Of Winds And Quakes

58. The Return

Year of the Roses
Floral Season
The Market
Kintil

Alysia

IT'S BEEN HOURS.

It's been hours since we laid Nadhat to rest among the reeds but still Mavli hasn't said a single word. I'm afraid for her but I know better than to say anything that might upset her more. Let her grieve, she deserves some time to grieve.

Our mares trot carefully into the extensive land that was once our market. I take in all the destruction, the broken and burnt stalls. And far away,,I see a rotting corpse, I shut my eyes and turn away not wanting to see another body having seen Nadhat's.

Nadhat.

I still can't believe she is dead. I can't start to fathom it

Dead is elusive, it can come at anytime. Any moment. It respects no one.

Nadhat didn't get to see Kintil again, she fought for her freedom but never got to taste it, to feel it. To belong to a family again.

Lady Gin-Gin flawlessly leaps over a rather slim chasm, caused by my earthquake and Hijar follows suit.

"Do you think we will get to see mother and father again?" Mavli doesn't look at me as she asks. Her head is bowed and she sits slouched on the horse.

I nod then realising that she can't see me, I muster up my nicest voice and reply, "of course we will see them, Mavli."

She nods, her head bobbing and her hair tumbling over her face. I want to reach out and hold her, and hug her but knowing who Mavli is, I know I might just be embarrassing her. So I sit up still on Lady Gin-Gin and we keep going

I sight the old wooden bridge that looms over the river and so many memories comes crashing down on me; the day I caused the storm, the night I caused the ripples.

Kyan.

I have been so immersed in leaving Altsas that he hadn't even evaded my thoughts. Not even once.

I miss him.

I miss hearing his voice, tasting his lips, feeling his warm breath on my skin and his heat radiating off him.

I miss him so much I want to cry.

But I won't, I'll stay strong for Mavli's sake. If I cry, she might misunderstand and start weeping for Nadhat.

The bridge creaks under the clanging hooves of our mares and we urge forward. We begin to travel down the path to out house, the path where I saw Cirok last. The path where Cirok proposed to Mavli.

I glance at her, watching her reaction to see if she will lose it but surprisingly, she doesn't, she remains calm and collected. The black jewel glimmers from her finger as it reflects light. And I remember the bracelet, Mavli kept the ring as a sign of her loyalty to Cirok but I was too coward to keep the bracelet.

He said he loved me and I didn't tell him how I feel about him.

A tear escapes my eye and I wipe it off with the heel of my hand.

I love you, Kyan.

"Alysia!" Mavli gasps my name, "Alysia!"

I look up and right in front of us is the hut I was lived in with my parents.

"Valri!" I see the nanny goat trot mindlessly in front of the run down hut. I jump down from Lady Gin-Gin who gives a whine of protest and run towards the goat. I never thought I would be so happy to see an animal. But Valri runs away bleating loudly in protest.

I throw my head back in a fit of laughter. Mavli only smiles, she comes closer and wraps her arms around my waist. "We are home, sister." And she kisses my cheek.

"Who's there?" The voice startles us. I recognise that voice, I've known it since i was a baby. Our smiles fade as we search for the owner of the voice. Then, my eyes dart to the entrance of the tiny run down hut.

"Mother!" Mavli squeals, she runs leaving my side almost pushing down our mother. I can't help laughing as I run forward, spreading my arms and hugging them both at the same time.

"I've missed you so much, mother," I say tearfully. "God has been faithful!"

Mavli and my mother hug themselves, sobbing on each other's shoulders. I try not to cry but a few tears escapes now and then which I quickly wipe away.

I hear footfalls behind me which abruptly stops. A gasps is heard and I hear something fall to the ground with a thud.

"Father!" I squeal delightedly, the way I always did when I was a child and I ran to welcome him each time he came home from hunting. The tears fall freely and we hold each other tight swaying lightly.

"I have missed you so much, Alysia. But I never gave up hope. I knew we would be together again. I knew God won't forsake us." He says whispering against my neck as he holds me.

The golden light from the oil lamp dances against Mavli's face as she narrates her story to my parents.

I had told them everything earlier, and my mother shed tears when I told her of my slavery. We sir together on the worn out mat eating roasted meat of a grass cutter my father managed to hunt down.

My father holds my mother tight as she sobs apparently, Mavli's story is more heart warming. She has seen too many deaths for a fifteen year old. Her young mind will forever be scarred.

She smiles at me from across the mat, her plump lips stretching widely displaying deep dimples in her cheeks.

I smile back, feeling the cobwebs of tension easing from me. I'm home, I'm finally home.

After dinner, Mavli and I spread the mat we have been sharing since childhood and we lay down together.

"Goodnight, Alysia." She whispers to me.

"Goodnight, Mavli." I reply in an equal whisper.