I run down the stairs, trying to catch Honora.
-Come back here! You'll get sick if you don't dry your hair!, I shout.
-How come I have to but you don't?!, she replied whilst ducking under the table.
I think about it for a moment, it was a fair point, considering that she didn't know that things such as wet hair barely affected me.
-No excuses missy!, I finally land my hand on her shoulder and she mutters gibberish when I start drying her hair with a soft towel.
Today was wash day, which included clothes, furniture and us. Leon had punched and scream when helpless Kalatril tried putting him in the tub, apparently he didn't do well with baths.
Honora had been more cooperating and I thought I had gotten lucky...until I found out that she simply adored splashing water everywhere!
I finish drying her hair as I suddenly notice a beautiful chess set with ivory and basalt pieces. I sigh, dad used to have one too, it was less pretty, I'll give you that, but it had been hand made. When he was busy making pans and pots, I would stare at it and think about possible games without touching it.
I look at this one and realize that the set up isn't really as if a game was going on, the pattern teased my memory, where did I see that again?
Elizabeth comes through the door holding her basket full of herbs and Honora jumps into her mother's arms.
-Mommy!, giggled Honora, I smile at her innocent face.
Elizabeth strokes her head after setting her basket on the table and I peek at the herbs and weeds. During my stay here, I had learned many plants names and was proud of myself when I identified them.
-Poppy seed for insomnia and asthma, chamomile for stress relieving, feverfew for arthritis and headaches, goldenseal for eye infections, and finally, turmeric for allergies and liver disease, I say to myself under my breath, checking if I remembered correctly.
Elizabeth turns surprised but pleased.
-Very good Aisha! I think this will help at the market today a lot. You've got no idea how many buyers I have, she said.
I nod, happy that I got the names right, she was probably right, I could be of great help at the market today. Elizabeth had admitted earlier on that it was always her and the kids and that it sometimes was a bit complicated.
-Hey, can I ask you a question?, I say.
-You are asking one now aren't you?, she replied as she smiled brightly.
My cheeks redden a bit in embarrassment but I still ask my question.
-I noticed your chess set, where did you get it?, I ask, genuine curiosity in my statement.
She seemed a bit uncomfortable and looked at where I was pointing my finger.
-Oh, that. My husband brought it back from one of his missions, a raid on a gnome village. He plans some strategies with it sometimes, she said as she scratched the back of her head.
-Oh, sorry for asking, I had no idea, I excuse myself for my question that ended up being more intrusive that I would have thought, the army might look great and perfect, but it wasn't.
-It's okay, she answered quickly whilst shaking her hands in front of my face, he promised he'd withdraw as soon as possible anyway. Want to see a portrait of him?, she asked me.
I shook my head, of course I would.
She then turned towards her cigar cabinet and pulled out a wooden frame with a beautifully stretched drawing.
The man it represented had short straight hair that was the same shade of brown as Leon's, hazelnut eyes that resembled Honora's, and tan skin. He also had a small scar under his right eye.
I turn my head towards Elizabeth and smile.
-I'm glad to hear that he will come back home soon.
At that specific moment, Kalatril come down the stairs pulling Leon's wrist so that he would hurry.
-Sorry for taking so long, we had a bit of trouble with drying the floor and the walls, he said after coming down the last step.
-It's fine, I should have warned you that Leon was fussy, said Elizabeth, addressing herself more towards Leon than Kalatril, in response, her son huffed loudly. Now then, let's get into the the cart. I might be patient but the buyers aren't the exact definition of it.
We hurried out the door, I handed over the basket to Elizabeth and we then went into the back of the cart and Elizabeth started the horses.
*****
The center of town was beautiful, I couldn't expect less from such an important one though, the noble residing here was a viscount.
I hand over a box of cigar and take the payement from the tall man, I nod and thank him for his time and when he is finally out of view, I sigh, something was off.
-This is way more tiring than I thought it would be!, I tell Elizabeth.
She turns towards me after having taking the money from one of the clients.
-You're doing great, don't worry!, her smile straightened my back and I went on with packing the herbs.
A strong hand ticks on my sleeve and I see that Kalatril, with a worried look on his face.
-Are you alright? Your face looks a bit pale and you're frowning.
Startled, I immediately then relax myself after tensing up a bit and manage a smile.
-Sorry, it's just, I feel like something is wrong, it's been teasing my mind for a while now.
-Oh, are you talking about your jacket? You probably left it home, don't worry.
I immediately loose my positive-looking face and face palm myself.
-Shit! How the fuck did I forget it!, I start twisting my fingers and biting my lower lip, thing I always did when I was nervous or upset. I left it in the woods when we got attacked!, this was bad, this was really bad.
-Hey, it's going to be fine, we'll find it when we go back, said Kalatril as he patted my back in an attempt of comforting.
I lift my head to him, sure, this upset me because it had strong emotional value, but there was also an other reason, that jacket was put in the my posters, if someone found it, he were in for even more trouble.
-Yeah, you're right, that must have been the reason I was feeling uneasy, he nods but before he can return to Elizabeth's stand, I stop him, By the way, did you find the set up of the chess set in the living room familiar?
He seemed to look into his thoughts for a moment but eventually answers.
-No, sorry, he replied, with his usual heartwarming smile.
-It's ok, I quickly got add, so that he doesn't feel uncomfortable.
I then go back to the selling but a strange feeling keeps looming over me. Where did I see that set up?
A while later, after running out of crack and cigars, Kalatril and I sit on a bench in the center of town.
Elizabeth had invited us to a bar not too far away for a snack but we turned down the offer since we needed a bit of time away from the two energetic kids.
The fountain made a pleasing sound with the water's rippled effect and the tall temple behind us provided shade from the afternoon sun. However, I couldn't shake off the feeling that something bad was going to happen, was it my sixth sense warning me or was it my paranoid ass? I hated not knowing...
Wait a moment, didn't Elizabeth say that her husband planed strategies on the chess board? I feel the color drain from my face. Shit. The army already knew that we would be here, they were just looking for the ideal moment.
-Kalatril, I figured out what the pattern was, it's a fifth level ambush.
In the emperor's army, there are different levels of difficulty and importance, the fifth level being the hardest. My lower lip starts trembling a bit and I look around, it was all clear know, the feeling that something was wrong, my heartbeat that augmented every time I heard a voice.
-W-what? How do you know that?, he asked, Are you even sure that that is what it is?
-Kalatril, Madame Green had been feeding me up with strategics, formations and practical exercises of war training since the moment she realized that I was a chosen one. I am sure, I get up from my seat and take his wrist to drag him out of there put he stays put.
-Why are you in such a rush?, let's wait for Liz and the kids before going back.
-Don't you get it!, I hiss in between my teeth, The army knows that we are here!
All the condition for the army's ambush were fulfilled, we were in an empty space with many spots to hide behind that circled us. Was it Elizabeth that sold us out? I don't think so. Then what? What gave us away? Did they find the jacket?
I sigh deeply and look around:
-W-where is everyone?, I let go of Kalatril and finally notice that the town center is empty.
All the condition for the army's ambush were fulfilled, we were in an empty space with many spots to hide behind that circled us. The inhabitants had been evacuated, the army's trap was put in action.
A loud gong comes from the viscount's main tower and thirty men jump out from the shadows.
I turn towards Kalatril and am pleased to see that his confused look from before had been replaced with a impenetrable face. Good, now, all we need to do is escape. I have a feeling this is going to be tiring.
The soldiers started closing onto us and I get into a fighting stance, just like the one Madam Green would make me repeat over and over again. Some had flares attached to their belts, we had to be careful, one misstep and backup would come to help.
The first one came charging at me with a hammer. Of course, it didn't matter for them if we were alive or not, from the moment we were brought back to the palace...
I dodge his blow and hit his temple with my fist, knocking him out. Others came but I kept my ground, just as Kalatril did.
Five minutes was all it took them to get me sweating, I guess they didn't get assigned to this mission for nothing.
Bodies lied here and there, most were alive but some I had had to kill. Blood cleared my vision and Kalatril couldn't take the sight of it anymore.
One of them was struggling to stay awake and reached for a flare but I kick him away from it before he could pull the string.
Blood seeped out from the back of his skull just like so many other's, but this time, something was different, someone was crying.
I turn to the provenance of the sound and choke on my breath: running across the red fluid splattered on the floor were Honora and Leon, Elizabeth just behind them.
Just how much did they see?
I extend a hand to them, surely I could explain my actions, right?
Instead of coming to me, they sit next to the man. It was then that I finally noticed the scar under one of the man's eyes. I immediately take my hand back, what have I done?
-Daddy, please wake up, Honora's voice wasn't in the least sad or angry, she didn't understand what had just happened.
She shook the man's shoulder in an attempt of waking him up, except that the body lying there was a corpse, it would never open its eyes again. I immediately take my hand back, and my eyes widen, what have I done?
I turn my gaze towards Leon, his usually soft face filled with curiosity had been replaced with hard traits and hatred.
Oh no...
I turn to see what emotion would be displayed on Elizabeth's face, was it regret? Did she regret taking in her husband's murderers? Or was it anger, anger against me for the unforgivable sin I'd committed? Instead of that, I see her crying silently with her hands joined in prayer.
I open my mouth to say something but my throat was tight and didn't let me excuse myself. Unable to say sorry, I choose a coward's way out, I run.
I run as fast as I possibly can, not caring for the branches that scratch my face. I need to get away from here, seeing the faces of the family that had took me in would kill me right now.
I trip over a root and scrape my knees, palms and face.
I start crying, a kind family had just been destroyed today and it was my fault. Because of me Honora memories of her dad were going to be cut short up to his murder, Leon will have an urge of finding his father's murderers to hunt them down and Elizabeth, Elizabeth was going to have to live knowing that her kindness had practically killed her loved one.
Why hadn't I let him take the damn flare and run? What was the point in carrying out the gods mission if I was such a mess? Why hadn't I let him take the damn flare and run?
Leaves break behind me and Kalatril's strong arms pull me into a hug from behind.
Instead of calming me down, he only manages to make cry harder.
I am a monster.
Kalatril's hesitation was almost palpable when he proceeded to sitting next to me. I could feel his gaze on me filled with confusion and worry, I had never ever cried in front of him, in fact, after the accident with Kipo, I didn't cry in front of anyone at all.
He seems to want to say something but quickly changes idea, words wouldn't help me at all right now.
Moments after, I finally found comfort in his arms and let go of my immense sadness, sinking into a deep sleep.
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Hi!,
(Yes, I know we aren't Tuesday but let's pretend that it is)
Hope that you are getting good sleep, it doesn't matter if you're a 'child' or an 'adult', you're still a human being, and logically, human bodies need rest!
As you can read, this chapter was extremely sad, I had to stop writing from time to time because I couldn't take it...
Have a nice night 😊
(2468 words)