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Kill the peasants!
Thursday, September 17. 20092
If I hadn’t been so tired, I would have gawked like a fish at the sight of the armies massed at the front. I’d never seen so many people in my life. Some loafed around outside their tents, cooking over small fires, telling stories, oiling armor, and sharpening swords. Others rushed around on seemingly urgent errands. Tension hung like smoke over the camp, visible even in the most relaxed soldiers.
The Dina paraded through the camp, banners held high, dragging us behind them. Just outside a large ger, a peacock of a man dressed in blue velvet stared haughtily at the Dina as they approached. Contempt dripped from his voice when he spoke. “Where have you been? The khasar was expecting you three days ago.” The commander rumbled his reply. “I will speak with his majesty alone. I do not treat with flunkies.” The little man set his jaw and disappeared into the tent, scowling. When he emerged several minutes later, he swept the door open, and bowed. If a bow can be sarcastic, his was. “His majesty will see you now, Dinar.” The commander swept by him without even deigning to glance at him. He straightened, scowling, and then, pointing to us, with as much disgust as he could muster, said, “what are these?” One of the Dina answered him with one word. “Gum.” Gesturing with a jeweled staff, the chamberlain grinned, “take them over there.” Once again, they dragged us through the camp, finally driving us into a large corral where several hundred other prisoners squatted miserably around a sullen fire. When they opened the gate, a prisoner yelled at our captors, but he ducked behind his neighbor when the soldier raised his sword. When they had gone, I turned to an old man hunched nearby. “What are they going to do with us?” He looked at me with listless eyes. “They’re going to herd us. Drive us in front of them. Use us as shields when they attack.” “Why?” He looked at me incredulously and shook his head, shuffling away from me as quickly as the press of the crowd would allow. Trackbacks
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