03-20-2009, 03:19 AM
64. City
Luphana's city was burning. The floating embers singed the tips of Shonasha's hair and cast off smoke that clogged the lungs of Luphana's people that walked with him in their chains. They were too tired now to protest against the Jagerians that escorted them, whips in hand. Many of them were to exhausted by the heartbreak of it all. Their homes were burning as they watched, the army was in disarray. Even as they walked the Jagerians were dragging away uniformed bodies, sons and fathers of the women in chains. Shonasha swallowed hard and his throat burned.
Somewhere along the way he had lost the boy. He scoured the line in front of him, hoping to spot the prince among all these people, but a Jagerian noticed him, and put a hand to the sword at his belt and smirked. Shonasha could do nothing but walk on a breathe in the smoke as they made their way slowly through the deteriorating city.
The only thing that still remained untouched was the castle. While the commoner's homes were dried thatch that easily caught flame, the castle was completely brick and mortar. It stayed standing while the city burned around it in the night. It seemed to waver through the waves of heat that washed the air, reaching towards the dark sky where the moon stood out in full view. Even in the heat the sight chilled him. He had not seen the moon since he had left his homeland, but now it stood out wide and full as an eye staring down to watch the madness below.
He was glad when they were finally escorted into the castle. Shonasha would have rather been housed in the deepest dank dungeon than stand under that moonlight for another second.
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