C4 4

We left immediately after the morning meal with my father flanking the horses. I walked beside Jack behind the cart. Our mother and sisters waved us goodbye when we left. I had to admit that it really took alot for my mother to allow me to tag along with my father. She said it was too dangerous for a young boy like me but the truth was that she didn't want me to leave her side, I was her lastborn and most dotted child. My father was proud of me, that I was really his son. By fearlessly expressing my concern to go with him to the market, he felt like I was beginning to get brave. He didn't say much about the matter since he also wanted me to start experiencing the ways of life at a young age.

We moved silently on the dusty pathway that led to the main road except for the occasional greetings from some kind neighbors. Walking to the caravan would take at most half a day, we departed late as it was so we walked faster. We passed long endless grain plantations and a nearby river. Crossing the river proved to be a bit more difficult task since one of our horses got tripped by a rock. Had it not been for Jack's quick reflexes, all our grain would have been wet. After crossing the river, we continued our journey.

At about midday when the sun was directly above our heads , we saw the tail of the farmers' caravan. It was such a relief that we didn't miss them at all. My father and Jack were sweating by the time we joined it. On the contrary, I was still energized as ever, not a single drop of sweat on my forehead. They had grown so much used to my weirdness that they only glanced at me enviously.

The caravan was on some kind of a temporary standstill. Lord Fartou's men , the authority in Kinsha village were checking the farmers for 'stolen goods' . The thought of it seemed really ridiculous, how can poor farmers who were going to the market to sell their grains have any stolen goods? The bitter reality was that they only wanted to take valuables from us, a boy as young as me could see that clearly. This was daylight banditry. The soldiers wore shiny steel armor that glinted off rays of sunlight beautifully, they had their swords dangle by their sides . They walked like proud peacocks as they checked each cart. I really felt like teaching these guys some lessons. Taking from the poor and adding to the rich was the worst form of injustice. And they were soldiers, they were supposed to be just figures of the society. The world was really rotten.

Two of them approached our cart while laughing out loud. One of them showed the other a piece of necklace he got from their last cart proudly. The other soldier had the guts to praise him and even pat him on the back encouragingly. I felt utterly disgusted by them. The one who appeared to be the taller pushed Jack away from the cart roughly. He didn't fall down luckily since his stability was top notch . The soldier searched our cart while pouring some grain out to the dirt in the process. They didn't even care that that was the same thing that made them bread and ale and that it was our main source of livelihood. The soldier shook his head in a disappointed way then turned to glare at us. His gaze stopped at me with a wicked smile.

" This boy looks like some kind of a highborn, from whom did you abduct him from? He asked

My father rushed and put an arm protectively before me

" He's my son"

" Did I say you could speak peasant" the soldier fumed while easily assplanting my father since he was well trained. Jack rushed towards him and helped him up .

" I'm clearly his son,can't you see that?.. I would be chained like a slave if I was abducted" I said . My words suprised both the soldiers. But they touched my father, if they only knew the series of insults I was brewing in my little head

" I say kid…." the man started before I rudely interrupted him

" Can you get any dumber than you look under those heavy helmets of yours. The sun is really hot and you still have your armour on. Or perhaps your brains already roasted in there so you can't think right… what a pity, waste of air and space in this small world"

" Uh" the man gaped

" I said, you are shaming yourself infront of a kid. And your actions are making me really angry that I want to feed you to the sharks in the sea" I glared at the man making a step forward. I don't know what the man saw in my eyes but he dragged his partner and left our cart immediately. My father came and held my hand tightly for more than a minute as we watched them leave.

On the afternoon of our journey, no one spoke at all .