Inheritance: Threads of Fate

Chapter Thirteen - The Ledger

"His name is 'Vorsud.'" You shuddered saying it out loud as you read a letter addressed to him. "In case anyone cares..."
"Great. Now I can call him by his name when I punch him in the face." Raxe responded.
"Now you can call him by his name as you run your blade through his heart." You thought to yourself.
"He's commanded so many slave runs..." Caspian rifled through papers. "Calormen, Terebinthia, The Seven Asiles... Lone Islands..."
"Does it say anything about the ones on the Lone Islands?" You questioned hopefully.
"No. Just the names of the men assigned to the raids."
"Got it!" Raxe exclaimed as he slammed a large leather bound journal on the desk. It was open to reveal an extensive list of names, locations, dates...and prices.
"Good one." Caspian clapped Raxe on the back as he turned around.
"How is this organized?" You scanned the pages.
"It looks to be by date," Caspian leaned over you and pointed to the top right of the page.
You flipped all the way to the beginning of the book. "Aslan's mane...this goes all the way back to 1100..."
As you searched you noticed the names of the commanding generals changed every six to ten years or so. General Vorsud's name began appearing around the middle of the book.
"There." Caspian stopped you with his hand. "2300. It should be around here.'
Your eyes scanned frantically back and forth at the tiny handwriting.
"Look at the locations first," Raxe mentioned. "Anything that mentions the Lone Islands."
On the second page you began to see names associated with home:

Senlia - 18 - Lone Islands - cook - 30  - Uxo
Tinnle -  13 - Lone ISlands - WIfe - 20 - Olgad
Gira - 15 - Lone ISlands - Stabelhand - 10 - Kellsu
Salirim - 25 - Lone Islands - Picker - 12 - Ishta
Doleraz - 30 - Lone Islands - Picker - 15 - Ishta

Your breath caught at your father's name. "Picker?" You whispered out loud.
"Probably farm labor." Raxe placed his hand on your back
You kept scanning for your mother's name, page after page. Suddenly you found her and you felt sick to your stomach.
Helnea - 27 - Lone Islands - wife - 40  - Vorsud
"No..." You stepped back from the desk. "No. It can't be."
Caspian and Raxe read what you did. Caspian's jaw clenched and Raxe's face turned pale.
"That rotten son of a whore." Caspian muttered. "He knew. He knew the whole time."
You stood in shock. "She was there with me. I was there."
"You don't know that." Raxe walked over to you. "You don't know where he kept her."
"We have to get out of here." Caspian finally spoke. He flipped back to the page that had your father's name, found a handkerchief on the desk, and lay it on top of the book. "Find me some water." He directed Raxe.
Raxe opened random bottles and jugs until he found one filled with plain water, and handed it to Caspian, who then poured a bit onto the cloth. The ink from the book seeped into the back of the cloth, making an exact copy of the page. "So we can find your father." He held up the handkerchief. You nodded, as Raxe doused the lights. Caspian walked over to the door, opened it a crack and peeked out. "Clear," he whispered and the three of you snuck out into the dark.
You made your way back to the courtyard, where a few of Cale's men stood watch over the four unconscious guards in the wagon. The plan was to meet up at the wagon before the guard shift changed. Most of the men returned, some with rescued slaves in tow. But Cale and his group were still missing.
"We have to go find them." You looked up at the moon's position. "The shift change is going to happen soon."
"Agreed." Caspian responded.
"Where did they go?" Raxe asked one of the crewmen, who pointed off towards the right.
The three of you headed down the right hallway, which led down a set of long stone stairs. The dark hallway turned left...right...left...another set of stairs down, another right... only a few torches lighting the way forward. You had no idea how far underground you were before you began to hear a commotion ahead.
"Op'n this door 'r I'll run me blade throu' ye withou' a secon' though'." You heard Cale's voice menacingly as you rounded the corner and saw him pinning a guard against the wall, his blade to his throat.
"Over my dead body. You will not take the General's favorite toy." The guard refused.
"Simpl' 'nough." Cale responded, and with one swipe sliced right through the guards throat.
"Capn' we still don' know where the key be..." One of his men reminded him as the guards body slumped to the floor.
You, Raxe and Caspian ran to him. "Cale! We said no killing!" There was to be no evidence we were here!" You scolded him exasperated.
Cale grunted at you and turned towards a cell against the back wall. "We'll get ye out darlin' don' fret."
You joined him and looked at who he was speaking to.
There was a woman, you couldn't see her face as her matted hair was covering it. It was too dark to make out much but you could see she was naked, sitting sideways on the floor with her legs chained together, and to the wall. A small dirty cot was tucked away against the opposite wall where she could not reach. You immediately realized what this cell was used for...
"Caspian." You whispered with a tremble in your voice.
He came to stand behind you and gasped. "Where's the key?" He demanded to the crew.
"Bastard wouldn' give it up." Cale responded, not taking his eyes off the woman. "Said it were hidden away."
"Stand back." Raxe commanded, and slid one of the crewmen's swords out of his sheath as he approached the cell doors. He examined the bars for a moment, then ran his fingers over the hinges. He set the pommel of the sword against the bottom of the top hinge, and hit it hard with his fist. The pin flew out. He did the same with the bottom, and the door swung crookedly open on the wrong side. You all dashed in.