Azripa Kom Azgeda

Wor ste hir

I woke up and Timber was nowhere to be seen. He wasn't in his bed and the trading post was empty.

"Welcome!" A lady said. Timber's mom. "You must be Aksel. I am Shari." She said.

"Hello, Shari," I told her. "Timba is with his brother right now. Heda is preparing to form up her army and has allowed the Polis Guards to say goodbye to their families."

"Is their anyone one from your clan that you need to say bye to? Or does the queen not send her men to die for our commander?" She said, her voice became more aggressive towards the end.

"Teik em au!" (Kill him!) She ordered and 3 other Trikru men came into the room. They all pulled out their blades and ran towards me. I dodged the first jumps but then cornered my self. They grabbed my arms and held me in front of Shari.

"The kill is yours." One man said. She pulled out her knife and began slicing my chest. I was trained to handle torture but the pain still burned in my body, I wouldn't let them see it.

"Mother! No!" Timber yelled. "What are you doing. He's my friend!" He continued.

"His clan killed our family. He will answer for his crime. Death by 1,000 cuts." She said furiously.

"No." Timber demanded. He pushed off the men holding me and caught me before I fell. He took me to his room and laid me on the bed. He came back with a hot knife and set it on my wound. I cleaned up and thanked him. He smiled at me and just sat on the ground next to the bed. I sat up and grunted as the flame of pain grew larger.

"Ow," I said. "Are you alright? Sorry about my mother. She's just upset." He told me.

"I couldn't tell." I joked a painful laugh came out of my mouth. He just smiled a bit. "I should've never brought you here," He told me.

"No, meeting your family was cool, they seem nice." This time he did laugh. In less than 2 days our clans would be at war and we'd both have to fight for our people.

"I have to leave," I told him.

"I know." He said softly wishing that I never said those words.

"Bye Timba, be strong my friend," I said softly as well. "No, not yet." He said. He went in for a hug. It was a long hug. The type of hug where no one is speaking all you can hear is breathing and your heart beating.

"Do you have to go?" He said, still hugging. "Yes, I have to serve my people." Then we went outside into the main area. One of the three men were still there. I pulled out a throwing blade and said "Jus drein jus daun" and threw it at his heart. He dropped dead in seconds. Timber and Shari went over to his body as I walked out.

After 20 minutes of walking, I finally saw it. My clan's build was just around the corner. I saw the large Azgeda flag on the wall. I walked in and it was busy so since I technically outranked everyone here I needed to get their attention. "Ai laik Aksil kom Azgeda, en shof op." (I am Axel of Azgeda, everyone be quiet.) Everyone stared at me and was silent. Then a man said, "Yu no laik Azgeda." (You aren't Azgeda.)

"Where are your markings? You don't seem to have any tattoos either. You are an unmarked boy with a death wish. Kill him!" He yelled.

"Empleni! Em, laik ai bro. Yu jomp em op, yu jomp ai op." (Enough! He is my brother. You attack him, you attack me.)

It was Echo, she was sent to Polis with Ryker for about a year now. "It's about time you get here." She said. "Yeah, it sure is," I said.

"Apologies, but talk of this upcoming war has made my men undisciplined. We'll have to fix that." Said the man in charge of the group. "It's fine. I recommend extra drills in the ice with nothing but your 1st layer of clothing." I said.

"We have to ready our forces at home, Aksil you and 2 of our fastest riders will go to Azgeda and tell the Queen. We'll see each other at the battlefield soon." Echo ordered. We got on our horses and we were ready to leave. "Wor ste hir!" (War is here) I shouted as we rode off.

When the day car to an end, we set up camp at a small clearing. "We'll rest here," I told the men.

After my tent was assembled, I laid on the ground. I had my blade in my hand and I was carving a woodblock. I made it into the shape of a small arrow.

I decided that it was late enough and let my tiredness win. I fell asleep in seconds.

**dream**

"Aksel, where are you?" My lover's voice yelled out. It's been 2 days since he's been gone hunting.

I watched as he searched the rooms, missing the little hatch I installed. When he had his back turned, I jumped him. I pushed him onto the bed. "You've been gone too long, I'm hungry."

"I left you with foo-" He realized what I said.

"I guess the food has been served." He said taking his shirt off. I did the same. The kissing escalated to much more, so much more.

"How's the east village?" I asked.

"Good, fewer attacks than before, you're people have helped."

"Our people." I corrected him. He agreed with a kiss.

"AKSIL! YOU DARE DEFY ME?" The queen's tone was full of rage. "ALL THOSE YEARS OF TRAINING AND THIS IS WHAT YOU DO. TRIKRU IS THE ENEMY! TRIKRU WILL ALWAYS BE THE ENEMY! JOIN YOUR CLAN OR FALL WITH THEM!"

Then the images hit me. Leina's death, by me. The Chief's death, by me. Timba's friends, me. The man at polis, me. Timba's mother, me. Then I saw his death. I saw myself on the battlefield. Bow in my hand, arrow in the other. I saw his face. He charged with his men. Mine did the same. I shot an arrow and it hit him directly in the heart. The blood began to pour out, his lifeless body dropped.

I woke up, sweaty and breathing heavy. I knew I couldn't let those feelings I had for Timber escape my mind. I love my clan, and I love my people. I wouldn't betray them. I couldn't.

"Ai laik Azgeda." (I am Ice Nation.) I whispered over and over again until I fell asleep. The dreams of war continued.