Prologue for Act I Book III Wilderness of Mirrors

 

Darterra Saga

Book III Wilderness of Mirrors

Act I

Prologue

 

Author's Note: Since it has been so long in coming. I decided to post the prologue to the next chapter/Act rather than making everyone wait longer. The Rest of Act 1 of Book III is in the works and I hope to post soon as it is done.

The escape from the Lasigna Ranch had gone far smoother than any of them had any right to expect. Two things had gone in their favor that had tipped the scales the right way. After debriefing Lt. Davis, Rafe McNally had concluded that while there were a few good officers in the ranks of the Cristo security forces. With no real threat other that dealing with outlaws since Kala’s people remained on the edge of the established territories and had been successfully evasive to the Cristo forces. The majority of the officer corps were untested and lacking the experience needed to deal with what they now faced with McNally and his group. He had suspected that most of the field commanders were simply serving their time in command position so that they could earn a promotion to an assignment taking them one step closer to the power they craved and wanted.

So, when something out of the ordinary happened like the alien ship crash and missing patrol. Those seeing the ripe opportunity for a way to be seen and noticed had flocked to the crash site and fought for who was in command and how things would be done.

McNally’s gamble had paid off so that they had more than enough time to pack everything that they needed into wagons or on pack horses. One wagon had been made to look like a slave wagon. Lt Davis, Kala, and all the females, free or slave walk to the wagon barefoot some wearing ankle chains to step up to the wagon as if they were prisoners and slaves. A plank was used for them to exit the wagon and load the wagon with heavy stones. Davis and Piper were assigned to drive that wagon when the rest of the party pulled away from the burning ranch house and barns. Davis and his remaining men were not pleased that the bodies of their comrades had not been buried properly but left laying where they had fallen on the courtyard of the ranch or in the burning building striped of all weapons so to appear as if they had died defending the ranch from bandits or some other force.

When the buildings had been set ablaze the wagons pulled out. Shortly after, the false slave wagon with Davis riding escort and Piper driving the team veered away from the others on a different trail. Once sufficient distance had been traveled, Piper found an area void of grass or vegetation, where she pulled the wagon into. Her and Davis unhooked the team from the wagon. All the harness tack was loaded into packs placed on one horse. While Piper who had been dressed as if she were a free teamster, changed back into something more suitable for a slave girl. Davis then locked her wrists in shackles and helped her mount the other horse bareback. Taking the rein’s of Piper’s horse and the pack horse leading down into a shallow creek to hide their tracks and back in the direction of the other. Anyone seeing them would just see a man and his slave.

Once they linked up the rest of the party. Piper had been freed of the shackles and allowed to dress in her usual clothing. It had been decided that once they were well away from the ranch on the road. Piper, Macon, and Mina would remain in slave collars and attire. While Leta, Nina, and Naomi were have their collars removed and dress as if they were free. They would also be armed. It was reasoned that if they had too many free females in their party if scouted it might draw as much suspicion as having too many slaves might draw interest.

Except during the cover of night, Kala and Magdella would remain inside one of the wagons with the two slaves Druilla and Ocala as their appearance would definitely draw unwanted attention. The two slaves might not at a distance, as their bodies were very human like. But their skin colors would be noticed in the light of day for sure. Nina was to drive their wagon while Macon was the slave with her.

The plan had gone well Kyle Davis and his three surviving troopers had integrated themselves into the group fairly well for the most part. There was still some tension between them and Kala and former Cristo soldiers but nothing that couldn’t be handled. One of the trooper, name Brannon, was not very happy to learn that all the slaves were unavailable to him. Had he not made an issue of it, Rafe had briefly considered making Naomi and Mina available to Davis and his men. Leta was Rafe’s personal slave that was only for him, Though he did trade her to Blackburn for Piper once in a while for the night. Tyrell said it needed so that they didn’t forget that they were slaves.

Several days travel away from the burned out ranch, with no signs of pursuit still. Kala and her party said their farewells. Kala and Magdella lead the way back to Kala’s home with Macon leading a coffle of slaves on a common neck rope with Nina in the first position. She had made the choice to go with them as a slave and now that was all she was.