Rescued: A Nyssara Story

Chapter 31

SARA: Nyssa leads the way to the training room. She's searching for Ra's to inform him of my "grade."

Nyssa seems different somehow. Sometimes I feel like she's becoming more like Ra's. She actually hurt me back there. It was small and something that I could bear, and I don't think my neck will bruise, but it was still scary. She has never been that hostile with me before. She's been fake angry in training, but when we're alone she is usually civil. Now she's going to get me into big trouble with Ra's when she tells him my grade and why I deserve it.

We find him training with Sarab. He dismisses Sarab and walks to us with curiosity in his expression. Nyssa and I kneel to him.

"How did my little bird do?" he asks, waiting for a satisfying answer.

Nyssa stands. "There were many technical aspects in which she needs improvement. Her judgement is slow. I recommend she works on her analytical abilities. Overall, she did alright. I reckon it was a seven out of ten."

"Interesting evaluation. Did you have to interfere at all?"

My heart starts to race.

Nyssa doesn't hesitate to answer. "Not at all. All I had to do was drive to the village."

I am baffled. She didn't tell on me. I thought for sure she would've.

Ra's nods. "Wonderful. Of course I expect a written report. Have it to me by tomorrow."

Nyssa nods. "Of course."

Ra's walks to the door and stops. "You are to give Ta-er al-Sahfer tutoring in analysis and judgement as you have said she needs refining. She will continue with normal lessons with me as she has as well."

"Yes, Ra's" Nyssa says as he exits.

Nyssa watches him leave from the corner of her eye. She turns to me and speaks to me in English.

"Get up," she says sternly.

I stand from my kneel. I whisper, "you didn't tell..."

She walks in closer to me."If I told him that you hesitated, he would've been suspicious. Those who go through the rituals do not hesitate. I would've been found out and punished for interfering with your rituals. I did not lie for you. You should be punished for what you did," she snaps at me in a hushed tone.

I try not to get mad. "I'm sorry."

She sighs. "You will have to kill next time."

"I know."

"You said on the roof top that you wish you were put in the rituals. I can arrange that for you."

I'm shocked. Nyssa risked everything to have me avoid the rituals and now she offers them?

I finally respond. "No. I can do it next time. I promise."

"Well, I am to tutor you. Your preexisting morals cloud your judgement. If you wish to not do the cleansing rituals then you must do self cleansing with meditation. It is a noticeably more difficult route, but not impossible. As you have may have observed, meditation has done wonders for me. I can help you achieve the same harmony within you."

She's so different now. She talks like Ra's and it's unnerving. I just nod slightly.

"Very well. Follow me," she says as she walks out of the room.

I follow her through the halls of the stronghold. We end up at her room. She goes through and leaves me in the hall. She returns with a book in her hand. She hands it to me.

"This is a book that you must read. It is filled with my notes in which you may utilize to your benefit. Read the first 4 chapters. Practice the exercises in your bedchambers tonight. We will meet tomorrow an hour before your lesson with Ra's to go over with the things you've learned."

"You're not going to tutor me for judgement?"

"I will prepare a lesson plan for you. For now, just read."

"One more question. Why are you speaking to me in English all of a sudden?"

"You're still new to Arabic. I wanted you to understand me to the fullest extent. I apologize for coddling you."

"You're not," I say in Arabic.

"Good. I expect good things from you from now on."

"Yes, of course."

"Do you have any other inquiries?"

"Yes, actually....How are you?"

Nyssa stiffens then looks left and right down the halls. She opens her door and pulls me in her room. She closes the door.

"You cannot be talking to me like that. If someone hears you speak as if you have emotions, you will look suspicious."

"I do have emotions. There is no 'as if.' It's called being a human."

Nyssa clenches her jaw. "Your deviance is not as charming as you perceive it to be."

I smile. "So you think I'm at least a little churning?" I joke.

I watch the corner of her mouth twitch as she fights a smile.

"This is not a joke," she says with a hint of melancholy behind her voice.

"The way you're acting is a joke," I say in English.

"It's like you want me to punish you. Why do you push me?" she says angrily.

"Because I still love you."

"Sara, do not ever repeat those words ever again."

"You can't stop me. Even if I don't say it with my mouth, I say it with my eyes with every passing gaze. I say it every time we touch. Don't you feel it?"

Nyssa walks close to me and reaches to my face, but she instead moves my collar down and reveals a light bruise on my neck.

"I did that to you, Sara. Isn't that enough to keep you away from me?"

"You did it on purpose?"

"You need to stop your attraction towards me. I'll do anything to make you stop."

"Say to me with sincerity, that you don't love me. Keep in mind your vow to me to never lie to me."

"You are unbelievable. You need meditation. Read the book and get these silly notions out of your head."

"Stop avoiding."

"Ta-er al-Sahfer!" she snaps back.

"Heiress!"

"Leave my quarters now or face punishment!"

"Not being with you is punishment enough," I mumble.

She sighs slowly as she calms down."Leave this room. Read. Meditate. I am finished with you."

Nyssa opens her door, peeks down the hall, and gestures for me to leave.

"Say you don't love me," I whisper. 

"I am finished with you," she hisses back at me.

She pushes me out of her room. I turn to her as she closes the door in my face.

I smile at her door for a moment, then I turn and leave down the hallway, trying very hard not to show my evident joy and irrevocable feeling of hope.