The Last of Arrows

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But I still didn't know how to deliver the news to her. I wasn't sure how she would react. My jaw tightened. A girl her age shouldn't be pregnant. But knowing the circumstances, I knew it wasn't her fault.

I stayed put, wondering how I would tell her the news. The nurse had suggested if she could tell her, but no. I wanted to do it. I glanced up at the sky through the tents folds, evening soon would come and dishes were going to have to be cleaned.

"Zaila?"

My head snapped toward Esmeralda. She cracked her eyes open, her hair matted all over her head, making it seem like an uneven halo. I grabbed her hand, smiling despite the circumstances. "You're okay." I breathed, more as a reassurance to myself.

Esmeralda smiled, gripping my hand faintly. "I sure am. Have the nurses told you what type of sickness I have? It just came down on me out of nowhere." She told me in a small voice. I swallowed hard, glancing at the ground.

I tapped her hand. "You don't have an illness." I told her. Esmeralda's brows etched together in confusion as she sat up straighter. "No? Then what?" She asked me. I sighed.

"You're pregnant."

Esmeralda's face went blank. She blinked a few times. "I... I can't be. Well. But how... I haven't gotten my..." Her voice trailed off as recognition rippled across her face. She gripped my hand. Fear quickly took over her as her chest began to heave up and down.

I grabbed her shoulders. "It's fine. You're fine. Like I told you, I will avenge---"

"I can't believe it." Esmeralda whispered, with a small smile. I paused in confusion. Shouldn't she be angry? I asked myself. Esmeralda lifted her shirt, exposing her stomach. Her hand softly touched her stomach.

I pulled away from her. "You're happy?" I exclaimed. Esmeralda's smiled stretched into a grin. "Well... yeah. I'm carrying a human being inside me, Zaila! I might have not gotten pregnant the way I wanted to but I am." She said.

I frowned. "But those men mistreated you and abused you. Now you carry their burden in your stomach. Doesn't that affect you?" I told her a bit too harshly. Esmeralda rolled down her shirt. "Can't you see Zaila? I don't have a family anymore. This is my chance to have a new one." She said.

I pushed myself to my feet. "I don't have my family either and you don't see me trying to get pregnant by nasty old men! Esmeralda, this isn't suppose to be your life!" I exclaimed in anger. She frowned at me.

"Well what am I suppose to do? Try to get out of my womb? You know there's no such thing. O-or you want me to leave it as soon as I give birth? No Zaila, that baby is going to have my blood, and that's all the proof I need to keep it." She said stubbornly.

I lifted my chin. "Just get some rest. Maybe that will help clear that messed up head of yours." I said angrily, turning away from her. I left the tent, ignoring the approaching nurse. I pushed at the flap furiously. I stomped away from the healing tent.

How could Esmeralda want the thing that caused her so much pain? I wondered to myself. I hated that I had an argument with the only person close to me. The only person I had as a friend. I kicked at a stone when my foot came in contact with something else.

"Hey!" Exclaimed a voice.

My head snapped up at the sound of a low voice. I frowned as I saw who it was. I quickly moved past Jako. "Why are you here?" I asked, placing my hands in my pockets. Jako turned around and walked beside me.

"I... I was going to bring you this." He said. I looked up from the ground. Jako had a bottle of dark liquid in his hands. My eyebrows rose in surprise as I gently took it from him. The bottle was warm from the liquid.