THE BEGINNING......
PART ONE: The Peril of the Chosen
The Crypt:
The dimly lit room cast moving shadows on the six bent heads as they lifted, shook or bobbed in acquiescence to muffled tension. The stillness might have been termed deafening, but for the almost audible flickering notes of four candles mounted on a stand by the entrance. The thick and blackened brick walls served both as a secret enclave and a sound proof escape. A lone carved portrait adorned the wall facing the only door to the secret chamber. The portrait was that of a giant fly. There were seven stools circling a round slab supported by pointed edges from two hewn rocks. Only six of those stools could be occupied in the Crypt at any given time. The arrival of the seventh entity would anounce the perfect destruction of the assembly. No member would expect that entrant, neither would they enable the dreaded and doomed ingress. That was the foremost creed of allegiance for this governing body. But at this moment, The Monitors were in session....
By the river:
Debeh peeled of the rags from the little girls slumped frame. A quick wash by the river/water removed every trace of soot and caked dirt. A thorough and nervous glance behind them revealed a clear coast, howbeit for two seconds. Debeh then pulled out the stolen linen dress and hurriedly pulled it over the little girls head. In deft movements, she proceeded to re-arranged the girls hair making sure it fell in the right place to conceal the mark. When she was satisfied with the outcome, she pulled the girl closer and whispered in her ears. Debeh held on a little longer than she should as tears streamed down her face. Struggling for composure, she lifted the little girl and waited behind a large tree. At exactly the expected time, the beast drawn wagon arrived and let off its passengers by the river. The children screamed, washed and splashed at each other. They had about twenty minutes before they were loaded back on the wagon and transported back to the palace. As exuberant children scampered and chattered all over the woods, Debeh released the little girl into their midst.
An exalted view:
King Nerlak looked over his courtyard from the roof of his palace. He could see an outline of his kingdom and the vastness of its land, vegetation and grazing livestock. He also looked on as his people went about their daily lives. Children bounding around in oblivious joy as the women clustered by the streams to swap water bowls and gossip. The men either hurled bales of hay or not so gently prodded their beasts as they grazed in the boundless supply of greenery. Dusk was quickly falling and at dawn the harvest of crops will herald a new day. Everything looked under control and as it should be, but the king was greatly troubled and heavily burdened. Those group of people huddled at the far end of his kingdom (away from his own people) were the object of his mental agony. Though they were captured, restricted, deprived and eventually eliminated, they amazingly grew at an alarming rate and their resourcefulness undettered. He could easily wipe the whole camp away if he so desired, but he needed something from them. Something or should he say someone?
At the foot of power:
The guards forcibly deposited the three women at the foot of the throne landing as the magistrates looked on in disgust and snobbery. The King smiled at the women as if in kindness. But in actuality, he wished he could take their heads off and be done with it. But he needed their expertise as only they could give. Maybe the more he showed them a false solidarity, they might be more forthcoming with the results he longed to hear. So one more time, with all the falsehood he could muster. The king asked; "Did you see anything yet??" The first woman began to speak as she gradually lifted from her sprawled position on the floor. A mixture of blood and spittle drooled from her mouth as she opened it. But she never got to put out any word, before a guard kicked her in the ribs. She fell back down as the second woman reached her and held her head. To shift the deadly attention from her companions, the third woman began excitedly.... "We may have your highness. You know seen something I mean, the signs were there. I mean the raven ate the worm that crawled from the ground that ate the seed which..." she never got to finish the rambling. "Take this foolish woman from my presence!" Bellowed the frustrated king.
Survival:
Debeh rinsed the blood stained cloth in a wooden bowl and then made again to wipe the feverish brows of her patient. The bruised woman winced in discomfort as the cool cloth grazed her open wound. Debeh looked away and sighed. At this rate of cruelty, her people were quickly being annihilated. When? She thought dejectedly, would the promise of which was foretold in times past appear. When?
.