Love, Pain, and Loyalty Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Roan kept thinking of Mark. He knew he had put Mark on bad position. No doubt, Cruel would drag him to the whipping post. And he saw it. From the window, he saw Mark received the whip till he could barely stand. His heart sunked, and hurt. Cruel had to drag Mark back to his cell as Mark could barely walk. But Roan knew he couldn’t see Mark by now. Cruel must be watched over him, and of course his father too. He couldn’t take another risk and put Mark on danger again. He had to wait. But he had something to do for Mark.

Two days later, Roan found Mark had properly back to work on the fields. And he knew when the right time he could meet Mark.
On midday, right on Mark’s off duty, Roan called him from behind the stone. He had to carefully, otherwise Cruel would find them.
Mark ran toward Roan as he heard his called.

“Roan,” Mark smiled as he met his friend. Even met Roan put a lot of danger; he still loved to see his friend. Roan was the only friend he had. He was the one who made him survived from Cruel’s cruelty.
“Mark, let me see your back,” he turned Mark’s body and pulled up his dress up. The only dress he had. Slaves were only given two pieces of dress a year. If they couldn’t keep them well, they would be naked and waiting for another new dress on new year.
Roan had to gasp as he saw the angry red welts on his back which begun to heal.
“It still hurt?”
“Some, Roan. Don’t worry, I’ll survive.”
“Forgive me, Mark.” Roan also saw the iron branded on Marks’s right shoulder. A circle with an ‘A’ in the middle for MacAodhagáin. It was his father brand for the slaves, and if his slaves ever run away, that would identify them as his. Roan felt sorry for Mark
“It’s alright, I really get used to it,” Mark gave him a warm smile.
But Roan didn’t smile. He stared him.
“Mark, would you like to free?” with the serious tones
Mark stunned. What a question. Of course he wanted to be free! Every slave on this mansion want to be free. No one ever wanted to be kept as a slave.
“I could give you a freedom, Mark.”
This made Mark more stunned. “I beg you pardon, Sir?”
“Yea, I could help you run,” with no hesitation.
‘Alright, this is something he wants to hear, but not from Roan.’
“You will help me to run?”
“Yeah. You have to get out from here, Mark. You couldn’t live like this. I couldn’t bare it. You have to be free. And I let you free.”
“By escaping?”
Roan nodded.
“No! Roan, don’t. It won’t work. You know what happened to the last slave who tried to escape?”
Roan gulped, “Yea, 100 lashed, hanged for a week, then executed,” he was still remember it, as he forced to see it by his father.
“And you want me to be like that?”
“No. Because it won’t happened, Mark. You won’t get caught. I could escape you safely.”
“Yeah, right,” even he doubted it. “But I would rather stay, than being stuck on that pole.”
“You could be dead here either, Mark. Look what Cruel had done to you!”
“And I survived. I couldn’t take a risk to escape.”
“I would rather die as a free person than never tried to get free. You will never know what happened if you never try.”
Mark bit his lips. Roan was right. He would never know if he hadn’t tried it. He could be free. Or …
He looked to his caring master and friend, “Thank you for your caring, but no, Roan, I could not take the risk. I have no courage. Please Roan, do not force me to do it. And this is for you too. Your father would killed you too when he founded. You knew he has no mercy, even on his son. I saw how he treated you.”
With this, Roan couldn’t say any word. Mark was totally right.
“I just want you to be free, Mark, that’s all.”
“I know. But you knew we couldn’t do that. And don’t worry, I’ll be fine. You made me strong Roan. That’s why I survived,” he gave him a warm smiled.
Roan had to smile.
“But I insisted, I’ll get you run, whenever you ready, Mark.”
Mark nodded. “Thank you.”
He took a sight to the fields. Slaves had back to work.
“I got to go. Cruel would search me if he didn’t found me.”
Roan nodded. “Be careful, Mark. Stay away from Cruel.”
“Of course. Thank you,” and he ran back to the fields. Roan could only watch his friend in sadness. Mark had thrown away his chance to escape. But Roan could understand. It was very high risk to run. No slave could able take the risk.
He sighed and turned to get back to the mansion. But he froze and pale as his father just standing not far from there. He was watched them and now starred Roan in cold eyes.
Roan felt numb. He even couldn’t move as his father approached him. He was aware in shock as a very hard slap landed on his cheek, till he fell to the grass.
“Fool boy! Come,” He grabbed his son’s arm roughly and dragged him back to the house.

He threw the boy to floor as they arrived on Roan’s chamber. Roan was now trembled in fear. His father grabbed his chin roughly and made him stared to his father eyes.
“You will never see that slave again. Is that understood?! If you do, I promise you I will have him dead before you can even blink! Is that understood?” Sheamon roared at his son.
Roan managed to nod.
Sheamon looked at him with warning eyes before he released his grip around his cheeks. Roan gasped for the air. His chin was hurt.
“And now you may spend in your room without diner. If you ever tried to get out and met that slave again, you would only found his grave!” with that Sheamon walked out and slamming the door locked.
Roan sighed in relieved as his father out. His heart still beat so fast with fear. He never understood why his father had to be like this. Why he had to hate slaves so much. Roan even hates his father now.
Roan turned to the windows to find Mark. But he had no where to find. Roan sighed in desperate. No chanced to meet Mark. And now he had to spend in this prison. Roan banged his foot to the wooden large bed, and threw his body to the bed.

TBC