It was embarrassing.
Here she was, trying to prove to them all that she was just as strong as any man and yet now, as she was lying balled up in her tent, she had to admit that she wasn't.
They were one night away from The Western Coast and then this happened.
As many of the other things she had forgotten to take into account for when she left Rochess, she had also forgotten about her monthly bleeds. In her rush, she had forgotten all about packing some herbal soothers for her cramps. That meant she was now left to suffer silently in her tent while the men were enjoying their dinner outside by the fire.
It had been so embarrassing that morning when she had awoken. When she hadn't emerged from her tent for breakfast as always, Dashel had poked his head inside to ask if she was okay.
Like a fool, she had lied to him and told him she was just feeling under the weather. There was no way she was going to tell him she was immobile because of her gender's need to bleed every month. It was taboo – and besides, men didn't understand it anyway.
At least it explained why she had been feeling so emotional lately. She always got extra sensitive up to her bleeds.
Suddenly she heard scampering outside her tent.
"Emaia?"
Of course it was Aide. His melodious voice had long ago been imprinted in her head.
"What is it?" Emaia muttered while painstakingly clutching her stomach. It hurt so much.
"May I come in for a moment?"
Oh, no. He couldn't see her like this. Not in this state.
"I'm not feeling well," She said and made her voice raspy, "I don't want you to catch my illness." She coughed for good measure.
Suddenly the pelt to her tent was pulled aside and Aide looked in. "I know you're not sick, Emaia."
When he carefully climbed in, Emaia moved over in the tiny tent. How come he just knew she was lying? He could always tell.
"What do you want?" She asked once he had pulled the pelt down again.
"Here. Drink this."
Emaia now discovered he was holding something in his hand, a mug. She sat up and grimaced a little when another gut-wrenching shot of pain twisted in her stomach. "Why?"
Aide looked down at the mug and a smiled gingerly. "When the women back in my clan had their cramps, they drank this. It relieved them from their pains."
That caught her off hand. How could he possibly know?
"I know enough mothers and young girls to know the signs," Aide replied and offered her the cup again, "Please, drink it. I promise it will help."
Emaia frowned for a second, but then carefully looked into the cup. "What is it?" The consistency reminded her of spinach stew. It was thick and green, with small flakes of grounded herbs. It looked... disgusting.
"It's an elf secret," Aide chuckled at the sight of her disgusted grimace. "And besides, I think it's better if you don't know."
Emaia gave the cup a sniff. Weirdly enough, it smelled like thyme.
Like him.
"Okay," She finally said and took the mug. At this point, she didn't care if it was poisonous. Her cramps were so dreadful, she felt like dying anyway.
She lifted the cup to her lips and drank. The content was warm, like tea. The thick sauce of a mixture slid down her throat, and to her complete and utter surprise, it tasted really good.
"Oh, my God," She exclaimed and took another sip, "It's delicious!"
"I'm glad," Aide chuckled again. "That means I did it right."
"You've never made it it before?" Emaia asked, a little warily.
"Only once or twice, but it's a long time ago."
"Well, it's delicious," She repeated and emptied the cup. Her hungry stomach loved the feeling of the thick mixture landing in her belly. It churned, but accepted it.
"It should start working over the next half hour or so," Aide informed, "You should relax until then." He made ready to leave the tent.
"Thank you, Aide," Emaia placed a hand on his arm.
Aide paused for a second and looked at her hand. He then gave her a little smile and opened the tent. "Any time."
~*~
When Emaia woke up the next morning, she felt wonderful; Well-rested and freed from pains. Whatever had been in that drink Aide had given her, it has worked.
"Knock-knock, Em. We need to get going." She heard Dashel say outside her tent.
"Give me two minutes," She replied. She was happy that today they would finally arrive at The Western Coast. It would be nice to have a proper bath and a good meal.
She braided her hair and rolled it up in a bun, only because she hoped it would help keep a low profile. She even changed into a dress, since a woman wearing breeches pulled attention. Everything had to work out today. If they managed to get into town and keep low, that meant huge progress for the rebellion. The western people frequently suffered under a lot of wild storms since The Cold Sea bordered right up against them. It was a tough environment to live in, so the people of west did everything they could to survive. Lately, the King had been making it hard for them.
Hopefully, the western people would listen to their words and join their cause. The rebellion had been growing over the last few weeks, each new member a cherished asset. Some were scared when they first met Aide, while others were curious. No matter what, Aide was always polite and friendly towards them.
Emaia packed up her stuff, slung her satchel over her shoulder and then packed up her tent. When she carried it to the carriage, she found Dashel securing some pelts in the back.
"Hey," She smiled and made him look up.
"Hi," Dashel smiled back. "You seem to feel better."
"A lot." Curtesy of Aide. "Are we all ready to go?"
"Almost," Dashel confirmed. "I can't wait to get there. I've never been this far West before."
"Really?"
Dashel tied a knot tightly around a bag of grain before replying. "Back in Johann City, I never really got the opportunity to go anywhere. My parents were accidentally killed by the King's guards after the city got cleansed under The Great Purge," He told. Emaia stared surprised. "After that, it was just me. I grew up in the slums until I finally found work at a smithy. I never got around to go explore the kingdom."
"Wow," Emaia breathed and put a sympathetic hand on his arm. "I had no idea. I'm so sorry for your loss."
Dashel smiled a little and looked down. "Thanks. I've gotten over it, but thanks."
"Do you ever miss them?"
He nodded quietly. "I do. I wish they could see what I'm doing—what I'm trying to do."
"If they were alive, I'm sure they would be so proud of you," Emaia smiled and squeezed his arm. "To see their son grow up to fight for what's right."
Dashel let out a small laugh. "Well, that's assuming we succeed. Our luck is faltering."
"We just need to push on," Emaia firmly said. "I'm positive the western people will join us. I can feel it."
"Are ye' two lovebirds done chatting?" Hanke's bickering voice sounded behind them. "We'd like to get a move on."
Both Emaia and Dashel blushed and looked away from each other. Emaia had never seen Dash as anything but a close friend. Hanke's insinuation made it feel awkward. Dash was more like... a brother. A close one.
They got the wagon packed up, and soon they were on the road again.
~*~
The Western Coast looked miserable. The buildings were old and looked like a stiff wind could knock them over. As their group reach the city gates, they worked out their plans.
"We split up in four groups," Hanke told. "We spread to the four corners of the town and check into separate Inn's. If we meet in the town square, close to sunset, we shouldn't be in danger. Are we all set?"
The men nodded and then the groups were divided into four. Dashel and Emaia went together in one group, while Hanke insisted on keeping a close eye on Aide. Aide didn't object, simply rolled his eyes before tagging along. He had pulled his black hood up and kept his cloak covering his shoulders and hands.
Emaia followed Dashel with a group of men to a small Inn, close to The Cold Seas. She hadn't felt completely comfortable by splitting from Aide, but as Dashel had pointed out; "I was a smithy – I know how to work a sword if anybody attacks us."
So they checked in to a small Inn named The Cracked Mill. It was obvious that the Inn used to be a flour mill, but had been restored as an Inn. Emaia paid for the rooms with diamonds from her satchel, which the owner seemed more than grateful to receive as payment.
"Enjoy your stay," He had said and handed them their keys.
"Its so damaged," Dashel spoke as they walked down the hall to their room. "I never would've imagined it to look this bad. It makes Johann City look like a nice holiday getaway."
"It wasn't this bad the last time I was here," Emaia mumbled as they started climbing up the stairs. She glanced out of a window. "The city had much more life. Now it almost looks deserted."
"We'll help them," Dashel said and brought Emaia's eyes back to him. "Don't worry. I think you're right; The western people will join us. Anything is better than this."
They each went to their separate rooms, and Emaia had to admit she slept badly that night. The poverty here was worse than she had thought. She remembered her father's business journey here a few years back, when he had brought her. The town was lively and painted in their signature colors, purple and iron gray. Now the streets were just bleak and looked to be wilting away. Like a ruin where people lived.
We'll change that, Emaia thought and rolled over on her bed, giving another shot at sleeping.
~*~
The next morning, Emaia had never felt so invested in their cause before. She dressed up in breeches and even let her hair hang completely plain and loose. To top it off, she secured her small dagger in her belt.
As she walked out onto the empty streets and looked around, she just wanted to scream to break the silence. People were hiding inside their houses, afraid to get mugged if they stepped out. That was going to change.
She started heading down the deserted streets and saw sad faces looking at her from the corners. Depressed faces.
Emaia finally reached the town square and found a few more people here than the empty streets. A few salesmen sold quilts and warm clothes to brace them against the bitter cold. They all looked like they had given up.
Emaia had had enough. On a bold idea, she stepped up on the ledge of the dried fountain in the center of the square and looked across the dead faces. "People of the west!" She shouted in their native tongue. "Enough of this misery!"
A few heads turned to look at her, while others stopped what they were doing and stared.
Emaia took a deep breath. "You have been wronged! Your land has been neglected and robbed of its glory, and it's not okay! The King is responsible for your suffering," She shouted, strongly. "He took your happy town and turned it into a sad, dying society. He killed you," Emaia noticed a few more people started turning their heads, and they seemed to be actually listening. Of course there were also those who scurried away in fear by the sound of her traitorous words. "He killed your families! He burned down your houses and took your gold! And for what?" She looked down at the people. "For nothing! You gained nothing from his actions, and that makes the King a liar!"
A few people gasped in shock, because nobody spoke loudly against the King. Not unless they had a death wish.
"He promised your better goods," Emaia continued unaffected. A bubble of everything she had ever wanted to say over the course of her entire life was finally bursting. Nobody could stop her. "He promised you riches. He swore that your lives would be better, but take a look around." She gestured to the bleak square. "What do you see? I see a town that's been stripped of its purpose. The Western Coast used to be a town of iron," She shouted. "You forged iron stronger than diamonds and weapons so balanced, you put the King's Royal Weaponry to shame!"
People had now gathered in a mob around the fountain and were looking up at Emaia. Some looked scared, others thoughtful, while a few silently nodded to the things she said.
"I haven't come here today to preach about what has happened and what has been done," Emaia said to those who listened. "I came here today to tell you what can happen and what could be done, with your help!"
Now people listened interested. They wanted a change, it was obvious. Her words and bravery gave them hope.
"Some of you might have heard of us already," Emaia continued, finally getting to the point. "Some of you know that we've traveled around the kingdom to spread our dislike of the way King Ragnar rules his kingdom. We've come to The Western Coast today to spread those same words!"
Emaia paused and glanced out to the people. Her stomach was exploding inside, but her hands were strong. Her voice was steady as she continued. "We want our freedom back! We want to no longer live in fear of what would happen if we stepped out onto streets at night! We want children to have a safe home; We want women to have a voice in society; We want men to be able to say no to the demands the King puts on them!" Emaia took a long pause to glance at each and every face that was looking up at her. "We want equality for all mankind! Children as grownups, men as woman, humans as elves!" She shouted the last part fiercely. "No more judgement, no more hierarchy of society! Freedom and justice for all who wants a better future!"
Some people gasped when she had brought up elves. The word 'elf' was practically taboo in public, but when someone dared to speak it, everybody listened. Whether it was from fear or interest was different from each person.
"I know you are scared," Emaia then softly continued. "You have good reason to be. King Ragnar is a powerful man, but he is only powerful when he is in control," She said and gave them all a strong stare. "If you let him control you, he will win. If you let him scare you, you only feed his power," She continued. "We, the rebellion, are tired of being scared! Tired of being controlled! We've risen against his laws and foul ways to fight for a better world! A world where you don't have to be scared!"
The people were beginning to send glances to each other. It was as if they were talking privately to each other in their thoughts, considering her words and exchanging their opinions.
Emaia continued bravely. "Join us. Help us rise up against Ragnar and create a better world. A King should listen to his people, but if he doesn't listen, we have to make ourselves heard." She held a short pause. "I make no promises like Ragnar. I can't promise we will win. I can't promise that what we fight for will succeed. But we will give it our everything," Emaia said, drawing the last word out to every syllable. "Fight with us! What have you got to lose? We are all living in misery! Wouldn't you rather die fighting for a better world than live in a world where your children will grow up exactly like you have?" She asked. "Join us and fight for yourself! Fight for your town! Fight for your children! Fight for all mankind!"
The people of the town all glared up at her in complete silence. No one uttered a word, not even as much as coughed.
Then, all as a unit, they started clapping. Their applause grew so loud that it nearly Emaia blew off her feet. She couldn't help but grin out to them.
They had listened. They had heard her. They respected her.
Emaia waved out to the crowd as she stepped off the fountain. People came rushing up to her, patted her on her shoulder, thanked her, blessed her. They all wanted to know where to sign up, and Emaia happily told them that if they wanted to join, they were already in. She told them to spread the word to their friends, to their friends' friends, to everyone they knew. She told them if they wanted to hear more, they should meet up in the square tonight, around sunset. With their help, they could defeat Ragnar and start a new world.
~*~
That night, as Emaia met up with the others at the town square, she had never felt so powerful and so alive. Something inside her had exploded that morning. A need to fight, a need for something new. She could still feel the warm, bubbling spark inside her heart as she walked up into the square.
But her happiness was immediately set on a pause when she found Hanke and Aide in a heated discussion, right by the fountain.
"...on't care if ye' think it's ye' responsibility to save people at night! If ye' run around in a mask and hood, ye' sure as hell draw attention!" Hanke shouted into Aide's face.
"Keep yelling all you want," Aide retorted. "I'm not going to stop saving those in need, just because you're afraid I might get caught. I'm here. I'm wearing a hood. I'm denying my true identity," Aide snapped. "But I can't deny people help when someone is screaming for it."
"Guys," Emaia said and broke the cold stare between them. They both turned and looked at her. "What's going on?"
"The elf was out prancing around the town last night," Hanke snarled and glared back Aide. "He's endangering our mission by running around and saving people! What if the word gets around that a mystery savior is out and about saving the lot? It makes people think they're safe! They won't join us then!"
"Hanke!" Emaia snapped. "That's not true! The people are more than willing to join us! They already have!"
"What's that supposed to mean?"
But just then, people starting pouring in from the streets. Their dark shapes carried small candles to light their way, some even brought lanterns. Once they saw Emaia standing there, their faces all lit up.
"What's going on?" Hanke asked confused. He looked around and saw how more and more people started filling the square. "What's happening?"
"Didn't you hear?" Dashel's happy voice came from behind them. He stepped up with a wide grin on his face. "Emaia is their savior!"
"What?" Both Hanke and Emaia exclaimed in unison.
She couldn't believe it. The turnout was more than the people she had addressed in the square earlier. It seemed the people really had listened and spread the word like she told them to; It looked like the entire town had shown up.
Hanke gaped around in astonishment, like he couldn't believe his eyes. "That's... impossible!"
"Look!" A woman exclaimed. "Look at that guy! He looks like the one that saved me last night! Herold, look, I told you he was real!"
"I recognize him, too," Another man said. "He saved me from getting stabbed!"
"Take off your hood," Emaia whispered to Aide and looked up at him.
He rose a brow at her. "Are you sure?"
"Positive."
Aide watched her for a moment before he turned to the crowd. He slowly lifted his hand to his hood and then pulled it down.
The crowd gasped. Someone even screamed. But most of all, people just glared in shock.
"He's an elf," The woman from before said. "A Northern Elf!"
"He saved us," The man from before also said. "An elf saved my life!"
"His name is Aide," Emaia said and stepped up on the fountain again. People looked up at her with big eyes. "He's been saving humans all over the kingdom. He saved me, too. He saved them," She said and pointed to Hanke and Dashel. "And he'll keep on saving people, because he's tired that nobody else is. We all are! The Northern Elves are alive, but you shouldn't fear them! They want a new world as much as we do!"
"I can't believe it," Hanke whispered. He looked completely flabbergasted. "What is this new side of her?"
Emaia smiled down at Hanke, then flicked her eyes to Aide.
His eyes were locked on her, proudness reeking from them. He mouthed something to her, and Emaia read his lips; Fire.
She smiled strongly and turned to the crowd again. "Are you all ready for this? To fight for your right, freedom and future? For justice!"
The crowd cheered and raised their hands, lifting them in dedication. They were ready to fight.
Emaia smiled out to them and then stepped down off the fountain while the crowd kept cheering. Hanke seemed completely speechless with his mouth hanging half open. Dashel was grinning brightly and cheering along with the crowd while Aide just watched her, a little smile tugged onto his lips.
"I told you," He whispered. "You're more valuable than you realize. Fire is a strong element."
Emaia swallowed and couldn't help but smile. A revolution had begun. And she had ignited it.
All because someone told her she had a fire in her soul.
***
There's am important message to learn in this chapter:
Don't ever let someone tell you you can't do something. Whether it be race, religion, gender, age, illness, mental health or disabilities—you can do it. Who you are and where you're from does not define your abilities to succeed; it empowers them.
Remember; "Where there is will, there is way."