Bituin: Queen of Aourterde

The Past - III

He refused to take a step closer, though his heart yearned his body refused. Hidden behind a tree branch he watched from afar as the chaos unraveled. People rushed about with cloths, water baskets, crushed herbs and more cloths. Some of the servant women rushed out of the stone house with bloodied cloths those were the ones he feared to look at.

Blood, he had seen a lot of that when he first found her. He was to hear her scream from outside when he returned from his talk with his men. He remembered the sound that pierced through his heart but even worse the scene he saw when he got closer. His beloved, his first love, the woman he could never have lay silent in a pool of her own blood.

Akio had been too afraid to step forward when he first saw her body lay limp on the ground not moving. Mahalia’ clothing had been soaked by the pool of her own blood, her clothes clenching to her small body he had hoped that her life line was clinching just as much. Never in his life he been so afraid, she was not moving, he feared she was not breathing at all. She could not die, no not yet, there was still a lot he wanted to say to her, there was still that future he was working towards and it could not come to be without her.  

“Mahalia, oh Mahalia, why is she not waking up Clarissa do something why aren’t your medicines working?” he heard Jedidiah rant once again. His old friend was inconsolable at the moment, he had refused to leave his wife’s side not letting anyone do much with him being present and constantly questioning the woman. Akio watched through the window from the hidden spot growing more and more irritable with Jedidiah for insisting to stay and being more of a disturbance than any help to the healer. He had with so much difficulty held himself back from going into the room and ripping his hand away from Mahalia, he wished to throw the man out of the small house and if possible out of the whole kingdom for being so careless with the woman he loved.

He held himself back still, carefully watching Clarissa work and try to bring Mahalia back. He sent a silent prayer to the stars to not take his beloved, his heart ached, his mind sored with anguish and bad thoughts but worst of all he was on the verge of losing his control, he couldn’t risk it. So instead he punched the wall next it him managing to crack the wall and his skin in the process. He was in more anguish than he wanted to show, he had been the one to find her, he had been the one to hold her body as it bled out, never had he been so pleased to have her so close to him but still so torn to have her close to him under such terrible circumstances, he had prayed to all the Gods and all the stars to keep her with him and called for help waking the entire castle from their sleep. 

He had an inclination as to who was responsible and just as he turned to look up he saw her, hiding in between the large trees away from everyone and the chaos she had created. Her Gold eyes shorn with fear when she noticed he had seen her.

Lettafet

Lettafet knew Akio would be angry, furious even but to bring their plans to life she had to do what was needed, she had to make the sacrifices. She was not going to show him that she feared him she believed in the steps she took to ensure their plans moved forward.

She watched him as he stomped through the forest, her bottom lip quivered and she tried to maintain her stance, he was beyond understanding at this point and she coward back in fear unable to stop herself. The mage knew that despite her power Akio was still capable of killing her if he got to her. He did not care for her reasons she could not stop herself and watching him now she knew he could kill her if he lost control. He reached her, going straight for her throat but Jonas stepped in between them holding Akio back from hurting the mage.

Jonas struggled to hold his father down “Father I shall not allow you to do this” Akio lifted his left hook and connected it with Jonas’ jaw bringing the boy down to his knees. “Stay out of this.” Akio stepped over him going once again for the mage. 

“Akio-“Lettafet stepped back. Akio reached for her throat once again and the mage cast a spell to stop him. He froze in his step not being able to move at all, this only made him more furious.

“Pray mage you better pray I don’t get out of this because if I do-“ He struggled against the hold she had put him in.

“Enough of your peevishness Akio I did what had to be done. Mahalia was carrying a son that was going to bring our plans to ruins. If she carried him to full term, if that boy livid there was no future for the South is that what you wanted?! I saw it! I saw it all in the stars. The South is going to be defeated everything was up in flames the son of this kingdom will bring nothing but ruins for us. Your precious Mahalia will survive she will only lose the babe and will not be able to get another which is still good for us. It is written in the stars that the child of this kingdom will be the end of us, I will not sit back and let that happen.”

She was right, despite himself Akio knew that she was right but the thought of Mahalia kept him stubborn, he knew there was another way. She could have chosen another way.

Lettafet knew there was a less painful way to have gotten rid of the babe, but she would not openly admit that she had enjoyed the moment she saw Mahalia fall, she would not dare express the joy she felt seeing her enemy in so much of pain. Mahalia may not die but she would never be as happy either and that was close to perfect for Lettafet.

“Father?” Jonas finally spoke up. He was not at peace with himself knowing that he was involved in it. He had come to like the Queen, she was so kind to him but he knew his hurt had a lot to do with the feisty women he had recently began to take an interest in and who was closest to the queen.

Jonas had been sent to spy on Mahalia a month before they were meant to arrive. He had been the one to report that she was with child, he had reported all the activities of the kingdom, hiding amongst the people of the kingdom seeking information for his father and the mage. Unintentionally though he had set himself up for he got along well with the folks finding a certain peace within himself that he had been longing for and more particularly a certain maiden who caught his heart. That information however could not be told to his father.

”Release me, release me right now!” 

With shaking hands the mage let him out. He walked aggressively towards her, Lettafet was terrified. He held her throat in his hand but the anger was almost gone now but Akio still needed to threaten her it’s the least he could do for the way she handled the whole situation. She still needed to know that no moves are made without his consent.

“If you ever again make such a decision without my consent I will end your life. I do not care that my Kingdom relies on you, you are still beneath me I am still your King, I am still the one with the power.” He brought her face close to his squeezing her neck for more emphasis, “Do not think that I do not know how much you love seeing her suffer I know that there were other ways to get rid of the babe. You did this to fill up the empty void of darkness and meaningless hatred that you carry within you. So I say it now Lettafet if Mahalia does not make it out alive you will be accompanying her into the afterlife.” He squeezed again just enough to rob her of air and then stomped back to check on Mahalia. Lettafet bent down gasping for air and cursing the day when Mahalia washed up into their lives twenty years ago.

When Akio got back to the little stone house Jedidiah was pacing back and forth outside the door. The ladies in waiting were no longer rushing in and out and it seemed to have calmed down. He didn’t know if he should be afraid or relieved that the place was much calmer. Did calm mean that Mahalia was no more? He could not bear the thought.

Jedidiah rushed up to him as soon as he saw him, “Where have you been Akio I was looking everywhere for you?”

“What is the matter Jed, did something happen to her, why is it so quiet?”

“There is a lady in there. A woman that Mahalia recently found in the woods. She claims that’s she is a healer of some sort. She says that she can cure her but she requested that I leave. I do not understand how this woman thinks she can cure Mahalia if Clarissa seems to be failing. I am so lost Akio I do not know what to do.” Jedidiah broke down and Akio fought with himself to not lash out at him. This was not the time for self pity. He needed to be strong and let those who know what to do cure Mahalia.

“My child is gone Akio I no longer have an heir, my queen is on her death bed.” He sat down on the ground tears flowing from his eyes. Akio was conflicted.” I feel so helpless Akio. What kind of a King am I? I could not protect my queen in her own home. Why didn’t I go down with her? Why didn’t I move our bedroom to the lower level.” He blamed himself, Akio watched as his old friend continued to mention what he could have done better what he could have changed and despite what he felt inside for Jedidiah and the plan he had against him, Akio still felt terrible for the things his friend was going through. He knew what it was like to lose Mahalia. She was the kind of woman who infected your soul with her soul that was always full of light. Mahalia was the brightest star anybody would be devastated to lose her.

“You are a king and a king never bows his head down.” He lifted Jedidiah’s head up and smiled Jedidiah smiled remembering all the times their fathers would tell them that. “You do not cease for anything, you carry you kingdom despite the tides across the oceans of life.” Jedidiah finished off.

“Exactly. The bad news has not arrived yet Jed. We will keep that hope going until the healers tell us otherwise. Pick yourself up old man you still got a long life ahead of you. Have you ever seen a more stubborn woman and queen than Mahalia, do you really think that she would leave her people behind so soon?” They both laughed at their own memories of Mahalia and the many times she stood her ground of what she believed in and her people.

 They both stayed silent reminiscing about the good times they’ve shared with the woman who changed their lives drastically. Akio remembered the day Mahalia washed up at sea and Jedidiah smiled at the memory of the day he had finally got the courage to confess his feelings to her.

“My King! My King! She has awoken!” Clarissa ran out of the stone house bringing them out of their thought by announcing the good news and like a ton of bricks have been lifted from their hearts both the men ran in to the small house.