The Cost of Choice

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When Maliha came too she felt as if she had fallen from the sky and tumbled viscously to the harsh cold ground. Her head thudded against the floor and blood sputtered in her mouth as her eyes popped open. They were gritty and sore from the dust and dirt that had flown in her eyes during the first ride. Her throat was dry, and her lips felt sore and cracked.

Rolling to the side her face met the sight of large sandaled legs that followed up to thick black calves that disappeared in his loose cut off trousers.

His dark skin was bare from the waist up, a thick matt of hair travelling from his chest and into the band of his trousers. Maliha slowly rose into a kneeling position so her head could crane back to get a better look. The sight of this man sent dread skittering through her body.

His face was shrouded in a thick black beard, the fuzzy hair obscured any view of his neck. His dark ebony skin was shiny and smothered in cuts and scars, two prominent ones on his right cheek were the most noticeable.

His hair was shaved close to his head in swirling designs. The Zigzags and triangles that took someone a good deal of time to craft into his hair were only at the sides of his head. In the middle he had a dark black mane of hair that was braided along his head toward the back. The three plaits intertwined in crossed pattern that was gathered together at the back in one long plait.

His eyes were the colour of freshly gathered honey, the light amber hues standing out against his dark skin. His large form dwarfed Maliha and made her feel weak, it was a surprise. Not one that was pleasant. The man before her could crush her skull with his large beefy hands without even breaking a bit of sweat. His size so massive it knocked the fear of the gods into her.

"I am Drezir Abazz, welcome to our land" cheerfully greeted the dark man before her, his large hand swiping down to lift her from the ground.

His strength had her tumbling into his chest, her head thudding against the muscle and bouncing back. Her hands clasped her head as she tried to see straight, the motion left her dazed causing everything to blur before her.

When her sight turned clear she was almost startled to death at the close proximity of his face from hers. His thick lips murmuring words that she still couldn't hear not for lack of trying. His eyes had her mesmerised, so much so that she couldn't hear the noise of people entering the room they stood in.

"Abazz what are you doing next to this, shnir" came a viscous voice from behind her. Maliha jerked from his arms and twisted to face the voice, her mouth gripping wide at the woman entering the room. She had skin as if the gods had kissed her and long brown hair they billowed around her enraged face at the sight of Maliha.

She charged over to the two of them her pregnant and pierced belly leading the way as she spat fire through her eyes. Maliha naturally staggered back from the crazed female but the Pax stepped forward, arms wide as he grinned at the female. Grinned.

Maliha understood enough Eastern lingo to understand that the woman glaring at her had called her a whore. It was one of the worst terms a woman could be called mainly because this tribe was sexually free with each other. A woman could have multiple sex partners without being called promiscuous, one was only titled a shnir when they had become so loose with their favours, it began to show. This woman who had no idea of her character had called Maliha a diseased woman.

"I meant no offence to your Knar" apologised Maliha as she realised the woman felt threatened by how close the two had been.

It was easy for anyone to assume they were about to kiss, even if that was the furthest thing from either of their minds. Abazz seemed to be a kind male but his partner was not.

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