Twilight Between: Day 3

Word Count: 18,019

Summary of Events:

Emma was sitting outside when a messenger came from the Häuptling; when he left, she went to her father's study and learned the messenger had brought an official invitation to König Baldrich's funeral, as space in the caves beneath the mountain were limited. Torben felt annoyed by the invitation, as it saddled him with the need to bring a woman with him, until he was struck by the idea that he could take Emma with him, as she was a woman — even if a very young one — and was overflowing with questions about what all would happen. Adler arrived at his new master's home, which he determined was in the far south of Zeig, as he could see the sea, where the wagon carrying him and the other slaves who'd been bought with him to a low shed well toward the back of the property . . .

Excerpt of the Day:

The door of the wagon was unlocked and opened and one of the handlers fished his Sklavestab inside, hooking the chain closest to the slave who was most in line with the door and pulling.

With many a wary look toward him, the slave edged toward the door, drawing two more after him when their chains became tight.

Apparently realising that this slave wasn’t at either end of the chain the handler unhooked the slave, deftly turned his Sklavestab around, and beat the slave with it five times, cursing at him.

“Where is the end?” the handler demanded.

Cautiously he edged toward the doorway, flinching when the Sklavestab’s sharp-pointed metal hook came close to his face as the handler went for the chain coming from his collar and pulled him roughly out.

Once he was out on the ground his collar was hooked by another handler and the chain unlocked by a third before he was led toward the low shed, which he quickly realised was a forge by seeing the elevated heating place aglow with orange.

Glowing red-hot over the coals was a carefully formed brand that, if the master owned any livestock, was used to mark them as well as his slaves, and was registered in the brand registry.

The handler behind him gave him a hard push that dropped him to his knees before he was pushed further forward until he was laid on his stomach.

Several men came at him from all sides as the handler moved to be above his head, pulling on his collar so as to almost choke him, with two taking hold of his arms, and two taking hold per leg.

Those on his right leg drew up the leg of his linen pants and he writhed in anticipation of the pain that he knew was going to sear through him, just as when the hot brand had been applied to his forearm just above his wrist a couple months before.

One of the men holding his legs slapped his back, and he felt the collar’s unrounded corners bite into his jaw before there came the sound of more footsteps.

“Ready?” a man asked toward his feet.

“Ready,” two men responded.

He barely had a chance to feel the heat of the brand nearing his flesh before he felt the horrible searing sensation, but was unable to scream because of the choking position the collar was in around his throat.

Instinctively he writhed against those who held him, desperate to be free of the agonising pain, and was beaten for his efforts by hands and even sticks before finally he felt as if the pain was subsiding, even if hardly, and ceased to strive against those who held him.

They all then released him — except the handler, of course — and he was goaded to his feet despite the screaming pain on the back of his leg.

He could hardly think for the pain he was in, but was goaded forward by the pressing of his collar, as well as other beatings and proddings until the agony was more than he could bear and he collapsed, his consciousness abandoning him.

Pronunciation:

Sklavestab: sklahvehstahb