It was a slow yet jolly ride to the town Square. Indumae talked a lot, he talked about trade he talked about boats he talked out careless youth, he talked about how the kingdom of norea had become Increasingly more braunian in its heritage how they now had whole schools of braunian teachers, teaching young norean children the braunian Ways and the braunian language and even the braunian Religions which were purely monotheistic in their nature. He went on and on.
Bravae began to wonder when he would begin to elaborate more about the job.
Bravae felt really uncomfortable sitting next to indumae and the lady, not because he felt they were bad people but because of the clear class difference that existed between them,they were wealthy merchants who had different ambitions and outlooks than him,and dressed in fancy clothes and put on fragrances of which the smell irritated him.
He simply was a poor farmer boy in his worn out clothing and sweaty body.
He felt so inadequate sitting next to the lady.
"The braunians are out in full force today eh" indumae said whilst passing through the 4th checkpoint since he picked him up.
bravae tightened his fists.
"Yh I dunno what it's about I noticed that too, whilst I was going to work this morning"
Bravae said.
"A terrible lot if we're being honest,always looking for an opportunity to be oppressive especially in these times of uncertainty"
Bravae nodded his head In agreement.
"What is your opinion of the braunian empire?" Indumae said turning his head to bravae.
"Well I think they are an oppressive force,I think they've come here and plundered our resources and kept our people in practical enslavement.
Indumae laughed deeply before saying.
"quite the opinion you got there, I'm a bit of an advocate for the Fall of the empire myself, merab What do you think of the empire?" he said to lady sitting next to bravae.
She had been quiet The whole time, almost as if she was uninterested in the conversation.
"Hmmm I don't Know as long as I'm not being bothered I don't really care. At the end of the day there's nothing we can do, the braunian empire is like a force of nature, there's nothing anyone can do about them."
There was silence in the carriage following her words Before bravae finally said,
"Well what about the job?"
"What about it?" Indumae asked.
"I mean what kind of job is it exactly, what are the perks and benefits?
"Well it's a simple job, you can swim right?"
bravae nodded in affirmation.
"That's ninety percent of the job, I can't explain the rest you'll Have to come see it for yourself, but don't worry it nothing tasking"
Bravae didn't like the way it sounded and at this point He didn't want the job but he continued to pretend as though He was okay with it.
By then they were pulling into the town Square.
It was littered with hundreds of soldiers.
A sight that made bravae very uncomfortable,he looked across to the lady across from him and for the first time he could see that she was shaken by the sight also.
indumae however was still as jolly as ever.
"Well it's okay you can drop me off here" bravae said.
Indumae slowed Down to allow bravae get off.
"So what do you Think-do you want the job?" Indumae asked.
"Well I don't know,I'll certainly think about it"
Bravae said getting down.
"Hey-bravae is it? It's a one time opportunity. After today the vacancy will probably be filled,so if you want it you can come back here in the evening by the fresh food shop And you'll be there." He said to Bravae.
Bravae paused before saying.
"Okay no problem sir, I will do so, goodbye sir and goodbye my lady" he said before walking away.
He knew in his mind that he would not come back for the job.
Despite his ambitions he was still considered indumae and his lot too bourgeois for him.
he Bowed his head as walked through the crowd in the square. He saw that many people were being interrogated and harassed and truly he felt bad because he knew that it Was happening all because of him.
These were the consequences that he had not Considered Before he set out on his quest.
He made his way slowly to the tax office where there was a small queue, he waited his turn and paid tax. Before leaving the square as soon as he could.
He had only one task now and that was going to see gbavamy about the sword so he quickly went back to the barn, where orvae was rolling Out some haystacks,
He looked very weak and tired. He probably shouldn't have been working at all for an injured Person so bravae asked him to rest while he rolled the haystacks.
After about many hours of rolling hay he was done and was ready to go to gbavamy.
"Orvae you should get your haversack,so we can go see gbavamy before the sun sets"
"do You think it's safe to move with the sword now? because earlier I saw A lot of soldiers patrolling the town"
"Yh it's almost nightfall, I think security should have been reduced by now" he said to Bravae.
Before taking the sword out From beneath the bed.
After about 30 minutes Of rest and preparations They set out for The mountains.
This time they Followed the blackthorn bushes just as they had done the previous night and before long they had gotten to the outskirts of the town.
Bravae had the sword tied To his back whilst Orvae followed behind him.
"Bravae do you think that the braunians will find us?" orvae asked him
"if We are stupid they will, but if we play our cards straight and tighten up loose ends there is no evidence linking us to it, so I don't think so."
"Loose ends like rumein?" Orvae asked
Bravae shuddered as he suddenly remembered rumein, he would probably have to warn him just in case the soldiers Searched his shop.
"Rumein might get us in trouble,but we still have time to warn Him,we can do that when we get back by then the soldiers would Have left The square"
Bravae said.
"Well I think all that won't matter since you've got the sword right? You could just choose to unleash anytime you want couldn't you?"
"I don't know probably,I don't know how it happened the Last time But I pray it doesn't come to that," bravae said.
"Shhhhsssssh! I hear something! Orvae said.
And they both froze in the bushes.
Just a 100 meters ahead cutting into the path was a convoy of at least 100 braunian soldiers, some of which were mounted on horses and other strange braunian vehicles.
Two soldiers stood in front holding an old man who seemed very unstable and badly beaten.
He was struggling but the braunians didn't care.
"is that rumein?" orvae asked
Bravae sighed deeply.
"bastards they must have gotten to him, they have no respect for old people look what they did"
Bravae spat into the ground.
"they're probably going to execute him." orvae said.
"And it's all our fault," Bravae said, slapping his face.
By now the convoy was making its way downhill into the forests.
Orvae and bravae followed behind them slowly and silently until they had gotten very deep into the forest where rumein was then tied hands and feet to a rock.
"they are really going to kill him" orvae gasped.
"I have to do something" bravae said.
"There's nothing you can do," orvae said.
"bravae took the sword off his back and began to unwrap it.
"bravae , last time was out of control are you sure about this?"
"it's the only choice I have" bravae said.
At that point a braunian soldier began to read out a sentence.
"rumein son of abimini you have been found guilty of aiding enemies of the empire with dangerous weapons which were used to steal property of the empire,
An act of treason punishable by death.
If you tell us who the boys are and where they are we may let you go with a lighter sentence otherwise you shall be shot to death"
The soldier said in a clean norean dialect.
"I've told you before I don't know what you're talking about, I'm just a blacksmith, I never sold arrows to anyone, " the old man cried.
"Well it seems you have chosen death" the soldier said.
"Be prepared to fire," he said, raising his hand.
Bravae couldn't wait any longer so he burst out of the bushes where he had been hiding.
"it's okay sir I'm the one you want" he said loudly to draw their attention.
Which shocked all the braunian soldiers.
The commander turned his head and looked at bravae who was holding the black sword.
"seize him" he yelled pointing at bravae.