Captured

Blindfolded, hands and legs bound, Ezer was at the mercy of his captors. The constant pounding of the moving wagon, added to what little he could see through the hole in the blindfold, let him know that they were moving, despite it being night, consuming dozens of torches in the process.

It was not the uncertainty, nor the pain in his leg from the arrow that was still clinging to his flesh, but the cold that stole heat from his body that worried him most now. He was wearing light clothes that were of little comfort, he was partially soaked from being dragged through the snow to the wagon, and even involuntary shivering did nothing to warm him. Ezer didn't want to admit it, but his feet didn't respond properly anymore and for the first time feels like he could freeze to death.

“I'm cold. Please, I need something to warm me up.” Ezer knew he was surrounded by soldiers, he heard their footsteps. Although these seem to ignore his words.

It was at that moment that a howl resounds throughout the forest, overshadowing any other sound. Ezer knew it was Lyaria and that she was calling out to him, he could tell the uncertainty as well as the desperation in the howl. She was looking for him and she would not rest until she found him.

“I'm cold! Please give me a coat!” Ezer forsakes his honor and pleads with his captors, he couldn't give up, not when Lyaria was searching for him so fiercely.

"Are there wolves nearby?"

"They say that in the winter they are fiercer than ever."

“A coat! Please!” He begs again only to be ignored again.

“They are lies, I lived all my life in the forest and I never found a single one.”

“Ha! And what kind of forest did you live in? The one in the slums? Don't lie to me, I know very well that you haven't set foot on wild land for more than a week.”

“Please...!” Ezer's body starts to stop shaking and feels like he's having a hard time maintaining consciousness more and more.

"Shut up boy! The wolves will hear you from kilometers away!” A soldier finally loses patience and stops ignoring him.

“I'm freezing! I need a coat! Please, please...”

"Yeah, give him something..."

“You give it to him, I'm cold even with everything I'm wearing.”

"......"

It was useless, no one agreed. It begins to seem ironic to Ezer to freeze to death after having been through so much. They captured him for some reason, they wouldn't let him die, or so he thought and doubted more and more.

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"Why is there such a fuss? Don't you know how to walk without speaking?” He was the spokesman of the lord, Ezer can easily distinguish him thanks to the fact that the blindfold falls off by itself, from the beginning, they had not made an effort to place it well. However, his bindings on hands and feet were firmly embedded in the flesh, so that the slightest movement caused burning.

“Sir! It is the prisoner who does not stop talking.”

"I'm going to freeze to death if you don't give me something to keep warm!" Seizing the opportunity, Ezer shouts again knowing that someone of higher rank would have more capacity to think for himself.

The spokesman observes Ezer closely and immediately recognizes the signs of hypothermia, blue lips and pale skin, in addition to the characteristic tremor. Any idiot would know that if this continued, the person would surely die.

“Give him your coat.” The spokesman points to a soldier and orders him, then turns around and prepares to leave, but a voice of protest stops him.

“Why me!?”

“Because I say so! Do you think we took a prisoner to let him die? No, he has another purpose and it is not necessary for a mere commoner to know which one.”

They had clearly made him angry, and the soldier recalls that the spokesman, although not from the army, had more authority than him. So he has no choice but to shut up and hand over his coat to Ezer.

“Happy? Now I don't want another word until we arrive...” The spokesman leaves and Ezer takes the opportunity to try to better accommodate the coat that falls on top of him. It didn't mean he wasn't cold, but at least now it wasn't really life threatening.

Hours pass, at first the howling could be heard regularly and clearly. However, they become more and more distant over time to the point that they cannot hear each other.

“Lia is fast, that she can't keep up with us means that something happened to her or maybe she gave up trying to communicate." Ezer does not sit still for all that time, several times he thinks and tries to make a plan. But they are all in vain, since they would be impossible or they would be suicide. He only has to wait for an opportune moment, create it or leave it to luck.

The first houses and fields, covered by an abundant layer of snow, become visible. From time to time one or two peasants peeked out to see what was happening, but the moment they saw the banners and flags, they hurried back to their homes.

Ezer can't help but turn his attention to the small and large rocks that were slowly replacing the trees, before he knew it, the leafless forest was over. Despite never having seen it, he knew, the sea was close and that meant his final destination as well.

The houses became more frequent as well as various sounds coming from the bustle of the people. Ezer tries to sit in the cart, thus achieving a good view of the city that was beginning to be visible in the distance and the wall that surrounded it.

The escort stops in front of the doors just as the first rays of the sun hit Ezer's eyes.

“We're here! Don't break formation until we reach the barracks, we don't know if another of those poor wretches thinks of getting in the way of the lord.”

The group crosses the gates without any review, everywhere one look there are soldiers. Ezer knows he has no choice, it's now or never.

“Get him off the cart, it will be easier to carry him on foot with so many people and potholes on the road.” The entourage accompanying Baron Karsin and Irene, left having the common soldiers in charge of the prisoner and cargo.

A soldier gets on the cart, unties Ezer's feet to move him easily, and intends to take him away when a strong kick knocks him off balance and to the ground.

Ezer wastes no time jumping off the wagon to run with all his might before the gates slam shut for the commotion. With his hands tied and a leg injured, he can see how the few meters that separated him from his freedom diminish.

However, as he would later admit, his plan was futile and hasty. A strong impact knocks him to the ground because of a soldier, he is immobilized and his chest is pressed with the full weight of the man.

"That was close boy...! I wouldn't want you to be cold outside!” The soldier smiles as he twists the piece of arrow that was embedded in Ezer's leg.