by Edison G. S.
“I believe it is more important to prevent more deaths than to cry over what is already done,” Yvette replied crassly, though her chest ached in a way unlike ever before. In that moment, she visualized herself from the outside. When did she become the kind of human being that lacks compassion and humbleness? But How she became in the person she was now did not matter; she had no other choice besides remaining on the same path as always. If, at any moment, the king felt she was too weak to continue to lead, she would be disposed of and replaced. Would that be good or bad?
“I will need you to focus now,” she demanded, holding back the pain of a broken heart, a heart turned to pieces by the reality of who she had become.
“I am listening,” Andreas spat, glaring at her with his darkened eyes. He was scanning her from top to bottom, seemingly contemplating the woman standing in front of him and who she ultimately was. Yvette could almost read his thoughts—she was insignificant to him.
“I received a letter; Kazar is nearby.”
Andreas jolted back to life, remembering all the pain and anguish Kazar caused. Yvette looked at him, impatient for a response.
“We need to kill him,” he said after few minutes of hesitation.
“We will need a plan of defense, but more importantly, an attack. We first need to find exactly where he is hiding. I know he is here in the Frozen Land; I have been warned by witnesses that have seen him coming through the sea.”
“You will have all my support. I will prepare my troops whenever you need them.”
She smiled and held her tongue, knowing better than to express her thoughts. You have no troops anymore.
Tara
Her hands were numb from being constricted by the rope that secured her to the dirty wooden pole. Her wrists were burning every time she tried to move a little bit. Samuel kept her prisoner for several days. When he returned to the cottage late every afternoon, he verified she was still tied tightly to the pole. But she was patient; if she could escape the security of the castle, she could escape anything.
At first she could not understand how somebody could hate her so bitterly yet so blindly, but she grew used to his hateful stare and the times he “forgot” to feed her. The few days he cared to bring her food, he would rush cold soup down her throat. Sometimes it seemed she was going to choke, but he kept pouring down the food. She was desperate for nourishment, but the hideous food was unbearable. Even she could cook better than that. The first day she spit the food out and protested. “Do not bother giving me your cheap food!” But he did not care and resumed pouring the liquid down her throat, pressing her nostrils closed. She tried to move her arms fighting the tight ropes, but they burned deeper into her skin.
“You must stay alive,” he said acidulously. The king will not pay a coin for her dead body, but he will give away land if she is brought in alive.
“Why?” she screamed. “So you can take me back to Hell? I would rather die here,” she protested.
He rushed to grab her by her golden braid and pulled her head back, letting her feel the cold steel of a knife on her neck. “I could kill you at once. My father deserves it and I would take pleasure in watching you take your last breath,” he savored the words. He stood again and let her live, “But you are worth more to me alive than dead.”
* * *
Every night, he questioned Tara. She would stay silent question after question and he would eventually give up and go to bed, leaving her tied up. She had no trouble sleeping; after all, the king trained her to survive less than human conditions. But now she was ready;—she was the one that would do all the talking.
“They called me names ever since I was child,” she said and Samuel attentively listened to her. “What you are doing is not much different than what I have endured my entire life. People in Lera tortured me and blamed me for my father’s actions. The oddest part is my father wanted equality for everybody. All he ever wanted was more support for the regions from your king and it took his life and my dignity, yet, still, there is no equality.”
“Quit chattering already. You will get no pity from me,” he said. He lay on his bed exhausted due to the new mission. They had been looking for demons in the caverns in the mountains surrounding the white plains. It has been days since they started and the exhaustion made him fall into a deep sleep.
“You are lucky,” she said, cutting the deep silence with her words.
Samuel opened his eyes abruptly, “I will be lucky when you are silent and let me sleep.”
She ignored him and kept talking, “You could see your father dying as a hero while mine died as a traitor who only wanted fairness. Let me ask you, have you ever seen a monument dedicated to your father? I guess not. After all, the king does not care about anyone other than himself and his interests.”
He sat up, walked over to her, and tried to close her mouth by putting old dirty rags in it, but she spit them back at him.
“What is wrong with you?” he screamed, slapping her across the face.
She started crying as if pleading for compassion, instead she pleaded for death. “Kill me!” she cried out. “Please, kill me. I would rather die than return to the castle. I will not make it there anymore. I cannot deal with it…I just cannot!”
Samuel observed her with curiosity. For a moment, tenderness and compassion seemed to be drawn on his face. It appeared he wanted to dry her tears, untie her, and hug her.
She kept her words flowing along with her tears, “He will torture me to death and I cannot bear it anymore. You do not know the despicable things he has done to me,” she said, raising his curiosity even more.
“Everything he does has a wise reason behind it,” he said, defending his ruler.
“If that is true, why are there so many rebels throughout The Land of The Men? I have heard of them, even you know they exist and yet you defend your king,” she said.
The question took him back, “Many people do not understand his fairness and wisdom.”
She could not believe her ears. What kind of spell had the king placed on this young man to keep him so loyal? Millions died of hunger or chased by the demons and the king did not protect his people, yet there were still people loyal to the selfish tyrant! Of course, Samuel came from Lera where everybody supported the king. They did not experience famine and death as the people of other territories. The king ensured the city was impenetrable by demons all for his own safety. But the empty-headed lambs praised him thinking he was actually protecting them. Food was always present in the city, also for his own benefit more than any others. If famine conquered his city, the economy would be ruined, people would leave, and he would not be able to afford his high security currently paid for through taxes. It was hard to understand how Samuel could remain loyal to such a horrible human being.
Looking down and letting the tears flow, she softly murmured, “Then explain to me how it is fair and wise to rape a young girl that is only discovering her womanhood,” she cried out.
She had kept her darkest secret from everybody, even Commander Winterton, but for some reason she had decided to reveal it to this stranger that only wanted to return her to the Devil himself.
He stood there assimilating the words and trying to articulate an answer, but he could not. She cried uncontrollably. Then her story continued, “He had been calling me to his room for years since I had my first blood at age twelve. His excuse was always he needed to discuss my behavior, but his intentions were darker and selfish.” She had been taught to remain silent until he was done and let her go.
For years, she thought she deserved it, but once she was an adult, she knew better. The years of confinement never destroyed her mind. She had a bigger sense of fairness. She knew more than what she was taught. It was like her father’s teachings were kept in her mind long after his voice was silenced.
The crying stopped after half an hour. Tara finally released all she had trapped in her heart. Their eyes met and he seemed to understand her. For a minute, it seemed
as if she had destroyed his defenses for the king, as if he wanted to rush to her and cry together.
She was honest and vulnerable and it appeared they had connected. Nonetheless, he left her tied up and drank himself to sleep while Tara slowly fell into a deep sleep upon the floor. Her dream once again was filled with abuse. The king could not harm her body anymore, but her mind was marked forever.
Omar
The weather was warm, yet fresh, unlike in the Desert, which was always a dry heat. Omar and Neil enjoyed their journey through the middle of the Forest to Cadeno, Ester’s hometown. When they travelled in the Desert the journey was uncomfortable and never ending, but this time, they could relax in their wagon for a while and enjoy the ride, especially with a basketful of fresh fruits to stuff their faces with and fill their bellies. Neil was fascinated with the colorful birds that went to the ground and ate some seeds. A bird even dared to come as close as trying to steal a fruit in the wagon. The bird was tiny and stained with a vibrant red color that made the boy smile when he saw it.
The Forest territory was the most peaceful area to live and the only territory that seemed content with the king. They never complained; instead they met their own needs without the king’s support. Omar had learned in the past that the Forest endured punishment after the Maxwell Rebellion and would not dare to participate against the king ever again.
Omar was fixated on his thoughts, fancying what their life would be like now. He missed his mother, as did Neil. The last few weeks they were so concerned with surviving they had not had time to miss her. They had been sure they would soon join her if she were already dead. Now, knowing they have defeated the odds and lived, they can miss her, they can mourn her. They know the smiling face of their most important companion, their mother, would not be seen again for their entire life.
“Here we are,” the driver said, pointing to a wooden sign that read City Of Cadeno in white paint. It was polished wood surrounded by green vines. The further they drove into town, the more wooden and stone houses started showing up. The boys jumped off the wagon and the driver continued his journey back to Kamel. The houses were organized in a uniform pattern, clustered so neighbors could easily help one another. Plants and flowers of immense color surrounded every home; behind some houses, huge trees almost reached the clouds.
Contented faces watched the boys as they walked through the charming streets. A woman smiled at them though her attention wondered to their garments. The boys had already ruined the set of clothing the merchant gave them, and they looked quite disheveled for their journey in the wagon. Neil smiled softly back at her while Omar gazed at the horizon, hoping they would find the street in which their aunt lived.
Although he tried to ignore it, now that he was alive and safe something had changed within, As if his feeling were reactivated, he felt guilty for his lack of assistance to his family as they were attacked. If he had helped them, maybe some of his siblings would still be alive. Yet there was something else plaguing his heart—hate. The face of the demon that attacked them was burned into his mind. Her jade eyes were laced with silver; her perfectly rounded lips framed the jagged teeth that protruded from her mouth; her long, dark hair was as black as night, and her pale skin was whiter than a full moon. He loathed her and wished death upon her.
They continued walking through an unknown town, but they finally decided to ask for directions. An old woman happily helped them and they reached the bi-level house belonging to their aunt. They gazed at it in awe; an abundant garden of colorful plants and a small section of vegetables coming out of the ground surrounded the dwelling.
The woman that helped them seemed confused, “Why in the world would you children to come to this address?” Omar smiled at the woman and explained they were looking for their aunt. “Well. I hope she comes soon because this is no place for children.” The woman left and Omar did not bother to explain his aunt lived there. Yet, what did she mean by safe?
A woman in her sixties looked outside an open window. “Finally,” her raspy voice exclaimed. “I have been waiting for you!”
The boys looked at one another surprised, wondering how she knew they were coming. “She was probably expecting someone else and is confused by us,” Omar clarified as she rushed outside toward them. “Hi. My name is Omar and this is my brother…”
“Neil. I know who you are. I have been waiting for you.” She ushered them in through an ample hall that divided into many rooms. Silence filled the house; she was alone there. Maybe she hosted many guests as she had so many rooms available.
“I am very sorry for what happened to your family,” she said hugging the boys tightly. They were left mute. She had known more than they expected.
“Mother could not make it here,” Omar said with saddened eyes, assuming their mother had contacted Ester previously and explained the details.
She directed them to a room with two comfortable beds. The boys sat down. It was hard to believe that they made it. Neil began crying while his brother hugged him and murmured; “It all will be okay now.”
“I want you to have this,” Ester said to Omar and gave him a small metallic medal with a circular shape and some writing inside that was most likely of the old tongue.
A strange feeling filled Omar when he grabbed the medal, “What is this?”
“It is for your own protection,” she said. “They will chase you, but this will hide you from them for a short time. It is not powerful enough, but I will find you a stronger one.”
Her words gave Omar chills. “Who is chasing me?”
“There will be much to come, in time,” she answered.
Neil started coughing once again. The pain was intensifying and he collapsed onto the bed. Ester looked at the pale, thin boy as he lay in pain gasping for air.
“My brother is sick. Could you help get him a doctor,” Omar asked, but she just gave him a dismissive smile.
“We will take care of him,” she answered, keeping her sharp eyes on Neil.
Andreas
Inevitably, a new life reminded him of the lost ones. A long forgotten memory resurfaced in his mind. “Mother!” he screamed years ago when his mother was taken by the demons. Four demons with the appearance of any other human being came and forced her to go with them. “Stop it, stop it,” Andreas screamed, grabbing his mother’s leg.
“Kill the rat. He is young and fresh blood is the best,” one of the demons said to another. The wind was so fresh that evening and his mother made the mistake of going outside. Attacks used to be so infrequent and she had not been careful enough.
“Please do not,” his mother cried out, pushing softly against the demon that had her prisoner.
“Let go of me, you human trash,” the demon replied looking at her. He barely moved his arm and threw her across the snow.
“Mama!” a young Andreas screamed and ran back to her. Softly, he caressed her bloody cheeks.
“Run Andreas,” she said. “Go into the house.”
He hesitated a moment while the demon grabbed his mother from the ground and carried her away. One of the demons stared at Andreas savoring his warm, fresh blood.
“Are you seriously going to waste your time with that little rat?” another demon said. “Let him grow and produce more blood for us.” The demons looked at him with dismissing eyes.
After that, they left and Andreas remained in the same spot in which he last saw his mother.
He stared at them and sprinted toward the open door. Demons were everywhere; some were kidnapping people from houses turned to rubble. The demons set the towers in the town ablaze and were feeding from humans on the streets.
Andreas would never forget that scene. When his father came from work the next morning, he did not cry a tear. He was a sailor and had witnessed so much over time he was incapable of crying anymore. A few years later, he remarried and Jeremiah was born. Andreas was glad his father was happy for a couple of years until he and his new wife were killed by demons on the streets of
the Frozen Land.
The demons had stripped him of the most important people in his life. His entire town had been burned by the demons in an attempt to take the Frozen Land as theirs. Then he lost the love of his life, Darcellene, and now his brother-in-law Anthony. He could not avoid the memories, but he did his best to leave the past behind and focus on the future.
“Ahhhh!” Marie screamed.
He pushed his memories to the back of his mind. It was a day to be happy, but he knew happy memories were better when shared with loved ones. He grasped one of Rolando’s toys from years ago. Rolando was always a careful child, never breaking a toy, unlike when Aaron inherited the toys and they met their demise in his small hands. The one Andreas was holding was very worn, but the boy had not managed to break it.
He imagined them living in Lera. They should be here, he thought. His family should be with him now, celebrating, laughing, and being happy. Lacey had sent a letter to let him know they were fine, but the boys did not care to write to him. He had lost then, as his parents and friends. He found himself clinging to Marie and the small family they were forming. Jeremiah was next to him, but he did not know if the boy was capable of sharing the happiness.
Marie’s screams were disturbing. Jeremiah covered his ears and held back tears, but he remained still seated next to Andreas. Marie was in the room with the midwives whom believed Andreas should stay outside the room. He had been with her for a few minutes, but was too nervous. With shaking hands he tried to wipe the sweat from Marie’s forehead; the women knew what they were doing and Andreas’ nervousness was a distraction.
Sitting outside, he could hear the agony and pain Marie was suffering through to make him a proud father again. Every scream penetrated his bones as she kept pushing their baby out of her body. The nights of lovemaking were heavenly for both of them, but he could not elude the guilt he felt now.