Shackled Fates..

Chapter Six

Selena and her sisters shuffled to the front, hands stretched out in hope. A soldier stood behind a small wooden table, offering them a meager, stale loaf of bread—so small and hard, it looked as if it could barely feed a newborn. Selena took the bread, feeling its weight in her hand, then glanced over at her sisters, instinctively reaching out for another piece.

The soldier's sharp eyes caught her move, and his voice cracked through the air like a whip. "Keep moving and split the bread among the three of you!"

Selena's fingers lingered over the bread, reluctant to take her share. It wasn't enough for all of them, but she didn't dare argue. Instead, she split the small loaf, giving one half to Isolde and the other to Adrielle. It wasn't much, but it was something.

Isolde's eyes narrowed when she saw Selena holding nothing. "Where's your piece?" she asked, her voice low, but filled with concern.

"I'm not hungry," Selena lied, forcing a smile. "Besides, you two need it more than I do."

But her stomach betrayed her, growling in protest. She yawned to hide the ache, and her sisters exchanged questioning glances. It wasn't lost on them that Selena always put them before herself, even when she was the one who needed help most.

After a moment, Isolde leaned in, whispering to Adrielle. "How about we each take a little piece and give it to her?" 

Adrielle nodded, her face softening. The two of them silently tore off a small portion from their own halves and passed it to Selena. She hesitated for a moment, to take it, but the hunger inside her was too overwhelming. She reached for the bread, tearing into it with relief and shame.

The soldiers finished their rounds, giving each captive their ration, but there was no water. The dry, stale bread only made the hunger worse, and soon the quiet murmurs of growling stomachs filled the air. But no one dared complain. The soldiers watched over them with cold, disinterested eyes. It was the silence of defeat that hung heavy in the air, far worse than any verbal command.

The captives were herded back into the wagon like cattle, the sound of wooden wheels creaking in rhythm with the slow, endless journey. They were all bound for the same unknown place, a fate none of them could escape. The dirt roads stretched on before them, just as empty and uncertain as their futures.

The wagon creaked to a halt, jolting the captives awake. The sounds of the world outside—birds chirping, a distant hum of wind through trees—filtered in, signaling that the journey had come to an end. Selena's eyes snapped open, confusion clouding her mind for a moment as she tried to remember where she was. The familiar creak of the wagon and the warm scent of her family's home seemed so distant now. It was only when she glanced around at her sisters, still huddled close to her, that the grim reality set in. They were far from home.

"Isolde? Adrielle?" Selena whispered urgently, reaching out to shake her sisters awake.

Isolde's eyelids fluttered before she slowly sat up, her gaze darting around the unfamiliar surroundings. She could see the other captives stirring too, all of them as lost as she was. Adrielle, on the other hand, immediately burst into tears, her small sobs barely contained as she clung to Selena.

"Where are we?" Isolde asked, her voice shaky but quiet, as though she feared drawing attention to their confusion.

Selena's heart clenched as Adrielle sobbed again, tugging at Selena's clothes. "Take me to Papa and Mama. I want to see them. Please!" she begged, her voice breaking.

Selena knelt down, wiping her sister's tear-streaked face with a gentle hand. "Stop crying, Adrielle," she whispered, placing her finger on her sister's lips, warning her to be quiet. "If they hear you crying, they'll hurt you. You need to be strong."

Isolde leaned in, wrapping her arms around Adrielle, trying to comfort her. "It's okay. It's going to be okay," she murmured, but the worry in her eyes gave away her doubt. The little girl hiccupped, still not understanding the weight of the situation.

Before long, the heavy sound of boots against the dirt road cut through the stillness, and the wagon door was suddenly yanked open. A soldier barked an order that sent a ripple of dread through the captives.

"Everyone out of the wagon! Now!"

The command was sharp, and without a second thought, they scrambled down, obedient to the threat of punishment that hung over them. They lined up, shoulders hunched and heads lowered, trying to avoid eye contact with the soldiers. Selena kept her gaze down, not wanting to draw attention to herself or her sisters. Adrielle, despite Selena's previous warning, let out a soft whimper, but Selena quickly shushed her again, her heart aching as she watched the fear in her little sister's eyes.

They stood in the middle of a vast, foreign place, with looming stone buildings and tall fences that seemed to stretch on forever. The air smelled different here—stale, almost as if it carried a warning. The ground beneath their feet was cracked and dry, the earth a barren wasteland compared to the fields back home.

A man approached, his round belly hanging over his belt in a way that suggested he hadn't seen hard labor in years. His face was plump, his skin fair with a hint of redness that came from too much sun or perhaps too many cups of wine. He was dressed in a simple but finely cut robe, a shade of dark purple that only those of higher status could afford. His small, beady eyes scanned the captives with a calculating gaze, moving from one face to the next, as though picking them apart, evaluating their worth.

He stopped in front of the soldiers, his voice carrying a tone of cold authority. "How many are here?" he asked, his gaze never leaving the young marinians.

"All the young marinians are here, sir," one of the soldiers replied, his voice respectful but lacking any warmth. He stood a little straighter, clearly trying to impress the man.

"Good," the potbellied man murmured, taking a step forward and inspecting each captive one by one. His eyes lingered a moment longer on some of the more youthful faces, like Selena's, before he nodded with approval. "They all seem healthy. Can be put to good use."