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Chapter 6

Pharaoh made no attempts at summoning anybody, yet five guards instantly walked in the room as if he had. They came in the large throne room, swiftly and quietly lowered their heads to him in respect. "Take him to the brander; tell him this slave will work in district E, under Vincent." Pharaoh then walked away back to his throne, and stay down, a menacing smile still on his lips. "Goodbye, Tigersight. I hope you enjoy your stay." Pharaoh's voice was filled with mock. Tigersight could only question as to how this man knew his name.

Two of the five guards that had walked in the room fiercely grabbed him, by the wrists and began to drag him across the throne room, without letting him stand up. Tigersight ripped is hand's lose for the grip and quickly stood up, just as the last three guards came up behind him and grabbed him by the wrist again, and tried to drag him. Thus making Tigersight quite angry, as they made their way to the Brander, Tigersight's awkward gait, was only further upsetting him.

As if the guards had snapped out of some kind of trance, they stopped dragging Tigersight to the brander, and merely began to walk him over there, just as the newly dead guards had walked him to the palace. There were no words, it was just assumed Tigersight would follow after them, and if he didn't, they would drag him again.

As they neared a building near the outskirts of the outer gates, Tigersight could see what looked like two buildings. They guards took him over to the building that looked like less of a building an more of a shack that was about to fall over. They shoved him inside with a ball of clothing "Change out of that crap your wearing." One of the guards shoved him in the door. "And don't take forever either. I ain't got all day, I have things to do."

The sun shining through the roof, gave the place a very dim, light. He noticed that the ball of clothing they had handed him, was little more than rags, poorly sewn together. And they had only given him pants. "Hey, do I get a shirt of some kind?" He called out of the shack. "No, shirts are kept where your be sleeping, and nobody ever wears them past the sunrise. It's too hot for that kind of thing. Now get dressed." Tigersight pulled on his pants and walked out of the shack.

"I hereby welcome you to your new life, as a slave." The guard spat on him, and then led him towards the other building. This one looked far worse than the one he had just been in, except it was attached to a mound of dirt, which looked eerily similar to the stone homes, that Tigersight villagers had lived in. as they entered he soon realized this building was exactly like the ones in his village, a carved out hill. The only difference was this was made of clay dirt and had a wooden door, while the ones in his village had been made of stones on top, and had the pelt of an animal, hanging from a large opening in front.

"Seriously, why do you live all the way out here in the slums. It takes forever to transport these damn unruly bastards to your place. You would think considering that you mark the damn slaves that you would live near the guy who gets them for you."

"Firstly don't talk to me, like you know anything about me, and like were some kind of buddies. We're not. Secondly, have you ever been privy to a branding? They always scream... some of them louder than the great pharaoh himself. Now do you think that I want to be near that guy's building, having guy's that scream louder than he does?"

"It's not like you have ten slaves a day, more like 5 ever couple of months, you arseface. And I will talk to you however I feel like; don't forget I have a whip." The man, assumed to be the brander, picked up a large metal pole attached to a brightly glowing red plate of odd letters, and shape.

"And I have this... Now shut you damn face before I shove this where the sun don't shine. Also, your job is probably the easiest in this entire damn town, so I don't see why I should accommodate you, while I'm over here busting my butt, in the hot dome of a house, To make you your fancy weapons, so you don't get your dumb butt killed because you're a moron, and don't even know how to use the damn whip which you're just so proud to have wrapped around you belt." The guard remained speechless as brander threw the pole down into the hot coals, sending a spray of fire and embers up into the air which quickly died down.

"Besides, I like this section of town, the people on this side don't act like they already have a stick shoved up their butt that got twisted sideways in some kind of horrific accident. Now you go do the tiny miniscule job you do have to do. And I'll continue, not only to make your weapons, but to also retrieve my own supplies since you lazy arses can't so much as lift a finger to do your own jobs and help me out. Since I just love working harder to make you weapons so you can protect yourselves. " "Yes, got it." The guard gulped.

The other four went about chaining Tigersight to a large metal bar with leather arm straps in order to hold him still. "Alright so what do we have here?" Brander reached up and scratched his dusty smoke grey hair. "This guy is supposed to work in F underneath Tefalius." "Didn't he say E district underneath Vincent?"

"Well which one is it??" Brander questioned, as he pulled on dark brown gloves, of some type of animal skin, and adjusted his thick armor. "District E underneath Vincent." Two other guards chimed in. "Vincent Aye. That man will give you hell. Hope you're prepared for that." Brander had been the first person to acknowledge Tigersight as a real living breathing person, Instead of as some kind of pet or trophy.

"Uh, yea I guess." he paused. "I only live to serve. So do what you must, and I will do as I have to." Brander understood the hidden meaning in his words. "Well, let's get this over with." Brander sighed; as he picked up the metal pole he had just threatened the guard with back off of the fiery coals, in the stone fire pit. He pressed the red hot metal plate against Tigersight's neck.

The smell of sizzled flesh and blood filled the air. Tigersight's scream's filled the air causing a ringing echo in the whole building. The smell was nauseating, and vile. The guard that had been arguing with brander puked all over the floor while two of the other guards had to run out of the building just to prevent themselves from vomiting.

"He's all done." Brander quickly peeled the metal plate off of Tigersight's neck and threw it in a bucket of water. He then, put a cold damp cloth on Tigersight's neck to quickly cool down his burn flesh. The remaining two guards untied Tigersight's hands and he slumped limply towards the ground. The two guards helped him up, and then walked him away from the Brander's home. As they were leaving, He clearly made out brander say, "I just feel so sorry for them."

Tigersight allowed his feet to drag in the dirt, but he soon forced himself to stand through the pain, and walk, with the two guards. Soon they were standing in a sea of dirt, people scattered everywhere hard at work.

Most of them were in little groups of four or five, but quite a few were scattered about carrying and pulling bricks of clay, some of them larger than they were. They walked over to one of the smaller groups of people two of them were men and one was a girl with long hair. There was only one guard standing near them, and he had his whip out. He snapped it against the ground.

"Work faster; the other groups have done three times as much work as you lazy ingrates." "Hey, Vincent!" The guard who had been yelling stopped and walked over to the guard calling his name. "You got a new one. Put him to work don't let him slack off. Ya you get the point." The two guards walked away without another word.

Vincent led him over to the other three who work quickly, working away. "Alright coast is clear." All three stopped working and set down their picks, and walked over to Vincent.

"So welcome to section E, I'm Vincent if you haven't already figured it out. This is a tough job and I get that, I don't force you to work as fast as those guys over there. But I won't allow you to slack off either." "I Got it. So what exactly are we doing out here?" "You are going to dig up clay, make them into gigantic bricks, and then drag them over to where the builders are, where the builders will use them to build these big buildings." "Ok, sounds easy. Where do I start?"

"Seriously? Why can't every slave be like you all ready to work and like you? I might not have to use this dang thing ever." Vincent mocked as he held up his whip. "I'm not sure I understand."

"Yea neither do I, I just talk to fill a void. Anyway, time to meet the group you'll be working with for the rest of your life." "Yes sir. I understand." "Dude, where are you from? This is great. You're a guard's dream slave."

To guys walked up, slowly flanked by a girl, Just as Vincent began to undo Tigersight's leg chains. "Alright Time to meet the other section E workers." "Don't you mean slaves?" Tigersight replies.

"The term slave in my view an ugly word, workers sounds better gives you guys more self-respect." Vincent counters. "Right, because we all need more self-respect." His voice was thick with sarcasm. Vincent's reply was in a very serious tone, as if Tigersight had struck a nerve. "You do. It keeps your spirit up and makes it easier to survive this place." Tigersight bows and says" I'll take your word for it."

Tigersight and Vincent walk over to a wall where the other three hand been standing. "Alright this is Dinzo" Vincent says as he points to a slave with brown hair and a goofy smile "Hi there" Dinzo replies "This is Mark" Vincent continues pointing to another slave with an aloof look about him "Sup" Mark says as Vincent point to him "And this is Tricia" Vincent finishes pointing at Tricia.

Tricia didn't say anything and neither did Tigersight. They were too busy staring at each other Tricia's beauty captivated him like nothing else in his short life had. She had a presents about her it was truly spectacular. she was the same height as him he far he could tell, she had black hair hanging long down her back her eyes despite her situation had a light of humor in them.

Suddenly Vincent interrupts their thoughts "hey aren't you guys supposed to be working Mark and Dinzo were grinning ear to ear when they reply at the same time "yep" Tigersight and Tricia start, Then Tigersight replies "Ahh right" Tigersight goes to leave When Tricia stops him "thank you for helping me earlier with that guard they were probably hard on you for hitting that guy for me I'm sorry if they hurt you "Tigersight replies "no problem it barley hurt."

They both go to their work, Tricia and Mark's job is to make the blocks, Dinzo gathers the clay they use, and Tigersight has to carry them to the builders each block weighs about two hundred pounds and Tigersight had to carry or drag two at one time to the builders no exceptions so it was hard work, but Tigersight did not say anything he was never much of a complainer, even in the tribe he did what he was told and when without complaint it was one of the reasons he was so popular but now that was over.

He would never again be able to sit and listen to the elders stories, practice weapons training, or listen to the sounds of the forest all he could do was buckle down and survive he only been in this city one day and from what he could tell there was no escape and even if he could were would he go.

He was in a new land with new rules Tigersight shook his head to rid himself of his morbid thoughts it was not all bad he decided Vincent, Mark, and Dinzo were nice and there was Tricia. Tigersight did not know what to think of her just yet he had acted instinctively when he attacked that guard she was a... Tricia interrupts Tigersight's thoughts to hand his a block if clay "here you go Tiger" she left off the other half of his name with a mischievous smile "Hmmmm... O right" Tigersight says as he stops staring at her.

Tricia thinks to herself "he is staring at me again but I don't really mind he is handsome" "Thanks Tricia" Tigersight says as he leaves with the block the rest of the day passes without much incident.

A pair of guards show Tigersight were he will be sleeping it's in a shack. That night as everyone starts to go to sleep Tigersight slips through the town looking for a way to escape he is almost to the gate when he feels a tap on his shoulder Tigersight spins around and Tricia jumps back "What are you doing" she says in a horse whisper.

Tigersight replies "I am escaping what's it look like" Tricia replies "it looks like your trying to get yourself killed there are over thirty guards at the gate and even if you could get passed them you have no water no map and no idea how to live in a desert."

"True" Tigersight replies "but anywhere is better than here" Tricia looks at him like he is stupid "your right but you haven't give this place a chance and there no need to get yourself killed" Tigersight replies "haven't given it a chance I have been beaten with in an inch of my life my entire family is dead all my friends I have nothing but my life to lose and I am willing to risk it to get out of this place" Tricia simply replies "you have me." That one statement shuts Tigersight up "Please stay for me "Tricia pleads with him "we can find a better way out that does not involve getting yourself killed. He thinks about it then replies exasperated "alright I'll stay for now" Tigersight go back to his house.

As the weeks pass Tigersight begins to find a way to make his new life have meaning, helping people. Since it takes two hours to make two blocks Tigersight could have sat around most of the day but he didn't instead he help Dinzo gather the clay.

He helped Mark and Tricia make the blocks, then he would carry them to the builders, than help them if they needed it Tigersight never stopped working even when lunch was called or after he was always the last to leave and the first to arrive and after the day ended

he would go to his assigned house. It was a dump no point kidding himself about it but he was too tired to care the work was so hard they did not stop till the sun was completely gone and that was only because it was too dark too see and to cold. The heat was the worst part he decided it sapped his strength and until he got use to it, it would not get easier.