The Tales of Miriela: Shadowborn

Chapter 10: Tallion

It was late in the day; the sun began to fall and the night began to rise. Shadows stretched out across the streets, as the darkness of fell over the city. The Common Well sat alone in the middle of the Peasant's District. Silence had fallen all around, as the work day finished.

This was the hour that The Revolution did its work. The Peasant District was home to many orphaned children, without food or a place to sleep. Just as Alina had done for Tallion and his brothers, she did for many more. The children were given a means to survive and in exchange, carried out Alina's biddings. Often, they carried messages about the city, even all the way to the Midsea Cavern.

It was the wells which the children used to do so. They were a roadway for the Revolution. All the wells of Oaksguard were connected to one another, and they all lead to the Midsea Cavern, their source. Just a day before, Tallion had reached the cavern with his caravan. When he arrived, he sent one of Alina's orphan children to travel the well system to the Peasant District, to deliver word that the weapons had arrived.

The children knew the wells' roads better than any. They had tunneled through some of the wells in order to redirect water. The wells were never kept full, the water was always low enough to pass, only approaching the knees of the young children who traveled them.

On this night, however, the children of the wells were accompanied. Tallion had walked the wells before, but he never liked them. He felt confined and trapped. He preferred to travel above, in the open air. The thought of rushing water, filling his lungs and trapping him without a way of escape, sent chills throughout his body.

With the weaponry unloaded and stored in the Midsea Cavern, Tallion, Guthrum, and Rowland were to return to the Peasant District, to receive further instruction from Alina. Tallion knew that the time to strike was near. Much of The Revolution was already stationed in the Caverns, now armed and waiting for the command to flank the city from the East.

"He we are. This is the Common Well," The young boy said. He had had led Tallion and his brothers from the caverns and back to the Peasant District. The young boy left them and ran his way back towards the caverns.

"Quiet. Quick. Come on then, we're soaked in well water. Move with some haste in your step," Tallion ordered his younger brothers, as he helped them up the latter to emerge from the well.

"I'd like to find the warmth of a fire to dry these clothes," Guthrum responded as he came stumbling out of the well.

"Or a dry whiskey and the warmth of a woman, perhaps. That may suit me more favorably, Guthrum," Rowland responded with a grin on his face. He had always maintained a taste for all of the excitement that Oaksguard had to offer.

"You must stay focused, Rowland. The Revolution is at hand. This is no time for games in the brothel or fights in the pub," Tallion scolded his younger brother, frustrated by his distracted nature.

"Well answer me this, big brother. What are we to be preparing for anyways? You give us orders to ransack this, and intercept that, without any telling what for. You spend time with Alina, she trusts you. What do you know Tallion? What is this all for? I'm done serving her, hell, I'm done serving you without some answers. We're nothing but peasants, Tallion. And Gods know that Ferenor won't be pleased when they hear a few bastards at Oaksguard are killing their tradesmen and stealing their goods. They'll come after us Tallion, what then? Is Alina going to save us? Are you going to save us? We're but dead men already Tallion, and for what?" Rowland was cut off as Tallion's fist struck his mouth, spewing blood out across the dirt. Tallion's hand throbbed and his chest pulsed as his heart raced with anger.

"Need I remind you, ungrateful bastard, that Alina Morione is the only reason you breath. She fed us, she clothed us, she raised us. Without her, you'd have been just as the rest of the starving, half dead children in this district. Let the scar you'll now have right above your lip serve as a reminder next time you begin to question her judgement. Alina's plans are not yours to wonder or discuss, we are to carry out our purpose and serve Alina's Revolution well. Guthrum, take our fool of a brother and get him in bed. Rest will be needed; a war will soon be on our hands." With that, Tallion walked away, leaving Rowland bleeding and dazed in the dirt, and Guthrum watching an all too unfamiliar scene.