Monday, August 11, 2014

53 - After The Cage




“Endarkened Fakkin’ Draculi-assed sum-swallowin’ tâmpit crampit, Emilian!” Kyrus stared at the boys all in the cage grown around them in the Sunrise Loggia when Mom had ”Ye made it ta highest flyest! Inna cage rage no sage.”

Of the seven boys that had been the gang, a sad remnant of the twenty strong Kyrus had left... was it only three... no, four years ago, only Emilian was on his feet, face close to the bars as if he could bite Kyrus through them.  The others were hunkered down at the back of the cage, watching.  The Rasheem had requested that the bees clean them and then given them enough clean water to drink that they were safe and no longer offended everyone’s nose.

I sage,” Emilian said. „I didn’t believe it.”

„You skeeve it now?”

Emilian held his eyes for a moment longer then dropped his gaze to his boots.  They weren’t good boots but everyone else had woven sandals or barefoot. „Ye. Krakin, enLightened, Kyrus, What’r we ta shrink? Tha y’re so high nose-bleed high, try, inna sun fry?”

„Y’r an evil kit, Emilian and I don’t have time for this.  Were you even here when Prime bombarded the city?”

„Ye.  Lost some.  Lost Usor, ’n Iscurt.”

„Dark.  They were good boys,” Kyrus said.  „Look, Emilian.  Ye kin stay locked up here f’r rackin’ me, or go inta cage overnight... gotta bottom though, not a traitor’s cage ye ken?  Or ye kin try and tame stinkin’ vicious war-birds, w’ me ma.”

„’n you?”

„Ye.”  Emilian turned to what was left of the pack, then turned back to Kyrus.  „We gotta learn t’ read?”

„Ye.”

„Dark.”

He thought for a long moment, then turned back to the other boys.  „Ye heer? Clear?” There were slow nods.  „Well...” Emilian jerked his thumb at Kyrus, standing with his arms crossed.  „He’s Emir-al o’ Basin Boys now. Ye saw im mander me.”

„I’ skeert, Emilian.” One of the boys that Kyrus didn’t know spoke up. „Don’ know, no show, I’m pro.”

„Ye.  But ch’ heert ‚’im. Ye ruse, choose Hlivit.”

„We gonna get eat by warbirds?”

Emilian looked at Kyrus, his veil hiding most of his expression, but clearing passing the question on.

Kyrus looked at the boy, a dark-haired, dark eye’d lad with black patterned tattooes on one cheek showing over his veil, and up over the temple.  „Ye Hlivit?” He asked, and got a cautious nod.

„I need help wi’ the wild, old birds.  Nasty, vicious brutes.  Herd bull wants ta fly, sky, now now guy, tho.  Ye might get some give fra’ ’im.”

Emilian watched as the boys all nodded.  „We’ll go ta birds, in herds and covered in turds, Kraghanz.” Hlivit said.  „Ye mandered, ‚Milian. Ye’r t’ Cutter now.”

Kyrus nodded but Emilian cut him off with a slash of his hand.  „I’m not bowin’ to shit-licker, Ass kicker.  I’ll take it, cage.”

„EnDarken it, ‚Milian!” Kyrus began but Emilian turned his back on him.  „Ye lost square!”

„Ye.  Not going to bend my keck f’ tha foot.”

„M’Da’s t’ stinkin’ Shiny! Not me!”

„Ye have a name, same tame, Talain.  I’m not kissin’ ye’r dust grass, Talain.”

„Not askin’ ye te kiss anythin’ o mine.  Emilian. Ye want a name... talket me ‚gain after ye’ cage.  I got work. Nasty, hard, stinkin’ work.”

„Ye’r not makin’ it sound fair, Rat-talain...”

„Ye.  S’ not fair.  Won’ sigh, lie, try.”

„I’ll talket ye after t’cage.”

„I’ll heerye.” Kyrus nodded sharply and turned away.  Werfas, at the door, fell in beside him and the door shut behind them.

„What was all that about?”

„Hmmm?” Kyrus turned and set his forehead on Werfas’s shoulder.  „Oh, I offered them a choice of getting caged for a day,  or coming to work for us, taming warbirds.  They’ll be working for us... except for Emilian... he chose the cage.”

„Stubborn twink, hmmm?”  Werfas wrapped his arms around Kyrus.  „But he’s going to talk to you after?”

„Yes.”

„Then you’ve done your Da proud.  You didn’t rub his face in his mistake.”

„Ass.”

„Not likely, if you keep acting like that!  Come on, we have to check what’s happening with the moon-shot and then head down for your ma.”

„Bloody handed Milari.”

„Lung spitter Lainz.”

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