Sephtis

7. My life in his hands.

I make a coughing sound to alert him of my presence. His head jerks up. His eyes are terrible.

"I can make you herbal medicines, your highness." I sign, "Horiki showed me his secrets so that I may ease your past wife's pain..." My hands slow in their movements as I stare in terror at his face.

"By the gods! Where did you spring from?!" He yells, lashing a hand out in my direction, missing my cheek only by a hairs breathe.

"I have been here the whole time, my king. Your new wife demanded that I catch some fish for your supper, though the night was too far gone. It took me till late in the suns rays to catch them. Then I returned home by way of the forest, along the ancient ones path." As I sign I shuffle backwards, till I am a safe distance from his cold hands.

"So you were here?" He asks coldly "Safe in Merikh's furs, while I was out searching?"

"That is correct, my king. Your new wife knew where I was. She-"

"Do you know what an up-roar you have caused?!" He interrupts me mid-sign. "You have destroyed my rank as King! Because of your stupidity I can no longer hunt or fight, or even lead my warriors into battle! Because of you this thing has come to pass, a thing that leaves me a cripple and a rightful ruler no more. You would do well to continue crawling away from me slave-girl. I should break your wings, if not your neck for this!"

I begin to sign again "I told you, my king, I was fishing. Your new wife-"

"Sign not of her. I lay all of this on you Sephtis. I curse the day I held you at the birthing stone and saw your sea-green eyes for the first time and I didn't smite you there. Fool, fool I was to think you could even have been mightier then the curse that lay foretold in your eyes that day, and everyday since. You have done nothing but bring me the greatest grief, the worst thing that could ever befall a fighting man, let alone a king. I would rather the remains of my wings be mounted above a rival chieftains hearth and my head be on a victor's spike then stumble around like a drunkard the rest of my days!"

"It will only be for the span of a few moons my king. Men have broken foot and limb before, and walked."

"Walked, yes! But stood and fought like champions, never! Oh, Slave-girl, you seem to forget I am wingless. You do not know what you have done to me."

"I have done nothing my king, I only did what I was told-"

"Be still! Your very presence bedevils me. Go! Leave my house!"

Turning to flee I am confronted at the great door by Horiki, his medical instruments wrapped in blood-stained hide. Morag stands behind him with Taaroko, the village's priest and four strong warriors to hold the King down. Smiling smugly, Morag glances at me and I turn and run away. I get in my small canoe, throwing the cursed fishing things into another boat and paddle across to the forest side. Once I have dragged the canoe into the grasses, I sit at the base of a great tree and look back at the village. The houses crouch in the growing gloom of the approaching night, and the smoke from the dying fires, rising from gaps in the thatched roofs is almost invisible in the ever darkening sky. Behind the village lie our fields of wheat, ripening to a gold that glows heartily in the dark. After one more full moon it will be time for the great harvest, time for joyful work in the only daylight hours our kind should ever have to be present in, working through the hot summer days and feasting through the cool nights. But now the fields wait in silence, and the air is bitterly cool, shivering I wrap my arms around my legs. My summer shift is woven much finer then my winter robes, and my outer limbs are bare. I wish I had had the hindsight to grab a cloak.

Suddenly a male fairy screams. Again and again he screams, and I hear Horiki yelling at his aides to hold him still. I get up, unable to bare it no longer and I run further into the forest. I run and run, until I can no longer hear Droug's agony, and then I fall against a tree, breathing painfully as I begin to shred its bark, my mind in turmoil, and my heart dying.