Should Have Let Me Die

Chapter 132: The Flavor Of Slavery

The kid took my hand, but I didn't release magic into him, I didn't want these kids to become over brave and do something they wouldn't normally do. 

"I'm Tag and this is Reese, Rita, Leah, and Maxi."

Tag let go of my and pointed to each kid as he spoke. The first was a human boy with brown hair and a tough guy look, then just behind him were the three girls, all of them looked younger than the boys who looked only a year or two less than me. 

The first girl to step forward was the human girl with auburn hair similar toTitania's. She was Maxi and gave a small bow with a smile in her little brown dress. The last two girls, Leah, and Maxi, didn't want to come closer, so my wives, came forward and talked to the girls. 

I turned to Clem and Greshaha while the women talked with all the kids, who had gathered around Arrentia and asked her what she was doing with me. 

"Tell me about this...no, shit hole is the proper term for the place. Why is it like this and why does everyone seem okay with the way things are?Also, why are you so keen on helping?"

"The first is a very complicated question, as for the second. I don't think the way things are is right, but dying doing something that is hopeless is dumb. You are different though, it's like you just want things to work out and your force of will alone makes it happen," Clem praised.

"Force? Yeah, I know how to do that, and some of that will be needed here, but I don't think that the people are actually bad. There are just some bad people in here that need to be weeded out and a new way of thinking put in place."

"Well, I am putting all my cards on the table by taking this chance with you, by now for sure one of the Kings spies will have reported to him about this and I will be put into slavery."

"Really? They do that?"

"That's not the half of it. Ragna is a glutton and is very overweight, so he trades slaves for lavish meats and sauces, shipped from all over Bjrothrone. He shares these foods with the people to keep them happy, but if someone complains about the slaves, they are found owing more taxes than they can afford. The whole system is messed up and there is no one accountable for exactly how much taxes are paid."

"I haven't seen any guards or army barracks around when I flew in. How does the king collect the taxes and collect the people who don't pay?"

"His children."

"Children? What do you mean?"

"Ragna takes a woman and gets her pregnant, makes her have the baby and then sell her into slavery. After, the children are raised alone, and away from others until they are three and then they are trained as ruthless killers with barely any emotions. Only one of his twin daughters escaped to the Black Ponds with the help of a mysterious witch that appeared in the castle as a guest the night of the escape. The rest of his army is thugs and slavers, spread around the city."

"Hmm, I guess we need to go see the King, but is there any way to get them all in one room?"

"Not a chance, each one of the children has the right of succession. That means that everyone will be gunning for the throne and cutting their way to the top. The King is the current problem, but the children are going to be the danger," Clem explained.

That was going to be a problem, and that also meant I would have to go alone. Great more problems, now I had to kill a legion of psycho killer children, joy. I turned back to see how my wives were doing, and they were laughing with the kids, one thing at a time.

"Tag, are there more of you?"

Tag hesitated, and then sighed.

"No, the rest have been captured and are being held or sold already," Tag said quietly.

Damn, well, I would get to that problem, even if it took me a while. 

"Everyone, close your eyes, and count to five, then you can open them again."

I took us up and then flew home at ridiculous speeds, making it back faster then usual, but now I knew the path, so my mind was able to guide the magic better. Once Tescelle evolved, I would no longer need to learn the route and travel a breeze, but no point counting chickens before they hatched. We had just touched down and we were instantly swarmed by women, and not just my wives.

It seems that Alex's first batch of converts that I reduced back in Locksland were doing great and they all rushed to help the children. I stepped back and turned right around into Kadence, Alex, And Titania, who surprised me the most from what she was carrying. I gave my two wives pecks on the cheeks and smiled up at Titania, who gave me a warm smile back. She was holding something large and long under a heavy piece of brown canvas.

"So, how bad was it? I thought you would be bringing more slaves back with you? What happened?" Kadence asked.

I then explained about the King and the slaves he had been trading for food. Then I went on to explain about his psychotic children, who were all girls. Alex joked that I could take one as a spare wife for Elise, but I scowled at her and told her I would be bringing them home for reduction. Alex, bless her heart, actually smiled when I told her I was going to be bringing home psychopathic killing machines for her to "break in."

"Where are the kids?"

"Lydia, Kyla, and Kenos are all with Xelios," Alex said with a smile.

"Xelios? Really? Not that I don't think that she would be good with kids, but I thought she would be more into her research, right?"

"The children love her flashing colors, and she comes from a very large family, so this isn't something new for her. If she needs a break there are plenty of others to watch them while I help you," Alex explained.

I noticed the sound of fidgeting and it looked over to Titania, who was having trouble standing still.

"Yes, my love? You seem itching to show me what you have."