The mines. Daniel couldn't believe it. Those other slaves would be sold to merchants or Patricians. And they were sold to mines. The others could live out full, maybe even happy lives. But Daniel and Festus would probably die in the next few months. Beaten and worked, sunrise to set, with little food or water. He was sure they wouldn't last long.
While Daniel was thinking the guards went around taking the chains off them. Those guards took the chains and left. But new guards came, guards from the mine. Daniel was handed a tool that looked like a sharp piece of iron on a stick.
"You are going to mine lead. Head over there until you see Lucanus. He's in a white tunic with a blue sash, and he'll tell you what to do." The gruff voice of one of the guards told him.
"I want to mine lead." Festus's voice was clear and unmistakable. Daniel looked to see a guard standing by Festus.
"Well I say you are to mine silver. So get to it." The guard's voice was angry. Festus had been handed a wooden bucket.
"I'll be faster strip mining, I've done that before." Daniel couldn't believe Festus would argue. He never argued with the guards before. The guard took something from his belt and hit Festus with it.
"Get to work!" The guard shouted this time. Some people had stopped to watch, like Daniel had. But Daniel noticed that some of the people continued to work, and avoided the sight. It occurred to Daniel that he might get in trouble and beat like Festus was.
Festus took the hit and then walked to another slave. He took that slaves iron stick thing and handed him the bucket. Then he headed to where the guard had told Daniel, Lucanus was.
"Don't" Daniel voice was a whisper. The guard grabbed Festus by the back of his tunic and then beat the life out of him. Daniel watched his friend die in silence, unsure of what could help.
When the guard left Festus, Daniel walked to his side.
"I didn't know what to do." Daniel's voice was quiet. He had hoped that there would be some drop of life left in his friend. Something to murmur some last dying word. Some piece of advice, or last request. But Festus's now dull eyes stared up at the sky, and his wounds no longer bleed.
"Put him with the dead." The order was from one of the guards and obviously directed toward Daniel.
"I'll show you where it is." One of the slaves who was working when they got there kindly offered Daniel.
Together they picked us Festus's body and carried him some ways to a large pit, maybe a quarter full of dead slaves. they tossed his body in there and then they went to work. Daniels job was to break the heavy lead apart. It was hard work, but Daniel barely felt the strain on his body. He barely felt anything.
The next few days went by without any thoughts on Daniels part. He ate, slept, and worked. He didn't think, didn't sing, didn't talk to anyone. He only did as he was told.
Then, he thought of Festus. Of everything he had said, of all the times that they shared. Mostly though, he remembered all the songs Festus had taught him. He remembered what Festus had said about the only happiness you'll ever have being the happiness you create.
And so he sang. He sang, under his breath, but more loudly sometimes, all the songs Festus had taught him. When he ran out of those he sang all the songs his mother had taught him. Then he alternated between them, and sometime even made up songs of his own. Soon the other slaves would teach him their own songs. They started to call him Cantantis puer. The singing boy.
Maybe it was his youth, Daniel must have been ten years younger than most of the men there, or maybe they liked his singing, but the guards never beat Daniel. Daniel was also always obedient, and quick to do what he was told. Despite Festus's death, Daniel felt as though he had no reason to rebel. He poured his grief in his songs, not his actions. Though he did avoid the guard who killed him.
One day one of the other slaves told Daniel that everyone was getting beaten less often. And Daniel himself had noticed that sometimes people would sing with him. They would always sing quietly though, and he didn't know why.
Daniel ended up living several months at the mines. The work was hard, but Daniel just kept singing though it. The other slaves did the same and everyone seemed to live longer for it. Soon more slaves were brought, but they lived too. So more food was brought each day to the mines, and more ore sent out.
Daniel supposed he shouldn't have been surprised when one strange day wealthy man came down to the mine. The man had strange pale skin, and sat inside his silk covered litter, which was being carried by six slaves Daniel didn't know.
Everyone had stopped working to observe the strange occurrence, but once the strange man and Lucanus started talking, Daniel got bored and went back to mining the lead. He sang to, as he mined, but quieter than he had been singing lately, as to not disturb Lucanus's conversation. When they saw Daniel working the other slaves worked too.
"Cantantus Puer!" Lucanus suddenly called. Daniel looked up from his work and saw Lucanus gesture for him to come. When he was a few feet away from the strange man in the litter and Lucanus, Daniel stopped and bowed.
"How may I serve you?" Daniel was obedient but uncertain of what would be expected of him. Never had someone so wealthy come to the mines.
"The amount-" Lucanus was cut off by the strange man.
"What song were you singing just now?" The mans voice was soft and more pleasant to listen to than any Daniel had ever heard. But Daniel had been sure he wasn't singing loud enough for the man to hear.
"umm, I was singing "A Town Blessed by Maia."" Daniel voice was high and nervous. He didn't know why, but something about the strange man didn't sit right with him.
"And why were you singing?" The man seemed curious now.
"Because it makes me happy. And my friend told me that if you didn't create your own happiness, you would never be happy." Daniel hadn't realized those words were true until they came out of his mouth, but they sounded right and he said them with confidence.
The strange man stared at him for what seemed to be years, but could only have been minutes.
"Lucanus, I will be transferring this slave to my personal house slaves. Thank you."
And with that the man signaled to the slaves carrying his cart to turn and go.
"Well, Follow him." Lucanus gave Daniel one last order, before returning to his own work.
"Cantantus Puer! Come and walk beside me. I wish to question you further." The mans voice sounded as he left.
Daniel ran to catch up with him. He walked on the left side of the man's litter and took this moment to examine him.
The litter the man sat in was gorgeously carved, even though it was wood. Around it was draped blood red curtains, and on the sides, the silk curtains were thin enough to see though. The man dressed in a white toga with a golden trim. He had beautiful dark curly hair, and pale, well worked muscles. Daniel couldn't tell what color the man's eyes were, they looked to be red, but that must have been a trick of the red curtains that veiled him.
"Tell me, is your name truly Cantantus Puer? or would that be a nickname?" The mans voice was still impossibly soft and pleasant.
"They call me that because I like to sing, but my name is Daniel." Daniel's voice was confident again. Surely this man with a nice voice was too kind to be scary.
"Were you born a slave?" The man said.
"No, My people went to battle against Rome, but when we saw the army we were to fight we surrendered. But I was standing where I couldn't see the army, so I called out to Asriad that we should fight. But then they laughed at me. I was one of the people given as a slave to pay for the surrender. And the General Blandus sold me to this mine. I've only been here a few months, but I think I've been a slave for over a year."
The man laughed.
"I don't ever think I have heard a slave give such a complicated answer to a question. But you're not like other slaves are you? They get their revenge maybe, by being slow and awkward. Giving their master as hard a time as they can, without getting punished for it, of couse. But you! You! You get your revenge by being happy, of all things." He sounded giddy, like that was the funniest thing he had heard in some time.
"No, its not revenge." Daniel spoke slowly. "Because I don't care to inconvenience someone else. It wouldn't benefit me."
The man chuckled again. His laughter reminded Daniel of the grace of the clouds floating, with the strength of a waterfall.
"But you would be happy." The man sighed. "Why don't you sing for me Daniel? I will think of something else for you to do when we get home."
And so, with the word "home" ringing is his ears, Daniel sang all of his most favorite and happy songs.