Erisa

Chapter 2

That afternoon, the Captain came back with a malevolent grin on his face and a bagful of coins that jingled as he bounced it on his palm.

"Sold 'em. Oh, and the stupid wagon, too." He said with a malicious chuckle. "Yeh would think that them rich snobby chumps would have enough slaves, but no. They gotta have the best so they can brag to their friends and superiors. Not that I'm complaining, oh no, I wouldn't complain with all this money in my hands. The fools bought 'em up like they drink wine; there's never enough. Ha!"

Erisa was repulsed by his words. Her neighbors had just been sold to those people? What inspired anyone to become so desirous and self-centered? She glanced at Samanthia, whose mother and aunt were among those just sold into slavery. Silent tears were dripping down her cheeks. The Captain, who had finally finished gloating over his new riches, decided to go back to the building he led them to last night. Erisa, who was now overcome by hatred for the evil in the world, suddenly recalled Mrs. Vane's words: "Remember the Promise." She found comfort in these words, the words that had whispered themselves over and over in the back of her head while she followed the Captain to Itrea. She walked with the much smaller crowd of Anasians, behind the Captain and his Red Hands. This time through the city, she took in every small detail, thinking only of the Promise. If He ever does come, she thought, maybe I can help find a way into Itrea, and maybe we can get Samanthia her mother back. Erisa felt courage and hope for the first time in three days as she walked through the streets of the City of Doom.

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Late that night, Erisa sat with her knees pulled up to her chest, rocking back and forth and staring intently into the darkness. All around her, the last Anasians slumbered. But Erisa couldn't sleep. She was wide awake, letting her mind ramble through thousands of possibilities. Her hopes seemed to come to life in the darkness, as if the black of night understood her thoughts and formed into them. Once, she thought she saw Tyrez and her father running up to her with wide smiles on their longed-for faces. When she finally fell asleep, their laughter still rang in her ears.

Erisa woke up and looked around. The sun was peeking through the tiny window, and the early morning birds chirped and sang. For one moment, she believed that she was home in bed, and everything was perfectly normal. The Captain's voice ruined that dream, though, and she sighed unhappily.

"C'mon yeh lazy lumps!" he shouted. "We gots to get movin' or else we'll be late gettin' to Capria! Yeh don't want that, trust me!"

The women got up swiftly, spurred on by the threat in his voice. It wasn't long before they were out of Itrea, and on their way headed northeast, to Capria. It was drizzling and everyone was soon wet, so spirits were dampened, too. The Anasians looked longingly back to the west, where their homes lay as mounds of rubble. The first of the summer fruits would have been almost ready by now. They would have been preparing for the Summer's Whim festival, where all the townspeople would have gathered, and there would have been feasts and dances and all manner of games and sweets. Erisa and Samanthia had been looking forward to this particular festival for years. When girls turned 15, they did a special dance in the Summer's Whim called the Riversong. Samanthia sighed and absentmindedly began to hum the tune for the Riversong while she plodded along. The women around her who could hear it smiled sadly. Some even began to cry, thinking of all they were forced to leave behind on that fateful day when the Red Hands came.

Erisa smiled confidently at Samanthia, and then began to dance to the tune that she hummed. This brought giggles from the smaller girls that stood nearby. Samanthia looked at Erisa, and then joined her in the dance. The women around them formed a moving circle as the two girls danced. The laughing little girls joined in, mimicking Erisa and Samanthia as they spun and jumped and waved their arms. Two Red Hands saw them and quickly pointed it out to the Captain. He frowned and then began to laugh.