Chapter Fifteen
"You two should leave now."
"Which way do we go?"
"Towards the rising sun." Gaius asked. "I can give you a horse and some supplies, but we must be quick."
"But if you're in charge now..."
"I may not survive the night." Gaius admitted. "There are many who wanted to see Jhan replaced by me, but there are plenty others who will now want to challenge me for the position."
Janet was still sleeping. Daniel looked up, having heard the hopelessness in Gaius's voice. The young man still had the bloody knife gripped tightly in his hand. It was still the middle of the day and outside everyone was going about their day. Each time there was a loud noise Gaius jolted. Daniel was so used to seeing the man in complete control of himself that it was unnerving to see him this way.
"Gaius are you really second in line to rule here?"
"Yes. However, I don't think I can keep my position long. I lost much of my support when Gaius sent me into exile."
"Why did he do that?"
"Rumors that I was planing a take over."
"Were you?"
"I was."
"Why?"
"Because I do not believe we can win this war through force."
"Do you really think you can lead your people to a peaceful solution?"
"No. I think I will be killed before I even get a chance." Gaius sighed. "However, now at sunset I can have my mother killed cleanly rather than be ravaged by the camp. I may last a few days, but I don't have the kind of brute strength and social connections that Jhan had to keep me safe for long. Do not worry about me, wake her up and get back to your world."
Daniel sighed heavily. He knew that he should take this opportunity and high tail it out of here as fast as they could. However, he couldn't justify leaving Gaius to die. He glanced around the tent in indecision.
"Gaius, that weapon of mine that you gave Jhan, do you know where it is?"
"He didn't think it useful and gave it back to me."
"Do you still have it?"
"I do."
"I think I can ensure that you live a long life if you use it wisely."
"It's such a small thing."
"It can kill a man from a great distance and it make a really loud noise when it does so. It can only be used a limited number of times, but if you keep that secret to yourself and only use it in emergencies I think it will work."
"I don't know how to thank you." Gaius smiled.
"Actually this is how I'm attempting to thank you."
"I will fetch the weapon."
Gaius dropped the knife next to Jhan and rubbed the blood off his hands onto one of the animal pelts. When he was gone Daniel shook his head, hoping that he was doing the right thing. In his arms Janet started to come to. Fluttering her eyes open she looked around nervously until she spotted Jhan dead on the floor.
"Are you alright?" Daniel asked.
"Yes. Where's Gaius?"
"He's gone to get my gun."
"You're not going to shoot him, are you?"
"No. I'm going to teach him how to use it."
"What about Ezra?"
"She's Gaius's mother, my hope is that if he can protect himself he can protect her."
Janet thought about everything he'd told her and nodded in approval. Struggling to sit up she wrapped her arms around him in a warm embrace. She was still trembling slightly so he rocked her gently to try and help calm her.
"What's going to happen to us now?" Janet asked.
"Gaius wants us to leave."
"He's letting us go?"
"Seems that way. Something wrong?"
"I don't know. I still worry about leaving these women alone."
"I know."
Daniel held Janet closer and closed his eyes. He hated the thought of just abandoning Ezra and the others, but he wanted to get Janet home. Before he could make any decision Gaius returned with the gun. Without hesitation Gaius handed the weapon to Daniel. Daniel took a moment to explain to Gaius how it worked.
"That's amazing. And where you come from there are more of these?"
"And worse, but they haven't done much to solve our problems."
"I suppose if everyone has them they aren't as powerful."
"It just makes us more efficient at killing one another." Daniel said sadly. "However, I hope you can use it a little more wisely."
"I will certainly try." Gaius looked down at the gun in his hand. "Will you help me with one more task?"
"What do you need?"
"I must have the symbols branded into my back."
"Symbols?"
"Yes, if I already have them when I make my announcement of leadership it will help my cause."
Daniel and Janet looked at one another in confusion and Gaius jumped up. He went over to the torch on the wall and took it out of its holder. Going over to the table he found a dull metal butter knife and a piece of cloth. Wrapping the handle of the knife in the cloth he handed it to Daniel and the torch to Janet.
"Heat up the knife, I'll get Jhan's shirt off."
"Uh...Gaius?"
"Please do this for me, Daniel. You can think of it revenge for when I stood by an allowed Jhan to brand you."
Daniel glanced down at the fourteen marks on his forearm, however it didn't make him any more interested in branding Gaius. Kneeling down next to Jhan Gaius tore off his shirt. Janet and Daniel both gasped at the sight of the seven symbols that ran down Jhan's back.
"Daniel, that's, that's..." Janet was near speechless.
"Earth." Daniel finished. "Gaius, do you know what those symbols mean?"
"It is the way back home." Gaius said wistfully. "Every leader since before recorded time has worn the symbols to help us find our way home."
"Through the Great Ring."
"Of course."
"Gaius, what is this war about?"
"Our enemy believes that the world this leads to is forbidden, that it is the home of the Gods. However, we know that this world is our destiny. We must get back, and we will fight to the last to get there."
Janet looked to Daniel, silently questioning him as to whether he was going to break the news to Gaius or not. Daniel got up and paced back and forth for a moment. Gaius stood up and put his hands on Daniel's shoulders to stop his pacing.
"You came through the Ring...is this your world? Are we brothers?"
"Sort of." Daniel admitted.
"Then your people will fight for us!" Gaius cried in excitement. "We will send you back and you can bring others to come and get us."
"Gaius...."
"What is it like? It must be so beautiful. All of our stories speak of a land of Milk and Honey."
"Oh boy." Daniel muttered. "Gaius, Earth is not what you think it is. A few thousand years ago you may have been able to call it 'home', but a lot has changed since then."
"What are you saying?"
"There is no place for you on modern day Earth. You would not even be happy there."
"We can not stay here!" Gaius snarled. "There is not enough fertile land for both my people to return to the soil here. If we just give up on this war we will be hunted down and slaughtered."
"I think I may have a solution." Daniel smiled.
"What solution could there possibly be?"
"We may not be able to take you to Earth, but we could take you to a different world."
"A world of our own?"
"Exactly. There's a catch though."
"I don't know what 'a catch' means." Gaius admitted.
"It means I want something more from you."
"Name it."
"You must get Janet and I safely back to the Ring, and you have to start treating your women like humans, rather than animals."
"Daniel, if my people were allowed to return to the soil I believe we would quickly discover we need every single man, child...and woman to be successful."
"So we have a deal?"
"I believe we do."