Prologue
1336 Words
The rains of the middle East belt of the Thembelo Empire poured heavily, bartering the stoney grounds and leafless trees.
The sounds of rushing town flocks'' feet hastened, with the roaring thunder behind the clouds. The wooden doors to small buildings banged shut—horses neighed as they were pulled to their stable by their coaches men.
The wind blew harder, pushing down the cross sign on the top of the church building in a far distance. Terror flushed into the hearts of the townfolks to the bewildering confirmation — the weather was caused by a diabolic presence. They immediately locked their doors in fear of the unknown.
As the storm only worsened in passing seconds; the galloping sounds of horse shoes echoed under the shower.
The couple seated on the galloping horse with the man clutching onto the bridle had a thin soaked fabric hanging over his head and that of the woman behind him.
The woman tightened her arms around her baby. "Faster, Malik! They are getting close".
"Do not worry, Betty. I know a shortcut!" He pulled the bridles to maneuver the equine through the narrowed thorned path.
As he beat the horse even harder, lightning stroke the tree closest to them — the horse leaped in fear, throwing the small family off the its back — sprinting straight into the forest in fright.
Malik looked up, raising his head in the direction of the village they just escaped from.
Despite the distance, he could hear the screams of the unfortunate villagers they had cursed to have come across.
Fire immediately lit a building from afar.
He gasped, hastily pushing himself off the ground. "Betty! Stand up!" He supported his injured wife, limping from his dislocated ankle.
"Ah!" He fell to the ground, grunting. "Betty, I can not run, you will have to go without me".
"What! Do not try to be a hero, Malik!" She tugged her crying baby to her chest, struggling to pull her husband with her other hand
Her hair tied in a messy bun underneath her scarf began to loosen, letting her long silky hair fall loose to reach her waist. Malik tried to push himself up as well.
BASH!
A branch fell off from the stroke tree close to him, stabbing into his lower back. "AHHH!"
"MALIK! NO!" Betty fell on he knees, holding the hands of her husband that began to cough out blood.
"No! No! No! Malik please–" Her eyes were already heated with tears.
"Bet– Betty– You... Will have to go without– Me– Me... For the sake of her..." he cringed, "... Go", he pointed to the screaming baby that was struggling to breath under the heavy rain and cloth on her face.
Broken sobbed escaped her quivering lips, "No! I can not leave you! I do not want to!"
"You have to... You–... You have to go! Now! Down the path, you will definitely..." He coughed out more blood.
Betty could hear the clopping sounds of horse shoes approaching their position within the darkness, with more wild fire spreading over the village and accompanied with endless rain of terrified screams.
Malik took in a long painful breath, tightening his grip on Betty's fingers. "The church! You will see the church! Beg them! Beg anyone to take our daughter before he gets to you! Now!"
"But Malik–"
"NOW!" She heard a scream closer to their location than the others. The sounds of slashing swords echoed in the wash.
Without wasting anymore time, Betty got up on her shakey feet, wrapping her baby and charging into the dark woods.
Through the pitch void darkness, Betty pricked, tore and scarred her tender body between the narrowing path between the thick vegetation — all to finally reach the church.
She instantly threw herself at the wooden door that was locked, pounding on the door with all her might and last strain of strength. Until it finally opened it.
"God, have mercy!" Gasped the man in a white garment, holding a candle lantern above his head. Betty fell flat on the floor, raising the baby in her hand.
"Please! Please I beg of you! In the name of your heavenly creator! Take her! Take her far away!"
"Young miss, what is–"
"Her father, my husband and I has sinned greatly, father! So great, we have our lives at sake! Please, Father! Protect her! Do not let my daughter suffer for what she knows nothing of! Please!"
The priest was about to speak out, wanting to ask the woman to come in, not until he heard the incoming danger from within the woods. His eyes widened.
Wanting to instinctively shut the door in fear —locking the woman and child outside — he paused.
He then gazed at the bartered woman on the floor bleeding profusely, then at the screaming infant whose long black hair messed around the her face, smudged with dirt.
He grimaced in sadness.
The woods echoed out the neighs of several horses. He gulped.
"If you truly love your daughter", he looked down at her, "Then you would have to make one more sacrifice..."
~
As the horses approached the church building—carrying their heavily armoured riders; they lessened their speed, stepping aside for the incoming sliver carriage.
The coachman pulled the three black beautiful horses to a halt, stepping down and pulling open the carriage door.
All the soldiers stood at attention as a pair of elite black shiny boots stepped out. A man dressed in an plush wear, having his dark sliver hair stick on his forehead, falling on his shoulders. He straightened his coat, stepping towards the stairs of the church, with a pealing sound of the large black and sliver sword that dragged from the belt of his pants.
He stopped at the sight of the headless woman that laid at the door.
He lazily drew his cold midnight colored eyes—hinted with satin grey — to the priest before him.
The priest quickly fell on his knees, raising his hands above his head to display the decapitated skull of the woman he had been chasing.
The priest then spoke, "As you ordered, your Majesty, I took her life the moments I laid eyes on her. Just as you instructed, Your Majesty", he bowed.
The man gazed down at him, "Where is the child?"
"There was no child with the young mistress, Your Majesty".
He remained quiet, letting his eyes priece at the priest's weak figure. The priest gulped, "I swear on my life, Your Majesty. There was no one or thing else with her".
His majesty remained quiet, letting his eyes fall on the bloody short sword next to the priest. He responded with a stoic tone, "Very well then. Your church will receive protection for the next two moon weeks. But if I suspect your words to be false. I will have you fed to my pets".
The priest gulped. "Yes, your majesty".
With that being said, a guard stepped forward, picking up the woman's head and body.
The dark sliver haired man turned, padding back to his carriage and rode off with his army.
The priest slowly stood up from his knees, wiping his bloody hands on his gown and padding into the church. He shut the doors and rushed to the alter.
Gingerly, he lowered himself to the wooden floor. Reaching for the edge of a plank that was out of place, he pulled it out to reveal the sleeping child underneath the wooden layout.
Carefully picking up the innocent, he slowly stroked her hair. "I am sorry, dear child", he felt his eyes burn in dismay and guilt of the child's parents.
"I had no choice. You are not safe here either. I will take you far away. As far away as possible..."
He sighed heavily, thinking for a few moment before murmuring to himself, "Only royalty can protect you from royalty".
- Writer
