The Uprising (The Mamluks Saga: Episode 2) (7 page)

Adomas chuckled. “I feared
this
was the basis of his insecurities.”

I released a long sigh. “What should I do?”

Adomas waited a moment. “I suggest disciplining the Champion with gravity, My Ruler. It will set a great precedent for our society.”

I nodded daringly. “You’re right. I can’t be soft on Juozas. If he challenges my authority again, he will suffer a severe consequence.”

I
arrived at the Caregivers Academy for an early morning checkup. Lately, I had been feeling a little drowsy at inopportune times. Giedre greeted me at the main entrance and led me to a room. I went inside and took a seat on a wooden chair, right beside a small wooden table.

Before leaving, Giedre paused at the entryway and gave me a warm smile. “One of my students will be with you shortly.”

I responded with a quick nod. “Thank you, Giedre.”

Moments later, a beautiful Mamluk walked into the room, carrying a leather bag. “Hello, My Champion. I’m Isabella.” She had short, neatly kept, brown hair, which hung evenly over her shoulders, green eyes that looked like rare jewels, and a smile that made my heart flutter. 

I stared hard as she came forward and set her bag on the table. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Isabella.”

She smiled. “Likewise.”

I kept staring and studied her carefully. She appeared to be rather young like me. “Are you from the new generation?”

“Yes. I am set to graduate from Giedre’s teachings soon.” She opened her bag and took out a small, circular piece of metal. Next, she took out a thick needle. “Now, let me see your hand.”

I reached out to Isabella. She took my hand and pulled one of my fingers up. She poked the finger with the needle, drawing some blood. Next, she put the needle on the table and moved my finger to the small piece of metal. Isabella squeezed my finger and let the blood drip down. After getting a good amount, she reached in her bag and took out a cloth and a metal jar.

Isabella hummed a bouncy tune as she opened the jar. I couldn’t help but watch her closely with a pleased smile as she carried on.
What a lovely, sweet voice.
She dipped the cloth into the jar and put some ointment on it. Then she cleaned my finger off and turned on her
sija
.

“Now, hold still.”

Isabella pressed a button and a tiny laser popped out. She put the laser on my finger for a second before moving it away. Just like that, the incision closed up. She turned the laser off and put everything away. Then she went to my blood sample and turned on another tiny laser.

She held it over the blood for a moment and a holographic screen came up. Isabella narrowed her eyes as she read the rapid information coming onto the screen. “Ah, you have
qwze
in your system.”

I looked away in embarrassment. “Yes. I recently began using the seeds.”

“Hum...you know, those seeds were forbidden for a reason.”

I looked up at her. She was staring at me with the prettiest grin, yet she had some disappointment in her eyes, too.

“So, that’s why I’ve been feeling drowsy.”

“Yes. And if you continue to use those seeds it
will
get worse.”

Isabella put my blood sample in a waste bin. I stood up and walked to the entryway. She gathered her things and came forward. Together, we stepped into the hall.

“Take care, My Champion.”

“Thank you, Isabella.”

She flashed another adorable smile and waved goodbye before turning to head down the hall. There was such a charming innocence about her, something I rarely saw in other females.

Finally, after watching her walk away, I realized I couldn’t let this one escape me. “Wait.”

She stopped and turned around.

I did a speed walk down the hall and halted in front of her. “I would like to see you again.”

Isabella propped her bag up and shyly glanced away. “I’m flattered, Juozas. However, I am rather busy these days, trying to finish my studies. But perhaps you may find me again—somewhere.” She gave me another smile before walking off again. I loved seeing her smile. I couldn’t get enough of it. It was even more engrossing than the
qwze
I had been using.

I stood there and watched her leave. When I finally turned around to head out to my ship, there was only one thing going through my mind: 
No, I must see you again.

I
was having a meeting in the conference room with my advocates. After Katie and Bridget had accepted two of the positions, I filled out the roster with three highly respected individuals.

The first was a Mamluk name Ieve. She was considered to be very wise, and had once served as a caregiver. The second was a soldier named Rasa. I had reached out to Ignas for a recommendation, and he regarded her as being a terrific leader. Lastly, I had picked another soldier named Bronius. He had served off and on as a guard at my building for some time.

Since Bridget had decided to serve on Marsden, and Katie on Rumza, I assigned Ieve to Earth, Rasa to NorVal, and Bronius to Eztu.

I stood in front of the group, holding my hands together as I looked them over. “Kneel.”

They dropped down and bowed their heads.

I walked up to the group and studied them carefully. “As advocates, you will uphold my decree on your assigned planet. The caregivers on each planet will be sending me daily reports of all your dealings, so make sure you’re doing your jobs well.” I stepped back. “And now, I release you to your duties.” I held my hand out. “Rise.”

They stood and gradually headed out. Before turning the corner in the hallway, Katie and Bridget looked back at me with warm smiles and waved goodbye. With great pleasure, I gave them the same response.

Afterward, a message from Linas came over my
sija
.
“The first order of whips is ready, My Ruler.”

I lifted the
sija
to my mouth and messaged him back. “Excellent, Linas. Send the whips to Juozas and have him distribute them to the soldiers.”  I paused and waited for his reply.

“Right away.”

I began pondering the situation as I went over to my desk and took a seat. This was a perfect opportunity to test Juozas’s will, and see if he had truly put his love for humans behind him.

Don’t fail me, Son.

I
was walking through the forest with London and a group of soldiers. We were monitoring the slaves as they gathered crops when a message came over London’s
sija
.

“This is Linas. Is the Champion with you?”

I glanced at London.

He lifted his
sija
to his mouth and responded. “Yes, he is.”

Moments later, a reply came from Linas.
“Send me your location. I have something for the Champion.”

London quickly pressed a few buttons on his
sija
, sending our location to Linas. Shortly after, a holographic screen came up, showing a report. We all huddled around London and checked it. On the screen, there was an image of a wooden-handled object that had a long, thick leather strap connected to it.

“What is that?” London said with a wicked, curious smile.

I read a few lines from the report. “It’s called a
whip
.”

“Hum, interesting,” a soldier said.

A moment later, a ship flew over us. We looked up and stared through the tall trees. The ramp opened and a massive, wooden case that was tied to a rope came down. The case dangled about a foot over our heads. We spread out. London lifted his arm and fired a rapid shot at the rope, splitting it apart. The case dropped and the ship flew away.

I walked up to it and pulled the lid off. Everyone came over and took a look inside.

The case was filled with whips. London picked one up and studied it. “Ah yes, now I remember. There was a report about this not too long along. These are the tools we will use to discipline the slaves.”

Finally, and sadly, I as well recalled reading the report about disciplining the slaves.

London looked at me with a wide grin. “May I do the honors of testing it, My Champion?”

I gave him a solemn nod and stepped back with the others.

London turned and found a slave working a few feet from us. He walked up to the man and circled him. “Faster, you bloody peasant.”

The soldiers burst into laughter. London lifted the whip and beat the slave senseless with a twisted smile. The man yelped and curled up. London carried on, dancing around the slave and beating him drolly. Finally he stopped and backed away. The man’s hands shook as he quickly got back to work. 

London followed up with a lash to the back of his head. “Faster!”

The shot sent the slave stumbling to the ground. He covered his head and cried out as London prepared to strike again.

Moving forward, I quickly stopped him. “That’s enough, Soldier.”

London lowered the whip and moved away. “Forgive me, My Champion.”

I kneeled and helped the man up. “Are you all right?”

He was hesitant to talk, looking at me with great fear in his eyes.

“You may speak.”

He glanced at the others. “I’ll be OK.”

I gave him a kind nod and turned around. To my surprise, London and the others were staring at me in shock. I looked them over for a moment and narrowed my eyes. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

London stepped forward. “Juozas, what you just did was illegal.” He sadly looked back to the others, then slowly looked back to me. “I have no choice but to detain you.”

I laughed. “What?”

Another soldier came forward. “You know the law, My Champion.” She looked on with an intense glare as London pulled out a prisoner collar.

He opened it and reached out to me. “Hold still, Old Friend.” He secured the collar around my neck, then he stepped back and pressed a button on his
sija
.

I clenched my lips as the collar tightened.

London grabbed my arm and walked ahead. “This way, My Champion.”

W
hen I got the report from London, my mouth dropped open and my eyes grew wide. I couldn’t  believe it. Not even a day had gone by with the whips and Juozas had already failed me. In a rage, I left my building and flew to the detainment center.

I hurried inside and found Juozas sitting on the floor with his head down. I walked to the chair that was built into the floor and took a seat. “Rise.”

Juozas got up and came forward. He stopped about five feet from me and kneeled. 

“What is your crime, My Champion?” Saying the words made me cringe.

He looked up and took a deep breath. “I helped a slave off the ground.”

I shook my head. “Why?”

Juozas’s face became enraged. “
Because
...it was the right thing to do.”

I pointed at him with my teeth bared. “You know the law!”

“Yes, Mother. I do.”

“Then why? Why do you do this?”

Juozas shrugged. “I don’t know. Perhaps I can’t control my instincts.”

“Well, you’re going to learn to.” I stood up and exhaled. “As punishment—you will be whipped in front of an audience of soldiers.” I marched to the entryway and paused. Then firmly, I spun around and looked back at Juozas. “And if this ever happens again, I will suspend your title as Champion—and you will be sent to Marsden for further discipline.”

Juozas respectfully bowed his head. “I understand, My Ruler.”

I
was brought to an open terrain that was located a few miles from the detainment center.  Mother was there, standing on a metal stage with an audience of soldiers, waiting for me. London was at the front of the group, holding a whip. The soldiers who had escorted me there stepped away and joined the others as I walked up to the stage and kneeled.

Mother marched to the edge of the stage and scanned the crowd. “Soldiers, let this serve as a prime example to you all. No one is excluded from punishment. You will obey my decree, and the law is, that we must
never
show empathy to lesser beings!”

The soldiers cheered and shouted.

As she went on, Mother looked down at me with a heated glare. “We honor you, My Champion. Nevertheless, you
must
abandon your compassion for humans. We are Mamluks! Humans have no place in our world.”

I shook my head as the crowd praised her words. It was mind-numbing to see such hypocrisy. She
was
a human, yet somehow she had managed to disregard her own kind.

Mother looked back to the crowd and waved London forward. “Proceed with the lashing.”

I bent down and put my hands on the ground. Out the corner of my eye, I saw London’s feet stop beside me. I heard him lift his arm, and the shadow of the whip came over me.

The leather strap swiftly stung my back. I winced and breathed out slowly as London continued. Each strike hurt worse than the last. After a while, I felt blood seeping down my back, and I dug my fingers into the soil, feeling the pain. He went on for a while longer until Mother finally stopped him.

“That’s enough.”

London backed away.

Mother walked off the stage and stood in front of me. “Rise.”

I stood up and glared at her.
What have you become? Has your status as Ruler turned you into a monster? Have I lost the woman who nurtured me into a worthy successor?
Seeing the vile look in her eyes, I feared my thoughts were true.

“I hope you’ve learned your lesson, Juozas.”

I gave Mother a false nod. “Yes. I have.”

She nodded. “Release him, London.”

I felt the collar open, then London walked up to me and took it off.

At last, Mother returned the soldiers to their duties, then she gently placed her hand on my back. “Come, I have a caregiver standing by at our building.” 

When I got home, I went upstairs to my room and found Isabella waiting for me. She had a sad look on her face, and she was holding a cloth in her hand, yet I was thrilled to see her again, even in this unfortunate circumstance.