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(Page 3 of 3) Bhabyl (Chapter 4) by M Bae
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It was hard as a rock, but I plunged my teeth in it gladly anyhow. I was very grateful for it, I realized, though the feeling did not extend to Theo. I was happy for the meal, for its power to sustain, to let live another day... Hunger seemed to be an experience which I was deeply familiar with, almost fundamentally. Had I been poor? Maybe a hint for my lost memory.
After my meal we set off again, following the river downstream. The setting sun was making golden glitters on the river, and it was a beautiful sight despite my status as a helpless prisoner to a teenager. It almost made me sad...
Soon we came across a trail, which led us away from the river. We followed it up a small hill which flattened momentarily, where stretches of fields came into my view. I tugged at the rope which I came to resent deeply by now.
Theo turned in his saddle and regarded me with an indifferent face.
"Yes?"
"I want to know what you are planning to do with me," I said.
"I am planning to take you to a castle a little ways from here," he spoke as he turned away, kicking the horse in the side. I took an involuntary step forward.
"And then?"
"Then I shall sell you to a brothel for men."
"Okay, I hope that was a joke."
Theo didn't look back but let out a laughter.
"I will have the guards imprison you, for whatever you've done that made you flee to that forest."
Internally, I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
"Then what, you'll be on your way?"
"What else?" the boy answered with a question. I couldn't answer it.
The situation was terribly ironic. Last night I was planning to leave him at the nearby town, but things had turned out the other way around, and Theo had less mutual interest in mind than I. His guess about me being a fugitive seemed plausible, but I had no intention of finding out the truth in a way that involved a dungeon cell and possibly an execution...
"You know, Theo, we could take claim for what Osric's done..."
My suggestion was coldly ignored, but I knew—wanted to believe I did—that he was considering the possibilities. If he thought less about the dead man and more about himself... The kid was far too clever to not give it a thought. I hoped that the little devil on the boy's shoulder was a smooth talker. Devils tend to be.
We arrived at the town just after nightfall. The gates to the keep had closed already, so Theo found the only inn and tavern of the outer town called Cuppersdale. Everyone we met on the way stared at us funny, but I was used to the popularity by then. Nothing to see folks, it's just another grown man being dragged by a boy on a horse...
The horse was taken away to a stable, but not before Theo used the damned rope to bind my arms to my sides, holding a dagger at my back. The Innkeep, who had stood there while he did this, didn't seem to care at all, and none of the drinkers bothered to spare a second glance when we entered the building.
The room was a shabby thing, with a suspicious looking hay bed and a bucket that reeked with urine. The window was broken, and the floor creaked with each step we took. Theo made me lie flat on it, and tied my feet. It was done a little too hard for comfortable sleep.
"Goodnight," said Theo, and I didn't feel like returning the courtesy. I rolled to face the wall, and closed my eyes. Despite the anger I had felt all day, and was still feeling, sleep came to me like a spell. I could not resist.
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