Exodus
It had been an excellent performance, no matter the troubles on Jhary's mind the crowd's appreciation always lifted his spirits. He lived for the accolades of the audience, after all, it helped him forget.
The bard had barely closed the door to the room he and his companions shared when he was drawn to Kario's concerned visage, as he stood holding a crisp, white note, neatly folded.
"I haven't peeked, but I assume she is gone." Kario said quietly.
Jhary reluctantly took the note and read it slowly. His eyes opened wide at the information the missive contained. It was not at all the simple farewell note he was expecting. "Oh Lord!" He dramatically put a hand to his chest and took a deep breath.
Kario remained quiet, allowing his friend to fumble through the written contents and steady himself.
"Not only is Aurianne gone, but she saw Aran a few days ago and didn't tell us, he's a labor slave apparently, in a wood yard on the southeast side of town. Damn! I think I know where that is." Jhary was in a fluster, he wanted to go after Aurianne with all his being immediately. She could not be so far. However, he had to try and rescue his friend. The man of verse and song was very torn, as to which action to take.
Kario stayed Jhary with his hand offering words of advice. "We need this Aran if we are to go north. I don't think we should face his tribe alone, they sound formidable."
Jhary dropped his shoulders and sighed. The note was still clasped in elegant fingers. "You are right." He said as he tucked the note into the folds of his jacket. He would keep this memento of her should he not see her again. Something his heart had become afraid of.
*****
Some two hours later both men stood in the darkness of an iron building, surveying the Johansen wood yard. With all, they owned sitting on the ground beside them. The strong silvered moonlight made the surveillance of the large compound fairly rudimentary. However, it made the idea of approach intimidating.
Jhary's mind was elsewhere, it should not have been, but he was thinking only of Aurianne on her way north.
"It's not going to be easy to get in there, and it's so bright tonight," Kario commented in a low whisper.
Jhary nodded, still scanning the dark piles of lumber reluctant to advance. "Yes, the romantic lady moon is our enemy." Jhary sighed. "I fear there might be guard dogs in there, and that over there looks like the residence. I think I can even see a candle burning? See it? Someone is probably still up."
Kario nodded. "Yes, I think it is a candle balancing on the windowsill. I don't think a slave would be in there. Maybe that cement outbuilding?"
Jhary scanned the compound. He nodded in silent affirmation of his friend's guesswork, wishing he had more of a stomach for these brash endeavors. "I'm going to throw a stone, hopefully, if there are dogs in there we will know for sure."
"Alright." Kario said, chewing his bottom lip, and fingering his blade for comfort.
The sound of the missile was loud in the ensuing, expectant silence. The thrown stone clattered to a halt. Silence again prevailed, and the two men looked to one another. It was time to find a way in.
Both men left their cover and for want of a better disguise decided they should just walk about, and appear that they were traveling the streets with no agenda. This was a poverty-stricken area, and such activities were commonplace. Even this late many were out and about, some who looked to be transients just as they did. The fencing about the woodyard was in good repair, and reams of cruel ribbon wire adorned the tops of the mesh barrier without respite.
"Damn it!" Kario exclaimed looking up at the endless barbs that crowned the enclosure." I could get in there without too much effort, but getting you in is going to be a chore."
"What do you have in mind?" Jhary inquired with hesitancy. Immediately wishing he hadn't.
"It's a bit risky, but I could transform into something small. If I didn't stay in that form for very long I would be fine. I could go in, but I assume your savage friend would be wanting to see you, not me. I'm not sure that would help, and well the gate isn't going to open from the inside either. It's locked."
Jhary's hair prickled on his scalp. He really was not at all comfortable with this magic talk. So he decided to head it off swiftly. "Nope, you will wait for me out here with our belongings. I am going to go over the top in the back corner. The wire is less there and I have that high pile of stumps to land on. I should be able to get out that way also." The bard was trying hard to appear much braver than he was inside.
"Very well then." Kario acknowledged.
The wire bit mercilessly into his flesh in various places and rent his fine clothing. Jhary cursing himself and his idea of honor. He half slid down the woodpile and landed in a graceless heap at its base. The man of music froze in the shadows listening, barely daring to draw breath, waiting to be doubly sure he had not been detected. Beyond, the single white candle burned on the windowsill, and there was no movement from within the flat roofed residence. The only sound was the beating of his own heart, to his own ears it was a thunderous uproar.
Before him well lit by the moonlight, stood a low roofed shelter, its corrugated iron roof supported by four sturdy posts, beneath which stood a huge, now rusted saw blade. It was mounted to a motor bolted into the concrete, driven by frayed belts, and had not seen use for many seasons. An assortment of large hand saws and axes also stood leaning in this shelter.
Jhary careful not to knock any of them over in his passing, paused at the rack containing a selection of razor-sharp axes and carefully withdrew one he felt he could heft. His attention was divided between glances at the home beyond, and the smaller concrete building that stood not too distant. The most likely place a strong slave could be securely housed.
With great care he advanced on the concrete brick outbuilding. There were two metal doors on the other side, one with a grating insert. It was obvious at one time this had been a public convenience that had been repurposed in this new age.
The grate was set high in the doorway, and Jhary not being a tall man had to strain on tiptoe to see within. There were no other openings in the modest outbuilding, except a small vent high up in the back wall, and the inside of the cramped space was bathed in darkness. It was then he heard the clink of chain, perhaps the manacles of a captive. Looking harder he could see an expanse of light flesh, a naked man's torso laying supine on the floor nestled in old straw. With his heart in his mouth he softly called his friend's name...
Aran had been dreaming, jumbled recollections of violence and despair. Even sleep offered little respite from the brutality of the conditions he now suffered. The warrior woke suddenly sitting bolt upright, eyes immediately trained on the door of his prison. He was unsure what had roused him.
"Aran?..."The voice so very familiar to him called down.
A laugh, deep and guttural emerged to Jhary's straining ears. He pulled his face away from the mesh unnerved. Perhaps the poor wretch was no longer in possession of his faculties? Jhary had been a fool to come here quite possibly. He glanced nervously over his suede-coated shoulder one more time, to assess the house beyond. Thankfully no movement came from within, then back again to the steel grated door. He almost fell backward to see Aran's rugged visage close to the grate, and looking hard at him. Nose pressed to the metal.
"Jhary?"The warrior whispered hoarsely and with an air of incredulousness.
"There is no time." The bard replied, relieved his friend still appeared to know him. "I'm going to break this lock, it's going to make an unholy noise, so we will need to move fast after I do, okay?"
Aran nodded, face twisted with a crazed smile.
Jhary wasn't the largest man, and he was afraid he might not be strong enough to break the lock with one sweep of the axe. So he took aim carefully, executing the mightiest swing he could muster. His fears were unfounded, as the clasp fell off the metal door and it swung open, to reveal his friend shirtless and fettered in heavy chains.
Though Jhary had not made a huge ruckus. There ensued a noise from inside the house, someone waking. The lone candle was removed from the window sill, and the fluttering light from it drifted through the domicile.
Both men turned. Jhary felt Aran's bulk close to him, large hands seeking the axe he held. The bard gave the weapon up gladly, confrontation was not to his liking.
"We have to go, they have heard us I think." Jhary entreated softly. "I think you can make it out, this way..." He tugged at Aran's arm, the muscles felt like steel. The savage man was not listening, and if he was, he gave no outward sign. Jhary quailed, why did his adventures with this warrior always have to play out like this?
The next moments unfolded with rapid and blurred swiftness. Jhary plucked at Aran urging him to come back toward the rear of the compound, pleading. He had no idea where Kario was, he could not see him anywhere. Aran immobile, frozen in a defensive crouch, eyes set firmly on the front of the home, waiting for the door.
