PART FIVE: MAY 27, 2015
A road less travelled:
"I would have to go on a journey." The newly crowned princess said matter of factly, but with obvious difficulty. The half-moon had cast fleeting shadows on their silhouette as they sat in the king's private garden this night. She was looking the other way in a bid to avoid the prince's quizzical regard and the interrogation she knew might follow. "Good, when do we leave? So I can tell father." Came the prince's reply. His gaze was adamant. "We?" The princess turned sharply now. "No, it is really something I must do. It is a journey I must take. It was destined from the beginning, it was necessary from the start. It will be very hard, but I will return." The young but wise prince was silent and pensive for a moment. The thing was that he always had the feeling, that there was more to the princess than she and Debeh were letting on. He often watched the way they related and never failed to notice Debeh's fierce moves to shield the princess from any perceived harm. Debeh had always been devoted to his mother and himself. She took great care of them and in return, they loved and trusted her. So for anything she needed to do, they granted her freedom and let her be.
He was afraid this day would come before he was ready. How or what would precipitate or catalyze the next incident remained a blur. But this much he knew, he was devoted to the princess and her well being. Whatever her destiny called for, he would stand by her. Maybe not physically now, but he would be there all the way. Besides, the king his father would expect that from him. It would hurt and he would miss her. But he would busy himself with preparing for their re-union. But for now, he had a nagging sense of foreboding about every minute that moved them closer to whatever....
Sister, sister:
Rifra kept shuffling his feet as he moved his weight from one leg to the other. The silence was deafening as it appeared Methus was contemplating the request he had presented to him a few minutes earlier. He had just gotten back from his hometown, after only five days of absence and Methus his master was the worst for it. As a result of all that had happened in the palace the past couple of weeks, they were in dire need of extra hands. Debeh needed more help, as the recovering and pregnant queen now required special care around the clock. Methus perceived that a lot needed to change around there. A revamping of the way things were done previously, that would allow and accomodate a growing and changing system. Then there was the case of Ethia the queen mother....
"She is very hardworking and resourceful. I know you can depend on her whenever you need to." Rifra was struggling to be emphatic without sounding overly personal as he campaigned for this job opening. "She is also available right away and will train very fast, I promise." The desperation in his eyes was apparent, but Methus was not looking at him. "You know it is palace policy not to have close family members working together." That one stated as he fumbled with linen strewn all over his table. He had been in the process of selecting fabrics for the new nursery. Even though the queen would have to approve them first, he wanted everything ready for her when she was up to it. "Okay Rifra, go ahead and bring your sister in. She can start her training right away." Methus informed with a near regretful tone. He then mentally chided himself for capitulating so easily. "Oh, thank you so much master." Rifra was almost gushing. "I will fetch her right away." "And how shall we call your sister when she comes." Methus was still preoccupied with his fabrics as he spoke and asked the jubilating servant. Rifra was undeterred by his master's seemingly distracted disposition, as he celebrated his accomplishment of influencing Methus' decision. Therefore, his subsequent announcement was made with great aplomb. "Ashea, master. My sister's name is Ashea."
What's done in the dark:
The man struggled to free his sore hands, so he could scratch the back of his neck. Though the cords tying his hands behind his back were not that restraining, he pretended they were to avoid alerting the vicious women. The more he played weak and stupid, the quicker his exit might be. It had been eleven days of being without his family, proper food or clean water. He worried for his wife and wondered about how she was handling his absence. He knew his father would be there for her to help with the boys. They had never been seperated this long, since they were married. He would try his very best, to get to her alive. Everytime he heard the wavering cry of sheep and the bleating of goats, from the outside distance. He felt better about the thought of staying alive. Maybe the chanting and creepy ritualists would not need to feed his organs to a monstrous beast.
Bronid the chief healers son, had been busy inspecting his herb plants territorially planted in the forest. He always had to do that at this time of the year. Then shortly after the inspection, they (himself, father and their workers) would harvest the plants. They would then prepare the herbs as medicine for the only infirmary in town, which was run by his family. It was while he was engrossed in this not so physically ardous but mentally intense task, that he saw the most shocking and gruesome activity that he had ever seen in his entire life.
A group of women all dressed in black, were chanting softly as they came closer to a clearing adjacent to his herb farm. They seemed to be dragging something in their midst as they came closer to where he was now hiding behind shrubs and crops. As he strained to see what they were dragging, they began to cluster and form a circle. This revolving formation, made it even harder for him to observe. As he looked on further, he caught a glimpse of what looked like a royal apparel. A special kind of cloth or clothing that would only be in the possession of a member of the royal family. This peaked his interest even more, as his heart began to race. Was someone in trouble? Did a member of the royal family need help? Who were these people or women meeting in the forrest as dusk began to fall?
As if in response to his litany of questions, one of the women moved slightly aside. What he saw next, almost killed him. What looked like a hideous reptile was writhing on the floor. But it was just the upper part that was squirming. The lower parts were human legs flapping as if in desperation. It looked like someone got stuck between being human and/or beast. The voice of the women began to rise in a desperate crescendo, as human/beast struggled. Then the younger healer heard a loud cry that stopped the other voices immediately. The owner of the voice stepped forward with a bowl dripping with a red substance thick as blood. Her head was wrapped with a royal cloth, which she pulled out as she stepped to the human/beast. With her face now in full view, Bronid suddenly grasped for air. Ethia's face was the last thing he saw before he crumpled to the ground.
Good morning:
The girl wrapped up her meager belongings in the cloth that had served as a covering for the bed, and dumped it on the ground. She had no need for them anymore and she had no need for the foolish woman that had her wait here for days without any contact the whole time. Whatever must have happened to her and the rest of the recruited girls like her, was no longer her business. She was alone now and capable of taking care of herself. But first she had this insatiable hunger she had to take care of.
.