REASONS
1592 Words
-Are you hurt? – The warrior inquired with a concerned tone, addressing his lady companion briefly.
Anthos watched her swiftly put her blade away after taking a distracted look at the fallen corpses, then she rushed towards some bushes farther ahead, rummaging behind them and soon emerging from the foliage, holding a bundle in one arm and dragging a small kid behind her with the other hand.
-I'm fine, Love – She assured him, her grip tightening around the children as she approached the surviving attacker with caution – Now please make this piece of s**t spill the tea. Would you?
-You heard her - Ussi announced, his eyes fixated on the trapped man's face as he reached for the spear lodged in his impaled arm and probed it slightly. Just hard enough to make the aching man scream in pain – So? Are you planning on talking any time soon? Or are you just going to play the silent card and make things harder for yourself?
-Just get over with it – The man eye-rolled him, gritting his teeth with disdain – I'm pretty much f****d either way at this point, so I couldn't care less.
-Oh, trust me… You should - The warrior replied, giving him a radiant grin – I can always make it much, much worse.
-Why would you come after an innocent family? – Souna demanded to know, staring at him with a curious frown on her face – Are you robbers? If you are, then you've been wasting your time on us. We don’t carry any riches with us!
-Innocent? – The attacker scoffed out loudly, staring back at her defiantly – Drop the act… I saw you fight, you are as harmless as a goddamn snake, woman! I know who you are!
-Really? – She replied, looking into his eyes with amusement – Enlighten me… Who am I then?
-You’re the one who undeservedly sits on the throne of Lowland’s gate – The man growled, spitting to the ground in contempt – You’re the w***e that took advantage of her city’s falling to questionably rise to power! You…
A forceful slap cut the man’s rambling short as the warrior made his head bounce from side to side with a potent smack on his face.
-Silence! – He ordered, staring coldly at him – Dare to address my wife that way ever again, and I’ll cut your filthy tongue… You're talking to me, and to me only from now on, so I suggest you ponder your next words very carefully.
Pausing, the golden-haired man closed in dangerously on his face, his blue eyes piercing his pupils as he studied his features with interest.
-Tell me – He finally asked, taking a step backwards and allowing him to breathe a deep inhale – Who sent you?
-No one that I can think of – The tracker answered, smugly averting his gaze and staring blankly at the horizon.
-Think harder – The former Yahurian patiently insisted, distractedly twisting his spear around the oozing wound and making him desperately yell – I don't see how a simple group of bandits could be so invested in politics at all. So, I ask again… Who sent you?
Souna had opted to distance herself from the gruesome scene along with her children as soon as it was made clear that this might take him a little while, leaving the warrior to his work.
She'd found a stream nearby, where she patiently sat to wait, mindlessly watching Axe happily running by the shore, collecting shiny pebbles and little pieces of shells.
-Mom, I’m hungry – The kid announced some time later, dragging his feet eagerly through the wet sand as a faint and constant stream of screams reached their ears from the distance – Is dad joining us for lunch soon?
-Yeah baby – Souna smiled weakly at him, running a finger down Skhana´s cheek and taking a deep breath – As soon as he´s finished talking with his guest.
-But mom… - The child insisted, picking up another small stone from the ground and inspecting it thoroughly – Why are people always trying to hurt you and dad? I don't like it… I have to hide and be very quiet when they do!
-Come here… – Souna sighed, waving her arm at the kid and gesturing for him to approach – Come…
The infant obediently walked up to where she sat and let her pick him up, leaning him tenderly on her knee as she held both children with welling eyes.
-I don't like it either, Axe – She sniffled, pecking his cheek sadly – But the world is a dangerous place. That is why you need to learn how to defend yourself, just like dad has been teaching you.
-What about Skhana? – The kid anxiously asked, looking at her with worried eyes – She doesn’t know any tricks… Or how to hide and be quiet! What if something bad happens to her?
-That’s true – Souna agreed, pulling him into a hug and smirking – But she has your dad and me, and we will always protect her, and you. We won´t let anything bad happen to any of you, all right?
The kid didn’t answer, he simply remained brushing his tiny fingers down her face as if evaluating her honesty for a long while, before finally nodding resignedly at her.
That’s when they heard Ussi´s loud whistle followed by Kohu´s louder growl, and Souna flinched briefly. Knowing that it shouldn't take him much longer now.
-Have you ever seen a giant jaguar before? – The warrior asked, grinning widely as the beast paced around the terrified man pinned to the tree. A trickle of blood slowly dripping from his arm and pooling down the ground, making the animal´s cold eyes sparkle at the sight of it.
The tired prisoner's frightened whimpers echoed all around the woods as the sole response to the white man's question, while the black feline kept circling around him in an intimidating display. Low growls erupting from him occasionally as he curiously sniffed the air with eagerness.
-They're magnificent creatures! You know? – The former Yahurian continued speaking nonchalantly as the hostage tried to press his body farther against the tree to no avail – The only problem is that they possess an almost insatiable appetite, you see?
He paused, letting out a low whistle that made the beast instantly sit down expectantly by his side. His tail playfully wagging left and right.
-Now… I know that my friend Kohu here already went for a hunt last night – Ussi explained happily, scratching the animal's head – So, he’s not that hungry.
He smiled, his eyes narrowing as he walked towards the defeated man calculatedly and pulled his chin up, making him reluctantly look at him.
-But this one is such a glutton that if I were to allow it, there is no way he is missing out on the chance of munching on you regardless. Even if it’s just a quick little bite here and there to indulge his crave. And by bite I mean… Well, you can see the size of his jaws. Can´t you?
He stepped backwards, serenely repositioning himself beside his pet, his eyes glowing with interest.
-Now… This, my man, is your last chance to tell me all about your reasons for being here – He stated, patting the animal's huge head slightly – Or I will let him maul you just enough for you to die the most painful and slow death that you could ever imagine.
A brief silence extended between them for a couple of seconds, before the warrior began turning his head towards the colossal beast, his lips slightly pursing.
-Wait! – The man cried out frantically, frustrated tears rolling down his cheeks – It was Queen Elande, ruler of Hathengatt! It was her! She is the one who sent us!
-Queen? – Ussi pondered, frowning with genuine surprise – What about King Yerbun? What happened to him?
-He died! – The crazed assailant spat – Elande is Queen now, and it seems like she has some old grudge against your wife, so she wants her dead.
-Well… We’ll see about that – The warrior breathed out, mounting on his feline, and giving him a last contemptuous glance – Do me a favor, would you? Go back to Hathengatt and tell her that I said this time I’m giving her a free pass… But if she dares to come after us ever again, she’ll find out in the worst of ways that my generosity has a very limited extent.
-How am I supposed to do that? – The man shouted out at him in disbelief – My arm is nailed to this goddamn tree by your f*****g spear!
- Oh, don't be such a cry baby – Ussi cooed, tauntingly rolling his eyes, then turning away from him and steering his beast towards the nearby stream where his family awaited him – You’ll figure it out… It’s either that or becoming scavenger’s meat. So, it’s up to you.
-Hey! What about your spear, Yahun! – He called out desperately – It is good steel! Don’t you want it back?
-Oh… Keep it as a souvenir... So you can remember me – The former Yahurian Commander chuckled, not even bothering to look back – I’ll just get another one when I get home.
- Writer
