The males gathered about the platforms, each taking a square of metal upon which to place whatever he wished to feed upon. I looked slowly about myself, confirming the attention of my warriors upon their war leader, then returned my gaze to the males. The moment was nearly at hand, and the Hosta would move as one. I awaited only the first taste of the provender by the males, for one’s body then expects a second taste, and is little prepared for movement other than that. The moment came when the jaws of the greater number of males worked upon what was placed between them, and then did Jalav move swiftly. I threw my left arm up and circled the air once, the Hosta signal to mount and ride, and then jumped to the leather seat of Ceralt’s kan. The kan was in rapid motion even as I held to its mane to lean far forward to grasp the trailing rein, and my warriors were mounted and running behind me. Directly toward the line of onlooking males I rode, shouts and cries filling the air all about me, and wildly did the males attempt to throw themselves from the path of the thundering kand. Some found themselves able to accomplish this, yet many fought, tripped, and fell in my path, fearful fodder to be trampled underfoot. Considering the frailty of the legs of the kan, I thought it unwise to allow them to fall among the struggling mass, therefore I jumped the beast above them, touching not a single one, my warriors taking to the air in a like manner. Onward we rode, the shouts falling away behind us, the ways being hastily cleared before us, for we rode to the gates of the city, the gates of freedom.
Many of my warriors voiced the Hosta battle cry as we rode passing happily both cloth-hung dwellings and staring city folk alike, yet was our happiness not to last long. Although the light of the fey was still strong above us, the gates to the city stood closed and barred, many males in leather and metal afoot before them. Even as we thundered up, reluctantly drawing rein, other males ran to stand beside those who already kept us from freedom, and I noted with sinking heart that none of the males were armed with even so much as a length of wood. How, then, were we to fight our way clear, if the males bore no weapons which we might take as our own?
My warriors milled about in uncertainty; however, we were not this easily defeated. “Hosta warriors!” I shouted, pointing toward the males. “Attack!”
With a howl of freedom frustrated, my warriors dismounted and raced toward the waiting males, following the track of their war leader. The males stood, hands up, grins upon their faces, happily anticipating contact with Hosta, till the contact proved less pleasant than their anticipation. With full weight of our movement did we fall upon them, bringing grunts of pain as our numbers drove them into the heavy wood of the gates. The male before me grasped me to him, attempting to hold my clawing hands and teeth from their targets, only to release me again as another of my warriors threw herself upon him with a will, attempting to take out his eyes. Shouts and cursing sounded all about us, as well as cries of pain and vexation, yet was I able, in a brief moment of peace, to examine the gate. Though the wide bar of metal had been run through its retaining slots, posing no problem of removal, it had also been secured with chain, the heavy links of which held the bar fast in position, the chain itself being clasped to the wood beyond the bar. Futilely did I pull at this chain, furious at its refusal to yield, then was I pulled from the chain in turn, by a male who then stood himself before the chain, determined to defend it. Over and over did my warriors and I attempt to pass the males, desperate to do battle with the gate itself, yet was this not to be. More and more of the males gathered, adding their strength to the battle, and then came the host of warriors and hunters whose mounts we had taken, and great, indeed, was the anger of these males. I knew naught of it till I was taken by the hair and forced from the gate, and then I saw that it was the fist of Ceralt which held me so, fury ablaze in his light eyes. Much did I wish to escape his hold and his fury, but this, too, was not to be. Stumbling and struggling was I taken from the gate, my warriors, by twos and threes, also taken, and not long was it before peace was restored to the area.
Galiose and his males had also ridden up, and he sat upon his large, black kan, surveying the battlefield that was, a grim look upon his visage. Many of the males from before the gates stood limply, their strength having been overtaxed by our assault, and not at all pleased was Galiose by their appearance. His dark eyes looked about at still struggling Hosta, and then finally came to rest upon me.
“The wenches act as one at the bidding of their leader,” said Galiose in a loud voice. “Therefore does the High Seat decree that they be punished as one, their leader foremost in her punishment, and then all are to be kept from the others, till some measure of control has been established upon them. You men are to see to this, and right hastily.”
Those with warriors in hand then made their way to the kand and briefly did I see Telion struggling with a furious Larid, before Ceralt threw me to the leather seat of his kan. I attempted to free myself of his grip, a matter as futile as ever, and then we rode from the gates, my Hosta still captive within them. Surely would I have given my own freedom to assure that of my warriors, yet was my own freedom no longer mine with which to trade. Ceralt guided his kan upon the way, speaking no word, though his arms were hard about me, full evidence of his anger. We rode from my warriors, and that gave me little pleasure.
Fully to the broad way leading to Galiose’s dwelling did we ride, yet were we not to continue the entire distance. A small dwelling stood to the right of the way, and to this dwelling did we go. The city folk we had passed stood with heads shaking with disapproval, yet did this seem most foolish of them. Were Hosta to be taken captive, then submit to their captors as though slavewomen? Never had that been done and never would city males see such an action, yet still did they show disapproval.
The dwelling was not so large as that of Vistren, indeed was it considerably smaller, though it was far larger than the home tents of the Hosta. Still without a word did Ceralt pull me from the kan, and his fist fixed firmly in my hair, was I taken within. Ceralt strode along with wide steps, and some difficulty did I experience in matching his stride. Up the steps to the entrance we went, through the door to the interior, left along the interior area to further steps, and again up these further steps as well. Such rapid climbing was forced upon me by Ceralt that I was barely able to take note of the female who had appeared at our entrance. An older female was she, though still blond of hair, and much surprise did she show as I was quickly taken past her. With the steps ascended, we again moved to the right, and Ceralt thrust me within the doorway to a room, then threw the door to behind me, with the sound of a bar being slid to rest coming last. The room was dark, no windows being in evidence, and I made my way back to the door to assure myself of its refusal to swing. No light came to me within the room, yet was I able to feel the softness of a cloth beneath my feet, smell the lingering odor of strange, sweet scents, and hear the receding footsteps of Ceralt. Much disturbed was I at this further captivity, yet I only seated myself upon the cloth, for nothing else was I able to do. I looked about at the darkness, and recalled the presence of the Crystals within the city, and there was a bit of chill to the darkness.
Not too long was it before footsteps came again, and Ceralt reappeared at the door, the strange female behind him. In one hand Ceralt carried a pot, the other hand being full of a small, slim torch, and the female drew the door closed again behind him, and barred it. By the light of the small torch did Ceralt place the pot upon a narrow platform, and then proceeded to light the candles which hung about the room. Much yellow silk was thereby revealed to me, it being hung upon the walls, and laid upon the large, odd platform which the room contained. Such a platform had been called “bed” by Telion, yet was this platform of a lesser size than the first, and also did it lack the contrivance above the other. To the right of this platform was a small, round one with reflecting surface, and combs and small pots adorned its top. The room, perhaps four paces by four, contained much of what was to be found in that of Galiose’s dwelling, and I cared as little for it as I had cared for the other.