Free A Noble Estate by A.C. Ellas Page B

convince them. Now, they can stay and not fear re-enslavement.”
    Rak turned to the milling crowd, “Those that remain will be paid fair wages, in addition to room and board, and also, should you desire, priests will come here and teach you how to read, write and figure. For those who fear retaliation…” He gestured skyward, and on queue, Scorth flew overhead, low enough that Jisten thought they could reach up and touch his belly scales. “This barony is protected by a dragon. He will not eat you, nor kill your beasts without permission, and he will defend you and these lands.”
    Jethain carefully wrote in each slave’s name on the manumissions and separated the copies in a fussy manner to reassure the people. As each told Jethain his or her name, they also said whether they would stay or go. Not surprisingly, not one of them chose to brave the unknown. This pleased Jisten—it meant that the overseers hadn’t been abusive enough that the ex-slaves were desperate to get away.
    Jisten brushed Rak’s hand. “Have you ever tasted café that was brewed within hours of being harvested?”
    “Do not the beans require roasting?” asked Rak dubiously.
    Jisten rolled his grey gaze skyward. “Yes, yes, o exact one.”
    I will roast your beans , volunteered Scorth.
    “Dragon roasted!” Jisten laughed.
    “A new sales pitch,” said Rak with a huge grin.
    Scorth came in for a landing with an ox clutched in his talons.
    “Will the new cooking staff please prepare the ox?” Jisten called out. “The dragon only eats animals, for he claims that humans taste terrible!”
    “Ach! I prepare ox!” Despina marched out of the manor grinning ear to ear with Cisteon at her elbow, also smiling.
    Jisten stood abruptly and hugged Despina. “Mother! How?”
    “We leave Karpos. All of us. I come here, bring much help, tell them you come and free everyone. Mai’eras go to Kydem clan, tell chief of your lands, your needs.” Despina was beaming at him.
    Cisteon handed the slave register over. “And please burn this once you’re done with it,” he said fervently.
    Jisten opened the register and filled in each slave’s registration number on the manumission forms Jethain had already filled out with the slave’s name. He crossed each out of the register as he finished with it. Then, he tossed the register toward Scorth, who spat just enough flame to incinerate it before it hit the ground.
    The newly freed workers cheered and many hands leapt to help Despina with the ox.
     
    * * * *
     
    Sino, the capitol of Lini, was called the City of Gardens. Greenery was everywhere. Every house had a garden. Larger buildings had more than one garden. There were hanging gardens, rooftop gardens, hedge mazes, mathematically precise flower gardens, water gardens, stone and sand gardens, air gardens, even fire gardens. It was beautiful. And it was burning.
    The Lythadi conquerors had no respect for the work that had gone into making the city, no eye for the beauty of its gardens, no concern for anything but their brutal business of raping, pillaging and burning. Men they killed or enslaved, women they used and enslaved, but young boys not yet old enough to fight they captured and turned into more of themselves.
    The gardens of Sino burned and the buildings were toppled until no two stones remained one atop another. The dead were left to rot where they fell, no more than food for scavengers. Yagebor looked upon his work and was pleased. Tokgud, his shaman and right-hand man, was chanting, dedicating the battlefield to the spirit of the great squirrel.
    Soon, all of Lini would bow to him. There were reports of Linish nobles and forces gathering in the east. He looked forward to a real battle. Thus far, all he’d seen were yellow-bellied cowards who were quick to bend the knee and place their necks beneath his heels. The Lythadi already had several hundred of such not-men collared in long coffles. Soon, they would have to travel to Chloi to sell the