Sorry its been so long since I've updated, I've been busy.
But from now on I will update every two to three weeks.
Please enjoy this second chapter!
DISCLAIMER: I do not own fable or any of its characters. The only thing that belongs to me is the Onderdonks.
Chapter Two
Andrey awoke several hours later and to his surprise two gypsy's stood above him, one a plump women and the other a scrawny man. Even more surprising yet was the fact that the three of them were all encased in a cage. The young blond sat up straight and the male gypsy was the first to speak. "Its about time you came about sleepy head."
"Who are you?" Andrey asked as he rubbed the back of his head, only to stop prematurely due to the severe pain that shook him to the core.
"Watch it there!" The women spoke, "You got a right nasty bump on the back of your noggin."
"I'm Jeremiah," It was apparently the mans turn to speak again, "And this," He pointed to the women, "Is Reg."
"Its Regina!" She protested.
"What is your name?" Jeremiah asked, paying no attention to Regina's complaint.
"Andrey Onderdonk," Andrey extended his arm which Jeremiah grabbed and, instead of shaking, used it to haul the boy to his feet.
"Onderdonk? Odd sort of name ain't it?" Jeremiah asked to no one in particular.
"Shove off," Chastised Regina, "How are you feeling? Are you hungry?"
"I'm starving!" He moaned.
"Thats a pity, cause we ain't got no food. They tend not to feed us." Reg apologized.
"They?" Andrey asked in confusion.
"The bandits," Regina stated bluntly as she gestured towards a cabin that stood several yards away. Andrey surveyed his surroundings. The cage was in the middle of a small clearing, which was surrounded by a spiked fence. A fire burned opposite the cabin, and surrounding the fire sat a dozen or so Bandits, each stuffing thier own faces and telling each other vulgar stories. Opposite the cage sat a few dilapidated shelters. Barrels and crates littered the clearing as well.
"I don't understand." Andrey's voice showing his concern.
"What is there to not understand?" The older man chortled from behind the boy.
"This is a slaver camp," Reg stated flatly, "Thag's slaver camp. He intends to sell us to Lucian."
"What!" The blond swiveled around quickly to face the gypsy duo. "Why would Lucian need slaves? Why would he deal with such scum?"
"I dunno." The two answered in unison.
Andrey turned back to the bandits who huttled around the fire. They sat joyously enjoying thier, most likely, ill-gotten gains, while Andrey and the odd couple starved. He cleared his throat in an attempt at getting the attention of Thag's men, but they seemed too intoxicated to notice. He tried again, and still no reaction.
"Hey idiots!" Andrey screamed, all subtleness evaporating quickly.
The men all, in unison, turned to face the soon to be slaves. A portly one near the center of the group spoke first, "Lookie there fella's the pretty boy is finally awake."
"I demand you release me." The blonds voice filled with dignity.
The next to speak was shockingly thin, and rat faced. "Did'ja 'ear that boys, he demands it!"
The group laughed, and Ratty stood and crossed to the cage. His hand grasping the pistol at his waist. "You really tink your 'n any position to be demanding tings boy?"
Andrey simply shook his head 'no.'
Ratty stuck his bony, claw-like hand between the bars and grabbed Andrey's jaw, pulling his face against the bars. Ratty leaned in close, and his rancid breath filled the young boys nostrils. "We," he motioned towards the other men, "Will be doin' the demanding. Now shud it!"
Andrey was then pushed, forcibly, against the bars on the opposite side of the cage. His head thudded against the metal and his head throbbed from the before mentioned 'bump' on the back of the kids 'noggin'.
Roars of laughter blasted again from the horrid men around the fire, but the laughter was cut short when a man with the horns of a buck atop his head appeared in the doorway of the cabin. Ratty's face looked grim, all the color had vanished and left a man as white as a sheet. The others turned quickly to once again watching the fire. The horned man spoke in a harsh and powerful voice. "Eddie!"
Eddie, which Andrey now assumed was Ratty's real name turned to the man, and smoke in a fumbling tone, "Yes Thag?"
"Do not taunt the merchandise, or I'll taunt your skull with my fist." Thag spoke wickedly, "Understand."
"Yessir!" Eddie bowed his head and stepped back a few paces only to trip over his own feet, causing the prisoners to laugh.
"Quiet in there!" Thag kicked a stone towards the cage, successfully silencing the merchandise, "And feed 'em already, Eddie. They look weak."
"Yessir," whispered Eddie again, as he bowed just like before. Thag grunted in response before vanishing back into the cabin. Eddie crossed to the fire and grabbed a few roundish objects from a barrel, after which he proceeded to chuck the objects at the cage. Andrey was struck in the head by one of the flying edibles and it softly landed in his lap. He lifted it to his eyes, so that he could see it in the faint lighting, and was glad to see a raw potato. Just yesterday he would have turned his nose up to the simple root, but currently he was starving and so gobbled it up in just three bites. Andrey surveyed the cage floor for more of the puny vitals, and the gypsys did the same. A dozen or so potatoes littered the floor, Andrey helped himself to just two more potatoes and left the rest to the gypsy's who he assumed had gone longer without a meal.
The bandits continued there earlier behavior and ignored the prisoners. The gypsy's had gotten into a heated debate. Andrey decided that the debate was of little interest and leaned against the cage's bars. Although he had slept throughout the night he decided that under the current circumstances there was nothing else to fill his time and proceeded to drift into a nap.
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When Andrey opened his eyes next it was dark. The gypsy's both stood leaning against the cage's bars their eyes fixated on what Andrey did not know. The boy wiped the last traces of sleep from his eyes and crawled between his 'roommates' to see what was of such interest. The bandits all spoke in hushed voices and scurried around the clearing, and every now and then a series of soft thuds could be heard from the large wooden opening of the spiked fence. The bandits continued to scurry around and the knocking continued aswell for a good ten minutes. Andrey grew irritated as the group continued to pretend to be 'not home' and decided he had had enough.
"Well who is it?" He asked to the nearest bandit, his voice louder then necessary.
Eddie, who was currently pacing back and forth near the fire looked alarmed and glared at the blond. "Quiet!"
"Well who is it?" Andrey asked again.
"Shud it now or I swear," Eddie started but was soon cut off by a voice that came from the wooden entrance.
"Its Dash," The rough voice yelled, "I wanna see muh brother."
Eddie cursed under his breath. He and the rest of Thag's crew seemed shaken by the information. A small man, who stood closest to Thag's cabin turned and slowly walked up the few steps. He politely knocked on the door frame, which was soon filled with the hulking figure of Thag.
"What do'ya want?" Thag's voice boomed across the clearing. The small man shook slightly before continuing on.
"Well, sir." He seemed to have trouble finding the right words, "We 'ave a visitor. Your... Well, your brother."
Thag stomped his booted foot and slammed the man to the ground in anger. From his waist he lifted a pistol and aimed it at the man, who quivered at his leaders feet.
"In this camp we don't talk about that queer." His statement final.
From behind the entrance Dash spoke up, "That's no way to speak about your baby brother."
"I 'ave no brother!" Screamed Thag, "you ain't welcome 'ear."
"I am not leaving until you hear me out bubby." Dash's voice was considerably more friendly and playful then his older siblings.
Thag stomped across the clearing, and stopped a couple yards short of the entrance. He returned his pistol to his waist and from his back retrieved a rifle. The bandits were at the moment silent and all eyes watched the horned man.
"Open the gates," Thag demanded, and his men awoke from their stupor and quickly began to open the large double door. Once the doors had fully opened they revealed an eccentric looking man. He was of medium height, and currently he wore no shirt and his washboard abs were clearly visible, his face was mostly hidden behind clunky goggles and messy brown hair, but a strong jaw-line granted him a masculine presence. Thag lifted his rifle and took aim at the face of his baby brother.
"Really?" Questioned Dash, his face worry free.
"Really." Thag responded and pulled the trigger, but before the bullet left the gun Dash had vanished, leaving his brother stunned. Just moments later Dash appeared again behind his elders back.
"Now," Dash spoke up causing his brother to jump from the shock, "I'd like to purchase a slave.
Well thats chapter two. Please R&R.