“I’m...I am sorry, again!” he begged, his eyes lustfully sank into her beautiful green eyes. They were both frozen for a moment, their lips almost touched. Zack tried to avoid her gaze, so he looked away, down into her cleavage.
“Really?” she reacted.
“Oh, I am…um!” he stuttered, “You’re going to have to get on top of me. Sorry, I meant, get off of me!” he breathed heavily.
“Huh um!” Karazan cleared his throat, “Am I interrupting?”
“Sure!” responded Aaricia.
“Okay then, I come back later!” said the teasing Karazan.
“I wasn’t talking to you, Karazan,” she said as she slowly stood up, “I think you’re going to have to run down the stream too, Zack.”
“Men are naturally rough,” he remarked, “That’s part of what makes us tough!”
“I’m afraid but, the young man is right!” said Karazan.
“The only men I know that enjoy looking soiled are the ones I see here,” she said, “How many are you?”
“Just thirty six,” he replied, “That’s inclusive of the three men you um…”
“You’ve got thirty three men left?” she asked, “You inclusive?”
“Yes,” he sighed, “We’re just thirty three, now! But well skilled”
“Skilled?” Zack snorted.
“Hmm! Well,” she responded, “I guess we’re going to have to make do with that which is available!”
Karazan, the Noose walked close but keeping a clear distance from her swing, “You’re not thinking of using only thirty three men as an army to attack the…”
“Oh! Ah! Hey, guys!” Zack called out, standing to his feet, “I think that makes thirty five of us now?” raising his finger up like a child, “You know; me, the thirty three of your men, and the iron lady!” he scratched his head, “I’ve got skills too, you know!”
“The only skills you’ve got, is changing a woman’s clothes, after you pick her lying unconscious by the river!” she pointed her sword at his direction, “Don’t speak to me about skills, Zack!”
“Well, I’m still good at something! Are you still mad at me over that?” Zack asked, “I was just being a gentleman! Come on, you were all wet, and cold, and…”
“That’s enough!” she said.
“The boy does have skills,” said Karazan, “A smooth talker, I’ll give you that, but we’re going to need more hands, if you’re really serious about this,” he proposed, “Either way, to me, this is a suicide mission. We cannot face the Azzodonians, even if our number was ten times as much.”
“I have friends in high places!” responded Aaricia, “Have your men ready, tomorrow we shall head to the land of Ghourak by dawn!”
“Ghourak?! ‘The-land-of-Ghourak?’” Zack asked, “The land of the feathered felines?”
“Yes, you do have skills, Zack,” she said, “The naivety of a child!”
“They are called gryphons!” said Karazan correcting Zack, “Hmm! Ghourak, the smallest of all the lands yet, the only domain the Azzodonians dare not step a foot on!” he took a deep breath, “You indeed are looking for trouble, woman! The Ghourakans would smell an approaching fly thousands of sea miles away, I don’t think this is a good idea!” he added, as he began sniffing once again.
“Like I said,” Karazan continued, “It’s a suicide mission! Maybe if you let us in on your objectives, we’d be obliged to…!”
“My plight should not be of concern to your feeble mind,” Aaricia interjected, “Descendant of Ogrieh!”
Zack coughed contemptibly muffling his giggle, mocking Karazan as he walked to her but keeping a safe distance as well.
“You have a face that would make a King swallow a sip of boiled venom in the wake of dawn, to prove his affection for you,” said Zack, “Why tempt the sharp edge of a sword to abrade the second wonder of the world?”
“And which is the first, in accordance to your findings?” she asked.
“Your essence,” he said, “It brought me back from the dead this morning!”
“This one has fallen in love!” Karazan suggested, “His pounding heart seeks for a mate!”
“Karazan, how about you go and have your men prepare for the long journey tomorrow,” she said.
“As you wish, my lady!” he replied, gently making his way out of the tent.
“You know what my problem is with you, Zack?” she said, “It took you too short a time to fall in love with a woman you know nothing of.”
“So, you can tell that I’m in love with you?” he fibbed.
“Well,” she said, concealing her blush, “You knocked at a locked door at the wrong time.” As she stared at him pitifully,
“I’ve already made it clear, and I’m sorry not to reciprocate your hopes.”
“But I want to be with you, Aaricia, to fight by your side!” he said proudly, “I can’t imagine a world without you.”
“Our meeting was an accident, Zack!” she said, “You of all people should know that.”
“It was fate, we were destined to meet. Can’t you see it?”
“I’ve got better matters to worry about.” she said, walking up to him, “And I’ll need some alone time, to think about things, maybe we’ll revisit this conversation some other time.” She reposed, “Look, you and I are not…”
“A worthy match?” he interjected, “I understand!”
He began walking away.
“Zack,” she called, “It’s not what you think, okay? I like you, but I don’t expect you to understand!”
“Then make me understand.” He said, angrily.
“I can’t,” she muttered, “For now, this is the least of things we should be concerned about.”
“Okay then, I’ll give you some space, some time!” he said disappointingly, “I’ll be with the men outside!”
“Zack! Zack!!” she called as he walked out of the tent. She suspired unhappily. She turned away from the exit as she gazes on her image on a reflected armour that hung on a central post, as she thought to herself, ‘Why me?’
While outside, Zack was being cautious around the grumbling men.
“Hey, young thief!” said Karazan.
“I’m no thief,” he replied sadly, “Why do you keep calling me that?”
“That’s the name given to those who take any property belonging to someone else with the intention of keeping it or selling it!” he giggled, “The dame inside, you’re certainly not her type. So when I saw you, I really thought you had her kidnapped, little did I know that you were just a love puppy who has been chasing a dangling bone too large for it to clinch on!”
“For your information,” he said, “I rescued her, I saved her life!”
“Of cause, you did,” said Karazan, “Spoken like a true looser, and from who did you rescue her from, hero?”
“Nothing that I’ll expect you and your pathetic excuse for an army to understand,” Zack angrily replied, “You call me a love poppy? At least, I have the dignity of making my nature apparent. You on the other hand, are nothing but a clown who lost his own authority by a foolish wager.”
There is a sudden whiff and Zack finds his face dented with a swift punch from Karazan’s heavy fist, which finds him on the sand. His chest pressed by his assailant’s feet.
“Hmm!” Karazan grunted as he gobbled a pouch of water, handing it to Zack, he said, “You look dehydrated. I have killed boys like you for the fun of it, and though I’ve sworn my allegiance to lady Aaricia, I owe you no such mandate!” with a smile across his face, “I want to like you, kid!” he emphasized, “But don’t push your luck! Go to sleep, lover boy. Tomorrow will be a busy day!”
Perfidious
The moon has never been as beautiful as it appears, and the perfect solace for a perfect evening is what Aaricia sees of this moment, as she holds within the warm embrace of Gerald. The night couldn’t be any better, save for the sudden bashing of the advancing armed guards, who kick down the front door.
A fle
eing Aaricia and Gerald quickly run through a secret passage leading to a rear exit. The guards persistently chase after them through the thick woods and unto to the cliff.
As the armed guards surround the pair and with no way of escape, fear grips the couple and they know they wouldn’t come off it alive.’
“Do you trust me?” Gerald asks as he turns staring into her eyes.
The moon radiant shining upon her face.
“You know I do, my love!” she says as she gazes into his eyes, burying her head unto his chest, “You’re my all!” she whispers.
He kisses her, smiles and pushes her off the cliff. As she spirals to a fall, she watches how the armed guards ferociously attack her love, and into a body of water, she plunges, just inches away from a rock and her consciousness dissipates from her as she sinks deep under.
Motionless and still, she desperately tries to breathe as the approaching behemoth of the sea opens wide its jaw for the swallow.
“Aaagh!” Aaricia screamed, swinging her sword in the air, only to discern that the creature was actually Zack, whose throat rest at the sharp end of her steel blade.
It was a dream.
“Don’t you ever sneak up on me like that!” yelled Aaricia.
“You had a nightmare,” he said, “You were screaming, I came to wake you up!”
“Is it just me, or did this situation occur before?” said a curious Karazan, while standing by the entrance to the tent.
Aaricia gently withdrew her sword, “I’m sorry!” she said as she sighed heavily.
“It’s okay,” he said, as he stroked his lucky throat to be sure she didn’t cut him, “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine!” she said in a low tone.
“Ah! Good morning!” Karazan said, “I heard a scream! All is well, it seems! The men are ready, awaiting your command, once you’re done with your lover boy!”
“We’re not lovers!” Zack and Aaricia said in unison.
“Oookay!” Karazan teased, “I’ll be outside with the rest of the men. When you’re done!” Winking at Zack.
“You look worried,” said Zack to Aaricia, “Maybe I should tell them to wait for a while.”
“I said I’m fine,” she exclaimed.
“That symbol on your wrist,” he said, “What is it?”
“I told you it’s nothing,” she replied, “Why do you keep asking.” she gently concealed the mark with the arm of her sleeve.
Zack could tell she didn’t want to talk about it.
Moments later, Aaricia and Zack joined the men as they set out to Ghourak, the land of the gryphons.
As they marched through the woods, some on horses and others on foot. Aaricia was silent and so was Zack, they both walked far from each other, acting unconcerned for each time their eyes met.
They moved through a series of shanty hamlets and villages. The unending sights of filth and disease stricken people. The depth of poverty displayed, made Aaricia’s eyes drown in tears.
No sign of hope in the midst, only the desolate sign of emptiness and despair. To control her spirit, Aaricia would get off her horse and tender a bit of supplies, bread and water to the impoverished children, and to the old, words of comfort and hope.
“Give them all we have, my lady,” said Karazan, “And we shall be left with nothing to take us to our destination!” Shaking his head as he rode his horse.
They kept moving until dusk and got to a valley, where they made camp in order to stay the rest of the night. Many of the men were exhausted. They roasted what they had within their reach, ducklings, rodents and crawling reptiles made for pleasant delicacies.
Aaricia came to the company of Zack, bringing him water and bread.
“I’m sorry with the way I reacted the other time,” she apologized, “I want to thank you for everything.”
“It’s okay, you obviously have gone through a lot” he smiled, “Do you wish to talk about it?”
“Yes, I would,” she said, “But maybe not today.”
“It’s alright,” he responded, “I understand!”
“You’re a good man,” she smiled.
“That’s what I fear the most,” he responded, “Being good enough to be noticed, in a world that only embraces intense ill will and hatred!”
“Yes, you’re right, Zack,” she said, “But we mustn’t give up on the world. As much disheartening as it may appear, if the few good people in the world would join hands, we could make the world a better place!”
“Yes, you’re right about that!” he said, ‘“We mustn’t give up on the world!”’
“Stealing my lines as well,” she teased, “No wonder Karazan calls you a thief!” she smiled.
“If I’d ever been a thief,” he replied holding her hand, “It’d be just for one relic, and one only…to steal your heart! Besides, I’m not the only thief here, for you stole mine first!”
“Hmm!” she blushed, “You won’t just be a thief for that, you’d be a hero for it’s heavily guarded!”
“For that possession, I’d be a conqueror,” he smiled, “I’d die or kill for it!” he said as they stared into each other’s eyes passionately.
Within the warmth range of the fire and under the gaze of a guarding Karazan and Simo.
“Funny how you let a bird slip through your fingers unto a sheep’s watch!” said Simo to Karazan, “Such taste of beauty shouldn’t be shared.”
“I know you didn’t just try to entice me, Dirty Simo,” said Karazan, “For I know you should know better than to lecture me on how to behold beauty.”
“I’m only echoing out what you’re thinking!” Simo responded, “Your charm is miles away from what some of us have to offer. Just thought you should know!”
“Charm like milk, has it potency, Dirty Simo,” Karazan said, “But honour lasts forever. Even amidst the unworthy, though, they are virtues I never expect you to understand.” He smiled, “you’ve had your own fair share of the lust for life, and while your wretched being rots away, you still clamour for what you will never possess. The lad may be young and inexperienced, but he still has value for love. A pity, not many are that lucky! Goodnight!”
Four armed guards rush through the busy market, one of them hits an old blind beggar, who just got a few coins in his dish.
“Watch it, you crud!” says one of the guards to the beggar.
“My child, help the needy!” The beggar cries.
“Needy, eh?” answers the guard as they halt, “Let me help you.” He plunges his hand into the blind man’s dish, “Vagabond!”
“Please!” the blind man cries again, hearing the sound of his coins being stolen. The old beggar stands to his feet in protest, “What are you doing?”
“Silence, scum!” the guard pushes him to the ground and spits on him. “You lazy old mendicant!”
The rest of the guards laugh, shaking their heads as they share the helpless man’s stolen lot among themselves.
“Hey! Stop that,” Aaricia yells, “This is not right!” rushing to help the old man, “You should be ashamed of yourselves!” she snatches some of the coins from them.
“Woman,” says one of the guards, “The beauty you have should not go untasted. Come and feel the succulence of my tongue!”
“Let her go!” says the second guard, “Not now!” as he stares at her.
She turns to the blind beggar, and reaching to a small wrapped garment, she gives him some alms.
“What is your name, my child?” The beggar asks.
“My name is Aaricia,” she replies, with a warm smile as she helps him up.
“Such kindness,” he says, “Aaricia, Even to the most fiddling of men your beautiful heart stretches down its warm hand!” he manages to stand on his feet with her help, dusting the sand off his person as he wears a smile of gratitude, “Oh, such beauty, even the sun couldn’t wait to spring up once it goes beyond the western mountains just to set its gaze upon thy fairness!”
Aaricia smiles, shying away from the ol
d man’s compliment, “Have you ever heard,” she remarks, “A blind man that speaks as though he sees!" Using her veil to cover half of her face.
“Your beauty cannot be hidden even to the likes of those in the dark,” says the beggar, “Take this, you deserve it,” handing an amulet, “I cannot let such kindness go unrewarded!”
“No, I can’t accept this. You don’t have to reward me like this, my service was nothing,” she says, “I have all that I need, I only wish I could give more to you such as to restore the sight you’ve lost, but that’s an act for the one who controls all affairs from above, not mortal men!”
Aaricia and the Noland Army Page 2
