Move About the Alleys

Hiding in the darkness of the shadows, you sneak between the buildings, trying to avoid open areas where others might see you. You are able to move swiftly and silently. The times you snuck around the master's plantation late at night to meet and talk freely with Eudora come in handy here.

As one alleyway comes to a close, you see it opens into another plaza, this one with overturned fruit carts and vendor stalls. The broken art and ripped rugs were accented by the dead bodies and bloodstains. You feel your stomach churn and struggle to keep the bile down. You were prepared to see ****, but nothing on this scale. What had been done to these men is horrific.

You hear indistinct chatter as you near the end of the alley and press your back against the wall. Men laughing and women crying; you gulp and peer cautiously around the corner. Sure enough, there is a line of captured women, maybe fifteen of them pressed against the wall, with a few effeminate men among them. Some are stark naked, others still fully dressed but most are in various stages of torn garments. All of the young women looked terrified, either shaking in place or openly weeping. Next to them are twelve large, armed men. An army company of sorts, you realize. The markings on their armor are all the same, you deduce they are a unit from a single kingdom.

It doesn't look like the men have violated the girls yet, but it won't be long before they do. As much as it pains you, you have to turn and leave. Trying to save them can't turn out good for you, not when it's just you and your short sword against the mob of soldiers. And you don't want to watch what the men plan to do the their defenseless prizes especially not the younger teens that can't possibly have any experience of this kind. Some of the men have already started pawing at the line of captives and their futile protests are only adding to the soldiers entertainment.

But as you begin to turn, a rough pair of hands give you a shove from behind. With a yelp, you tumble out of the alleyway, and end up flat on your ass. The men and women all turn to look at you in surprise and for a moment your blunder has earned the young women a brief reprieve. Your blood turns cold in fear.

"Well, what do we have here?" The man in the alley asks as he walks out. His armor bares the same emblem as the other soldiers. "What do you think you're doing you little runt?"

"I...I..." You quickly try to think of something to say that might get you out of ****. Your eyes widen when the man draws his sword, the metal ringing in the air.

"What do you say, Capt'n?" The man asks, looking over at the gruff man who, in spite of his short stature, was the obvious leader of the group toying with the captured women. "Shall I run this gutter trash through?" The Captain grunts, dismissively waving his hand before going back to fondling a dark-haired noblewoman's bare breasts. The soldier grins and raises his sword.

"Wait!" Another voice rings out. A pudgy soldier walks out from the crowd, his armor already off and his pants droop around his ankles. He had a visible erection poking from his breeches. "I like that one. Can I have a few minutes with him before you cut him to pieces?" You gag as the bile returns to your throat with a vengeance.

"Go ahead." Captain Caderos says with the same level of indifference clearly enjoying seeing the noblewoman squirm as he pinches one of her puckered nipples. The fat soldier grins and steps out of his pants before coming at you with a greedy, lustful look on his face. You panic as he nears you, arms thrown out. You would rather die then be at the mercy of this soldier. You have to act swiftly.