ve been to Laketon before, the best thing about it was the women” He lit up like a candle “Eh but now I’m stuck as a slave for some pirate raiding scum” I smirked “Not for long in fact that should be changing in a few hours.”

We completed our work and went down to the villa where we were given bread, water, and carrots, not really the best meal but we ate it anyway. We all sat in the barn finishing our meal as we whispered “Dole” said Larissa, I turned to her “Yeah?” She looked nervous “I don’t know if I can do this, what if we get caught?” I grinned “I won’t let them capture you, I’ll make sure your away from here” She smiled “No, I won’t let them capture you” I laughed playfully “Sure you will” Jeor interrupted me as he always did “Dole, can we have your attention?” I turned to the group “Yeah?” Elberl had the sack of cabbage, carrots, and beans in his hand “I got the food and the weapons are stashed away safe and so if the other food, we also have the water skins and canteens and cloaks, some cloth, and a bunch of sacks filled with sheets and blankets for tents.” I nodded “Good, very good, we will escape in an hour so get everyone in here ready, go” They went around telling everyone, the guards had locked the barn doors and gone to turn in, only 5 stood guard outside. We armed everyone, even Mohon with the shovels and Pitchforks, we keep the smaller stuff for our group. All together in our group there was Me, the two sailors, Berisk, Elberl, Jeor, Larissa, Cranton, Drisky, and his brother Klab, Mertia, and last of all Picket. Mohon was going to go set the horses loose as this other guy Kullar would set it on fire and ride off on one of them with Mohon. Some girl name Jennia was going to set the barn ablaze right after we left. And Klab was going to set one the storage shed on fire as we ran to the waterfall, everyone else was going to run for the back path.

Everyone was ready, I had most of us carrying supplies, only me, Elberl, Jeor, Cranton, and Berisk held weapons in our hands, I had Ricari, Berisk had the sling, Elberl had his saw on a stick invention and Jeor had a large knife. Cranton had a knife and hammer used for shoeing horses. Everyone else had knives and mallets and other weapons tucked away as they carried the food, water, cloth for tents, and other thing we needed. Cranton smashed the lock off and we ran out. Two guard ran at us, one of the other slaves hit one with a shovel but the guard got back up and jammed his sword into his gut. The other guard had a club and came at Elberl who hit him in the neck with the saw blade, blood sprayed everywhere as he pulled it out, I could see Elberl was about to suffer from shock, looked like he was about to fall down “Let’s go Elberl come on!” I tugged on his arm hard and he snapped back into himself “Alright, I’m fine lets go” We started running but the other guard was chasing after us, Berisk swung his sling as the rest of us ran, he let it fly and it hit the guard on his nose, he fell over in the grass holding his nose as blood poured out. Klab had set the warehouse ablaze and was running after us, he kicked the guard as he ran, the guard cursed at him. We reached the water fall and I could see the stable was on fire along with the barn and warehouse, I could see the guards running about but the horses were not let out, either Mohon betrayed us or he was dead. But now I saw that part of the plan failed, only a few of the slaves had not been re-captured or killed. I only saw 3 or 4 running for the back path. At least 8 guards were running in our direction. “Quickly! Elberl jump now” He leaped down into the pool, we all watched for him to surface and he did. “Just jump where I went!” He said as he shouted up to us, Drisky and Klab jumped in one after another and they got out fine. Cranton started tossing all the sacks and stuff down to Elberl and Drisky, but Klab was waiting to help anyone who got hurt jumping. I turned to see 3 of the guards were getting really close. Berisk let stones fly and he hit one in the knee who fell down yelling in pain. Picket offered to help and went at another guard with a nailed club, Picket was slain, a sword hit him in his throat and he fell to the ground holding his throat. I was horrified, I may of never liked Picket so much but he was from Home, he was deep down a friend. Everyone else had jumped, but Larrisa, Mertia, Berisk, me, and Cranton. “Larissa jump!” She ran over to me and kissed me and I was absolutely stunned, I had always wanted to but why now? “Go, please” She reluctantly then jumped down the waterfall. Mertia followed but she hit the pool in the wrong place and hurt her foot, Klab helped her out of the pool. I turned to see Cranton get punch in the eye, fell backwards into the creek with a splash. One of the charges came at me shouting “DIRTY SLAVE!” He lifted his sword but then I jumped my Ricari into his neck and up through his head, the five other guards who were unhurt charged at us. One had a spear and he cracked me on the head with the stick end, I tumbled to the ground but before he could thrust the spear into my neck, Cranton hit the guard in the side of his face with the mallet and the dead fell off the small cliff and landed in the pool dead. Berisk jumped off into the pool and Cranton threw me on his back and jumped after Berisk. One of the guards took the spear laying on the ground and threw it at Jeor who ducked and then picked it up and waved it at them yelling insults “Hahaha! Slow Teramonts, I do say you guys are lousy fighters. My grandmother could beat you all to death with her walking stick haha!” The guards shouted back but no one could hear them over the roaring waterfall. I was still out as we ran into the woods, Jeor and Elberl led the way so they told me, I was currently dreaming.

“Dole, you are a slow” I chased after Jeor as he taunted me “I’ll catch you, you aren’t as sprit as you think you are!” He looped around a tree and tried jumping over a bush and he glanced the top of it and fell flat on his face “Hahahaha!” I pointed my finger laughing, Jeor got up brushing the dirt and grass off himself “I meant to do that” Jeor smirked, “Sure, you planned to fall on your face….” At the time I was 15, only a few years before the raid. Jeor and I had been friends since before I can remember, we were outside of the schoolhouse. The bell ringed and we all  went inside the school house, we had the same teacher but it was my second day of that year. “Alright everyone, today we will do the alphabet” the teacher said as she headed us all pieces of charcoal and paper. “I want you to write it out for me” I was always good at reading, I knew my alphabet well because mum taught me a few years before, I was the first one done. (Jeor always copied so he was second or third.) All of a sudden my heart stopped and I skipped a beat because of what or really WHO I saw, Larissa, she walked in with a power blue dress and her hair back in a ponytail, I was in love with her the moment I saw her. She sat down in the chair across from me and I could barely keep a normal breath. Jeor tapped me on the shoulder “Are you okay dole?” I looked at him “Yeah I’m fine” He scanned me “You look nervous? What you don’t know your numbers?” He said scratching his ear “No I do, just got something to do later. I looked over at her again and she was looking at me, and she smiled.

Cold, cool water hit my face and I jumped up drawing my Ricari only to see Jeor, Larissa and Elberl next to me and I put the short sword down and I hugged Larissa and she was crying in my shoulder “Shhh shhh its okay, we are safe” I patted her head softly and I proceeded to talking with Elberl and Jeor “What happened while I was out?” Elberl looked grim and Jeor was not smiling or smirking which was rare. “Mertia twisted her ankle jumping, Cranton took a slice to the arm, and we found Mohon……” I looked at him oddly as if he was speaking in a riddle “You found him?” They both nodded “He had an arrow in his throat, and he was on a horse which we found a little ways from his body, Larissa tripped and fell over the body” I understood now “It’s alright Larissa I got you” I just held her in my arms and sat down and let her rest, I brushed her hair over her ear and held her tight, she looked so weak and tired, and she fell asleep. “Dole, can we talk?” said Elberl. I put the cloak I had on me under her head as a pillow. I looked around, we were in a very small clearing surrounded by trees, I saw makeshift lean-tos against the trees and a decent size fire pit in the middle of the clearing, everyone had covered their shelters with the clothes we brought. “How do you like our little camp?” Elberl said, I nodded with a very slight smile “Seems decent to me, I doubt I could’ve found better” He got serious “We need to distance ourselves from this area first this in the morning, we killed 5 or more of the guards, most of the other runaways are caught or dead, Mohon probably rode off with an arrow in him and his horse brought him out here.” I looked up in the air where the moon was, it was full. “How long was I out?” I said “Since last night, so about a day” I licked my lips “I am thirsty, got anything?” He gave me an apple and a canteen, I ate and drank thankfully “So what do we do Dole?” Said Elberl, waiting for my orders, I stopped drinking and looked at him “I can’t lead these people, I am no leader or warrior, you need to anyway you are older than me” He looked a bit shrill “Are you joking me Dole? What about getting home! What about freedom that you wanted so much!” I looked at the ground in shamefulness “Alright fine, but you can’t tell me that, it is not fair of you to say something like that” He nodded “You know I have a temper” I grinned “Use it on the Teramonts if we run into them, anyway this is what we will do, we head for the coast on the other side of the Island and then we go into one of the towns there and get on a raiding ship like the one we came in and we go to the Teramont colonies in Reins.” He grinned a large grin, “I knew you had a plan, but you know there will be soldiers after us, the Master won’t let us escape.” I looked around at everyone at the camp, my heart went out to Mertia who sat under the canvas tent rubbing her ankle in pain. “We’ll have to fight, but we’ll need more people....where is the nearest villa!”

It was just past sunrise and the birds hopped from branch to branch looking for anything to put onto their nest, one of the birds was hit by a stone. “Good hit Berisk!” Berisk smiled back at Drisky who held his stone pouch, our small caravan had been moving since very early that morning. I travelled in front with Larissa and Elberl behind me, we halted our advance and I told them all to rest “What you thinking about Dole?” Elberl said puzzled “It’s been some time since I sent Jeor out to scout out the area ahead.” Then out of the bushes sprang Jeor with his spear and a bag of various fruits and he tossed it down in front of me “Small villa, 30 slaves maybe, they got fruit trees and a few animals, nothing too large and maybe 5 guards who have just whips and daggers” I smiled “Never doubt him Elberl, he is light on his feet” I signaled for Drisky, Berisk,, Hemure, Corause to come up, Hermure and Corause were sailors and had been in a few fights I figured. “Aye dole?” said Hemure “Listen guys, up ahead is a villa, we need to capture it and free the slaves which we can add to our group and we really need food and supplies, some of us are hurt” They all nodded “How many guards? Said Corause, Jeor held up 5 fingers “We outnumber them then, let’s do it. “ Corause said as he was going to jump up, I stuck out my arm and stopped him “No, just me, you, Hemure, Jeor, Berisk, and Drisky. Elberl will stay here with everyone else.” They followed me as we sank into the bushes to strike at our aggressors.

We crouched in the bushes whispering “Where is the master?” Jeor pointed and he was walking between the trees with one of the guards with him. “Berisk, Drisky, Jeor, go take the master prisoner, kill the guard if he comes at you.” Jeor gave a smart salute and waved his hand forwards and they began creeping up to the captain, we drifted over to the edge of the villa where 2 guards were drinking some wine. I signaled Hemure and Corause to follow, they both had their knives ready and I slipped out my Ricari and I came up to the guards “Hello friends!” I had my Ricari behind my back, they both dropped the jars of liquid and drew their swords half way out of their scarabs “STATE YER BUSINESS!” I put up one hand “Let’s be civil about this please” One of them eyed my other hand which was not visible “Show me what is in your other hand now” I looked at him calmly and said in the nicest voice I could manage “No, It contains a gift for your master” They looked at one another and back at me “Enough tricks!” One said “As you wish” It was as if time slowed down, Corause and Hemure charged at them knives drawn and my Ricari shined in the sun as it slide from behind my back and I sent it flying up and hit the first guard under the jaw who had not even gotten his sword out, he fell to the ground holding his face screaming. The other one drew his sword and ran at Hemure who deflected several of his blows until the guard kicked him in his knee and just before he could strike Corause shoved the knife into his back and he fell to the ground, they both grabbed their swords “Quickly free the slaves! Give them your knives and tell them to find weapons in case the other guards show up “STOP!” I said it too soon, one guard behind me was still in sleep ware charging out with a short sword in hand “Slave, drop the sword and I won’t kill you” I turned and ran with Corause and Hemure shooting off in other directions.

I turned seeing the guard following me, I kept running as fast as I could through the hay fields, I had never really gotten use to sword fighting or really fighting at all, I had only killed one person who haunted me sometimes if I thought about it too much. I certainly would probably lose in a fair fight, but then a slave cutting the hay with a sical came up and I shouted to him “GIVE ME A HAND WITH HIM!” The big, large slave who stood 6’9 stepped into the pathway where the guard was running down “Slave, get out of the way or I’ll see you dangling from a tree with a broken neck!” He stood there staring at him with filmed eyes. I stood next to him “Time to run Teramont” The guard knew he couldn’t win so he turned and ran back towards the villa “Thanks, name is Dole” He shook my hand with the same blank face “No problem” His hand gripped hard on my hand which made me feel it would snap so I pulled it away “I am here to free you, me and my mates” He looked at me and laughed “Nice work freeing me” I smiled “No problem, come we probably have the master by now” I ran and saw the slaves running about with pitch forks and wood axes, 3 of the masters family or friends, I didn’t know what were dead inside the house, I hope none of my group had done it, I went into the orchards and I was shocked.

“DROP THE SPEAR!” shouted the guard, I saw one guard with his throat cut laying on the dirt and saw the other guard holding Drisky with a sword against his neck, Jeor had the master pinned and a spear to his chest “NO YOU DROP THE SWORD” screamed Jeor as he pressed the spear slightly into the master’s robes “Do it Macel!” said the master near tears “If I do they’ll kill me Girion” Said the guard trying to keep his head behind Drisky’s as Berisk kept swinging his sling trying to get a shot at the guard, I saw Hemure creeping up behind the guard as the guard crept back, Corause stood next to me with the sword pointed at him “Dole what do we do?” Said Jeor nervous as anything and red in the face, “Let me handle this Jeor.” I inched very slowly forwards “All we want is the slaves to be let go, all the food and weapons in this villa and for you to leave” The huge 6’8 slave came up holding a large wood axe, Corause turned around in fighting stance “Dole!” I turned and was relieved to see it wasn’t the other guard “Corause he’s fine, he helped me, go find the other guard with him and kill him if he attacks you” Corause ran off and the big guy followed him unwillingly, I then focused on the hostage situation “Just put down the sword and you will live, and your master, you have my word” The guard looked at me and began crying “Alright, you h…..*Girgiling*” “NO!” He fell to the ground in a pool of blood, Hemure stood over him with a bloody sword, Drisky fell to the ground holding his neck, glad to be free from possible death. “Hemure, he was surrendering” I said as I came up to him “He is a dirty Teramont, don’t believe a word they say, they’re worms and will do anything to get out of a tough situation, anyway we can’t be sure if he was” I nodded “No your right but you should’ve given me a little more time but it’s fine, at least Drisky is fine” Hemure pushed his body over with his foot and took his club, dagger, sword and anything else useful “Take anything useful, loot the whole place and set it on fire” The master began crying and Jeor backed his spear off as I put my Ricari to the side of his neck. “You will leave this place and go tell the rest of your people that we are leaving this terrible land and going home, you tell them that!” I said as I gave him a good kick for my family.

The main House was big, it had a  triangle like roof all the way around, I went inside and it had several rooms, my group was looting the place for anything they felt was worth something, I took a loaf of bread on a table and went outside to eat it. Although my hunger left me when I saw the huge 6’8 man taking the leather armor and most of the clothes (Besides under clothes) strange part was he couldn’t fit into any of it. He tossed it to me which landed at my feet “Give it to your men” I looked up at him “They are not MY men, we work together” He looked over at me and laughed with his brutish face with missing teeth “Sure!” he said still laughing as he pulled off the dead guard’s boot “Never caught your name” I said taking a bite of the bread “Metch, from Greensharde” I scratched my head “Isn’t that a swampy place?” He grinned “The swampiest” judging by his looks he had to be at least 28 “Is it true?” He said “What is?” I said clueless “That you are leaving the Island?” I smiled “That is the plan” he knelt in front of me “If you can get me off this rock I will forever be in your debt and until we do I will serve you for the purpose of getting home to my children and wife.” I was surprised, in fact stunned “Agreed but I require only you to hold up your end while we are out there, there is going to be fight, can you handle it?” He made an evil smile which chilled my blood “Oh yes, I would be more than happy to kill Teramonts for you, I served in the army before being captured” I shook his hand “Then its agreed, come bring all the stuff.” We stood behind the Big House with 2 loaded carts with food, guards armor, and I held all the coin for us to buy passage, we also took a two jars of the finest wine and the other slaves belongings. About 37 slaves stood in front of me in a line, 6 of them stood in front of them all, each of them a male and one was a women “Hello friends, we are glad to have you with us, we are heading towards the coast in search of a ship to get us off this island and we offer that you come with us” They all let out a short cheer, Metch stood behind me. “Metch who are these six” He smiled with his missing teeth showing, Jeor was taken aback by his grin. “The one with the red beard is Favos, he is Teramont, got enslaved after stealing, Criser is from Mortanspeal, he worked on a merchant ship. And I never met these others, I recently got sold to this master” I nodded looking them over “Favos, Criser, you get the last two swords, here.” Favos took one in his hand “Can I trust you with it?” He didn’t change his expression “All I want is freedom” I let him grasp the sword “Jeor, get the rest moving and make sure they’re all armed with something.” We moved out our large train and we went into the woods where we found Elberl waiting for us with Klab who jumped when he saw Metch come out of the woods “What in the…” I came out of the bushes “It’s fine, he is a friend from the villa we liberated.” Elberl embraced me “Wasn’t sure if you would come back Dole” I laughed “After everything we’ve been through?” He smiled “Good to have you back” He said looking very pleased as a cart filled with food rolled into the grove. I went over to Larissa who came hurrying up to me and hugging me “So glad your back, I was worried terribly” She said looking happy as anything “You know I wouldn’t leave you all alone.” I said, she blushed “Dole, we need you” said Cranton.

I came over to where Mertia was with Elberl and Cranton “Ouch, watch it with your clumsy hands!” She said as Elberl looked at her swollen ankle “Let Dole look at it, my foot will probably be handled less roughly in less clumsy hands” Elberl snorted and walked off “Lift your foot up slowly” She did and I looked at it “Well I am not doctor but I’ve seen this before, it’s only a sprain, stay off it a few days and you should be fine I figure” She smiled thankfully “Thanks Dole, and by the way I see you did well?” She said glancing over at the supply carts and the people who had joined us “Yeah, it should give us an edge on Teramont hunting parties now that we have more able hands to wield weapons” I looked back over at her and she was trying to get back up “No stop, stay on the ground” She laughed “Yeah no thanks, give me a walking stick or something” I slapped my forehead “I just said you aren’t well!” “And you told me you weren’t a doctor” She sat there with a sassy face, I laughed “Whatever, you aren’t getting up though” I took the stick she was going to use and threw it into the bushes. I walked over to the carts where Jeor, Elberl, and Berisk were talking “Yeah so then this guy comes out of nowhere and grabs Drisky and puts a sword to his throat and is like ‘I’m going to kill him if you make the wrong move’ I knew he was bluffing because if he did we would’ve killed him which Hemure slit his throat while Dole distracted him” I came up hearing the last 5 words “Distracted who?” Jeor swung around “Oh that nasty Teramont who was going to kill Drisky” I looked at him in a displeased manner “Don’t talk about that please, now Elberl get them all ready, we are moving out, we have to head west to the coast, we have quite a few miles to go before we get near the coast.” Elberl gave me a reassuring pat on the back and went off to get everyone prepared. We had 3 horses, all used for carts, 8 swords which I spread out around the people I trusted most excluding Favos who was previously a Teramont before stealing.

My feet sunk in a bit into the soft ground beneath my feet, I was not used to such hot humid weather, here there was never any snow but in Dorumden we could have some of the harshest winters imaginable. “Favos, how much further” Said Elberl a bit out of breath, Favos turned slowly with his greenish eyes “Not much further, we will be at the village soon” Elberl looked back at me with that face that made me know something was wrong, Jeor came up next to me “I think he is leading us into a trap” I looked him in the eyes with a fearful look, one of the slaves to my right stopped and leaned against a tree and I turned to shout out but the slave was hit right in the chest with an arrow “AMBUSH!” screamed Elberl as Favos turned around with his sword drawn “DIE SLAVE SCUM!” Elberl drew his sword cutting Favos in his leg. 10 men in hoods, one with a bow ran out at all sides of the path with swords and axes in hands, I drew my Ricari “Protect the wounded!” Metch took out his sword and beheaded the first guy running at him, he then grabbed the next by the throat and tossed him into a tree where he slammed the sword into his gut. Three other slaves had been cut down, one was a little old lady. Jeor parried with one of the Teramonts but got knocked off his feet and was about to be slain but a sling stone cracked right into the Teramonts eye “No worries Jeor!” said Berisk, Jeor smiled and then turned his attention to the Teramontand finished him off. Criser was cut on the face and fell dead, the wound from the axe was too much, Favos was still fighting with Elberl. Two of the Teramonts had ganged up on me for some reason and I saw the archer aiming for me, the other Teramonts were all dead, Hemure and Drisky stabbed one running off to death with small knives. I faced my enemies, Metch was running over with an axe he had relived from one of them but he did not move very fast. I parried one swing but just then an arrow hit me in my arm “Aaag!” I yelled out in pain and I was shoved to the ground but I swung my Ricari wildly and cut his leg from his foot as I fell to the ground. The other one shoved me and came down on top of me with a knife and was pushing it closer to my face “Ready to die Slave?” I clenched my teeth and tried to hold the knife off and then a sword went through the Teramonts head, Larissa grabbed my head as she dropped the bloodied sword “Oh no you are hurt” she said looking scared “I’m fine, don’t worry about me.” I saw Elberl stabbing Favos a few extra times in anger “You rotten dirty traitor!” He kicked Favos’ lifeless head and went over to me “Dole, how bad they get you lad?” I showed him the arrow which had gone into my arm, when I was shoved to the ground it was pushed through the other side of my arm “Let me snap it off, ready, one” * Crack* I felt my arm sting terribly, It snapped off and he pulled it out.

“Why did you pull it on one?” as I rubbed my wound, he smiled “Twas the best thing to do, better that you didn’t know it was coming” I held my arm in pain which was quickly bandaged by Larissa who still was clutching onto me, she sat me down on one of the cart. “Jeor, come here” He came to my side “Count the dead, see to the wounded, let’s get off the path, and have Klab and Drisky loot their bodies.” He went off to do as I ordered. We went into the woods where there was a small clearing with a fire pit in the center, Metch sniffed it “It was burning this morning, they have been waiting for us for a day at least” My arm was in a sling and Larissa helped me walk “They weren’t Teramont soldiers right?” I said “No, if Teramont army was hunting us we would all be dead, these are probably bounty hunters, better known as slave hunters.” I must’ve looked grim in the sling and the cut on my face, I was tired and needed to sleep “Metch, go tell Elberl to get everyone here and everything in order” he went to do as I said, I then turned to Larissa as she sat me down under a tree. “You okay Larissa? I know we haven’t talked much lately, are you doing okay?” She nodded and sat down next to me and put her head on my chest “I am just so worried about you, if anything happened to you…..” I looked into her big brown eyes that had always made me nervous. I kissed her and everything around me disappeared, the pain went away, and I felt still. “Dole” …I was dreaming and I heard my name being called and I awoke “Dole, here take this” She had some soup and put it in a cup and gave it to me “You kind of fell asleep” She giggled “Sorry, I was just so weak, I couldn’t stay awake” I said holding her hand, she kissed me again and walked over to get herself something to eat. I leaned against the tree and saw everyone huddled under makeshift tents and such, I felt like I had previously been in this position and I had after the waterfall event.

Mertia came over with her cane “Oh look it is my wounded brother in arms!” I smiled “Yeah only I got hurt fighting” She laughed “So true yet I got hurt doing what you told me to do” She said with a little grin “That is also very true” I said rubbing my eyes, Larissa came back over “Hello?” She said scanning Mertia up and down. “Larissa, Mertia, and Mertia Larissa” I said looking at both of them puzzled “We’ve met” said Larissa, they both sort of glared at one another like how my mother would do to people she didn’t like much. “I’ll see you around Dole” Mertia said as she limped off on her crutch which I was tempted to laugh a bit at “I don’t like her” I looked at Larissa strangely “Why so?” She looked up at me from her soup “Just her attitude bothers me, and she treats me as if I am five” I smiled “Maybe your attitude bothers me” I said with a smile, she went to do like a punch but I grabbed her hand “Why must you solve all your problems with violence?” She laughed “Says you” She continued eating and I laid back “Mind if I go back to sleep Larissa?” She nodded with her mouth full.

I dreamed that night of a blaze of fire, it grew and it grew, like it never stopped growing, I had no idea what it was and I was compelled to touch it, the moment I touched it I awoke. It was early morning and the sun was like an orange-red sunrise which was the reason for my odd dream I figured so I forgot about the dream. I looked down and saw Larissa leaning her head on my chest fast asleep, she was even more beautiful when she was asleep, I honestly felt like I was in love, of course I would never tell anyone that, I was still so shy deep down. I slowly got up and put something under her head and walked over to Jeor, Elberl, Corause, and Hemure who were making bacon “I’m telling you Elberl, he must’ve been paid to do it, how would they of known we would hit the villa, he must’ve of been bought afterwards.” Said Hemure, Corause nodded and his short beard shook a bit as he did, “Then why did he call me slave and not himself, do you see my point? He regarded himself as free at least which means he was placed there” I walked up and grabbed a canteen filled with water “Go ask Metch, he knows when he came to the villa.” Corause went and got him and he came over unhappy that his sleep was disturbed “What is it?” Elberl cleared his throat “Alright well, when did Favos come to the villa?” Metch thought a moment “The day before you busted us out” Elberl looked over at Jeor and then Hemure “See?” He was set there so that means they know our movements, I’m telling you that we are being followed” I had completely ignored the conversation for I saw something shiny in the tree “Jeor what was the body count” He looked up at me curious to my facial expression “7, we lost 7 including Criser” He said “No how many did they lose?” He thought for a second “You killed one which bled out after you hacked his leg off and Elberl beat Favos to death with the blunt of his sword” Hemure looked at Elberl with strange eyes and Elberl shrugged “No, tell me how many died and how many attacked” I said getting frustrated “Oh 10 including Favos and there was 11 including Favos but I think the other body was under a bush or something” I stopped him “Was there a bowman that was dead?” He shook his head right to left “Metch see the shiny object in that tree, but look at it directly or he will let that arrow fly at my throat” Metch was still but slowly brought up Jeor’s spear “Throw fast and hard, I am going to fall to the ground on three, one two, three!” I feel to the ground and I heard the arrow fly a few inches off me and hit a tree to the side of me and then Metch threw the spear which hit the bowman right in his middle and he fetl from the oak and fell on an empty lean-to. Jeor tore the spear out of him and spit on him while Drisky looted him and took his bow, seems he and Klab did a lot of bow hunting. Most of the camp was awake now and we tried to keep it a secret about the would be assassin and we dragged his body by the road. My plan was to also move out later that morning before a second hunting party is sent out to check on the first.

The ground was wet and I almost slipped on a patch of grass on the path “You alright Dole?” Said Jeor “Yeah I’m fine Jeor, no problem” I took off my sling because it was so hard to balance with it on. I waved my arm forward, I wanted us to pick up speed “Elberl, how to the village?” I said a little out of breath, we had been walking seen early that morning. “Eh maybe a mile out Lad, chances are they got a sea worthy ship and supplies, then we can head out of here” He said with a hopefully face. “Come lets hurry up, LETS GO MOVE!” I shouted towards the back, everyone started going into a very light run and we made it to the top of a slightly wooded hill. I was the first to the top and it was beautiful, the crystal blue ocean glistened and shined off the suns light, the volcanic cliffs were high and the valley below us contained a sparse fishing village of maybe 50 Houses with maybe a 10 foot stone wall around it with coral doors at a North and South entrance (The hill sat in the west and the sea in the East) This was all wedged between two big steep volcanic cliffs on either said, of course the volcanos were long extinct. Everyone looked weary as they reached the top, they started setting up their little shelters and someone and Amon, one of the slaves we rescued made a fire. “Sir” I turned seeing three of the rescued slaves, most of them a bit older than me, I looked at them strangely as to why they said sir. “We want to help you guys take the village” I thought for a moment “Alright, names?” The tallest stepped forward “I am Teerence, the one making the fire is Damon, and this guy is Quin, and that one there is Apalle.” I looked them over “Alright, got get a knife” I looked out at the village with a blank face, hopefully we wouldn’t lose anyone.

“Elberl, stay here with Cranton and Klab, I will take Metch, Drisky, Hemure, Corause, Quin, Apalle, Teerence, and Damon, and Berisk arm them with the best we got, keep everyone organized and have Klab watch for anything coming in the way we came” I said with a commanding tone “Aye, on it, and Dole” I was about to vanish into the trees with everyone else “Protect that arm, good luck” I vanished with Metch and the rest into the Greenery and we ran at a good pace down to a ditch that went around the village and waited for Jeor. “Quin, where did you say you were from?” I said looking over at him, he was short, not too short but below average in height, he was bald and had almost a baby looking face “Canton” I looked at him in ignorance “Canton?” He looked at me with a blank stare “North of Sunmore, West of Vectorstron, we have a college?” I dug into my memory and believed I recall uncle Rammel making a joke about them being…..”Bunch of useless scholars the lot of them!” One drunk night. “Oh right, yep I know it” He seemed to brighten up “Really?” I was hesitant “Once or twice, all good things” He was about to say something, probably ask what but then Jeor leaped into the ditch and he scared me terribly “Holy…let me know next time alright?” He nodded in a dramatic fashion “Sure thing pal, alright we got about 12 or 15 guards, countless citizens and a handful of slaves, they got a big’ish boat docked so we can take that” I nodded pleasingly “Alright, Jeor you go through the north with Quin, Teerence, Damon, and Apalle. Rest of you with me, Corause sneak over the wall in the center and stay concealed until we get in there” They all went off as told, Metch, Drisky, Berisk, and Hemure followed me. We crept slowly past through the south gate which was undefended, one single guard sat in a chair sleeping near the gate. I made hand jesters to Metch like snapping twig, he got the message and grabbed the Teramont who tried screaming but Metch’s big hands were around his throat and he let out a tiny squeak as *CRACK* His neck was snapped in two. We slowly crept through down the road and then a woman came round the corner and saw the dead guard and screamed, and then a Teramont horn blew and three guards came rushing down and stopped when they saw us. Drisky and Berisk aimed sling and bow at the two holding spears at either flank of the one with the sword “Surrender or die slaves!” Metch spit at his feet and drew his sword “KILL THEM!” Shouted the lead guard who was almost instantly cut down by Metch, another went to run but he was hit with an arrow in his throat and he fell to the ground holding his throat. I drew my Ricari and went after the other but he backed into an alley where Corause was concealed and he came up behind him and slit his throat. “Let’s go, to the square!” We ran past screaming villagers as they ran out of the village, one ran up to Hemure with a wood axe and Hemure deflected it and emptied his guts on the ground with a quick slash, we kept running through the side street and came into the square where Jeor and his group were in deadly hand to hand with the guards. Jeor had pinned a guard against the wall with his spear but the guard was still alive swinging at him. Damon lay dead with his guts upon the dirt. Apalle was beating one’s head in with a rock. Quin was fencing another and seemed to be losing, and Teerence was being beaten by three with clubs and 2 guards were dead on the dirt. “Help them!” I shouted and Drisky shot an arrow in the back of one beating Teerence and Metch kicked another in the stomach who fell back into the well in the center of the square, he then grabbed the other and tossed him into a wall and then shoved his own sword into his sternum and he collapsed with blood streaming from his mouth. Quin then took this advantage as the guard was about to bolt and he jumped on his back and repeatedly stabbed him in the neck and head and the guard fell dead. Apalle and Teerence chased after the last one hiding in an alley and they beat him down. I looked down the well and saw the Teramont stuck between the cobble-stone with his brains all over the rock. Three more guards were inside the temple of the Fire Lizard and they had barricaded the door.

“Hemure, Corause, burn that thing to the ground!” I shouted and they got tar and emptied it all over the front door, the Hemure placed a torch down and the front went up like paper and it started spreading, we could hear screaming inside, I was not proud of it but they would’ve done the same to us if they had the chance. “Apalle, Teerence, Quin, Go loot all the buildings, Drisky, Berisk, Each of you go to a gate and stay there until the ship leaves, Corause run to Elberl and tell him to bring everyone down here and we can leave before sundown.” All went and did as ordered. “Hemure, Metch, help me clean-up” We went out to the docks where some of the villagers could be seen leaving the harbor in row boats. Only a few remained and a decent sized merchant galley. “How does it look Hemure?” He studied it closely “Well I’m just the guy who sails it but it looks good and sturdy.” He rubbed the side of the ship with his hand “Good solid oak” He said admiring it “Alright well you get started with the rigging and I’ll send Corause over when he gets back, make it fast because we need to get out of here as soon as possible” He jumped over the rail and on board and gave me a smart salute “No problem cap’n” I chuckled “captain”.

A little while later and Elberl came rolling in with everyone else, I had everything of value and useful to us brought on the ship, we also let the 3 horses go free. “Elberl, get them all onto the ship” He looked at me like said something strange “Why so?” I pointed at the hill and you could visibly see smoke rising “Unless you forgot to put the fire out I think Teramonts are behind us” He rushed over to everyone coming in “Let’s go the Teramonts are coming!” Jeor brought me a telescope and I peered through it, I saw the lizard standing on a fire mountain, I remembered the banner from the ship over here “They sent soldiers” Jeor looked scared “Oh no, Dole you have to think of something?” I continued peering through the eye glass and I saw only a small group on the hill top, 30 maybe. But then I saw roughly 50-80 infantry moving down through the trees. “Get everyone on the boat NOW!” He ran and hurried anyone taking their time. Elberl came over to me with a bag “Here is all the money they found, we can use it after we get out of here” I nodded “Go, help Mertia on to the ship” I saw her limping a bit as she went towards the ship. “Metch” He dropped the Canteen he was drinking out of and picked up a large axe he had found “What do you need Dole?” I paused and thought and then I had it “Get me all the pitch and tar you can.” I went to the North gate where Berisk and Drisky were, “When they get close open up on them, we have to slow them down, the rigging might take a little time but I think most everything is on board” I said looking grim “Think we’ll get out of here?” Said Drisky while aiming at the Teramont with a plumed helmet shouting orders, “Of course we will, most of us at least” He sniggered and let the arrow fly, it hit the officer right under the nose and he fell to the ground, Berisk let fly some stones but the Teramonts had raised their shields yet they were moving at half their previous pace “Metch, put this tar all over the two gates and houses, it should buy us time” He started tossing them at the roofs of the houses and emptied a few at the base of the wooden gates, the Teramonts were very close and they broke into a sprint as they ran down the path towards the gate “NOW!” Berisk and Drisky let loose one last shot and took one of the Teramonts down who was almost at the gate, then I dropped the torch and the whole thing went up “Run go!” Drisky and Berisk ran but Metch stayed behind “Metch go” He nodded his head left to right. “Alright then help me get these houses” We set all the houses a blaze and the south gate and we ran back into the square and towards the dock but I turned around to see 2 Teramonts had hopped the wall and Klab who had been looting a house had been cut down, he had not heard the yelling while he was looking for anything useful, Metch raised his axe “NO you go!” He did as I said and ran towards the docks, I drew my Ricari and the two Teramont soldiers stopped and circled me.

The one with the sword lunged and I was quick enough to hack at his arm, he fell to the ground where I slid my blade underneath his helmet and into his upper chest, but then I felt a sharp kick in my lower back and I went tumbling over the lifeless body and then the other one swung his axe at me as I stood up but I jumped back and drew my small knife, I was quicker than them but they were in armor. He pulled off his helmet “You are my kill slave scum” I spit at him and he charged in rage and knocked me down, then he pulled up his axe and let it come down on me but I barely rolled out of the way and jumped up and held the axe by its handle and I tried wrestling it from him and just as I thought I had the edge since he was off balance, he slammed his head into mine and I fell backwards again and this time I couldn’t roll and he raised his axe “So lo…..” An arrow slide into his skull and his fingers were still twitching as he fell to the ground instantly dead. Drisky had shot him right in the back of the head, I saluted him and grabbed the shield, sword, and my Ricari and ran as 4 more Teramonts were hot on my heels, the boat was already 3 feet away from the dock and me and Drisky leaped on and two of the Teramonts tried but we had already pushed out six feet and the heavily armored one jumped too short and his armor pulled him to the sea’s bottom. The other was not close to being luckier, he landed on Jeor’s spear and then Jeor shoved him into the water. We pushed off and went full sail and we could hear the Teramonts cursing at us as we sailed away from the docks, everyone was cheering and shouting, I sat against the post staring out towards the sea, we were free at last, and I was safe.

The ship slowly sailed through the cool evening breeze, everyone was on the top deck celebrating. I was not so eager to grab a mug of ale. I came into the captain’s cabin, the walls were wide, there was a big bed, table, mirror, desk, all sorts of things lying around, I sat down in a chair in front of the mirror and I noticed I had sustained a large cut fighting that day. I removed my cloth shirt and found a needle and thread and I proceeded to stitch it up but I did not even know exactly how to do it, I’d seen mother do it many times. I was getting ready to try when the door opened and closed, I thought it was Elberl “Elberl, give me a moment and I’ll be out…” I felt a soft, smooth hand on my shoulder and someone took my needle out of my hand “It is okay, just me” Larissa said as she began stitching me up. “Be careful with that needle” She giggled “If there is one thing I am good with, it’s a needle and thread” She was right, she was done in seconds. “How is your arm?” I looked at where my arm had been shot with an arrow, it was healing nicely, “It is good, no pain” She smiled and held my hand “So now where’d we go?” I took her other hand to reassure her “Reinmith, it is a nice place I hear, palm trees on the coast, warm climate, plenty of rain, tropical fruits, and nice beaches.” She smiled and looked at the floor, “Sounds nice” she said, I inspected the bruises on my leg as she spoke “I’m going to go to sleep, that alright?” I nodded “Sure” I said looking under my foot “When are you going to go to bed?” She said “Oh in a bit, I wonder what the beds are like down there, enjoy the soft comfy bed though Larissa” She looked a bit puzzled “I thought you were sleeping up here?” I looked up at her with a smirk “Oh…right well I don’t want to take up any room in here, the bed is all yours” She played with her hair, twirling it. “So you aren’t sleeping in the bed, because it is fine there is a ton of room, enough for 6 people” I blushed “Hey I’ll see you tomorrow morning” She looked disappointed “Dole, I need someone to stay with me I’m afraid of the dark” I stopped and looked at her, not sure if she was being honest “I’m kidding but come on, we can talk” She said looking hopeful. I wanted to stay with her, just be around her but mother had always told me that men cannot sleep in a bed with a women unless they’re married (Of course Uncle Rammel told me the exact opposite) “Larissa, I’ll see you first thing in the morning alright?” She put on a frown “Whatever Dole” And then she shut the door on my face. I turned away from it feeling terrible, I think she thought I was trying to be mean to her, I had no way of knowing. I bumped into Jeor as I turned around “Ello Dole, first fight?” I chuckled “You can call it that if you like” He grinned “Well no worries, bunk with me alright?” I nodded “I was already on my way downstairs to sleep” We talked as we walked down the stairs. Metch, Cranton, Berisk, and a few others I didn’t know were still drinking and singing at the table we put on the deck. “Why’d she get mad?” I thought for a moment trying to summarize it “You see, she thought I was sleeping up there or well I don’t know, anyway I told her I was sleeping down here and she got all pouty and then slammed the door on my face” Jeor was laughing a bit excessive and I rolled my eyes “Wow Dole, that isn’t right, you pull her close and push her away?” I was puzzled “I don’t want to end up doing something I shouldn’t” He laughed some more as we entered the bunk room “Do you love her, and be honest” He said, I really put some thought into my next words “I do” He had a straight face on “Then spend time with her, because she loves you, she told me so” I felt like someone kicked me in the stomach and I was silent as I laid down. Just wondering about Larissa, how could I make her see how I thought, if only I could just clear the air and talk. Drisky came up to me a little nervous “Have you seen Klab since we left?” I suddenly remembered “Drisky……I have bad news” He looked at me puzzled “What?” I held his shoulder “The Teramonts killed him when they came into the village, I think he was looting some of the buildings and forgot to get on the boat in time. Drisky looked at the floor of the bunk room “I knew he wasn’t on the ship, I would’ve seen him when the food was being served, he was always a greedy pig” Drisky backed away slowly from my bed, I was sitting up now looking into his eyes which had a few tears streaming down “Will you be alright?” Drisky nodded as he turned away “I’ll move on, I just need some time.” I looked up and laid back down and thought about how hard it was to lose someone, I thought about my parents for a while until I fell asleep.

The next day there was a nice sunrise, Corause and Hemure were up along the rigging while Quin sailed, seems he was a fisherman in Canton before getting pulled into the Kentrine army and getting captured and sold to Teramont traders who sold him into slavery. I walked up the stairs to see everyone eating breakfast, two or three people were in bed feeling ill, most of them probably never had ale much before, Metch laughed as Berisk came up stairs looking terrible “Can’t keep more than me down little man, haha!” Metch said as Berisk threw up over the railing. I sat eating the bread as Larissa intentional ignored me “Elberl, come over here a moment.” I got up and walked a little ways from the table “Think anyone is following us?” He looked around at the open water “Positive, we are away from land and there is seagulls coming and going, that is what Hemure said” Elberl looked sure and grabbed my shoulder when I was about to walk away in disbelief “51 slaves, killed at least 40 Teramonts, some were soldiers, a few nobility, we burned two villas and one village, and we looted them and took a ship, If I was the Teramonts I’d send two ships” I looked behind our ship fearfully but nothing was there “Tell Jeor to keep the armory unlocked” I said as I headed inside my cabin. I knew we weren’t out of the woods yet, good thing though that It was a big ocean, surely they could never catch up even if they were after us. Larissa came into the cabin “What is going on Dole, I heard what Elberl said about ships?” I looked over at her “I’ll tell you but keep it a secret” I came closer to her and almost whispered “Elberl thinks the Teramonts have a ship following us.” She looked shocked “Well what do you think?” I tried to look untouched “We can outrun them no problem, and the ocean is big.” She sat down “So why did you act so strange last night dole?” I looked at her pretty brown-hazel eyes “I wasn’t” She rolled her eyes dramatically “Sure, well I just wish you would just…” Before she said another word I hugged her “I’m sorry, I am just so stressed out and nervous, I almost got killed yesterday” I could hear her sniffling “I know, and I don’t want you to risk your life anymore, not for anyone, not even for me” She broke into tears and cried, I held her in my arms and rocked her “If you needed me I would be there” She brought he face closer to mine slowly, I really did care about her, she was the best thing and the only thing closest to family I had besides Jeor.

Elberl stood on top of the cabin where the wheel was, Hemure beside him. “Drisky what do you see!” Drisky was up in the crow’s nest with a spyglass “I see nothing, like before” Elberl shook his head in dismay “Keep watching for anything” I emerged from the captain’s cabin with clean clothes, Larissa was beside me “Those clothes are fitting for you” I looked at her with a sarcastic smile “Yep, that be me, the best pirate in da world” She giggled as she took hold of my hand. I walked up to the steering wheel “Dole, come see this” I looked through the spyglass and say a whale on the surface not far off “Spotted whale, see” I nodded “They grow big so I heard, 80 feet, maybe more.” Larissa looked through it “Aw and there is a baby” Elberl chuckled “It would be good eating” As he walked over by Quin at the wheel, Larissa whispered in my ear “I don’t like him very much” I smiled and whispered back “That’s too bad, maybe he won’t share whale steak with you” She gave me playful push and I picked her up and went by the railing “Maybe you want to say hello to spotty” I said giggling like a naughty child “Dole put me down” She was laughing nervously as I put her back down. “Oi ELBERL!” Elberl looked up at Drisky “You might want to check that telescope again.” Elberl looked through the telescope and then froze and dropped his telescope and ran down the stairs, I picked it up and looked through it as Larissa looked at Elberl confused, Elberl ran down below deck. And then I saw it through the telescope as I raised it to my right eye, I didn’t believe it and I was bewildered, they had sent not one Teramont ship, not two, but three!

“All hands on deck! Get a weapon!” Elberl shouted, Drisky rung the bell loud and everyone assembled on deck, Hemure and Corause released full sail and we went to 28 knots but Hemure said  the Teramont ships pace had quickened when they saw us go full sail and they were running at 30 knots, their ships were smaller, sleeker, and built for war while ours was a merchant vessel with minimal fighting capacity. All the women, and the two children we had found in the village were to stay below decks, Larissa kissed me as she went down the stairs “You be careful” I nodded to her. And I resumed to my duty “Elberl, get some spears on the side, chances are they’ll try boarding, they probably have numbers on us on each ship, Quin turn-about and head straight for them!” Berisk and Drisky stood on the prow aiming their weapons, Metch had found a large mobile crossbow with a stand in the cargo bay and planted it on the deck, we were nearing the first ship every passing moment, their two ships in the back started turning off course and went around us in a circle as we came in range of their first ship “Loose!” Elberl shouted and Cranton, Drisky, and Metch let loose their arrows, we were rewarded with at least one splash and scream, “Fire at will!” Then all of a sudden 8 arrows came flying at our ship, one of the slaves rescued from the village was hit in the chest and fell dead not 3 feet from me “QUIN TURN INTO THEM!” Right as their ship came close to us we turned our prow into their Stern and *SMACK* our pointed prow smashed a whole in the Teramont vessel, we could hear the screaming of the oar slaves below and the Teramonts jumping over board. “Jeor, you have to go help them” Jeor threw a rope over the side and 4 or 5 of the Oar slaves that got our climbed up and were welcomed into our rank, 2 or 3 Teramonts tried climbing up but Jeor shook the rope if they keep trying Drisky would send an arrow at them. “Let one up” A Teramont sailor was pulled on board and Elberl held his sword to his throat “Tell us one good reason why I shouldn’t cut your gullet Teramont!” He whimpered as the blade pressed against his cheek “Please no!” Elberl laughed “I have questions for him, tie him to the post” I said and then Elberl and Jeor picked him up and tied him to the post, the Teramont ship had sunk under the waves and the other two continued circling us. “Why are you out here?” he gulped “We were dispatched in the middle of the night to track down an enemy vessel” I studied him closely “What kind of enemy ship” He said nothing, until Jeor poked him with his spear in his belly “Speak!” Jeor said frustrated with the Teramont “It was a Rein Shcoolar” Teerence stepped forwards “I’m a Reinsmen” I turned around to him “What does he speak of” He grinned “Shcoolars hunt down Teramont raiding ships and sink em good” I turned to the Teramont “So you are not after a ship such as this?” He looked around nervous at all the mean looking faces “No? They’re still hunting for you on land last we heard” I smiled at Elberl “What’d I tell you?” He didn’t change his facial expression “Well now we are being circled by two Teramont ships” He said looking grim. I twirled my Ricari and continued asking him questions “So if I free you, they will let us go right?” He looked at me with a face of disgust “You killed my countrymen, you sank my boat, you burned villages, you killed good honest sa….” Elberl cut his throat as he spoke in his ear “Go to the fire lizard!” He untied the lifeless body and tossed it into the sea. “Elberl…..really” He looked at me without contempt “We did what had to be done” “Dole, you’ll want to see this” Drisky handed me the telescope as he spoke “Haha! Look!” Everyone looked and was surprised to see it as much as me

It seemed to of come out of nowhere but it was real, the Reinmith Ship came over the horizon and crashed into a circling teramont ship, the large and fast shcoolar split the smaller Teramont ship in two and the third ship was hit with a volley from the shcoolar and the Teramont ship came towards us but was trying to make it’s escape in the other direction away from the Reinmith Shcoolar “Quin, set us on them!” I shouted “Aye” Quin pulled hard on the wheel and we were alongside the enemy ship moments later. Metch picked up our anchor and tossed it on to the deck of the other ship and it stopped, we both put down our sails “Let’s go! Everyone on to the ship” We leaped across onto the enemy ship and there was at least a 20 man crew, at least 50 others had been killed by the Shcoolar. I jumped over onto their ship and I ran my Ricari through one’s back “Take the captain alive!” Shouted Jeor as he ran up to the steering wheel “Defend the captain!” shouted three of the Teramonts who stood in front of me, Jeor, and Cranton. The rest of the Teramonts, totaling of 6 had surrendered, we had lost two of the Oar slaves we had saved, Elberl was below with Metch freeing the ships oarslaves which counted up to 67, half of them starved or hurt. I turned to the captain “Surrender or die” He looked at me with a disgusted face “I am a captain of Teramont, my brother is Lord of Skalrg, I will NOT bend the knee to some dog! I will die before I take my own flag down, you will crumble to dust beneath our swords!” I had heard enough of his talk, “None of you have to die for your captain, we will let you live if you throw down your arms and submit” Two of them did so but not the third “I will not abandon my cap…” Jeor ran him through with a spear and Cranton had a sword to the captain’s throat you was about to break down to tears. “Put all 3 of them on a rowboat” Cranton looked at me with a strange face “Alright, you sure though?” I nodded and walked down the stairs to the deck. One of the Oarslaves, the biggest and the healthiest who stood a bit taller than me approached me “Why do you free him, he beat us, he made us slaves, he didn’t even treat his own crew with respect” I looked up at the Oar slave “Who are you?” He smiled “I am Deshon of Reins and you are making a terrible mistake” I smirked and gave a little chuckle “Would you have me kill surrendered men after I offered them life?” He laughed “You shouldn’t of offered them life, fool” Metch drew his sword but I held his arm “It’s fine, listen Desh or whatever they call you” He corrected me “Deshon” I smirked again “Well I would expect a better thank you because I did just rescue you from your shackles, we only took this ship to free all of you.” He was silent and stepped back into the crowd of starved faces, Metch stared him down. “Cranton, put them in the boat.” He did as I said and the captain cursed us as his little boat went out of view. “Elberl get all the Oarslaves over to our ship, take everything of value on this one and then sink it, take some of the floor boards for the stove as well.” He agreed and took Apalle and Teerence to do it.

I watched from the top of the Captain’s Cabin as barrels, food, weapons, and new friends came across on planks we put down like a bridge. We were at full capacity in the hold, we were also going to need to bring beds over to put on the top deck, we went from 48 people to 126 in one day, although we had lost a few people in the fighting. “Quin, how long you think till we get to Reinmith?” He looked back at me with a face of unknowing “Uh well….if the map I saw was right…well I don’t really know, maybe a week?” He wiped the sweat from his face as he drank from ale from a tankard. I weakly walked down the steps to go into the cabin, one or two of the group who walked past me patted me on the back. I was tired, wet from the sea spray, thirsty and hungry but most of all I was nervous and trying to be cautious. I knew not all the new oarslaves liked that I freed the captain and several of his men but I am no killer, never could be, it was hard for me to deal with those few I had I killed and I did not sleep very easy some nights because of it. I opened the door and shut it as quick as I could, it was quiet in the cabin, I walked over to a table in the far side of the room and ate a whole loaf of bread and a canteen of water and then I took over my tunic and fell flat onto the bed and I was out like a light. Meanwhile, unknown to me at the time, Apalle and Teerence had called Jeor over to help sink the ship. “Err, we tried all of dat matey, we stab’n it and smacked it with dis here hammer but it won’t make a whole” Apalle continued stabbing it as he said he was. Jeor scratched his head and then had a solution “Teerence go get that boarding axe by the wheel” Teerence climbed up the rope that the three were hanging off of on the side of the ship we had taken. “Come on Teerence, Dole wants it done quick before the Reinmith ship shows up thinking we’re here to come plunder their land, we are sailing a Teramont ship ye know!” Teerence dropped it down to Jeor who started hitting it where they had been. And then a nice hole was made “Apalle, go below decks and make a second hole, this hole will make it sink faster” They pulled each other up and went over to the deck of our ship.

Apalle was a fast runner and he ran down to the bottom deck and made a nice big whole and the water rushed in, he then ran back up and jumped to the other ship, the Teramont ship was already dropping as its bottom decks filled with the salty blue water. “Severe all ropes and push off any planks, let’s get away from it or else it’ll damage our ship.” Said Hemure wisely and then Quin turned right hard and we went full sail and we were quite a ways away when they all turned around and saw it sink beneath the waves. Elberl was in his element, command, “Quin turn us about and head due west, we are hitting full sail the whole way” He grabbed Drisky’s arm as he played dice with Cranton and Apalle “Drisky, get up there and make sure to tell me when you see a boat, land, rocks, even a whale” He looked at Elberl dumbfounded “But…..i heard we ain’t going to be near land for days?” Elberl rubbed his chin and then looked a bit frustrated “We still need to watch for ships, here take this Canteen of ale” Drisky’s attitude changed and he went up to the crow’s nest. Elberl saw Larissa next to the wheel, leaning on the railing looking out to sea, the sun was setting and it was an orange yellow. Elberl came next to her and also looked at the Sunset “I remember when I was a boy, my mama told me that when it was a sunset one place, It was a sunrise in another part of the world, the sky is quite amazing” Larissa looked at him clueless of his meaning “Everyone see’s things differently, even when it is really the same thing” they both looked back at the Sunset “What’s wrong Larissa?” She looked a little teary eyed “I don’t really know, its Dole” Elberl scratched his head in puzzlement “Did he say something?” She looked down and sniffled a bit “No, he is a really nice guy and that is what worries me” Elberl was not much for this kind of stuff but he was still curious about it. “What does worry you?” She looked at Elberl shedding some tears “If he got really hurt, I don’t know why you all listen to him and follow him and why he risks his life like he did when we were leaving on the ship, it scares me cause he is always in harm’s way” She looked as if she was going to break down, Elberl patted her on the shoulder “I’ll make sure he stays safe, okay?” She nodded, wiping away her tears “Is that everything that is troubling you?” She gave a faint smile “Well Dole doesn’t want to sleep in the same room with me” She said with a faint laugh as well. Elberl smiled “Maybe your beauty is too much for a poor farm boy” He said as they both laughed “No, he is shy but not like he used to be” Elberl grinned at seeing me as shy or afraid of girls (Which I was terrified of them not long ago). “I’m sure he just needs a little time” Her tears had dried up and she was starting to walk away “Do you love him?” Elberl said without turning around, she stopped “I think so.” He heard her footsteps vanish as he turned around noticing Quin was nearby at the wheel and probably heard the whole conversation, Elberl heard him laughing quietly “Well, I wish I was Dole then she w…” Elberl smacked him on the back of the head “Quiet, he’s twice the man you’ll ever be lad, definitely in height” Elberl hit home with the insult of height, Elberl walked away with a chuckle as Quin mumbled under his breath. I was still sleeping in the cabin, I was dreaming of returning home, sadly it was interrupted by the door opening.

I awoke but didn’t open my eyes, I felt a hand brushing my face slowly and softly, I guessed who it was, I was still a bit tired but then I heard her humming a sweet song that I once heard my mother sing to me when I was really young. I thought of my parents and I could feel hot tears coming from my eyes “Dole you awake, what’s wrong?” She sounded concerned, I got up and opened my eyes, wiping the tears away “No I’m fine, my mother just use to sing that song” I felt more tears coming just from mentioning my mother out loud. She looked at me hurting and embraced me “I know, it hurts too” We both cried a bit and just held each other for a while “Dole” I answered her gently “Yes?” “Isn’t tomorrow your birthday” I smiled a happy smile when I heard someone remembered “It is” She held me tighter “Good because I have a gift to give you tomorrow” I felt a bit bewildered “A gift?” She then took my face with her hands and began kissing me, I felt smothered as she kissed me. I stopped her slowly and as gently as possible “Wait” She looked at me curiously “I have to help Elberl with something, I forgot the time” I hopped up out of bed and grabbed my shirt and put it on, and slipped on a coat and woolen cap as it was night and it was cold out. “Don’t tell me you are going to sleep downstairs…” She looked mad but still so very beautiful, I walked over to her and gave her a kiss “I’ll be back, try to get some sleep” She warmed up and smiled “Okay”. I intended on sleeping on the floor but I did in fact have plans to help Elberl with something. I exited the cabin with my Ricari strapped to my belt “Dole, over here” Jeor and Elberl were waving for me to come on top next to the steering wheel where Quin was driving and Metch, Cranton, and Hemure were. I walked up and they all looked to me as I spoke, still a bit tired “So who can tell me about the discontent from some of those new guys we picked up?” Hemure raised his hand a bit “Seems Deshon is the leader of the bunch of maybe 15 or more, Two others Kapel and Uone are his pals, they are going around asking everyone if they like you being in charge” I calmly rubbed my chin in thought “Anyone in our original group might side with him?” Jeor looked at Hemure “Teerence maybe” Hemure said “He is a Reinsmen” I nodded “Keep an eye on him, let me know if there is any more trouble at all, I got to go to sleep now, very tired, we will talk more in the morning “I began walking down the steps and before I opened the door Elberl grabbed my arm. “Don’t play it down Dole, you know this could be very bad news” I turned to him looking defensive “Do you think I don’t know? Why should I have all of you worrying, it is why you all gave me this role in the first place” Elberl stepped back, “Then what will we really do lad?” “Do as I said before, wait, watch, and be ready” I patted him on the shoulder and went inside. One candle was still lit on the table next to the bed, Larissa was fast asleep when I entered, I went over alongside her bed quietly, I brushed her hair over her ear, she looked so beautiful, so peaceful. I took a blanket and slept on the rug next to the bed, I used my coat rolled up as a pillow. I slowly drifted off into sleep, I had my blade sheathed and I held it next to me, I knew I was still not safe.

Seagulls buzzed around the deck as some fish were pulled over onto the deck, I exited my cabin and stretched my arms, Quin and Apalle were laughing carelessly as they hauled some Blue fins onto the ship, the sea feasted on the buckets of heads that they threw back over the side “Hemure, what happened, where’d all these fish come from?” He grinned which was uncommon for him “Aye well we hit a school of em, good ole Quin saw em a mile away he says and we were able to get a net ready and some poles” I smiled at news of the success “Let’s have a brunch, cook plenty up and salt the rest” He nodded and went over to tell Quin. Besides the fishing and Corause trying to teach some of the new people how to help man the rigging and such there was a group of 10 or so people and three of them were Deshon, Kapel, and Uone. I felt my handle of my short sword (Ricari) as I walked past them and then I heard that voice “Eh cap’n can I speak wit’ ye?” I turned around and saw him standing there with Kapel, Uone, and a few others. A lot of the people on deck looked over at us as they did they’re work, “What do you need Deshon” I said without showing any emotion, Deshon was nearly twice my age (I was only 18 at the time yet most saw me as being in my early twenties, if I haven’t mentioned before I was big for my age) “I want to know where we is go’n” He had a crooked smile, show his three missing teeth. “We are heading due west for Reins” He put on a bigger, more crooked grin “Well ain’t dat nice, what we gonna do there?” I eyed his twitchy hand which held onto his knife, his pals were doing the same. Metch got next to me, he had his axe leaning on his shoulder “To get away from the Teramonts, after that we are heading for Greensharde and then Mortanspeal, we will drop off anyone from Reins there” His eye’s changed color almost, they changed from careless to nervous “Well now I got meh another question boy” I disliked him calling me boy “Why is it that you’z calling dese here shots when you is nothing but a child!” He drew his knife and so did his companions, Metch held out his axe and Elberl and Jeor were armed with Cranton behind them. Drisky sat up on the rigging with an arrow drew back pointed at them. Some of the oar slaves were watching in haste, unsure who to side with. “All I wants is for us to vote a new leader” He said noticing armed conflict would not be in his favor, the other people we had taken aboard seemed to like the idea as they nodded to each other. Deshon raised his arm up with the knife in the other “All in favor as me as the leader?” His friends raised their hands quickly and so did a few others, he looked about for more hands but found only 16. I gave him a smug smile as I raised my hand “All in favor of me remaining in charge?” I smiled wider as I saw 52 hands at least, he looked upset as he saw all the hands raised but he scratched his head in wonder, I suddenly realized that there was maybe 50 or so hands which were not raised. “Are we done here?” Deshon looked unsteady and mad, his friends gently pulled their leader away, I went up by the steerage “Elberl come here” He came over with a blank face “Aye Lad?” I spoke to him in a whisper “Why didn’t those other people we took on not vote, isn’t that strange to you?” Elberl scratched his ear “Perhaps they were scared of Deshon?” “No they wouldn’t be afraid of him, some of those rescued Oar slaves are bigger than he is, maybe they got another leader among them?” Elberl nodded “That could be, you know I am almost positive I did not see Mertia, Teerence and some guy Guillen we rescued at the village not vote, I am quite sure they probably know something about it, Mertia definitely isn’t someone to not express her opinion” I was in agreement, it certainly was strange “Tell Apalle to come down to my cabin as soon as possible, we’ll find out.” He nodded and walked off to find Apalle. I went back down the stairs on my way to my cabin and I happened to bump into Mertia “Hey Dole, everything alright?” I felt a bit nervous for some reason “Uh alright? Yeah everything is fine, why wouldn’t it be?” She looked at me with a smile “The thing with Deshon?” She seemed like see was studying my expressions “Yeah well it happens, I’m sure it will be smooth sailing from here to Reins” She nodded “First Tavern we get to I’ll buy you a drink for busting us out, sound good?” I shook her hand “Yeah sure thing, I’ll see you then” I briskly walked to the cabin as she went over to Guillen and some of the people we had just taken on, it seemed so strange, everything was getting stranger. I sat down on the leather chair in front of a table, probably where the captain ate all his meals and did his paper work, I decided to search the cabinets of it and I found one was locked, some others had maps, Ink and Paper, a small bag of coins, and some rather useless items, then as I ran my hand under it I found a nob and I turned it and found inside there was a key, I had an idea what it was for. I inserted the key into the hole and it was unlocked but it took me some effort to pull the cabinet open, rusty lock I guessed. Turned out a paper was stuck it its hinges, the cabinet was much larger than the others, there was 4 large bars of gold which would amount to thousands of coins, and some important papers, seemed the ship’s captain had been away for quite some time. I started reading through some of the papers, it turned out this was a merchant ship that was to go to Kentrine and sell wine and bring back a few criminals as slaves but mostly they dealt with buying a type of ore called Kristarin which was used to burn, large amounts were highly explosive and it could only be found in certain isles in Tannermith which Reinmith controlled according to the papers, it looked very suspicious, I also found some valuable gems which we could sell.

All of the money we had taken from the Teramonts would be divided among everyone so that everyone could get a fresh start in the world away from the shackles. The door opened quietly and I quickly closed the cabinet and slide the key back into its hiding place and stood up where Apalle was. “Close the door behind you” I said as I put some of the maps down in front of me on the desk “He shut the door obediently “What would you have of me captain?” I looked at him closely “Can I trust you Apalle?” He nodded wildly “Yes sir, you bet, I voted for you” I smiled “Its fine, I knew I could, Jeor told me how you helped him separate us from the ship” He grinned pleased that I had heard of his deeds “So I need you to do something else” He looked at me a little curious “What sir?” I laughed quietly “No need for sir, I am just guiding us to safety” He nodded with a very curious face “So what is it you need me to get done” I looked down with a slight smirk “Nothing too hard, just found out why Tereence did not vote, see what’s the opinion of how things are around, we need to stay on course to get somewhere safe and I am almost sure Deshon is going to try something before we reach land.” He grinned happy at what an important job he had been given “Done si..I mean Dole, I won’t let you down!” He hurried out to door, I chuckled a little at his manner as the door shut. Hopefully I was not right about what Deshon’s plans.

I opened the cabinet back up with the key and placed all the money we had so far into it and anything else that I could fit in that was valuable. I went and sat on the bed, I looked at the Ricari I had, it had served me well enough since the time I found it but it was chipped and well used and even a bit rusty, I decided it was time to do away with it, I hoped to never need a sword again, I tossed it out the back open window, I watched as it hit the water and sank beneath the sparkly blue waters of the Great South Sea. The water reminded me of Home, the beach, the waters were a bit grey but on clear summer days it was always clear and blue. I felt like I needed some fresh air, I went outside the cabin to the deck where some were fishing or just going about their business, recently some seemed restless with the unrest between some of us, I had heard stories from Uncle Rammel about a great Trimden King who was betrayed at sea by his crew. Of course this was certainly not the same case, I hope at least, Larissa came up behind me “Hello Dole, where’ve you been?” I smiled warmly glad to see her “I was just in the cabin looking at some maps” She held my chin and squished my face “Why do you look so gloomy?” I laughed as I pulled her hand from my face “I’m not, when did you become my mother” She took my hand “When you needed one” I put my arm around her shoulder “What are we going to do when we get to land, any ideas?” I hadn’t really thought it through “What’d you mean going to do? Everyone goes their separate ways, me and you, and Jeor, and whoever else that got taken with us can go back to Norrenel” I leaned on the railing as I spoke “Yes but what is there for us at Norrenel?” She looked at me in utter puzzlement “To find your uncle, find what is left, it’s our home!” I felt like I was not understood “That is not what I mean Larissa, and we don’t even know if my uncle is alive or anything besides it was burned to ash” She looked like she was going to let down a storm of tears “Why are you like this, we have to go home!” I felt frustrated “There is no home!” A few people nearby including Jeor heard me yell, she went off holding back her tears into the cabin, I felt terrible and I realized what I had done. I leaned over the side looking down at the water holding my face in distress, I felt a hand on my back and I heard Jeor’s friendly voice “It’s alright, you are not wrong probably but you shouldn’t yell at her, your friends and loved ones weren’t the only ones killed” He chuckled a bit “I doubt those Teramonts got your uncle, he is probably alive and drunk as always” I eased into a better mood “I suppose” I was tempted to go and apologize from Larissa but Jeor stopped me from walking off “Give her some time alright?”

I nodded “Yeah, alright” I had so many emotions bubbling around in my head but I tried keeping a straight face as I passed Berisk and Metch who followed me up to the top of the cabin near the steering wheel “Dole” I glanced back where Metch was and I turned around “Hey Metch, what do you need?” Metch was never much for idle conversation so I guessed it wasn’t to chat “I found something you might want to see, it is at the bottom deck, Berisk found it while he was searching for valuables down there the other day” I looked over at Berisk as he put on a nervous grin “Valuables you say?” I looked at him curious “So what is it that you found?” Berisk looked at Metch and back at me “We really don’t know, we think it’s some kind of rock?” Metch shrugged “Don’t look at me, I’m not miner.” All three of us went down to the bottom deck where they said they found the rock “In the front or back?” I said looking back at them as we came down the stairs, “Back” said Metch. We made our way past boxes and such and found a large box with its top missing and a Blackish-blue rock which gave off a bluish dust when I picked a little up “Who have you told about this?” They looked at one another “Uh just you?” I put the rock back down and wiped it off “Good, don’t tell anyone else, I think it is something called Kristarin, it can burn quickly and is highly explosive, keep torches and such away from it, its probably worth some coin so we can sell it when we get to Reinmith.” Berisk seemed to have a question as I closed it up “Isn’t today your birthday?” I smiled glad to hear someone remembered that today was the day (Not many knew though in the first place) “Happy to know you remembered, who told you anyway?” Berisk was about to open his mouth until Metch punched him in the arm “Ouch, what was that..” Metch pushed him to the side “Jeor told us, he said to wish you happy birthday” I looked oddly at Berisk who was rubbing his arm with a nervous grin “Is everything alright?” I said eyeing them both coolly, Metch rarely changed his facial expression but Berisk looked to be hiding something “We can going to get going, we are supposed to help Elberl move some stuff into the kitchen “By all means” I said as I watch them leave. I turned back to the strange rock. I placed some other small boxes on top of it and in front to deter anyone from looking inside, I walked up the stairs and shut the door.

I turned to see Mertia in front of me, again. “Hey Mertia, can I help you with something?” She looked at me head to toe “What were you doing down there with Metch and Berisk?” I quickly tried to think up some lie to say “Uhm well we were…..getting some ale barrels” She looked at me with a huge smile and started laughing, I looked at her in frustration at her laughing at my explanation “What is so funny might I ask?” She stopped herself long enough to speak “If you are going to make up a lie make a good one” I blushed and smiled nervously “But?” She bumped my shoulder playfully “I know you lied because……You don’t drink, second we got tons of ale, and third where are the barrels of ale” I looked at the ground “You got me, we find a very small chest of gold bars, don’t go down there and touch it, alright?” She curled her lip with a playfully smile “Maybe I’ll go peek at it, if its real” I pushed her back a bit “No, go find someone else to bother, stop getting in my business” Mertia looked at me with a face of heart break “You think I’m nosey!” I slapped my forehead “No, you are just…” She looked at me with a smile “Nosey” She tried passing me but I caught her arm and she pushed me back against the wall “Don’t play rough, if you do I’ll have to” I started getting a little mad “Let go of my shirt?” She let go and then went to open the door “Go ahead, look for a chest that is in my cabin, Metch snuck it out.” She turned around “Really?” Still searching my face for me to betray the truth, “I’m going to get going by the way, enjoy searching” She smirked as I turned away “Happy birthday by the way” I stopped without turning “Thanks, next time don’t man-handle the birthday boy” We both chuckled as I went up to the next deck into the kitchen where some women were cooking quite a bit of food, Cranton stood in the doorway “Ah, hello Dole, you need anything to eat?” I looked at him feeling a bit insulted that everyone seemed to be stepping in my way “Uh, can I come in the kitchen?” She stepped out of the way “Sorry mate, cook lady asked me to stop everyone who enters so no one sticks their hands in the….pots” I nodded, the lady who had taken over the kitchens was Glenda, a nice old lady from Reinmith who had ran a tavern before being carried away by Teramont pirates, she probably cooked on their ships because she was awfully good at cooking in a ship’s kitchen “May I enter Glenda?” She nodded as she stirred some soup, I noticed there was A LOT of food being made and something was cooking in the huge oven “What do you guys heat the stove with?” I said curious “Coal, there is a bunch in the other room” I nodded, she was adding some stuff to the soup as I spoke to her “What is for dinner may I ask?” She looked up from the soup, her grey hair shining off the light from the stove “Many things” I smiled assured of a good dinner for my birthday which was really nice “Alright thanks, I’ll get out of your way then” I went outside and heard Cranton’s voice “Happy birthday” I my head a bit “Thanks” seemed Jeor had told quite a number of people. I went up to the next deck where I saw Deshon in one of the bunkrooms playing cards with his friends, he gave me a look of disgust, I kept heading up until I got to the top deck and breathed in the fresh air. I could see the sky starting to turn a little darker, it seemed a bit over cast which was alright, it was almost night. I then went to the front of the ship and looked out at the horizon, judging by the maps we were perhaps two thirds the way there, it only took a week or more with a fast ship and a direct course, Corause had said that we had hit a stream as he called it, it ran through the center of the Great south sea and around Reinmith, he said we’d be a day ahead or so. I heard footsteps come up behind me, probably more people coming to wish me happy birthday. I turned around and saw someone I did not expect.

It was Deshon, Kapel, and Uone “You need something Deshon?” Only a few people were on deck, most’ve them I didn’t know, only Hemure and Corause were nearby but they gathering some rope for rigging. Deshon smiled as he walked a bit closer “You know boy, I was so glad t’ be rescued, thanks for rescuing meh and me boys but I was discouraged to see that a boy is giving orders to everyone” I eyed him up, he only had a knife but it was big, I had nothing, I had sadly thrown my weapon away earlier. “Have I done something to offend you because to be honest I have no idea what the problem is?” He looked at me with a smirk “Some mouth ye got on ye, like being the boss eh?”  I was silent and I looked at his hand as it inched towards his knife, I saw a bucket next to me, I moved fast and took it in my hand and smashed it into his face as he drew his knife, his two friends drew and came at me as their leader fell to the ground holding the side of his face. They both stopped last second, they seemed to lose their nerve “You two do not need to do this, we are on the same side” I said trying to talk them out of it as I stood ready to defend myself, I saw Hemure running up behind one, Kapal looked at me with clenched tenth trying to make a choice “No!” He swung at me but I got out of the way in time, Hemure tackled Uone who was probably going to slink away. I grabbed Kapal’s arm and twisted it and the knife fell out, I then put him in a headlock and pulled him to the ground. “I told you not to do it” Corause was by me using the rope they had to tie them both up along with Deshon. Drisky and Jeor were helping as we locked them up in a spare room on the second deck. We came back up topside and it was almost darkness, I shook Hemure’s hand “Thanks, you very well saved my life, I couldn’t of taken both of them alone.” He nodded, never being much for words, I shook Corause’s hand as well as I walked down back the the stairs with Jeor “So another close encounter with death eh?” I looked over at him and stopped him “Not a word about this to Larissa” He smirked “Oh you mean about the guys that didn’t almost stab you to death.” I gave him a stern face “No problem, not a word.” “Did you tell everyone it was my birthday by the way?” He looked at me really puzzled “Birthday?” I was surprised he did not remember but that someone else told them “Wow that is nice, you didn’t remember my birthday.” He scratched his head and looked over at me “how am I supposed to know it was your birthday! Not like we got a calendar on board. “ I laughed “Funny you said that because we got one in my cabin and one outside the kitchen” He looked frustrated “No, it’s not fair, I didn’t know what day it was” I patted him on the shoulder “It is fine, I just find it strange that Berisk and Metch said you told them” Jeor rubbed one of his eyes “No impossible” I nodded “They were acting a bit strange” We had stopped on the stairs but then continued down and then Cranton appeared “Ello Dole, I’ve been looking for you, Elberl said he needs you in the dining hall right away, something happened.” As if this day couldn’t get any worse I said to myself, we hurriedly jogged to the dining hall and I enter the room to a yell “HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOLE!” I saw maybe 40 people in the room where food was laid out and a big cake in the center, most everyone I considered a friend or that I escaped with were in the room, I walked through the room as everyone patted me on the back and said happy birthday to me, even Larissa was there and she hugged me and kissed me on the cheek as I spoke into her ear “Can you forgive me for earlier” She spoke into my ear “Mhm, I need you talk to you later though” I felt better “Sure” She smiled as I shook some hands “Happy birthday!” said Berisk “Oh I see, hehe, nice work on the party” I said as I shook his hand “Wasn’t me, it was Jeor, Cranton, and Metch here” Metch smiled which was rare and I went to shake his hand but he grabbed me and gave me a hug which almost crushed me “Alright, down big guy” He went back to his blank face as he put me down. I shook Elberl’s hand “Nice work Elberl” He laid his other hand on my shoulder “All for you lad, take it as our way of saying thanks for getting us out of those tight spots.”

He let go of me and then Mertia came up to me, “You knew about this too?” She nodded trying to make a devious “Yep” I chuckled “And you called me a liar” She laughed “I never told you anything” Then Jeor rang a bell “Can I have everyone’s attention please?” Everyone looked at him “Just for the record Dole I had no clue at all there was a party, and lets all have a drink in honor of Dole!” Everyone raised their mug of ale, Larissa came over to me and put one in my hand “One won’t hurt Dole” I smiled at her “And one is all I need then” I raised it up and everyone took a drink “To Freedom!” said Jeor, everyone took a drink. Glenda stood up “Let’s cut the cake!” Everyone seemed in agreement, it was honeyed cornmeal cake with sugar on top, it smelled good and tasted even better, Glenda was quite the baker. I sat down next to Larissa and Elberl was going to sit on the other side of me but then Mertia came and sat down instead ignoring Elberl who wasn’t very happy, he went and sat next to her unhappy. They passed around the soup, bread, salad, and Blue fish which had been caught recently, then Elberl spoke to me by leaning behind Mertia “I heard there was a bit of trouble on topside?” Larissa leaned next to me, I could tell. “Uh no, nothing serious, we can talk about it later.” Larissa tapped me on the shoulder “What happened?” She looked a bit commanding, I found it cute. “Nothing happened, nothing to worry about” Larissa looked like she might forget about it but then Mertia leaned over “Oh you didn’t hear hu’n? Yeah well Dole almost got stabbed and thrown over-board, but he looks good now” Larissa sat open mouthed, I was taken back and I had nothing to say “Why didn’t you tell me?” I looked at her as I put my spoon down “I was going to tell you later?” She got up from the table “I’m not hungry anymore” I looked at Mertia who looked very happy with herself. I continued eating, I knew Mertia knew I hadn’t told her, just then as Larissa was going out the door Hemure and Corause came in, Corause bumped into her “Sorry ma’m” She walked right past him, he shurreged and sat down where she just was and started eating right away “Mmm, happy birthday Dole” He said between mouthfuls of soup and bread “What was her problem” I sighed and started eating steadily “Long story” Jeor noticed the table had gotten silent so he jumped up “Who here can sing!? Come Corause, Hemure, how about some sailor songs!” They stood up willingly having scoffed down their food. They started singing some sailor song and Jeor tried singing it with them but he did not know the words, it was a terrible song for dinner but I guess someone probably liked it. After everyone finished eating and Jeor busted out a barrel of ale and a deck of cards I urged myself to leave “Oh come on Dole! What would good o’ Rammel say?” I turned to him walking backwards “He’d be too drunk to say anything that’d make sense” Jeor laughed so hard he fell out of his chair and spilled his ale, obviously he was drunk himself. I walked outside and up the stairs to the top where Hemure and Corause had slipped out earlier with Drisky “Why’d you guys leave the party?” Corause turned to me as Hemure and Drisky climbed up the single sail “Hemure swears we got some rain probably, never known him to be wrong about that, just in case we will stay up a bit in case we need to put the sail down, is Quin still down there?” I nodded “I best fetch him, we need him manning the wheel” “Alright, good luck I am off to bed” I walked off to the cabin and went inside where I found Larissa pacing. She didn’t say anything as I entered and she had changed into her night wear. “Larissa, I thought you would be hungry so I brought you some bread and a bowl of soup” I placed it quietly on the table, I walked over to the bed and took off my jacket and slid my boots off and put them under the bed. “I didn’t want you to worry, I am fine, they didn’t even put a scratch on me” She came and sat next to me “But why, I want to know when you get into trouble, you need to tell me these things” I put my hand on her cheek, mystified as always by her beauty which I find hard to describe on paper.

I’d rather skip the rest of that night to the next morning when I woke up, all you need to know is we understood each other.

I woke up to find Larissa sitting at the table in the captain’s chair eating the food I brought the last night “Soup’s a bit cold but breads nice” I woke up chuckling at how she ate it, I could tell she seemed pretty hungry. “Want me to have them bring something up to you?” She smiled with a little giggle “Am I a queen now?” I got up out of bed and put my shirt and coat on “Your my queen” I kissed her on the forehead and put on my boots. “I am going to get them to bring you something up, I also have to check in on some things” She nodded as I closed the door. It was early that morning, maybe an hour after dawn, and the strangest thing was that there was a red sunrise, I had never seen that before but it was still beautiful. Corause and Hemure were awake yet Drisky was asleep next to them on a box, they were both drinking “Dole!” Said Hemure, I turned around and looked at him, seemed he didn’t get any sleep or little at least “Storm is coming” I laughed “Look at the sky, impossible” he laughed as well “Ye know captain, Red sunrise means storm” I studied his expression which was plain “Well if I see big giant clouds I’ll come get you” He felt insulted and he walked away, I didn’t really care if there was a storm, I was still back in the cabin with Larissa. I hurried down to the Kitchen where breakfast was being prepared by Glenda “Hello Dole, how’d you sleep last night?” I looked around in the kitchen “Oh good, can I have two plates of pancakes” She nodded with a beam and served up the two plates which I took up to the top deck and into a cabin in a hurry. Larissa had changed into her favorite light blue dress, the only thing she had left from Home. “Here’s pancakes for the queen” She giggled and sat down and tried to control her appetite, I just started eating as I poured a little honey on which I had took from the kitchen. “So Hemure said there will be a storm” I kept eating but she paused “Wait, did he say how big or when it’d be here?” I did not look up from my plate “No he didn’t say exactly but it don’t matter, there won’t be a storm today and we’ll be long gone from this area of water come tomorrow” She was not so sure as I was “Are you positive, you know they’re sailors and you are not” I took a drink of water “Well perhaps your right but what should we do? I mean besides keeping quiet about it I don’t see what else we could possibly do, Hemure and Corause are handling everything fine.” She went back to eating “You are probably right but what if your wrong.” I looked up at her with the most commanding think I could muster “I’ll keep you safe” She smiled and blushed a bit “How do you know?” I playfully chuckled “Because I will be as if I am your shadow all day” She giggled “Yeah I don’t think so, you probably have things to do, I’ll be fine.” I finished eating and went over to a chest where there was a spare sword, it was a bastard sword, more of a weapon of war, it was exactly what I could use, it was probably the captain’s. I slide it into its sheath and attached it to my belt and I gave Larissa a kiss before I left. “Fear no my lady, I shall return” She stacked the plates as she spoke “I should hope so” I shut the door behind me slowly and I noticed the sun had risen. A few early birds were up walking about on the ship, one happened to be Elberl “Hey Dole, how’d you sleep?” I rubbed my eyes as I spoke “I slept well” I yawned “How’d things go with Larissa last night” I went near the end and looked into the sea “Things have never been better, went alright” He nodded gladly “Very good, I’ll be below decks getting some grab.” Elberl walked away and then I noticed as I looked into the water we were turning to the left a little too much. I went up to the top of the cabin where Quin was asleep at the wheel “QUIN!” I shouted as he fell backwards in terror, I then grabbed the wheel and turned us on what I thought was the course “How long have you been sleeping you lazy lump!” I was very angry with Quin “Uh maybe six minutes” I cursed under my breath, it was long enough to get off course “We’ll be lucky if we find the current again” Quin looked at the deck in a pouty mood “I was tired” He said softly. I turned around “Yeah well you should’ve got someone to man the wheel for you while you go off sleeping, now we might not get to Reinmith for another day even since we lost that current” Corause came up to the deck “What’s the problem mate? Why are we off the current?” I pointed back at Quin “This guy decided to take a nap on the wheel. Corause looked at Quin with disgust “One of us could’ve taken over for you, in fact Hemure offered but you said no” Quin felt like he was being cornered “I am tired of everyone thinking I can’t take care of myself because I happen to be short, I can pull my own weight” Corause sniggered “Wow, wonderful little man” Quin stormed off and went below decks, tierd of dealing with Mortanspealers. In my mind it had nothing to do with Quin being short, it was the fact he didn’t hand someone else the wheel. Hemure took the wheel from me, I ascended down the stairs and gave Jeor some instructions who had just woken up and had a terrible hangover “I need you to get at least 10 of the most able bodied people we rescued and get them to Corause, try to get anyone with boat experience so he doesn’t need to tell them too much, we might have a storm on our hands” Jeor then turned away and threw up over the railing “awwww I feel so sick, why did I drink all that..” He threw up again. I couldn’t help myself from chuckling at him as he tried to speak “I’ll do it..” “Alright good, make sure you do it soon” I could hear him still throwing up and I ran into Apalle on my way back to the Cabin “Ah, Apalle, how’d you like the party last night?” He nodded and handed me a slip of paper without saying a word regarding it. “I enjoyed myself, good cake.” I shook his hand and walked inside the cabin, Larissa had gone down to the Kitchens, it was one of the few things she did besides sit around the cabin. I opened the note and sat in the captain’s chair

“Dear captain, it turns out that Mertia has befriended a few of the Oar slaves we rescued and they got their friends to not vote, I think they were planning to vote for her next time Deshon asked for a vote. I also have not been able to find Deshon in his sleeping quarters much earlier this morning, I do not know why, neither of his two friends were there either. General mood around is very good, most of the new arrivals are fine with your leadership besides Deshon and a few others.

Yours truly and always a friend -Apalle-

I looked up from the paper deep in thought, I had known all about Deshon, and I knew exactly where he was but I was surprised that Mertia did this, not that it was really terrible, she wasn’t planning a mutiny but I felt a bit betrayed that she tried to making a plan to take charge although I seriously doubt it would’ve worked. I held the piece of paper over a candle, Apalle had proven resourceful, he seemed like a good lad, anyway I planned to talk to Mertia about it. I walked outside the Cabin and I saw what I didn’t want to believe, Black clouds over in the distance as I saw the people manning the rigging run about as Corause shouted to them. Elberl was getting everyone below decks as Jeor was still sick on the railing, I went over and helped Jeor into my cabin “Come on you miserable wretch, let’s go” I said with a grin, he looked at me with a sickly smile “name calling now?” I brought him in and sat him in a wooden chair, I could feel the ship rocking rapidly, the waves were growing fast. “Stay inside and don’t come out for anything until the storm passes” Before I went back out Jeor grabbed my hand.

“Face it Dole, our luck has run out or maybe the Fire Lizard wants to sink us for burning down his temple!” I laughed “I seriously doubt that a Fire Lizard if even real would try to kill us by using waves and water.” He chuckled as he slumped out of the chair “Well go, let me sleep” I went outside the cabin and rain was started to hit the ship and the first clouds were getting close, they seemed to be coming on all sides but behind us but we could never out run the storm, there was only one thing to do, go straight in. “Elberl get over here!” I called out, Elberl was shutting the storm door to the stairwell that went down through the center of the ship down to the other decks where everyone but Hemure, Corause, Drisky, and 10 others were running about readying the ship for the worst of it. “ELBERL!” I shouted, Elberl was clearly tempted to go help but his fear got the best of him and he ran over inside the cabin just as a big wave hit the side of the boat. The Sky was darkening fast and we could see not too far off the see was getting worse and within minutes we would be in the thick of it. I worried about Larissa but she was safe below deck, probably safer there then I was in here. There I was with Elberl holding onto the wall scared as anything, I had never seen him so scared, then there was Jeor still sick and still a little drunk, he probably had a few drinks after he woke up as well, he was laughing as Elberl tried to explain his fear “You don’t understand you drunk, my house got swept away with me inside in a huge flood with tons of rain and high winds so stuff your gob!” Jeor continued laughing madly “Big tough Elberl scared of the rain!” He was obviously drunk and didn’t mean it but Elberl looked extremely demoralized as he held onto a bookshelf nailed into the wall “Don’t worry mates, if we sink we’ll sink together.” Jeor looked at me with a great big grin “I like the sound of that, too bad I couldn’t have gotten myself a women before dying!” Elberl did not like the sound of sinking and drowning “I really don’t see how that makes anything better Dole, and why would I want to die with that drunk?” Jeor gave a crazy grin as he stood up and fell trying to get back up. We could hear waves smashing into the ship and I quickly opened the door to see Corause screaming “GET TO COVER YOU FOOLS!” He had tied himself to the railing and just then a wave swap over the deck and took one of the freed Oar slaves over the side as he screamed in terror, his cries were muted by the storm, spray hit my face as I watched in horror lightning strike the mast and it snapped off and fell into the sea with three of the Oar slaves on it and Drisky in the crows next, then a wave smashed into the ship and some water hit me in the face as I shut the door and fell back hitting my head, I managed to shut the door before I went out cold.

Two years before the raid on my village I was in town with uncle Rammel who had talked me into coming in the tavern “Come on Dole, ye coward” I didn’t like being called a coward so I went into the tavern “Alright but I am not going to have a drink, mother would beat me if she found out I did” Uncle Rammel patted me on the back as he guided me in “Let meh deal with yer ol’ mum” He walked up to the bar tender “Two mugs of ale, the best an brownest ye got” He nodded and came back in a moment with two mugs of ale and he sat me down at one of the tables where he happened to know some of the men sitting there “How is me ol’ mates?” Most of them had big bushy beard, half of them had fought with Rammel and my Pa in the war against the Teramonts. “So which one of ye rememba’ that time we all ran into them band of Teramonts raiding that fishing village one of them raised his hand laughing as his beard shook “Ye I recall it Rammel, you took an arrow to the leg and still managed to beat the archer’s head in with a table leg.” They all laughed as they went into the details. I had never liked that story, Rammel had told it to me thirty times over, he and his band of 30 men from Norrenal went into the fishing village to get supplies and found a raiding party of Teramonts, maybe 50 ransacking the village so they jumped into action and killed them to the man taking no quarter, it was quite fantastic, but the most amazing thing was that Uncle Rammel took an arrow and then took a table leg and beat the archer to death with it, then he ripped out the arrow with his teeth and he and a few others jumped on the Teramont galley and killed the guards on board and set the ship ablaze after relieving their stores of a few barrels of ale. Anyway that was the first time I had ever tasted ale, it tasted terrible and the worst part was mother smelled it on my breath and I got sent to bed early and barely escaped a beating.

I awoke and I couldn’t move, I looked up into the sky and saw tons of seagulls flying around and the sun was above me, it was midday, I felt sand beneath me and then I knew we had hit land. I got the sensation back into my body and I stood up and I saw quite the sight, to my left there was boxes, wreckage and drift wood on the beach, some things from our ship and then to my right I saw the ship which had been washed far onto the beach just out of range of high tide, I saw people around it and then I tripped, and I saw the limp body of Berisk in the sand. I started crying over my friend’s body, he was dead, long gone from the world, I took a flat piece of drift wood and laid him on it. I pushed his eyelids shut and I dragged him on the drift wood to the ship where I saw most everyone searching through the wreckage “Dole!” Shouted Corause as he pointed and Larissa started running towards me and nearly tackled me and in a storm of tears started kissing me, I couldn’t help but smile as I gently pulled her away but I held her in my arms “I thought you were dead!” She held me so tight I felt like I could barely take a breath “Larissa I might be if you keep crushing me” She stood up “Sorry, I’m just so happy you are fine, Elberl and Jeor went searching the opposite side of the beach for you, they said the water smashed through the back of the cabin and pulled you out but Elberl stand her had tied you onto the table so you wouldn’t drown if it went under” I looked around “Let me go talk to Corause” I walked over to Corause who was leaning against the ship “Sir?” I came up to him and I looked him head to toe, he was a terrible sight “How many dead?” He shrugged “Confirmed? About 39, not counting Berisk, he was a good lad” I scratched my head in distress “How many dead from the original group?” He slumped down onto the sand “Well Drisky is lost, Berisk is dead, Metch is pulling people out of the bottom decks in the ship, we smashed against a rock and then crashed onto the shore, Glenda got crushed by a table I was told along with most of the people in the Kitchen, we lost everyone who was on topside besides myself, Hemure, and 2 others, Cranton is lost, he got swept away by the waves, Mertia and a group of people are fishing stuff out of the water, Deshon and his two friends are alive, they are over there under a palm tree and apart from some of the freed Oarslaves and Apalle everyone is accounted for.” I was shocked to hear we had lost so many “Apalle is lost, and Cranton?” He nodded sadly “Cranton we know probably got taken by the sea, Apalle is a different story, I know he survived the storm, I saw him swimming to shore, perhaps a shark got him, I don’t know.” Corause was tired and looked beat up so I grabbed Quin who looked like he had been taking charge “Quin I want everyone over there under those trees, get everything useful out of the ship and gather up the bodies and lay them out and we will have a funeral for them all” He nodded, Larissa came up behind me “Where are you going Dole?” I turned around to her with a face of desperation “These people need you, look at them, see how scared they are, you need to keep up the morale while I look for everyone who hasn’t turned up found or dead” She nodded and sniffeled “Be strong Larissa” She tried to make a little smile as I slipped my hand out of hers and started walking down the coast. I ran into Mertia who was close to the ship “AH! I knew you’d live Dole.” I looked at her with a blank face “I know what you tried to pull, get everyone over to those trees and listen to Quin till I get back.” She looked at me puzzled “Pull?” I kept walking and said nothing to her, I passed by huge rocks as I disappeared from sight. It looked a little like jungle, the Reinmith Isles were known for tropical fruits and even some rain forests but not on the big island. I kept walking up the coast, there was only drift wood on the beach but no sign of Elberl and Jeor and then I heard the clank of metal on metal and I saw the flash of a sword down the beach and I broke into a jog and then a sprint.

As I neared them I saw 5 men in armor baring a three purple swords with a black circle around it, they looked at Reinmith soldiers, Jeor and Elberl had been forced into the shallows, two of them saw me coming and came towards me, I realized I luckily still had my sword and I drew it but I stopped and called to Jeor and Elberl “GET TO ME!” The reinsmen cursed under their breath “Teramont Scums!” One swung at me with his hand axe but I jumped back “WAIT! We aren’t Teramonts, we are escaped prisoners from Teramont!”  They all looked at each other and stopped, Elberl and Jeor had made their way to me through the shallows and were on either side of me teeth clenched and swords out “How do we know you aren’t just saying that, we know that a squadron of Teramont ships were sunk not far from here, you could’ve came here on row boats!” I saw this wasn’t going anyway and I made a choice, it was the only one “Fine, that is too bad you can’t see the truth” I threw sand in the one’s eyes who didn’t have a slit helmet “RUN!” I shouted and Elberl broke into a run but then the other Teramont almost clipped my arm with his axe but then Jeor intervened from behind and rammed his sword through the Reinsmens Chainmail and he fell to the ground screaming in pain ‘NO JEOR!” Jeor realized what he had done and the other three Reinsmens were shouting as they tried running after us but one of them tripped and they couldn’t catch us in their armor and they all stopped cursing at us “DIRTY TERAMONTS! YOU’LL PAY FOR THIS!” We kept running and Jeor was lagging a bit and I turned to help him and realized he had a slash on his arm “Come on lets go lean on me” He took me up on the offer and we tried to move as fast as possible, I passed the big rocks and we kept going, we all felt like our hearts were going to explode but we reached the wreckage and the makeshift camp. “What happened?” Said Quin “We ran into those friendly Reinsmen who gave Jeor a gift” we sat Jeor down and Mertia put a bandage around his arm. “Quin come here” He came over, he seemed oddly calm for what was happening “Did you find everyone?” He scratched his head “No but we found everyone but 2 of the freed oar slaves, 4 more dead, all were freed oar slaves and Apalle we found not too far in the jungle with his throat slit so I posted some guards around the area in case, we also found some dry food for at least a week and we picked some fruit, we have weapons, some linens, clothes, plenty of barrels of ale, they seemed to float well, we have a few beds and plenty of wood for fires, Teerence and Hemure are going to make a big fire for everyone to dry off who needs to, also I think Corause is lost his marbles” I looked at Quin with a serious face “Corause? Are you kidding me, he is as tough as nails, are you saying this because he made fun of you the other day” He nodded left to right “No, I swear” I looked over at Corause who was clearly in need of a drink “Give him water before he dies, you should’ve gave him some before” Metch came up to me with one of the freed Oar slaves “Dole, this man says he served as a scout in the Rimdindale Army” I looked at him up and down, he had thick blonde hair and was clean shaven and was maybe one of the most well-built and sturdy of the Oar slaves “Name?” He gave me a crude Smirk “Ciore” He said looking straight forward “He wishes to help” Metch nodded “I was hoping me and him could make sure those Reinsmen don’t get near the camp, we have too many wounded to defend it properly, let us go make sure they don’t come near” He made a reasonable point which I accepted.

“Alright, here is the deal go to the Big rocks over there in the distance and wait for them to come before you spring the trap, Ciore can use a bow?” Ciore nodded “I can use a bow better than any man here.” I chuckled at his eagerness “Alright, go, return when it is done.” They picked up their weapons and ran off to the rocks. I walked around the tents looking at everyone, we were in terrible shape, most everyone was too weak to bury the bodies so we would have to do it the next day. The sun was starting to go down and I went under Larissa’s tattered tent she had set up, I laid my head in her lap, I hoped I could sleep easy with Elberl running the guard shifts. She ran her fingers through my hair as she sang to me, I slowly drifted off to sleep.

Meanwhile, Metch and Ciore were hidden in the bushes as three Reinsmen trotted slowly down the beach following the tracks made by myself, Elberl, and Jeor. Ciore drew back his arrow and Metch readied his axe, they could hear the Reinsmen speaking to one another “Ha, see I told you I got one of them” The other spit on the ground “Ye think they are really Teramonts?” The second one said, the third one with the slit helmet stopped both of them as he drew his hand axe “I sense an ambush, this is the perfect place” Ciore and Metch sat silent in the bushes and they looked at one another with blank faces. The third one and probably the dimmest spoke “Why is it the best place for an ambush?” The one with the slit helmet was clearly in charge “How about you shut up” They all stopped talking. “Aife, go look ahead quietly” Out of the three Aife had the lightest armor, he stayed low to the ground and came up close near Metch but passed by unknowing to them being there, then he turned around and said out loud to his comrades “Nope, no ambush here” And just as he said that an arrow screwed itself in the back of his neck and he held it through the other end gurgling as blood sprayed onto the sand and he collapsed, Metch ran out and hurled his axe at the Teramont who the one with the slit helmet pushed in front of him so he could save himself. The Axe hit the Reinsmen right in the chest and he watched as they both came out of the bush, helpless Metch ripped the axe from his chest and he went lifeless. The third Reinsmen was not running, instead he went behind the rock, every time he looked around the rock an arrow would hit the side of the rock and he got back behind the rock, and then Metch called to him. “Why’d you attack us?” The Reinsmen was astounded by this “YOU ATTACKED US! YOU KILLED MY MEN! WE WERE ONLY BRINGING THEM IN FOR QUESTIONING AND THEN THEY DECIDE TO DRAW!” Metch breathed out and sighed. He told Ciore to go around the right while he went around the left, they crept slowly up and then Metch broke into a sprint and ran up to the Reinsmen who was not a small man like his comrades, he was only half a foot shorter than Metch. He carried a hand axe and a big round iron shield and he was in full man at arms armor while Metch only had a battle axe and a leather tunic. Ciore shot an arrow at the Reinsmen and it knocked him off balance but the armor deflected it. Metch charged up and shoved him back and swung his axe into the dirt but then the Reinsmen grabbed the axe head with his mail gloves and kicked Metch in the groin who fell backwards. The Reinsmen then charged at him with his axe in the air but Metch grabbed his arm and flipped him over and then picked up the Reinsmen’s axe he had just dropped and hit him in the head with it, he put a giant dent in the helmet and the helmet came off, the Reinsmen then got up and punched Metch in the head, the Reinsmen pulled out a dagger and went at Metch, Metch grabbed his arm, snapped his wrist and smashed his head into the rock at least ten times in raged. Metch picked up his axe and threw all the Reinsmen on driftwood boards and they pulled them away to be striped, all in a day’s work for Metch.

I awoke early the next morning, I got up while Larissa was still sleeping, the camp was quiet, most everyone was still sleeping besides a few. The waves crashed against the shore softly as the sun came up over the trees. I was rested, and I had a better perspective of our position, I went over to the camp fire in the middle of the camp where Metch, Ciore, and Elberl were talking quietly, I came and sat down. “How’d it go last night?” I asked, Metch poked the fire with a sword “Well enough, we brought back the bodies and stripped them of their gear, we got some decent armor and a few more swords, found some coin as well, all three dead.” I then remembered that there was four “Where is the fourth one?” Metch looked at me clueless “No, only three we saw.” Elberl punched the sand next to him “This isn’t good, they probably sent him to get reinforcements or something.” Elberl was probably right so I planned to get the camp moved into the woods, our position was clear, out of 126 people 43 were dead, and a few people including Cranton and Drisky were missing, we lost half our supplies, a large portion of our weapons, and morale was at an all-time low, the worst part was that now we were being threatened by Reinsmen whom I thought would be friendly but it turns out they saw us as hostiles. We broke camp directly after breakfast, we moved about a mile into the jungle, I stayed behind with Teerence, Quin, Ciore, and another fellow who seemed to be useful with making fires named Zebble. I found the big box of Ore which I had previously planned on selling, it would be useful in destroying the ship. We lit fires all over it and I took a torch and threw it in through a hole, it fell onto of the ore, I pulled everyone back a safe distance. The whole thing went up in flames and the front where the ore was practically exploded and the ship was soon engulfed in flame, the heat of it hit my face, the ship was gone.

Then I heard the sounds of horses “QUICK ARM YOURSELVES!” We had gotten the Reinsmen’s attention, 10 men on horses rode up not far off and called out to us “IN THE NAME OF KING DECLEN! SURRENDER YOUR ARMS, YOU WILL COME WITH US!” I had a feeling they would probably execute us, chances were we were done for. Teerence being a Reinsmen appointed himself spokesmen and started walking towards them with his hands high and open “We are run-away slaves from Teramont, I am a Reinsmen who has returned home, we do not want any trouble, I am a good loyal subject to his majesty.” One of the Reinsmen dismounted and walked up to Teerence who was now in the middle between us and the Riders. “Will you surrender yourself?” He looked at him strangely, Teerence expected a different answer “Uh yes but why are you arresting us?” The Reinsmen captain grabbed Teerence by the throat “Which one of you goes by the name of Dole” My blood ran cold, I turned around and pointed to the jungle, Ciore took my meaning and bolted. Teerence spit out words while being strangled “He is…” He pointed at me, then the Captain pushed his sword into Teerence who fell down in a pool of blood “Kill any who don’t surrender, take that one alive” The horsemen came charging towards us, Quin was already bolting into the water and Ciore was running the other way but not before firing an arrow, his shot was precise, it hit one of the riders in his eye and he fell back off his horse, dead before he hit the sand. Zebble picked up a sword and tried to fight off the attackers but a saber cut into his face and he fell back screaming in pain holding his face. I drew my sword and backed up as 3 dismounted and encircled me as the rest chased after Ciore. The Captain came closer and spoke as he cleaned his sword with a rag “You know, I must say your men must not hold you in high regard, they seem to….lack loyalty” My eyes flashed between the three Reinsmen ”Take him alive, wounded is fine just nothing fatal” One came up from behind me and grabbed hold of my two arms and disarmed me, then his two comrades came charging at me, I felt as if I was back home, brawling with Picket and the Yuffel boys. I kicked out my legs and got one of them in the groin, he fell to the ground in pain, the other one tried to stab me in the side but I moved with all my strength and he stabbed his friend’s leg. I then got loose and made a break for the woods but the captain stood in my way “Just surrender and I won’t have to hurt you” I picked up sand and threw it in his eyes, he swung his sword and it slashed into my arm, I wheeled back in pain and then I was tackled by two of the Reinsmen. They tied my hands as I kicked and thrashed, they picked me up and put me on a horse, the captain came up to my face “So good of you to join us, you know I lost two veteran man-at-arms today because of you, I am sure we can be able to repay you in full” I spit in his face and cursed him “Go to h..” He punched me in my face and he stuffed his blood stained rag in my mouth, I tried hard to spit it out of my mouth but I couldn’t, I almost threw up I felt so sick. The Reinsmen rode fast away from the ship with me on the back of one of their horses, I was a prisoner once more.

Quin came back from the water after the Reinsmen had rode off with me in tow, he snuck quietly around the charred and still burning ship over to where my sword was, he also inspected the dead Reinsmen with an arrow protruding from the back of his skull, he also found his horse. He decided to ride as fast as possible and tell Elberl what had happened so he jumped onto the horse and rode as fast as he could. Meanwhile Ciore was still being chased by one other Reinsmen, the others had given up but this one was set on getting him, Ciore stayed hidden behind a tree as the rider approached, he jumped out and put an arrow in his arm, the rider came at him irate and swinging, he hit the tree where Ciore’s head was before he ducked, then he jabbed the horse with his bow and the horse bucked and off came the Reinsmen, the horse broke into a run, terrified and disappeared into the woods, the Reinsmen was in chainmail and he got up and broke the arrow off and drew his second sword baring his teeth at Ciore who only had a small dagger, they circled one another looking for a weakness, Ciore went in with a low thrust but got back handed with a heavy mail glove, he went back and hit into a tree, then the Reinsmen swung his sword but Ciore ducked and it lodged into the tree, luckily the Reinsmen had a second sword. He turned on Ciore who had barely regain his footing and went hard slashing at him, Ciore tried deflecting the blows but his small dagger got hit out from his hand, the Reinsmen stomped out his knee and shoved him to the ground, just then a small axe flew into the Reinsmen’s back just as he raised his sword. Ciore pulled himself to his feet and picked up his bow and dagger, Metch appeared out of the bushes and retrieved his hand axe which he used to throw since he was so large. “Thanks for the help” Metch smiled “Never heard you talk much” Ciore’s expression did not change and he was silent, Metch followed him quietly as they hurried to find Elberl at the new camp.

After getting out of sight of the beach we suddenly stopped and one of the riders dismounted and put a bag over my head, I thrashed as much as I could but it wouldn’t come off, it was hard to breath but I managed. I could hear the horse exerting itself as we rode onwards, I had no idea where we were or what time it was or how long we were riding, I was thirsty, hot, felt sick, and bruised from bouncing around on the back of the horse. All of a sudden we came to a halt and I was taken off the horse and the hood was pulled off, all at once I felt the fresh air in my lungs and the cold night air on my face and my eyes no longer dry and stingy. I was slumped against a tree, more like tied to it, we were in a clearing on the side of a road. There was about 6 Reinsmen besides the captain, they all sat around the fire eating, a few joking or telling stories but the captain paced around and would glance at me a couple times every now and again, I could not figure it out while they had taken me. The captain had a scar running from ear to the side of his mouth, he had a another circle scar on the other cheek which seemed as to be caused from burning, he was lean and he had a short greyish beard yet he was bold. I scanned around the little campsite for any possibility of escape, I searched around as much as I could with my bound hands and I had found a stone which was pointed on one end. I started trying to cut my ropes with it as quickly as possible, it slid it out of sight every time one of the Reinsmen passed by or the captain looked my way.

Meanwhile, Ciore and Metch had arrived at Elberl’s camp, both were weary and no quite in the mood for words but Elberl would have them. “Where is Dole?” Ciore tried drinking and eating bread as Elberl got flustered trying to get some simple answers “Where’d he go!” Ciore was very stressed from almost getting get in two by the Reinsmen “Listen! Reinsmen came, killed Teerence and that other fellow, oh and Quin but then they took Dole away on horseback and one of them chased me into the woods. We killed 3 or 4 of them but Dole is lost, mark my words” Metch who was eating food popped his head up “Dole was taken?” Ciore smiled without sincerity “Oh, more questions? About something so obvious, and I hear no questions about Quin or Teerence” Elberl was quite fed up with his attitude “Listen you brainless fool! Dole is the reason you aren’t still rowing a Teramont raiding ship, show some respect and just answer the questions!” Ciore walked away from Elberl as Metch packed up supplies “Metch what are you doing?” Said Jeor looking at the food he was packing “Going after Dole” Jeor scratched his head deep in thought “I’m coming too” Jeor helped Metch get packed as Elberl yelled “Wait! Where do you two think you are off to!? We can’t go out in single parties searching for him!” Jeor and Metch ignored Elberl as they walked out of camp. Ciore sat against a tree beaming at Elberl, Elberl gave him a look of anguish and disgust, just then Quin rode into camp “Elberl! They killed them all besides Dole and took him captive!” Elberl plopped in front of the fire “I heard..:” Quin was puzzled by the reaction but soon saw Ciore and put one and one together. Elberl had fallen out of favor at camp, some people were either ignoring his commands or did it in displeasure so Quin (Never one to like Elberl much since they set sail) was more than happy to assume the role of leader while I was awhile, maybe even hoping I would never return. The camp was worse than the last, it was put up in a hurry, the ground became muddy quickly and water was not very plentiful but Quin planned on turning it into his own little village. He got his pal Tibult to get him a box that he could stand on in the middle of the camp near the fire, he got on top and cleared his throat “Friends! I have an announcement to make!” Elberl watched quietly from his tent with Hemure and Corause next to him (Still very loyal) seeing how it was going to pan out. “We have been through a lot, but we are not finished and yet I have more bad news, Dole has been taken from Reinsmen! And not only that but a few of us were slain!” some gasped and others looked on with a concerned gaze “But do not worry I have a plan, we will stay here for a while and make a little home, if we keep the fires low no one will ever find us in this forest!” plenty of people agreed since they were sick of moving and wanted a break even if it mean risk. Larissa had gone by Elberl and stayed inside his tent as him, Hemure, and Corause sat outside talking “So Quin appointed himself leader eh?” Said Corause throwing rocks into the woods “Ye, he did lad.” Elberl drink water slowly from his canteen looking over at Deshon and his two friends who had been loose since the storm. “Do either of you know what might’ve happened to Apalle?” Hemure and Corause shrugged their shoulders. “I saw him right after we got beached, he was alive but we found him later with his throat cut and it seemed to concern Dole quite a bit” Elberl was suspicious, I had never mentioned to him that Apalle was helping me keep an eye on Deshon who I believed killed him.

Quin had enlisted the help of Mertia and her friends to try and run things in the camp but it was going poorly, Deshon refused to help with anything and so did anyone still with Elberl but some things were getting done. Quin sent out a few people to search around for nuts, berries, small game, bird’s eggs and even roots, then he sent out another small group to search for wood. Food was running low and it was going to be find to eat, the only person with the last of the food was Elberl who was all out of kindness, he only shared it with Hemure, Corause, and Larissa who were the only ones still following his lead. Quin was charismatic and witty to say the least, his foraging party had brought back 3 rabbits, an assortment of roots and berries and sacks of pears from a lone pear tree not far off. He was over joyed yet the only thing to get to the “group” stores he had set up was roots and most of the pears, everyone else took what was good for themselves. Deshon was hungry and he looked down at his stomach in distress that he did not go and help look for food or wood because now he was going to have to eat half ripe pears and roots but instead he felt like taking a short cut. Tromun was a medium height and medium build kind of guy, simple, nothing really special, he was a farmer from Mortanspeal before being enslaved, he was only 20. He sat at his tent with his friend Linzer who was from Mortanspeal, Linzery was heavy set and he was asleep in the tent as Linzery prepared the two rabbits he had gotten while out foraging. He head the first rabbit (skinned) cooking on a still he was holding over a fire, he looked hungrily at it meanwhile Deshon snuck up slowly behind him where he snatched the second rabbit and slinked away with a large grin on his face, it was late nighttime and most everyone was either asleep or finishing what food they had or had foraged. Deshon was overjoyed as he put a stick through the skinned rabbit and began cooking it over his fire. His two friends` Kapel, and Uone came over from the smells of cooking meat as they dropped their roots “Mmmm, smells good Deshon” Deshon smacked his hand going near the almost finished rabbit “You two get the scraps!” Both of them were disappointed “Come on mate, share yer bounty with us!” Deshon was not in the mood “Shut up and eat your stinking roots or you don’t even get the bones!” Both of them mumbled off and continued chewing on their roots as they looked on in envy of Deshon’s prize which he quickly ate and he gave them the scraps which they almost got into a fist fight over. Deshon was not the brightest but he was strong, big, and he had some cunning in him, he eyed up the situation as it was. Dole was out of the way and his spy Apalle which he silenced forever, but now at camp everyone had broken up into factions and no one was really working together anymore. There was Elberl and a few others who had most of the original supplies scavenged from the ship along with the best weapons and the Reinish armor which was taken. Then there was Quin who most everyone had taken to listening to for some reason, perhaps his kind manner which Deshon hated very much. And finally others who had not made it clear which was an odd few including Ciore, Deshon knew Mertia had been scheming something up but he had no inclination of what it was but for now she seemed to be aiding Quin into fixing up the camp. This was Deshon’s best opportunity since half the camp was at one another’s throats, it was time for him to begin his ultimate scheme. Larissa was lost without me, she looked up at the stars as she laid near the campfire where Hemure, Corause, and Elberl were. Her and Elberl had been friends so she planned on sticking with them since Jeor had left. She felt so alone still and she would shed a tear often but she tried to be strong.

I continued sawing through the rope with the rock but it wasn’t working so I switched hands, it was going through it some but the rope was too thick and the rock too dull, I had to come up with something else. Yet weariness came over me and I fell asleep, I did not fight it for I knew I needed my rest for the journey I’d have in the morning. Morning brought a very nice day, the birds were singing and crickets and other animals could be heard as the sun came up over the trees, Elberl got up rubbing his eyes as he drank from his canteen. He drank slowly as Quin came up to him with Mertia behind him, Elberl put on a false smile “Well, hello master Quin, what’d you need from me lad?” Quin ignored his hidden insult “I need two spears Elberl, all we have is swords, knives and slings for everyone but we need more if we are going to catch that boar Tibult saw yesterday. Elberl laughed at the sight of Quin and Tibult trying to hunt a boar “Word of advice lad but you best go ask Ciore to go get you that boar because you and whoever you send chasing at it trying to stick it with a spear is going to get charged” Quin ignored his advice “Just give me the spears” Elberl did not like taking orders yet if they felt like risking their lives so be it, not like they were his responsibility anymore. “Here, don’t get killed and if you get it be sure to share with everyone” Quin took the spears and walked off as he handed one to Tibult, Mertia caught up with Quin to express caution “Quin, as much as you don’t like Elberl much he is right, best we ask Ciore to get the boar. Quin stopped and stuck his spear in the ground “How’d you expect me to go get Ciore to go get the boar? If he didn’t listen to Elberl why would he listen to me?” She gave him a little smile “Leave that to me.”

Deshon watched from afar at his tent, Kapel and Uone were still asleep. He had taken a good sword from the wreckage of the ship and sharpened it on a wet stone as he watched Quin get most everyone together. “Alright everyone, today we are going to fix up things around the camp, I will send out a small foraging party while everyone else will cut down some trees, we will put some stakes up at the entrance and build a single shack to store supplies in, we might be in Reinmith but they have winters here too only instead of snow it is a rain that lasts for nearly weeks so there is going to be a lot of flooding so we are going to need to also make floors for the tents” Linzery raised his hand “Yes Linzery?” He looked around scratching his bald head “How long are we going to be here?” Quin did not have an answer for that but he came up with one quickly “Until spring” Most everyone felt like staying besides Elberl who knew they weren’t welcomed here, he had almost been killed by the Reinsmen not too long ago on the beach, so did Quin and Ciore but Quin enjoyed being in charge, who knows what Ciore thought. I felt a hard kick to my leg and I woke up, it was morning and it would’ve been a nice day if I was in better circumstances. “Get up scum” I spit at the Reinsmen who punched me square in the face, I saw stars as my face hit the moist grass “Want another criminal?” I felt blood coming from my lip as I recovered “Corporal!” shouted the captain as the Corporal saluted and stood at attention “Sir!” The captain came up to his eyes “Do not hit him again, the Constable wants him unharmed.” The Corporal took down his arm “Yes sir, shall we break camp?” The captain nodded as he put his saddle bag on his horse. I sat up holding my lip “What do you people want of me?” The captain chuckled “Funny you call us that, make us sound so evil but we are only defending our Kingdom from those who would harm her” He came closer to me and looked me in the eyes “I don’t give a damn what the Constable wants you for but all I know is, they found some of your friends washed up further up the coast and they think you are valuable for something, besides that you tell me? Why would anyone want you?” I thought hard “We are run-away slaves from Teramont, we came in peace” He laughed “You haven’t heard have you?”

I looked at him in puzzlement “Heard?” He laughed again “Slaves next to the city Idaris burned a town, killed some people and one of them happened to be the heir to the throne and guess what, there ain’t anymore heirs” He walked off laughing, I was shocked and now I knew why they probably wanted me, I thought hard about the trouble and fighting that took place directly after our escape and then I recalled the Villa where I had found Metch and I remembered the Noble we had spared but it was just that, we let him live, unless he had gotten himself killed in the woods and perhaps we were blamed.

Metch was trying to catch his breath as he tried keeping up with Jeor “Come on Metch, put some spring into that step, we won’t catch them at this pace, they are on horseback” They had been running through the night and were making head way, they had followed the hoof marks in the sand and then in the dirt and even over a stream, they did not know it but they were almost to where I was. “Please…..wait…I need….to….catch…my……..breath” Said Metch between heavy breaths. “Alright, a few minute break I suppose” Jeor sat on a rock and pulled out his canteen and took a sip as Metch fell down on a pile of leaves next to him trying to regulate his breath as he took out his canteen. “So Metch, what’s Greensharde like? I hear you guys got there flesh eating eels there?” Metch spoke between gulps of cool water “Only in the Green swamp” Jeor shuddered at the sight of the snake like creatures. “Sounds like a dangerous place to live” Metch stood up as he dug his wet stone out of his pack to sharpen his axe “Wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.” Jeor heard the sound of a horse and jumped up off the rock “did you hear that?” Metch nodded and threw his stuff back in his sack and they both took off running down the path as fast as they could. One of Reinsmen rode up fast to the captain, they were about to move out with me slung on the back of one of the horses, I could not see anything but I could still hear everything. “Captain, two of his friends are at our heels, one of them is large and has a big axe” The captain’s tone turned to seriousness “You two stay here and set a trap, you four with me now!” We took off riding fast and I was glad to hear someone was going to come and get me out of the tight spot I was in yet I feared that they would be killed by the trap left behind.

Back at camp Elberl had everyone split up into small groups, 8 were out looking for food, he put Tibult in charge of the shack building while he worked on preparing the defenses, he kept quiet about the possible threats but he didn’t want anyone too freighted. Mertia has devised a plan to enlist the help of Ciore but not only to get the Boar. Ciore was carving small sticks for arrows, he had only so many and expected the need for more, he had been catching plenty of bird for himself and he was one of the few who got more than enough to eat. As he carved away with his dagger he saw Mertia come up to him, she put on her best flirtatious smile “Hello Ciore” She said pushing her red hair back. Ciore was never much for small talk or talking at all and mostly kept to himself but Mertia was attractive and he had always been one to like his women before being captured and sold to Teramont slavers. “Hello Mertia, how can I help you?” She sat down next to him “Whatcha doing?” He smiled warmly “Making arrows” She picked up one of the arrows which he had just finished. “Is this a feather from a songbird?” He nodded “Yeah, I found a bunch of them up in the trees and got a few, they make good eating and I can use them to make arrows. She came up with a plan “Oh you must be a really, really good hunter?” He nodded proudly “I must admit, I am very good” He was trying to wow her with his abilities, thinking she was head over heels for him. “Oh, could you do some little thing for me then?” He nodded as he continued making arrows “Could you get a big old boar, he is over a little north of camp.”

He smiled, he thought if he did this she would forever be in his debt and he liked having beautiful women in his debt. “Sure, I’ll get you a boar” She made a little fake giggle which he didn’t see and gave him a little kiss on the cheek and went off. Ciore went back to arrow making, thinking of how clever he was. Mertia went over to Tromun and Linzery’s tent, Tromun had blamed Linzery for taking the other rabbit and the two were arguing as she came up “You rotten pig! You ate the other rabbit!” Yelled Tromun, Linzery fought back “Even if I took yore smelly rabbit I would’ve asked first!” Tromun was about to answer back until Mertia came up to the two. “Both of you shut it, Deshon took your rabbit, I saw him eating it last night while you were looking for it and I know he didn’t go hunting” Tromun was going to go over to Deshon’s tent but Mertia shoved him onto the dirt next to his fire “No, we will deal with him some other time, for now how is the plan going?” They both nodded “Good” said Linzery “Half the camp is with us besides a few of Quin’s toadies, Elberl and the sailors, that old man Gruff who is friends with the sailor, Deshon and his two friends, and finally Ciore but he doesn’t talk to anyone. Mertia smiled in accomplishment “Do not worry about him, he as if a loyal slave” Tromun sniggered at the thought “So what do we do ma’am, once we are ready?” She smiled evilly “Quin thinks I am with him for now but tomorrow we will take a vote for a new leader, once I am elected such we will get everyone out of this mud pit of a camp and head north and get a ferry to leave Reins, then we can head overland to Dorumden and finally we will be home.” Tromun scratched his head “Errr but how will we get to Mortanspeal?” She looked at him with a face of disgust “Its right next to Dorumden you fool, you won’t have any problem finding it” They were both agreeable to the plan and things were set in motion.

It was still hard to breath and sweaty under the hood, I could hear the Reinsmen yelling and whipping their horses trying to ride at maximum speed knowing the trap could fall and then they would be chased again so for good measure the captain wanted them to ride harder and faster for what I heard was “Fort Kaymore” which protected the southeastern Reinmith coast from Teramont raiders. Jeor and Metch peered into the clearing from some bushes, the camp was clearly fresh and smoke was rising from the pit, they saw hoof marks and someone had forgotten their saddle bags at a tree so it looked like. “Metch, I am going to go take a look” Metch watched him as he stayed low to the ground creeping over to the saddle bags with his spear on his back with his short sword drawn. He searched the saddle bags and found some papers inside one and another had a book and a flask of wine which Jeor took out and drank without a second thought and then a javelin his the metal flask out of his hands as he fell to the ground with wine all over him, a Reinsmen ran at him with his sword in High guard swinging down at him and almost got him if Jeor had not rolled out of the way, the Reinsmen instead cut the head off his spear. The second came running out of the tree line with a warpick in his hands but Metch jumped out with his axe “YORE MINE!” He roared as he swung his axe over his head, the Reinsmen lifted his Violet and gold colored shield with a sea dragon on it above his head as the axe wailed down on it, putting a huge dent in it and breaking his arm “ARG!” yelled the Reinsmen as he fell to the ground, he swung his pick wildly but Metch stepped back in time. Meanwhile Jeor was fairing worse, the Reinsmen had a two handed sword and was a decent fighter, he was not like a Teramont levy Jeor had come in contact before. Jeor jumped up and parried the blows from the Reinsmen’s sword. He scored a hit and slicied into his belly but then realized it was futile since he had chainmail, the Reinsmen laughed as he hit Jeor in the stomach with the flat of the sword. Jeor fell back and put up his sword but it was kicked from his hand, the Reinsmen proceeded to push the sword on him but Jeor put up his feet and tried holding the Reinsmen’s body back from falling on top of him. He felt around on the ground for anything, a stone, something as the sword neared his neck. He then found the head of the spear and picked it up roaring “Grrra!” and the spearhead went right into the side of the soldier’s head. Jeor had trouble pushing the heavy Reinsmen off him and he tried to squeeze out. Metch used his axe like a can opener, he flipped the shield over with the axe head and then using all the force he had in his muscular body he jammed his axe in a upward motion into the chest of the Reinsmen who started coughing up blood and then fell to the ground in a pool of it. Metch was fine, it was quite a normal days work for him. Jeor on the other hand still hand a bit of a hard time taking life, it was hard for him before but he felt extreme anger towards the Teramonts who enslaved him. This was different for him, these men were men like him just following orders. Metch found their horses in the woods not far off along with their supplies tied onto them “Come on we can take this road down and we are bound to run into them if we ride fast.” Said Jeor, Metch looked over at the bodies near the smoking campfire “Are you thinking what I’m thinking?” Jeor looked at him with a smile “Quite a smart fellow aren’t you, I think some were incorrect on your brains” Metch looked at him questioning whether that was an insult. “Come on, let’s get that armor on, you get that big guy’s.”

I tried biting a hole through the bag and it seemed to be working a bit, I had bitten a small hole and I was relieved that cool air came in, I tried peering out the bag but it was too small to see anything.