Arat, now feeling much better with his thirst gone, shifted the look in his eyes to Fernand. His expression turned from one of relief to curiosity and seriousness. He bent forward, bringing his head closer , ready to know what they should do next.
"Mr. Fernand, what should we do next?"
Despite being a half-devil, Arat had been taught simple manners by his grandfather. Out of respect, he always used "Mr." or "Ms." when addressing others. Fernand, however, found it difficult to get used to such formality from a devil,
I had never met half devils, only the normal full-blooded ones. Apart from his appearance the way he acts and talks is even more polite than many children from the villages or cities around his age. He must have been raised by someone rather than abandoned in the wild. Whoever it was, they did a remarkable job raising a devil like this.
Fernand thought with himself then started describing his plan for Arat.
"First of all, we need four things if want to escape. Food, mounts, weapons and numbers."
Mounts and weapons, I was just thinking about something sharp to cut our ropes and then make a run for it. The food is understandable since we can't waste time to find it in the forest if the bandits decide to come after us, which I'm sure they will, I told them I'm worth 100 Birn after all, what I don't get is the numbers.
"Mounts, weapons and numbers? We wanna fight or something?"
Arat asked his confusion clear in his eyes behind the iron mask.
Fernand sighed and scratched his beard.
"Yes, Bandits and slavers. We're far from the nearest city. It'll take about a week to reach it, and we'll need enough food and horses to make it, and these routes aren't exactly safe from devils either."
That far? But a city isn't where I wanna go. I have to stay as far away as I can from people if I want to stay alive. Even with the mask on, it will be something dangerous to walk in a city. But I can worry about that when I get out of here, if these salvers take me to the city they will hand me straight to those female knights in the church.
"So how should we do that? Stealing some food and horses and run in the woods?"
Arat suggested.
"No, that way we will be captured again, just like now and that is if we are lucky and don't end up becoming food for the devils."
"Then what should we do Mister?"
"If you wanna reach somewhere safe you need to move in groups, kid. The strength is in numbers. If only a few of us escape, our chances of survival are very low. We all need to escape together."
"We all need to escape together…"
Arat repeated what Fernand said.
"Do you mean that we have to free all these guys and defeat the bandits and take all their horses, weapons and food?"
Why did I even asked this guy about escaping, his idea is as good as impossible.
He glanced at Fernand's usual calm expression and saw no hint of joking in his gray-green eyes. Realizing he was serious, Arat swept his gaze over the group of lean, weakened men who looked like skeletons.
Does he really think these people can defeat the bandits? Those guys are armed and know how to fight. They have shields, long spears, and bows.
Growing up with Ganz, his grandfather, a seasoned and skilled warrior, Arat knew how dangerous it was to fight someone unarmed. He had practiced this countless times with his grandfather, learning it the hard way by getting beaten each time by the old man's wooden staff.
"Mr. Fernand Even if what you say is right, and we somehow win, won't there still be too few of us to escape?"
"Some of them will die, that's inevitable. But if we do it right, there'll be enough of us left to make it. Trust me when I say we're not going to survive if we don't travel as a group ."
Arat nodded silently, having a hard time accepting Fernand's plan.
"What should we do now?"
"We need to tell the others and get them to work with us. But they won't even think about standing up to the bandits. In their minds, it's better to end up a slave in the city than to die here. What we need to do is change that way of thinking."
Arat who was listening carefully then Fernand turned his head toward the brown haired man who had patted him on the shoulder, after exchanging a few words, he continued.
"We need more food to eat, and some weapons so we can catch these filthy slavers off guard. We'll have to steal them, and for that, you need to untie my ropes."
Arat thought about chewing the ropes again and instantly discarded that idea remembering its bitter and dry taste.
I have to see it there is another way, chewing it is the last option, but if I do it just this time and he successfully steals a knife or something it will be all over.
"Or you have to do it yourself."
Fernand said know what was going in Arat's mind.
What? Do it myself, even if my leg wasn't wounded it would be risky, I hope that his ropes taste better than mine.
"I will do it, but only once."
Fernand nodded his head showing his satisfaction.
"Now bring your hands closer, it will take quite sometime to tear through these ropes."
After the rest of the slaves closed their eyes, Fernand came close enough so that Arat could start his job. Even though he didn't care what the others thought as long as it made him escape, he didn't want them noticing his escape plan.
After about an hour, Arat was done. Fernand used brute force to tear the remaining strands of the rope, the rough texture of the rope had scratched the skin on his wrists and left red marks. He massaged the irritated skin, stretching his hands a few times, then crouched toward the brown-haired man.
"You know what to do, just like the old times."
For the first time, Arat heard Fernand speak in a laughing tone. He turned toward Arat.
"This is Conrad, my friend. Once he tells you, attack him like you want to kill him like a devil. Remember, it's only an act, but make it loud enough to get everyone's attention.
With that, Fernand slowly approached the wooden fence. Conrad followed, crouching down to create a foothold by locking his hands together. Fernand gathered a small amount of momentum and pushed off with his palms, while Conrad used all his strength to help lift him. Fernand flipped over the two-meter-tall fence, landing silently on the other side. The two guards didn't notice, as they were busy eating and drinking.
Moving with the utmost care and observing his surroundings, Fernand paused every few seconds to listen if anyone was passing by, knowing that getting caught would ruin the escape plan. finally he stopped behind one of tents and lifted the fabric to slip inside.
He saw mattresses, blankets and pillows on the ground, all reeking of sweat ,there was a small wooden chest near the entrance with a curved horn, some cheese, a few pieces of paper, and a knife on top. Fernand took everything he found useful.
Exiting the way he had came in, he hid a piece of cheese and meat in his clothes, then slipped the knife vertically into his leather boot. Getting close to the wooden fences, he waved his hand for Conrad who was lying on the ground with open eyes. Seeing him Conrad winked at Arat.
At first the faint sound grinding teeth began , some of the men noticed this and opened their eyes. Arat pounced at Conrad who was lying down pretending he was asleep. Roaring like a beast, Arat pretended to scratch at the startled Conrad, who quickly sat up, defending himself with his hands.
The others jolted awake in panic, they all stood up and started shouting for the guards, Conrad was the loudest, crying out for help as Arat, sitting on top of him, relentlessly attacked.
The two guards opened the door and drew their swords, one of them stepped forward, ready to unleash a strike at Arat, the other one extended his hand before him forcing him to stop.
"Boss said he wants him alive."
They somehow lifted Arat off Conrad and threatened him with their swords keeping him at a safe distance. Arat glanced toward the crowd and saw Fernand looking directly at him. He understood the silent message.
He stopped resisting and sat quietly. That night, everyone except Conrad and Fernand slept with one eye open. Arat couldn't find a way to speak freely with Fernand under the watchful gazes of the others. It was only after he laid down to sleep, far from the group with his back to the entrance and the guards, that he noticed Fernand facing him, his back to the others. Fernand raised his eyebrows, revealing a piece of cheese and meat hidden in his clothes.