PART TWENTY: 1/6/16
Baby, baby, baby:
The three sisters huddled closely, without saying a word. All that really had to be said up until that moment, had already been said. And what had not yet been spoken, was probably being processed as a thought. The sleeping baby stirred and then woke up suddenly with a fuss. Finally breaking the worry induced silence, between the young brooding women. The youngest of the women, got up at the baby's whimper. Walking over to the little make-shift baby cot, she lifted the now crying infant into her hands. She then rocked, cooed and sang. All the time glancing side-ways, at the expected solution to their current problem.
Meanwhile, as the middle sister prepared to feed the infant. The oldest of them picked up a basket of clothes from the floor and slowly walked out of the room. She had been meaning to catch up on some house work.
"Here," said the middle sister. Stretching and reaching out both hands to take the crying baby from her younger sister's hands. "I am all set now. You can give her to me." Having positioned and adjusted the baby for feeding, she let her mind wander away to the events that precipitated her current ability and necessitating situation.
Nature had sequentially and initially made this adequate provision for another, her very own. The child she had carried full term, but could only dream about now. Did he or she live, die or were they trampled by the cruelty of the time in which they made an entrance. As the baby had grown inside of her, so had their joy and anticipation as a family. Now the happiness they had forseen was dealt a death blow in one cruel day of extermination. All she had and could do at the moment, was to reflect on her ever taunting memories and questions of what might have happened.
She had been very heavy with child and ready to be delivered, the second time the palace was invaded. By the time the tragic news of the beloved queen's murder had permeated the captured kingdom, she knew that her husband would be dead also. They had to have killed him to get to her majesty. They had lived in the family unit of the palace. The first of its kind. A tenement, solely sanctioned by the kind and honorable queen herself.
When the news of this invasion spread, (The second one from the enemy and envious kingdom. Since she had moved in with her husband). She simply dragged her heavy and expectant self to their room and waited. Surely, they would squelch this insurgence again. Just like they had done the first time. She had remembered her husband coming back with not as much as a slight cut on his upper arm. They over-powered their bothersome enemy and claimed the victory.
They had fought back hard and fearlessly, sending their numerous assailants back. Significantly diminished and defeated were the opponents. That result was inevitable. As the queen's husband a valiant and highly esteemed statesman warrior, was in attendance. Though a few of their fighters had fallen and even fewer wounded. They had survived the worst of the attempted invasion. So based on that former and victorious experience. She decided to go into the cosy abode they had carved out for themselves and wait for further information. As those long and painful minutes dragged on, all she heard were hopeless wailings incited by destruction. Guards men could be heard running to and fro frantically and desperately. As the servants just ran helter-skelter, unorganized and uninformed. She wondered about the best course of action to take, considering the fragility of her condition.
When the noise of fleeing mayhem and devastating chaos only got louder. She decided to find her sister and make a go for it also. She could not ask anyone else for her sister's whereabouts, because no one knew they were sisters except the queen herself. So she joined the bolting crowd and stumbled along. She was going the opposite direction, towards the heart of the action so it seemed. But that was where her sister and husband would be. Someone grabbed at her forcefully from behind. She remembered hearing a torrent of angry and raised voices above her head, as she crumbled to the ground and into a wet pool that issued from her. Her baby was coming fast as she felt herself losing consciousness. So she pushed.....
This is how we do it:
"Quick! Hurry up and hand me the clothes." Commanded Manipa urgently. As she began to strip from what she had on in haste. Almost ripping it off her body. "I have to change, before I sneak back into the house. My father may still be in the house and ask why my clothes look so disheveled, or where I am coming from." She announced without remorse. Grabbing the outfit Envila had just handed to her, she began to change. She moved hurriedly and struggled with the dress that appeared smug and short for her frame. unsurprisingly, considering her friend's stature. After appraising disparaginly on her body, she simply shrugged. It would have to do for now. At least it would serve its purpose for the day.
"But why do your clothes look that way? And where were you, to get it so messy? Why can't you wait and change when you get home?" Her friend rubbed her sleepy eyes with a fist as she spoke. Manipa's unannounced, uninformed and equally unplanned visit had woken her with a startling jolt.
Manipa had come through a window at the back of the wooden bungalow, that she shared with her mother, brother and sister. The window (which she always purposely left unlocked), opened up into a short passage-way that led to the room she now shared with her younger sister. Her friend knew about the alternate entrance, because they had on various occasions snuck in through it. Now Manipa it appeared, was so comfortable with the discreet passage-way, that she breezed in whenever she saw fit. And without warning too, thought the surprised hostess ruefully.
"Are you serious with that question? Change when I get home? Why in the world do you think I am squeezing into this?" She pointed at herself now donning the obviously stretched dress. "Well, if you must know." She continued while pulling the dress down to adjust the length. "It is to soothe my mothers 'state of denial' and keep my father off my back. I told her I was studying to read at your house. And if it got too late to return, I was supposed to spend the night with you. Hence, this ridiculous and inadequate garb that I have to put on." She pursed her lips and looked at her friend.
"We are studying to read?" Envila asked noticeably confused.
"Of course not stupid!" Snapped Manipa. "What has gotten into you? Why are you acting like you are surprised about something? Is there anything going on right now that is strange to both of us?" The uninvited guest flashed her eyes.
"Oh, never mind. I am sorry." That one apologized. "I guess I am still a little groggy from sleep. But don't worry, your secret is safe with me."
"As your is with me," countered Manipa almost immediately. Eyeing her friend suspiciously.
"My secret?" Asked the hostess, now wide awake.
"Yes your secret indeed. Do not act all innocent on me. Suddenly you look shocked. Forgetting that we are all in this together. 'Birds of the same feathers', should I remind you again?"
Envila felt what might have been suppressed anger welling up inside of her. An uncanny emotion, suggesting an internal choke-hold.
"Ok then, sure." Was all she managed, as she went back to sit on the cot she had just gotten up from when her friend burst into the room.
"But where were you all night though? You still haven't answered the question. Where did you just come from?" She asked her, looking at her squarely.
"Where else? Where do you think?" Asked the intruding visitor with a sly grin.
"I don't know." Answered her friend flatly and unexcitedly. "Three places come to mind right now. But I cannot be sure, unless you tell me." She finished, longing to go back to sleep.
"I was with my latest interest last night. If I have to spoon feed you every detail." Snickered Manipa.
"You mean you were with the young man, last night?"
"Ssshhh.... Not so loud," cautioned the guest with her index finger in front of her lips. She then pointed to Envila's younger sister, who had now begun to stir on the cot. Then with the crooked smile still playing on her lips, she answered; "Yes I was with him last night."
Having said that, she walked over to the door and opened it. With her back straight and bundled clothes securely held under her arm, she walked out the room.
Who is your idol?:
The four mounted and burning candles at the crypt's entrance, began to flicker and dim. As the cloaked and hooded figures walked by, the flames swayed and danced unrhytmically. In what could be a few moments, three of the candles would have their light extinguished. Leaving the lone one that stood strategically over the large potrait of 'the fly' still burning. Its flame would partially illuminate the eerie chamber, casting faint shadows on its sinister and dark walls. The monitors were about to go in session, and their master the 'fly-lord' was to be in attendance. As they waited for the senate of the session to assemble. Bivus systematically worked his way from where he was standing, expertly maneuvering around two monitors already in position. So that he could stand right next to Xitus the second monitor.
"Hey, I still have not gotten over the story you told me. It felt so daunting and emasculating. But it definitely puts things in perspective, while also implying a looming pressure to perform speedily and viciously." His voice held a tinge of undisguised admiration, howbeit reluctantly for the topic of their discussion.
"And indeed it is." Agreed Xitus, equally reluctant and frustrated as to the train of his intrigued thoughts. "He may be the enemy of our very essence and mission. But we must tremble and bow at His presence. Worshipping Him so to speak. Even severely discomfited and incapacitated, by the mere sound of His name. When uttered by an authorized source, of course."
"Is it worth it then, to be embroiled in a fight. For which you have already lost, before it began?" The third monitor was disgusted.
"Like I told you twice or thrice before," continued the second monitor who reminded himself how much he hated reiterating his point. But for the purpose that darkness not be relenting. He would bore it again, like a scraped hole into the head of this annoying nuisance. "It behooves us, to search out and know history. To study ways and patterns, memorize habits and weaknesses. So that we could be precise, to cause much disruptive and destructive damage. In doing so, we may compensate for an ultimately torturous and hopeless future." Xitus stretched to see what was going on at the entrance, then continued.
"Even worse than the hopeless and crippling knowledge of an unredemptive quest, is the silent peal and deafening clang of a short time frame." The second monitor was now a paradoxical picture of a lack of emotion and greatly bothered. A large and loud bell sounded as three cloaked figures filed briskly and orderly by them. Bivus nodded his understanding at his counterpart, as the phrase 'a short time' reeled intrusively through his already preoccupied mind.
Mind the gaps; (The never ending persistence of the dark):
'Shiny-shoes' breezed into the coven, somewhat cheerily. Howbeit her cloaking of merriment, was an obvious facade to any keen observer. The witch was seated in her usual and favorite spot on the floor, with her legs folded and crossed over each other. Immersed in a cloud of smoke of her own making, the sorceress dispersed cowry beads and shells on the floor. Mumbling under her breath, she retrieved the strewn objects and repeated her actions again. All the silent while, ignoring 'shiny-shoes'. That one on the other hand, appeared not to have noticed the shun. She was busy attempting to drag a stool closer to where the witch sat.
"Mind the circle!" Came the loud command, as a startled but still composed high priestess stood up straight. Momentarily abandoning the previous exercise.
"What did you say? Or should I be asking, what did you yell?"
"I said mind the circle. You cannot come beyond the chalk drawn sign. This is my working space. Plus you might get hurt, when you meddle with matters greater than you." The witch hissed loudly and then shook her beads and shells together in both fists. Glancing briefly at her guest, she proceeded to throw the objects on the floor again. Showing an irritation for the interruption.
"Well I never intended to slither into your circle of 'withering wizardry'. Why would I? Seeing I have better and more lucrative pursuits." Shot back 'shiny-shoes' eyes flaring. Who then almost immediately, began to cough ceaselessly. Being able to stop for a few seconds, she reached into her mouth and pulled out two very large feathers.
"Be thankful I did not send in the bird itself." Stated the witch menacingly as her chest heaved with anger.
The priestess did not reply, as she concentrated on gingerly retrieving foreign particles from her mouth. As she did, she contemplated her retaliation. But reconsidered it, at least for the moment. She had a lot cooking personally and did not think it was worth losing over a tussle with a tired old witch. The voice of the sorceress however, cut through her vengeful reverie.
"What brings you here now? I was not expecting you today. And moreover, there seems to be a knot where we left off with 'the tale'."
"I did not come for 'the tale' today. I came with a personal announcement and also to tell you that I have the resources to meet a need and speed up most of our desires and wants."
"Your desires and wants you mean." Countered the witch sharply.
"Well like I said and had you listened. It sure would benefit us dark workers and our beneficiaries." 'Shiny-shoes' spat out a piece of lint on the floor. Risking an eye-roll from the witch.
"So tell me, in what way you have chosen to improve or better our disposition in the dark world." Submitted the unimpressed sorceress sarcastically.
"I heard the palace needs a personal maid for the queen!"
"You did, didn't you? So.... What in these cursed places, has that got to do with you?" Asked the witch as she eyed her guest suspiciously. But continued with her interrogation anyhow.
"Are you planning on being the maid? And what makes you think you stand a chance at all with such wishful thinking?"
"No, no, no not me of course." Supplied the high priestess defensively, as she went for the stool again. This time successfully placing it behind the circle's chalk drawn line.
"I have the perfectly convincing candidate for that job. She will get our foot and influence solidly into the palace again. Your sorry and pathetic Ethia is confused and loosing ground."
"You what?!" The witch chuckled scornfully. "What or who are you talking about? And what makes them the perfect candidate?"
"My dear and close friend/colleague is a candidate. She is perfect for the job because you trained her, like you did me. Remember?"
The high priestess' smile was as broad as it was derisive.
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