PART THREE:
When it rains...:
Ashea struggled to hold on to her little sister, as that one sobbed uncontrollably in her arms. Though she was racked with grief herself, she knew for sure that now more than ever, she had to be strong for her family. It had been two years of constant turmoil. One tragedy after another had befallen them. First their home and belongings had been burned to the ground when her family was captured. And now in the midst of attempting to rebuild (howbeit in a new culture and land), the worst possible and unexpected blow had happened. They had always dreamed of visiting the palace and maybe get to see their brother Kedem. Here they were, finally in the palace. But for all the wrong and unfair reasons. They were now looking at Kedem's still body, but he could not return the favor and look back at them.
After his impromptu, seemingly thankless and brief meeting with Methus. Kedem the 'whisperer' became overwhelmed with guilt and hopelessness. He had realized the impact of what he had done and regretted that he had done it. He was not sure what came over him, as he realized that he did not feel as vindictive as he had acted out. He had just wanted something different, a change maybe a pass, a promotion. Or had he just been greedy and gone ahead of himself and his time? Either way, he knew that he had opened a bag of worms that could not be contained now. The weight was just too much for him to bear.
Kedem's lifeless body was found in the field, a few feet beneath the largest tree in the yard. He had dragged a concrete slab to the bottom of the tree, climbed the tree and then fell backwards. Crashing his skull and managing to have a sharp branch pierce his throat on his way down. His mates had found the gruesome sight when they were let outside to play. Kedem the bright and jovial kid who loved racing around and climbing trees, had chosen the thing that delighted him the most to be a dire medium of exit.
Cryptic messages:
The Monitor grimaced at the mirror's sight of the distraught people and shook his head apathetically. He could never understand what the 'hoopla' was all about. A kid does a commendable and necessary job, gets himself out of the way. And these people start a circus. They had been very desperate at the Crypt to put some brakes on the break-neck speed with which the 'princess-diaries' was being written. The fly-lord's visit always put them on a frenzied edge and he was glad that they had found an easy and moldable prey with an equally ambitious agenda. Now that the fool exited before actually completing his assignment, they still needed someone to stoke the fire.
The sooner they replaced the departed, the better. There was still much work to be done more recruits to be gotten and existing ones re-awakened. They would have to study more viable subjects. Study their habits, expectations and personal slights. Then based on the information gotten, prepare a personified, subtle but effective trap. Every subject was just as cornered as whom they intended to ensnare, they just did not know it. His breed were not creative enough to start anything. But they would jump on anything started with an intent to cramp and thwart its move. That was how they thrived and survived. And with the impending doom of an ingress looming over their dented heads, there was no time for a lapse in observation.
He swiped his clawed hands across the misty lens now swirling with images, as he commenced with his work.
Now you see me....:
Debeh and the princess huddled together in shock when the news of Kedem's suicide got to them. The princess' new status did not permit them to roam the palace grounds while the existing chaos was still unabated. The princess remembered Kedem and felt sorry that for whatever reason, he had to take his own life. All the children were visibly shaken and horrified. As the deceased's family came to pay their last respect and carry the body away.
Ashea was sandwiched between her mother and sister as they both clung to her in their grief. Hers was just as volatile but she would reserve it for a later time. Her father and some townsmen were preparing the battered corpse to be taken away with them. As she watched, she noticed one of the men helping out. He was not dressed like her people so he certainly was not one of them. His cloak was the color of the palace servants. Something about him caught her eye, yet she could not really see his face. He seemed to have permanently twisted his neck to the other side, as he never turned his face towards her section.
As Ashea looked on this stranger whose identity was becoming more elusive by the minute, he straightened himself and made to leave the gathering of mourners. When she saw him walking away, her heart caught in her throat. It could not be she thought miserably. It could not possibly be that what she was seeing was anything short of being an illusion. She knew the back of that head even if it was permanently fixed from turning around. And the arms looked oh so familiar. How could she not know what she was seeing? Or was her overwhelming grief getting the best and worst of her?
She proceeded to gently sit her mother and sister on strewn rocks that were provided for that reason and followed the retreating figure. As she approached from behind, it appeared the form was moving with very harried and long strides. So she increased her pace, almost as if she would break into a jog. Then as she got within a considerable lenght of earshot, she called out tentatively but softly. "Hanad?" "Hanad!" The person began to slow a little but kept moving. "Hanad is that you?" She sounded desperate as she began to sob but kept following. When they arrived at a bending covered with shrubs and swaying trees that provided constant shade, the stranger stopped abruptly. Ashea also stopped in her tracks and waited her eyes widening in anticipation. She was still staring in shock when Rifra turned towards her.....