The Mountains.
"It's must be hard for you."
Hannibal broke the silence. They were both beating their weapons. Hannibal sharpening his sword, Kie, his hunting knife. He seemed to find more comfort in the knife than a sword.
There were other men of Hanik surrounding them. Both the ladies were not in view.
"Hard for me?"
Kie slowed the pace of his left hand sliding a stone on the steel of the knife pressed to a small cut-out of a rock. He was leaning forward, one leg on the stone, the other on the earth.
"Having to struggle between two women."
Hannibal had explained further. Kie resumed the pace,
"Malisa is just nuts. I can handle her. My only concern is Sam. I hope she don't get the wrong idea."
Hannibal was quiet for a while. Then he spoke again,
"Did she confront you after you arrived with Malisa in such way?"
Kie shook his head. Hannibal nodded in concurrence.
"I knew her to be a wise one. She proba
Same. "Hannibal!!!" Kie called, throwing him the sword which was lying on a flat edge. Hannibal grabbed and did a quick but seasoned dances for a while, chopping off two of the heads of the numerous Got warriors. Hannibal threatened, "You have the freedom to leave at this moment if you don't want more dead. I won't say those words again." His face grim, eyes mean. Beside him was Kie and behind the two, were the remaining men of Hanik. There were now nine. Hanik had returned with few other men earlier that day since those who had a fight with Kie refused to return. But Hanik had left again. He refused to be owned by anyone. Seeing that two of his guards were out, the leader of the warriors of Got burned in rage. He climbed off his brown horse and edged forward. With him were fifty other warriors. The odds was great. "I thought you were wise. You know two well that it's just a matter of time before these nine falls before my fift
The Next Morning."Much of a day yesterday."One of the thirty men of the Got warriors shot suddenly. Kie and his counterparts had their hands tied. Each man with a guard beside him.Last night, they'd passed the night in a tent set by the warriors of Got several metres away from the cave. The gloomy sky had caught up with them before the they could even smell the earth of Got. And they had decided to resume the journey come morning."I bet the king would be so glad to have the heads of these bastards on platters. Especially that shit faced."The guard speaking now had tossed his head in the direction of Hannibal who had his gaze to the front. There was a brief silence for a while.The day was still fragile as the sky was clear. The sun seemed to have several hours to bargain with the rain, about which would be holding a deal.While Kie and his men travelled on foot, the leader of the Got warriors travelled on his horse. Few warriors
Beyond the woods of Got."Isn't that a hut I see on the hill?"One of Hanik's men called at the group. Though the fellow was at the back, yet he wasn't carried away by petty talks like the rest of the group.The group looked in the direction of the elevated mound of large earth the fellow had refered to as a hill. There was a lone hut on it. The hut was in such position that, whoever was standing outside it could see travelers walking through the path few metres off the foot of the hill."Come you. We should be certain about who the dwellers are. It could be some warriors of Got or runaways from Agranah."Kie had explained, calling at the fellow who had called their attention at the hut. Kie to Hannibal said,"Keep an eye on Sam. I can't entrust her to a stranger."He'd sneered at Maka who was riding the same horse with Malisa. Maka scoffed then looked away as Kie and the fellow advanced towards the hut."Keep a reasonable dist
In the woods of Agranah."This will be tenth time I'd be asking you. Where are you taking me to? Where are we going to?"Samantha complained as Kie cut a turn in the undergrowth, and took the fancy of a path with plain track.She caught up with him and grabbed one of his arms. She made him stop."I won't go any further if you won't tell me where you're taking me to. At least I have the right to know."He halted and turned to her. He held her face in his palms and pulled her cheeks with his thumbs. She groaned,"That hurts."He chuckled,"Must you ruin the fun of it? How impatient you are."He grunted. He sighed then dropped his hands."You said you wanted to know what I've been hiding from you right?"There was curiosity eating up her gaze as she nodded."I'm about to show you. So, just do me a favor. Don't say anything, just follow."She stared awkwardly at him for a while then resumed walkin
Same."Go Sam. Go. Keep running. I'll hold them back."Kie had stopped running as soon as he noticed that the chance of losing those guards was quite lean. But Samantha shook her head,"I'm not leaving you here. We can make it."She assured, walking back to him. But he hurried to her and held her face in his palms, his voice picky, eyes serious,"Trust me. Just do as I say. I'll be fine. They are just ten. I'll hold them back."She wanted to argued but he kissed her hot. He dragged out and looked up at her,"For our baby, please."Her countenance fell. She knew she couldn't keep up the argument. She turned from him, her left hand in his as it slowly slid off till the last finger touch.He nodded her on,"Just go.""Your back, she called at him."He turned immediately. Two of the ten Xerxes men had gotten to him."Who are you and where are you going to?"One of the two men asked. But Kie
Same."Nice timing, bitch!!!"Kie stood tall, glaring at the Alan. The Alan was all calm now. Eyes no longer glowed red, her aura accommodating. She just had the usual yellow eyes of an old eagle.Sam walked to his side and slid her right arm into his left,"Don't say that. At least she made up for keeping you waiting by healing you. I was scared, I thought I'd lose you."He turned to her. He noticed her gulp. He held her face in his smeared palms and stroke her cheeks with his thumbs,"I won't die so easily. Not after I know that you carry my baby.""The witch is pregnant?"The Alan spoke for the first time. Sam gulped suddenly, her eyes widening. Kie stepped forward, still holding hands with Sam,"Choose your words with sanity. You don't get to return after several months to say this."Sam pulled him back and stepped forward,"What did you mean? Why did you call me a witch?"The Alan stepped forwar
Africa."Is it a culture for you... to creep on people?"A lady lying on a spread cheetah skin under a large baobab tree next to a waterfall called at the stranger who had just appeared behind her. The lady lying had a crystal clear melanin, well-kept, and spotless skin. Her eyes silver, lips full. She was an extreme meaning of gorgeous. Amanirenas.Her face was to the height of the tree, trailing the leaves and birds that perched on the branches occasionally. One of her knees curled up in a seductive manner as she basked in some splattered rays of the sun guided by the fluttering leaves.The lady standing behind Amanirenas stepped forward to her side, towering over the melanin goddess."I guess you really fit the title you've been burdened with."The strange lady teased and then scoffed."You seem calm even being crept upon by a stranger. How bold of you. And who knows, perhaps you have no idea of who's standing over you?"Ama
Behind a hut on a earthy hill. Woods of Agranah."You don't mean what you're saying, do you Sam?"Kie knelt at her front. She was seated on a wooden stool built by one of the Hanik's men. The hotheaded.He had his palm on her left lap, his eyes keen on eyes which were looking away. Since she didn't give him a reply, he continued,"You can't mean. I know you were under pressure. And we've both had a good sleep on it. Our head is pretty much clear now. You can't possibly mean to kill our child."He chuckled wryly,"I can't even wrap around it. Yesterday felt like I was speaking with a stranger."He took a deep sigh,"I'm not blaming for having the thought. You were not thinking straight. Let's just forget that that happened."She looked suddenly back at him. Her eyes keen, with a scrutiny, like she was trying to dig out an answer."So what are you going to do? Forget that the Alan said that thing. I can't believe th