• Prologue
• Chapter 1 & 2
• Chapter 3
• Chapter 4
• Chapter 5
• Chapter 6
• Chapter 7
• Chapter 8
• Chapter 9

Chapter 10

I woke up early the next morning hungry and confused. Everywhere seemed in pandemonium, the town horn was blaring away nonstop. 

As though that were not enough; men were running around blasting whistles.  

I had not eaten anything the previous day, so my stomach rumbled and churned nonstop. My mother was awake but emotionless. I walked up to her, kissed her forehead and whispered into her ear. 

All is not lost yet, trust me  

I walked into the pantry, looking to grab a bite; I met Ashti there, she was packing me some rations. She seemed to be crying. She turned and saw me and promptly tried to wipe off the tears that covered her face. She tried to speak but words failed her. 

All is not lost yet 

I tried to reassure. She made me promise that I would come back and not try to be brave; I also swore to look after her two burly brothers, for some reason that amused her.  

I rushed a meal, gathered my rations and headed out. Ashti didn’t follow me to the mustering as she had to stay behind with mother. 

Its’ funny how after just four day of training the whole town seemed battle ready. The whole town center seemed to be a river of brown from afar. The continual blaring of the town horn got even louder as I got nearer.  Wives and children had followed their husbands and fathers to the mustering. 

There was a lot of crying, many promises were made that morning. I saw from afar the man with the pipe from the town hall meeting.   

He saw me too and approached. He had swapped his rich purple kaba for a drab brown one though it was significantly less drab than that of others. The man was definitely a man of immense wealth, only the rich could afford purple. 

he man approached and soon he was standing right in front of me. He smiled, showing all his teeth. His teeth were many shades of brown and his breath smelt like fire.  

It is going to be a slaughter 

he said with a smile, somehow that seemed to amuse him. 

Only if both sides lack wisdom 

I replied. His face changed for a split second then he spoke 

Why so sullen? 

he asked. 

I didn’t reply and he took a cue and walked away.   

Once again, with three sharp blasts from the horn and men scurried. But this time formed perfect ranks. I still couldn’t fathom how everybody seemed to have turned soldier in just four days.  It must have been due to the fact that at that moment. 

I had never seen an actual army before but I remember being quite impressed. I jumped into a line and joined the ranks.  There was a huge chorus of flutes and pipes of all kinds. We started marching out almost immediately the ranks were fully formed.  I saw now that only the burly few were given guns and most that had them carried two. The rest of us were armed with only spears.