Phoenix: The Rebirth

Death Looming

It Is Not Over Until You Say It Is

“You!” Sara yelled in shock as she opened the door. Her eyes widened in shock.

“So, it’s been a long period since I last saw you. What are you doing here?” Sara added trying to be polite.

“Mother!” Davina ran to the door, holding her mother by her hand. She rolled her eyes in disgust on sighting who the visitor is.

“Can I come in?” He questioned.

“Of course, you can” She faked a smile.

“I came here because…..”

“Oh, come in, have a seat, we can discuss this over tea. Are you here to see my husband?” Sara questioned with fears emanating from her eyes. She tried to conceal it by looking elsewhere when she was practically looking at nothing.

“Not at all. I am here because…….”

“What tea would you like to have; Ginger tea, Hibiscus tea, or Ginseng tea?” Sara asked politely.

“I am fine. I didn’t come here for tea, I came for an important matter. I came concerning..”

“Of course, you definitely will have tea” She smiled. “Davina, go make some tea” She turned to Davina.

“But mother, you don’t allow me to do these things, you asked me not to go to the kitchen for any sort of cooking without supervision” Davina looked confused.

“Well, now things have changed. In a couple of years, you will be getting married”

“Mother! I am just six years of age!” She started in confusion.

“Just go. You could go in instead. Forget about the tea, go in” Sara instructed angrily.

“Mother!” Davina tried to object.

“Are you going to argue with your mother?” Sara squeezed her face. Davina nodded negatively and walked in, making sure to lock the door as her mother had instructed but also making sure to make it easy for her to eavesdrop.

“I came here cause of Davina. Jeremy had come to….”

“No, it’s fine, we aren’t angry. You did the right thing. Even I did not want her to, her father insisted” Sara explained as she crossed her legs.

“Well…”

The doorknob turned and the door pushed open. It was Jeremy. Her heart began to palpitate.

“Xander! What are you doing here?” Jeremy asked, holding a pan in his hand.

“Why are you with a pan? Did you forget to drop it in the stable?” Sara asked with a smile, all she wanted was for Jeremy to go outside again so she could talk to Xavier.

“Oh well, I forgot. I'll do that later” He smiled. He gave a questioning look at Xavier.

“Well, I came to apologize to you. I am very sorry for turning your request down” Xavier pleaded.

“It's alright” Jeremy sighed. Sara heaved a sigh of relief. She wished it ended there as she held her chest. She stretched with a smile on her face and picked up a glass of water on the table.

“Your daughter is a smart woman. She came to my place today with all confidence and boldness, I love everything about her. One of the main skills one must possess in sword fighting is confidence. I would therefore love to tutor her” Xavier announced. Sara hurriedly poured out the water she had drank to the floor. Involuntarily. Xavier and Jeremy turned to look at her.

“Are you alright?” Jeremy questioned.

“Of course, I am. Just…” She couldn’t explain.

“Thank you so much, Xavier, by the way, where is Davina?” He questioned he turned.

“She is in her room” Sara cleared her throat. Her last option was Davina denying to learn from Xavier which she knew was almost impossible.

“Davina!” Jeremy called out.

“Yes, father!” She answered from within and ran as she could to meet her father.

“I have agreed to train you” Xavier smiled at Davina as she approached him.

“Thanks, but no thanks” She bowed courteously, breeding a form of sarcasm.

“What!” Jeremy and Xavier looked at each other in shock. Sara gently turned to the window and smiled widely. She made sure no one could see her.

“Yes, father. He has humiliated me enough” She frowned.

“I am sorry” He pleaded. The smile on Sara's face disappeared as Davina kept quiet. Sara knew Davina was on the verge of making judgments and also appearing at her court to compare and contrast between the brain and heart.

“Okay. So what time do we start tutoring?” She crossed her arms.

“We begin training by dawn every day” He smiled at her.

‘That’s way too early' she wanted to say when he added ‘Punctuality is the key' Goodbye.

“Thank you” She waved at him as she watched him walk of their house..

“It’s tomorrow!” Davina jumped in joy. She was super excited. “Thanks, father” Davina appreciated.

“You went over to his house?” Sara asked in anger.

“Yes, mother” Davina bowed her head.

“Why would you do such?” Sara squeezed Davina's ear.

“I am sorry, mother, I had to make myself clear!” She pleaded.

“Oh please, stop this“ Jeremy released his daughter from his wife’s grip.

“I am sorry mother” Davina pleaded.

“Goodnight, I am off to bed” Sara announced angrily and walked away.

“Goodnight, father” Davina greeted as she walked into her room. It was quite early to go to bed but she had no choice, she had to sleep too.

“Sara, is anything the matter?” Jeremy questioned as he walked into their bedroom. She remained quiet and he could tell that she was really angry as even with the high-temperature rate, she still sealed her body into a bodycon fitted dress.

“Sara” He climbed onto the bed. She remained quiet and didn’t move an inch.

“Sara” He called again as he gently placed his arm on her waist. She shrugged off his hands, almost immediately.

“Sara” He called again.

“Goodnight.” She answered and closed her eyes. Jeremy sighed as he just could not understand what else to do.

“Leave me alone!” Davina called as she ran into the woods. She had no idea where she was or what she was doing there, all she wanted was to escape from the man who was after her.

“Come to me, I am not evil” The voice whispered to her. She turned back and as much she could recollect, she didn’t hear footsteps from whoever it was neither did she see him run. She ran with all her might but still could escape as the faster she ran, the more she could feel him near her.

“Get away from her” She suddenly heard a voice, she turned around and saw another man standing between her and the first man.

“She isn't worth you. I am” She heard the voice answer and suddenly, it felt like it was a woman instead of a man.

“Stay away from her” The man frowned.

“I will kill her!” The first voice yelled angrily and charged towards Davina.

“No!” Davina screamed aloud as the first voice raised a knife to kill her.

“Davina, Davina, Davina!” Sara tapped Davina as she was terrified by her screams. Sara had heard Davina scream in her room.

“Mother!” She stood up in shock and hugged her mother.

“It’s just a nightmare” Her mother stroked her hair as she tried to make her fall asleep.

“Mother, I don’t want to die” She sobbed gently.

“Of course my child, you won’t die” Her mother hugged her tighter, and sooner than Sara expected, Davina was asleep. Sara gently placed Davina on the bed and walked out gently. She did not want to disturb the little girl who was already sleeping.

“Wakie wakie!” Jeremy announced as he patted Davina lightly.

“Can I get a little more sleep?” She muttered as she turned lazily on her bed.

“No more sleep Davina, you would be late” He reminded. She remained quiet as it seems she had traveled to the dreamland once more.

“Davina!” He shook her gently.

“Father, give me a little time” She stretched lazily.

“Get up, did you forget Xavier's training commences today?” He questioned.

“Oh!” She jumped up quickly.

“Morning father” Davina rubbed her eyes.

“Morning Davina” He smiled back. “Get prepared so you don’t arrive there late. Today is your first time, you should not go late today” He advised

“Okay, father” She ran into the bathroom quickly. She got herself prepared. She smiled to herself as she felt it was like a dream come true. She had always wanted to train like a real warrior. She was happy she was going to finally learn and live out her dream.

Giving herself a satisfying look, she walked up to the kitchen. As expected, her mother was already showing her cooking prowess as the whole house was scented with the aroma coming from her mother’s food. Davina inhaled it but she couldn’t wait to taste it as she didn’t want to be late.

“Davina, won’t you have breakfast before leaving?” Her mother questioned as she watched Davina proceeding to leave

“Morning mom, I would by the time I am back” She smiled.

“No. You will have your breakfast now. When you return, I shall make your lunch”

“Let her go, Sara, she should not be late on her first day” Jeremy appeared from nowhere. Like he was summoned. Just like a genie.

“Thanks, father” Davina smiled.

“Jeremy…” Sara turned in anger to Jeremy. He could see the fear in her eyes. The fear she was trying to hide.

“She will be fine” He hugged his wife. He knew she was so scared. Davina was still a young lad after all.

Davina walked excitedly to Xavier’s place. Imaginations began to play in her head, she just could not imagine how it was going to be as different thoughts crossed her mind. She could not tell if she would be accepted by the boys or not as she was going to be the only girl and also the youngest amongst them. She was strong, she comforted herself. If no one was going to be there for her, she definitely would stand up for herself.

Davina was lost in thoughts that she didn’t realize she had arrived at Xavier’s place until she was greeted by a cold voice.

“What do you want?” The young boy whose voice was rather too masculine for him asked.

“Well, I am here to learn” She smiled excitedly as she tried to go in.

“Stop” The young boy stopped her.

“How old are you?” He questioned.

“I am 6 years of age" She replied losing her patience

“I am sorry, my father does not train girls and children” He frowned.

“Maybe he doesn’t but I am an exception. He left our house yesterday and informed me about the training today” She was beginning to get angry.

“You lie” He smirked. “Father does not teach girls and young babes like you, now go back home to your mother. You still need to be breastfed” He laughed at his words.

“Excuse me?”.She questioned angrily.

“You heard me quite alright “ He crossed his arms. He was a little taller than her as he was also older than her.

“Just leave my way, let me go in” She tried to find a way to go in.

“Did you hear me? I said go home to your mother so you could be breastfed” He smirked.

“Will you leave or not?” She questioned angrily.

“Not” He smiled at her. Unexpectedly, she jumped up and picked some of his tresses, pulling them with all her strength. She pulled with all her strength and with the little energy he was able to garner, he pushed her to the floor.

“What’s going on here?” Xander and some of the other students arrived at the spot. “Davina, come on in” He questioned.

“I wanted to but he is restricting me from doing so” She reported angrily.

“Let her in, she is one of us now” Xander instructed his son.

“But father!” Xander's son objected.

“She is one of us now” Xander introduced again to his students. “She might be a girl and a very young one, she will join us for training” He instructed and walked back in with the students following him behind.

“You smell” Xander's son whispered to her.

“Excuse me?” She questioned.

“You smell of blood. Your blood. Death surrounds you” He whispered before walking in to join his father. Davina gasped in shock.