There she was, she sat by the side, Ara is part of them, she understands thier tongue.
I hear her from where I am bundled with the others but she doesn't see me, she is caught up in her speech explaining something.
I look around for more people who I might know but nobody looks familiar.
I am scared but I don't panic, I wait patiently, I don't want Ara to see me,
But one of the men talking with Ara point towards Me and the two walk close and then Ara bends to my eye view.
You won't be marrying him I told you so,her eyes icy and calm,she was certain in speech and even though I wanted to fight her this moment, this look had shot fear into me.
"The seer will tell him about this and you will not marry him either I retorted wriggling my body trying to free myself and strangle her.
" Did you kill everyone at mubaila, I ask her
She smiles at me and walks to the other men and say something to them.
I sit there and pray for the gods to help me, for someone to come, I pray with my had bowed down.
Thinking of all the corpses we had seen at mubaila and how we had shed tears together, I yelled why!
Why Ara as I broke into sobs.
She did not answer, she walked far away to the other end of the camp.
There were a lot of prisoners from Tela,some were crying and the others where just mourning queitly.
The day was getting dark and the forest was getting colder by the minute.
The Bandits built a bonfire that kept the whole place warm.
It was as if they were not scared of the smoke inviting people who they have wronged
It could be they have killed all those people.
I was still watching the fire when the men got round and started drinking from thier small black gouges.
The seemed happy and it reminded me of the eveinings in mubaila after a successful hunt.
They sang and danced happily as we watched.
Just then something passed like a wild animal running from a predator.
The sound it made as it ran had stopped all the merry.
The men quickly ran to thier weapons, and it ran past again this time, taking one of of the bandits with it.
I try to free myself, I don't want it to eat me all tied up, I push hard until the band cuts.
They were busy screaming while I freed my cousin from his own band and we rush out of the forest.
We ran leaving the others behind and stopped when we heard the silence.
The screaming had stopped now and all we could hear is our hearts pounding fast in our chests.
The chill run down the lenght of my spine as sweat as we wait for sometime before we continued running.
Making it out of the forest and back to Tela, we went straight to my aunt manila's hut and there inside Ara stood, she had a weapon in hand.
"Ara" I say slowly, still trying to catch my breath from the run.
"You can have him Ara just let us be",i pleaded with her, moving back slowly while she moved closer.
"No I can't let you leave, you will have to die here today,
Trying to buy some time to rest a bit and give her more space before fleeing, I ask her once more.
Why did you kill the people of mubaila?
Why your father too?
They have all caused me pain and everyone who causes me pain shall know pain too,
I know you are wondering where I know these people from, they are my mother's people and it turns out my mother is a princess
She married my father against the will of hers and was banished,but my grand father accepts me,so when I told him I was in danger he sent these very skilled warriors to do my bidding.
Killing off the people of mubaila was just the start, I want to kill all those who had mocked me, all those who for years have called my father weak because he drank.
He drank because he is heart broken, he loved one woman like no other had, and deprived me of love, that is the reason he died with everyone else.
Ara I said softly
Don't call my name!
She yelled with tears running down her cheeks, moving closer with the spear in her hand, I turned to run, but for some reason she was lighter than me.
And the sound of kale shouting had me frozen and fixed to the earth as I watch in horror as he spits blood trying to call my name before he slumps on the floor.
Before I could move a muscle Ara had dipped the spear into my stomach.
I use my hands to hold it, she let the spear go and then she walks away into the darkness slowly, I stay there for a while before, I feel two strong warm hand hold my body, he yells "don't die"
But it is all I want to do now, as I fight the tears running the side of my eyes.
I see his tears too, as he continues to scream "don't die".
I slowly put my hand in his and then I smile at him.
"Ara" I tell him, he moves his ears close to my mouth to hear clearly.
Gathering all the strength in my body I say her name again.
Did she do this he asks, but I don't answer, I just lay there waiting for death to save me from the pain I am feeling right now.
And as Mercy came, I faded slowly into a beautiful rest, in the arms of love one which I will never know.