The Tale of the Huntress

22. In Chains

"I'm so sorry," came Iridian's pitiful words at the end of her story. Time had passed as they were taken in the caravan but they had no way of telling how long they had been trapped. Nova shook her head with no emotion in her eyes.

"Don't be. You did nothing," she replied. They sat in silence for a bit before they heard a very little voice speak up.

"I-I know I shouldn't have but I couldn't help overhearing everything...Miss Nova you've gone through so much," someone wheezed from beyond the barrier of their caravan. Her head snapped up and her emerald eyes slitted to see a bit more in the darkness around them but she couldn't look further than their cell.

"Who spoke?" She asked a bit loudly but no one answered for a few minutes. Then came a hacking cough followed by the same little voice, a bit stronger the second time.

"My name is Gemini." It came from the left and through the tarp where the huntress could still make out the shape of glowing eyes staring through. It startled her a bit at the accuracy of her gaze though she knew it was impossible to really know where Nova sat. She shifted uncomfortably in her spot as the chain binding her wrists dug into her flesh a bit.

"Why were you captured?" Iridian spoke up. Nothing but silence met their ears for a few seconds as the caravan hit a few bumps in the road. When the ground was once again smooth, she replied.

"I am Dracon. We are always captured when discovered," she sighed. Nova perked up at the mention of the rare race. They were very scarce and lived solitary lives unless mated. The huntress had never met a Dracon before but they were known to be quite fearless.

"Gemini, why don't you escape?" She questioned knowing the strength that they were capable of wielding. The Dracon woman gave a half hearted laugh before the rattling of chains echoed in her cage. The glowing eyes blinked into darkness as she closed them to lean back against the walls of her enclosure.

"They have my mate. If I escape he will be killed and then surely I will die as well," came her hoarse whisper. Iridian frowned at this and hung his head in defeat. Their own shackles were enchanted so that only brute force was able to really affect them. He had tried to blink away regardless but was met with a shock of pain and a migraine that traveled from his brain to the tips of his toes in agony. Suddenly the caravan jolted to a stop. The sounds of feet hitting the ground could be heard from outside before the tarp behind Nova was pried open slightly. Her eyes squinted at the harsh sunlight leaking through as a soldier prodded her in the side with the hilt of his sword.

"This is the whisperer. Now give us her weight in gold and take her to your bloody king," the guard behind him spoke. The soldier gave him a nod and waved his hand at another man before the tarp was shut once more. "And the other prisoners?" He asked. Nova was curious of the conversation but also of the strange sound coming from beyond her cage. The air from outside had leaked in and tasted salty and a bit frigid. Rippling water also met her ears but was muffled once again when the flap was shut. Iridian saw the confusion on her face and tapped her foot with his to get her attention.

"We are at the docks," he whispered as to not alert the guards outside. Her eyes blinked back at him, never having seen the ocean nor gone near it in her lifetime. She had no reason to since her home was the forest where she could easily live off of the land.

"And this one here," the same guard began. They could hear the removal of the tarp followed by hissing. The man chuckled, "a feisty little Dracon but she should also be a good addition to his army." The soldier made a sound of approval and the soft noise of clinking coins could be heard. "This is not nearly enou-"

Metal hit bone and could be heard as it cracked through a spine. Iridian winced while Nova identified the noise immediately having been used to killing prey in the same way. It was a quick and easy death that didn't draw out the pain. "Get them out and onto the ship men."