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I wonder about the children from my village and whether any still linger in servitude here. The warlord promised me freedom, but that has not yet come to pass. And, even so, the thought of freedom leaves an unpleasant aftertaste while so many are not afforded it.
Melody is not the only quiet one.
Once more, change is coming for us all.
* * *
Doug
I have been to Bleakness twice before. It is a thoroughly disagreeable place. The only good thing about it is the opportunity to stand on solid ground. I do not like the fucking sea.
As the crew ready the ship and we sail into the port, I sense the melancholy encompassing our small party. The elusive freedom my uncle promised Jasmine feels a long way off. I’m no fool. It could be many years before he relinquishes Jasmine from her bonds, and much can happen in between.
Overhead, seagulls swoop andsquawk, their cries carried on the breeze, merging with the cries of men. Carts rumble over the surface of the rickety wharf which is made uneven by weather and wear. The sharp, salty air carries the chaotic scents of tar, spices, and refuse. Sea vessels of every kind, from fishing boats to merchant ships, line the wharf. As our ship comes to its rest against the wharf and the sails are tied off, I’m aware of the immediate future, in the presence of so many orcs, myself included, who are dressed for war.
Orcs do not dress for war unless they are going to war.
I am trapped by the hope of the promised freedom for Jasmine, even as I recognize the great danger we will face before that can come to pass.
There is only one reason our path brings us via Bleakness, and that is to top up the battle ranks from the slave markets. They will pick the strongest. If there are not enough strong slaves, they will take whoever is there. All of them will be forced to fight. If any attempt to desert before the battle, they will be made an example of in ways that will instill upon the rest that to die serving us in battle is the better choice to make.
Whatever the fairy’s part in this, it will scar her innocent soul.
And Jasmine, too. For all that she has been a bondservant for many years, she has been sheltered from much of what this means.
I have followed orders all my life and thought little about the consequences. In this world, we are at war with humans and shifters alike, while, beyond the portal, we battle sentient beings of every kind.
The weight upon my shoulders feels heavy, yet I’m grateful to live and bear it and for this opportunity to protect those I care about, in whatever ways I can.
Except, as I have recently been made aware, I am not infallible.
* * *
Jasmine
Bleakness is only the second city I have ever visited, and I’m struck by the wonder that humans created this. The obvious skills that have been applied to the more advanced brickwork make me feel sadly nostalgic, as though pining for something I didn’t know I’d lost. I heard one of the sailors mentioning how this was once a prosperous human settlement known as Port Ardin, and then the Blighten came and took it over. It sits on the edge of their empire. The Blighten have enough control over it, but they pay it little mind now the inhabitants are well integrated with their society.
I wonder what it was like before, whether this drab facade is a symptom of its assimilation into the Blighten world or whether it was ever this way. My mind conjures up a more cheery setting with bright flags flapping in the breeze on the tallest roofs and a blue sky in place of these billowing dark clouds.
The pirate-cum-captain joins us on the deck as the gangplanks go down. “Ye are t’ be the first off,” he says. “General Tulwin be waitin’ fer ye on the wharf.” He reaches down to ruffle Melody’s hair.
They made friends during the trip. He offered her an honorary red scarf and bestowed on her the title of ‘pirate apprentice’. She wears the scarf with pride tucked inside the collar of her tunic.
Melody gives the pirate-captain an impish smile. “I want to be a pirate,” she announces, turning to Bard. “Can’t we stay on the ship?”
“No, Melody,” Bard says. “We have very important matters to attend to. Our pirating days are over for now.”
Doug and Bron take their positions, ready to escort us off.
Melody twists around to wave at Peter, who has likewise become a friend.
Then we’re marching down the gangplanks to once more stand on solid ground. I feel strangely still at sea as my feet connect with the wooden wharf.
“It will pass,” Bard says as if reading my mind, or perhaps it’s clear that I’m a little unsteady on my feet.
We are escorted over to General Tulwin, who waits beside the entrance of a wide warehouse door that stands wide open. It is dark inside. A ramp slopes downward, although I can’t see much beyond the illumination of a few torches.
“Do you remember your portal lessons, Melody?” General Tulwin asks.
