The pain in his leg, the cold that spread in his body through the muddy ground, the weight that oppressed his chest and made it difficult to breathe, there were several things that might have drawn Ezer's attention if it weren't for the lunatic eyes that were fixed on him.

The man's smile, releasing breath of alcohol, was only heightened by Ezer's inevitable expressions of pain as the arrowhead was moved and tore at his flesh.

“This person is dangerous.” Ezer immediately jumps to that conclusion.

“Good job! He almost escape.” The soldier Ezer kicked to get away walks over, clearly relieved.

"Make sure it doesn't happen a second time."

“Yes sir!” The soldier responds respectfully, acknowledging that the man who captured Ezer was a superior.

"You’re taking him to that prison if I'm not mistaken." The man who until recently had insane eyes, now looks like a totally different person. In fact, Ezer can tell that he has the respect of his soldiers.

“Yes! If you'll excuse me... I will carry out my orders.” The soldier hits Ezer's chin with his boot and then raises him, the resentment was clear.

"It won't be long before I see you again…" His eyes and face distort slightly as watches how they get away.

By that time, Ezer no longer had the strength to even try to walk on his own, he was exhausted. It seemed that the cold wasn't even a problem now, or maybe, this was the cause of such drowsiness. Whatever the case, he manages to find sufficient lucidity once they reach the port and the icy wind from the sea hits his face forcing him to open his eyes and see the gray sea of the North for the first time. Perhaps the southern shores were a paradise compared to this one, but for Ezer, the sea was not only beautiful, it also represented his freedom.

Small and medium-sized boats were moored at a precarious wooden pier in one of the few places that the geography allowed, thanks to this, this city was possible. It didn't matter if you looked north or south, in the distance there was always the rocky cliffs and the stormy waves that carved them.

Only one ship stood out from the others, if another person with experience in ships saw it, they would know that it was not as big as it seemed to Ezer. Docked with a long line of people waiting to enter, in addition to the dozen soldiers around who undoubtedly belonged to the Karsin.

This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

“Let's go straight, I don't want to get my feet dirty anymore, they're frozen.”

“Yes, I'm dying for something hot.” At this point the only soldiers guarding Ezer were three, more than enough in the state he was in.

Ezer is almost swept away if it weren't for the efforts he put in to take a few steps and not fall to the ground, he was staring at the ship inevitably thinking how close he was to his goal. A ship, just one good enough to cross the sea and live without fear on opposite shores was what he needed. But now he didn't have the physical or mental strength to even think of a way to escape, the accumulated fatigue added to the constant pain accompanied by the cold, had left him in a deplorable state.

“Hey! Do you see the smoke?” A soldier suddenly points.

“Smoke? Ah... yes, yes. I see it.

“It's not normal so much, something is happening.” Practically at all hours the chimneys of the houses expelled smoke, more so in times as cold as now, although such a column of smoke was strange.

"Let's go see what happens."

"No, we have another task first, let the other guards take care of it."

It was at that exact moment that a woman came running up covered in sweat and gasping for breath.

"W-we need help.... the barn's on fire!" Those words would put any inhabitant into a panic.

“Shit! Of all the things that could burn...! Let's help!”

"What do we do with him?" The soldier points to Ezer.

"Ehh... let's leave it with those soldiers, the ones on the ship." From a distance one could see that these men belonged to the lord's guard and not to the garrison in which they were. They responded to the orders of the lord and did not have the duty to take care of the people, if they were asked, they would guard their prisoner for a few minutes.

Ezer is taken to the long line near the ship while listening to the soldiers argue with each other, in the end, it seems that they agree to watch over him allowing the other three to focus on the emergency.

“Do you know why there is so much scandal? Hey, hey, I'm talking to you!”

“What?” Ezer freaks out for a moment, it was hard for him to stay awake and much harder to keep his balance when standing. He could barely focus on her surroundings and the same was true for the young man in front of her.

"Do you know why there's so much commotion?" The speaker was young, maybe a little older than Ezer. He was wearing clothes that would be mistaken for patched rags, and what was most striking were the chains on his hands and feet.

“What is this place? Why the chains?”

“You didn't answer my question... but well, it's not that I care much, I'll never see this place again. Because of the chains... these are the unmistakable symbol of slavery.” He gestures with his hands, lifting the links that bind them.

“There is no slavery in the kingdom...” Ezer continues the conversation as he discovers that this is the only way to stay awake.