BELLRAM V02 - Ambivalence of Light and Shadow II

BP004-P02 - Subjugation 02

Meia stood waiting at the front of the carriage and watched Violet. The masked woman stood by the horses from the carriage and fed one of them carrots. If you wanted to call it feeding that is. The way she stuffed them into the horse's mouth was a bit like a forced fattening. Then she always pulled her hand away so quickly, as if she was expecting to be bitten. Meia had actually had the impression that they were well-behaved horses, but maybe it was because of Yuri. Maybe there was a previous incident?

After a short time, a wagon came into view. It was very similar in construction to the wagon they had. It had a loading area covered with tarpaulin. The tarpaulin was open to the loading area at the front and rear. If it wasn't so dark, you could see through it. Unlike the coach, the coachman's bench was low. The rest was very strange. A man was sitting on the bench with the reins in his hand and his head hanging down. He didn't look hurt. He just didn't look up. There was only one horse pulling the wagon through the mud. There was only a small storm lamp on the bench next to the man. The path may have been a little wider at this point and therefore a little brighter, but up to this point the path had been densely overgrown with trees. If the coming section was the same, you wouldn't be able to see anything from the bench. The lamp was unnecessary and a hindrance. There were reasons why lamps were attached to carriages in a certain way. This one was too low to light the way and was in the man's field of vision. So the only one who knew where the wagon was going was, at best, the horse. But even that was doubtful in this darkness. Nevertheless, there was certainly a reason why there were no lights on the wagon. But what reason could there possibly be?

Meia noticed that Violet didn't seem to be bothered by any of this. She continued to stand waiting on the path. Earlier she had said that an idiot was coming towards them. Meia had thought she meant someone stupid enough to take this path instead of the trade route. She had also implied that it wasn't an enemy, but then why was she blocking the way?

Suddenly the man stood up and waved with outstretched arms. It struck Meia that it was a warning signal, but then he began to shout.

"Violet! Hello~! It's me Falko~! Falko Wagner! What a coincidence!"

Violet's posture changed at that moment. It looked a little like she was going to slump and she clutched her head.

"Just what I needed..."

The wagon came closer. Meia could now see the man better. He looked to be in his mid-twenties. He had dark hair. It was longer at the top than at the sides. If it were a little shorter at the top and not combed back, it would be a military haircut. His jacket and his glasses were also striking. The glasses had rectangular lenses set in a narrow black frame. For that reason alone, they were probably expensive. The jacket was short and had a standing white fur collar. Meia had the feeling it was a foreign military jacket. Perhaps the man was a soldier? In any case, the jacket wasn't very suitable for this weather. Wouldn't it be better to wear a rain jacket or a cloak? Nevertheless, the man was dry. The sleeves were pulled up a little and the jacket was open. Perhaps he had some rain protection in the wagon? There was one more thing that was worth mentioning. - Meia thought the man was very attractive. He looked like a model. If you were looking for a handsome man - he was one. You'd have to look a long time to find a prettier one. But with his behavior, he had already lost all the points his looks could have earned him. He waved like a hiker who wanted to be spotted on a mountain path.

Long before the wagon reached Violet, the smell of cooked food reached Meia's nose. It smelled like boiling vegetables. It was undoubtedly coming from the wagon.

Meia had hardly eaten anything proper since departure. The carrots which the horse were tortured with had been the last thing. Did the man have any soup? Meia would give all her money for a single bowl of soup. Although she wasn't sure if it would be enough for one. Probably not.