Golden Purple

Xana, Annice, And The Rugged Field Of Battle

Xana sat in front of the cabin admiring how Annice trained with the sword, spear and a few other weapons. 'She's a quick learner' she muttered to herself.

It's been twenty years since she was born and she has spent all those years hiding in the dense forests a little far from the mountains.

Xana and Annice have got used to frequent and abrupt change of location, hiding from Uzibel's soldiers who would never stop combing the forests in search for them.

Annice, despite her circumstances, has grown to be a light-hearted woman. She jokes and laughs a lot when jolly but can be worse than fire when triggered or angry.

Xana had done her best, teaching her in the arts of way and magic. She practised every day, using trunks as dummies. She also thought of how to tell Annice about her history and about her mission. After contemplating on how best to start the discussion, fetched some water in a bowl and began walking to the place where she trained.

'Rest, my daughter,' she said, giving the bowl to Annice and continued, 'Drink for you have a big task ahead of you.'

'What task mummy?' Annice asked after gulping a mouthful.

'You are to defeat Uzibel and bring to an end the glory of Ulusk.'

'What? Why?' she asked?

'Because they have decimated your people and have oppressed the nations.

'How do I go about this seeing that I'm just a woman?' Annice retorted, turning away from the seer, looking towards the trees.

'No my daughter, you're not just a woman, you are a child of prophecy, a progeny of the purple blood just like your father.'

'My father?' Anice turned again towards the seer.

'Yes, your father, but fear and unbelief ruined the fulfilment in him.'

At the moment, Annice turned her face again pondering on what the seer had said when her eyes caught the figure of a man pulling a bow with an arrow pointing to the seer.

'Mother!' she screamed and dived into the air and hit the arrow with the sword in her hand.

The seer turned, obviously terrified and confused. Annice has saved her again but it didn't end there.

The six Ulusk army jumped out from their hidings thinking to scare the women and take them away. But they were wrong because Annice cut through them with less effort. She began with the archer, drifted to where he was and before he would know it he was already nursing a stab to his liver. Annice left his body dancing the dance of death and proceeded to the next and ripped his stomach apart. The others, upon seeing what became of their fellows, halted. They then rushed at her thinking to overwhelm her but they were clearly mistaken for she fought like a man, nah, a beast rather. She hacked three men down and the surviving one, sensing his helplessness, rushed at the seer and put his sword across her neck and threatened that he would slit her throat unless the women would go with him but the seer was holding ab small dagger she had hidden in the folds of her skirt. Silently she undid the fold and stabbed the distracted soldier near his left kidney, who paid no attention to the seer but all the time, focused on Annice alone.

'Annie drew close to examine the body of the slain. She stooped and was gazing at his body.

'These are Uzibel's men, they killed your father.'

'My father?' Annice turned to the seer and her anger burned.

'Yes, he fought but in vain to prevent the desecration of your mother's corpse.'

'You're not my mother?'

'No, I'm not your mother. Your mother died while birthing you in a cave at the spring mountains. I had to leave with you because your father couldn't bear the thought of leaving your mother's corpse behind because the Ulusk army would find it out and desecrate it. So he chose to fight, and as it turned out, he died with her.'

The seer was stoic all through the narration but the lady began to sob while tears ran down her cheeks. The seer has, by her narration ignited in Annice, a fresh sense of anger and revenge for Uzibel as well as the sense of urgency for the task of liberating her people.

The seer came closer and embraced her, 'don't cry my daughter, don't cry only fight,' she whispered.

*****

'Your highness, these bodies were found in the forest.' Casdarea announced at the same time doing obeisance.

The king remained quiet,staring at the corpses in the cart while Casdarea continued.

'These were sent to find and bring the purple girl.'

'Who did this?' the king questioned.

'We are yet to find out.' your highness.

'Go get your men ready for after three days we all shall March to the length and breath of the earth to find and fight our adversaries. We will not stop until we've avenged these deaths.' the king vociferated with a voice that shook the outside of the court where they stood.

The men answered a deafening 'yes!' and the king furiously stomped out of the place.

The men proceeded with rejoicing and dancing. They formed circles and chorused war songs. The situation quickly gave way to a heavy drinking party. At the end, some staggered home while many who were too inebriated to find their way home sprawled all over the field But Casdarea returned to the palace.

On the fields, the young Bulchan men were forced to labour twice the usual rate. After the discovery of the bodies of the six Ulusk soldiers, the king commanded that the daily task of each Bulchan captive be doubled. He also increased military presence in the neighbouring nations. From the king to the peasant of Ulusk, there was a quiet but disturbing sense of trepidation in the land. While they prepared for the war ahead, they also beefed up security as well as heightened the torments and oppression of their captives in order to keep them weak and occupied, a way to forestall any revolt.

The night wind blew uneasiness across every mind and not even the king was spared of this assault for even sleep seemed to have left him. He slowly pulled the blanket off him and disentangled his body from the hold of his mistress who cuddled him up in her sleep. Tired of being awake, he climbed down from the bed, careful to not awaken the woman who slept soundly.

He began to stroll in the palace, walking from room to room meditating and whispering to himself. He looked into one of the dark rooms and saw the silhouette of a figure sitting on a stool, looking out through the window.

He quickly found a sword and moved closer to the figure.

'Casdarae,' he called his name when he figured out who it was.

Casdarae jolted and turned surprised to see the king standing behind him at such an hour.

'What has robbed my king of sleep tonight?' he stood up from the stool in reverence to the king.

'Haven't you found another seer yet?' the king asked.

'Not yet, your highness.'

'Even in other nations?'

'We'll search tomorrow.'

The king turned to go but halted.

'What's keeping you awake?' He asked.

'Nightmares, your highness, they cover the heavens like a thick cloud.'

'They are not real, dispel them, you have the power.' the king assured and began to walk out of the room. The captain kept gazing at the king till he was out of sight.

*****

'Listen to me you women, the people of Raoldia will never be a party to your frivolous adventure. Our allegiance is to Uzibel and to him shall it always be' declared one of the elders of Raoldia.

'Will you remain slaves for ever? How long will you allow your wives and children to suffer? How long will you allow your lands to be forcefully taken from you? Right before your eyes, your substance are taken to another land and you will pay allegiance to the man behind your ordeal? Annice's angry voice rang in the ears of all.

'If you have any liberty to offer, your people are in dire of it. Bulchans are more slaves than we are and their argony is unimaginable. Young Bulchan men perish daily. Their women are r***d and dehumanized, are you blind to that?' Another elder Raoldian elder didn't mince words.

'It's about the prophecy, it has to be fulfilled.' Xana tried to remind them.

'What prophecy are you talking about?' One of the elders asked and Xana continued, 'the prophecy of the arrival of the purple child. Annice is the purple princess, she's a daughter of destiny. She only needs your support to…'

'The prophecy you're talking about, is it not a myth?' an elder interrupted the seer.

'Listen to me, men of Raoldia,' Xana began. 'The prophecy was recorded in the parchments of ancient seers. The spirits of the universe cannot lie, oh men of Raoldia.'

There was silence after the seer affimed the verity of the prophecy.

'You will gain our support but on one condition.'

'What condition?' Annice was curious.

'That you…' the man talking halted and looked around the place. He turned again to the unsuspecting women and screamed 'They are here!'

At that, the sounds of footsteps were heard marching close to where the women and the elders were gathered.

'I knew it.' Annice whispered, sensing foul play. She drew her sword and was ready to either strike or defend or do both.

'These are the traitors who are working under dark covers in a bid to overthrow your master and our king, Uzibel.' An elder explained to the leader of the group while pointing at the women.'

'I didn't see that coming,' Xana muttered to herself. She drew closer to Annice and hid behind her.

'Goodnight!' The elders sarcastically greeted the women as the five of them began to walk away from there, into the forests.

'Did we wait all night just to apprehend two women?' one of the soldiers turned to the leader.

'These are not just any women, they can be stronger than an army,' the leader replied.

'An army?' The soldier smirked, 'that's incredulous. Now watch me deal with them.

'Wait!' the captain steamed but before he could finish the word, the soldier ran towards the women pointing his sword against Annice. The rest watched as he attempted to prove his valour but was no match to the strength and skill of the purple princess. She struck his sword with hers and it fell from his hand. Sensing how helpless he was, he tried to make a quick escape but Annice sunk her sword into his heart from his back. She pulled it out almost immediately and the soldier fell, wallowing in his own blood and died.

The rest men upon seeing what became of their fellows charged at Annice. She fearlessly stood her ground, striking and cutting through the men such that in a short time, most of them fell dead while the rest took to their heels.

'I knew that the elders of Raoldia were leeches! Annice blasted as soon as there was serenity.

She cleaned her blood-soaked sword on the body of a dead man and put it back in the scabbard.

'Take this,' she gave one of the dead soldiers' sword to Xana. 'you'll need it.' she said.

Xana was speechless. It was her suggestion that they should make a league with the elders of Raoldia. They agreed and chose a covert area in the forest for the deliberation but who had known that they would even harbour the thought of selling them out to their enemies?

'What next?' The seer asked Annice.

'I am going over tonight!'

'So be it, I'll go with you.'

*****

A woman leaned her quaking body on her staff, standing before the throne. Her eyes were flinty and mysterious. A black hooded robe covered her wizened skin, not even her fingers were exposed. The only exposed part of her body is her face. She stood before Uzibel who wouldn't stop staring at her condescendingly. His army had searched among the nations for a seer. When they found this one, they seized her and brought to Ulusk. They set her before the king but that was after they had instructed her to give a more positive vision, to arouse hope and strengthen the hands of the men of Ulusk.

She began by reprimanding the king.

'Your highness, why have sent your men to forcefully take me away from my people? I would readily answer your I. How could you stoop so low, your highness,'

'I admit my fault. It's because of an urgent matter and hand so I had little or no time for courtesy but if you'll do me a favour and do what I'll ask of you, I promise to give you a gift.'

'Do not attempt to bribe the Oracle with a gift, your highness. I'll do my service, I'll tell you what I see but you must command your men to take me back to my people after we are done.'

'I agree,' the king said, 'go ahead. Tell me what the future holds. What is the reason for these nightmares that have been tormenting both great and small in my kingdom?'

The woman shook her staff and raised her head, looking at the roof of the house. She remained in that trance-like position for a while and then fastened her eyes on the king. She shook her head as her lips moved while speaking.

'The future is not good, your highness.' The seer's words sent chills down many spines and probably the king's too because he readjusted in his throne, taking a more serious position as stared and listened carefully.

'The rot has begun already and sooner than later, the glory of the most exalted mountain will be reduced to dust and ashes.'

'The king stood on his feet and began walking closer to her.

'Where is the purple princess?' he asked the seer.

'She is not far from the palace.' She made obeisance to the king and pleaded to be taken back to Arizona from where she was taken but the king was infuriated by her vision and commanded that she should be locked up in one of the dark rooms in the palace. He commanded that the borders of his kingdom be heavily guarded and that no one should be allowed to come in or leave until further notice.

Casdarea and some other higher officers found a way to rouse the army by assuring them that the prophecy was only a myth and nothing more.

*****

'How do we get in without being noticed?' Xana whispered to Annice.

'We may have to climb the walls, there's no other alternative.' Annice whispered too.

'I cannot climb, my daughter, you may have to go alone. I'll look for some other way.'

The women then embraced and bade goodbye to each other. Xana stood watching the purple princess climb to the top of the wall. She managed to hide among the leaves of tree branches that spread over the wall to the other side.

From the top of the wall, she took a cursory gaze around her, she was able to see the enemy formations, thanks to the moon light. She began to climb down the wall and nearly slipped on two or three occasions. At a point just before her feet touched the ground, she brushed her ankle region against a rough stone. She jumped down immediately. She soothed the place with the palm of the other hand and continued her journey.

She came through the walls close to where her people were held as prisoners. The place was fenced with bamboo and had no roof over it.

She spotted an Ulusk soldier or maybe a taskmaster sitting on a stone, obviously unaware that his enemy was walking stealthily behind him. He kept on struggling to keep his dizzy eyes open until he felt a quick shortcut on his neck which closed them forever.

She pulled the body to a corner and hid it behind a tree and continued in that way until all the guards were dead. She sat under a tree to rest in the semi-darkness.

Soon after, she heard footsteps matching close to where she was. She turned to find two men in a dishevelled appearance walking to where she sat. Their clothes were worn-out and torn in various places. They wore no shoes on their cold and dirty feet.

She drew her sword immediately and asked 'who are you?'

'We are Bulchans.' They both chorused.

'Are you the purple princess?' one of them asked.

'Why are you asking?'

'We saw how you dealt with those guards and also, we have been waiting for the fulfilment of the prophecy, and besides, what woman can overcome a band of men so easily if not the purple princess.'

'I have come for the freedom of my people. Bulcha shall be free!'

'Yes, she shall doubtless be free.' the men echoed and bowed at her feet.

'Go now, untie your brothers and undo their chains. The battle has begun.'

The men turned and obeyed her order without questions. In a short time, all the captives were awakened and free. They took the keys from the bodies of the Ulusk guards and unlocked the chain of every captive. They also collected their weapons and whatever they thought would be useful.

The faces of all captives radiated with joy and hope and an army of determined People were formed. The bravests among them joined Annice and abrupt guerilla attacks were executed all through the night.

The former captives positioned themselves in strategic areas while they waited for morning. The weak among them were left at the prisons, they would come for them later, after the victory was won.

*****

With the sun up in the sky spreading it's radiance all over the earth, the king commanded that the trumpet be blown. The trumpet had no sooner sounded when a man ran to the palace, breaking the news that many of their army lay dead in the streets.

Hearing that, the king with his captain and all men that were with him marched outside but was surprised to see the bodies of soldiers littered everywhere.

'The battle has come to us.' he cried.

Gripping his sword firmly, he led the way. His captain matched along and the men followed with a deafening shout and songs of war.

The Bulchans upon seeing them, came out from their hiding and gathered as one army with Annice taking the lead. They fought a bloody battle which produced casualties on both sides but the side of the king lost more men.

The Bulchan fought until their oppressors took to their heels. Uzibel also upon seeing how Annice slaughtered Casdarea, took to his heels and Annice ran after him.

He kept running until he got to the palace. Once there, he picked a javelin and threw it at Annice but she dodged and it struck a wall stuck there. He drew his sword and stood face to face with Annice.

'What have I got to do with you?' he asked her.

'You swore to annihilate my people, you devil!' she screamed and charged at him. He proved his valour, not just by defending her attacks but by also inflicting a cut on her left arm. The sight of her blood dripping on the floor provoked her the more that her face slowly dissolved to that of a beast. Uzibel faught all he could but was no match. He sustained too many wounds and could not even stand on his feet.

Her visage slowly came back to the Annice that she was. She stooped beside him, looking into his half-closed eyes and asked 'who killed my parents?' Unwilling to give a reply, he tried to pick a sword but Annice was too impatient and struck his heart with the edge of her sword. She watched as life slowly faded from him. She rose and began to walk away, leaving his body on the steps to his throne.

Out of the court, she found Xana with a company of happy people shouting and screaming 'all hail the purple princess!'

'Not only is she purple, she's also golden!' one of the people said loudly.

'That is true,' the people chorused and bowed before her.

She raised her hand and screamed 'a new era has arrived, the prophecy is fulfilled. Our oppressors are gone and we are once again, free!'