Artaqifa

The cool south eastern breeze rolling in from the ocean was beginning to pick up speed. Black clouds had started to gather out on the horizon and were quickly rolling in with the wind. The deep thick rumbling sound of thunder could be heard and was seemingly coupled with bright electric blue forks of lightening frantically and aggressively stabbing at the ocean, as if it were desperate to cause some form of tidal wave. The way the ocean was rolling methodically back and forwards was proof the lightening forks and thunder were succeeding. The mesmerizing movements of the sea was creating such a hypnotizing effect that if there was anybody brave enough to whether the storm and stare at the ocean they would suffer from motion sickness. Day was quickly becoming night as the sun rapidly retreated from its domination of the sky, and started to hide behind the western mountain range far from the hypnotizing effect of the ocean, and its two violent aggressors. As the black clouds raced closer towards the south eastern city, known as Yippar Tarin, people rushed about tying the shutters tight to cover their windows from the wind and flying debris. There were shouts throughout the entire city cutting through the wild stormy wind like a hot blade through lard, “Storms coming! Get to your houses!”

Artaqifa both loved and hated storm nights. She loved them not because her mother was frightened, but because her father would appear as a tower of strength. He would stoke the fire and gather his wife and daughter close to him to speak words of encouragement. Artaqifa would snuggle in under his left arm while her mother would cling firmly to his right arm weeping; she knew more than her daughter. The repugnance Artaqifa had for storm night was because her father would have to leave them and venture out into the torrential wickedness. Artaqifa thought this was a righteous thing to do, to leave his family in search for those who may not have made it home safely; to make sure that everybody else was safe in their houses and to keep everyone feeling safe with the knowledge that he was out there doing this task. She was proud of her father. Not because he was a tower of strength for her to shelter under, but because he was the captain of the guard. Every night, not just storm night, she would watch as he prepared to go outside and protect the people of the city. He would put on his leather armour, strap his quiver to his back, put his blades into their sheaths, give his family a kiss and courageously walk out the door.

His armour and weaponry were different to the rest of the guards. He carried no bow or even swords. His quiver was instead full of short sticks with feathers at one end and a metal barbed point at the other end. They looked like a cross between a javelin, a spear and a dart. Perfectly balanced and reasonably light they could be thrown with unbelievable speed, force and accuracy. These are very deadly short to mid ranged weapons, which he was the master of. In his sheaths were two interesting looking daggers. The handles for these daggers were in the centre, and at each end were blades that were slightly curved in the opposing direction. These weapons were to be used in close combat, which is something that the captain of the guard should supposedly steer away from. However, this guard preferred to lead by example and because of that he was the most feared man in the city. The metal embossments which studded his boiled leather armour were a different colour to the rest of the guards. His were a shiny mixture of red and gold while the other guards were just plain shiny silver. These were not to distinguish between the ranks, but were instead proof that he was the most deadly man in the city. Once every thirty days Artaqifa would notice a new red and gold shiny embossment. She saw this as a matter of honour, however her mother knew better.

As he kissed his wife and daughter there was a knock at the door and in walked Kyson the city leader. “Good, good Tysicka” he said, “You’re ready to go then?” “Yes my friend. Come, let’s talk outside,” he replied. As both men walked out into the ferocious storm and the door slammed shut after them Artaqifa’s mother started to cry loudly. “It’s alright mom,” said Artaqifa through her beaming smile, “father will be back before you know it.” This didn’t help matters and her mother burst into a hysterical crying fit. Artaqifa pulled her mother into her arms and started to sing softly into her ear until she started to settle down.

Outside things were beginning to get worse. The fears that Tysicka’s wife had were drawing nearer with each ferocious howl of the wind. With each crack of thunder Artaqifa would shudder and her mother would moan. Every flash of lightening illuminated a new fear deep within her mother which could be recognized by her moans transforming further into a raging hysterical crying. The door burst open. “Quick, get your things. We have to leave now!” shouted Tysicka. Like a strike of lightening her mother jumped out of Artaqifa’s arms and gathered the sack of clothes which she always had prepared. As Artaqifa jumped to her feet lightening flashed and for the first time she felt fear. Fear because of what she saw in that flash, her father was covered in blood. His armour had cuts through the shoulders and mid-section which was producing a slow but steady flowing stream of blood. “Father,” she cried out. “Not now honey,” he replied, “we must make for the hills.” He grabbed hold of his wife’s hand; she grabbed hold of their daughter’s hand, but Artaqifa rejected her mother’s hand saying, “I must get my bag of ingredients.” She ran to the far corner ignoring her mother’s pleas, grabbed her sack and then returned to grab her pleading mother’s hand. With a strong sharp pull from Tysicka both ladies were whisked out the door.

They ran through the city towards the southern gate. There were no people heading in the same direction, and no women or children to be seen on the streets. Shouts and screams mixed with clanging sounds echoing throughout the night could be heard coming from the northern gate over the top of the storms thunderous assault. Just outside the southern gate fifty men and women were gathered huddling together with about twenty five children clinging desperately to their mothers. These were the important people of the city. “By the fates, am I pleased you made it back with your family Tysicka,” said Kyson in a relieved tone as he stomped forward to embrace his friend. He turned to Artaqifa, placed his right hand on her head, scuffed up her hair and said, “You’re a strong young lady, but you’ll have to be extra strong tonight. Can you do that my dear?” Artaqifa look him in the eyes and said “of course I can! What do you take me for?” Kyson shook his head and smiled. “The city folk,” he said in a serious tone, “need you to protect and help all the other children as we head into the hills toward safety. Can you do that for your friends?” Artaqifa looked into Kyson’s big brown eyes; she saw both fear and hope. “For you my leader I will walk through fire!” Kyson was startled, and yet impressed, not by her words, by her truthfulness. He bent down on one knee, put both hands on her shoulders and with a tear in his eye he said, “You’re most definitely you’re father’s daughter. I know you’ll do the city folk justice.” She embraced Kyson tightly.

Kyson broke the embrace and held her at shoulders length, “Listen to me carefully,” he said slowly, “All the mothers have the same instructions. You’re to help them in leading the other children up the Path to Nowhere. When you reach the second clearing head towards the big trees on the other side, get down low on the ground and stay hidden.” “Where will you and father be?” she asked. “We will be right behind you making sure you make it to safety.” “What’s happened Kyson?” He smiled and said, “I’ll tell you when we meet again.”

The Path to Nowhere was hard for the mothers to find. They spent most of their time doing house duties and had forgotten where they use to play as youngsters. Artaqifa hadn’t forgotten. She spent most of the day in this area as she was always looking for new flowers, roots and other likewise things to pick. She loved to take them home, dry them and then grind them into a powder with her mortar and pestle in hope of discovering new ingredients in her everlasting quest to create new potions. She had succeeded more than once; however she considers the first success a failure because when she tried to heat it up in hope of turning it into a liquid she accidently set the kitchen table on fire. One time she created a white powder that she considered to be very pretty, and worth keeping until she knew how to correctly mix it into a potion, however when she tipped it from the mortar she somehow managed to get some on her arm. She would never forget that mistake because it hurt. It started to bubble and burn, the pain was excruciating. It didn’t matter what she attempted to wash it off with it still burned. She was in so much pain and there were so many tears in her eyes that she couldn’t see what direction she was stumbling in, she bumped into her father’s wineskin spilling wine all over her, and the pain subsided. She wiped away the tears with the other arm and looked at her wound. She was both shocked and impressed at the same time. She stated to smile, the smile turned into giggling, which proceeded into hysterical laughter. Through the laughter she started to shout, “I did it! I did it! Woohoo!” She started to dance around in circles, but was stopped when her mother grabbed hold of her shoulders and shook her asking, “What is it? What did you do?” Artaqifa showed her mother the mess she had made of her arm and then showed her the powder. Her mother was not happy to say the least, and banned Artaqifa from playing with her mortar and pestle for one full moonth.

Tonight her quest was different. While the mothers were fumbling around in the wrong place she just walked to the small tree that had all its branches reaching straight up towards the sky in a perfect circle, which looked similar to that of a crown. Standing beside the tree she started to giggle and called all the children over. Huddled together with the children Artaqifa’s giggling became infectious. All the mothers turned to see the giggling cluster of children, which from their perspective seemed like they were laughing at them. The women were not impressed, and they made sure that Artaqifa knew. “Stop it!” said one of the mothers, “Now’s not the time for games. We must find the Path to Nowhere. Now hurry!” “Why not ask me where it is?” asked Artaqifa in a defiant tone. “Why would we do that?” scolded one of the mothers. “Maybe because she’s standing beside the entrance,” snapped Artaqifa’s mother who hadn’t enjoyed the way the others were speaking to her daughter. “Don’t you dare talk to me in that tone! Just because your husband is best friends with Kyson doesn’t give you the right...” “Shut up!” exploded Artaqifa. “If we stay here all night fighting over nothing then we’ll never reach the clearing!” All the women stopped and stared, “well I never,” said one woman, “in all my years,” said another, “you should teach you daughter some manners,” said another.... “By the fates,” bellowed Artaqifa, “children, start heading up the Path to Nowhere. If these women want to live they’ll follow us instead of standing here fighting to the death over something so trivial.” Artaqifa and the children started up the path while the women slowly came to an agreement that the nerve of that young lady needs to be beaten out of her if she’s to have any hope of finding a husband. Still, they understood the sense of what Artaqifa had said and followed her and their children up the Path to Nowhere.

The pathway up into the western mountain range was steep and winding. The children had no trouble negotiating the steepness; the mothers however were an entirely different story. They were always moaning and groaning. “Slow down!” complained one of them, “it’s better for all of us if we stay together.” Hearing the sense in the words that had been groaned at her, Artaqifa called the children to a halt at the next corner. She turned to the older women, “You’re all doing a magnificent job at keeping up,” she said attempting to create a tone that would sound reassuring, “The first clearing isn’t far off. In fact it’s around only another two bends.” The women were huffing, puffing and heaving, some were doubled over in an attempt to catch their breath. “If we continue now we can rest a little longer at the first clearing,” said Artaqifa hoping her voice sounded strong reassuring. Through very deep heavy breathing came a voice, “It’ll be the death of me if I continue now.” “Mother,” said Artaqifa strongly, “it’ll be the death of all of us if we don’t reach the second clearing. We must continue to at least the first clearing, that way we can at least do half of what Kyson told us to do.” A young voice spoke up, “What is half of what Kyson told us to do?” Artaqifa turned to the voice, got down on one knee and said, “We’re to hide at the far end of the clearing. You’ll be able to get some sleep there as well,” she said calmly as she patted the child’s shoulder. “You’re tough enough to do that aren’t you?” “I’m so tough,” said the young child, “I’ll be able to stay awake all night!” Artaqifa giggled, “I bet you will too,” she said through her big beautiful beaming smile.

The clearing was full of tall grass which was over the head of most the children. Keeping track of them would be difficult, so Artaqifa guided them around the outside of the clearing weaving in between the first layer of trees. The going was a little rough with tree roots and rocks making walking problematic, and the vines hanging down were rapidly becoming a nuisance; then the complaints started. “This is brainless! Why are we following this unintelligent little girl? We should be leading the way!” rasped out a mother’s voice in a malicious pitch. Artaqifa stopped, turned around and walked straight up to the nasty voices owner and snapped back, “Not only will it be impossible to keep watch over the little children if we walked through the long grass, but if whatever it is that has Kyson anxious manages to get through our men and head this way, it’ll be effortless tracking us through the bent over and broken blades of grass.” She took a deep breath and continued, “I know this area better than you and the other...women. I know where we’re heading, you don’t. So take this into consideration, it would be better for all of us if you would just shut your mouths and help me take these children to safety.” The look on the mothers face made her smile, which made it easier for her to turn towards the children and say in a joyful tone, “come on, it’s not far now.” Her mother smiled and muttered under her breath, “just like her father.”

Once they reached the other side of the clearing Artaqifa got everyone to lie down on their stomachs. She crawled over to each child and comforted them by saying things like, “we’re safe now, fear not, our fathers will come for us soon.” She was right on just one of these statements. Their fathers did come for them, but they weren’t as careful as Artaqifa. They entered the south side of the clearing and started to run straight through the long grass creating an easy path to follow. When they had reached the middle there was a shout from behind, “there they are! Kill them all,” which was followed by a lot of cheering and howling. Artaqifa shuddered with anticipation, and as the moments trickled by she found herself not being able to hold back any longer. She stood up to see what was happening. With her head just above the grass she got a shock. Her eyes widened, her bottom jaw dropped. They were being attacked, and were considerably out numbered. She froze not knowing what to expect. She started to shake and then an arm reached across her shoulders to shelter her from what was happening. “Mum,” she said, “lie down!” “Honey,” said her mother, “this is your father’s job. For years you thought he was just the captain of the city guard, but he is more than that. He is Kyson’s right hand man and second in command of our army.” “What?” was the word that came from the shocked mouth of Artaqifa. “You were chosen to lead us to safety not only because you know the path, but because you will not take crap from the other women, just like your father. You have to be strong now. We need a leader who’ll stop at nothing to get us to safety,” said her mother. “Can you do it?” She turned to look at the women and children. Frustration set in. Seeing the other women cowering behind their fear disappointed her, a fury rose up in her, her fists clenched as she strode over to the mothers and scolded them. “It’s your fault that we’re still here. If you had just done what you were told instead of continuously complaining we would be safe at the other clearing by now. Come with me, now!” Everyone jumped to attention and followed Artaqifa towards the second ascent on the Path to Nowhere.

Upon reaching the path Artaqifa said, “I will follow you.” “No you will not,” said one of the mothers, “you have to be in front to direct us up the path!” Artaqifa’s eyes narrowed as anger continued to set in. She swung her right hand towards the woman’s face with force; the palm of her hand connected with the woman’s left cheek with a loud slap. “Listen to me and listen carefully!” she ordered, “If I lead you up that path you will drag behind and we’ll all be caught, so instead I will be coming up behind you so I can kick your arse when you complain,” she said with dominating force. Everybody was not only shocked at what they had just witnessed, but they had started very quickly running up the track. Artaqifa followed them silently, giggling to herself.

The second clearing was much larger than the first and there was no grass to be seen, which was both comforting and disturbing at the same time. The ground was solid rock with a fine covering of gravel, medium size stones, and some rocks scattered about for good measure. “This is the place where you don’t want to be caught when trying to escape,” thought Artaqifa. “What do we do now little miss know it all!” screeched one of the mothers towards Artaqifa in such a way that it felt like daggers had been stabbed into her chest. With a beaming smile that could dazzle a blind person mixed with a look in her eyes that could set the rocks on fire, she slowly moved towards the evil screeching mother. Her smile turned into a grin exposing her prefect white teeth, her eyes grew wider exposing the deep and yet light green pools that held her pupils in place. “How about we use you as bate for those that are following us? That way you will finally be doing something good for us by allowing us a chance to escape, rather than holding us back with dim-witted questions, which seem to be for all purposes allowing us to be captured.” Artaqifa was calm like she had never been before. Words appeared in her head just when she needed them the most. “Are you working for our enemy?” she asked coldly. “No!” said the now very scared women. She dropped to her knees, put both hands together in front of her face and begged, “No. Please... I just want to get to safety. I’m scared and I don’t know if my husband is still alive.” She started to cry. Artaqifa leaned in close to the crying mess, “If you don’t want to die then you will become the woman your husband expects. You will do everything you can to make sure that we will survive.” “I will, I will,” snivelled the mother. “One more thing,” said Artaqifa, “If you ever challenge my authority again.... well, you know that I’m my father’s daughter, and even more so,” explained Artaqifa in a way that had never been heard before. Her beaming grin grew larger at the effective illusion her words had on the coward of a mother who was now shaking uncontrollably. Artaqifa stood up straight and said to everyone, “All right, you people listen, and you listen well! I want all of you to run as fast as you can to the other side of the clearing and hide amongst the second row of trees. Make sure that you stay hidden. If I catch any of you trying to see what is happening, I swear by the fates that I will flay you alive. Understand?” she shouted. Everyone nodded and then ran for their lives towards the trees.

Artaqifa turned and went back the way they had come and stopped a little way down the track. She dropped to her knees and opened her sack and pulled out the biggest pouch. “I’ll burn you bastards,” she muttered under her breath, and while cackling at the thought she opened the pouch with her intent crystal clear. She sprinkled a golden powder, completely covering the track in a thick layer at a length of three times the height she stood. Satisfied with what she had done she quickly ran towards the clearing, dropped to her knees, opened the sack and pulled out ten little clay pots which she used to store the pretty white powder. She stood and looked at where she had laced the golden powder. She smiled and cackled loudly, then wandered to her left counting out fifteen steps, she then placed five of the pots in a line from east to west. Then she walked towards the north counting her footsteps. When the count was thirty she placed the five of the remaining pots in the same order as before. Returning to her sack she fondled through until she found the pot and stone she was looking for. She re-tied her sack and took it to the south side of the clearing and placed it on top of the red rock, she then returned to the edge of the track to wait for the men and their pursuers. While waiting she crouched into a crab like position, opened the pot and tipped a little bit of the liquid onto the solid rock ground. She then ripped a strip off her sleeve and dipped it into the pot until it was saturated; she left a part of the wet rag hanging out of the pot. She then squatted patiently and squeezed the little rock in her right hand.

It didn’t take long before the men came running. She was surprised that there were so few of them left. Kyson and her father looked scared out of their wits running for their lives, until they came across Artaqifa. They stopped, “What the hell are you doing girl?” shouted her father. Kyson reached down to grab her by the arm, “Come now! You’re a brave young lady, but there’s no point in facing unbeatable odds,” he said with a tear in his eye. “There are only five of you left?” She asked through her tears. “Yes,” said her father in a desponded way, “that’s the reason why we must flee. Hurry now girl!” “Crap,” said Kyson, “they’ve caught us already. Run girl!” Instead Artaqifa started to bang the little rock in her hand onto the rocky floor. “Come on,” she muttered, while the five remaining men turned to attack. “Stop!” she screamed, and the men turned to look at her. “They aren’t even in the clearing yet, so wait. I have a plan,” she shouted at them. Tysicka looked around the clearing, his shoulders slumped; there was no hope left in the man. He turned to Kyson, smiled and said jokingly, “Well, everything else has failed!” With a deep sigh Kyson said, “Alright young lady, what is it you have planned?” “Just wait until you can see how many there are left. That means waiting until they come into the clearing,” she said calmly. Kyson laughed anxiously and said, “I hope you know what you’re doing girl?” “What have we to lose?” she said and with one last slam of her rock, and one last “come on you little bastard” she succeeded. The rock produced a spark which landed in the pool of liquid and caught fire. She grabbed the pot with the rag sticking out, lent it towards the little pool of fire. Success! Her eyes marvelled at what was about to occur. She stood up and very quickly ran three steps and with all her strength threw the pot. Tumbling over and over the pot reached the top of its arch and started its descent. It fell short of the golden powder, but it shattered and sprayed the golden powder with burning liquid which exploded into a massive ball of flames at the exact moment the enemy was in the middle of the paths exit. The screams were louder than anything she had heard before, however her laughter seemed to drown them out. She was enjoying the effect her concoction had made. It was so effective that she had single-handedly decimated twenty of their enemy. Fiery limbs had flown into the night air in every direction imaginable. Burning flesh rained down onto the solid rock ground like small meteors falling from the heavens, which splattered into thousands of miniature globs of red hot fat staining the clearing in front of her. Kyson had seen what had happened and turned to her with a beaming smile, while ten of the enemy who still possessed whole bodies walked towards them on fire shouting obscenities that can only come for someone who is very crafty with words, or in extreme pain.

Her father had taken advantage of the inferno and attacked the remaining living entities of fire. Artaqifa stood up and moved fifteen steps to the north and waited for the flaming enemy to drive her friends back. Once they had arrived at the desired position she picked up the five pots containing the white powder and threw them with incredible accuracy at the enemy. As the pots hit the men they shattered and the white powder went to work doing to them what it had done to Artaqifa’s arm. They dropped their swords, and dropped to their knees as the white powder ate through their armour and skin, causing another manner of burning and more screams for help. Artaqifa didn’t bother helping them; instead through her smiling and cackling she quickly ran thirty steps to the south. Picked up another pot and threw it at an adversary, which produced a hysterical laughter coming from deep within side her. Through the white dust, fire, smoke, and screams she heard a familiar voice scream out in pain. She stopped laughing, and shivered as recognition of the voice sunk in. She picked up another pot and jogged into the skirmish, “father? father? where are you?” he was too busy to answer. When she found him, he was lying on the ground with three spears sticking out of his chest, and there was a tall rival standing over him with his sword grasped tightly in both hands and held above his head with the blade pointing down. Artaqifa acted quickly. She took the lid off the pot and ran towards the tall man; she swung the pot in a sideways arch from right to left, allowing the white powder to spray across the opponents face entering the eyes, nose, and mouth. He screamed and dropped the sword and used both of his hands in an attempt to remove the powder form his face and eyes, but instead made it worse. The powder ate away at the man’s eyes, cheeks, nose and lips. Bubbling froth started to appear over the whole of his face. As the screaming continued the powder ate away every last piece of flesh on the face leaving nothing of his features except a skinless skull; he was blinded and disfigured for good. Just then from the west, out of the Path to Nowhere, came high pitched, blood curdling squealing. All the men turned at the same time not exactly sure what was happening. It was the women, they had seen what was happening, grown some courage and began running into battle shrieking a deafening sound that produced fear deep within the remaining enemy. Looking at the fire to their left, and seeing the enraged squealing women crashing towards them from the right a shout went out, “Ambush!” and the man turned to run back into the fire, followed by two other enemy attackers. Artaqifa wasn’t fazed by the squealing, she just continued to throw the remaining pots of white powder at the defecting enemy scoring a shot each to the backs of two men and one to the head of the other. All three screamed, burned, dropped to their knees and rolled onto their backs in a futile attempt to rid themselves of the burning pain. Kyson walked over to them smiling and muttering obscenities, he swung his axe mercilessly and released them from their pain, and this world.

Artaqifa turned to her father, blood was beginning to bubble out from his mouth. The fear for her father twisted and created a tight knot deep within her heart. Her face contorted and developed a wide beaming smile, her eyes glowed with a bright and yet pale light green. Her emotions grew colder as she knelt beside Tysicka. He raised his right hand to his daughters face as a tear ran out of his right eye. Artaqifa held his hand to her left cheek. Tysicka coughed and spluttered blood as he tried to speak, “take both my blades” he said as Kyson knelt down on the left, and rested his right hand on Tysicka’s forehead, and “my friend” was all he could say. Tysicka smiled, and coughed, “take her over to Armaros,” he coughed and spluttered some more. Looking at Artaqifa he said, “You have a future as long as you leave Yippar Tarin.” He pulled his right hand from her cheek and spluttered, “Leave!” He coughed “Now!” Artaqifa took her father’s blades from his side and stood up. Standing there looking down at Tysicka she felt the knot in her heart release and her smile grew larger. “Goodbye father,” she said emotionlessly as she turned away from him and walked over to the red rock to gather her bag of ingredients.

Kyson stood up, struggled to pull his gaze from his dead friend. With tears in his eyes he called the four surviving men, and the women and children together then said, “We must get back to the city. The people there will need our help.” Artaqifa walked over to Kyson, looked him in the eyes and said, “We must get to Armaros as my father said.” “We will,” said Kyson, “but first we must get these people back to the city.” Artaqifa grinned as she reached into her bag and pulled out a pot of white powder, grasping it in her right hand she said, “You can’t keep these people safe anymore. We do as my father commanded!” Kyson took two steps back and raised both hands in the air and said, “Now girl, do you think these people here can make a trip like that?” Artaqifa looked at the now very shocked group, her eyes darkened and her face contorted into a snarl as her mother spoke. “Artaqifa, please see the sense in what Kyson is saying. Our people are in the city and they need our help!” Artaqifa relented, placed the pot back into her bag, “alright Kyson, but promise me that when all is well you will lead me over to Armaros.” Kyson lowered his hands, “I heard what your father said. My promise is to him, not you! I will lead you to Armaros myself. But I can tell you that man is not to be trusted!”

Everybody was quite as they descended the Path to Nowhere. The children were clinging to their mothers, and they were white with the fear of what they might find in the city. Kyson was trying to act like everything was in control, but the way he walked showed that he was trying to conceal the trembling that was enforced by the fear of entering back into a city which had just been attacked. Artaqifa was attempting to control herself for different reasons. Her mind was completely clear. All the fear she had vanished the moment her father died. She didn’t care for anybody else in the city, least of all her mother. The children, well, it’s not their fault that they were idiots since the women who brought them up were pathetic. They spent all their time trying to please their men that they’d forgotten what it means to be alive. No longer did they enjoy life; no longer did they know how to do the things they wanted. They’re just slaves to the men of the city. She looked across to Kyson and grinned, “Never before has he been told what to do by a female,” she thought. Her grin grew wider as she realised that his fear was not from what he may find in the city, but from her. The reaction from the other women when she told him he couldn’t keep them safe was like a veil being lifted off their eyes. Smiling to herself she felt another release, like a bubble bursting deep inside her. She embraced the release and welcomed the freedom it seemed to promise. Her grin grew deeper etching its way through her cheeks, her eyes widened at the possibilities of a world outside of Yippar Tarin. A thought entered her head, a thought that seemed to be from somewhere or someone else. She shuddered, “who are you,” she thought, “what do you want, how did you invade my head?” A buzzing sound started echoing around inside her skull and the thought came back stronger. She stopped, dropped to her knees, and whispered “leave me alone!” “No,” was the reply. Her mother quickly came to Artaqifa’s aid, cradling her head in both hands she asked, “What’s wrong dear?” As Artaqifa looked up she shuddered from the bright pale green sparkle in her daughters eyes. “My head,” said Artaqifa, “it hums and buzzes. I’ve never had this happen before just now!” “It’s probably the fates judging you for what you said to Kyson,” growled one of the mothers. Hearing those words cleared Artaqifa’s head; she jumped to her feet and pounced at the mother. Clasping both hands around the neck she started to squeeze the life from her while shouting, “what do you know about anything, you useless pathetic male dominated pig!” Kyson was shocked at what he was seeing, but he bravely stepped forward and said, “Come now Artaqifa, we’re supposed to be friends here.” Artaqifa released the mother and turned on Kyson, took two steps forward, “if we’re supposed to be friends,” she hissed, “then these stupid women need that lesson not me!” Kyson smiled, rubbed his right hand through his hair and said, “I’ve never known you to be wrong Artaqifa, but strangling them won’t help them learn the lesson.” Artaqifa’s smile returned as she stepped closer to Kyson, “your right.” She put both arms around his shoulders and whispered in his ear “sorry for my outburst earlier.” Kyson whispered back, “I know.” This put a spring back into Kyson’s step. He released Artaqifa and said, “Listen up. It’s been a hard night and it’s not going to get any easier. It would be for the best if we focus our attention on the wounded in the city.”

 

 

 

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Tag der Veröffentlichung: 03.08.2014

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