Cimmerian

VI

November 19th, 2032

    It's been almost a month since my aided escape from Haydian and the rest of the cimmerians. Living among my own kind solely for the first time in my entire life seemed.... freeing? I guess the thought of global slavery had done something to the human race, raised a sort of unified rebellion and peace among the people. My first week with the "Rebels" had been seemingly difficult to say the least, they looked at me with suspicion, hushed whispers could be heard. Some even spoke in there native tongue so I couldn't understand what was being said. Haydian had made it appoint during my time in training that I learn other languages 'to always know what's being said around you,' control freak that he is I now perfectly understood his reasonings for that. I scowled at the thought even to date. I hated not knowing what was being said, and the hushed hushed voices and glances my way. It was annoying and I had the foulest mood do to it.        
    Tristan Blane, as he had introduced himself turned out to be more than 'just another rebel' he was in fact the leader of this small group. My first full day with the new group he filled me in on small but not really enough details to get what they were trying to achieve. I suppose even he didn't seem to trust me all that much, no matter how fatherly he had begun to act towards me. Apparently the 'Rebels' were just a small group of the remaining humans who hadn't been captured. I don't know the total number or how many people we are talking about here but he did say that each division went by different code names in different areas. The 'Rebels' took care of sectors one through five, in total there were 200 sectors the Cimmerians had set up. He then went on explaining that each Sector varied by use. Some were camps, some towns such as the one I had just previously been in. The goal of the "Otium Coitio," or the whole group in its entirety that was started by my father and mother. I didn't say anything when he mentioned my parents names, or anything when he mentioned how he had saw Haydian kill both my father and my mother. That night I slept under the stars on top of the rocks, on what I had now found out was the island of what used to be Scotland. I had let myself drift into sleep with tears going down my face.
   Two days later and I was tending to some of the horses that we would be riding to the small encampment in which the 'Rebels' were meeting another group of the alliance. Tristian had asked if I knew how to do anything useful. I took offense to it at first but had then remember that they all believed me to be this little pet of Haydain's. I had informed him that I could indeed cook, clean, mend wounds, tend to animals, and garden; all of which were things Haydian's mother Elisè told me I must know as a lady. So that's how I found myself tending to the horses on such a bright lovely day. It's also the first time I noticed the men that were standing guard by the opening in the trees keeping a close eye on me. I had rolled my eyes thinking that Tristian really must not trust me. The sound of leaves rustling broke my train of though as I was brushing one of the mares.
    "Are you used to being watched or is it as annoying it looks," a very deep southern voice asked from behind me. I turned and was surprised to see the boy from the beach so long ago that had been hiding in the edge of the trees under the bushes. His hair was so light it appeared almost as if it was made of rays of light itself and it shined in the moonlight. How had Haidyan not seen him that night. His head alone is enough to stop traffic. I guess I was staring for quite awhile, because the boy grabbed the neckline of his shirt and pulled a little in what looked like a nervous jester.
   "I'm Charles Tex, but my friends just call me Charlie," he said with a wide toothy grin, extending a hand out to me. This was the first person besides Tristian to come up and talk to me since I arrived here with my rescuers.
    "Aliya—— I mean Ally," I started to say the name Haidyan had gave me but wound up blushing last minute in embarrassment before I shortened it like Tristian  suggested.  The boy, Charlie looked really surprised.
   "Ahhhh, the princess does actually speak, and here I thought everyone was gonna be right and you were just gonna ignore me or somethin'" he said while he awkwardly ran his hand through his hair. I felt a little offended by his remark but he seemed genuinely surprised. I turned back to the horse.
   "No one ever spoke to me before, or tried." I simply stated going around the mare to examine my work. Her coat looked perfect and wasn't matted to her sides anymore. He seemed caught off again by my words. His face turned red and he bit one of his cheeks a bit making the sides go in showing that he would have high cheekbones when he was older. A voice that didn't match the body yet, human puberty was an odd little thing to me.
   "I—I—-I didn't mean to upset you, you know how we are we just don't—-"
  "Understand things that are different from you or people who are different? That's what got us into this mess in the first place right?" I couldn't help but finishing for him harshly. He suddenly looked angry, furious even.
   "You only know what his royal assholeness wants you to know. War. War is what got us into this mess but what's funny is your partially right with your first statement but WE weren't even apart of this war it got BROUGHT TO US!!" He finished screaming the last bit into my face. His face completely flushed with whatever feeling he was currently going through. A couple of the people of the encampment looked up from what they were doing wondering what the children could be yelling at I presume. I rolled my eyes to myself before turning fully towards the boy.
"You're right I only know what Haidyan had me taught, but how is any of that my fault when my own race looks at me with disgust." I half screamed back in his face, causing him to jump back in surprise at my words and at my anger. His eyes were wide and that when I noticed he wasn't looking at my face but at my arm. Looking down I saw the faint scar burning that otherworldly color. Panic rose through me, thinking that yet again I've let my emotions get the better of me when I shouldn't have. I quickly put my arm behind my back. Looking down at my feet ashamed.
"Did..... did he do that to you?" Charlie asked in the quietest voice I barely even heard him. Looking back up at the boy, I let out a gasp. He was crying. Why? Why is he crying?? Before I could even answer I was engulfed in his arms as he shook with sobs. "I'm sorry.... I'm so sorry.... I didn't.... I didn't know...." he was going on and on. The men that had been watching at the clearing slowly began to walk our way. Charlie stiffened at the sound of the crunching leaves. Looking back towards my glowing arm.
"Charles, lad, anything wrong here with the little coigreach?" One of the gruffest of the two asked in a very jumbled English. I stiffened at the last word not knowing it's meaning or if it was meant as an insult.
"No... nothing wrong here Liam, I just let my emotions get the best of me." Charlie said backing away from me but keeping himself in front of me, almost as a source of protection. Liam didn't seem to appeases by his words. That or he could definitely tell something was up.
"You sure lad, I hate to leave you all alone with the coigreach if there was something troubling a foot. Did she tell you something? Let on about something that could be—" Liam started.
"No, nothing of that sort. I just got happy, everyone including you said she probably wouldn't speak. Let alone give any of us the time of day, and hell yah no how it is being a teenager. I couldn't help myself when I saw a pretty lady, and just my emotions got the better of me." Charlie said while doing his nervous little hair shuffle, his whole face flaming red. The brute Liam began to laugh, coming up to Charlie and slapping him on the back. The other just stood there completely on guard.
"Aye ladie, I haven't forgotten what it was like to be young. Now don' ya have some choirs that need tending too. Even a lass as bonny as the coigreach isn'a worth bein lose on you're end." Liam scolded Charlie slightly, more with a fatherly tone.
     Charlie blushes red and turned back to me shrugging and waving awkwardly, turning back to the men ahead of him they all walked away slowly leaving me back to my sweet solitude. I turned back towards the mare. Her and the other horses were now properly taken care of and it seemed I didn't have much left to do here. So with that in mind I took to exploring the surrounding area.
   It had been awhile since I got to bathe properly so maybe I could find a stream or something and just rinse off in. The water was far to cold this time of year to actually bathe in but if I found a sustainable source I could at least clean off the dirt, and horse.
    I began to wander through the forest keeping in mind distinct junctures and things I'd be able to remember to get back to the group. God forbid they realized I'd gone on a mere walk, they'd probably be more suspicious towards me. Just the thought actually brought a small laugh from me, it's so annoying, like Charlie has said. This whole situation is quite frankly annoying. The forest around me was dense and over grown, but in an almost magical fashion. Nature itself was undisturbed. Deer were frolicking about and seemed to have no fear towards me at all. Animals were scurrying about, wildlife itself thriving.
   I heard the water before I found it just a small stream but it was glorious in its simplicity. A sigh escaped my lips and I ripped a small portion off the bottom of my dress that I had yet to change. No other clothes, no other option I suppose. Frowning down at the small piece of what little clothing I already had I began to strip the rest. Sinking the small portion in the water I began to clean myself until I was completely satisfied.
    I had just finished redressing into my ruined dress when I felt it. The wind shifted and I knew.  There was no sound, no movement, nothing. Just the quiet for awhile and oh how I wish it wasn't so quiet. The burn began around the mark on my neck. I didn't turn I wouldn't.
   "Alyian." Haydian's hardened voice said from behind me. I could feel the venom the anger in each letter of my name. It took every bit of me not to turn around yet again. "Do you really think it's that easy?" He continued on I heard him moving towards me.  I was shaking I knew that, my arm burned it was like it was on fire. He stoped moving. Saying something else under his breath.
  "Hey Ally, you out here?" I heard Charlie calling. Damnit they must have came looking for me.
  "Ally, where you at sweetie? Look if someone was rude to you just come out and tell me about it ok??" I heard Tristan calling. I finally turned them. Haydian looked livid.
  "Ally?" Haydian cocked an eyebrow at me with his eyes a flame. "Who the hell is Ally?" He seethed coming closer to me grabbing me by my chin and tilting my face so I was finally looking him dead in the eye. "I don't know who the fuck, this 'Ally' is but never forget Alyian," he stopped and leaned into my ear whispering "You're mine..." before disappearing right in my arms. I fell to the ground. I didn't hear Charlie as I guess he finally found me. I don't know how long I sat there with my arm burning so badly. I don't know who put the jacket on me or when Charlie called for help. All I could hear was Haydian saying "You're mine" over and over again in my head. I knew now that no matter what I'd never escape him.