Chapter 27: What of Father, Pyra and Borak?
Marius jolted awake, and was held down by slowly by a slender hand Marius looked around, and instantly recognized the prison tower.
"Rest easy my prince your burns haven't quite healed yet." Said a voice that Marius knew belonged to the head nurse of the castle.
"What happened why am I in the prison tower?" Marius asked as the head nurse assisted him in sitting up.
"You have been unconscious for a week, we would have thought you dead, but you were still breathing." Said the nurse. "Soon after the attack on you ash began to rain from the skies, and we received word of a fleet of strange ships coming toward our coast. Clais and the other lords led an army and were slaughtered like sheep as the ships came ashore and landed men who would summon fire from thin air. That's all we heard, when they arrived here we tried to hold out, but in vain and now here we are. For now the fire summoners have stopped their advance and we are under occupation on the streets from what we could see out the windows they ride huge beasts with three horns and red armor."
"Can you help me stand I wish to look around." Marius asked.
"Of course my prince," Said the nurse.
The nurse helped Marius to his feet as he stood he saw his countrymen battered and bloodied, some had bandages wrapped around them. As Marius was leaning on the nurse and being led through his people man of the people looked up with hope some stood. When Marius was in the middle of them they stood and looked at their prince.
"Have any of you seen my father?" Marius asked.
"No my prince we haven't seen him since the city was taken." Said one of the men.
"What of Borak and Pyra?" Marius asked as he looked around.
"Those two fled the city with those Clansmen cunts in the middle of the battle." another said bitterly.
"So for now we can conclude that we are on our own for now." Marius said grimly.
"Aye that we can for now we can say that." Said another man near the back.
"What are your orders my prince?" Asked Regas as the soldiers cleared the way for him.
"For now we wait and bide our time give time for wounds to heal then we plan and strike." Marius said commandingly. "Grow the Rose Shatter the Rock!"
"GROW THE ROSE SHATTER THE ROCK!" The battle cry echoed through the tower.
"I am at your service my prince." Said Regas as he went down on one knee and bowed his head.
"Thank you Regas." Marius said nodding. "Now please get up you're making a scene."
"My Prince." Said Regas as he stood.
"Now we need to make a plan to get out of here." Marius said. "But these fire summoners, are called firebenders and they are from a continent across the Great Sea. their men of the Fire Nation."
"My prince how do you know so much about these… Firebenders." Regas asked looking at Marius with a troubled look.
"Pyra told me about them when we first met." Mairus said.
"Commander it's good to see you are well ." Shiral said as he came forward with the rest of Marius's men.
"Why aren't you with Borak?" Marius asked frowning at his men.
"His orders, he said to give you a kiss, and to trust him." Shiral said. "Although I won't give you a kiss for him you understand."
""Did he say where he was going?" Marius asked.
"No." Shiral said regretfully.
From below them Marius heard a gruff voice.
"All prisoners file out and fall in ranks of six in the courtyard moveit." Said the voice commandingly.
Several men dressed in red armor with a white mask appeared up the stairs and told them to get moving each one having a flame in their hand.
They all filed out into the bright sun it took Marius some time for his eyes to adjust to the brightness of the outside after being in the dark prison tower. Marius looked at the keep and saw several red flags and banners with a black flame outlined in gold. On the balcony marisu could see two sets of crossed chains. infront of the chains someone stood though Marius couldn't see clearly who it was.
When they were all organized the man began to speak.
"My name is General Le Zhao of the Fire Nation you are as of now citizens of the Fire Nation. And as subjects of the Fire Nation it is your duty to obey our laws, or face the consequences." Le Zhao said motioning beside him.
The chains that had been hung began to turn until two men were hoisted up for all to see each had no shirt and each had bruises on their bodies and the chains were around their arms and ankles .
"These two men are known criminals in our land across the sea, the man on the right was once belonged to a family of non bender warriors who defied the Fire Lord time and time again. When the Fire Lord brought down justice he escaped execution and you know him as your king. The man to your left is a known inventor his name is Bo Yan these men hanging here are both traitors to the Fire Nation see that you are not met with the same fate." Le Zhao bellowed with authority. " You are now a colony of the Fire Nation you should be proud to be under our rule the guards will take you to the prison we have built where you live out the remainder of your lives digging in the mines we established in the mountains."
The guards came and chained all of them together and began to march them through the city. The citizens watched as their once protectors were led through the city shamefully. many uttered curses to the Fire Nation soldiers.
As they went through the streets Marius could see the devastation that the fire benders had wrought upon the City entire sections reduced to ash and debris. Many of the people picked up in an effort to clean their once proud city. As they approached the gate a massive banner like the one on the keep hung. on the walls several Fire Nation soldiers were on guard duty.
Outside the gate several more guards were waiting as the prisoners passed they joined up with the others and loaded them onto prisoner carts that had metal bars on them. Each one was pulled by a massive horned lizard with a single rider to direct the beast. Then they headed south Marius slept most of the journey. When he awoke there was a massive walled building built into the side of the mountain. the wall towered over them and behind it lied a big half cylinder building, which marius guessed led into the mines and their sleeping quarters.
The carts went through the gates and into the central yard area. the Soldiers who joined them on the march left and followed their sergeants to the left where the guard barracks was located. the carts were taken inside the tower where they were let out and put into a changing room which had crimson sleeveless shirts, crimson pants, and shoes. then they were lined up against the wall one by one and ordered to wait for the warden to appear.
What seemed like an eternity passed before the Warden appeared and scowled at each of them as he passed when he was done he came back to the center of the line and began to speak.
"Welcome to Cho Bok prison your new home." Said the Warden kindly before his expression turned cold and serious. "You will get up in shifts based on which block you are in A blocks shift will start when the sun rises and end at noon. B Blocks will begin after that and continue until the dawn. As we get more prisoners more blocks will be added. C Block you will handle prisoner cooking. D Block you will handle maintenance of the prison like cleaning. Showers will be taken once every two weeks, weapons are prohibited. Enjoy your stay here, move them out.
The guards pushed them forward and they were split off into their blocks and directed to them.
That night Marius got little sleep on the hard beds of the prison Marisu and most of his men were put in C Block which made Marius feel a little better but sorry for Regas who was put into A block. This began the occupation of the Highland Kingdom Marius hoped it would end soon so things could return to normality.