Sekali, "The Sister City"

 

                                Chapter 21

 

     It was near dusk when Finyat gave a loud verbal warning that they were not alone. Sekali thought that if there was something near, it now knew they were present also. Yet, the fact that Finyat had warned them of a possible danger, before he himself had sighted it, reinforced the thought that he was in better company than he had surmised.
     He heard the dwarf curse and watched him pull free his battle-ax. Finyat pulled a bow slowly from his shoulder and nocked an arrow. Sekali froze and scanned the terrain for any signs of movement. Then he saw what Finyat had seen.
     There in the grasses, down from them, in between two rolling mounds of green, sat a cloaked figure, sitting erect and cross-legged, staring out in the direction of the rising sun. Finyat beheld it as well and began to move toward it in a stalking manner. Sekali immediately grabbed Finyat's shoulder and shook his head. By the Great Flame! Was Finyat going to attack without just cause? He had made a terrible mistake of joining company with them. None should trespass another, save only in defense, or revenge. Finyat seemed to understand, an expression of disappointment crossing his face.
     "Fine!” He yelled at the elf. “You go and talk to him, and I'll watch you get the flesh consumed from your black bones!" Finyat looked over at the dwarf, who nodded.
     "Uther, let's watch the elf try to communicate with our "friend" down yonder.”
Uther scoffed at Sekali as he stood next to Finyat. Sekali stared at both of them and mourned their company.
     "Well elf.” Uther stated as if it were a matter of fact, “Go, and let us see how you do things where you come from."
     Sekali knew the cloaked figure was within hearing range. These two would be dead within a day’s time in the Wastelands. He shook his head despairingly and shrugged.
     He descended the hillside, fully intent on breaking into a jog, bypassing the lone figure, and heading out alone. He was tired of this rabble. But just as he began to turn away, a feeling came over him he could not explain. Nor could he explain why he simply approached this stranger.
As he neared, he cautiously walked to the right side of him, hand near his sword hilt. He froze, still as stone as he caught the first glimpse of the figure’s facial features. An elf; and not Sardakk! The daydream of a tale he had heard came to him: “Long ago, before the Wastelands were as they are now, there were many races of elves that lived together in unity and harmony, much as we live now with each other in these Wasted Lands, our home. But over the ages, greed and lust for power festered within many of their hearts. They lifted up their petitions to be rid of us. They simply wanted us gone.” This was only a small part of what the maggot-skinned elves had done to his people.
     Traitors! Sekali thought as he clenched and ground his teeth. Traitors and thieves! Murderers and liars! The figure made no movement, no sign of offense as Sekali gripped his sword slowly and withdrew it an inch from its sheath. As the sword made that familiar sliding of steel against steel, she turned and looked at him.
     Never, in all his years, had he been in the presence of a female Aldarian. He stared at her, unable to look away. Unwilling to take his eyes from hers, he suspected he was in great danger. He focused upon her, dark eyes squinting suspiciously. Nervously, she spoke in the Human tongue.
     "Why do you draw your blade?"
     Sekali froze as she spoke. Then she smiled at him. For once in his life Sekali was at a loss. He did not know what was to be done with an enemy with a fair demeanor. He simply watched her cautiously as he let go the hilt of his blade. After a few moments, her smile faded, and she again turned toward the western sky, openly admiring the setting of a golden sun.
Sekali relaxed a bit, and then slowly advanced and knelt on the grass out of arm’s reach, ready and waiting, but no longer intent on a confrontation. She glanced over at him briefly and smiled again, the soft gentleness of her eyes taking him in as he studied her for a short while. Unmoving, she continued to watch the setting of the sun. After some time, Sekali arose and turned to leave, but something within him became curious, eager to know more, and so he stayed with her and watched the sun setting.
     When the last golden rays of the sun had passed beyond the hills, there remained a darkening land of green all about them, set alight by an orange glow in the horizon. Silently he caught his breath and was lost in the display of nature before him. His thoughts turned to his home; a land without such scenes, and he longed for his mother and father to share this with him.
     "It is magnificent."
     Sekali nodded in silence, unwilling to take his eyes from the fading scene.
     "From whence do you come, Sardakk?"
     Without thinking, he retorted, "My name is Sekali. I come from the Wastelands."
     The woman raised a hand and drew down the hood of her green, weather-stained cloak. Sekali then stared at her, unable to pull his eyes from hers. She nodded.
     "My name is Mabuhi." Silently she watched the last light of the fading sun in the horizon. When the last of the light had fled into night, she spoke.
     "I come from many wanderings, at long last to claim my forested home." With those last words she fell silent and looked deeply into his eyes, studying them.
     Sekali felt a strange feeling in the presence of this woman. From the time she had taken him into her gaze, he knew she was no danger to him, and certainly not a threat. How he knew this, he could not say; he just knew. As if both elves had been turned to stone, they looked into each other’s eyes, unmoving. If this was a trick to mesmerize him, he did not care, nor did it cross his mind to care.
     It was when Uther and Finyat arrived that they withdraw from each other. The dwarf filled the air with insults, as was his custom, and Finyat filled in the remaining silence with fair words that meant nothing.
     They arose, and Mabuhi greeted Finyat and Uther, cordially sincere and polite to both of them. The Shallant, upon seeing Mabuhi's face, blushed deeply and lowered his head to his boots. As she introduced herself to the dwarf, Uther sneered at her.
     "Do you enjoy a good drink, woman? Or do you merely do as all elves do and tiptoe across the grasslands in search of flowers and fresh air, and other elves to stare at?"
     Mabuhi's smile warmed, her eyes glistening like stars. She shook her head at the dwarf and said nothing. Sekali stared in hatred at the dwarf, wondering how such a fool had survived birth; how his parents had endured him.
     After formally introducing and insulting each other, Sekali asked, "Mabuhi, what did you mean when you said you would claim your forested home?"
     She looked at him a moment, and then shrugged. "I have long since finished my apprenticeship. It is now time for me to become the caretaker of a forest not far from here. This forest will become my permanent home."
     She turned and slowly walked away. Feeling a sudden urge to follow, Sekali set off after her, falling into step beside her and keeping pace, curious to know and see what she was talking about.
     "These lands could be dangerous. I offer myself as an escort, if you will have me."
     She nodded, "I would enjoy your company, sir. But I must be on my way."
The dwarf called out from behind; something vulgar, to which Sekali shot him a dark glance that would have blunted a dagger's edge.
     "I may need someone with a shield. But I do not wish one to be my escort who thinks only of bloodshed; I detest it. Are you willing to make an oath to shed not the blood of another . . . under any circumstance? Can you keep such a promise?" Sekali nodded instantly.
     "I swear to you, Mabuhi, your destination will be surely reached, without my shedding the blood of another. I have spoken."
     Mabuhi looked into Sekali's eyes, as he sharply stared at her, contemplating her decision. He remained prepared for her acceptance or rejection.
     "Then I accept your offer Sekali of the Wastelands. Your friends may come as well, and you shall be my entourage, if they will agree to the same oath which you have bound yourself by."
     The word “friends” stung his pride, biting into his darker side. The thought that these other two could be his friends, exacting any form of loyalty and respect from him, ground at his patience. He bowed to her, falling into step to the right and behind her as she turned and traveled on.
     She had spoken of claiming a forested home. Forest? He began to muse on what she could mean by that, but he did not ask.

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