Connor threw himself into the corner of the cage with such force that he probably bruised his back. No matter; he couldn't get free, and the trolls wouldn't have trouble tearing apart the cage to get him. He was about to shout a warning and demand a weapon so they could stand together against this enemy.
Then Ordin walked up to the trolls and gave a nod of his head. They growled and bowed their heads in return. Connor's fear turned to rage that was twice as strong as the previous emotion. He had known they were working together at Northgate. This closeness seemed worse, though, to invite the trolls into their camp.
"Now you see our true strength," Galen said with a laugh. "You never had a chance against such power as ours."
Connor didn't answer, but the look he gave Ordin was enough. Ordin snarled and probably would have done something unpleasant if his father hadn't called to him. Ordin went slowly; not very brave when it came to greeting their allies.
Connor had heard that people would do anything for power, but until now he hadn't thought of the depths to which some would go. Galen spoke with the trolls, and Connor couldn't hear what the man said, but the trolls made satisfied sounds.
Galen handed over four humans and two centaurs. The trolls killed them there and took the dismembered bodies away.
Ordin didn't come back to the cage to gloat.
Other trolls arrived that night, but they weren't paid in the flesh of prisoners. Galen and his allies spoke quietly and whatever plans hey made would mean trouble for the fae world.
Nothing Connor could do. He sat back in the darkest corner of his cage and bowed his head. Even the presence of trolls couldn't overcome the weight of exhaustion. He would save his strength. He would do something ... Later.
The trolls left camp an hour before dawn, disappearing like nightmares in the night. Liam awoke, but he only shook his head and curled up again. Whatever Liam saw, either in the real world or in his visions, he had chosen not to face it.
No option for Connor. He couldn't bring himself to look away as the others prepared to head out. He heard Galen shouting encouragement to his people; they were only a day from their destination.
Connor realized this part would be over soon, but as they came down from the hills, he began to see the ruins of cottages, and then villages. There were few people at first and then more and more as they caught up with refugees, most of them heading for the city.
He wondered how Galen and Ordin were going to get his prisoners through the mass, but it proved easy. All he had to do was lie.
"We caught them at Northgate, in league with the Trolls!" Galen shouted. "The human and his allies! We're taking them to the city! Make way! Make way!"
The crowds parted slowly, but they yelled and threw rocks. Few of them could get through the bars of the cage, but Connor did feel sorry for the captured villagers and the centaurs. The sight of the weeping children finally put some stop to the anger.
How could they believe such lies?
In the heat of such horrific trouble, they were not going to look too closely when presented with an enemy. The king of the fae wouldn't be so easily taken in?
Connor noted the increased destruction along the way, including a few troll bodies. The war had come here, too. He considered shouting that Galen and Ordin were the ones working with the trolls. They wouldn't believe the human, though. Humans lied -- Ordin would be quick to point that out.
Connor still had hope in Liam. He looked back at the other cage, but Liam was lying flat, and not even wincing when rocks hit him. Connor wanted to call out and tell the people to leave him alone, but they wouldn't have listened to him anyway.
The crowds slowed them down. So did the signs of recent trouble. Galen stopped to help with some of the wounded, and his solicitous lies won even others over.
Ordin smirked, though. Connor could wish for others to look at the son, and see the truth in his eyes. His father finally sent Ordin to help feed frightened children, which he clearly didn't want to do, but the son didn't disobey.
They did not make it to the city that day, but they could see the tall buildings in the distance. That night they camped among refugees, and Connor knew Galen's men would not protect the 'prisoners' since the fewer of them that survived, the better. He had to do something --
The King's Guard arrived before things got out of hand. They listened to Galen and then prepared to escort the entire group to the castle. He thought Galen didn't look happy, but Ordin appeared to be so worried that his father again sent him off on some useless work.
The group moved on through the night. Not surprisingly, the trolls attacked, as though trying to free their allies, but they were quickly sent retreating. Even a couple of the guards mentioned that it hadn't been a very dangerous attack.
The dark still held when the party reached the gate and let within the walls of the city. Refugees had filled the streets, but they cleared quickly from the Royal Road as the soldiers headed up towards the castle. Whatever was going to happen would soon be over.
Connor had to hope for a chance to make this right and to avenge Lord Northgate's death at the hands of these traitors. However, he was human. Connor had never felt the weight of his birth until they crossed through the barbican and into the castle. This was the epitome of a fae place, and too much still depended on him, the outsider.
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