Chapter 9
Lady Rose shifted in her saddle as her army rode forward. The days were longer now as they moved to raid the outer villages. There was more distance to cover and she felt like she had spent an entire week in the saddle. It would have been unbearable, except for the fact that at the end of each road lay a village for her and her army to take. One more group of villagers to enslave, and more people to kill, that made it all worthwhile.
The General halted her horse and wiped her forehead, which was dripping in sweat. Turning in her saddle, she looked back to watch the slaves, that they had captured from the last village, struggling to keep up with the fast pace she had set. Many were starting to falter and stumble. A few had fallen and were then beaten by her soldiers till they get up. Some of the other Talsians would try and stop to help them, but when they did they would then receive the abuse themselves.
A smile crossed Lady Rose's face as she watched. Her soldiers were enjoying torturing the Talsians just as much as she did. The hatred for the Talsians was in their blood, and it was pretty much a universal feeling, among the Shadarians, that they were inferior.
Lady Rose turned back and scanned the area ahead of her. In front of her stood a large hill, and just beyond that, according to her map, lay another village. Issuing a few quick orders, she urged her horse forward and galloped up the hill. She wanted to scout out the area to insure that no villager escaped their attack.
As she crested the hill, Lady Rose halted her horse and watched the village for several minutes. Something seemed peculiar about it. It seemed to be deserted. There was no one outside, no children playing, none of the villagers were going about their daily business. There was no movement at all.
Finally, Lady Rose detected a few tendrils of smoke making their way up from the holes in the roofs that were made for fires. She smiled to herself. They have all gathered together somewhere. Meeting, no doubt, to discuss our arrival and what it means. She thought to herself. They are probably going to make some gesture of peace, figuring we will then leave them alone. She laughed wickedly at the thought. "HA! We will give them peace!" She said aloud.
Turning her horse, the General rode back to her troops and immediately began issuing commands. "Half of you go around one side of the hill, and the other half will approach from the other direction. We are going to attack the village from both sides." Her face brightened with a malicious smile.
She left a small detachment of her army to guard the slaves. They were all herded to a nearby field, and surrounded so that none of them could escape.
Lady Rose rode at the front, and moved into the village at a gallop. She headed straight for the center of the village, issuing orders that every house was to be searched and anyone found was to be brought to her immediately. Her soldiers went to work, crashing into the houses, throwing things and tearing things up as they searched for anyone who might be hidden.
The General dismounted and looked around. Her face was as dark as a storm cloud. The village was deserted; even the houses that had smoke coming from them were empty. The smoke had been coming from slow dying fires that were left unattended. She waited for confirmation from her soldiers that the village was empty, but she didn't need it. She already knew that there was no one left. Somehow the Talsians had heard that they were coming and had fled.
Lady Rose was furious. She was not going to let even one village of Talsians escape her. She was going to find them, even if she had to track them across the entire countryside.
"So they think that they can escape do they? They will regret their decision to run. When I find them I will pus them so hard, they will wish they were dead." She vowed, pounding her fist into her hand. Lady Rose marched over to her second-in-command and started to give him orders. "All right, slight change of plans. I want you to take half of the army and take these slaves back to Ka on a forced march. I want them to reach the fortress in two days."
"But General, that is four days march from here." The soldier looked at Lady Rose in shock.
"I know and I don't care. Be at the fortress in two days. Push them hard, do you understand?" The soldier nodded mutely. "I will take the rest of the men and go after these Talsians who think they can outrun their fate. We will meet back at the fortress once I have caught them."
"And if you don't?"
Lady Rose's eyes flashed anger and her voice shook, "I will find them. Now Go. Get them out of my sight. They make me sick." She said, indicating the slaves.
Lady Rose walked to the edge of the village and knelt, studying the ground. She looked for anything that would give her a hint as to which direction the Talsians had gone. Fanning out as she searched, she found tracks, but nothing definite. Silently she swore to herself. Someone in this group of Talsians was smart enough to try and hide their passing, or at least confuse it a bit. But it would be impossible to hide the passing of an entire village. There was just too many of them. Eventually, someone would do something or leave something behind to tell of their passing. She just had to be patient and continue searching.
After almost three hours of searching the village from one end to another, Lady Rose finally found what she was looking for. About a half a mile in one direction from the village, she found several tracks made from different feet all heading in one direction. It wasn't quite the same as finding a fallen garment, but it was good enough.
"Run Talsians, Run. I am coming for you" Lady Rose hissed after she had examined the tracks.
She went back to get her horse and the rest of her men and then started out at a trot. Stopping every few minutes, Lady Rose dismounted and examined the ground for more tracks to verify that they were on the right trail. After about a mile, the General was sure that they were on the right trail and ordered her men to move out at a full gallop. She had no intentions of letting the Talsians spend another night free.
****
Nakai urged the villagers ahead, though they were tired and hungry. Something told him that they couldn't risk stopping, yet. They needed to put more distance between them and their village first.
They had been traveling for a day and a half, moving as quickly as they could. The adults would take turns carrying the children when they got tired. Bundles of food and clothing were passed from person to person, allowing everyone to have a break from carrying something.
Nakai had allowed them to rest once night had fallen, but only after it had gotten dark enough to hide them. He refused to allow any fires, saying that they would be beacons for anyone who was looking for them. There were a few who grumbled about not having a warm meal, but they were quickly silenced by others who said that Talsia guided him and that they should follow him.
Nakai peered ahead and saw a line of trees ahead of them and sighed with relief. The forest ran all the way to the Mountains and would give them more cover to escape in. He moved through the villagers, urging everyone to move faster, trying to give them hope that safety lied ahead. If only they could reach those trees.
The feeling of dread began to grow in him, and it got stronger and stronger. Nakai moved to the back of the group and stood staring at the hills behind them. Looking for any danger that might be there, he let the last of the villagers pass him and he stood alone. For several minutes he stood there watching. There was nothing, at least nothing that his eyes could see. Satisfied that they were safe for the moment he turned back to rejoin the group.
"Behind you!" Talsia's voice rang out inside of his mind, and Nakai wiped back around.
The hills that before were empty now were covered by black moving spots that were coming closer. He didn't have to wait this time to see what it was, he knew. Nakai turned and ran to catch up with the group; racing through the villagers yelling orders the whole way.
"Those that have weapons and can fight, stand as long as you can. The rest of you RUN! Get to the trees they are your safety. HURRY!! GET OUT OF HERE!" Nakai screamed to the stunned Talsians.
The villagers didn't respond right away. They were shocked that this was actually happening. Nakai had to actually push a few of them towards the trees before they responded. Adults bent and scooped up children and took off as fast as they could to the trees, while a few remained to try and hold of the soldiers as long as they could.
The hesitation of the villagers had cost them dearly. Many were overtaken before they had covered half of the distance to the trees. The soldiers would either knock them down as they rode by, or use their weapons to wound them, making escape impossible.
Lady Rose rode forward with a few soldiers to meet the thirty or so men who had stayed behind with Nakai. They fought well, but the Talsians were badly outnumbered. Several of the soldiers were actually killed and Lady Rose grew angry as she saw a Talsian draw Shadarian blood. Her eyes flashed fire as she moved forward through the resistance, her sword flickering, wounding three Talsians and killing two others.
Nakai motioned for the others to break and run, knowing it was probably useless, but he had to give them their chance at freedom. He then turned and faced Lady Rose.
The General smirked as she saw Nakai raise his sword preparing to fend off a blow. This had been the first serious resistance that her army had met, and she found it annoying. "Do you think you can actually do any damage with that thing?" She asked chuckling.
"Probably not much." Nakai answered matter-of-factly, unnerving Lady Rose.
Here this man stood in front of her, facing captivity or death, and there was no sign of fear. She realized that the Talsian, who stood in front of her, must have been the one who had organized the villagers, trying to save them. He was smart; she would give him that. She would enjoy breaking him. She would keep him as a slave for herself she decided.
"Very smart trying to make for the woods. It won't work though." She said as she moved forward striking at Nakai. He quickly blocked the move and they began battling back and forth with each other.
"We shall see wont we." Was all Nakai answered.
The two continued their battle; Nakai, surprisingly was evenly matched with Lady Rose, able to block everything she attacked with. Nakai, however, had one thing that the General did not, he was calm. Lady Rose was getting angrier and more frustrated as each attack she made was blocked. Never had she met a Talsian who could fight this well.
"NAKAI! The Holy Ones!" Talsia's voice rang out in his mind. "They have them, you must not let them all be killed!"
Nakai looked around quickly and saw that the soldiers were herding all the villagers into a circle. Most of them had been caught, but to his relief he noticed a few missing faces. He hoped that they were alive and in the woods instead of dead on the fields. As he blocked another move by Lady Rose, he scanned the area. His eyes rested on a soldier dragging a Holy One back to the circle by her hair. The others were all already captured and surrounded. This one was the only one he could possibly save.
Moving in desperation, he suddenly leaped forward and attacked Lady Rose, knocking her off her feat. Never expecting that he would make an offensive move, she was totally taken off guard. The two rolled over and Nakai got to his feet quickly. Lady Rose struggled to get up, the wind having been knocked out of her.
Nakai brought down his sword and sliced the General's sword arm, cutting through cloth and flesh. Blood flowed easily from the wound. He leveled a kick to her stomach and then took off towards the Holy One as fast as his legs would carry him.
Lady Rose lay curled up in a ball, one hand holding her wounded arm, and a string of curses coming out of her mouth. She couldn't believe what had happened. She had just been wounded, and by a Talsian!
Nakai ran straight at the soldier who was dragging the Holy One behind him. Raising his sword, he sliced down quickly as soon as he got close enough, slicing through the girls' hair, releasing her. "RUN!" Nakai screamed as he twisted out of range of the soldier. He backed up a pace or two and making another desperate move he leaped at the soldier, knocking him off his horse. They rolled together and Nakai grunted as the soldier kneed him in the stomach.
Struggling to his feet, he grabbed his sword that had fallen and turned around quickly. The soldier had recovered, but not quick enough and the blade caught him in the side, slicing deeply into his flesh till it met bone. Nakai was startled, he had figured he had made a death move when he leaped at the soldier, but as he stared at the soldier at the end of his blade he realized that Talsia had to have been guiding him and his sword.
Pulling his blade away, he looked longingly at the captured villagers, desperately searching for a way to rescue them.
"No Nakai. You cannot help them now. You must see to those that have made it out. You must stay free!" Talsia's voice urged. Nakai hesitated for a second longer not wanting to leave his friends behind.
"GO!" Talsia commanded.
Nakai turned and fled into the trees, following the Holy One he had saved. Catching up to her, he put his arm around her and urged her further into the wood, the two of them running as fast as they could.
****
Lady Rose struggled to her feet in time to see Nakai sink his sword into the side of one of her soldiers and see him take off to the woods. Quickly she turned and moved to a horse.
Scrambling up into the saddle she took off to the woods where she had last seen them, but it was too late, they had already disappeared.
Swearing under her breath, the General moved back to where her soldiers had gathered and issued some quick commands. She took little pleasure in killing the Holy Ones, knowing that there were Talsians still free in the woods. Ordering her army to begin the march, she took a few soldiers and headed into the woods.
****
Nakai and the Holy One twisted and weaved their way through the trees, the branches whipping and scratching their arms and faces. The girl tripped on a raised root of a tree and fell to the ground. Nakai stopped and knelt down beside her to make sure she was not hurt.
"Are you all right Atanaya?" Nakai asked.
"As well as to be expected. Thank you." She answered, her voice barely more than a whisper.
Nakai smiled. "Come on, Atanaya. We have to keep moving. We have to get you to safety." Atanaya nodded and rose to her feet. Nakai grabbed the girls' hand, and the two of them took off through the trees.
Chapter 10