The Pain that Made Her Beautiful

PMHB 41

Nonetheless, he maintained the nagging suspicion that, either, there was nothing left for him at home, or that Warick was no so far gone as he had previously assumed.

There was something telling him to go south, then east. There would be more awaiting him there than anywhere else. There was fulfillment waiting for him at whatever place he was meant to be, but, here, with Warick or not, there was nothing for him to see, eat, dream of, or be pleased by. Emptiness was the only guaranteed companion he would share were he to chase his brother or return home.

Why, why must I go to those strange lands? He asked, silently.

“Because I am waiting for you. Do not mistake hard-headedness for courage. Only sadness awaits you where you travel. Come, take up your cross, and follow me. I will bless you greatly and will make you fruitful. You will find your family, starting with a woman, to where I call you. Trust me, believe in me, and I will keep my promises.”

“Did you say something?” Hermun asked, looking at Glaan, who was riding on the horse next to him.

“No.”

Hermun was highly puzzled. He knew there was a voice, a real voice. It was kind and good and defied the ages.

“But, where would I go?” he internally asked the voice.

“The city where I was condemned and crucified.”

“Who are you?” Hermun asked.

“I am your Rock, your Redeemer, your Father, and Friend. I am the Alpha, Omega, and the Beginning and the End. I was, am, and will be.”

“But who are you?” Hermun asked frustrated.

“You will know me in time.”

The brush with such raw power left Hermun nervous and speechless, and, oddly enough, rather confused. Some huge important entity had chosen to speak to him. Well, why?

However, the most important question was who.

The look on his face obviously gave him away because Alan rode up next to him and asked, “What’s got you thinking so hard? I could swear, you’re contemplating so deeply I can see smoke coming out of your ears.”

Hermun let a small smile twitch at his lips. There was something profoundly true about what he had just said, “No, you just have sap in your eye and can’t see anything clearly anymore.”

“Oh, is that so, Hermun?” Alan said in mock shock.

“Absolutely.”

“Well, I don’t have anything I can say to that, especially because I tend to get sap in my eyes often.”

“Then don’t say anything at all.”

With that, their travel was widely uneventful afterwards.

Hermun had helped start the fires, set up the tents, and catch game for dinner’s stew. When dinner was over, he retired to his smaller and more practically sized tent. There was a simple cot inside with a chair for a guest to sit on, and that was it. He took off his clothes and crawled under the blankets. They were warm and heavy. Hermun was utterly exhausted so it took him only seconds before his vision went black.

There she was, Warick’s prized possession of the crusade: Nayeli.

She would be his in only a few moments. She was so… beautiful.

Hermun was so jealous. Every time he and Warick would go somewhere at their father’s request, everything was always the same as it was now. He wanted to make Warick never want her again. She didn’t deserve what he would do to her.