Rattling The Chains

          A single droplet of water finally let go of the rusty metal bar and fell onto her eyelid. With that, the young woman sprung into consciousness. The chains connecting her wrists rattled loudly with her sudden jolt. A pale orange glow from the rising sun shone in from the tiny window in the front wall. As soon as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, she scanned over her new surroundings. She had never been held in this prison before which surprised her. The small room contained four cells, two adjoining cells on the back wall and two on the front, where her companions and fellow slaves slept.

          Resting her back against the wall, she realized that one of her companions slept in the adjoining cell.

          “Fernon.” She said, her voice heavy and tired.

          The young man did not move.

          “Fernon.” She called again.

          Again he remained asleep. Her chains rattling, she searched the stone floor for a loose rock. When she found one, she threw it into the adjoining cell and it collided with Fernon’s head. The young man stirred.

          “Fernon, you alive?” she asked.

          “Yeah.” He replied sleepily. “You?”

          “Yeah.”

          “Where’s Nexis?” His bright blue eyes darted about the room. “Never mind. Found him.”

          Nexis lay in a cell on the opposite wall, his jet black hair and tan skin wet from the rain-soaked floor.

          “So tell me,” the twenty-two year old woman said, standing up and tying back her dirty blonde hair, “why didn’t that work?”

          “You cannot blame this on me Talcon.” He rebutted, standing as well.

          “I’m not blaming you Fernon. I would just like to know what went wrong.”

         “They used dogs. And they went out in the storm. I wasn’t counting on that.” He answered after a short pause. “And your two buddies were with the soldiers.”

          Talcon gazed over at the twenty-three year old blonde in utter confusion.

          “Not only was General Lucan following us, but he had your slave trader friend Jaquabe come along.”

          “Jaquabe’s here?” she asked, shocked. “Is he going to be the auctioneer today?”

          “Could we not talk about this now?”

          A short silence followed.

          “We need to find something to break these chains.” Talcon murmured, her mind wandering off.

          “Talcon.”

          “Maybe Nexis could reach that spear and use it to pick the-“

          “Talcon.”

          “What?”

          Fernon sighed. “We still need to talk about what was said last night.”

          Talcon did not answer straight away, as if afraid of her next words.

          “We’ve discussed this before. And besides, you’re my cousin.”

          “Oh come on Talcon. We both know that Gideon wasn’t your father. There is no blood ties between us.” He snapped, becoming annoyed with the hazel-eyed girl.

          “Blood or not, you are still my cousin.”

          “That’s s**t and you know it.” Fernon grabbed a bar connecting the cells.

          “Stop it Fernon.” She threatened, coming to tears.

          “Why can’t I love you?” he shouted in a whisper.

          Talcon did not respond. Tears still streaming down her cheeks, she turned her back to Fernon. He stepped back, still holding onto the bar. He let her cry for a moment, then approached the bars again.

          “It’s because of your son, isn’t it?” he asked calmly. “And Nexis. Because Nexis is the father.”

          “Nexis is not the father, I told you that last night.” She said, turning to face him.

          “Why won’t you tell me who the father is then?”

          “Because if anyone ever found out, I’d be put to death.” She exclaimed, hitting the bars close to Fernon’s hands.

          Fernon was taken aback by this. There was only possible man that would result in her death if he was discovered to be the father.

          “You… consented to sleeping with your master?” he asked, just as much confused as he was appalled. Talcon looked down at the stone floor, tears falling from her eyes once again.

          “You were raped.” He whispered as the realization swept over him.

          “I was going to be blamed no matter what. So, Nexis made a deal with him and convinced everyone that he was the father.” Talcon explained quietly.

          “So now you think you owe him something?”

          “Fernon, this is not about you.” She snapped, becoming annoyed with Fernon’s inability to understand. “With all that knowledge you possess you can’t see that? You can’t understand?”

          “You think that-“

          “How can you be so pigheaded?”

          “He doesn’t love you the way I do. What makes him so special?”

          Suddenly, there came a voice from the other side of the room.

          “In case your two have forgotten, I’m going to enlighten you upon the events that unfolded last night.”

          Talcon and Fernon whipped their heads around to the cell on the opposite wall. Nexis stood as far away from the wall as the chains would allow him. His deep green eyes flared with anger and annoyance, but the rest of the twenty-four year old remained calm. Fernon and Talcon hushed and allowed him to speak.

          “We pulled off the largest escape in years, fifty-seven slaves. It was swift and silent. Not even one drop of blood was spilt to get them out. Bribes were paid in full; deals were struck; we were nearly home free. And just to make things even more perfect, the rain came just like Fernon said. Last night, we slept under the stars as human beings.

          “Then that smell came: wet dog. Somehow, they had found us. We ran and they followed. These men weren’t just the slave catchers that we usually deal with, no. These men were the faithful and well-trained soldiers of our beloved nation of Ganika, led by none other than our good friend General Lucan. So we fought. Eighteen lives were lost; eighteen. It would have been nineteen if they had gotten Talcon. But they didn’t because another slave jumped in and fought off three soldiers. He didn’t get away though. Do you remember who that slave was?”

          Fernon and Talcon hung their heads in shame and sorrow.

          “Gideon died trying to make sure that we could get away. And here you two are, mere hours after his death, arguing about things that can wait to be discussed until after we’re out of here.”

          “Eighteen slaves lost their lives because of you three and yet you’re going to try it again.” said a figure standing in the doorway.

          “Jaquabe…” Nexis breathed, his anger swelling.

          Talcon approached the cell door as far as she could.

          “We paid you.” She said, tugging at the chain.

          “Talcon my love, you knew what would keep me silent, but instead you gave me money. All you had to do was-“

          “She is never going to become your lover Jaquabe. Stop asking her.” Fernon threatened.

          “Ah Fernon.” The slave trader sighed, laughing. “Your feelings always did get in the way of your mind. Probably why your escapes never work.”

          Jaquabe stepped aside and in marched at least a dozen soldiers, their thick swords dangling from their sheaths at their sides. The doors of the cells swung open, and, one by one, the slaves were detached from the walls and dragged outside. The chains around their wrists were connected to one another and they were loaded onto a caged cart.

          Talcon, Nexis, and Fernon were not loaded onto the cart, nor were their chains connected to the others. Each was given to a different soldier. Their metal chains were replaced by rope that was then tied to the reigns of the soldiers’ horses.

          When the slaves were secured and the chains were locked, the soldiers mounted their horses and prepared to transport the slaves to the town.

          “I hope you three had a good night’s rest.”

          Talcon peered up behind her. On a huge black stallion sat General Lucan looking out toward the dirt path.

          “It’s at least two hours from here to the town.”

          Nexis smiled up at the man. “Good morning General. A bit waterlogged this morning, are we?”

          “Nexis, your sense of humor and lack of intelligence appalls me.”

          “So why make us walk General?” Fernon asked, squinting as he looked up at Lucan. “Why not put us three on the cart?”

          “Not enough room.” He answered. “Wouldn’t want you to be uncomfortable.”

          “Lucan, if you were ever concerned with the comfort of a slave, they would have removed you from the army before you even reached the ranking of corporal.” Talcon mused, not even bothering to lift her eyes to him.

          Lucan looked down at her with complete disgust. His anger burst, and he thrust his foot into the young woman’s face. She stumbled for a moment, but did not allow herself to fall to the ground.

          “You will address me properly slave.” The general spewed.

          Talcon spit at the ground, most of it being blood. She looked up at the man.

          “Fine then.” She whispered. “Murderer.”

          Lucan kicked her again. Again she adjusted herself and spit out more blood.

          “Executioner.”

          And again.

          “B*****d half-breed!”

          Lucan’s rage exploded, and again he kicked her with a great deal more force than the first three times. This time, Talcon fell to the ground. She stayed down on her knees, spitting up a pool of blood. Lucan motioned the soldiers to start moving. The cart began to pull away, but all eyes remained on Talcon. The three soldiers moved as well. Nexis and Fernon managed to reach Talcon and help her up. Lucan watched them without following for a moment.

          “Where’s Gideon?” he yelled to the three.

          Fernon turned his head back, an expression of pure hatred upon his face.

          “Dead.”

.............................................................................................................................................

          “Next, ladies and gentlemen, a young slave girl who is skilled in the art of song and dance...”

          Jaquabe stood on a platform in the middle of the town square. Wealthy land owners and shopkeepers surrounded the platform. The slaves were in a line behind it, a long chain connected to the chains around their wrists. Several slaves had already been sold for decent profits. Talcon, Fernon, and Nexis were almost up. Talcon was no longer spitting up blood, but the taste remained.

          Talcon felt a hand wrap around her upper arm. It was one of Jaquabe’s regular guards. He stepped closer to her and whispered in her ear.

          “Jaquabe extends his offer one last time.”

          Talcon paused, keeping her eyes forward. “Is he prepared to do what I’ve asked?”

          “He says it would-“

          “Be impossible. Then my answer, as always, is no.”

          “He cannot just send out slave catchers to track down one small slave boy for the sake of another slave. Even if he is your son.”

          Nexis gave the guard a shove.

          “Let her be.”

          The guard released Talcon’s arms, and hurried away into the crowd.

          “What’s the plan?” Nexis whispered.

          “I’m thinking.” Fernon answered. “How many could you handle Talcon?”

          Talcon looked around at the soldiers Lucan had posted, sloshing around the taste of blood in her mouth.

          “Seven. At least eleven if I could get one of their swords.”

          “Same for me.” Nexis added.

          “If we could free the rest, we’d have a pretty good chance.” Fernon said, his eyes and mind wandering every which way.

          “We won’t fight for you.” A slave behind Fernon whispered. “Not after last night.”

          “Eighteen of us were lost. Why should we trust you again?” another slave voiced quietly.

          The chain was pulled and the line moved up.

          “Sold! To the gentleman with the pipe!”

          “They won’t fight even if we do free them.”

          “What are you talking about Fernon? What do you mean they won’t fight?” Talcon questioned.

          “They don’t trust our judgment after what happened last night.”

          Nexis glared at Fernon, astonished at what he had just heard.

          “I’ll kill one of them. That’ll make them fight.”

          Talcon poked her head behind Fernon. The two slaves were young men, maybe a bit older than her. They looked as though they could be brothers. It then dawned on her. She had dealt with these brothers before. They were stubborn, but she had had success in persuading them to fight before, perhaps she could do it again.

          “Why not go out on a limb? Isn’t that where the fruit is?”

          “You keep saying that as though we have a choice.” one hissed.

          “We are nothing but mere slaves.” The other young man whispered.

          “We do have a choice.” She snapped.

          The chains on their wrists soundly as they were moved along toward the platform. It was now or never.

          “If you wish to condemn yourself to this life, then so be it. But we have this one chance to change that.” Fernon turned to them.

          The brothers paused for a moment.

          “What do you mean?”

          Fernon gave a devilish smile.

          “We start a revolution. Right here, right now.”

          “How?”

          Fernon’s smile grew. “We kill Lucan. Without him, the armed forces in charge of slave affairs fall to pieces. We take the town, send dispatches to round up more slaves. We could do this.”

          “You’re mad.”

          “It could work.” Nexis grinned.

          “How ‘bout it?” Talcon added yet another smile. “Are you in?”

          The two young men stared at them for a moment. Finally, the elder of the two answered.

          “I’ve always wanted to know what fruit tastes like.”

          Talcon was jerked forward by a soldier. He proceeded to detach her from the others.

          “Do it Talcon.”

          The soldier disconnected her. Before he could react, the young woman twirled around, knocking him to the ground. As he lay on the dirt, Talcon kicked the keys over to Fernon. He then began to unlock the chain that held the slaves together. The soldiers took a moment to react for they were not expecting anything like this. Not only were the slaves trying to escape, but it seemed as though some of the townspeople were intentionally trying to get in the soldiers’ way.

          And the battle began.

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          Lucan lived on. Thirty-nine slaves fought that day. Twenty-two made it out of the town alive. Eight lost their lives. Nine were captured and imprisoned. Three months passed, and no soldier could find any trace of the twenty-two missing slaves. Over the course of those three months, slaves from all across Ganika had been disappearing.

          The Adaman Forest stretched for days. If a person was to enter that forest due east and travel for two days, he would find those slaves. No soldier had the patience for that.

          The slave forces grew by the day. More recruits came in with each rising sun. They created an army, relying mostly on weapons they could either make or steal.

          Talcon, Fernon, and Nexis had been named the three generals of the slave army. Revolution was here.

          “General Talcon, a message for you from our spies in the north.”

          Talcon took the message and the young boy was dismissed.

          “What’s all that about?” Fernon asked, brushing down his horse.

          Talcon opened the piece of paper and nearly broke down in tears as she read it contents.

          “What’s the matter?” Nexis came to her side.

          Talcon wiped her eyes. “The time has come.”

          The two young men stared at her in puzzlement.

          “It’s time for me to go. The brothers know what to do; they’ll be taking my place while I’m away.” Talcon explained.

          They did not understand, but there was no use to argue with her. Talcon mounted her horse and gripped the reigns tightly.

          “I’ll be back soon. There’s just some things I have to clear up first.”

          “Where are you off to?” Nexis asked, his voice somber for the first time in many years.

          “To find my son. Then my mother. Then, if I’m feeling brazen enough, to find my father.”

          “Luck.” Fernon wished her.

          “It’s not about luck, it’s about heart.” She motioned her horse to ride north.

          After a few feet, she stopped and turned back to Fernon and Nexis.

          “I love you.” She said, a smile upon her face.

          And with that, she rode off into the thick array of trees. The two men took their horses back to the base site.

          “You think she’ll be back?” Nexis asked, entering a tent.

          “Oh, she’ll be back.” Fernon followed. “We have a war to win.”

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          Three years from the beginning of what came to be known as the Grand War, the ones who were slaves charged at the remaining armies that stood against them. They fought like gods among insects. They fought as human beings… and won their freedom.