A Warrior's Dance

XV – Farewells

All three of them fell silent.

“Wait here,” Azaiah whispered but then Zelle stopped him.

“Let me handle it,” she said.

Azaiah pulled Sanne to himself to support her weight as they waited in the dark cellar. Not long after, they heard a gasp and thud on the ground. Zelle went back to them, as if nothing had happened. Without a word, she took off her black cloak and wrapped it over Sanne’s body. Zelle’s hair was cut short, giving emphasis to her small face.

He led the way out, slowly and carefully blending into the shadow. Thick clouds covered the moon, as if the Sun God decided to help them.

The valkan heir couldn’t explain to himself why he was helping the culprit who killed his uncle Nari. He would be seen as a traitor the moment they learn what he did. But Azaiah seemed not to care anymore, thinking of all the savages their tribe did to other races and places they had conquered and ruined.

 “Aza,” Sanne called out, dragging her feet to walk, using the remaining energy she had. “Why are you helping me out?”

They all ducked under a big tree as they reached the frontline of the forest.

“It’s not just me. Avery wanted to free you.”

“I thought women don’t have a voice in your tribe,” she replied, touched that Lady Avery found her innocent.

“Well, someone told me that we should listen to women’s idea,” he muttered as they walked in haste away from the guards. “So, here I am.”

The moment they reached the heart of the forest, Azaiah trailed as he tried to catch his breath. He helped Sanne to balance herself as his eyes explored her bruised face. He flinched inside, seeing the damage his tribe had done to her. Zelle, on the other hand, gave them space, as she stood aside to act as a lookout.

Azaiah pointed his finger on the other direction. “Follow the path west,” he began, “Avery will be waiting for you with a horse. Just go. Don’t look back.”

Sanne suddenly felt confused. “You’re not going with me? H-How about my father?”

“You can’t see you father, Sanne,” he replied as he swallowed the lump in his throat. He wasn’t really good in explaining things. “He will be charged as a traitor if they found out he talked to you. He’s currently with my father now.”

“What if they kill him?!” she sobbed, once again feeling helpless.

Azaiah held her small face in his hands, hushing her outburst. She was too fragile, too pure, that he was afraid to touch her. “I won’t let them.”

A spark of hope ignited in Sanne’s eyes hearing him say that. “You promise, Azaiah?”

Again, he swallowed. Can he really save her father from his own? No, he wasn’t sure. “Io amalt.”

She frowned at his foreign phrase.

“That means ‘I promise’,” he said with a little smile. “Our tribe once greatly honor our vows. It seems lost now. But I will restore it.”

Sanne wrapped her short arms over his shoulder, tip-toeing to reach him. Her heart ached continuously and she didn’t know how to stop the pain. Maybe it will never stop…

“Go.” Azaiah slowly pushed her, concealing the hurt in his eyes. “You have to go now.”

“Goodbye- “

He raised his hand, cutting her off as he shook his head. “Don’t. We’ll see each other soon.”

With that, Sanne limply ran away from him, letting the shadows chased her. Leaving the only place she knew made her sick but the island she called home couldn’t protect her any longer, not when Valkans were there to hunt her.

They maybe don’t eat children. But they can certainly hurt one.

****

Crickets chirped, owls hooted and bats fluttered as Sanne found her way at the very end of the forest. She had never stepped foot in that part of the island.

Lady Avery smiled sadly at her as she embraced her tightly.

“Ouch,” Sanne flinched at the touch.

The lady let go quickly, concern in her face. “Did they hurt you?”

Sanne’s lips trembled, remembering the torture she had endured. “I didn’t kill your husband, Lady Avery.”

“I know, sweet girl, I know.” She wiped Sanne’s tears and gracefully smoothed her swollen face. “Killing a man is always wrong but I am glad he’s gone,” she whispered.

Sanne blinked her eyes, getting rid of the tears. Now she could see the pain in Lady Avery’s eyes. “I suffered too, San.”

“I know, Lady Avery,” Sanne replied. “I saw.”

Avery’s eyes grew wide.

“I saw how he treated you that night. You told him to stop, that you’re hurting, but he continued anyway,” she said.

Once again, Avery wrapped her arms around the little girl’s body. “Don’t ever let a man do that to you, do you understand?”

Sanne nodded without hesitation. She might be young but in her innocent eyes, what happened to her was wrong. In Barren tribe, women were respected, equal to men.

A rider suddenly appeared, startling them. “Lady, Avery,” the rider greeted. “I got your letter.”

Sanne looked afraid at the stranger.

“Lariza will take you away, San,” Avery muttered to her. “You’re not safe here anymore.” She carried her up to the horse and the rider helped her settled in place.

Looking up to the unknown rider, Sanne noticed her expressive green eyes and full lips, something in her aura made her think she was different. The rider kept her head covered in huge scarf, hiding her hair.

“Lady Avery,” Sanne called out, feeling the intense beating of her heart. “Please let father know where I will be. Please let him know that I didn’t do it.”

“He already knew, Sanne.”

She smiled sadly. “Will I see him again?”

Avery bit her lips as she blinked back her tears. “I am not sure, sweet girl. I am not sure.”

“We have to go, Lady Avery,” the rider chimed in as they heard panicked voices from a distance.

Lady Avery hurriedly went to the bushes, making her way out of the chaos. But a huge net flew the air, catching the chieftain’s daughter. She screamed as she fell on the grass, holding her stomach as if checking her baby.

On the other hand, the moment Lariza started the horse, valkans already reached their spot. They wielded their swords and hammers, chasing them like monsters. A flying dagger was thrown in their direction but Lariza raised and flicked her hand on the air to stop it, shredding it to ashes. Sanne’s eyes grew wide at what she had witnessed.

She tightened her grip on the horse’s hair, afraid she would fall as she watched the valkans neared them. Lariza threw them a strange look as she gestured her hand again, making them stumble down without reason. The horse ran in haste, following the hidden cave at the far end of the forest. The woman ducked her head, avoiding the sharp crystal and whispered something to illuminate the dark cave.

Sanne looked back, her chest still heaving, as reality struck her.  Death seemed following her. Looking ahead of her, she called out to the Sun God to keep her papa safe.

Farewell, father.