A wagon full of Vantian towns people rides along a rocky dirt road. A woman holding a child embraces the child and cries.
"Lavi, I hope your manman is okay," the woman says to the child.
"How long has it been," says an elderly man whizzing.
"About two days or so," replies another man.
Suddenly the wagon stops. Screams and yells from Eklerajian men can be heard. Suddenly one of them comes and pull back the tart that was covering the wagon and yells, "Get out you scums! Get out now!"
Soldiers come and start yanking the people out of the wagons and pushing them into long lines. The hot sun beats down on the people as they are force to stand in line to await what comes next. The woman holding Lavi covers her with a shawl and clenches her to her chest.
"Don't worry Lavi, we will find your manman soon."
As she says so, she notice Eklerajian soldiers ordering men to carry the dead bodies of the Vantian family members. They carried them one by one, dropping them down into a hole in a ground. The bodies never seem to pile up. There, she seen Lespri body being carried by a young man with tears flowing from his eyes. She drops to her knees in shock.
No. No. No. No. She whispers to herself.
"Get up woman and walk!"
An Eklerajian soldiers comes and pushes her. She stands still clutching Lavi to her chest. As she was standing in line she looks around her and notice that men, women, and children were being sorted into cages and auction off to Eklerajian noblemen.
"Prisoner number 2048504," says a man as she reaches the front with Lavi.
"Remove your garments!" A man yells.
"No! Why should I? I cannot remove my garments."
"I said remove them!" He snatches the shawl from the woman. Lavi is now seen by the Eklerajians. One Eklerajian took note of what was happening.
"She has a timoun with her. Take it and throw it in the cages with the other timoun."
As he snatches Lavi out of the arms of the woman, the sunlight hits her hair. The blacks of her hair shines a bright red. The Eklerajian standing by the auctioneer cock his head to the side for a moment and says, "Zetwal Woujian?"
"Wait! Bring the pitit to me!" He says.
The soldier brings Lavi to him. He squints his eyes staring into Lavi's face, examining her hair as he holds her up towards the sun. Lavi begins to cry.
"You woman!" The man says to her.
"Yes!"
"What is this pitit name?"
The woman hesitates to answer. The man picks up a piece of steel, it heated in his hands and he flick it towards the woman hitting her on the cheek. It burns through her skin. She screams and drop to her knees holding her cheek while blood streams through her hands.
"I asked what is this pitit name? Are you her manman?"
"Her name is Lavi. Her manman is dead. Her manman was my best friend!" The woman cries out.
"What is this pitit manman name?"
"Le-Lespri. Lespri Kè."
His jaw line tenses.
"Treat her wounds and send her to the Tans to be a silence keeper," he order the soldiers.
He looks at the woman and says, "You are never to speak the name Lespri again."
"I'll be taking the child with me, she'll be useful for the King. Carry on with the auction!"
He walks over to a sphere like metallic carriage that hovers above the ground. Blue electrical sparks spurs out from around the bottom. In the second half of the carriage is a driver ready to be giving orders.
"To the palace."
YOU ARE READING
Dance of Enb
Fantasy"What does it mean to be a humble man in time of war? When all you have has been crushed before your eyes? Sometimes...a man have to dance in order to get back what was stolen." In a time of war, one man goes on a journey to find his kidnapped daug...
