Ridge: Day One

17. THE DAY WITH TRADERS

The dust from the road caught in Hamel's throat, sending him into yet another coughing fit. Though the sun was sinking toward the horizon and his first waterskin was nearly empty, there was still no sign of Benjelton.

Once he had left the oasis and Mellel behind, he had reached the road within an hour and had made good time. He had only stopped once along the road to give his horse a break and have a mid-day meal, but his lack of time spent on horseback in recent years was slowing him down. Every muscle and joint hurt.

"It's okay, boy," Hamel said to the young stallion. He was concerned as he listened to its breathing. Between the sun's heat and the dust, he feared the horse would find it difficult to make it the entire way.

Travel on the road was far easier than through the wilderness. When he had first left the oasis, the way was rough and dangerous. With the rocks, cracks, and crevices in the ground, he had needed to move at a crawl to make it through. Once he reached the road, everything changed for the better, aside from the dust and heat.

Hamel bent his head low, allowing the hood to droop over his face as he passed a few more traders moving along their routes. Their dress and accents revealed them to be from Olmos. While most of the Olmosite carts were covered, Hamel knew they likely carried salt or various household goods.

A few miles before, he had passed a group of Ridge traders, heading to the Olmosite border. They would exchange their fruits, vegetables, and other wares at the border. He kept his head low and disguised his voice as best he could when he greeted anyone from Ridge.

Hamel's military mind always noticed the presence of soldiers, whether they were dressed as such or not. Most traders either traveled in large groups or hired men for protection. From under his hood, he examined each man he passed. While many had broad shoulders and carried large rifles, their faces suggested that they had lost a few too many fights. Not one of them moved with the confidence and control of a Soldier of the Ridge.

Neither Ridge nor Olmos tolerated thieves along the trade routes in any measure. Hamel had only once recalled a report of thieves harassing caravans. He had immediately dispatched four battalions, and his men soon discovered the Olmosites had dispatched a similar force. The thieves were rounded up within a day and been tried immediately by Olmos.

He had heard the Olmosites gave the death penalty to thieves. Hamel was not sure if that were true. He knew very little about their ally. The Olmosite people were very private.

Ridge only gave the death penalty for treason or for slave-trading. As he reflected on such a thing, he realized either Eddel, if he lived long enough, or whoever took over for him would be receiving the death penalty if Hamel ever were to regain his honor. He had witnessed the death penalty once before. A man serving under him had been charged with treason and was convicted by the Council. He had been thrown from the wall. It had been a mercy, compared to the punishment for slave-trading. If one were caught treating a human in such a manner, they were lowered slowly down to the Valley Floor—in the middle of an attack.

He had never observed such a thing, but he had read about it in the archives. The man who had written the account had stopped part way through his description. He had written, I cannot finish. Despite the heinous crime, I feel compassion for the man and wish the Beasts would simply kill him.

An image of the young boy in Eddel's compound flashed into his mind, and anger boiled inside Hamel's chest. The child had sat with his mother, covered in bruises and scars—some old, some fresh. It had taken all of Hamel's restraint not to rescue the two.

Hamel closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He hollered out, "They were slaves!" Hamel's fingers hurt, and his nails dug into the palms of his hands. The horse came to a quick halt as the reins pulled up tight. He screamed as loud as he could and then yelled, "They were slaves, and I left them there!"