Unkarra Gate (1st draft)

Chapter 24

The past weeks for Ezara were nothing less than miserable. On the way to the next campsite, she had been bound at the wrists as they marched, and rarely given food or water. The trek had become a blur; she wasn't aware of the time of day much less where her friend Dara was being kept. Even sleeping was unpleasant; usually she was tied to something and forgotten. They still watched her though; no one got her hands on her like before, but there were plenty of things said.

She avoided speaking to anyone, but she yearned to ask someone for help. It took her more than a day to realize that they weren't travelling any more, but had setup camp once again.  It was the second night in the camp, by her unsure reckoning, that she saw Dara again.

The dinner tent was setup again, in much the same setup as back in the village. She was brought in, to the back once again, and she saw Dara sitting near Matias, sitting and staring into a spot as though she were blocking out everything. She didn't even see Ezara, though it didn't surprise Ezara; she couldn't see very well at all and she was always missing what was evident to everyone else.

"Dara!" she called out, the first thing she had said in days. Dara immediately looked up, searching, looking around causing her hair to dance all about. But it wasn't until later at night that she found a time to sneak over to her friend, kept once again among dogs. Ezara once again devoured the food her friend brought, and they had a few minutes conversation, of which Ezara could remember little, even minutes afterwards.  

The days of being leashed up by a tree, under watch, and of being brought to the tent for dinner blurred together. Her stomach hurt, she was chilled at night, and her thoughts grew more and more lucid.

She was surprised to find herself waking in the arms of a stranger. He held water against her lips; her sips turned to gulps, followed by coughs. It was dark, and another man stood by with a candle lantern. She could smell fresh food.

"There you go, girl. Yes, I've some food for you," said the man. His face was well tanned, with many wrinkles, and he had a short black beard. "My name is Julio. I've been travelling with your Uncle Bogrel. I promised him I would check on you. I see they have not been kind to you."

"Why?" she asked between bites of food.

"Everyone has terrible things to say about you and your family. But I think it's just slander. Spending time with Bo, you can see he's a good man. He saved a kid's life out there.

"I know what they say about you also, but it doesn't sound like you've had a very fair deal. Maybe if someone showed you some kindness, we'd see a nice young lady, not this savage they make you out to be.

"Here, I brought you this as well." He brought out blankets and a fur, and set them up on the ground as a proper spot to sleep. He turned back to her. "We're going to look out for you, and see that you're treated fairly. You're not an animal, and we're not monsters, though it must not seem like that to you."

When she was done eating she called into the fur and pulled the blanket over, looking up at Julio suspiciously. The softness and warmth of the bedding enticed her to bundle herself up in it.

"There you go. Rest easy, we'll be watching you. I'll check in again in the morning, with some breakfast." Julio rose, and Ezara kept looking at him without response, so Julio nodded for his own sense of valediction.

He spoke to the other man who was visiting with him on his way; the man nodded and stayed behind, got comfortable and smiled at Ezara.

She lied down with her eyes on him.

"Bo saved my friend's life. I owe him for that. My name's Flavias." He smiled for a moment, and then continued talking. "I can't believe we're going to Geberra. I can't even believe that you're from there. Growing up, it's just legend, not a real place, you know? Like the kingdom of the Hidden Ones."