IV. Iron Shackle

Night was slow approaching in the desert and I don’t know how long I dosed, uncomfortably in the sand, before I awoke to the chilly air. Yawning I stood up, trying to stretch my stiff muscles. Never before had I spent this long being inactive. I almost felt guilty for it, at least until I thought of all the trials I had been put through in these few days. What should I have been doing, helping the pirate’s clean their ship? That was a waste; I already knew how they felt about me. 1

I glanced up at the ship, checking to see if anyone was watching. The place was deserted. The few souls still left above deck were snoozing in their positions. Everyone else must have gone to sleep. I began to wonder what time it was. I couldn’t have been out that long could I? 2

What was I doing? Shaking my head I tried to clear my thoughts and get them back on track. Trying to figure out time or how I could have better spent my time was a waste. I needed to find away out of this desert, I need to go… Go? I had nowhere to go. 3

I could try and go back to Baliken and see if he still wanted me, but for me to bring the news that his favored, only apprentice died by desert lurking pirates. Well, I might as well drown myself in the sand now and get it over with because Baliken probably had something much worse on his mind. On the other hand, Baliken already did want to kill me for some reason, although that reason was currently unknown, it must be a reason that hadn’t occurred yet otherwise I’d already be dead. 4

There was no home waiting for me with open arms. They had long ago forgotten my existence, ever since they had sold me into indentured servitude. When I reached eighteen my apprentice status would have been done with and I could have used my skills to earn a living. The apprenticeship didn’t turn out though and I became the failure everyone assumed I would be. It was then that they had chosen to sell me, whether to Baliken or not didn’t matter; it was just their way of getting rid of me. Going back now would only bring my family into persecution and cause them to resent me even more. 5

I paced the ground next to the ship, wearing a small trench. Which option would I choose? Which one could I choose? My insides tumbled from the decision at hand, and I felt sick enough to throw up. I had never been forced to chose anything before in my life, every tiny, miniscule detail had been plotted and planed since the time I could remember. How was I supposed to know what was best now? Should I go home to the safety of my family and wait until Baliken heard the news from the castle? Maybe he would think I had died, disappeared with the apprentice. No, he would never fall for that. My life was linked to his through this stupid iron shackle.6

I yanked forcibly at the shackle as if mere strength could get rid of it. The tugging did nothing except redden my sore neck, making me regret my action. Sighing amenably I realized I didn’t have any options. The only thing I could do now was to go home to Baliken. That thought stopped me in my trench, setting my bones to quiver. How was I ever going to be able to do this? Deep breathes, I thought, I just can’t think about it like I’m a lamb willingly going to its own sacrificial death. Great, well now that I’m thinking about it I better just hurry on over there.   7

I took another quick glance at the ship to see if everyone was still sleeping, and they were. For the moment at least I was free. I stepped out of my so-called trench and began the long trudge back to Baliken’s. Now, was Baliken’s hut to the north or south? 8

The apprentice had been the one to lead us here and just my luck I hadn’t been paying much attention. The parts I had paid attention to didn’t really count cause I couldn’t separate one part of the scenery from the other. It had just been desert, desert, and desert for the last I don’t know how many days. 9

Scouting out in each direction I decided north would be the best away to travel. A long time ago when I had first been sold to Baliken they had brought me to him by way of the Traders. For what seemed like months I traveled with them, kept in the back of the wagon cage. I’m not sure what they called the device, but to me it looked like a wagon but with bars on all sides. That’s why I called it the wagon cage. 10

Sometimes when it got noisy, I think when we entered towns or saw people on the road; they would take the tarp that was tied on top and cover up the cage. I was told I had to be completely silent in those instances. I remember during the first time they closed me within the dark space I thought it was a type of magic and let out a startled cry. After we had passed the group of travelers I had been beaten with their whip and left on the ground. They thought I would be too injured to try to escape and they’d been right. I was barely able to move the entire night, instead I just laid on my stomach careful not to cause more injury. 11

Another Trader came over to bring me food later and it was he who explained the need for silence. Supposedly, servants whether indentured or not were prohibited in the lands surrounding the kingdom. The only place they could be sold was at the castle and that was only allowed because it was the oldest tradition for the king to have servants. The Trader scoffed at this saying that it was only so because the king was a tyrant. 12

The conversation had been changed then because it was unwise to speak against the king for it was considered treason. He asked if I had ever wondered about how they knew where they were going. Then he singled out the brightest star, calling it the Northern Light. That, he said, was their guiding light. A secret passed down between the Traders, a way for them never to get lost.  13

I looked up in the sky now trying to find the Northern Light. It was getting bright out, but I could still make out the star. The Northern Light was always the last star to fade away in the hours before dawn. I changed my path heading more to the right. At this rate I should be back in a week if not less. 14

For four days I traveled by night and by day, taking slight catnaps when I became too exhausted to move anymore. I thirsted for water though and each day I became increasingly weak. It was hard to tell the difference between the stars now, all of them blurring in the blanketed sky. I closed my eyes trying to gain focus so that I could see the star again. When I opened though it wasn’t night anymore. I must have slept though the night. 15

Wait, what was that in the distance? I squinted my eyes, catching a hazy outline of horse, my horse. Why was my horse way out here? Unless, perhaps, could it have escaped the pirates? I vaguely thought about the probability of pirates being able to capture the horses and being able to hoist them over the ship to keep them captive too. No, it probably just ran away. 16

I struggled to a kneeling position and tried to scramble my way over to the horse, but the closer I got the further away it went. I stopped suddenly trying to see what the horse would do, but it just waited there in the distance mocking me. If only I could catch the horse then I could ride it back home and be able to get there much sooner. An idea struck me then, if it ran away when I went towards it, wouldn’t it then run to me if I went away from it?  17

Using the last of my energy I jogged backwards trying to catch up to the horse. After about five minutes of this I fell exhausted to the sandy ground. The mid day heat beating down on my brow causing me to sweat, exhausting me even more. I peeked my head up to figure out the horses location, he was right there where I had been when I thought up this bright idea. I dropped my head back into the sand defeated; I was never going to make it out of the desert alive.                18

I came to my sense some time later to the smell of water. Scrambling to a sitting position I tried to figure where it was coming from. I just hoped this wasn’t another trick. Slowly I began to drudge my way east, following my uncanny sense of smell. 19

There, right in front of me, was a well. In my anxious bliss I stumbled my way forward trying to reach the well in time. Four day, maybe more, spent in the desert without provisions wasn’t a good thing and it had definitely been taking its toll on me. 20

Upon reaching the well I collapsed gratefully unto the stone ledge. Finally my thirst could be fed; I wouldn’t die in the desert after all. I reached into the dark depths, stretching my arm, trying to reach the bucket that would be my savior. The tips of my fingers grazed the side of the bucket and I reached in further, slithering forward until half my body was leaning over the edge. The bucket swung out of the way and I grabbed for it with both hands, letting go of the ledge. I tumbled through the air, my hands just missing the bucket and finally fell hard at he bottom of the well. 21

“Ouch,” I cried. With my hands still tied to my front it made the landing awkward causing pain to shoot through my side. I turned on back trying to rid myself of some of the pain. 22

The place was very dim, the only light coming from the well straight above me. Even without the light I could have still sensed the big open cavern I was in. The well, though dried up, must be connected to underground caves. How deep and wide though I could only guess at at the moment. 23

“You took quite a fall,” a melodious voice cooed from off to my left. Slowly she stepped forward her feet seeming to glide over the surface. 24

I sat up instantly, scooting back until I was pressed against a wall. What kind of evil was this? How could anyone else have fallen in here? 25

She kept approaching, avoiding any aspect of the light so that while my eyes still adjusted I could only see the paleness of her skin and her white flowing dress stand out. She came within inches slowly bending in one graceful movement and grasped at my right arm, the one that caused so much pain. I was completely defenseless, and with her holding my arm I couldn’t even shield my face, though I did try to not look her in the eye.  26

She tightened her grip on my arm sending waves of pain to radiate throughout my body and bent in closer still. “Looks like you’ll be staying here quite some time.” 27