Selena finally puts down her cup of wine, then rises to her feet. Making her way to the corner of the room, there was a statue of Harris there.
She knelt in front of it, her head resting on the cold floor, and she shut her eyes. With both hands stretched out in front of her, also on the floor, she began to pray.
"Stop fondling your fingers; we are not going to die." Amilek said nonchalantly, without turning to look at Micah. Micah creased her brows.
"And how would you know that? She asked, taking in a deep breath to calm herself.
"I just know." He said it and didn't talk to her again.
...…..
"Where are you going? Viran asked when he saw Yumi cleaning the blade of a sword.
"What does it look like I am doing? Yumi asked, still cleaning the sword.
They were in the tent closest to the battle line.
"You are not thinking what I am thinking, are you? Viran asked, drawing nearer.
"And what will that be? Yumi was playing dumb. She quickly rose to her feet, then swung the sword tactically in an adroit way, then pointed the sword at his chest.
"You didn't tell me you were good with swords."
"You didn't tell me you had a wife and you were planning to make me your second wife." Yumi's eyes were filled with dread as she slowly lowered the sword and then walked past him, but he gripped her wrist and pulled her back to himself.
"How could you think of going to war? Do you want to die?! His voice was high-pitched.
"You think I raised my bannermen to fight my war for me without wanting to partake in it? No…Viran, I am more than that." She hissed, yanking her hand away from his grip.
I didn't plan on making you my second wife. Yumi…. I was planning to kill my wife and replace her with you.
"Wouldn't that still make me the second woman in your life? You lying bastard! Yumi turned and looked at him, then, pointing the sword at him, she said….
"You are lucky you kept to your promise by delivering those ships. I would have had your head hanged on a spike." She said that and then started putting her shiny armor on.
"Yumi, you don't want to go out there; it is filled with human guts and blood." Viran said, turning around to look at her.
"I was born in human guts and nonsense; my mother was a warrior, and she was heavy with me, her pregnancy due for delivery. But she was a strong woman; she went to war and gave birth to me amongst dead bodies." Yumi was done arming herself; she held a knife in one hand and a shield in the other.
"Haven't you heard of Jhara the warrior? She asked, walking past him. Viran creased his brows for some seconds; he had heard that name but couldn't remember.
"Was she your mother? He asked, arching his brows.
"Yes ... she was." Yumi said sheathed her sword.
"You want your name to be written in history books, and songs to be made in your name. For that reason, all of you are ready to die! Viran clenched his fist.
"If I die, Viran…then let me die alone." She said before walking out on him. She mounted a white horse in front of the tent and rode away.
Viran felt his throat dry up. He was an average man in his early fifties, but he still had a good retentive memory.
He sat down on one of the chairs in his room, his thoughts colliding in a whirlwind. He pinched the bridge of his nose, his eyes shut as he drummed his finger on a desk.
"Jhara the warrior." The name sounded all too familiar for him to miss.
Just then it clicked!
...….
Jhara was fighting in the midst of a war. Her hand had muscles, and her face had scars of different triumphs. She had the zeal of a mighty army, her sword cutting through her enemies with swiftness.
She was heavy with a baby. That's right! ... Her belly was as swollen as rising dough. But here she was fighting. Just when she had cut through the neck of a man. She felt her water break; the baby was coming!
She still kept fighting; right now she was in labor, but she didn't stop, she kept fighting. The baby's head was already coming out.
"Ahh! Aghhh! Jhara screamed, already pushing the baby, but her sword was still moving.
She should have listened to her brothers; she should have stayed back at the castle. But she knew this was her destiny.
The baby's head popped out between her thighs, blood streaming down her legs; she was getting weak.
She sat down amongst the piles of dead bodies and began to push. Her face was scrunched up, her hand clenched. Sweat pouring down her face.
"Come out, Yumi! Come out! She screamed. Holding her sword. Her men were protecting her….
"Jhara? Viran called out when he saw his sister was in labor.
He stood beside her, still holding his sword stained with blood, and began to fight, chasing anyone that tried to kill her while she was in labor.
Jhara closed her eyes, her veins popped up, and the sun above her made her hazy.
"Aghhh! She screamed, her veins at the surface of her skin.
Suddenly a woman rushed to where she was.
"Oh, the child of destiny is coming out." It was an aged woman.
"Push one more time." She urged Jhara, and the latter did as she said. The baby came out with ease.
Jhara was weak, but she smiled at her child.
"Your baby will die as you will today; amongst great men she will fight like you did today." The aged woman was already prophesying, holding Yumi in her hands.
"No…don't say that." Jhara said, taking her Bay in her hands.
"It is not I that decided her fate; it is the gods." She said, then quickly snatched the baby from Jhara and dodged the sword coming the baby's way.
The sword fell upon Jhara, and she was divided in two on the very spot she had just labored. The old woman scurried away with the baby in her hand.
"When the war was over, the old woman brought the baby to Viran.
"Your niece, here, take her." She said so, but Viran refused. He was still young here, a very eligible bachelor.
"Take her to her father, the king of Galveston."
"She is an illegitimate child." The old woman reminded.
"He will accept her." Viran said before turning and walking away to grieve his sister.
...…..End of Flashback
Viran massaged his temples.
"Oh shit… I have been banging my niece."
He cursed.
Yumi, the queen of the north! They hailed as Yumi approached the battlefieldriding a white horse. Armed with a shield and sword. Her sword was already cutting through many as she made her way to the main battlefield.
"Let us settle this one-on-one, Ragaleon! Yumi said from where she was on her horse.
Ragaleon was a warrior; she knew this but still challenged him.
Vinson, the sea prince. Spat out blood from his mouth, then turned to gaze at Ragaleon.
"We have finished her men off; do not engage personally with her." He said, gazing at Ragaleon, but he had something else in mind.
Ragaleon removed his sword, which was stuck in the chest of a man he had just slaughtered. Then he slowly made his way to where Yumi was.
Yumi dismounted her horse, making her way to him, their eyes not breaking away.
Clash!
They couldn't wait to end each other; they started fighting immediately they were within reach. Yumi was good…very good. She dodged all Ragaleon's attacks.
"The next time you think of sending my daughter's body to me, think twice! She said before running her sword through Ragaleon's right hand.
Ragaleon didn't flinch; he kept fighting, and Yumi didn't falter either.
The bannermen, who had paused to glare, suddenly put down their swords and began to watch. This has become a one-man standing match; whoever wins would take the victory for both themselves and their kingdom.
For minutes Yumi and Ragaleon wrestled with their sword. Their face dripping with sweat, their body soaked with their own blood.
"Where did you learn to fight like this? Ragaleon couldn't help but ask.
"I trained under the watch of the commander of my father's kingdom when I was a little girl." She answered, increasing her pace.
Ragaleon was stunned by her dexterity; for a while they wrestled… suddenly Yumi knocks Ragaleon's sword away, then immediately points her sword at his chest.
"Don't move." She warned
"You are good; I will give you that." Ragaleon said before knocking her sword away; now both of them were swordless.
Yumi used her fist, penetrating into Ragaleon's left jaw. Then with her legs she kicked him away violently, then scrambled to where her sword was.
When Yumi turned to get her sword, Ragaleon also used the same opportunity to retrieve his sword.
Clash!
Their swords clashed in the air, their breath etched.
They wrestled for hours on the dead bodies of their bannermen. Yumi's men had managed to break through the first gate of Decreash. Women and children were lying dead on the floor, their bodies stepped on as Yumi and Ragaleon continued to fight.
"Ragaleon, let me help you." Vinson has been watching them for a while; Yumi looked like she was going to win.
"Don't! Ragaleon's voice was firm.
Yumi's face was now bruised with Ragaleon's sword; Ragaleon's handsome face also had some bruises, but they didn't stop.
"Your daughter Katie committed adultery. I have never said this to anyone, but I did regret giving her that death; she was like you—she wouldn't beg, nor did she falter. She was bold even till death." These were the words Ragaleon said before knocking Yumi's sword away.
He now had his sword on her neck.
"Do you yield? He asked, but Yumi broke into a cunning laugh and then spat out blood.
"You think I came all this way just to bow down to you if I don't win? Never! Yumi said, then tilted her head, giving Ragaleon a good view of her neck.
"Just do it! Kill me already! She said with apparent boldness.
"I am giving you a chance to live." His golden eyes flashed with mercy, mercy for the mother of his adulterous wife.
Yumi smiled, her gums and teeth dripping with blood. Her hair clung to her face, which was smeared with blood mixed with sweat. She gazed at the clouds above; the sun was setting.
They had fought from noon to sunset!
Ragaleon raised his sword to kill Yumi, but the latter rolled away and then grabbed her sword, which was lying on the ground a distance away.
"I will never give you the satisfaction of killing me." She said she then ran the sword in her hand through her stomach.
Ragaleon was shocked.
Yumi didn't break her gaze away from him.
"You better pray I don't come back as a ghost to hunt you." She said, laughing hysterically, her hands dripping with blood as they clutched her stomach.
"I…I am coming, Katie." She said before slumping down on the ground…dead.