PreviousElsewhere...
"Father, you called me?"
"I did indeed, my beloved son. Are you ready for the upcoming council?"
"You need not worry father, I have prepared everything accordingly."
"Excellent. It is well that I can depend upon you Muta, as you know, my interference in these matters..."
"-would be too heavy-handed. I understand perfectly." The great god of grain smiles and nods his wizened head.
"Sometimes I fear you understand too much, Muta. Go and call your mother, I must speak with her." Muta's face, cold and noble, let slip the mask for a few moments at the mention of mother. He frowned ever so slightly. Then the mask came back on. He bowed politely and went away.
"Nabaalu, come to me." A winged man, with cloven feet like a horse's, materialized out of the sunshine.
"My lord, you called?"
"Did you deliver my message to the mortal?"
"I did my lord, Akhentef has agreed to the deal."
"And his wife?"
"Her blood stains the altars."
"Good. Give him my blessing." The winged man bowed, then leaped off into the clouds, vanishing beneath the blue. Muta watched him fly for a few moments, then continued his walk.
"You have a thing for pretty young wives do you? I wonder where it comes from." Muta stopped.
"You are not supposed to be here Azumah. Know your place."
"Yes. Yes. I only came to check upon things."
"Hmph. You doubt my abilities?"
"I doubt your sincerity."
"So long as you deliver what you promised-"
"-and I shall-"
"Then let there be no doubt in your mind."
"And the girl?"
"I had her guardian ensnared from the beginning. No trouble there. What exactly are you planning Azumah? It is unseemly, even for yourself, to break your word."
"Ha! Spoken like a true god. The girl will be safe, of course. As I promised."
"Relying upon semantics? Tut tut, you've lost your touch."
"Well you'd know all about powerlessness wouldn't you? Half-god."
"What did you say?"
"Hmph. I'll leave you to fetch your mother" The last word was intoned with flesh-stripping sarcasm. Muta did not bat an eye, but his hands instinctively made a fist. Azumah vanished into shadow.
"You shall eat those words, one day," Muta muttered.
--------------------------------
"Who is Arlore? I've never heard him."
"He is my God. The God of Rabbits."
"A strange domain." Eve gives him a look. "Uhh-but a noble one, I'm sure."
"He has protected me these many years. My mother too." They walk in silence a while. "Were you really going to kill me?"
"...I don't know. I lost my head. I think-its just...never mind."
"What?"
"Its nothing."
"You can tell me. I'm pretty good at keeping secrets, you know." They share a smile. Then he nods and frowns.
"I don't think I've ever been in control of my own life. Everywhere I go, it seems my life has already been written down on clay. 'This is Suha, this is how was to be, this is what he was to do. He powerless in all that he attempted.'" Eve remembered the sight of her father being cut down, and the smell of burning flesh and being dragged against her will, to the chief's hut.
"I think I know what you mean."
"I wish it were not so, but it seems blood is the thing which determines one's place in the world."
"I think you're wrong."
"Oh?"
"The gods do not see by blood, but by devotion." He laughs loudly.
"Yes. Perhaps I should convert?"
"If you did, you might be able to outrun me once in a while." He does not laugh. She gets worried. He stops. She stops. He holds up a hand for silence. They listen. They hear some chatter. in the distance, the sound of chains and metal armor and the clop of horses. A line of men moving through the woods comes into view. They are well armed, at least ten of them, armored in bronze. The two in front are on horseback, leading the others. Several of them have bows. Behind them, in double-file, are chained men. Prisoners of war. You and Eve watch as one of the prisoners falls to the ground. He has no flesh on him, all bones. He moans for water. One of the soldiers kicks his stomach. Another says something in an unknown tongue. Eve recognizes the language, from her training. They are men of the west, from the harsh desert sands.
"Just leave him. Dead weight anyway." And the soldier presses his foot down on the prisoner's neck.
"Might as well kill him then. Could be trouble you know."
"That's fair." Then one of the soldier's unsheathes his sword and steps forward. Eve tries to rush forward but Suha holds her back. He points to his eyes then far into the distance. Eve focuses her exceptional vision in the direction Suha points, and her heart sinks. These men are only an advanced scouting party. Far behind the prisoners, in the distant hills, are a mass of warriors, so thick, they are like swarming ants. Interspersed among them are enormous 4 footed creatures with long tusks and longer noses.
"Elephants," Eve murmurs in wonder.
WDYD?
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