PreviousYou fall to your knees, out of surprise and out of reverence. You bow your head and close your eyes.
"Arise little god." You stand, but keep your head bowed. You open your eyes but keep them down, the light blinds you. Glimiki turns to the women, gathered around Ningal, still mourning, now in silence. "Hmm, your anger is acceptable."
"My lord, forgive me for asking, but why are you here?"
"I thought I smelled my daughter and I was curious to find you instead. So I watched." You keep silent. The god's words and voice have no feeling in them, you cannot tell what he thinks. "My daughter has given you a token then?" You nod. "That is well." There is silence, you can feel his gaze on your lowered head. "You know you should exercise greater control. I was here this time - but going beyond your bounds...be more careful."
"Yes my lord. I...lost my head."
"You have given Reality a great strain, I recommend you do not agitate her further...or you will endanger us all."
"Yes my lord."
"Normally, I would punish such outbursts-" You wince "-but I think what will follow here will be punishment enough. Look to your people little god, now they fear you. Fear is a different thing than love, fear is not far from desperation."
"Yes, my lord."
"I shall keep an eye on you little god, for you amuse me." You wait until the light vanishes and you can raise your head. You look to the sweating terrified faces of the women and a pit begins to grow from the bottom of your stomach. You decide to leave here and return to Eve.
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"Finally awake?" Eve's hand flashes to her dagger, but finds nothing. Several stabs of pain arise from the movement. "Woah there, relax Abel. You're fine. You're fine. The battle's over." Eve's eyes come into focus. Its Suha. Shes in one of the tents for the wounded. Several other men lie in scattered cots. Some of them are dead. Some of them are screaming.
"What happened?" Her voice is too light. "What happened?" The mask comes on. "Did we...win?"
"Not yet. Not the war at any rate. But the battle went to us."
"What time is it?"
"Its night. Gezaru was here for a while but they called him in. He's the one who found you."
"Gezaru?"
"That's right. He even dressed your wounds. You should thank him when you can, who knows what might've happened if he hadn't found you. You could've been trampled."
"I was fighting one of theirs...I can't remember his name. From Neveh, he said. I took his head...where is Gezaru?"
"He's with the others. You might not believe it, but it was thanks to him the battle turned in our favor."
"Because of Gezaru?" She bolts up in surprise then falls from the pain.
"Heh. Yeah. You should've seen him - he saw an opening in their right flank, maneuvered us across the entire battlefield, penetrated the opening and put their entire right flank into disarray. Their whole formation collapsed and General Ilkid was able to destroy their center. They won't be fighting for the rest of this week. Gezaru's being honored and promoted for his daring. They've even given him a seat at the planning table." Eve listens to the whole tale with raised eyebrows. Then something occurs to her and it sinks her stomach.
"You said Gezaru dressed my wounds?"
"Yes, that's right."
"Here?"
"No - well I think he changed your bandages. But he bandaged you as soon as he found you, in the midst of battle." Eve fingers crawl to the wound on her side, she feels the cloth wrapped around her stomach. An inaccessible place, with clothing on...she then notices she is wearing different clothing and it settles the matter. She turns white. "What's wrong? You look pale. Are you bleeding?" He comes forward to check Eve.
"No. No. Just...a little tired." She waves him back. He sits back down on the chair by the cot.
"Well alright. I'm here if you need anything." And he leans back in the chair. Eve closes her eyes and tries to reason herself out of the situation, but the logic is inescapable. Gezaru dressed her wounds and her clothes are different.
You arrive early in the morning. Suha is snoring in his chair and Eve is wide awake, pretending to sleep. She is praying to you, for the safety of her Mother and for herself. She is praying for her continued victory. She is praying in thanks. And she is praying that Gezaru did not realize who she is and what she is...though the cold logic of cause and consequence, had already settled the matter in her mind.
WDYD?
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