From his cage, Kyrinn had noticed the unusual activity around the camp. He'd overheard the soldiers and occasional civilians as well. Things were not unfolding as those in command would have desired.
When it became obvious that some of the carts and wagons would be pulled by slaves, civilians, and even soldiers, Kyrinn called out his willingness to volunteer. "You'll have to remove the shackles, of course. I promise not to flee."
The response from the nearest officer was his coming up close to the cage and peeing into it. Kyrinn fought to avoid the yellow stream, but he only had so much room. After the soldier departed, the newly acquired slave gathered dust from below the bottom bars to dry the piss from his skin as best he could.
As forces began moving out in greater numbers in all directions, Kyrinn caught sight of his new mistress speaking to an officer while looking his way. She rode over to look down upon him, warning, "Run, and I will have one of your feet cut off. Raise a hand to my men, and you will lose it."
Kyrinn had no doubt that Tanna would do as she threatened. Then she smirked and added, "Play nice, like you did last night, and you will live through this day."
She turned her horse to leave, and Kyrinn called out, "How come we didn't play together ... m'lady?"
He flinched in surprise as a handful of small stones pelted him from nearby. Kyrinn found the peeing officer staring at him with a death glare. He settled back into his cage again, mumbling toward the officer, "I guess you didn't get to play either, asshole."
A few minutes later, Kyrinn was out of his cage and following behind one of Tanna's large wagons filled with her tent and personal possessions. Often over the first couple of miles, the chain between Kyrinn's ankles caught on rocks or roots rising up from the hump down the center of the dirt road. He tumbled forward, but with his wrists not affixed to his ankles, luckily he was able to catch himself unlike the day before.
Eventually, he snatched up a small tree branch and snapped it off in just the right places. He used it as a hook to snag the middle of the chain and lift it up closer to his knees. The peeing officer, now mounted, rode up at one point, glaring down disapprovingly. Kyrinn knew that the man would have preferred for the slave to continue to tumble rather than make the walk in relatively better comfort.
The train of men and beasts stopped at a stream a bit after midday. The horses, oxen, and other livestock were allowed to drink from the cool water. Kyrinn asked the peeing officer if he could do the same and was instead kicked in the shoulder, causing him to tumble down into a muddy ditch. He struggled against the thick, sticky substance and his shackles and eventually returned to the road where he only sat down and hoped to be left alone.
Eventually, a trio of slaves making their way down the road with pitchers of water reached him. Kyrinn thanked them, asked for information about the train's situation, and was ignored as the slaves moved on.
When it became obvious that some of the carts and wagons would be pulled by slaves, civilians, and even soldiers, Kyrinn called out his willingness to volunteer. "You'll have to remove the shackles, of course. I promise not to flee."
The response from the nearest officer was his coming up close to the cage and peeing into it. Kyrinn fought to avoid the yellow stream, but he only had so much room. After the soldier departed, the newly acquired slave gathered dust from below the bottom bars to dry the piss from his skin as best he could.
As forces began moving out in greater numbers in all directions, Kyrinn caught sight of his new mistress speaking to an officer while looking his way. She rode over to look down upon him, warning, "Run, and I will have one of your feet cut off. Raise a hand to my men, and you will lose it."
Kyrinn had no doubt that Tanna would do as she threatened. Then she smirked and added, "Play nice, like you did last night, and you will live through this day."
She turned her horse to leave, and Kyrinn called out, "How come we didn't play together ... m'lady?"
He flinched in surprise as a handful of small stones pelted him from nearby. Kyrinn found the peeing officer staring at him with a death glare. He settled back into his cage again, mumbling toward the officer, "I guess you didn't get to play either, asshole."
A few minutes later, Kyrinn was out of his cage and following behind one of Tanna's large wagons filled with her tent and personal possessions. Often over the first couple of miles, the chain between Kyrinn's ankles caught on rocks or roots rising up from the hump down the center of the dirt road. He tumbled forward, but with his wrists not affixed to his ankles, luckily he was able to catch himself unlike the day before.
Eventually, he snatched up a small tree branch and snapped it off in just the right places. He used it as a hook to snag the middle of the chain and lift it up closer to his knees. The peeing officer, now mounted, rode up at one point, glaring down disapprovingly. Kyrinn knew that the man would have preferred for the slave to continue to tumble rather than make the walk in relatively better comfort.
The train of men and beasts stopped at a stream a bit after midday. The horses, oxen, and other livestock were allowed to drink from the cool water. Kyrinn asked the peeing officer if he could do the same and was instead kicked in the shoulder, causing him to tumble down into a muddy ditch. He struggled against the thick, sticky substance and his shackles and eventually returned to the road where he only sat down and hoped to be left alone.
Eventually, a trio of slaves making their way down the road with pitchers of water reached him. Kyrinn thanked them, asked for information about the train's situation, and was ignored as the slaves moved on.