Return to Earth

Chapter 20

They took their time looking around at the stone and wood all around them. Several small buildings could be seen as people in little more than rags moved about. Women were scrubbing stone everywhere they looked as the occasional soldier almost tripped over one or another. Shouting could be heard at servants of both sexes without ever looking a single one in the eyes.

Seeing the way people were treated turned his stomach, but could do nothing about it unless Lita gave an order. The eyes of the servants reminded him of Mrs. Dempsey as they mumbled apologies for what abuse he witnessed. The only clear wording he heard was the praising of Solis.

There were glances and whispers as they pointed to what must've appeared strange attire, but no one from the group took much notice. Kierst was glad the visors remained down, since he believed the stench would've been worse than where Victor and Mrs. Dembe were found. In some cases, he could see very real bugs crawling and jumping in the hair of servants who took no notice.

Lita's voice sounded conflicted. "Holster your pistols."

They responded together as Kierst wondered what she really wanted to order them to do. He suspected it leaned towards something violent at the way the servants were treated. None of the servants looked up at them anymore than they did with the soldiers and Priests who moved about. It was as if everything human had been stripped away.

Mrs. Dempsey kept close to the group with no other option given as her eyes moved with wonder. Kierst wondered how she couldn't be sickened by what she witnessed with her own eyes. The fire of fanaticism should've dimmed, but it only burned brighter.

A young man in white walked up to them with gold pressing out from around his neck. His blond hair was matted as the others as fire burned in the blue of his eyes. He carried himself with arrogance, despite the age needed to really pull it off. If Kierst had to guess, he was looking at a peasant playing the role of prince with no idea what it meant to be a prince.

His voice took on a haughty tone as he looked at only them men in the group. "Chief Priest Andrew Wilkens is ready for you."

He turned without waiting for a response as Lita ignored the slight. There was no need to give an order, since they fell in behind her. Mrs. Dempsey was struggling to determine what course of action to take, but Kierst needed her to see them for who they really were. His hand gently pressed to her shoulder to encourage Mrs. Dempsey to come with them.

She put up no fight as they were guided up a set of stairs towards a stone building that didn't stand out in any way. Wood doors were open as soldiers watched with lethal intent buried not so deep within their eyes. If any of them did anything wrong to provoke an attack, Lita wouldn't hesitate to give the orders to defend themselves. It was ridiculous for any of the guards to think they had a chance, since they already witnessed what their gear could take and been told nothing the bandits had could bring harm to them. It should've been understood that the same went for what the guards had.

They entered a room that appeared to be little more than a dining facility with torches burning along the wall. Wooden tables and benches ran along either side on the stone floor. There were no windows or tapestries as stone met stone no matter where Kierst looked. The guards remained behind them in readiness to try to kill them should they do anything perceived as a threat.