by M E Williams
It was funny. Most of them knew they would die, yet they decided to volunteer anyway. Queen Lisa and Oya came to our group of volunteers.
“I will lead the charge, as always.” Queen Lisa put an end to the laughter. And just like that, the gravity of what was about to pass felt like a noose around our necks. “We lucky few will lead the way. Oya and the rest will follow once we give the signal for the all-clear.”
“My Queen, my place is by your side. I should lead, you should mount the second attack.” Oya did seem to be pleading.
The Queen would not hear it. “I am the Queen. A good leader does not ask someone to do something they aren’t willing to do, Oya.”
Oya went to command the second group, begrudgingly. We formed several horizontal lines, just wide enough for the cave’s entrance. Then we began vertical lines behind those people. I was looking to find my place when the Queen approached me; everyone gave us some space so they could not overhear the conversation.
“Mari, you will accompany Princess Marriah. Protect her as much as possible,” Queen Lisa ordered.
“She does not have to go in with the first wave, Queen.”
“Of course, she does. How else will they respect her as their leader?” she replied and waved Marriah over.
Once Marriah approached, the Queen pulled the mask over Marriah’s face. “Show no mercy,” she said, putting her own mask down and going forehead to forehead. “Trust me, they wouldn’t show us any, given the opportunity.”
With that, Queen Lisa walked back to the front of the first wave in order to be the first one in. We were close enough to the front, but now for some reason, I felt a new responsibility. “Let us go to the end of the column. Stay close,” I told Marriah and she did not comment, only moved to follow behind me.
We were the very last in line and waited. We did not know what Queen Lisa was waiting for, but she was glancing at the sun multiple times. I started looking up each time she would in order to find the pattern. Eventually, I did. She was waiting for no chance of coverage from the sun. I was sure she knew the exposure to the rays mattered more, but she was looking for all the pieces to fall into place.
One final look and all things looked clear, mostly the sky. We could see the very front of the cave-like entrance but nothing further. Oya had divided more troops to line the right side of the entrance; they would look like they were cheering us on as we ran in, or so I thought. We saw two horses and riders at full speed, given some sort of signal from Queen Kunova.
“Smoke bombs!” Queen Lisa yelled.
They began lighting and throwing things into the cave, some using their hands, some using slingshots, and others making use of more powerful machinery. We waited again. We could see Queen Kunova and her people coming straight out of the sunlight, it appeared. They were still in the distance when we heard the first fits of panic.
Suit wearers were throwing themselves out of the caves. I would say the lucky ones had half their material on, but it honestly did not matter because those lined up at the side of the cave facing the opening began shooting after hearing Oya yell, “Fire!” I looked over at Marriah but could not see her face with the mask down.
More suit wearers would run out, some of them pierced or maimed by their own traps, some of them suffering because of exposure—an excruciating death. When enough of them were outside of the cave, Oya would yell again, “Fire!” The phrase would be followed by more shooting.
We waited until the dust and smoke settled again. There were several rounds of smoking them out until people just stopped coming. From the back of the line, I could not tell how many people lay dead at the mouth of the entrance. Still, we waited.
Queen Kunova joined Queen Lisa in the front. They both pulled down their Queen’s masks. It looked like Queen’s Guard Alicia was mounted on a horse, now next to Oya. Princesses Kunova II and Vanessa came to join the first wave, not in the back with us, but not next to their mother in the front.
Queen Lisa did a bird call, and everyone with battle masks pulled them from the tops of their heads, and down to cover their faces. Some lit their torches or turned on their flashlights. Queen Lisa and Queen Kunova went sprinting toward the entrance, weapons in hand, while Queen Lisa, with longer legs, was in front of Queen Kunova; the lines began moving behind them both.
When it was time to move, I followed, but also kept in mind to stay close to Marriah. Marriah’s training must have made her reactive because for the first time, it looked like she was not pausing to think. She simply moved forward in a sprint with everyone else doing her best war cry.
We heard those lined up on the sides yelling for victories as we ran past them, ready for whatever might meet us on the other side. We also trampled on the dead bodies of the suit wearers that had either burned to death or been shown mercy by way of a bullet. I was more focused on paying attention once we made it inside the cave, so Marriah would not be gravely injured. Every once in a while, I would hear something similar to bone cracking but would not stop to observe.
When we did make it into the cave, there seemed to be an all-out fight waging. The only thing we could do was join in the fray. I could barely see Marriah in the dark cave, and someone managed to take me down from the side while I was attempting to follow her. We wrestled for a while, but a brown-haired man was already as good as dead. He did not have on his breathing device or suit so he was weak from the point of attack. I decided to pity him and end him quickly.
It seemed like as soon as he fell, the cave was suddenly lit all around. Someone had found the torches along the walls that lit up one after another after the first one was illuminated. I could clearly see we had the advantage. They were even fewer than the ones lying dead outside, and it appeared to be only one of them for every four of us. They were severely outnumbered with nowhere to run and growing weaker with every passing moment.
I heard a scream from close by. When I turned my head to the right, I saw Marriah had taken the knife to her side. Somehow, there had been two of the suit wearers attacking her. During my glance, I saw Queen Lisa trying to get back to help her, only to be slowed down by the piles of bodies and other fighting.
I took my knife out of the chest of the man I had just killed, ran to Marriah and leapt on the back of the man. I thrust the knife in his back several times until he lay there motionless. When I looked up again to kill the other one, Marriah was already stabbing over and over as if she was possessed. Blood was splattered all over her mask, hands, and body.
Everyone finished up their battles until none of the suit wearers were moving, but Marriah was still stabbing the man.
“Princess!” the Queen’s voice boomed.
Marriah did not stop. The Queen began walking in a calm but determined manner over to Marriah who was still stabbing until Queen Lisa grabbed her by the arm.
“Princess, it’s over.” Only after hearing the words did Marriah look down at her left side. She put her hand over her wound, lifted it and watched the blood run through her fingers. Her mother lifted her mask and then lifted the mask of the Princess. They looked at one another for a brief moment before Marriah fainted.
The Queen, always showing her strength, lifted her daughter and held her over her arms in front of her. Everyone else began lifting their masks to put them on the top of their heads as well. Queen Lisa began to walk back to the entrance of the cave, stepping on the bodies of men, women, and children on her way out.
“Mari.” With my name, she commanded me by her side.
Behind us, I heard Queen Kunova begin to give orders. “Form up outside.” The rest of her orders faded away from my ability to hear.
We passed Lagelica and it looked like she nodded to me. She looked proud herself with her minor cuts and bruises.
The brightness outside from the natural sunlight made me lift my arm and hand to cover the sun. It was not until I heard a horse coming that I let my arm fall back to my side.
“And my Queen?” Alicia asked of Queen Lisa.
Oya gave the orders for everyone not injured to begin making a pit to place the bodies. At the same time, she grabbed a medic and told her to follow myself and Queen Lisa, who was still carrying a passed-out Marriah, to wherever Queen Lisa had planned to go to treat Marriah.
She found an empty area with a small tree not too far from the group, and gently placed Marriah underneath the shade. Two medics were behind us waiting for orders. She opened the side of the shirt to get a better view and angle of the wound.
“Sharde. You stay here. Stephanie, go assist the others.” Sharde and Stephanie were both young medics, but both fully graduated doctors and trainers for the other medics.
Sharde had lighter brown skin. As a result, she only wore long sleeves and pants while out in the sun. Whenever I saw her, she had her hair in different styles, mostly very protective ones with various types of braids. Today was no different, her light brown hair in long individual braids curled high in a tight bun on the top of her head.
“The cut is too deep to apply the quick glue treatments, my Queen,” Sharde stated.
Marriah began to stir and opened her eyes. She and the Queen looked in each other’s eyes again, similar to inside the cave.
“We’ll have to burn it closed first,” the Queen stated. Sharde agreed because she took it as an order to go get all the necessary materials. The Queen was helping Marriah breathe when Sharde came back. I was off to the side watching, not sure why she’d called me to be with them.
Once everything was ready, including the hot metal, the Queen insisted Marriah count to three.
“One!” She started counting and screamed near the end because Queen Lisa had placed the metal in her open wound. She began applying it in short bursts to cauterize it, not that Marriah noticed as she’d passed out again. The Queen was satisfied enough blood had stopped flowing and she did final examinations.
“Sharde, sow the wound and when you’re done, come with us to help others,” the Queen stated, still calm.
“Yes, my Queen,” Sharde said simply and began her task.
“Mari, you will stay with Marriah.” She turned in the direction of the group digging ditches. I did not reply. I did take a seat with a good view in order to observe Sharde.
She worked in relative silence, and I was content in it. Marriah had a steady breathing pattern going; it seemed slightly labored but normal, considering.
Nightfall was approaching by the time everything was done. Looking at the dead bodies burn made several people throw up more than the smell of it. Queen Lisa wanted to get back to the compound rather than stay a night in the open. She took one of the horses and had Marriah secure it in front of her. Oya and I were on either side of them, jogging to keep pace with the horse.
We made it to the compound by very early morning. It did not look like we would be sleeping based on what Queens Lisa and Kunova wanted to have completed. They wanted a full inventory of supplies and people, so everyone took to their tasks once we arrived back at the compound.
Queen Kunova wanted a redesign of the compound just in case someone, somehow, escaped from those she’d let graciously in her home and turned on her and her people. She put the architects to work fortifying the walls and other locations. They did not believe anyone survived, but she said it was better to be safe than sorry.
The suit wearers that came with us were underground being fitted for new updated suits as well as being assigned their new duties. A few of the children who showed promise might be taught how to read and write, much less laborious than the other jobs of the suit wearers. Also, it was less risky. The worst job to get was that of a suit tester.
A few weeks passed and Marriah was feeling much better. She and I were having an afternoon meal when I saw Zander opposite, eating alone. Marriah said we should go sit with her. And so we did.
“I never got to properly thank you for saving my life back there.” I started the conversation. We had not yet sat down, and Zander was so focused on eating, she nearly jumped out of her skin.
“Princess! Forgive me,” she said, standing up too fast and knocking her plate over.
“Whoa, slow down. Zander, right? Mari told me about you saving her life,” Marriah said.
“Um, yes Princess—” she started to say.
“Please, Zander, call me Marriah.” Zander was still standing, even as Marriah and I took our seats. Marriah pushed her meal in front of Zander in an offer. “Don’t worry, I haven’t eaten much these last few days.”
Zander sat down and nibbled on a few pieces of the food.
“Why are you sitting alone?” I asked her as I took my own bite.
She chuckled a bit, “If you haven’t noticed, I’m more than a bit socially awkward. I guess I like being alone sometimes.”
I moved to get up and apologized a bit. “No, please, you don’t strike me as an awkward small talk type of person.” She smiled at me and I think I may have blushed. Marriah just looked back and forth silently and winked at me. I wanted to ask her what that was for, but instead we were approached by Lagelica.
She had something behind her back. “Mari! Stand up!” she was yelling at me. I stood quickly, almost knocking everything off the table when we approached. Suddenly, the food tent that had been lively with conversation became deathly silent with all eyes directed at us.
“This is rather unconventional, but I’ve already received approval from the Queen herself.” She began very tight-lipped. Over the course of her speech, her tight face turned into a beautiful smile. “You have not taken all the steps to be a warrior, but you’ve passed the final test—surviving a conflict.”
A few people laughed and she brought a beautiful mask from behind her back. “You’ve earned your mask. Not only for displaying the skills of a warrior, but also showing your commitment to our Queen and compound.”
She handed me the mask and everyone began clapping. I do not know why but my first instinct was to look at Zander who was cheering just as loudly as everyone else. Lagelica walked around to a few more of the others who were maskless and pulled their masks out of the bag. I did not notice previously that the bag sat behind her on the ground while she was talking to me. Once she finished up and left, Marriah, Zander, and I examined the mask closely.
“Do you know what tattoo you will get upon our return to our compound?” Princess Marriah asked me. I had not considered it; I had not thought I would be around this long. I just shook my head no. Every once in a while, we would hear applause and excited discussion from other parts of the compound.
A few weeks later, it was time for us to return. Oya ordered all who were still alive and who came with us to get ready to move out. I was to be the personal guard of Marriah, since I had passed the final test. Queen Lisa and Marriah wanted to say personal goodbyes to Queen Kunova, Princesses Kunova II and Vanessa. I now stood in Queen Kunova’s tent next to Oya and Alicia.
Not formally trained yet, I had no idea how to behave so I did my best to imitate Oya and Alicia. When a young man with only a breathing device, no shirt, and dusty shorts walked in with water, Oya and Alicia went into defensive positions. I did the same, a second later than they had reacted.
Queen Kunova smiled. “Sister, you haven’t met my newest husband, Alexander. He’s a builder.”
“Sister, you have a harem of husbands.” Queen Lisa laughed and stood up, giving the signal to Oya that we were ready to leave.
“Yes, and they love their Queen.” Queen Kunova stood up and laughed in return.
We went to the front gates once again, ready to march back to our own compound. This time, when the masks of the Queens and Princesses came down, Marriah’s seemed just as bloody as the others. I also pulled my mask down when Oya gave us the signal.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Marriah wanted to go outside of the compound to practice hunting. We both successfully passed our warrior traini
ng, but Marriah was also being trained as a survivalist and would need to survive on her own. This time, I was assigned to accompany her along with Rance and Zander who had also both passed their tests as survivalists. We would not be too far from the compound.
We were in Marriah’s tent getting her some last-minute supplies. She asked me to go underneath to grab her favorite bag, and foolishly, I did. While underground, I heard talking then crashing around.
When I came up, I saw Marriah on the ground, bleeding again from her side. Only this time, she had a head wound that went along with it and she was not moving around. I could not tell if she was breathing.
The man, I could not recognize. He had on a suit and breathing mask concealing his identity. It was as if he did not notice or care that I saw him, and I rushed him, knocking the knife out of his hand. He finally came to his senses once I started trying to remove the mask and top portion of the suit and began fighting. I grabbed the knife and it went through his stomach.
I crawled off of him and continued trying to remove the face mask and top of the suit covering his face. I removed enough to see his features; I had not seen this man since being held underground those first few nights.
He spoke to me with very labored breathing. “The Queen decided my child wasn’t worth living, so I decided hers wasn’t either.” I took the knife out of his stomach and watched him die. My back was to the door and as I got up to check on Marriah, someone hit me in the back of the head. My world slowly went black and I could not move.
I woke up to a headache and a familiar feeling of being in a place I was fairly used to being. I slowly opened my eyes and hoped it was not real. I was back in the underground room and closed my eyes again tightly. My head hurt and I did not want to be in here. I stood up and began banging on the see-through window to get the attention of the guard I knew was posted outside.
I was not acknowledged in the least bit. I sat back down and tried to figure out what had happened, quickly checking over myself. They left me with nothing, but I did find the long-forgotten note in my inside pocket given to me by Rance those many weeks ago, before we left our compound to assist Queen Kunova.