Anxious Hearts by Tucker Shaw

Author:Tucker Shaw
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Text
Publisher: Amulet Books
Published: 2011-01-29T16:00:00+00:00

Gabriel

WHEN ALL THE ABLE CADIAN MEN HAD FILED into the Great House and taken seats on the benches that lined the center of the common room, the front doors were bolted closed with a thud.

The commander stepped onto the small platform at the front of the room. Tall and slender and younger than half the soldiers in his employ, he had been protected from the rain by a canopy hoisted over his horse by six of his men on the trek down. Gabriel, bone-sodden, was insulted by the commander’s dry uniform and clenched his jaw in humiliation and rage.

Gabriel counted eighteen troops surrounding the commander. He knew there were a hundred more outside. The commander opened his tablet, cleared his throat, and read in a nasal, patrician voice:

“His Excellency Lord Governor Lawrence has resolved that the governing of this country shall be assumed by the New Colonies and the lands cleared of their current inhabitants, who shall be relocated thusly: To be transported to the Capital District, three hundred persons. To the Central Valleys, two hundred persons. To the Western Prairies shall be transported three hundred persons. And to Vieux Manan for holding until a final destination is determined, two hundred persons. We are ordered to use all the means proper and necessary for collecting inhabitants together for relocation. If we find that fair means will not do, we shall proceed by more vigorous measures. We are ordered to deprive any who escape all means of shelter or support by burning the houses and destroying everything that may afford them the means of subsistence. We are directed not to delay, and to use all possible dispatch to save expense to the public.”

The commander rolled up the scroll. “Please remain here as we provision our ships and prepare for transport. You are now guests in this land.”

Gabriel bit down on his lip, releasing a stream of bitter blood.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.