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Part 2
Foz set a good pace as usual, so Orven sat back in the seat and relaxed. The cart was designed to carry things from the market, but also for comfort for the cart-driver. The whip in his hand was unused until he saw the towers of Homefire Keep. Sitting up, he readied himself for the performance.
When they reached the outer guard-post of the keep, Orven flicked the whip. A nice cracking sound echoed from Foz’s behind. The 2 guards on duty nodded as Orven passed. Orven politely did likewise.
As they traveled towards the market, Orven made sure to whip Foz a few more times. In his experience, Orven found that people were less likely to cheat you if they believed you are a harsh master. So Orven maintained a stony face and gave his eyes a glazed look. When he was younger, his sword sensei said that he had a killer’s eyes. Orven intended to prove his sensei right.
Foz stopped at the entrance of the market and kneeled. Several stalls were already opened and Orven stepped off the cart. He looked at Foz and pointed his finger downwards. Foz looked at the ground and settled herself for the long wait.
Orven left her there and enter the market proper. As usual, the market was full of life. Trader’s voices shouted across the area as they tried their best to get anyone’s attention to their wares. Orven found his regular trader and showed him the rootflower plants. They haggled over the price but Orven had done this before. The rarity of the plant ensured that Orven will always get a good price, so he was patient. After all, there was more than one trader in the market so Orven was in the position of strength. After the price was settled, Orven used the money he just received and went to buy the goods the family will need. Living in the mountains meant that the family would need to buy almost everything from the market. There was plenty of time of course, so Orven was patient in his purchases.
He heard the rumors of the keep as he went on his buying spree. There was never a shortage of rumors in the market, but today there seems to be only one. There was a group of women raiders living in the mountains. No, they were human rebels led by a woman. No, they were women rebels led by a witch. No, they were both elves and humans among the rebels. Rumors flowed one after another and Orven got worried as the rumors continued.
60 summers ago, humans first
arrived on Teachct from the
They soon heard it. The humans that
arrived had lost a war on the other continent and were escaping from their
enemies. The new humans were from the Bright Empire. Led by women who ruled
over their men, they ruled over the whole continent of
That wasn’t all. The new humans had just lost an empire, and they want it back. The human women thought the elves would be an easy conquest. Elves were taller than humans, but even a human woman outweighed an elvish male. The humans launched a war against the elves. From Treachct, they would rebuild their empire and reclaimed their homelands across the sea. The women were dead wrong.
The elves proved to be a highly magical people. Every elvish solider went into battle armed with magical weapons and armor whereas the humans were but the scattered remains of a defeated empire. It wasn’t even much of a war as the elves easily swept the reminders of the Bright Empire off the map. The leaders of the humans discovered that there was no hope of victory and headed into the mountains.
When they arrived on Teachct, the Bright bought hundreds of male slaves with them on their ships. The elves did not wish to kill all the humans, but they needed a plan to ensure peace. They knew that the men of the Bright had no love of their women and decided to change the social order of the humans. Now human men have total control over their women. The plan has proven to be highly successful.
So much so that humans on Teachct have now proven to be nothing less than model citizens. Orven’s grandfather was a slave of the Bright, and he is forever grateful to the elves that he was not. If there is a rebellion, Orven knew who the human men would fight for, and it won’t be for their women.
Later…
Orven knelt over the body of Riven with tears in his eyes. On the way back to the house, he came across Tord and his women on the road. It only took a moment for his youngest son to tell the story. He was overseeing the women on the farm when the raiders came.
Riven and his other son Leven screamed to Tord to run away for help. Tord did as he was told and fled with the women. Orven immediately ordered Tord to take them to Homefire Keep. Running alone to the house, Orven hoped to be in time to help his sons.
He wasn’t.
Both his sons lie dead as the house was ransacked. His sons had bravely held off the raiders to buy time for Tord and the women to escape. When the guards from the Keep came, they found Orven crying over the bodies of his sons. Leaving him to his grief, they searched the area and found nothing. The raiders had run into the mountains. Only this time, it will be different. They will find no safety there. Orven will find them and they will die. As their father, it was only proper for Orven to have his vengeance.
His sons will be avenged. This he vowed.
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