Pitru looked a bit annoyed when the bird flew up to him and perched on his shoulder.
“You couldn’t have waited five minutes?” he asked.
“Simron, Simron,” the bird cawed.
“What?” asked Ichoi. “A message from Simron?”
“Tell us Red,” Estella asked.
“Simron, Simron,” the bird cawed again.
“Is that all there is?” Chaman asked.
Pitru looked at Red’s leg, but shook his head.
“There’s no note. All we know is that Red’s seen Simron.”
“Grumans,” cawed the bird. “Grumans, Grumans.”
“Anything else?” Estella asked.
The bird coughed and something came out of his beak. Estella caught it and made a face.
“It’s a…note?” she asked, clearly disgusted.
“Woah,” said Pitru, taking it. “Simron must’ve gotten him to eat it because too many Grumans were around. Red does know how to cough up his food sometimes.”
He gave me the note and I unrolled it to reveal the message.
To the thirty-two,
I am risking much sending this message and I only hope it finds you all well. I have been a prisoner in Lubada since I last met with Riglo. I have told the Grumans nothing, but they have guessed that we are gathering at the oasis. They are going to take me to Cancaska and make a demand of you for my return. I know not what they will ask for as of yet, but the Great Spirit has assured me of this. As soon as I have joined you, the King will appear and we only need to follow Him to have victory.
I pray this message finds you safely and that no harm has come to Red. Weep not for me, for I believe I shall be safe until such time they bring me to Cancaska.
The eleven years are almost at a close. The King is Coming!
Simron Jorpang,
Prophet of the Great Spirit and coming King
Everyone held their breath as I read the message. I passed it down to Ichoi as I figured up the information. King wouldn’t come until we got Simron back. Not only that, but the Grumans were going to make some demand for his return.
“We’ll just have to wait,” Ichoi said, looking at the note. “When the Grumans make their demands, the Great Spirit will show us what to do. I have an idea of what they will ask for.”
“Are you sure that’s what they’ll do?” asked Groblar.
“What?” I asked.
“A champion,” Ichoi said. “Often the Grumans will ask an opposing army to send one out to fight one of their soldiers. The one who loses dies…and his army has to surrender.”
“And it’s likely the reason the prophecy included a warrior,” Groblar said. “Although they’ll probably laugh at us for sending out a woman.”
“Let them laugh.”
We turned around and saw Rascaliolia, who was sitting at the far end of the women.
“They do not yet understand…and neither do you,” she said. “It is for me to fight for you…because I am a woman.”
We stared at her as she closed her eyes.
Because of the love for your son know this
He shall be banished away from this land
He’ll grow into a terrible nation
And it shall have a mighty hand
Gruma shall punish you and your brothers
For all shall fall away from me
He shall make your children orphans
As he rises up from the southern sea
But Gruma be warned for you are cursed
Alone shall you go to a desolate place
And only with your own shall rise
Your mighty and terrible race
For the blood of woman in this land
Shall be poison in your veins
And this blood shall rise from Roscha
To punish you once again
And then your race will be no more
And you will finally see
And you will wish that you had been
Always faithful to me.
“The blood of…women?” Benjon asked nervously.
He looked at Bichon, who gave a sigh and nodded. Estella bit her lip and turned to Rascaliolia.
“Our blood…is poison to them. It is why they would die…when they took the women in Welvale.”
“But who is Roscha?” asked Pitru.
“One of Cardua’s sons,” Samoscian said. “The youngest of five of them. It was he who informed Cardua of Gruma’s betrayal.”
“Are you descended from him?” Ichoi asked.
“I am not,” Samoscian said, shaking his head. “The royal line came from Sosca, who was the eldest. Roscha’s descendants settled around the Yuman Bay.”
“Which is where we found you,” Fil said to the warrior.
Rascaliolia gave a nod.
“Because I am the last of Roscha’s line. I am to fight the Gruman champion and bring Gruma’s curse back upon his people.”
“How exactly?” Benjon asked rather nervously.
She gave a sly smile.
“Fear not, my friend. It will not be the way it was used against them before.”
YOU ARE READING
The Account of the Brides
AventuraBec is finally getting educated due to the Gruman occupation. But she realizes it's time to escape when she hears about the prisoners in the tower.
