(A/N So, there will be many, many short parts but I hope you'll get over it)
Chapter 26: Rebelious Brother
When Lucian, Colum, Marcia, Cashmére and Joseph reached Milo's boat- named Dawner, rather ironicall at this moment- the sun was already rising. They felt relieved that they had reached their goal, but they did not know where to put their horses. Puzzled, Lucian had realized that the horses were branded; it would not be safe to put them anywhere close to the boat. The people had mixed feelings about the rebels; some approved them, but some loathed them. It was either way. There were no neutral feeling about them. If they left rebel-branded horses close to the boat, it could very well happend that they awoke by an angered mob. It ended up with that Lucian and Joseph hid the horses in an alleyway- meanwhile 'the ladies' and Colum went to the ship. Jim looked shocked when they entered the cabin. He looked even more shocked when he saw Lucian and Joseph enter. "Miss Overstrand?" he wondered, "Who are these?"
"Friends." Marcia answered feebly, "Milo's here soon enough." I hope.
"Oh." he looked uncomfortable, "Where is he?"
Marcia could be a good liar at some times. Mainly, she was not. "He's... a bit tied up. In the bar." she said. Then, she added; "He was talking to a couple of girls when we left him."
"But weren't you at that posh wedding-thingy?" Jim wondered, and Cashmére sent him an angry glare that would have made even Eridiah Beth tremble.
"It wasn't exactley posh," she snapped, "It was traditional."
Jim roled his eyes. "It's not like it was your wedding." he said.
"It infact was." Cashmére replied.
"Oh! I'm sorry." Jim blushed.
"I'm sure you are." Cashmére said, coldly. She didn't like to be called posh, she didn't like that word. Maybe she was, she didn't exactley know, but calling someone that was slightly rude, she had understood.
"Sleeptime." Marcia shuffed Cashmére into her own cabin. "You and Joseph can sleep in mine and mum's beds; I can sleep on the floor."
Marcia did, however, not sleep on the floor. She slept in her own bed. Joseph thought that it would be simply mean to let his sister sleep on the floor. Cashmére refused to do anything, but to sleep beside her husband at their weddingnight, even though it basically was ruined, otherwise. Colum slept with Lucian in Trassimma's bed. Luckily, Trassimma never knew that Lucian Ramasotti had slept in her bed. She would have refused to touch it at the way home. To Cashmére, it was weird to sleep in the same room as Lucian, but she got over it.
Tantibus did not enjoy using the torturechambers. He was not a sadist, but whenever somebody was being tortured or executed by order of the emperor; everyone in the Seven, plus the emperor had to watch. It was, probably, to promote emperors or empresses to kill or torture more people than necessary. But this time Tantibus did to some amounts enjoy seing somebody hurt. Which wasn't that weird. Until then, he had not know who had killed his Erianna. But he had wondered all about it. Who could have been so cruel? Who could have been so blind? Eridiah. Eridiah was that cruel. Eridiah was that blind. Tantibus wanted him to get hurt. But, whatever method they ever used, Eridiah didn't seem very hurt at all. Nor did he give them any information. Tantibus sighed. It all felt useless. "Enough." he said, "Enough for today."
Eridiah bared is teeth. "Is it already over?" he asked and chuckled, even though it did sound rather strand. "I thought you hadn't even begun, Augustus."
"My name is Tantibus."
"Whatever." Eridiah hissed.
"Not to you, rebel." Tantibus said, and Eridiah laughed.
"Marcia..." somebody shook her, gently. "Marcia, time to get up."
"Mhmmr," she mumbled, "What 'ime is it?"
"Almost one o'clock." the voice said, "Everybody else is up."
Marcia opend her eyes. There, Milo stood. She felt a little happy that he at least were safe, but then she wondered about her mother. Where was she? "Mum..."
"I don't know about her." Milo said, "I looked for her- I did- but I didn't find her."
Marcia's stomach cringed. "Oh?" she could figure out herself that she probably was sounding very nerveous.
"But I'm sure she's alright." Milo added, quickly. Then he looked down. He cleared his throat. "However, I was going to ask you if you want to go out. And eat. With me."
"Eh-"
"There is barely any food left at the boat." Milo said, "And the others has already eaten."
"Okay," Marcia replied, "Sure. I'm quite hungry."
Just a few moments later, Marcia was dressed. She and Milo went into the Port. You could easily say that the city of Capriolium was split into different districts, based on the class of the inhabits. But, Marcia thought to herself as she walked there, the rebels were wrong when they said that the western ports of Capriolium was the poorest place in the whole city. The houses were not crumbling into pieces, like the rebels always said they were, and people seemed happy. Children- happy, well-fed children- ran around playing, and all kinds of people were out walking. Sure, there were some scary-looking people here and there, whom Marcia assumed was some kind of addicts to either alcohol, or who knew what. But these kind of people were everywhere.
"Marcia?" the just named person looked up.
"Yes, Milo?" she wondered. Milo frowned at her.
"I... didn't say anything." he replied.
"But-"
"Marcia!" the voice repeated, this time a little bit more annoyed. Marcia turned around. She didn't see anyone she knew but...
"Milo!" she gasped, "Milo, run!"
"Why?"
"Run!" Marcia had seen a rebel. Not a several- the rebels almost never were outside their group alone- but just one. The red velvet-cloak had covered his face, so she hadn't been able to see what he looked like. Marcia leapt, but the rebel grabbed her wrist. She tried to get herself free from the man, but he grabbed her other wrist. Shocked as she was, she forgot to use magyk. "It's okay," the rebel said, "It's just me." The man shook his head, and the hood that covered his face fell of. Marcia hid a gasp. "Rodrian!" she didn't know what to think, "You're here? You're alive? And why are you dressed like that?"
Her brother chuckled. "I'll explain it, Mar, I promise." he said, "Come with me."
"Huh?"
"C'mon, don't be shy." he said, "Just come with me. It's nothing danerous, I promise."
"Marcia?" for once, Marcia was glad he was there.
"Milo?"
"Rodrian?"
"Milo, I'd appreciate some time alone with my sister, if you get the hint..." Rodrian seemed to be eager to get rid of Milo, "Please, we haven't seen eachother in a long, long time."
Milo sighed. "Well, well." he said, and went of. Just like that. He went of. As though it didn't matter. Marcia found that she couldn't say anything. She was so shocked. Her brother, Rodrian, he was alive. He was safe. Or, well, she didn't know that exactley, but she assumed it. "Come now, Mar." he said, and took her hand. "You look hungry. Well, we can get you something to eat when we're back."
"Back where?" Marcia asked, but her brother did not reply. Instead, he dragged her of to an alleyway. Marcia stopped dead wehn they entered. There were a group of rebels, all on horses. She attempted to back away, but Rodrian held onto her wrist and dragged her into the alleyway. It was a trap, she knew it. Rodrian saw her shocked expression, and laughed right out. "They won't bite," he said, "You're my sister."
"Rodrian, where are we going?" she asked, again. Rodrian smiled again, and pinched her cheek.
"Always questioning things," he said, "Good old Mar."
"Where are we going?" Marcia repeated, stubbornly. Her stubborn, annoyed and angry tune caused some of the rebels to snicker. Rodrian shot an angry glare against the snickering men, and tried to smile at her. To Marcia, it looked as a mockful smirk. "A nice place," he said, "Where we can talk out. Doesn't that sound nice?" Marcia wanted to say no, it doesn't, but she knew that she had no choice. She had the feeling that if she did anything that, to the rebels, seemed wrong, she'd be dead in a few seconds. She sighed. To Rodrian, that did sound as a yes.
"Come on, then." he said, cheerfully. He dragged her to a horse, without rider. He helped up, and then jumped up behind her himself. "Of we go." he said to the other rebels, and so they did. They galloped out of the alleyway, and Marcia could hear people shriek. She hid her face. She didn't want to be seen with any rebels. It felt so embarassing.
She and Rodrian was at the front. It seemed as though he- Rodrian- was some kind of leader or commander of these people. He had called out and said which direction they were going, and what people were suppoused to do. That made her feel embarassed. She didn't want to be realted to a rebel! Absolutley not a leader of them. Rodrian suddenly leant his chin on her shoulder. "You're going to like this, Mar." he said, "I promise." Marcia almost shivered. These words... they sounded wrong coming from Rodrian. She closed her eyes, and wished the journey would just be over soon.