The Summer Anthology ✔

Story #51- Cursed

Written by user MaraReitsma

The world had already fallen to pieces, so many moons ago. No one was coming to save them, not now. Not after their world had been ravaged by the evil beasts that had done the same to many other worlds. None knew their name but like pests at first, they arrived and then the fighting began, the wars after that, and then the final blow. The sickness that followed in their wake.

That was twenty years ago, on a planet called Kotara, and to this day one could view the horrors that took place, just by taking a walk down what used to be a busy street. Instead it lay in ruin, like so many others surrounding it, just a small section of this now traumatized world, filled with all sorts of rift raft, from all areas of the galaxy.

Within this section the survivors had called Haven, they gathered, huddled about the campfire for warmth, their massive generators and power plants, wiped out in the first wave of the attack. It was hell, but it was life for these people, stuck on a 'dead' planet, at least that was what their captors had labelled it before they left for greater conquests. Those left behind were forced to make do with what was left, and make do they did.

Haven was more of a ' safe haven' now, sheltering hundreds of survivors, huddled together in make shift houses, sitting around fires scattered about, drinking what concoctions had been made to satisfy their cravings. Such was the place Torsha and her Nan had set up shop, peddling their tales of old, and offering readings for the price of a coin or hot meal.

Torsha was a mere eighteen, standing at five foot two inches, with long dark brown hair, she kept braided out of her face. She had hazel eyes with a hint of the moon, her Nan would tell her, and despite having worked as she had for so long, she noticed how the men would stare at her. But having had to fend for herself and 'Old Nan' for coming on a good ten years now, she had learned a few tricks of their 'so-called' trade. Nan was old, so old, Torsha could not remember the years, and her eyesight was failing, but Nan would tell her stories, and Torsha would scour the crowd, taking handouts where she could, or offering their services at parties and the like. On a good day they would both walk away with a hot meal and a place to sleep, and on a better day they'd even find a job worth the coin.

It never rained on Kotara, unless you found yourself in one of the mass forests, and then it did nothing but rain, but this was where Nan had wanted to live out her years, telling her stories to whomever would listen. And so here she was, in the middle of yet another lousy camp, surrounded by the scum of the planet, hoping Old Nan's stories would fall upon willing ears tonight. She loved her stories, had heard them a thousand times, and could do to hear them a thousand more, but she was tired. Tired of the slums, tired of the back water dives and hell holes. Kotara was no place for her kind, no place for someone as gentle as Old Nan, but the woman just wouldn't leave.

Taking a seat by the fire, she listened as Nan started her tale. It was one of her favorites, a tale of two lovers, cursed to spend an eternity in a vicious cycle...

Out there, in the vastness of space, there lies a place known as Kamora. A small majestic planet, no bigger than a planets moon, filled with large green trees and deep purple oceans. Upon this planet, two tribes reigned supreme, their lords of noble birth, leading them to victory. Every night a celebration, like family they were, they would find their wives together, their first born children would be promised to each other, their lands combined. It was to be perfect, until Lord Romas and Lord Tyrain, engaged in a war unlike any other. Yet it was not against an evil from another land, no, it was not like before, as this war was fought with each other, friend against friend.

It is said the two lords had but one woman in their sights, a beauty of the utmost proportion, with long dark hair and honeyed eyes, skin so soft, like silk when you touched it. But she had been promised to Romas, and though he would do anything for his friend, he would not give up his beauty. This infuriated Lord Tyrain, and on the day of Romas' wedding, during his vows to the Lady Adalyn, Lord Tyrain was said to be weeping in his keep, threatening to kill them both.

It was not long before Lord Tyrain took a wife for himself, the Lady Emmatyne, and though she was beautiful in her own way, her golden hair that fell in locks down to her bottom, that ample bosom that called out for you to grab at it, she was not Adalyn. He married her none the less. and within the year their was born to them an heir, a son they had named Arden. A boy with golden blonde hair, just like his mother's, but with the green eyes of his father.

He gloated, and rubbed it in Lord Romas' face. He had an heir, someone to rule his lands when he was gone. Lord Romas wanted to be happy for his friend, but Lord Tyrain would not even speak to him, except to continue gloating, and this angered Lord Romas. And the battles began...

"Excuse me?... Can I get a drink over here?" Someone called over to Torsha, catching her off guard.

"I'm sorry!...What?" She replied, glaring at the man from beneath a mess of her dark hair.

"A drink woman...I need a bloody drink!"

"Then you'll need a bloody bar maid...one of which I am not!" Torsha tried to explain, but the man was either too drunk or too stupid to understand.

"If you're not a bar maid...then perhaps you're a whore?" One of his friends laughed, swinging his ale mug around his head. The fool was dropping more than he was drinking.

"I am not a whore either..."

"Pity!... You'd look good beneath us!" His friend came again with the revolting comments.

"And if I was a whore...there is no way the three of you...could afford me!" Torsha added, moving to another seat. One more suited to her mood, alone and off in a corner.

"Prude!" the third one hollered at her, as they went back to drinking their ale, and Torsha went back to listening to her Nan's tale.

When the Nevelyn was refused, the pact they had made was broken, and a hush fell over the land...

"Dammit!" Torsha let out, she had missed some of it.

Lord Romas was furious! How could his friend betray him like this, over a skirmish with a woman? How could Lord Tyrain have become so vicious? So vile? He wondered. Lady Adalyn was beautiful yes, but her parents had promised her to his, to deny her would be as bad as what had happened the now... He was left with no choice, he would have to defend his daughter's honor, as was their custom. Their short summer of peace had ended, and the wars began all over again, until all either sided with one lord or the other, and both had been named king.

As time went on, and the new prince and princess grew, there came a time when their destinies would entwine, and their forbidden desires would awaken. As if the pact had carried on, regardless of their father's wishes, Prince Arden and the Princess Nevelyn had become closer than ever. When word was found out that their love had flourished, they were locked away from one another, their families preparing for war. But it would not end there...

On the eve of battle, under the rising blood moon, the shamans from each tribe stowed away into the night, and made off with the prince and princess, a lesson needed to be learned. Into the night, and ahead of the of the battle, towards two pillars of stone, the prince bound t one, the princess the other, and they waited for the King's and their armies to arrive...

"I am sorry...But Torsha my sweet...A drink of water please?" Old Nan paused for a moment, leaving everyone hanging by a thread, desperate for more of the tale.

"Of course Nan..." Torsha replied, and hurried away.