Jolana nodded not arguing just moving on instinct. Giselle followed as they approached a shrouded figure moving up and down the lines. The figure tossed what looked like ashes, the black dust scattering in the wind as it descended on the dead.
"There are too many to mark them all but we hoped to anoint the little ones properly before they meet Kali." Jolana looked at her hesitantly.
Giselle wondered if it was some sort of sin for the Cadi to not honor the dead properly.
"I am sure that given the circumstances Kali will understand and I have no doubt the goddess and the little one's parents will appreciate the final honor you give the children in these tough times." Giselle hoped that her words expressed that she sympathized with this impossible task.
There were so many bodies it was staggering. What happened here reminded Giselle of the atrocities Stalin or Hitler had committed. Giselle was doing her best not to rebel against the sight, scents and sounds. The gathering flies would be enough to drive one insane but it was all the rest that truly was disturbing. No one ever spoke of the fact that death was horrible not just for the loss of life but what it did to a body. The slain Cadi were a pale purplish hue, with dull waxy eyes, and shriveled lips that stretched back from their fangs. The body released whatever was in it making for a terrible mess. The gasses of decomposition escaped especially when a body was moved, and when it did, it was not quiet no matter which end it came from. It all added a disturbing element to an already daunting task.
"Kali will welcome all her children regardless, but she will look favorably on us for performing this last rite for the little ones."
Giselle turned to see the shrouded figure standing behind her holding the ornate bowl with the black ash.
"Ismat how may we be of assistance, the warriors have taken over the task the females were doing." Jolana asked.
"Take one of the bowls over there and mark the little ones foreheads where I left off a bit ago, please."
Giselle moved to assist but several of the women that had joined them looked at her funny. Giselle paused wondering if you had to be initiated into their faith to do this, like first communion or confirmation for Catholics.
"Come you can assist me little female." Ismat said as he moved along the row, his long robe dragging in the dust. "Do you mind holding this?" He held out the bowl to her.
Giselle took the heavy brass basin and walked beside the male as he dipped a brush and cast it over the rows in a mass anointing. Giselle looked at the religious figure. He was tall but not built like the warriors. The hair beneath his robe looked like it had been cut close to his scalp.
"I think the females were worried Kali would not accept the children if a non-believer anointed them." Ismat said as he flicked his wrist over the dead. "Little do they understand that such things matter not to the Goddess."
"It is okay. I want to help not make this any harder than it already is. Ismat do you mind if I remove my coat I am getting warm."
"It is fine."
Ismat took the bowl but almost dropped it. Giselle quickly rescued it. He was more tired than he let on. Ismat smiled in thanks as he got a better grip on the vessel. The way his eyes wrinkled at the corners Giselle could tell he was older. Giselle shrugged out of her coat then tied it around her waist.
"Ismat have you had any water lately?"
"Yes little one, it has just been a long day."
Giselle nodded as she quickly bound up her hair then took the bowl back from Ismat. The male looked at her in a strange way. Like everyone else he was preoccupied with her tattoo and the bite at the crook of her shoulder which now had a twin on her opposite shoulder. At least he didn't strip her naked or yell at her to shut-up.
"You are very unusual. I have never seen your species." Ismat said as he took up his task again.
"I am well aware of the difficulty the Cadi people have had in categorizing me." Giselle couldn't help but say.
"You speak and know my name so what are you called?"
"Giselle, it is nice to meet you Ismat." Giselle nodded her head since her hands were full.
"So Giselle are your people true believers?" Ismat asked.
Giselle did not know what to say. She didn't want to offend the man, plus in some societies religious leaders held great sway.
"My people's beliefs are varied. Many worship a single creator using a different name. But there was a wise man who once said that good deeds though done in another god's name went towards the one god. That I believe. I have no affinity for a particular name for the creator of all that is wondrous." Giselle waved her hand at the beauty surrounding the city. "Even you and I had no names till we came into the world and our parents thought to call us something. I was almost called Elizabeth."
"So true Giselle. It is the limited mind of man that feels the need to name and categorize everything the Goddess has created." Ismat smiled as he showered the row with more ash.
Giselle liked talking to the man of faith. It felt right surrounded by the reminder that life was fleeting. Ismat seemed open minded which was a bit surprising considering how most of the Cadi viewed her.
"Giselle what is the meaning of the warriors ink on your shoulder?"
Giselle found it interesting the man asked because others had stared but not inquired, and it was in essence a mark of faith more than a warrior's mark.
"It's a flower called a rose. I got it because it represented something I had come to learn about myself and my place in the creator's eyes." Giselle said. "There was a story, a fictional tale of a prince among the stars who ruled a little planet. On his planet there was one rose that he guarded against the weeds and elements. The rose told the prince she was rare and unlike anything else in all the universe."
"Well the prince made a journey, and he discovered a garden full of hundreds of roses. At first he felt lied to and dejected. But as the story continued, the prince came to see that his rose WAS unique though there were many." Giselle smiled as she explained. "I am one of many but I too am unique."
"The revelation must have been great for you to suffer the pain of being marked." Ismat nodded.
"I am thick skinned and sometimes thick headed." Giselle smiled at him.
"Aren't we all sometimes?" Ismat chuckled.
They continued with their grim work, much of it spent in silence, which seemed appropriate. At mid-meal Giselle insisted on serving as many as she could so they could relax. She'd slept during the night when so many had not. When lunch was finished Ismat led her to a large temple inside the walls of the city. The carved granite stretched up several stories but it was the larger than life red goddess relief emblazoned on the far wall inside that captured her attention.
"The Goddess Kali, the giver of life." Ismat introduced the deity.
The image of a giver of life holding a sword against a male beneath her feet seemed polar opposites.
"Might I ask then why she appears to be slaying the male?" Giselle asked hoping her question wasn't blasphemous in Ismat's eyes.
"Well there are many symbolic reasons, but mainly Kali is conquering chaos."
"Sometimes that is a battle. Just as it can be a battle to stay alive and bring new life into the world."
"Exactly. Females are often greater warriors in that respect." Ismat nodded seeming pleased. "Come let us prepare more of the cinis if you are not too tired to assist me."
Kagan quo Rordan
"I am glad to see that the communication hub wasn't too badly damaged when the weapon was conveniently dropped on it." Dagaa said.
"We were hesitant to enter the building considering what happened." Grainne admitted.
"Whatever substance did this seems to have dissipated." Kagan added.
"We have reason to believe it comes from the Toufik world. They call it Empty Death. Though we don't know what it is." Dagaa explained to the male.
"You're right. The few Toufik survivors kept telling me that exact thing but I didn't understand." Grainne shook his head.
; "Its obviously a chemical weapon. The Jurou Biljana sold it to Vigdis." Kagan informed Grainne
As several of Kagan's engineers got to work getting the equipment up and running Kagan told Dagaa and Grainne the things he'd learned from Giselle and the serious concerns, he now had about the Jurou Biljana.
Kagan worried that the parts he had purchased to repair their aging starships might not be good. If anything could protect the Cadi against unwanted invasion by the Jurou Biljana, it would be a presence in orbit around the planet. At the very least functioning starships would make the Cadi less dependent on the Jurou Biljana's goods, able to seek out other traders. Of course that was a problem that could wait for another day. It was however another reason in a long list of reasons to finish this war.
It took much of the morning but the primary functions of the communication's hub were patched up and coming on line.
"Let's get some eyes in the sky to see what the Scelus Cadi are up to." Kagan instructed the warriors he brought who specialized in surveillance.
The trio continued to the regent's manor since it was getting time for mid-day meal. Kagan debated going to check on Giselle but there was still much to discuss and soon he would hopefully learn the status of the enemy.
As Kagan entered the portico of the manor Rahela, Pirus' widow, came rushing forward. She threw her arms around him and sobbed.
"You came." Rahela choked out.
"Of course, you were in need." Kagan said as he pulled back from the female.
Rahela looked at him with relief. It was then Kagan remembered he had taken an oath to be the female's Second.
"How are the children?" Grainne inquired of Rahela.
"Doing as well as can be expected. They are playing in the garden." Rahela replied "I have had mid-meal delivered there for everyone."
"We are trying to keep the children from seeing what has befallen the city." Grainne said as they wound their way through the large manor.
"I am sorry I cannot help Jolana it is just too hard." Rahela choked.
Kagan understood. Rahela had lost her mate, the former Regent, it would be twice as difficult for her to face all the dead where Jolana still had Grainne. Thankfully neither Rahela nor Jolana lost their children in the attack.
"It is okay, do not fret. We need someone to watch over these little ones." Grainne encouraged the female as they entered the garden.
Grainne's son came running and squeezed his father's legs. The way the male looked at his child with love and relief was heart breaking. Kagan wondered if he'd ever be gifted with a little warrior like that. Someone tapped his shoulder and Kagan turned to see Rahela holding her little girl. The child was perhaps a few years younger than Sabin. Kagan's thoughts drifted to what a little girl with Giselle's golden hair and blue eyes might be like. Spoiled rotten by her papa no doubt. Would such a thing ever be possible in a future with Giselle?
"Please sit." She pointed to a seat and sat down beside him with the little girl on her lap. "So what will become of us now?" Rahela asked looking from Kagan to her daughter.
Kagan practically groaned. This was a complication he didn't need right now. It was not a good time to take on the duty of Rahela and her child. It was his obligation to see to it the female and her daughter were cared for in every way but between Giselle and his obligations to his army and the people of Cadi things were becoming more convoluted by the moment.
Why had he taken the oath? Probably because Pirus had chosen no other Second and Rahela's father had served Kagan's father well. Being chosen as Second was considered an honor, one that Kagan couldn't forsake then or now. Despite the difficult position it put him in.
"I was worried you would not be able to make it." Rahela's hand rested against his shoulder as she leaned into him.
"An oath is an oath Rahela." Kagan replied attempting not to grimace at the clingy female.
Kagan hated being so callous towards the woman. Recent events had frayed his nerves. Perhaps Rahela was attempting to be ingratiating so he wouldn't abandon her. Maybe this was her way of coping.
Kagan did his best to listen patiently to the female though he just wanted to eat and get back to work, then find Giselle and retire for the night. The later being the most appealing.
"Dagaa have the men reported any luck getting the drone up?"
"No" Dagaa practically grinned at him seeing his discomfort.
His friend thought it was hilarious when people fawned over him to the point of being irritating. Kagan stared Dagaa down, trying to come up with a particularly heinous task to get back at the male.
Kagan tried to get his mind back on the task at hand rather than personal business. Times were going to be difficult for the city of Nazario. It would need new occupants to take up the occupations of the deceased, Cadis and Toufik alike, along with enough warriors to fortify the vital location since it was so close to the borderlands. The loss had so many staggering implications.
"How long do you think we will be here?" Rahela got his attention by rubbing his forearm.
"It is hard to say at this point." Kagan managed to say though he wanted to leave already.
Giselle
Ismat prepared the new ash while Giselle helped measure out and hand him the things he pointed to. He prayed over it and Giselle too closed her eyes praying that all the souls find their way peacefully on.
"I wish there was a way to honor them better. We usually wait three days but with so many dead we must start the pyre early." Ismat shook his head.
"I understand but it would only bring disease to wait." Giselle patted his shoulder.
"I know it is just a shame we were cheated out of this last rite as well." Ismat said sadly.
They left the temple and headed back out of the eerily quiet city. As they passed a walled garden Giselle heard laughter of children and stopped to soak in the happy sound.
"At least all is not lost." Ismat smiled.
Giselle nodded in agreement as she looked through the staggered bricks. Two little one were tumbling in the grass. Her eyes panned across the scene then she stopped cold.
A female was leaning into Kagan terribly close her hand rubbing his arm.
"How long do you think we will be here?" The woman asked.
"It is hard to say at this point." Kagan replied.
The woman could've been a relative but the way she touched and spoke to Kagan it was hard to misinterpret the gesture. Giselle was no fool. The female didn't look at Kagan the way a sister or cousin would.
Was Kagan married? Giselle looked at the little girl on the woman's lap and staggered back. She realized she knew so little about Kagan. Clearly something was going on here since the woman asked how long "WE" would stay in the decimated city and Kagan's hadn't rebuffed her.
Giselle wondered if Kagan had taken her as some sort of concubine to ease his need while away at battle. No he took her as a pet.
"Oh god." Giselle murmured. She almost doubled over and vomited into the street.
"What is wrong?" Ismat said with concern. "I knew you were working too hard."
"No please lets just go." Giselle whispered.
8 Military Maneuvers
Kagan quo Rordan
"Giselle was right Vigdis is amassing his army." Dagaa said grimly. "There will be no time to bring in enough warriors from the other provinces to combat the numbers he's already gathered."
Kagan shook his head his little pet had called it correctly. If he had gone into battle, they would have lost for sure, and the loss would've been complete.
"Communicate with Cyprian what we have learned. I want them here by the morning."
"We'll still be picking up the pieces when Vigdis comes to finish us off." Grainne closed his eyes in defeat.
Kagan needed to find Giselle. It was strange how he had come so quickly to value her perspective as well as hunger for her companionship.
It was getting late and everyone was exhausted. If any of them hoped to get any sleep before the looming battle
they would have to do it now.
"None of us have clear heads. We need rest. Tomorrow we will plan with fresh eyes." Kagan said as he left.
The sun was setting as he exited the city walls to look for Giselle. The task of gathering all the dead was nearly complete, and the warriors were setting up the pyre that would begin early in the morning. Kagan looked among the females placing cinis on the foreheads of the little children, but he did not see Giselle's among them.
"Jolana where is Giselle?"
Jolana pointed to where the figure of the monk, Ismat, stood blessing the bodies, Giselle at his side.
Worry instantly assailed him. What was she doing with the monk? Had Ismat seen the conjugo marks on Giselle's shoulders? What did the servant of Kali think of her? Kagan's mind went round and round as he slowly approached the pair.
"Ismat, Giselle, it is late come to the manor for last meal. It is time to stop working for the day."
Giselle looked at Kagan with an odd closed off expression. He wondered what the monk had said to her to make her so distant. This was not good. Kagan wanted to give the male a piece of his mind for treating her harshly, but he kept his mouth shut. He needed the monk's approval if he ever hoped to formally bond with Giselle. He would have to ask Giselle what happened when they were alone.
Ismat gave Kagan a speculative glance before nodding and heading towards the manor.
Kagan desperately wanted to know what the monk's opinion of Giselle was, but if her expression was any indication, it didn't bode well. Kagan felt a tightening in his chest. If Ismat did not approve, then there was nothing Kagan could do but keep Giselle as a pet. He would no doubt be expected to mate Rahela even though he'd marked Giselle. Just the thought of it turned his stomach.
When a male marked his intended mate it bonded them on a level that was hard to explain. It was more than a visible claim. Even if his people didn't recognize the bond, it would still exist as long as he and Giselle both lived. It was like a string that tied them together. Kagan didn't know if he could accept it if he was denied Giselle.
"How are you?" Kagan asked quietly while the monk strode further ahead.
The Warrior's Pet (Cadi Warriors Book 1) Page 15
