"Men are afraid of us."
They are afraid of what we can do. They see a woman and let foul words roll off there tongues with ease. But really in their minds and eyes they are thinking and seeing a women of beauty. A woman of more power than they could ever behold. So they sit on there throne and they make sure to crush us under them. But little do they know that, sooner or later, the day will come when we will topple that throne."
Thousands of women nod their heads' as they listen to Mother Tallis' words. Her scratchy, yet honey like voice echoed and bounced off the wall of the underground cathedral. Each word she bellowed whispered wisdom and withered hope to the hundreds of women who came to hear her sermon.
The rising temperature was making me a little nauseous with all the standing sweaty bodies bumping into me. Every few minutes I bounce back and forth from foot to foot to get feeling back into my ankles. Out of the corner of my eye I see Ulima glaring at me from under the matted white hair that fell in her face.
Ulima anxiously grabs my arm to stop my bouncing, "Ya! Stop that before you upset Ma and wake Lalasa!"
I lean forward a little to see Ma holding little four year old Lalasa in her arms. Her tangled white hair was sticking to her lined forehead because of the sweat, "But its hot in here,"
"You've dealt with it every other time. You can deal with it now." Ulima whispers out of the side of her mouth. She still had my wrist in her firm grip.
"But-,"
"Shh!" The anxious listeners around us turned to say. I could barely make out their faces from the way the cathedral was so dimly lit. I could only see the outline of their dirty feet under their ragged dresses.
Rolling my eyes, I push up against Ulima in order to speak to Ma, "Ya, Ma!-"
"Shh!" The sermon listeners whisper again.
"-I can hold Lalasa if you want me to," I carefully whisper the end of my sentence as I glare at the women around my family.
Ma graciously nods her head and sets little Lalasa into my arms. She kisses my forehead, then leans back to stand tall, no matter how much her back or feet were aching. Her silver white hair gleamed in the dim light but she didn't not dare wipe her sweat away. She stood with an iron fist.
Smiling, I look down at my baby-sister resting in my arms. She sleeps soundly as she holds a old little rusty stuffed bunny.
"......Even though they step on us we must endure it," Mother Tallis' words boomed, "This includes the young ones among us. Sadly, today eight more women will be chosen to do duty work for men....."
A nervous tension spreads through the room.
".....You eight women I speak of are : Malik Vashov, Zherah Colifer, Ara Marzan, Ezra Veel..."
My heart raced faster every time Mother Tallis called out a name. I feel a tug on my freehand. The one that is not holding Lalasa. Its' Ulima squeezing it and I squeeze hers' back.
"......and Alana Mendeil." Ulima and I sighed in relief. "Now let us pray to the Holy Ones-" Mother Tallis' words are cut off by the large wooden door slamming open on the far left side. Soldiers with their thick black heels comes clanking in.
Complete chaos erupts.Women start shoving me every which way as I hold on it tightly to Lalasa. Luckily, Ulima is still holding my hand.
"Ya! Don't let go, okay" Ulima yelled over all the noise.
YOU ARE READING
Steel of a Woman
Fantasi"Men are afraid of us." They are afraid of what we can do. They see a woman and let foul words roll off their tongues with ease. But really in their eyes and eyes they see a woman of beauty. A woman of more power than they could ever behold. So they...
