Book 2 Season's Change Spring's Revenge

Part 44 Dunfast

Avriel debated waiting to ensure that he had not killed the man with the poison he had crafted. That was a cheap way to exact revenge and not at all the way he wanted to do it. He had a plan. He was still too angry and hurt to feel the remorse he would later for what he had done. The man would suffer; suffer for days. She had warned him of the dangers in using too much. It was carefully explained to him what it would do to someone at each dose. He knew exactly how much he could use to take Thalion to the brink of death, how much to just knock him out for a few hours and how much it would take to cause a severe headache, memory loss, and vomiting after. He was cautious with his doses with all of the guards only giving them no more than two drops each. He didn't want them to wake too soon, but he didn't need them to suffer after. The healer would be needed to help the others. So he only got just over one drop. He managed their dosages carefully. He was also cautious with the doses he gave Donocain and Thalion, he just gave Donocain a little more than the others and Thalion more than he gave him. He was tempted to give him the maximum allowable dose. He cut it short by one. Part of him wished he could have been there to see that arse wake and be sick for a very long time. He wanted to watch him suffer in pain and misery, just as he had, because of him and his misdeeds. only physically because he doubted the beast had any emotional depth. It would pale in comparison to the pain and misery Thalion had caused others but the thought of him suffering beyond his control was somehow very pleasing to Avriel. He leaned back against the tree. "Katana?"

"Yes, Kotas."

"Are you angry with me?"

"No. I am -- I do not know the word -- surprised maybe it."

"Surprised?" He sat up and looked at her.

"Yes."

"Why?"

"It is not like you to be so cruel."

"Cruel?" His pitch rose and so did Katana's eyebrow. Her use of that word hurt him.

"Yes. I think that word fits. He is sick Avriel, suffering. No one else is. You did that to him. You. That is not like you. You are --" she searched for the right word, "better than that. Better than him. You hurt him for no other reason than to hurt him. Does that make you so different from him or the same?" Katana did not turn away from him; she just watched as he leaned against the tree and let his eyes fall to the branch he sat on. Her words had the effect on him she wanted them to.

He pulled his legs up to his chest and hugged them tightly. She was right. Of course, she was. He had hurt Thalion and Donocain because he could; he wanted to. His family would be so ashamed of him. He was ashamed of what he had done. "I think the word you are looking for is disappointed or ashamed." He did not look up as he gave her the words she lacked. "Mother, forgive me," he whispered as he cried softly into his knees.

They stayed long enough to ensure that Thalion would live despite his incident with moonflower serum. Then they took the same northwestern trail that the wagons had used to move their goods to the next city, while the wagons the farmer had borrowed from neighbors family and friends took the prisoners to a village in the opposite direction with a forest mage covering their tracks. Already, Avriel's fight had reached the natives of the area and they decided that freedom for all was their fight too. They were ready to fight back against the slavers and the kidnappers that took their women and children in the middle of the night and sold them into a life of slavery and abuse. Avriel of Westendorunn had become a name upon the lips of the common man in that small patch of southern lands.

Katana and Avriel traveled along the side of the road ensuring that they left tracks as they went. Thalion would follow. He had business in the port city of Dunfast on the west coast. It was reported to be one of, if not the, largest city on the coast. Neither Avriel, nor Katana knew what to expect of it. As their journey had taught them, the closer and closer they got to the city the road they traveled became more congested with traders; merchants and farmers with carts laden with goods for sale or trade, none of the goods appeared to be humans. Was Thalion the only one? That did not seem likely. There was no way he was the only one, yet they did not see any carts that had tarp covered cages on them. But Avriel looked closely at every wagon that passed. What he saw greatly upset him. There were people; girls, boys, and men and women, that were dressed in near rags, their clothes stained and dirty, their faces unwashed and their hands filthy sitting in some of the carts. Often holding the reins. When they looked at him with his companion by his side the reins of his mare in his hands they all had the same exact desolate, hopeless expression in their eyes. They had given up hope of ever being happy again long ago. Their spirits had almost always been crushed. If he acknowledged them they looked away with frightened shocked expressions on their faces. It hurt his heart. He spoke quietly with Katana in the language they shared so that no one would understand. He shared his concerns and she confirmed them. For as much as they wanted to talk to some of them they didn't. It did not seem like it was a good idea to engage someone in conversation that their "owners" clearly didn't think should be spoken to or even speak. Most didn't speak. They just looked forlorn and sad, but on the fray edges of their eyes, Avriel caught that glimmer. One could never truly crush a spirit. He wondered where those people stayed when their masters slept in beds that were safe and warm. Were they kept safe and warm? Probably not, most likely on the floor of the room the master kept in a corner like a discarded unloved pup. Anger threatened to consume him. He turned away and guided Katana and the mare, Amara, off the road for a short rest. "Is it always like this?"

Katana's eyes moved over his face. She did not know the answer to his question but she understood the pain and anger she saw on his face. She looked at him. "I know you want answers. I am afraid I do not have one."

"I just don't understand. They are all people. How can one person put their own value above the life of another? How can they treat them less than you would an animal? I can't, Katana. I can't." he shook his head. He was so angry that he was close to tears. He was quiet for a while as they sat well away from the road to avoid any prying eyes or ears. They would approach the city but not enter its gates until they had studied the process by which wagons entered and discovered a way to ensure safe passage for them all.

As they looked at the city they were overwhelmed. The city was much larger, probably four or five times larger than Avriel's home, if not bigger. Just like his home the city was built upon a hill and walled for protection. From a distance, they could see that there were several gates entering the city. The buildings on the top of the hill looked like castles and palaces large beautiful homes. The second part of the city was lower on the hill, the houses were still large and beautiful. The rest of the city was hidden by the wall. "I imagine that the security on the gates up the hill is tighter. We should take one of the lower gates, perhaps the one all the merchants and farmers seem to be entering. We could stowaway on one of those wagons there, but I think we'll be able to just walk in with Amara. Fet can walk. I'll hold Othello. You guide Amara. We'll have to put the bows on the horse. Bows are far more dangerous than swords."

"True." Katana smiled at Avriel. He seemed almost normal. He still had an edge to him that concerned her but their mission was not yet complete and what they had witnessed on the road had affected him more than he was saying. It affected her, hurt her to know that there were people, young boys and girls, women and men, that had no choice and were not cared for. It was clear that they were not treated as people. And that broke her heart. They watched the road and waited for Thalion's caravan to arrive and followed it into the city.