Derek slowly opens his eyes - he grunts slightly, reaching for his head - a clanking sound followed, his head wasn't swollen yet a sharp pain plagued him.
His body rocked slightly as though being carried, a memory of his dying father flashed through his mind, he sat up immediately - taking deep heavy breaths.
He took in his surroundings, realizing that he was in a wooden cage attached to a cart. In front of him sat other teenagers - all looking scared and confused, their hands were shackled, as was his. He could feel the cold metal tight on his wrists.
Two men, mounted on horses followed closely behind them. Looking up, he recognized the towering Oak tress of burnished hues of gold and rust leaves. Forming a natural canopy above them, providing a welcoming respite from the scorching sun.
They were in the great Oak forest of Azma, Ozak they called it. A sprawling, evergreen expanse that stretched across the Eastern, Northern, and Western regions of Azma. Serving as a vital route for trades and travel, connecting cities and towns across the Kingdom. But it was also a place of danger, where bandits and outlaws roamed free, preying on unsuspecting travelers.
"Finally awake?" A husky voice spoke.
Derek could barely remembered the voice, there he was to his right, the slender goofy fellow smirked - saddled on his horse.
"Thought I went too far on you." He teased into a chuckle.
Derek glared sternly at him, ready to ponce on him if given the opportunity.
"Dammit!" The fellow nagged.
"What's gotten into you Flint?" The beard dark man at the other side asked.
"His damn eyes reminds me of his mother, such a grand beauty," he proclaimed, "I tried using the chaos to have my way with her Boski, but those bastards got to her first."
"Be quiet Flint, the boy has gone through enough." Boski commanded.
Derek's face flushed red with rage - his fists tightly clenched.
For a moment he had forgotten his mother was dead, he blamed himself for being a burden to his father, not being fast and powerful enough to get to his mother in time.
"Dammit runt, don't blame me." Flint reverted his eye from Derek, "Bloody runt."
There was nothing Derek could do, he folds his arms on his raised knees - placing his head on them. He never imagined his leaving Olives one day would be the saddest day of his life, his mind raced as he wondered what fate awaited him at the end of this journey.
∆∆∆
Alexander Majes stood by the starboard of the middle cog ship amongst three sailing through a wide river, his silver hair fluttering to the side as he gleamed with bewildering eyes at the brown soiled forest of Oak trees by the river bank.
These were different from those he knew back at Vinum, the trunks stretched high as though they could touch the sky, the broad branches swept through the air with green leaves, crackling and rustling as the wind howls through them. The trees were inches apart stretching deep into the forest, a flock of twittering birds flew in haste into the forest as thick dark clouds thundered through the gray sky.
Rou, the name of the long river, a linking route were every other water body in Azma steams from, dividing Azma in two.
Alexander spun around to others on the cog, some seated, others asleep. He moved closer to his mother who was seated by a corner, her face shielded by the cowl of her brown flax-linen dress.
She has being acting a bit strange, Alexander thought. Three days back she hid his face in her blossom immediate he woke up due to the clattering made by some people below. They were hiding up in a tree, so he didn't flinch or resist, but he could hear her sobbing, she was trembling all over.
For four days they trended through a portion of Ozak, avoiding every trail, sleeping on trees and feeding on wild berries, it was a good thing his father showed them a safe path and taught them the survivals way by going on long camps. Each time he asked about his father, Victoria would smile and say all was fine, he didn't question her unusual smile or think otherwise, all he knew was his father would find them.
Finally they came across some nomads who where kind enough to accept them in their cog heading towards Amon. He had heard about Amon from his father, a small town at the edge of the Western plains of Azma, a place far away from the policies of the Seven Families and a good place to relax.
He sat beside her - leaning on her, "Mother, are you feeling well?" He spoke lightly.
Victoria glanced at him with a smile, nodding her head, her face - pale and deep blue eyes droopy.
There it was again, that smile that covers up a secret he couldn't get his hands on, but that's not the problem now, his mother needs him and that is all that matters. He clung closer to her, pulling her into a close embrace.
"All will be fine mother," he assured, urging Victoria to embrace him also.
∆∆∆
Amon, a town perched upon an evergreen sloping cliff - separated from Ozak by a deep ravine while the sea embraced it on all sides.
At the far bottom of the ravine which seems from above to be an endless dark mystery, Derek strolls along a line of captives like him, bonded in shackles. Flint and Boski led them at the fore front, while three others followed behind, Derek was the eighth captive on the line.
The ravine had a stony narrow path - damp and arid, the air carried the stench of fish and salt, Derek knew it all too well, the walls on each side were high, spreading out as it stretched up as though telling a tale of how long they have lived, with moss and full grown fungus as well as ivy gracefully adorning it.
"Stop." Flint commanded, urging everyone to stop.
Derek tilts his head from the line, not to see what was going on but wishing for something bad to before Flint.
"State your business." Flint asked the five figures standing by the corner up ahead.
"Your business is my business." The smaller figure approaching spoke with a clear, gusty tone.
"Master Lankins." Flint smiled. "What a pleasant surprise." He spoke rather maturely - different from his goofy way.
The comely ravishing boy stood before Flint, glorying in his well permed blonde hair and unblemished pale skin, it was obvious he was from a rich family, not to mention the indigo-blue jerkin he was dressed in, fitted at his waist by a silver belt.
"Indeed Slaver." Lankins replied.
"I don't see any other buyer?" Flint asked checking out the figures behind Lankins.
"I just happen to be the early bird."
"Well its your lucky day Sire." Flint steps aside gesturing his hands towards the captives. "Make your pick."
Lankins began his inspection, moving around each captive to have a good view. Again, Derek didn't seem interested in the lad or the activity, he kept his eyes on Flint hoping a rock or something would fall on him, he did not even notice when Lankins got to him after picking four others.
"You there." Lankins called out.
Derek paid no attention, his eyes were still fixed on Flint, whose focus was on the figures by the corner.
"I'm speaking to you boy." Lankins snapped.
It was then Derek noticed the fellow standing beside him.
Immediately Derek spun to him, Lankins struck his cheeks with the back of his hand, hard enough to push him down.
"Get up." Lankins ordered.
Derek scowled at Lankins, he wasn't even as old as Flint, probably three or four years older than he was. Derek clenched his fists, ready to vent his frustration on Lankins, but there was something about his gripping jade green eyes, they warned him to behave or he will forever regret the outcome. Derek loosened up then lurched to his feet holding his red cheek, his eyes almost tearing up.
"You will learn manners slave." Lankins rasped. "Go join the others." He ordered before moving to the next captive.
Derek walked sullenly towards the four chosen captives - tears already streaming down from his eyes, he glanced at Flint, who winked with a smile. Lankins picked two other captives, then approached Flint.
"Well?" Flint insisted, his eyes expectant.
Lankins snapped his finger, spurring one of the figures to approach him, from the green padded armor vested on him, it proved him to be a guard. The guard passed a medium size cotton pouch to Flint then stepped aside.
"Wow!!" Flint exclaimed as he received it, bringing a smile to Boski's face. "This is more than I bargained."
"That's five hundred bronze oz coin, do more good business with me and earn more."
Oz coin is the currency used in Azma, it is shared into three - bronze, silver and gold. Ten bronze oz coins equals one silver oz coin, while five silver oz coins equals one gold oz coin.
"A huge pleasure." Flint greeted with a bow.
"Move along." Lankins commanded, walking pass the seven captives, who followed behind him. Three female and four male, off them all Derek and one female were the smallest. Derek took a good look at Flint who was raising the pouch up with excitement, he made sure to captured every detail about him, not willing to forget him.
With Lankins taking the lead and the guards on each side of the captives, they went further into the ravine pathway. It took a while but they finally arrived by the entrance of a cave by the corner, whereas the pathway continued with a curve.
The cave was lightened up by torches mounted on the silky wall. They continued into the cave, moving gently through its narrow curved stair path which kept sloping upwards as they proceeded; for a while it seems as though they were going on forever, eventually they came to open sky.
Drawn by the swashing and rippling sounds, Derek looked over to the side, emerging from the cave - the sounds came from waves crashing with the rocky sea shore, the scent of salt mingled with the gentle breeze. It was Derek's first time seeing a large water body up close, his father never allowed him to see that of Greenland. For a brief moment his grief elevated, just staring at the reflection of the setting sun on the sea.
The south terrain of Amon they called it, the buildings here were few, crafted from weather-beaten stone and timber, standing proudly on the sloping terrain.
"Welcome back master."
Derek's gaze riveted towards the three enticing young ladies greeting Lankins with a bow.
Derek was intrigued by them, he wondered - not why youthful ladies would greet someone younger but at the kind of dress they wore, he had never seen anyone wearing it back at Olives; they were dressed in jade green linen kirtle with a black corset shaping out their hips, they also had marching straight dark hair gliding over their shoulders - yet they looked nothing alike.
"Come ladies." Lankins grinned, walking with the ladies towards the dirt path leading down to the seashore.
It took the four guards to roll a large stone over to the cave entrance, securing it. Then they continued with the captives towards a farmland with a compound in it.