Most Wanted

Chapter 28

Varian woke to a commotion outside.  His neck hurt from slumping forward in his sleep as did the rest of his body from the awkward position.  He groaned as he shifted best he could.  Immediately, he felt his arms tingle with numbness.

His door opened a few minutes later by one of Mazouwi's men.  He unlocked Varian's cuffs and motioned for him to follow.  They stepped outside, though, Varian was slower and more stiff.

Instantly, Varian realized that all the horses were gone.  "What happened?"

"Lady Caine and some bandits stole all the horses.  They killed the men on guard," he answered sadly.

"Oh my god!"  Varian gasped, clapping a hand to his mouth as he saw the three dead men.  "This is terrible!"

"Mazouwi refuses to let us take the time to bury them," he added.

"What?  No, he won't!  That's disrespectful for these valiant men!  Give me one minute!"

"What are you doing?  Planning on getting your ass whooped?  He doesn't listen to anyone," the man pointed out.

Varian didn't listen.  He marched over to where Mazouwi sat, reading his book.  This angered Varian more to find the man lounging around as if everything was fine.  "How dare you not allow them to bury those men!  Have you no shame?"

The lord didn't even so much as glance up from his book.  "It would be a waste a time and sunlight.  We'll be continuing on foot."

"Waste of-"  that was it.  Varian snatched the book book out of Mazouwi's hands.  "How dare you make such a claim as you sit on your pathetic ass as everyone does the work to pack up camp! You can't spare one hour to give those men honor?  They died for you!"

The lord was towering over him and looked ready to murder Varian where he stood.  Not that Varian would put it past him.  In response to the glare, Varian slammed to the book across Mazouwi's face, knocking the man off his feet.

"You fucking bitch!"  Varian shouted.

The entire camp of people froze, and their world became a stunned silence.  No one had ever raised a hand against Mazouwi and lived to tell another day.  No one had the guts.

Unfortunately, Varian quickly realized that he had a lucky opening for hitting him with the book.  The man knew how to fight and for a moment, Varian forgot that he was a war veteran before he was even born.  The book flew out of his hands before he could so much as move.  He felt his back being slammed into a tree and he struggled to breathe.  He clawed at lord's arm that was choking him and kicked his legs, trying to find the ground.

"You entitled fucking brat!"  Mazouwi screamed.  "I can have you hung for what you've just done!"

Varian couldn't respond even if he wanted to.  He gagged desperately for air, realizing that man probably was going to murder him.  Suddenly, the man released him and Varian fell to hands and his knees, coughing and wheezing.

"Lucky you, I'm a merciful man.  Terrence!  Tie him up, now," Mazouwi ordered.

The man from earlier ran over and did as he was bidden, not wanting to anger Mazouwi anymore by being hesitant.

"You," he pointed to a woman.  "Go get me a horse whip!"

"They were all stolen, sir," she answered meekly.

"Fine!  Find me something!"  He barked.

She quickly fled to find something the man could use, fearing her own life that the moment.  Everyone else quickly went to work, no one daring to utter a whisper against the raging lord.