"Seven brave men joined to help me. Ario, Nathan, Kaniar, Subaru, Rabin, Khaled, and Bahour who was the commander of gates guard. True and dependable men who I have ever known to exist. They were older than me and well-tempered. The king had made a big favor towards me and I will owe him for the rest of my life as I'm trying to repay that now.
According to the king's orders, we had to go to Roma first, Nickbones assassins had observed there as the spies said.
I didn't take Riha with me that long journey could cause her death. We should have changed our horses while passing every lodging house. We moved from Parthia and arrived in Lydia after a month of horse riding. From there by merchant's ship had traveled to Roma.
I had sat on the deck and staring up at the stars, my eyes fixed on Pollux –the old name of castor star- star in Gemini constellation, that shining blue Gem painted on the sky gloriously to make you bite your lips. I was hoping to see a blazing star to make wishes, but instead, I saw stunning binary stars. My spine hurt and I shifted my neck to the sea and weak waves. It was weirdly calm in Taurus the second month of the spring season. Approximately warning that it wasn't normal to feel even a breeze to kiss and make love with your body!
Suddenly someone beside me blustered, "It's a lull before the storm, and it's going to be a venturesome voyage somehow", that cryptic stranger and another horrible occurrence on the way such a night it was! I never forget till grave swallow me in! He had covered his face and only those sparkling dark eyes could have caught anyone's attention like stars found their way to shine in his eyes! My heart pounded as I peered in those gravely charming dark gazes, which gave me an unsafe feeling! He neighbored his face to mine the much that I was sure he was seeing my eyes crossed.
"So tensing to see such a lady like you in rue", he whispered near my ears, then brushed away a stray of my hair, it was landed on my eyesight. I saw his eyes smiling, but he didn't wait for me to say anything. Might be sure about my dismay of his disturbance.
No longer, I heard uncle Shareeq's voice and shifted my head in their direction, unexpectedly Zia was there! It was a complicated surprise, I didn't know should I be white-hot or jittered. My feelings were twisted like two-colored ropes! Why would he join us all of a sudden?
I got up immediately and he strode to me, slightly murmured. "Hey Asaya dad is too angry, pass him some excuses for me don't forget to take my side, say something reasonable or he is going to throw me into the sea to please the sharks".
From the backside sounds of laughter rose.
"Ahh, Zia I've told you that your father won't be pleased, you're in bad trouble", Khalid took a sip of his hot drink. A nice man with brown eyes and a distant face, tall and giant to break the scalp with his two hands.
I had no idea how Zia entered the ship and they all knew it the whole time and had his back! But due to that after many days finally, a smile attached to my face. He was the only one who could make uncle out of temper and made his face as red as beetroot. I was still astounded and what he asked also made me stumped!
Uncle gathered himself and studiously clamored, "You dimwitted boy come here and let's talk in mannish".
Of course, Zia's glib tongue wouldn't help him in that sort of situations, so he lightly pushed me forward, "please uncle calm down, now he is here very far from home. Would you please allow him company me and I promise if he would make mistakes, I guarantee that I'm going to kill him myself", I asked uncle to let him stay with us, I knew that he is able to protect his head. My words made uncle a light simper then irately glimpsed at him and passed us with a sigh while cursing!
At his age, Zia was one of the best warriors, fast, smart, and of course plucky in the whole region. The one who had won many of rivalries, but that trip was still too dangerous for a nineteen clodpoll boy with fuzzed-out hairs on his chin.
I missed the moment in which he used to drool and made me and Oria laugh! Oh! my little naughty brother! Where is he now? Oria had been upset with me even after two years had passed from that journey, it's making my heart heavy.
It was midnight when thick furious clouds appeared in the sky, the wind became a weapon and created the storm, like a strict and cruel king who was leading the ship and took us around, up to where it wished.
Or it could be acting like a baby giant racked up with its toy on a clamorous river! Whistled and roared to release its excitement as a God!
We were getting beaten by those angry waves. Skipper attempted to control the helm but wasn't easy to fight those strong waves and defeat them. God of waters was furious at something!
I soddenly drenched barely could see what's going on as I was covering beside Zia. The crews were shouting, but I realized that the ship was too heavy. Merchants laden consumer goods could have to drown all of us. To save their lives all merchants threw their goods into the sea as a gift to Heaven court and god of ocean maybe they show some mercy and allow us to pass through that rabid waters safely.
After hours of wriggling moves. The prayers and sacrifices got accepted and the unknowns combat went out! Peace referred back to the sea and the crews went beneath the deck to fix flaws. I and Zia were searching around to find uncle Shareeq. The deck was soaked in red blood. My heart almost stopped. There was a throng near the raft. We shoved them away thinking that he might get hurt. But we found him helping a young lubber, who stuck out a deep wound.
On the other side, the king's men were helping others to bring everything back to a normal state!
"Zia gives me a hand", he was scrounging to slap down the bleeding.
Zia pressed the wound exactly where my uncle directed.
"Here you go, Master Shareeq I brought you the needs", I knew that familiar voice, but it could be just a mistake. I ignored the masked hooded man and walked to help my uncle when the stranger stepped back out of the crowd.
It was purely horrible. The sharp pieces of shards shredded his leg skin. Uncle need-fully asked me, "Can you take those little pieces out? He is suffering", the boy already fainted and laid on the ground. I nodded and grabbed the forceps he passed me. Uncle started with the wound and I draw out the shards.
I could hear the sounds of them schematized from the flesh. The poor person while saving us damaged roughly."
Asana's head was full of questions, what happened to Zia? and who are these strangers appearing on her way?