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Luke looked down to see the little birds flapping and traveling down his chest. “Oh, yeah. They’re lazy as fuck, but I guess they finally got bored.”
Jagger’s lip twitched before he busted out laughing. “I guess they are lazy. I haven't seen them move once.”
“Watch, they’ll pick a new spot and not move for ages.”
Sure enough, the six bird outlines settled. Three paused on his right hip, and the other three settled on his left hip. All of their wings stayed out as if they were gliding, and their beaks pointed at his crotch.
“Great. Draw attention to my nether regions.” Luke sighed. “Next month, they’ll be circling my nipples or something.”
“Well, we have to go soon." Jagger removed a chain lead from his pocket. “You remember everything I told you, right?”
“Yes.”
“And if you need to ask me something, you can.”
“What exactly are we doing right now?”
Jagger gave him a quick rundown as he led him on a lead a different way down the corridors. It didn’t comfort Luke, but at least he had some idea of what was going on, and he wouldn’t be blindly stepping into this like others who had no guard to protect them.
Jagger took him through a door, up a flight of stairs, and into a room where a few other prisoners were already waiting. Like everyone else, Luke’s wrists were shackled behind his back, and his lead was attached to a ring in the wall. Jagger left him there to wait with ten others who were restrained in the same way. By a set of double doors, two guards waited. One was dressed similarly to Jagger although his long coat was plain, so Luke assumed that was another senior. The other guards always wore basic leather armor instead of long coats.
One at a desk asked Luke’s name and scratched off something on his parchment once he had it.
The pet that had a guard appeared utterly miserable as he leaned against the wall. His gaze was focused on the floor, but his black eye was pretty obvious.
Jagger might have damn near whipped and strapped the shit out of his slave, but he’d never punched or slapped Luke. It seemed that being a pet to certain guards was worse than making it alone.
A couple of other men were brought in after a couple of minutes. Overall, every criminal looked pretty average. One had a beard, and Luke was glad wouldn’t have to worry about facial or pubic hair for nearly five years. He’d nabbed the no-shave lather his roommate had tossed away a few months ago. It was a newer invention, and his roommate had said it was garbage, but he hadn’t read the instructions. If he hadn’t left it on his skin for a damn hour, he probably wouldn’t have gotten a horrible rash from it.
The one who had told Jagger to fuck himself was as quiet as a mouse. Those cane whacks to the nuts must have taught him a thing or two.
Other guards started filtering into the room as they talked, and a couple headed through the double doors. Beyond it, someone yelled to ask if the carts were all packed and ready. Someone else shouted yes. Jagger came in with a riding cloak that he tossed to the other senior guard who caught it. He adjusted his own before he came to take Luke’s lead.
Down a few more halls they went, and for the first time in days, Luke stepped into the sunlight again. His heart started pounding, and he tried to calm himself. They had plenty of travel time, and it wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. His next branding wasn’t happening right now, and as long as he behaved, nothing bad was going to happen to him at the moment.
A cart awaited them in the prison yard, and it looked like a huge cage on wheels. The wall blocked his view of the city, and the yard was pretty basic and plain since it wasn’t used much. Prisoners didn’t get to go outside. Farther down, horses were ready outside of the stable, and five covered carts sat in a row. They must have been filled with supplies and the guard's belongings.
Luke didn’t see why the prisoners couldn’t all have one cart to use and ride in the whole way. Perhaps the walking was to wear them out so they’d be too tired to cause much trouble. A bunch of men in a small, confined space would also likely start getting pissy or want to pick a fight.
Behind Luke and Jagger, the other prisoners were led out by guards.
“I only stole a loaf of bread,” muttered one. “This isn’t fair!”
A guard snarled at him to shut the fuck up and cracked his back with a whip. Luke kept his mouth shut, and his lead was passed to another guard.
Everyone had to sit on the bottom of the cage cart which had a solid floor. The sides and top were made from iron bars, so they could forget sneaking out of it and slipping off into the city. Luke sat on one side facing out where the guard pointed, and his lead was wrapped around the bars and locked. He had two feet of slack, so he wouldn’t be able to properly stand.
He watched Jagger stroll across the yard with another senior and their riding cloaks flapping in the breeze. Two others followed. The bread thief started crying when the last prisoner was secured. Luke told himself to enjoy the lirek-free air while he could
Once the back doors of the cage cart were locked, the guards were mounted, and those in charge of the carts were ready, they started to leave. Some of the riders went ahead, and others stayed at the sides or back of the prison wagons. The supply carts were last. The road to the prison was paved with flat stones, and it only took about ten minutes to enter the city proper although they were still on the outskirts.
Luke had lived closer to the center when he wasn’t dirt poor. Afterward, he ended up on the shitty south side, and not this end, so he’d never seen a prisoner cart. Watching men be hauled through the city hadn’t interested him. The hustle and bustle weren’t as thick here, but citizens gawped at the group.
Luke tried to avoid eye contact and prayed no one he knew was around now. He’d never imagined leaving Elbannon like this.
The bread thief cried harder when a woman in a patched dress pointed at them and said something to her friend.
The guy next to Luke sighed as the cart made its way down the street. "He better toughen up."
