"We escape tonight." Corus said the words with determination, staring over
the rolling fields. At her elbow, stood Tyra, clutching her bony arms for
warmth. Both were dressed in rags, with an iron wristband around their
wrist, to show they were slaves to Lord Malgur.
Corus instructed, "We must first report to old Prend, but after that, we'll go straight through the north fields of barely, till we reach the walls. Of course, there'll be guards and what not, but with a bit of luck, we'll manage."
Prend was in charge of the North field slaves, and every dusk, he would record how much work each of the slaves had done, and any other detail there was. He would also collect the daily tax, to give to his fat, greedy Lord.
Corus and Tyra waited in a long line, before Prend, who sat in a chair before a neat desk. It was outside, just below the barn, and the slaves shivered in their thin, ragged clothing.
"Roald, Corus and Tyra." Prend called out after a while, in his thin, reedy voice.
Corus approached the small, thin man, dressed in fur, and sipping a cup of steaming liquid.
"Where is your father?" he demanded sharply, when he noticed the girls were alone.
"He is dead." Corus said softly, without an expression on her face.
"Fine, I will check this matter afterwards. Work?" Prend said without a care, as if he were commenting on the weather. Tyra could not stand this anymore. All her life she had been starved and oppressed, and now her father, as well as her beloved Mother were dead, and no one cared.
"We did our work!" Tyra cried in fury, "We worked from when dawn arrived, till the sun set. We worked till our arms were about to drop off, and when our backs creaked and twinged, and when the blisters on our hands popped, and till our feet were bloodied and bruised! That's all we ever do! Work for foul Malgur, while he sits, and watches and eats and."
"Stop that now!" Prend screamed, jumping from his chair, "Or I'll call the guards!"
"No, I won't stop! The injustice of it all! The injustice of it all! We are born, we work, we starve, we die! And you don't even care."
"Tyra! Stop it, please" Corus cried, tugging on her sisters sleave.
"Let me be, Corus. I know who I am! But you don't have a clue, do you, Prend? My people are strong, they withstand the harsh blows you give us. Why? Why? TELL ME WHY?" Tyra had worked herself into hysteria, screaming and crying at the same time. Prend was yelling at the top of his voice for the guards, and Corus was pulling desperately at her younger sisters sleeve.
"Tyra! Tyra! Hush! The guards will come!"
"I am not afraid anymore, Corus! I'm sick of being beaten, and pushed aside! I'm sick of living in fear and poverty! I'm sick of this stupid place! I need to go!"
That's when the guards arrived. That's when Corus' life came crashing down.
Please review, I love to hear you comments! Thanks!
Corus instructed, "We must first report to old Prend, but after that, we'll go straight through the north fields of barely, till we reach the walls. Of course, there'll be guards and what not, but with a bit of luck, we'll manage."
Prend was in charge of the North field slaves, and every dusk, he would record how much work each of the slaves had done, and any other detail there was. He would also collect the daily tax, to give to his fat, greedy Lord.
Corus and Tyra waited in a long line, before Prend, who sat in a chair before a neat desk. It was outside, just below the barn, and the slaves shivered in their thin, ragged clothing.
"Roald, Corus and Tyra." Prend called out after a while, in his thin, reedy voice.
Corus approached the small, thin man, dressed in fur, and sipping a cup of steaming liquid.
"Where is your father?" he demanded sharply, when he noticed the girls were alone.
"He is dead." Corus said softly, without an expression on her face.
"Fine, I will check this matter afterwards. Work?" Prend said without a care, as if he were commenting on the weather. Tyra could not stand this anymore. All her life she had been starved and oppressed, and now her father, as well as her beloved Mother were dead, and no one cared.
"We did our work!" Tyra cried in fury, "We worked from when dawn arrived, till the sun set. We worked till our arms were about to drop off, and when our backs creaked and twinged, and when the blisters on our hands popped, and till our feet were bloodied and bruised! That's all we ever do! Work for foul Malgur, while he sits, and watches and eats and."
"Stop that now!" Prend screamed, jumping from his chair, "Or I'll call the guards!"
"No, I won't stop! The injustice of it all! The injustice of it all! We are born, we work, we starve, we die! And you don't even care."
"Tyra! Stop it, please" Corus cried, tugging on her sisters sleave.
"Let me be, Corus. I know who I am! But you don't have a clue, do you, Prend? My people are strong, they withstand the harsh blows you give us. Why? Why? TELL ME WHY?" Tyra had worked herself into hysteria, screaming and crying at the same time. Prend was yelling at the top of his voice for the guards, and Corus was pulling desperately at her younger sisters sleeve.
"Tyra! Tyra! Hush! The guards will come!"
"I am not afraid anymore, Corus! I'm sick of being beaten, and pushed aside! I'm sick of living in fear and poverty! I'm sick of this stupid place! I need to go!"
That's when the guards arrived. That's when Corus' life came crashing down.
Please review, I love to hear you comments! Thanks!