CROWNS I: Of Desolate Hope | ✔

39. The Black Prince and The Dragons

"There has to be something here that explains what we saw and fought on Stormhill. This is the motherland of dragons so it's almost a guarantee. Perhaps, we just need to look harder, stay out later," said the Black Prince.

"Well, we've been here for a very long time and seen close to nothing," said the Grey Hand, shaking his head in disapproval. "I'm not sure what else we can do. I say if nothing more comes of this expedition we go back. We've had bad enough luck as it is."

The Black Prince knew he was right. They had been in Anador for months and the answers they had sought were nowhere to be found. If anything, they now had more questions than before. Despite, having lived and worked as one of them for a while, everything seemed ordinary by their standards. 

"I agree," said one of the riders, swinging around his pickaxe like a sword. "We have no evidence. Nothing at all."

The Black Prince scraped some mud off of his torn boots. As they walked he looked at each person's face. He saw dejection, pain and fear clearer than ever before. Ahead of them, a group of slaves were being beaten - men, women and children. The houses that everyone lived in were miniscule compared to the ones in the West. This really is another world. Once again, he felt the urge to try and help the slaves but the Grey Hand's firm grasp stopped him.

"How many times have I told you?" he whispered, letting go of the Black Prince as they passed the incident. "We can't afford to attract attention to ourselves."

"It's barbaric."

"Yes, it is and I have never known a place to be so dark but we can't risk anything. We have to turn a blind eye, as bad as that is. Consider the bigger picture."

 "I know, Grey but how is this still happening?" said the Black Prince. "I don't understand it."

The Grey Hand had a troubled expression painted on his face. "It is dying but slowly. Remnants of the old empire still survive here. Back then, if your land was taken so were you and your family, forced into a life of servitude. That's the price of losing."

"And no one's done anything about it. Not the west, not the north, no one. How can they sit idly by whilst this is happening?"

Grey turned to the Black Prince in disbelief. "You know how tense things are as it stands. They wouldn't dare interfere in the matters of this damned place. It's got to sort its own problems out."

This place is evil... The Black Prince knew he asked the same questions a week ago but continued to ask, given that the Grey Hand seemed content enough to keep answering. "And the people?"

"Oh, they did once."

What? You never said that before!

"But what happens when you pit a deranged king with an army and vile dragons against ordinary people armed with these," he continued, twiddling a shovel.

"Blood and fire..."

"Exactly. It was doomed from the day it started as they lacked conviction, determination and real belief. Where hope ends, failure begins. Remember that."

The Black Prince suddenly lost his train of thought and all the new questions he had vanished. I will remember that. The rest of the short walk was completed in silence as they approached the huge crowd forming by the mines. Why are there so many more people than usual?

"The foreman," said the Grey hand, anticipating a question. "He's rarely ever here though."

"So this has to be very important," replied the Black Prince, in hushed tones as they joined the back of the gathering. "We might find out something important, Grey. This could be it."

"We'll see," he murmured, carefully watching the burly and bearded man as he stood proudly on a crate.

The Black Prince felt a chill as the foreman's eyes landed on him. For a short while, he stood motionless until the gaze fell on someone behind him.

"HURRY UP YOU IDIOTS!" he bellowed to a group of workers approaching them.

"We are sorry sir," one of them replied, in barely more than a meek whisper.

"What's that...an APOLOGY?" screamed the foreman, his harsh and deep voice even startling the rest of the crowd. "I don't care or want an apology! All I want is for you to be here at the crack of dawn every day. If you're late one more time, I will refer you! Am I understood?"

"Yes sir."

The Black Prince hated the foreman a little more every time he came to the mines. The caves were already filled with enough to sorrow to feed the Dragon King. There was no reason to harvest more. 

"Sorry, for the tardiness of your associates!" shouted the man, at the top of his voice. "Moving on, today is a very important day and so was yesterday. New tools have just been delivered by the isles. This means no more blunt ones and you will be working three times as fast!" He paused to laugh at everyone, his friends behind him joining in with the mockery. "I see the dumb look on all of your faces...you want to know why!"

What is wrong with this man?

"That tower there!" he barked, swivelling to point out the small black tower in the distance. "We've had orders to fix Infernus up real nice!"

A dark atmosphere, one that the Black Prince had never experienced before, fell upon the crowd as if a dark spirit had hexed them. Everyone began to mumble and natter in low voices. "Grey, what's wrong?"

"Most of the people that work here are slaves or descendants of slaves...I'd rather not speak of it but put simply, that tower has been most cruel to them."

Infernus...

"Oh SHUT UP and stop shitting yourselves! It's just a tower!" exclaimed the foreman, managing to hush the crowd. "Actually, you should be nervous some of you will be sent over there now."

"What about our families? We can't just leave them without notice!" replied a woman, defiantly.

"We have our first volunteer to be sent and referred! Take her!"

The Black Prince watched in horror and silence as the kicking woman was seized and dragged away. Shit! Not now!

"You!" screamed the foreman, pointing a dastardly fat finger toward Grey.

The Black Prince opened his mouth but shut it after a single glance from Grey. 

"Go on without me," he muttered, gritting his teeth. "I'll make it back. Leave soon. Say nothing."

He stood there helpless as the Grey Hand was ripped away from them. One look at everyone's face told him that everything had just gotten worse. The remaining riders stared at the rocky ground as people were selected to travel to that dark place, making sure not to catch his gaze. The crowd rapidly diminished until the usual number of people were left.

"Fantastic!" bellowed the foreman. "You lot are the lucky ones! you should be thankful that I didn't send you there! Now you!"

The Black Prince felt as if a cold hand had just touched his bare heart. He knew at once that the foreman was talking to him.

"Look up!" he shouted. "I've got a special job for you son! And youse on his left, my left! The ones staring like dumb people at the ground! You can join us as well! The rest of you, get outta here and do you damn jobs! Stop standing around like sheep!"

"Our fellowship seems to be breaking," whispered one of the riders as the other half of the group went forward toward the caves.

"I'm sure it won't be for long. Grey told us what to do in case something like this happened. We'll be fine," replied the Black Prince, hastily shutting his mouth before the foreman reached them.

"You boys have a special assignment. In the quarry one of the generals is waiting for you," said the foreman, smirking. "I've heard that you'll be on armour duty, mining a special sort of rock. A lot of soldiers will be wearing that so you better make sure you do your job properly or you'll certainly get referred."He stared straight at the Black Prince. "Don't be afraid, little boy. We have no use for that. Treat it...as if we're going to war."

Shit! We have to warn the west...