Violet grunted feeling the pounding in her head intensify; the hard bedding wasn’t helping either, she shifted in irritation. The ground rattled beneath a drowsy Violet, rocking her up and down, slowly pulling her back to sleep. She drew her brows together in confusion, processing the strangeness of situation. ‘Where am I? And who is that rocking me?’
“Miss? You feelin’ alrigh’?” the voice of a boy sounded.
Violet shot up, regretting her decision almost instantly, wooziness taking over. She groaned at the sharp stabbing sensation emanating from the back of her head. A pair of small hands steadied her by the shoulders, pushing her to lean up against the wall.
“Easy there.”
Violet relaxed her scrunched eyes, opening them to reveal a scrawny youth. Grey eyes watched her inquisitively, strands of auburn hair hanging over them.
“Who are you?” She asked him, slowly recalling the events that led her to the caged wagon.
“A prisoner… jus’ like you.” He didn’t look away, fidgeting with the sleeves of his patchy coat. The boy was cuffed as well, but it didn’t seem to bother him much.
“Name’s Arthur, Arthur Leventhorpe.” He said sticking out one of his hands, “an’ who might you be?”
Violet hesitated, shifting against the wall, before she slowly brought her right hand forward as well. “Violet, Violet He-” She stopped herself, cursing internally at her recklessness. Clearing her throat, she grasped his hand, and muttered, “Violet Sears.”
Arthur nodded, rubbing his nose in thought, “right, well that there’s Catherine Fogg, she was brought from Lochton.” He said pointing to the small child curled up in a corner beside them. She raised her head in acknowledgement, a look of deep melancholy on her face.
“Aww, don’ look so blue Cat, we’ll get out of here, you’ll see.” She nodded miserably, golden curls bouncing, before resting her head on her knees once more.
Violet’s heart sank in her chest, the child looked no more than six years of age; too young to be without hope. Arthur too, she surveyed the boy. He looked like he’d been there the longest, with his dirty garments, and calm demeanor. Had they been feeding the poor boy?
“How long have I been asleep for?” She asked, rubbing the back of her head, she winced, having located the swollen bump.
“Few hours, thought you wouldn’t wake up… you took a really hard blow to the 'ead.”
Violet nodded in agreement, carefully standing up, she crouched, painfully aware of the low ceiling. Her scalp definitely didn’t need any more abuse…
“Do you know where they’re taking us?” She limped to the bars, gripping them.
“Where else but Swynford.” Arthur came to sit near her, watching the surrounding trees pass by. “I’ve been with ‘em for a good two weeks now, moved from Belnesse to Corbourne, Corbourne to Lochton, and now Orkeep. Old Swynford’s definitely our last stop, it is the center of slave trade after all…”
“Slaves,” Violet tested the word, “Is that what we are now? Don’t they need some sort of proof? Documentation of the transferal of ownership?” The subject of slavery has always been a sensitive topic, with the majority of the kingdom frowning upon the matter.
“No’ if the buyer’s Lady Margaret Thorpe.”
Margaret, of course it was her; the vile women owned hundreds of the gifted. Her family has been in the business for centuries now, immune to the laws of the kingdom, ever since they helped take it out of debt.
“How do you know all this?”
“I suppose you learn a lot, living on the streets of Belnesse.” He bowed his head in embarrassment, face reddening.
“You are quite clever for such a young child.” Violet turned, smiling to Arthur, and patted him on the shoulder. He grinned back at her, rubbing the back of his neck, the boy was clearly not used to being complemented.
Violet’s stomach grumbled, “Oh…umm… I suppose I’m hungry.” She only had an apple that morning, and was absolutely famished at the moment.
“Don’t worry,” Arthur stood up, his head barely scraping the ceiling. Moving to where Catherine sat, he bent down, and came back with a small loaf of bread. It was a little dry, but Violet didn’t mind, she was just happy to have something to eat.
Once she had finished nibbling the bread, Arthur offered her a pouch, “you should drink some water as well.” Violet gratefully accepted it, gulping down a few mouthfuls, before handing it back. She felt refreshed, and a little more hopeful towards what was to come.
Although, Violet couldn’t help feeling like there was something off… ‘That’s right, I can’t sense anyone around me.’ Violet examined the cuff on her right wrist, there seemed to be some sort of symbols inscribed on them.
“Yeah, those stop you from using your abilities,” said Arthur, watching her. “Those bastards have thought of everything. I’ve been trying to escape from the moment they caught me… I jus’ don’t know what else to do...” He whispered the last part, glancing back at Catherine.
Not knowing how to answer back Violet stayed silent, wondering if they ever would get a chance at freedom. All her life she’d been sheltered from the dangers of the world, constantly being treated like the weakling she is. Violet wasn’t the least prepared for this, but…she had to try.
“What can you tell me about them?”
“Well…you’ve seen ‘em, a ruthless bunch they are. Jack, the fat one’s the leader, eats like a pig too. A disgrace to wizard’s he is, but still crafty, wont let anything get past ‘im.”
“I take it you’re a wizard?”
Arthur nodded, “One of me mates taught me everything I know…we were planning to go to Ligh’lyn together...I was jus’ caught off guard” He clenched his fists.
“I was practicin’ outside of Belnesse when they caught me. This bunch seems to only look on the outskirts of towns, ‘fraid of being caught…” Violet agreed with him, she had heard of men who wore those medals; it indicated their belonging to the slave business. Generally, they were shielded from the law, however recently weren’t welcome to towns, especially not Lightlyn, the land of the gifted.
"Cat was out with her family when they found ‘er, took ‘er straight from ‘er mother’s arms they did…” Arthur lowered his voice, still fuming.
“I jus’ wish I could get these cuffs off of me, I’d be able to blast us out of here, or even melt these bars, and slip away.” He huffed out, “but Cat was never taught to conceal her powers, she’d be easily caught… unless we find a way to steal their mounts…” Arthur put his head in his hands, the chain connecting the cuffs stretching across his forehead. “I wont be able to do it alone, ‘specially no’ with Cat tagging along.”
“You’re not alone Arthur, you’re far too young to be taking on this much responsibility.” Violet rubbed his back soothingly, “we’ll think of something together.”
Arthur straightened up looking at her dead in the eye, “We’ll get out of here, I swear on it.”
They were interrupted by the appearance of Sammy; he looked to have slowed down to trail after the wagon. Violet was relieved to see Daisy tied to Sam’s mount, the mare bobbed her head in greeting.
“Mornin’ sunshine.” The rogue sneered at her; she paid him no heed, taking Arthur with her to the back of the wagon.
“What can you tell me about this one?” Violet asked as the boy settled down next to Catherine; who didn’t appear to acknowledge either one.
“He’s a wizard too, isn’t really bothered with us, though he does everything Jack tells him to do… The real person you need to look out for is the old man; he’s a nasty one he is. He watches over us at night, and would do anything to give one of us a beating.”
Violet nodded along, “When are we fed?”
“Daybreak, an’ if we’re lucky, the evenin’ as well. They let us out to relieve ourselves both times as well.” Arthur turned away at the last part, with crimson cheeks once more.
At that moment, an idea occurred to Violet that just might be the answer to their problem. However, she stayed quiet, not wanting to raise the children’s hopes, she needed to be sure first…
* * *
Their door wasn’t unlocked till nightfall; the wagon had stopped a few times during the day, probably to rest the mounts, but the prisoners were never let out. The only outside contact they had was when Sam would check on them, though he wouldn’t pay them much attention. Now, he stood with Jack, instructing them to the back of their cage.
“That’s right, now all of ye, face the wall,” commanded Jack. Violet obeyed, hearing the door being unlocked. Catherine was ordered out first; Sam secured the barred door before they disappeared off with her. Violet watched her captors, keenly aware of their every movement, searching for something to work with.
Violet was the last to be taken out, “It’s your turn m’lady.” She was ordered to crawl backwards to the edge, before being pulled down to her feet. Stumbling, as they led her to the trees on the side of the path.
Violet was mortified that she had to go about her business, as they stood nearby, not trusting her on her own. At least they had the courtesy to look away; Violet was sure that if Pete had come, he’d have harassed her to no end.
Once finished, she was dragged back to the wagon, held by Sam’s iron grip. At this time she decided to begin the first stage to her plan.
“Excuse me,” she lifted her chin, “I need to take my medication.”
Jack turned away from the lock, “Wot? Why?” He stepped forward, leering at her, “You seem fine to me.”
“It’s to prevent the toxin in my limb from spreading, as you can see it’s quite useless… What was it you called me? Oh yes, a cripple. Well, I’m sure my price would fall even more when I’ve reached Swynford, paralyzed from waist down.” Violet exaggerated, watching as he deflated before her; she felt Sam’s grip tighten in warning.
“Well then,” Jack cleared his throat. “Where’s this medication?”
“It’s in the satchel tied to the mare, you’ll find a small glass vial. I must take a spoon for three consecutive days, once a month.”
Jack stepped even closer, staring right into her eyes, and effectively intimidating her to the bone. She felt her heart rate pick up, before he finally turned away.
“Right,” he lumbered to the front; returning a few moments later, vial in hand. Uncorking it, he sniffed at the dark liquid, “Eugh!”
“This is some strong stuff, don’t want you dyin’ on us.”
“I’ve been taking it my whole life, it wouldn’t affect me the way it would affect anyone else,” explained Violet.
“Show me then, drink it.”
Jack put the glass to her lips; she tilted her head back taking the correct dosage.
“You’ll take it again tomorrow, that righ’?” He asked, corking the vial. Violet nodded in response, as he pocketed her medication, and turned to unlock the door. Sam carried her into the wagon, before it was secured once more.
Violet waited for them to leave, before crawling to the others.
“Wot was that about?” asked Arthur; Catherine was also looking at her strangely. Violet ignored them, taking Arthur’s wrists into her hands, before spitting out the contents of her mouth onto the cuffs.
“Ugh! That’s disgustin’!” He froze, “What the-”
“Arthur, conceal it!” Violet urged.
He looked to her in bewilderment, before he nodded closing his eyes in concentration.
He let out a puff of air, and stared at her. “Wot was in that?”
Relieved that it had worked, Violet explained, “that liquid has been suppressing my abilities for the last nineteen years. I knew the cuff used some sort of magic, so I assumed spilling some of the fluid on it may render it useless.”
Violet giggled, the children were staring at her, incredulous. “Honestly I didn’t think it would work.”
“Well it did, and now we can finally get out of here.” A smile broke out on Arthur’s face, one of pure joy. Even Catherine looked happy, with her green eyes lit up in delight.
“Yes, but you both need to be patient, alright?” They nodded in unison.
“Good, now here’s what we’ll do…”