Severus and the rest made it out of the tunnel, it felt refreshing to finally feel the touch of breeze, after the tunnel had their bodies glowing with sweat, the city docks weren't too far ahead, a mile was enough to reach there.
The ends of the tunnel led them into to a bush near the city docks, Severus and the rest went about reaching the docks, walking amidst the confines of tall grasses, the early morning sunshine had made some progress at coming out, Everyone's body had become weak, the barely slept last night, it could be said that they spent the whole of it, trying to escape from Massimiliano.
Everyone walked in a sober and unsteady manner, almost looking like they might pass out soon, and holding up under the scourge of hunger, a raw fish would be devoured by them.
A person like Berardi had once thought of eating insects while they were in the tunnel.
But not only hunger added to their weakness, but unrest did also, nobody knows what was coming behind him, that if he delayed would catch up with him.
Verily they believed they believed within them that the soldiers will find the manhole, but most of them had the belief that they had gone too far and Massimiliano men wouldn't catch up with them, everyone except Severus felt that way, he knows what cruelty can do.
The cruel never give up, and cruelty motivates, gives the fortitude to push hard till the end, Severus kept moving hard, as though he still had his full strength intact, pulling away from the rest, he gave them a huge gap.
Berardi was the one amongst them who was feeling the scourge the most, his pants were as loud and screechy as the wheels of a rusted carriage. "I think we should have some rest." He suggested.
"Yeah, I agree with you," Marchisio said, he stoped his bristle on the sandy ground, and squatted on his knees, he panted with a frown on his face.
Everyone stopped at some point, Severus did not know of that, he was still marching and pulling away from the rest.
"Hey, Vir bellica!" Lorenzo shouted.
Severus stopped turned around, "Everybody, we have to be moving, why are you all stopping?"
Nobody responded to his questions, nor demands, all threw their face to the side.
"Get on your feet you all and let move!" He commanded with a yell.
"Says the one who is our slave," Berardi said, reminding Severus of his earlier state before they arrived in Assisi.
"I think someone needs to be put back in his shackles," Lorenzo said.
"No one is putting anyone back to his shackles," Marchisio said, calming the rising altercation.
"We just have to compromise" Marchisio added.
"Compromise to his will is that what you have in mind!." Lorenzo said.
"Well if you let me finish-"
"Finish what?. What is there to compromise, when everyone suggests that rest is what they need!."
Chiara sat on the ground, plucking mushrooms out of rocks, as she watched the boys bicker.
"Rather than using this bickering time for rest, they are all here wasting their salivas, arrogant men." She said in her mind.
"We don't know what is behind us, we need to be moving, till we are sure we are safe," Severus said.
"A slave trying to impose his authority over his master." Lorenzo Cackled with disdain at Severus.
"Call me a slave one more time, and you will regret it." Severus threatened, with evilly gazes at Lorenzo.
"Hey man," Chiara called Lorenzo, she saw how challenged Lorenzo had felt, and he was about to drag his lips apart to mention the word slave at Severus. "Don't do that, you will probably regret it." Chiara cautioned.
"Lady, am the master here, and he should show me some respect."
He said, while pointed at Severus.
"Am the governor's daughter, but out here my power isn't regarded," Chiara mentioned.
"Seal those lips of yours, I don't listen to such logic." Lorenzo said.
Chiara was startled when she heard him order her to seal her lips.
"Well go ahead and put him back into his shackles if you think he is still your slave out here, I will just be watching." She said, and threw in a mushroom into her mouth, grinding it in her mouth while staring at Lorenzo.
"She is right Lorenzo." Marchisio's intruded with his words, Lorenzo turned his head towards him.
"We all need togetherness here, no master and slave thing out here," Marchisio added.
Lorenzo looked around and feeling surrounded by nothing more than enemies, his powers have been stripped away from him, rather he even needs his so-called slave for protecting him from certain dangers.
"He is no longer a slave and he will never be because he wouldn't in his right mind go back to Venice with you just to become a slave again, he could choose to reside in bologna," Chiara said.
Severus had taken a seat on the ground like everyone else, only Lorenzo stood, verily he was surrounded by oppositions, opposing his opinions.
He had enough and walked away from where everyone was, Lorenzo went and sat near the tunnel to cool off, he has never had his opinion attack like the way everyone did a moment ago.
Everyone yielded to a compromise, and it was to take a few minutes of rest, or they could all slump before reaching the docks.
They made breakfast with mushrooms and rested till dawn.