Her lips were dried, her hair disheveled, and she made her way outside, as the windy breeze blew all the clothes on the drape to the ground.
"Get in, Joya; it is going to rain." Her mother screams, standing at the doorstep of a detached house, her apron soiled with food.
Joya only increased her zeal; the rain was already drizzling, but she endured a little. She finally makes her way into the house with her hand holding on to the clothes.
"The stew smells nice, Mother." She said as she dashed into the inner room, she dropped the clothes on a worn-out chair and joined her mother in the kitchen.
"How long are we going to remain in the wilderness? Joya had an authoritative voice, like a dominant queen.
"Until we gather up more food to continue our journey.
"Where are we going?" Joya asked, taking the dead rabbit on the floor in the corner in her hand, she snapped the neck off and slowly peeled the skin.
"I do not have a precise idea."
"So we venture into the wilds, scrambling for food when we could have remained in the castle and worked as maids? Joya arched her brows as she questioned, putting the rabbit into the steaming stew, and then turned to look at her mother.
"They no longer needed our service." Mira said, avoiding her daughter's gaze.
Joya focused her gaze on the steaming stew…
"Why…can't I remember anything from my past? No memories of my childhood….
Mira couldn't see the countenance of Joya's face; they were separated by the pot of stew. The steam was rising up, clouding Joya's countenance.
"You were sick; most of the time you were bedridden….
"My father…? Joya pushed further.
"He passed away." Mira snapped.
"Then the dreams I have…
"They are only dreams, Joya; don't let them bother you." Mira snapped sternly, not giving Joya a chance to complete her sentence.
"The stew is ready…" Mira said to break the tension in the air. She made her way to the burning fire; using a stick and some water, she turned it off.
"We will go to my brother's house in Galveston." She finally spoke and then turned to gaze at Joya, who was initially lost in thoughts but feigned a smile.
"Let's eat." Joya said, pretending everything was fine.
....
"You and I are connected, yes! Ask her; she will tell you."
"Why do you have my face? Joya asked, frightened.
"Because I am you, but not exactly." Katie said remorsefully.
"You can't be me; there can't be two of me. Leave…leave me alone!
Joya sprang up from the mat she was sleeping on, sweat trickling down her face, and she was gasping breathlessly. She wiped her face using her dress, then gazed at her mother, who was sleeping soundly.
She slowly rises to her feet, then tiptoes out of the abandoned thatched cottage. She finds herself outside, where the cool night breeze sways, making her dark hair dance to the rhythm of its movement.
"You…you are the queen of beauty.
"You will be my third wife…she is a fallen queen!
"Is she dead…will she die, Kaal? Tell me!
Like a broken record, the voice flashed through her head; she placed both hands on her ear firmly as if to stop the voices in her head.
"Stop…please." She was breathless as she slowly crouched to her knees, holding her ears firmly.
The insects of the night chirped, the crickets hopped, the owls hooted… The wind blew and swayed the branches of the trees, then suddenly the clouds became dark, and then rain began to drizzle.
Joya slowly raised her gaze, her face wet with tears; she sat outside the cottage, her knees drawn up to her chest….
Just then she heard sticks snap and the leaves in the bushes rustling. She pricked her ears and squinted her eyes; it was then she was able to see golden eyes glowing in the dark.
Her heart thumped as she slowly rose to her feet; immediately she turned, and she heard quick steps rushing at her….
Suddenly Mira was outside with a knife in her hands; the wild dog was about to jump on Joya, but she pushed her away, and the wild dog pounced on her.
"Aghhh! Aghhh! Mira screamed in pain; the wild dog dealt treacherously with her left leg, sinking its teeth deep into her flesh. She kept on fighting back, stabbing the dog with the knife in her hand.
Joya was trembling. She looked around and saw a rock some distance away; she dashed towards it and picked it up. She sneaked up on the wild beast and smashed the rock against its head before quickly retreating.
The wild animal struggled a little before slumping down…dead. Joya's eyes were filled with tears as she crouched beside Mira, who was groaning in pain, her face wet with tears.
Right before them, their lives flashed before their very eyes.
"Don't die…," Joya whispered as her lips quivered.
"Please don't die." Joya was crying. She tore a piece of her dress and quickly wrapped it around Mira's injured leg.
" I…I am not going to die." A tear dropped from Mira's eyes.
"Turn on the fire, heat…" Mira swallowed the saliva in her throat. She dared to look down and saw that her leg was almost gone… Her words failed her as she broke down in tears.
"No, no, please don't cry." Joya cupped her face, begging desperately.
"Tell me, tell me what to do after igniting the fire." Joya wanted to do anything to help. Mira blinked her tears away, then breathed in and out.
"The knife—set the blade of the knife on the fire and allow it to…to heat up, then use it on my leg." Mira finally completed her sentence.
"Let's get you inside." Joya was trying not to cry but was failing terribly.
"Mira was too heavy for her to lift up, so she dragged her along the ground until they got inside the cottage. She laid Mira on the mat, then turned on the fire, placing the blade of the knife in it.
At intervals she would gaze at her mother, at the same time wiping the tears stinging her eyes. After a while she removed the hot blade of the knife…she hesitated for a while, gazing at her mother.
"Do it; make it quick." Mira was bold.
Joya slowly placed the red-hot blade on her brother's flesh…
"Aghhh! Aghhh! Mira hissed and twitched and groaned in agony. Joya broke down in tears…
"I am so sorry..." she cried as she maintained the blade on the injury.
"Take it off! I can't take this…. Ahhh! Mira screamed, but Joya didn't remove the blade.
"Forgive me, this is for your own good… Oh God… I knew I shouldn't have stepped out. What is wrong with me?! She said, her lips trembling, as tears trickled down her cheeks uncontrollably.
Mira only groaned softly; she was a strong woman. Her dark brown hair and dark eyes were drained of life at the moment; she could only gaze at the girl she had promised her mistress to take care of.
"Get your things ready. We leave this place at dawn."
"No…no, you can't walk. Will wait until you get better." Joya said, removing the blade, she placed it back into the fire.
"By that time we would be food in a wild beast's stomach! Mira screamed, frustrated.
By this time it was already raining heavily outside, and the thatched house began to leak water. The water dripping on the roof was the only noise that could be heard until….
"Aghhh! Oh, fuck! Mira shut her eyes and screamed when the hot blade touched her skin for the second time.
"I am so stupid, going outside in the middle of the night. What was I thinking?" Joya could see the pain her mother felt, her eyes flooded with fresh tears.
"Why…why did you go outside? Mira stuttered, her eyes slowly closing; she was losing consciousness due to the stress she had endured.
"Because….I…Mother? Joya thought Mira was dying when she saw the latter's eyes slowly closing. She quickly checked her pulse and sighed when she saw that she was still breathing.
She turned off the fire and sat by the corner, watching her mother all night. At intervals she would check her pulse and pray silently that her mother wouldn't die.
By the time it was morning, Mira regained consciousness. She looked around, and when she saw that Joya wasn't by her side, she tensed up and was about to stand up on her feet, then she realized she only had one good leg.
She laid back and waited for a while, then someone walked through the door.
Mira raised her gaze and sighed when she saw Joya.
"I have a cart loaded with wild fruits; we are leaving." She said, supporting Mira, they made their way outside. Joya helped her mother inside the cart, which had two donkeys in front of it attached to the reins.
"Where did you get the…" Mira wanted to ask Joya where she got the cart.
"I stole it. I don't care; we are getting out of here." Joya snapped, taking hold of the reins.
"This way." Mira pointed to the road she knew led to Galvestone.
"No…the cottage where I stole the cart from is nearby; we go opposite. If the gods are merciful, we might find our way." Joya said and then took the opposite path.
"If you hadn't sent the royal carriage away, none of this would have happened."
"We were getting more attention than needed; there is an impending war. If any rebellion of Canna had seen us riding in a carriage with the sigil imprinted on it, we would have been killed on the spot." Mira explained that her wisdom was commendable.
"We have been lost in the wild for seven days!
"Not lost, just taking a short rest." Mira snapped.
"I know my way around…to Galvestone. This path you are taking, I do not know it. You might be leading us to our death." Mira added, then sat up; her left leg was now swollen.
They rode the cart until the sun was high up in the sky, then finally came across a small village.
The village was lively; Joya pulled up and climbed down from the cart.
"Please, where are we? She asked a man walking past her, but he ignored her. She continued asking around, but the people here were ignorant and rude.
"Let us continue the journey, Joya." Mira said from where she was, still in the carriage.
"No, we need rest." She said, gazing at the sun slowly setting.
"The night is perilous; for once let us find a comfortable place to lay our heads." She added, then suddenly saw a man making his way to her.
"You must be new here, looking for an inn? He asked, and Joya was glad.
"Yes, but we don't have any money; we have fruit to give in exchange." Joya said, and the man lets out a mocking laugh.
"⁶That won't do, gal." He said, using a local accent.
"Then what will? Joya asked. They talked for a while, and Joya stole glances at her mother before finally nodding to the man's proposal. She went in with the man and came back hours later.
Her mother was still awake….
"You slept with him." It wasn't a question; Mira sounded bitter when those words slipped out of her mouth.
"I had no choice; we have no money." She said, avoiding her gaze. Joya didn't have any regret.
"Then you let a stranger fuck you? Why?! Why don't you listen to me? Mira couldn't hold her tears.
"No, Mother, you listen! I won't sit around and watch life treat us like a bag of potatoes. We are both going to make it out of here alive, by all means, and this I promise!