The Workmen

Chapter 14

Stele cursed her spot on prediction. The moment they entered the city a second group of armored guards greeted them with taunts, an unfathomable amount of vulgarity, and long rusted prods. Every so often one of the prods would find its way into the back of a man's leg, giving the new set of captors a good laugh as the victim cried out in both anger and pain. After a mile of humiliation, the group was wrangled into a dirt pit with other slaves. One by one they were sifted through and placed into specific groups, women with women and males with males. The elderly and potentially sick were meted out from the get go. Stele cringed when the guards dragged many of them away, kicking and screaming for mercy. A few of Liz's wet tears landed on her hand as they listened to the shouts fade into the buzz of Ediw City.

Once they were all in their appropriate places, a few city officials adorned in gaudy robes entered the pit. Trailing in behind them were the original guards who smuggled Stele and her kinsmen out of Worran City. A nervous hush settled over the pit. Stele held Liz's hand so tightly it was a miracle the woman's fingers didn't snap from the pressure. In a strange turn of events, all of the pompous higher ups gave their undivided attention to the Captain, who ironically was more interested in what Stele was doing.

A motherly rush of anxiety filled Liz to the brim when she saw how attentively the young woman was being watched. Ever so slowly, she hid their connection behind her back, challenging the rigidly standing observer. The Captain quirked his head to the side and gave a wicked smile, plotting how he was going to teach Liz a lesson as he walked down the line of frightened captives.

About a quarter of the way back up the line the Captain stopped. Two incredibly thin men with swollen faces and bound hands stood in front of him. Anger rose within the unforgiving leader at their unwillingness to back down, to submit to his powers of persuasion.

"Anson, Karn, come join me." The two subordinates did as they were told. "Take these disgusting traitors out of the pit."

"What would you have us do with them, sir," inquired Anson.

A ruthless grin made everyone but the two fellows in question swallow hard. "Tie them to the post outside the western wall. Maybe the friends they so foolishly protect will save them. Is there anything you two care to share before the sand rips the life from your worthless bodies?"

Only one man answered, though neither of them stopped glaring into the executioner's eyes. "Though our friends are dear to us, it is not them we are protecting." His words cut the Captain deep for some reason.

Karn and Anson shared a puzzled glance. The man who had remained silent couldn't resist the smile forming on his busted, chapped lips. The third soldier, still standing with the other city officials, basked in the glow of his commander's discomfort. As long as the three subordinates had known the short tempered Captain they had only seen him get so disheveled a hand full of times. However, Karn and Anson didn't find it quite as pleasing as their comrade did.

Unlike the others who had been dragged away moments ago, the two so called traitors didn't try to resist being taken to their deaths. They merely walked out of the pit knowing that they had somehow put the grumbling man in his place. Stele caught a glimpse of the men's faces. There was something more there, something oddly resembling peace of mind.

"Sir, there's still no word on the other fugitives. Our search party has yet to return. I think it is safe to assume the former won't cause any more trouble," a sweaty official interjected. Stele wasn't sure if his excessive perspiration was because he was nervous or because of his plump stature.

"Mr. Downy, you will do well to remain silent." Something in the Captain's voice said that he wasn't the type of man to tell someone twice.

Before he continued down the lineup, the irritable overseer stole another look at Stele, making both of the Worran City women uncomfortable beyond compare. The closer he came, the tighter Liz would grip Stele's hand. Nausea pinched the young woman's insides. Out of all the creeps in the room she just had to snag the eye of the worst one.