Dancing Flames of Zypath

Chapter V - Changing of Courses

Two whole years have passed. Umier wipes the sweat on his neck and forehead. "This is very difficult work and very cumbersome."

"Just do it otherwise you'll become a captive forever." Umier with dark bags under his eyes sighs in hopelessness. "I've been stuck here for two years..." he dropped the sack on the ground as he felt a throbbing ache in his chest. "...I guess I'll remain here forever."

The other offender, who is seated next to him, is gazing up at the clear sky over the Gracen fields. Both of their eyes met, "Two years is not forever, and besides, your daughter is waiting for you—isn't she?" The other offender felt sorry for him. Even though he is a convict himself, he never really imagined that he would feel sorry for a man like him.

"I'm not sure..." Umier looked towards the fields where Ziriis (Zypathiis that belong in the lower class; farmers, fishermen, etc.) are occupied in the sowing and plantation of crops. Children playing near the lake and the giant tree 'Habaya'. A mythical tree in Zypath that is believed to have grown really big was sanctified by the teardrops of their Goddess when she shed tears after her lover died. "I miss her...but it seems too impossible to get out of here." he looked at the eyes of his fellow felon and gave him a smirk. 'You'll never understand such anguish.' he thought.

"I had a daughter once too."

Umier stopped in his tracks. 'He never mentioned it to me...' as he slowly looked at him, he had never seen in his life the face of a father so gloomy longing for his child for years, ever. 'Had?'

"Had?" mystified since he had assumed that he and his daughter were in a similar father-daughter relationship. "Did she-"

"Died."

Umier stuttered. He felt guilty for assuming. Some people really live the same lives as others.

"I'm sorry...I didn't know."

"It's alright. I know."

The man accidentally guilt-tripped Umier, raised his sack again, and walked by him. "Come on, don't be such a wimp." He couldn't stand to think that he would never again see his daughter. He had a once-in-a-lifetime dream of meeting the Zypathis, but he had no idea he would find himself in this situation.

"You can put those sacks here." a woman with bob hair called to them. She gave them each two pieces of bread stuffed with grape marmalade. "It's a delicacy here. marmalades."

The man named Benjie, Umier's fellow felon, teasingly smiles at the woman in front of them. "Are you perhaps a delicacy too?" he bursts into laughter as he nudges Umier's shoulders. "If you are, would you bother for a taste?"

The woman felt disgusted and so did Umier. He embarrassingly scratched the back of his head, said his apologies, and went away. "You're gonna get us in more trouble."

"Oh, you apologized. Thanks by the way." he nudged his elbows again but he avoided it.

"But she's beautiful, isn't she? You don't get to see beauty like that in every land you voyage."

"I know, and you don't get to live another life after you die. So, rethink, please." Umier annoyingly stuffed the remaining piece of bread in his mouth and gulped it at once.

_____________

Fortress of Zypathi Nobles

"That mortal man has been here since the birth of your nephew." The chief addresses again.

Aaliyah glanced at her father while eating grapes in a high chair. "And he's doing great! He helps in the fields and he follows the rules. Nothing heavy really, Father."

Her father sighs in disbelief. "Bringing a mortal here and holding him captive is not a 'nothing' situation, daughter." His tone was tinged with sarcasm. There are times when her true colors show, Aaliyah, his eldest. The next in line to Chief of the Zypath is but a curious little girl inside wanting to wander in the outside world.

"Keeping him captive will not change anything, my dear." Her mother appeared out of nowhere and took the bowl of grapes from her hands. "You've really grown to be a curious lady. aren't you?"

"I'm still eating, mum." a slight annoyance in her voice. 'Here we go again, arguing with me in a very early morning.' "And for your information, mother, father, he knows about us and he knows about the outside world. Trust me, I know just what to do with him."

After finishing his meal, her father stood up. "I know just what to do with him too, daughter. We'll have him put to death."

"What?!" Aaliyah shrieked in shock. "Are you mocking me?"

"I'm not." The Chief in a mocking tone, gallantly smiles and walks away. "I'm simply doing what is right for the good of our clan."

The lady still in disbelief slammed her hands on the table and turned to her mother. "Mum?!"

"What?" her mother merely shrugged her shoulders and continued to eat.

'What parent would make fun of a daughter who has noble goals for the well-being of the land? I am made fun of by people who are inferior to me even though I am the Chief's daughter. When will this embarrassment be gone?!' Her steps are heavy, from slow to fast-paced, she spread her wings and flew to the fields of Gracen.

___________

Umier felt a gust of wind while relaxing under the shade of a tree. The past few months with her were never easy, and when he opened his eyes, there she was 'Aaliyah.' She is blunt yet also stubborn. Every time she speaks to him, her outspoken personality overrules.

"Captive" she calls.

The man knows he should not display any tiredness when conversing with her or else she'll force him to open his mouth for a whole day. "You've come, again."

"Father is going to kill you." Well, that was straightforward, perhaps a little bit too straightforward. 'She came to tell me this?' "I-I don't know what to say, I-"

"I will not let that happen." He listened to her for a little longer, but in reality, he was dumbfounded at that particular moment. His thoughts are simply a torrent of memories of his daughters. He was only able to focus on his daughter.

"That is the plan."

Umier was confused, she was already done talking and he hadn't heard any of it. "Oh my, I wasn't listening, I was only thinking of my daughter.'

"I know this is a very dangerous plan, but please bear with me—I definitely need some help." The puzzled man couldn't process the words coming out of her mouth. It was strange. 'Help?' She needs my help?'

"I'm sorry but-- you need my help?" he asks.

Aaliyah sighs in defeat."Yes."