Beyond Doubt: Whispers of the Unseen - Chapter 64

Welcome to my seemingly endless journey.
A trip that will take you to places I might have visited many moons ago.
It´s a tale that came back to me when I meditated on one of my past lives. A life I told you about in my unbelievable true story.

As promised in that story I will now share this story with you.

Chapter 64

With a crash, the cage is slammed shut, and the wooden pegs are hammered back into their holes.

In the twilight, I spot a shape slowly rising to its feet. It's Numico, he moves with difficulty, but as soon as his face is turned away from our captors, a big smile appears on the boy's lips.

I can hardly suppress my joy, but fortunately, I am still dazed by the blow that pulled me out of my meditation. I am not allowed to react too enthusiastically; it would give the soldiers the idea that we think we have won the first battle.

I carefully crawl towards Numico and put an arm around his shoulder. “Tell me,” I whisper.

“What can I tell you, masters,” Numico says sheepishly. “I take care of the animals and the fire, fetch the wood, and do the wishes of my masters.” It is the same sheepish tone he used in the village. A role he has maintained all his life. It is not difficult for him to pick it up again now that it is necessary.

Numico continues in a whisper: “They were a little rough with me at first, but after about ten minutes, it became clear to them that I was too stupid to lie. They became friendlier, almost kind. Provided good food, glasses of wine, and kept asking questions. They are definitely looking for us. I don't know why, but I heard the captain say that one of the riders had to inform Rash.”

“They call us assassins and suspect us of wanting to kill their leader. Although I don't know what brought them to that conclusion. They know more about us than they should at first glance, that's for sure. But how did they get that information? I've been thinking all the time they were interrogating me, and I always come to the same conclusion, Remo.”

We don't get much more time; the soldiers are already coming towards our accommodation. After what happened to Numico, I assume I will be next. They wouldn't dare touch Retsj, and only turn on a woman in an emergency.

My suspicion turns out to be correct. With quite a bit of force, I am pulled out of the wooden construction and led to what had to be their leader. His eyes are dark but not black. There's something decent about his face, although that probably wouldn't matter one bit after seeing what these people are capable of.

My intention is to be calm and open. Not playing the hero or drawing the blood from under the nails of my oppressors. No, I would calmly explain who we are and where we are going. That the things they suspect us of must have been pulled out of the blue by someone who is trying to make a big deal or save his own skin.

I keep my gaze on the ground; after all, I must seem scared. A smile grows inside me. Here are so many answers to questions I had. It could yield a wealth of information. The only question remains whether we will get the chance to do something with this loot, or would we take it to the grave.

The man speaks the language of the mountain people almost without an accent. We had acquired this language through the trade we conducted, although we did speak a different dialect. This man knows where I come from. Numico must be right; only Remo knows where we come from. And Rash was smart enough to eliminate any potential problems early by sending someone he was confident could get through to me.

Someone who could understand us in our own language and in Hierai (the language everyone spoke). It was a smart move, elaborate, but so unnecessary. Apparently, it hadn't occurred to Rash's pugnacious mind that we might want to talk.

“My name is Reiko, I am the highest-ranking person here, and you and your friends are our guests. However this means that we can only offer you a limited part of our hospitality. That is not our choice, but this has been imposed on us from above.”

I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying Rash. But it worked; it was necessary to keep me from being stupid. Ignorance is the best defense in this case, I thought. “Captivity is never fun, but you could treat us worse, I'm sure,” I replied politely, looking Reiko in the eye.

Strange; this man looked nothing like Rash. He was mountain folk, that much was clear to me. Enlisted in this army and apparently, he had ambition.

“You probably know why you're here?”

At first, I am silent, look doubtful, and see the tension on Reiko's face.

“I assume you were sent to collect the tax, which we did not hand over when we left Kratyo. It is also possible that you were sent here because we were not allowed to leave, and you have to take us back. Dead or alive, to set an example for the rest of the townspeople.”

A faint smile comes to the captain's face, and he looks deep into my eyes as I answer. He is probably looking for some proof, some blink, that would show that I am lying. But since I am very aware of myself and my motives, it is possible for me to believe in the things I make up.