As we wrestled, I was brought across the cesspool of the man’s unwashed crotch. As he rolled on top of me he pushed it into my face spitefully, I couldn’t turn away, in fact any more movement was painful.
“You can gimme a suck den. Go on do it good.” As the lout laughed like a swine, I saw red and bit him. I bit him hard. I didn’t go for his cock, I snapped at his balls. I got one and for a moment, we both froze. My civil mind tried to stop me from really hurting him and crossing the line. I had bit him hard enough to be quite painful but I didn’t break the skin. In my mouth, I could feel his orb try to retreat within his body.
I felt the violent urges slowly push aside the mental block. Like a dam being washed away, the violence seeped out and grew exponentially. The civilized idea that ‘this was wrong’, or ‘this isn’t how people treat each other’ was no longer a concern, or even an obstacle anymore, but merely a sign or a notice along the path of my actions. I knew it was wrong, but only in theory, only in a world where we played civilization, and that didn’t stop me because he decided not to play anymore.
Part of me was glad to play this new free form game. I had been playing it all along as I was watching my wife get raped, my life stolen, my civilized and normal ways of things challenged. It had shown me we were never far from having to stand up for our own. This man was sad that that in the wild world he had brought me into, he was now the victim. It was the nature of things, not fate. The problem with independence is you’re on your own.
I clamped down and tore like a rabid wolf. He released my arm but was too late. I was pushing out from under him and tearing away all the children he would ever have with me. I knew the feeling, it was like having yet another still born.
The world came back as I stood over him. He lay still now, either passed out or dead. His previously hard cock had shriveled to the size of a dainty thumb and the man looked like infinitely less of a threat. I vomited on his feet from the sight of the gaping bloody hole between his legs.
Behind me, I knew other man was dead when he rolled over on the floor at Flarni’s feet.
I could hardly breathe. I locked eyes on Flarni. One side of me wanted turn away from her in shame, the other was so proud to have defended her. I needed her to tell me which side was right. I was too confused knowing I had done something so wrong and so right.
I beckoned for her. “Flarni…” I said reaching out.
She looked to me. She really looked at me. No drugged hazy, or distant dreaminess was in her eyes. No fear or disgust was in her eyes either, perhaps only curious wonder was there. That was more of a look then she ever gave. Under the heavy blanket of fog her mind was shining, I could only hope for a smile as she puzzled out the world.
Behind me, the doors clashed open. “There he is!”
Before Flarni could give me a word, or even silently tell me with a smile to show me her disapproval or acceptance, I was pulled away. My focus on my pale love was broken and the scene of the room was revealed. Men in reddish long shirts with clubs pawed at me. They pulled away Metacari almost warily, I saw the man she had toyed with was dead, and three others near where she had been were down too.
The authorities didn’t speak as we were pulled out. A cart with several shoulder yokes awaited us and half a dozen men in purple and red dirty shirts stood around. The touch of the wood on my back brought me awake and I shouted at them as I was tied by my wrists into the device.
“I am an official in the court in Lafaust! I demand to see the authorities!” The men only looked oddly at each other as they pushed me up and into the cart. I’ll admit I didn’t look the part. With blood spattered across my neck and face and grisly short hairs on my chin, I was lucky they even paused.
“You’re a long way from the Crown now.” One of them muttered.
“Get my wife, she is inside.” I shouted. “We were protecting her!”
Metacari was pushed up onto the cart too. She sat quietly crossed legged.
“We’ll be fine.” She muttered quietly so only I could hear. Perhaps she didn’t know we had enough witnesses in the room to make the decision on our lives quick.
Flarni was led out gently and lifted onto the front of cart where she sat back dazed. A man got in next to her and we were ridden off down the street. Around us, the sky was starting to really darken under the clouds. We passed the working areas of the small town and turned up the rode into more of the warehouses and rows of carpenters and other craftsmen.
The jail we were taken too was huge but as we came around it I understood it was a castle that still seemed overly large for the unimportant town. The small fortification complex was mostly wood though the base of the central keep was grey stone.
The area inside of the complex’s walls seemed odd, as I looked around it seemed something was up. The whole complex seemed to be a field army’s camp. The uniforms were different. I have never been to a small town, but I know usually they wear more of the black, gold, white, or purple our royals claim for the country. These men wore green and gold though the style was similar to our heraldry. The men wearing armor wore green and gold tabards over our armor. I noted several men in plated Safi heavy infantry suits standing guard on the outside and along the walls.
We were marched up around the keep as Flarni was led inside by one of the men I was guessing was a city guard. They took us to a long low stone house with metal bar grates along the bottom of the walls I assumed to be the jail. Without a word, we were led to the wall at the side of the jail and made to put our backs up against it. We were then dropped to our knees as a richly dress thin man came out.
He strode up and looked at me with a haughty look I hated seeing nobles have. His dark eyes were almost sneering themselves. “You.” He said pointing a heavily jeweled hand. “You said you’re an official, what work have you here?”
“I was traveling and beset by bandits.” I spat. “I found information the men were traveling north and west instead of south and west from the rivers. I was led here to investigate the men so I can report and have a clearer picture of this incident. I was assaulted and fought back in the inn when men attacked my wife.”
The noble looked behind him at a scribe or assistant and nodded. He turned back as the other man scurried off to the keep. “I will keep you here to sort this out. You will be safe. If I find out any information you gave me is false I will kill you like a common murdering dog.” He said coldly and staring into me.
I didn’t flinch and held his gaze until a stiff breeze made us both turn away.
“What of that Amazon?” He asked and pointed at Metacari.
“She saved me…” I stopped myself before I mentioned the other witch.
“Is she traveling with you?”
“…Yes, we came from Lafaust on the same coach together.” I said quietly.
He nodded at that, but I got a bad feeling from him. “I will keep you here.” He said turning and paused. “You will be safe and secure as I said.” With that, he raised a hand and I was hurried off inside. The jail was noticeably warmer then outside as the temperature dropped for the night. The passageway down the center was narrow with long rows of cells lining the interior. I was thrown in with Metacari without having to go into the dark dungeon too deep.
Sitting there in the dankness, I sat down to think of the past few hours and try to sleep. The long day was catching up. The highs and the lows were exhausting and way too much for me.
Metacari invited herself over and I didn’t complain as she shrouded me in her warm cloak. I fell asleep against her bosom in the warmth glad to be alive still.
Hours later, I was awoken as a dark figure clattered with the lock on our cell. The sun had barely gone down and outside the wind had picked up and shrieked along the walls. Metacari stood and pushed me over to lie against the wall as she stood idly waiting for the figure to bust us out.
I leaned in and whispered loudly to her. “What are you doing?”
She only turned and I barely made out her wave to me as the door finally creaked open and the figure stepped aside letting her out. I followed her out into the dark passageway and panicked realizing I was only making this worse.
“We will be fine.” She said as we moved to the door and stopped to huddle. “This is the central town on the map. Troubling activity comes from here. We have now been directed to look closer at the Baronet’s dealings.”
I was puzzled even more now. “How do you know him?”
She turned to me but I only caught her silhouette. “He is the lord of these parts.” She said matter-of-factly.
“This is area is almost self governed with constantly changing dynamics. I thought you were from Mavvus?” I asked puzzled.
She sighed and faced me. “Me and Mara have a way of knowing things our sister tell us. Our sister knows things, and we work to do things that help make things better. But as much as we know, we need to know more to get things right. What do you know of the area?”
“Reports of a minor noble testing his legs. This region generally has pretty decent reported revenue despite the rumors we’re not getting it all. The sovereign for these lands was not present for a scheduled contracts audit, or the new King’s review during the two days ago. Historically, the delta where the Ort meets the ocean is a chaotic smugglers paradise, because of Belciox the lawless city. I believe the Crown intentionally allows it to be a relatively lawless area to allow the less socially integrated among us a place to be free.” I actually just realized that just then.
“Lafaust has a similar policy for the conscripts.” I added. “Keeping a whole country’s youth under tight supervision at all times during several years of conscription is impossible and not the intended goal. Allowing those who would cause the most problems a cordoned off place to slip the leash is beneficial to the whole. It would make sense on a national scale. The region we are in is unimportant and secure, surrounded by the hills along the Ort, the cliffs to the south along ocean, and several major garrisons along the canals to the south, north, and west.
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