Sunniva kneeled before the statue of Laras carved into the side of the cliff. Laras was the only deity worshipped by both the Northern and Southern kingdoms. She was always depicted with long hair that reached her heels and wearing a long flowy robe.
She was the Goddess of Rivers and was said to have created the Long River, which started from the Far North Alps, ran through the Borderlands, and flowed down into the Southern Kingdoms. Thus, she represented the bridge between the two kingdoms.
Every evening Sunniva came to this shrine to light incense. Nobody else came here. Even Mithra didn't dare bother her during her sacred routine.
She felt a connection to the River Goddess, though she couldn't explain it. Perhaps, it was because Laras was the only symbol of both the North and South.
She turned to the creek that flowed down the side of the cliff and through the jungle. One could hardly call it a waterfall; it was a mere trickle of water.
Sunniva cupped some of the water and lifted it to her forehead. She closed her eyes and let the water flow down her face.
"May I also light an incense?"
Startled, Sunniva whipped around to find Ten watching her. He seemed immensely large from this angle, his figure blocking the last rays of the sun. He pushed his shaggy dark brown hair back revealing a silver piercing on his left eyebrow. She hadn't noticed it before but figured she shouldn't be surprised since he also had several piercings on both ears.
He knelt beside her as she as she handed him three incense sticks. After he was done, he stuck the lit incense into the sand mound in front of the statue. Neither of them moved.
Without looking at him, Sunniva asked, "Why are you here? Why does the Northern council want the Keeper back?"
"For safekeeping, the North must protect their interests."
"What is so interesting about a Southern Keeper?" Sunniva was trying to discern how much he knew, but he wasn't letting much on.
"The South has failed to protect their Keepers. It is the best interest of all the Kingdoms actually." Ten turned to look at Sunniva, "But, alas, it was all in vain. I cannot, however," "leave empty handed."
Sunniva turned to Ten, "What do you mean?"
"I will take what I can," he told her firmly.
&
For the first time in forever, Ten actually felt tired. He had sunk into the bedding and fell into the deepest slumber he had had in years. Sleep often eluded him, instead replaced a restless tumble through the night. That night, he slept soundly for the first few hours of the before a smoky scent woke him up. Next to him, Veroth jerked awake.
They heard Mithra's deep voice yell, "Sunniva!"
Ten and Veroth scrambled up from their bedding and and instinctively reached for their weapons. They gathered in the hall where they came face to face with a fiery blaze.
"Where is she?" Ten demanded.
Mithra nodded in the direction of the blaze, "Her room is down that way."
Mithra hesitated but Ten didn't waste a second. Pulling his shirt over his nose and mouth he dove towards the fire. He kicked down the door at the end of the hall and found Sunniva coughing as the flames started to swallow the walls.
She looked up at him with teary eyes. "Ten?"
In one swift movement, he lifted her off the ground. "I've got you. Hang on to me."
She wrapped her arms around his neck, but her hold began to loosen. Forget the crumbling walls—it was panic that he felt caving in on him. Stay with me.
He ran through the flames as the planks of wood started to collapse around them. They emerged, pieces of his clothing slightly charred and both of them with soot covered skin.
Outside, Veroth and Mithra were waiting. As soon they spotted Ten and Sunniva, Mithra ran to them and took Sunniva into his arms
"Are you okay?" Mithra asked Sunniva frantically. He laid her down on his lap and brushed the hair off her face. "I'm sorry. I should've been the one to save you."
Sunniva coughed and weakly spoke, "I'm…f-fine."
Veroth looked quizzically at the burning house. "What happened? How did the fire start?"
Ten speculated, "Someone must have tried to set the place on fire."
The three of them looked at him startled. While there were people in surrounding villages, they were at least a few miles away. The temple had pretty much been abandoned, save for the two scribes.
"But why? Someone from the closest village? What could they want?" Veroth sputtered.
Mithra answered, "They were probably paid to get rid of the Keeper here not knowing he has already left." His expression was grim.
Ten looked down at Sunniva who was now sitting up, propped against a tree. "Looks like someone wants you dead, darling."