I moved on from the collection of art. I came to an area I hadn’t yet explored and heard men’s shouts and the clanging of metal. I followed the noise until I reached a balcony overlooking a pit where Khadji’s warriors were training. The bare chested men were fighting in groups. Sweat beaded on their sun kissed skin as they slashed and parried with low grunts. My eyes were glued to the flashing of steal. What a beautiful sight, I admired as I put my hands on the railing of the half-circle shaped balcony.
A couple of the men standing by observing the training spotted me from below. Their expressions turned hungry as they undressed me with their eyes. I stepped back and turned to leave, running straight into Veniece.
“Enjoying yourself?” she asked in a sour tone.
“I was just watching,” I shot back, not sure why I felt guilty.
She peered over the balcony, smoothing the skirt of her midnight blue dress. “They are quite a sight, aren’t they?” She didn’t wait for my answer. She turned back to face me. “Why are you here?”
I blinked. “What do you mean? I’m here because I wish to help our leader continue his line.”
“Ha!” She snickered behind her hand before her expression turned serious, as though she hadn’t found my answer humourus. “I don’t believe you.”
“Believe what you want.” I made to leave.
She stepped into my path, blocking my way. “You can’t trust my father. Did you know he was King Sahyied’s advisor before he was Khadji’s?”
I clenched my jaw. “No.”
“He was. He got tired of the king’s refusals to sail to the other islands and force them to recognize Gwon as their superior. So, he found someone who would. He betrayed the king, and I’m sure he’s lied to you.” She dared me to deny it.
I didn’t know what to make of what she was telling me. I’d volunteered to come with him. I shook my head and pushed past her.
“Ask him yourself!” she called after me.
I went to seek Hepbar out. I needed to know what Veniece meant.
Eventually, I found the hall where mine and Khadji’s rooms were. I spotted a guard and asked, “Where can I find Hepbar?”
His eyes dropped to my bosom. I crossed my arms, and his eyes snapped back up to my face. “He’s in the throne room with Khadji.”
“Thank you.” I started to walk away, but paused. “Where is that?”
He pointed. “That way, and around the corner.”
“Thank you.”
I found the throne room where the guard had said it would be and marched right in.
A couple of guards dressed in red like the one I’d just spoken to in the corridor saw me and crossed their weapons in front of my face so I was forced to stop.
Khadji leaned forward in his seat to see who’d interrupted him. “Let her pass,” he instructed his guards, leaning back in the overly large golden throne.
The two guards lowered their scimitars. I went and stood beside Hepbar.
“What’s the meaning of this interruption?” Hepbar kept his voice low.
“I need to speak with you,” I whispered back.
“Not now.” He turned his attention back to Khadji, who sat stroking his short beard, watching the man cowering before him.
“You stole gold from our treasury.” Khadji stated. “Is the gold I give you for your service in my army not enough?”
The lean, young man kept his eyes on the floor. “I’m new, master. I haven’t yet earned enough to feed my family.”
“This is not my problem. You should be honoured to be my warrior… to be in Khadji’s army, but instead you spit in my face.” Khadji stood and stepped down from his throne so he was face to face with the man.
The young warrior began to shake.
Khadji grabbed ahold of the poor man’s throat with an iron fist “Now you’ll get no gold from me. You’re no warrior.” Khadji pulled a dagger with a gold handle from his waist and sliced the man’s cheek. A thick line of red appeared from under his left eye all the way to his left ear. Khadji threw the thief to the ground. “Get out of my sight before I decide to kill you.”
The thief half-crawled half-ran from the room.
I took a few deep breaths, trying to slow my galloping heart-beat. Hepbar didn’t look the least bit fazed. What had I gotten myself into? I didn’t want anything to do with Khadji and his advisor. I hoped to gods Jehvad would show up soon so I could tell him exactly how ruthless Khadji was, and we could leave this island behind and never look back. I’d convince him to take me to Sarrasu. I started to leave without a word.
“I thought you wanted to speak with me,” Hepbar said when I was almost to the exit.
“It can wait.” I refused to turn back.
“Be sure to meet us in Khadji’s private dining room for supper,” he said.
I contemplated not going to supper, but it would only raise suspicions, so I forced my feet to move toward the room I’d met Khadji in when it was time to share the meal.
I ran into Nenet on my way.
“You seem distressed,” she observed, stopping me before entering the dining room.
I sucked in a deep breath. “Today, I witnessed how cruel you son truly is. I no longer wish to be here.”
She nodded slightly. “I see.” Then she added, “It’s better for you if you stay. Keep drinking the khaviss. Pretend all is well, and Khadji will move on to someone else. You’ll be free to go.”
“This has happened before?”
She gave me a wink, crinkling her leathery skin even more. “Once or twice.”
A breath puffed out from between my lips. I put on a smile and walked into the dining room with Nenet hobbling behind me, her silver hair swaying with each jerky movement.
The others barely even noticed our entrance except Veniece. She inclined her forehead at me. I shrugged, so she went back to listening to Hepbar and Khadji’s conversation, which mostly consisted of Hepbar doing all the talking.
After supper, the events went exactly as the night before. Khadji suddenly seemed to remember my existence and took me to his bedroom where he tried to get me with child. This time, I didn’t bother fighting for control. What was the point? I closed my eyes and let him take me. It was over and done with quicker this way.
He fell asleep before I left. I put on my underthings, gathered my dress, and went to leave. One the way out, I spotted a partially open drawer. I gently tugged it open a bit further, revealing the velvet lined drawer filled with dozens of daggers. I slipped my hand in and pulled one out, quickly shoving it into the folds of the dress I held in my arms.
There were enough daggers, I was sure he wouldn’t notice one was missing.
I slipped back to my own room, placed the dagger with the bottle of khaviss, and curled up on my bed and fell asleep.
Chapter 5
The following days were much the same. I fell into a routine. I spent my days alone, wandering the fortress and watching the warriors train. I spent my nights dining with Khadji, always lying with him afterward. I hadn’t been able to get Hepbar alone to ask him if he’d lied to me in some way.
I planned in my head how I would kill Khadji but could never work up the courage to actually go through with it.
I drank the khaviss every three days. When I ran low, Nenet brought me more. I didn’t know where she kept getting it from, and I didn’t ask. All I knew was, she would sometimes disappear for a few days and then reappear without explanation. No one seemed to care.
I tried to be patient as Khadji grew more and more frustrated with my flat belly. The khaviss was working.
One day, when I went to watch the warriors train, I didn’t hear the crashing of steel for the first time. Peering down from my usual spot on the balcony, I saw Khadji standing in a circle of warriors I didn’t recognize. They weren’t in uniform, nor were they bare-chested like those who trained. They were each dressed in clothes of their own, but all appeared fit to fight in battle. I made my way down the stairs so I could hear what w
as being said.
“Today is the day, men! Today you become Khadji’s warriors. Be proud!”
The men all cheered, including the men who were already in Khadji’s army who stood around the circle of newcomers.
My eyes fixated on one new warrior in particular. His hair was shaved off, but his warm, brown eyes were familiar.
Khadji went to each man, asking them to pledge allegiance to him. He came to the warrior with familiar eyes. Hearing him speak… my heart stopped. I knew that voice belonged to my Jehvad. At last, he had come for me.
After each man had given their pledge, the warriors broke apart. I tried to reach Jehvad, but the crowd was too thick. I gave up and went back to my room. I pulled the dagger out of the wooden chest and studied it. I loved how powerful I felt when I held it in my hands. So beautiful, so deadly, I thought as I balanced the blade on my palm.
A knock on my door had me chucking it back into the chest. “Come in!”
The door swung open, revealing Nenet’s slouched form. “Khadji’s invited everyone to dine together tonight, and he’s requested you wear green.” She set the dress she’d been clasping upon my bed.
“I suppose I shouldn’t be surprised. Though, I’m not happy about angering Bati even further.” I picked up the dress and inspected it. It was nothing special… just a plain, emerald green dress.
“I pray for her forgiveness every day,” Nenet admitted.
I didn’t doubt that for one moment.
“Do you need assistance in getting ready?” she asked.
“No, I can manage.” The dress was loose enough I could easily slip into it on my own.
At my insistence she left me to my own devices.
After getting into the dress, I put on the golden bracelets I’d grown so fond of, as well as a gold and emerald necklace. I went to the dining hall, only used when Khadji decided to eat with more than just his private circle.
The dining hall was crowded with loud warriors who stood around laughing and conversing as they gripped cups of fine wine. Only a few females were in attendance. Khadji wasn’t yet there.
I was staring up at a painting of Torin showered in the blood of his victims when I spotted Jehvad’s shaved head out of the peripheral of my vision. I moved into his line of sight, but I guessed he didn’t see me because he turned away.
I huffed and strode into the crowd to catch up with him. I came up behind him and tapped on his shoulder.
His back stiffened before he turned around, grinning widely. “Malyi! How nice to see you.”
My brow furrowed. “I need to speak with you.”
His eyes darted around the room as he adjusted his stance.
I grabbed ahold of his hand and led him away from the crowd.
“This looks suspicious,” he said with a nervous laugh.
I ignored his comment and turned and placed both hands on my hips like a mother reprimanding her child. “What took you so long? I’ve been waiting for you.”
“Waiting for me? You left me—for Khadji, our great leader.”
“I had no choice!” How could he think I would willingly leave my home for such a man?
“Shh,” he hushed me, raising both hands as though I were some scared animal “You belong to him now. There’s nothing I can do for you.”
I wanted to scream at him, but I managed to calm myself enough to ask, “At least tell me this, did my parents get away from Gwon?”
He frowned. “I believe so. They told me you’d offered yourself to Khadji for them and they were leaving Gwon. They were packing up when I went to look for you.”
I relaxed a little. “Good.”
Everyone suddenly went silent and faced the front of the dining hall. I turned my head to glimpse over my shoulder and saw they were looking at Khadji. When I turned back, Jehvad was gone. Coward. I couldn’t believe him. All this time, I’d been waiting for him to save me, and he didn’t even care to try. So much for true love. I’d never felt so foolish. I’d have to take Nenet’s advice to wait and hope Khadji would tire of me and set me free.
After our substantial meal, Khadji stood up. “Malyi, come,” he ordered as though I were his dog.
I felt the others eyes on me, but one pair in particular bore deep into my soul. I hated myself for relying on Jehvad to rescue me. He had chosen to come here and fight for Khadji. Even after finding out I had to sell myself to him to save my family. I gripped the table and got up slowly and followed Khadji from the dining hall without a word. I figured he’d take me to his bed, but when we passed his room, I realized we were headed somewhere else.
We entered a long but narrow, dimly lit room on the other side of the fortress. There were eight pedestals along the walls. Each held the statue of a different god or goddess. Each held a shrine where people came to worship. We stopped in front of the statue of Bati. Her shrine held dried flowers and green candles, which Khadji ordered me to light.
“We pray to her for her blessing,” he said to me before sitting on his knees and placing his forehead on the ground before the smiling goddess holding her pregnant belly.
I mirrored his pose, but I didn’t pray to her for her blessing. Instead, I prayed silently for her forgiveness.
Khadji did take me to his bed afterwards. I felt no emotion as I let him try to plant his seed in me yet again.
“It will work this time. I feel Bati’s presence tonight,” he told me assuredly with his arms crossed over his head when the act was done.
He didn’t see my smirk as I climbed off the bed. “Me too.”
The next full moon came and went. I still didn’t carry Khadji’s child, thanks to the khaviss.
One afternoon, a couple of concubines who lived at the fortress had asked if I wished to paint with them. I accepted their invitation with gratitude. Being poor, I’d never gotten the chance to create pictures. My parents didn’t have the coin for such materials. My lack of skills showed. I made a screwed up face at the odd looking partridge I’d painted with wings that were way too large for its tiny body.
“Malyi.” Khadji’s deep voice tore my thoughts away from the ugly demonic sort of bird I’d created.
The other ladies stopped to stare as he grabbed ahold of my arm and dragged me away. He never came to fetch me himself. This couldn’t be good. He guided me down the corridor by the shoulders with a firm grip.
“Ow! Where are you taking me?” I asked, trying to twist away from the fingers digging into my skin.
He didn’t answer.
I began to panic. My thoughts became frantic. I was sure he was going to kill me, but why take me away? He’d always preferred to make an example out of his victims.
He took me down a set of steep, winding stairs. The air was cooler beneath the ground level. I quivered as goosebumps pimpled the skin on my arms. It was so dark—darker than a deep and dreamless sleep, but Khadji somehow found his way. I heard a door open before I was shoved inside a room.
Khadji lit a few dusty lamps then pointed to the only chair in the room. “Sit.”
I hesitated. The room was tiny and had a low ceiling. Cobwebs hung in the corners like wisps of cotton.
“Sit!”
Startled by the volume of his voice, I obeyed.
He found a rope and bound my arms to the chair.
“Please, why are you doing this?” My voice came out as a squeak. I was ashamed at how weak I was. I felt betrayed. Betrayed by Jehvad, and betrayed by Nenet who had told me I’d be set free. How foolish I was to believe such promises.
“You give no life, so you’ll bear the mark of Motish.” He grabbed a small dagger with a thin blade and pot of ink off a shelf.
Horror filled me as my mind comprehended what he meant to do. I squirmed and fought against my bonds, but they wouldn’t budge. A frustrated sound escaped my throat. “Did you do this to the other women who failed you?”
If he was surprised that I knew this bit of information, that I wasn’t his first, he didn’t show it. “No, but Motish is foreve
r the one who blesses me with death. If I give her you, maybe she’ll leave me alone.”
I opened my mouth to tell him death couldn’t take something that was never alive, but he stuffed a piece of material in it and gripped onto my arm.
I jerked away and he let out a growl. “Hold still!” He pushed my head to the side and clasped my arm even harder. With his other hand he began to trace a pattern with the dagger. He was too big, too muscular. I couldn’t make my body move.
The Mark of Motish (An Elemental Diaries Side Story) Page 4