OOC: Hooray for cliche. But I got my orders in, so nyah.
Damn it. The wheel had stuck in the bloody rut again. Why the hell couldnt somebody pave this damn road? Admittedly, only he and a few others actually used it, for only he and a few farmers actually lived down the south forest way. But still, it hurt his profits badly at the market, for at least one in ten of his eggs were broken, and the other nine tenths would be cooked by the hot noonday sun, because his wagon couldnt actually make it to the market on a decent speed. And, of course, there were the bandits.
They had come naught but two days ago, fearsome men, veiled in the fashion that the SuriAti resistance had taken to so quickly. They had come as he was struggling through the road, trying to push his cart; he had heard good of the SuriAti resistance before, so he stopped to see them.
They demanded fifty of his eggs.
Thats too many, he remembered saying. I cant afford to lose that many.
Were desperate, they had said. Our supplies are nearly gone, the cursed Shaitae are harassing us wherever we go; we need those eggs. Besides, the way youre going, you wont be able to reach the market in time. Give them.
Please, I need to feed my wife and children.
If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children. And they took the eggs.
His mind thudded back to the present with rain starting to pour down from the heavens. His eggs wouldnt cook, but still, he cursed it. The rain would turn the road to mud, and he wouldnt get to the market on time. He drove the oxen harder. The cart needed to get to market, before the day was long past.
Men appeared out of the mist. He made out the colors through the falling rain, and his heart stopped for a few beats. Red and Yellow. Shaitae screamers. The dreaded force, that had massacred the SuriAti in every battle of the war. If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children.
He was stopped in the road. The oxen looked back at him through the rain, its brown eyes blinking at him in confusion. Why was he so still with the reigns? What was wrong? If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children.
He couldnt go back. The Shaitae would outrun a bogged down ox drawn wagon any day. If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children.
He was still stopped. No movement. They came closer. The fearsomely painted helmets took on grotesque forms. The oxen was unsettled. If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children.
The leader approached with caution.
I hope the oxen doesnt bite. He pushed up his helmet. Under the grotesque figurine, he had a plain, honest face. One you could see anywhere in Shaita. Even commonplace for a SuriAti. But he was Shaitae. If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children.
Are you here to steal my eggs? Rape my neighbors daughter?
The Shaitae soldier raised an eyebrow. No. Unless you want us to. But since I doubt that... Are you having trouble with this mud?
I...
Soldiers, give him a hand.
The Shaitae filed around the wagon. There are planks up ahead on the road, he explained. Much easier to travel over. Now, give that oxen a little shove, will you? Were not superhuman.
He was still startled; almost automatically, he flicked the reigns, and the oxen moved forward. The captain moved along with his men, and shoved the wagon forward. Half an hour later, they reached where the road had been planked over with wood, like the captain had said.
I think youll find your travels easier from here on out, hope we helped a little. Move on, soldiers!
He was still a little shocked; the oxen drew forward, happy to be on decent roads for once.
If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children. But that wasnt true, was it? If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and children. But they had helped him, hadnt they? They didnt need to do that. If we lose, then the Shaitae will kill your wife and... No, they wouldnt. The Shaitae had helped him, where the SuriAti had only taken his livelihood. Some freedom fighters they were.