The Land Below our Feet II (Unleashed) COMPLETE

ACTION

-Elaborate – Souna muttered in a demanding tone, her features frozen in an impassive veil as she stared into Pahoka-Xe´s clouded eyes.

-Your father, Prince Ahau, met your mother by chance one day in the quietness of a deserted pond as it had been destined for them – The woman began saying, her eyes squinting as she stared blankly at the stone wall ahead – He was young, he was full of life… And he had scurried out of the palace premises to escape his boring responsibilities once more.

She paused, her head tilting with amusement as she recalled the tale, a smile crawling up her masked face and right to her milky irises.

-Anam had kept true to her word and stayed in the shadows throughout the years while Zoehla lived with the woman she´d learnt to call mother. But she knew that this was coming, and that she couldn't intervene…

Pahoka-Xe winced, her hand slightly quivering, before reaching for the sisters´ wrists and squeezing them fondly.

– My dears, you should know that yours was not the first fate that we had to let follow its course – She confessed, her sight hardening - But you must understand that one's pain is irrelevant when the future of millions is at stake. We'd already seen a glimpse of how it looked without you, and believe me… It was pure hell! So, we had to protect what mattered the most: your precious lives.

-So, our parents met… – Sehira chimed in, her pensive voice echoing around the spacious chambers for the first time that night – I gather that they had an affair and that we were born somewhere along the road… But they were never married, it was just a fling.

-That's where you are wrong – The Yahurian woman replied, shaking her head energetically – You father DID marry Zoehla in secret, then he brought her to the palace to live with him. He managed to keep her hidden from his parents for a few more months until her first pregnancy started being evident, and he had to come clean with his father: King Yathan, as he was clearly panicking and desperately looking for some advice.

-That must have been an interesting conversation to witness – Ussi observed, sternly clicking his tongue with concern.

-You bet it was – Pahoka-Xe agreed, nodding purposefully at him – Not only had he married what they thought was a peasant back then and shamelessly knocked her up… But he had also broken the marriage pact that Yathan had made with Princess Elande´s father years ago, and which he had failed to inform his son about until that very moment.

-So, what happened? – Souna asked, genuinely intrigued, biting her lip – Did he throw mom out then?

-No- The old woman spoke, turning towards her – He wanted to kill her, along with your unborn fetus. But Anam had been lurking in the shadows this whole time and was able to intercede.

-How? – Sehira mumbled, blinking repeatedly with disbelief – What makes an enraged ruler desist when it comes to getting rid of such an inconvenient obstacle standing in his way?

-The truth… – The Yahurian Mother heavily sighed – Of course it wasn't easy, but Anam had managed to infiltrate the palace as a servant the moment she'd learned of the secret wedding. She'd spent months waiting for this moment, and she knew exactly what to do and what to say to save your mother's life, and, in consequence, yours.

-I thought you said that you couldn't interfere with destiny! – Souna complained, her brow frowning with confusion and a hint of reproach – Why would she do that then? Why not let it happen just as you always do?

- She wasn't interfering at all, my child – Pahoka-Xe declared, waving her hand dismissively – In fact, she was simply ensuring that your fate was duly met.

-Who the hell dictates these nonsensical rules! – Souna exclaimed, irritated – It's idiotic… You arbitrarily prevent some things from happening while you let others simply follow their own course! How is that fair?

-Because you were never meant to die, and Sehira was yet to be born – The Guider calmly retorted, giving her a reassuring look – We had seen it, that was not true fate… This was.

-I simply don't understand – Souna exhaled out loudly, massaging her temple with annoyance – I don't get your goddamn rules at all!

-You will, soon – Sehira spoke, grabbing her forearm tenderly and looking into her eyes – I have only been doing this for a short time, but I know what she means…. I've seen some events etched in stone, and plenty of others barely scribbled on the sands of time. It takes practice to tell one from another, but once you do, you learn that some things are bigger than us... And that's the real fate.

-So, we don't have a free will then? – Her sister insisted, profoundly disappointed– If our lives are already predetermined, then they aren't ours at all!

-You are getting it wrong, my dear – Pahoka-Xe mediated, her soothing voice taking charge – The decision is always yours to make, you get to choose whether you want to fulfill your purpose or not, and you have been doing it all this time. Nobody forced any of you to do anything, you did it all on your own account… You could have refused, yet you didn't… You always had a choice.

-All right, so… back to the story then – Sehira spoke impatiently, calling out to the Guider – How did Anam convince the King to spare mother's life?

-She told him who she really was – The old woman replied, nodding at her – Everything… From your mother's origins to his offspring's destiny, and thankfully… He listened.

-How is that so? – Souna asked with incredulity – In what world is being the child of a forsaken Yahurian leader a deterrent from facing an otherwise gruesome death?

- My dear – Pahoka-Xe retrorted, giving her a playful nod – You should know that us Guiders come from an ancient stirp. We have been around since the beginning of the Yahurian Order, and we will continue to be… They call us Nayheb: The Lighthouses. And most monarchs are aware of our lineage's relevance.

She halted, reaching for a small compartment hidden on the table's side and producing an old-looking scroll, which she extended over the surface of the table and pointed at the tangled genealogy portrayed on it. Her finger slowly trailing all the way down to the freshly inked names of Souna´s own two children, making her eyes instantly widen in silent appreciation.

-Even though we rule no land or hold no titles – The old woman continued saying, her voice rapidly regaining the attention of her three interlocutors - Our participation is crucial for peace ensuring… And they appreciate this fact much more than any royalty we might hold.

-So, she threatened him with Yahur´s wrath? – Ussiariah inquired, his face contorting with disgust.

-No, my son – Pahoka-Xe replied, shaking her head emphatically – She simply assured him that he would have our aid if he happened to need it, which is nothing more than we would normally offer to anyone in his position anyway.

-But with or without the Yahurian support, I am sure no sane king is willing to risk attracting a war towards his gates if he can prevent it, isn't that right? – Souna interjected.

-It is – The Yahurian Guider concurred – Even when Yathan agreed that he wouldn't kill Zoehla and his unborn grandchild, he still wanted to avoid Hathengatt´s retaliation. He was very adamant about persuading your father to repudiate your mother so that he could keep the contract marriage with Princess Elande. But his efforts would prove to be vain... Nothing would make Ahau budge in the end.

-So, he was left with no option but to go back on his word – Sehira concluded gravely, her voice echoing behind her mask – … And this unleashed war.

-Not at first – The white-haired maiden explained – King Yathan was still a very skilled negotiator, and he offered King Yerbun a very generous update on an active commerce agreement they had held for generations, which in theory would have given Hathengatt a very advantageous profitability, ensuring their inaccessible and mostly sterile realm a steady supply of crops for years to come.

-That sounds quite generous – Souna wheezed in appreciation – Considering that everybody knows that apart from their abundant pines and giant sequoias, no much more grows beyond the Tayenthan mountains.

-Yes, it was a very tempting proposal – Pahoka-Xe assented, her milky eyes shining sadly – And it almost worked… The King and his sons were strongly inclined to accept the offer and let their ill-feelings aside…

-But Princess Elande wouldn't hear a word about it – The warrior rapidly deduced, his lip curling up in a wry smirk – Not when she found out the reason for Ahau´s rejection. Am I wrong?

-You are not – The Yahurian lady sadly sighed – A jealous woman is always a force to be reckoned with. First, she tried sending a bunch of mercenaries to kill Souna and her mother… And she was very close to succeeding. Hadn't it been for a loyal guard who gave his life protecting Zoehla and the newborn, allowing her to flee the place, they would have died then and there… But as I said, that was not their fate.

-But my mother was terrified that they would come after us again – Souna reasoned, biting her lip pensively – So, that's why we left and went back to live in anonymity.

-Yes, but Ahau couldn't stand being apart from you, or her – The elder Yahurian explained – Not even when Elande gathered an army, then tried to take the city by force, killing his father in battle. Not even after we had to intervene and restore peace…

She deeply inhaled, her milky eyes darkening considerably, before resuming her story.

-He simply kept secretly visiting you both until, eventually, Sehira was born. With two infant lives to protect now, Zoehla made a decision and drew the line at last, forbidding him to come back and banishing him to the palace for good.

-And he complied? – Sehira asked, her brow raising with curiosity – Just like that?

-Well, not just like that – The Guider responded, shrugging off - First, he refused, then he objected, and finally…. He begged. But in the end, he loved you all so much that he couldn't argue with the fact that no matter how much he wanted to be with you, he was also endangering you all… So, he left.

-And we forgot about him – Souna realized, her eyes welling up with sorrow – … Deliberately. So, now he's forgotten about us.

-It was the only way – Pahoka-Xe reassured her, patting her hand with hers – By then, the relationship between both cities was so irremediably damaged that the dread of another battle would remain looming over them for years.

-I assume the only reason why it didn't blow up in the end was because of the certainty that Yahur would have stepped in once more and crushed them – The warrior inferred, his voice firm and confident as he narrowed his eyes – I remember hearing my older brothers talking about the possibility of taking action during my first years here, yet it never happened.

-No, my child. That's because the threats eventually suffocated and devolved into a silent enmity between both parties. Ties were severed and relationships were broken for good, forcing Hathengatt to turn to pricier options for their sustenance in order to keep their pride intact.

-What a huge disaster a hurt ego can provoke – Ussi observed cautiously, letting out a loud exhalation.

-It could have been worse – The old maiden informed them in a serious tone, her eyes redirecting towards the two siblings – Her wrath would only appease somewhat after Zoehla died in a suspicious manner a few years later.

-Wait! – Souna exclaimed with sudden realization – Are you implying that mom didn't fall and drown in that swollen river on her own?

-Let's just say I know for a fact that your mother was an excellent swimmer and a cautious trekker, my sweet girl – Pahoka-Xe cryptically answered, tilting her head slightly at her.

-All right – Sehira announced. Taking the lead in the conversation and forcefully grabbing Souna´s arm with concern – And now we know she is coming after you… She already tried sending her hit-men to kill you and your family! If I'm right, and she is following her previous pattern, then I bet attacking Lowland's gate is next on her list. So, maybe we should take action and move our army there before she strikes...

-Too late Sehira-Xe – Xibu´s voice resonated from behind her, attracting the entire group's attention to the threshold of the door, where he casually leaned with crossed arms – A bird just arrived, and she is already marching south… Yet she's not striking Lowland's gate, but Mavaer.