Blood (Epic of the Mediterranean) [Book 1]

Chapter 25

"It is me, my lady", the woman hissed as the two neared the palace boundaries on the back. They weren't guarded, neither were they sturdy. The old brick wall decomposed halfway and entangled among the branches of trees and bushes.

"Who?" Naya wanted to give the first answer which came to her at the voice which had seemed familiar since the very first time she had heard it. But there was this dread of being wrong which would break her hopes, preventing her from saying it.

"Ziba", the knight removed her veils with ardent force, providing her with a clear look. Ahead of them laid unhinged forests, not a single person to be seen till the further reach. They were all alone.

Naya felt the urge of holding her, kissing her, but her demeanor didn't change. This wasn't the right time to rejoice. Her knight was here, and she knew what came next.

"I brought you something", she tossed to her a sword, her sword, a khanda. Long and double-edged straight blade. Her family name engraved into it. She must have excavated it when she went back to cremate her family.

They moved further deep into the wilderness in the middle of the night. Both of them were competent enough to make their own way, but Naya possessed no knowledge of where they were to be headed. It was easy to get lost in woods, specially at dusk, for all the ways formed an inevitable labyrinth of insecurities.

Yet, Ziba seemed to know just where they were to be, perhaps a pre-defined location. There was a lot which Naya wanted to inquire about, briefly forgetting about the thunderstorm they were trying to outrun.

Movement behind them warned about how they were found out. An array of soldiers covered them, yielding weapons to slice open if needed. Naya's eyebrow arched in irritation. This was unasked for, causing them more time.

Ziba pulled out her blade, singlehandedly taking over them all. She grew up in the midst of a war as an orphan, bidding her life solely on her ability to defeat. They were no comparison to her.

Naya stood back, scanning around warily for more potential attackers. There didn't seem to be any, just the ones which met the eye. The men didn't try to call after their mates for they were still unsure about whether they had the right person. But she had not taken in notice one man who himself was enough to cover for an entire battalion. In the backdrop of dark, it was hard enough as it was, save for a flambeau which lighted up the surroundings. Light failed to reveal his face, for Navud's build was so big as to be considered a background.

The combat was provided an abrupt end. He came from behind, lifting Ziba with her neck into the air, breaking the fight. Her body fidgeted; he wouldn't think twice before snapping her throat. Dread ran over Naya, there was no time for second thoughts. She ran forward forming into a jump.

Naya pulled out her sword for the first time in years, putting all force in a single strike. Releasing his head from the body.

She stood in silence, placing the sword back. Ziba took her stance as the body collapsed lifelessly onto the ground. She knew well what this meant to the mistress.

"Let's get out of here."

As it happened, they weren't alone in the forest. Yakuba watched the fight from the sidelines, too afraid to mingle in between. But instead of the proficient swordsmanship, what caught his fancy was the woman yielding it. A stone which dangled from her neck, shining in its full might under the moonless shadows of black.

***

First rays of the Sun basked into the small cabin deep inside the coppices. Yet they failed to bring the hope of a new day, considering how they were still prisoners to night. The Bactrian palace was way up ahead now, yet could be seen. Imperial army still searching for them and it was only clear that they needed to find a way out of here soon.