Solace for the meek Part 2

She questioned her.

Shaking her for a response.

Aya looked helpless as she looked at the sky, her hair bounced off hitting her back as the water from the rain flung around. The sound of Ussu's questions dampened as she listened to the sound of the rain droplets as they trickled down the rooftops.

She then heard Ussu's voices and Quine urge her back and forth for an answer, she looked to the side and saw Shassii unaware and saw the bright happy smile on her face. The tears that dressed her young face as well as Chainik who held tightly to Shassii's hands. The two kept faith in the ordeal.

"Guys we got to go, we got soldiers returning" yelled Kairui.

The atmosphere changed again as everyone felt grim inside.

"No, no, no we can't leave them. Chainik we'll get you out, don't worry" Shassii pleaded as she nodded her head to encourage her.

Chainik smiled and said "Shassii it's ok. You all did your best".

Shassii wiped her tears and swiped the pick from Sannu's hand and rushed to the lock. Trying desperately to pry it open.

The lock clicked as she panicked trying to free it.

"COME ON, COME ON, COME ON!!!" she cried out as she went into a near frenzy trying to force it open.

"It's,... it's okay shassii" Chainik whispered to her.

Shassii ignoring her kept picking the lock. Yannu saw but kept quiet, guilt and frustration plagued his mind.

"NOT one more, not one more... I won't lose anyone else not when I've found you all" she told herself.

Aya stared at them aimlessly and spoke softly to Ussu and Quine.

"Please respect and understand why. It's not that I don't want to, it's just, it's just".

"Your father" Quine responded with a smile.

Ussu let go of Aya defeated and looked at Quine.

"I can't stop you but ill take care of everyone here. Don't worry" Quine reassured Aya as she rubbed Ussu's hair.

Ussu's head fell and she was suddenly filled with sorrow and pain.

"Hmph, hmph"

"Don't cry Ussu, I love you all. I wish there was another way. Please if I don't make it be the sister, Shassii needs in my place. All of you please be her family...".

"She might.... no, She lost one already she might lose another".

They all huddled together. Yannu approached them, hesitating to interrupt the touching moment in front. Although dull in most instances his eyes met with Quine as he rubbed Ussu's back and even he could read the situation and guessed what was going on.

All their heads were leaned in. Aya looked up finally to greet Yannu.

"You leaving," Yannu asked.

Aya remained silent. Yannu came in and hugged the group.

"Take care of Ussu, Yannu. Marry her like you said you would," Aya let out in a broken voice.

"Tell him…." Quine chimed in as she laughed wiping her tears.

Ussu turned quickly latched onto Yannu and wept. Pouring in her heart out onto him.

"Come on let's go, the soldiers are coming. They might have more men with them" Yannu consoled the group.

"He's right... Happy faces everyone!!" Aya said suggestively with the brightest smile.

Ussu looked at her but felt deep pain. She was unsure of everything in these last few hours, first her parents and two now her friend who she thought would continue on with them. Aya's suicide mission didn't make sense but she tucked in fear and worry. All for Shassii' sake.

Quine looked at Aya surprised. In the face of death, she was brave and unfazed. Like she had accepted fate and was prepared to die. The two never saw eye to eye, Aya being welcoming and friendly and Quine being seen as the uptight parental figure but today she had set their rivalry aside. Now she wondered if her friend would make it, in all the odds. But she respected her decision.

Quine nodded to Aya patting her shoulder. They all rubbed their faces and prepared to take off.

Shassii was desperately clinging to the lock.

The lock kept clicking as it jammed.

"We've got to go," Kairui said in frustration.

"There's around twenty-five of them steamrolling there way here!!" Rachid yelled out as she stood up from the reins.

Sannu rushed back to the carriage.

"Am sorry, he said to the villagers" sorrowfully as he spun his head back around.

The villagers had given in to death and urged them to leave. Chasing them away. Even in their precarious condition they didn't want the youngins captured or tortured. The selfless act was almost admirable.

Yannu ran back to Shassii.

"Let me take over. Get to the carriage" he commanded.

Shassii refused and stood up firmly holding Chainik's hands. Yannu tried pushing her to the side so he could take control but she fought back adamantly.

Sannu man'd the reins and compelled the group to board and leave.

Kairui jumped in the wagon, made her way to the reins stood beside Sannu hanging off the side. She looked at Aya and saw a look of conviction. She nodded at her and called the others to leave.

Ussu and Quine took the initiative forcibly pulling Shassii away from the locks.

"Urrrrrrrr, Grrrrrrrr"

"Let me gooooooo!!! Nooo, we can't leave" Shassii cried out.

In the back, the unit was gaining closer and closer to them.

"We've got to go Shassii, we can't help them. They'll live and we'll come back for them" Quine replied.

Shassii held on tight to the bars.

"Shassii you have to go, you have to let me go. I'll be fine, I promise please.." Chainik advised tears rushing down her face.

"I can't, nooooo your.... one of ....my closest friends".

Chainik pleaded and pleaded Shassii to let go.

Aya saw the commotion and the soldiers drawing near.

She stole Quine's short sword turned it round to the hinge and hit Shassii on the head.

Shassii fell to the ground dazed out for an instant, her vision went blurry and she could hear voices screaming and shouting.

She found herself dragged onto the carriage. Shassii reached out and moaned "Sis, sis. Get on".

Aya looked at Shassii grabbed her face and kissed her forehead.

"Forgive me" she sorrowfully wept out as she disembarked.

"ARRHHHHHHH!!!"

Shassii flew into a frenzy, tugging and frolicking around but Quine and Ussu held her back firmly. Breaking free she rushed forward with Yannu blocking her.

Kairui anticipating it pulled the carriage doors up as Yannu embraced her holding her back.

"GO, GO, GO" Yannu ordered Sannu. The cart darted off with each second they distanced themselves from her. Shassii looked and saw Aya on the edge of the bridge staring at her before breaking off into tears yet again.

She lost her words as her lips mimed to her.

Aya read her lips and knew what she said. It was greater than, "Why?? Or No".

Shassii's words burrowed deep into Aya's soul.

The carriage was now away from Aya as it turned the corner.

Aya made her way to the cage where Chainik was and stared at her. Chainik looked helpless. The two finally spoke to each other.

"Why'd you stay?? You can't save us" a villager asked peering out the side of the bars.

Chainik wiped her tears once again and peeked back at Aya "Thank you Aya again. Thank you for stopping her from before and now. I know how much it must have hurt to do such a thing. But are you sure this is what you want to do?" she interrogated. Her hands-on the bars as she waited for an answer. Her head dropped down in silence as Aya remained Quiet for a moment.

Aya looked at the ground and then at her feet, then back at the slave cart.

"What happened to Jasi and the rest? Chainik".

Chainik shot back up. Looked at the soldiers in the distance and then took a second to compose herself before responding.

"They made it out. They'll be in the desert by now, soon on their way home".

"That's good".

"Tjja Tjja stayed though".

"What??".

"Yeah, she stayed. She said she wants to be an herbalist after all. She went to the capital with her brother. Don't worry". Aya sighed in relief.

"My fath…"

"He's safe for now. Hurry home and do what you need to do" Chainik reminded her.

Aya shrieked covering her mouth but felt happy. The grief that burrowed deep in her heart eased a bit.

The soldiers were now a minute away with them yelling and shouting out the bridge.

"I'll be honest. Aya, we'll be slaves. I won't downplay it... Your father won't!…. can't live like that. You know what am hinting to don't you".

Aya fired back with her fists clenched "I know but I can't abandon him" she expounded.

"Even if it's one day, just one day!! It's enough".

Chainik closed her eyes and blessed her.

"Śeingtt be with, but go now".

"Go, Aya, run! No sin bears on you for leaving us here. Save your father and live. Live free for us". "All of us". Those were Chainik's last words. They hit her more than they hit Aya. In her heart, she felt defeated.

Aya wailed "I never brought him the water today…. He might be dea….". "Child, his not dead. I know you and your family. I'll never forget what you all did here. The soldiers never reached your house. But run now before they catch you please" an old woman spoke out.

Her body moved on its own. Her mind was still running through a thousand thoughts of what was to come but she knew she had to move now. Time was up.

Aya turned and saw the soldiers gaining momentum. She dashed to the edge of the bridge, looked back at the carriage, bowed to the elders, then scorned at the soldiers, and dived into the water.

A large splash of water flew up as her body descended down below.

Swimming deep, striking each wave of water. Stroke after stroke she kept up the pace.

The carriage prayed blessings upon her.

The sounds of hooves thumping the ground could be heard approaching. The dirt lifted as they drew close.

The soldiers stopped at the bridge and looked at the villagers praying. Then taking notice of the river the leader saw a body emerge out of the water on the other side of the river bank. About two hundred meters away.

Wet and soaked Aya arose dragging her boots through the muddy bank. She came to a pause and stared back at the bridge with eyes burning black filled with revere and hate.

The leader was shocked the gaze in her eyes caught him.

"You and You, chase and reprimand her!!" he pointed out.

The villagers dreaded and shook in fear and tears.

Chainik felt proud and happy, she ignored the leader's order and saw Aya's black eyes. The scene bore deep into her mind. "An illusion, no the Śeikl herself!" she thought to herself. Aya stared back at her and waved then fled behind a house.

Clinks and shuffles could be heard from the men's armor.

The soldiers dashed across the bridge quickly you could hear their horse gallop across leaving the group behind in pursuit after her. The leader saw the empty carriage and commissioned two men to watch the remaining carriage. He ordered the others to follow him in the chase after the wagon from before.

They assembled and withdrew from the scene.

The soldier left behind then dismounted and banged the hilt of his sword at the door of the cage. The villagers fled back in a panic with Chainik left looking out to the lake, enchanted with Aya's bravery and dark black eyes, her smile brighter than ever. She looked at the gate and saw the man's jagged face.

"Hello, sunshine, back again" he poked at her.

"That a friend o yours. She'll be here in a few. For now, how bout you and lil old Frinist get to know each other ehh". Frinist laughed at the remark as he cheered and woed his buddy.

She felt putrid as she saw their grinning faces.

Racing through the streets. Aya flew blazed right along the street corners dodging dead bodies and leftover stands. She charged away as she saw the two riders caught sight of her.

She broke off from them, off-setting some distance between them, she looked back seeing them gain on her.

"ARGHHH"

Her eyes scanned the area, observing several houses near her.

On the right, she saw a neighbor's house and headed in. The cloth hanging from the doorpost flicked in her face forcing her to trip as she landed breaking the table.

Crashing on top of the table, the pain of her yell and the table sounded out.

The soldiers arrived at the house. Following the sound of the broken table. They aimed to investigate the scene.

"Go round the back, I'll look from the front one said," one of them said as he dismounted and drew his sword.

Aya stood from the kitchen table and stealthily moved up the stone steps and climbed out the back window. A splinter pierced her elbow.

"OUCHY"

She removed it, sealing her lips to mask the pain and voice.

The soldier cautiously came into the house looking at the table as he moved the cloth out of his face. He checked each corner as he took slow steps around. Sneaking around slowly he hoped to surprise her. Aya was creeping silently as she heard a snap of wood crush under his feet, following a small crunch noise.

He paused as he bopped his head up. Aya looked down and listened out. She heard two heavy footsteps.

She darted off, leaping out the bedroom window hopping onto the garden wall. The soldier rushed upstairs but narrowly missed her as he saw her shadow leave the window. Glancing out the window he signaled the other soldier to cut her off. Balancing on the wall she made her way down the road, crossing over from house to house. The soldier from outside spotted her and yelled "she's here!!".

"That bitch!!".

They raced after her.

Aya heard their boots get louder and louder as she jumped into another house's backyard. The houses were all layered the same, this was her neighborhood. Her territory, all the nooks, and crannies she knew them off by heart. The slums were her domain. She grew up here this was her village. She jumped, dived, and barrel-rolled through the area losing the soldiers turning corner to corner.

A few moments later the two lost her in the slum market square. The stalls were all abandoned as the villages were vacant. In front lay seven houses with three rows behind. They would have to check each one by one. Both of them taking two opposite sides to split the daunting task. The girl had proved to be a nuisance to them.

"FUCK ME!!!" they shouted out in anger. "One girl, this much trouble. You serious, FUCK!" the other replied. "Well, let's get it done with" the one in front analyzed as he whistled their horses to their location.

In front of her lay her house. Made of Sandstone and cement. A cubical figure with three windows braced on the front. On the house lay engravings as well as a red paint which Aya and her mother had laid to decorate it. Aya stood frozen and took it all in. The moon shined bright as it slowly resurfaced, she saw it and felt mellow.

A gust of wind blew past in front of her, leaving behind a melody as the sand flew past her. In the foreground, she could hear the men go from house to house looking for her. She knew she didn't have long.

The carriage abruptly raced past the houses making clear of the village. The group cheered as they made it. Kairui patted Sannu's shoulder celebrating.

"We made it… we fucking made it!!".

Rachid laughed and joined in too.

Shassii sat quietly traumatized by the events unfolding. Yannu knelt next to her with Ussu on the opposite side.

"Shassii, please understand," he said to her trying to console her. Shassii pushed him away.

"She forced us too" Ussu took over.

Shassii looked at her, softly punched her, and then cried in her lap.

Ussu nudged slightly and comforted her, stroking her head.

"Now, now I have no one. No family, no nothing" Shassii mumbled out.

Ussu motioned Yannu to leave. Yannu noticed and went to bathe in the glory with Kairui. Quine passed him and said, "Don't take it to heart, she's just distraught".

Yannu knew and brushed it off. Quine knelt beside Shassii.

"Shassii you have us, we're your family now and forever".

Shassii hugged Quine.

"You all were alr….. already but why did she leave me…" Shassii couldn't contain her sorrow anymore.

"Her father, her father Shassii. He won't make it as a slave you know that. Not in his condition".

"His my dad too", she echoed out angrily.

"True! We know, Shass but you know what we mean. She didn't want you to be at risk and didn't want to lose another person today" Ussu gently responded while reflecting on her own parents. This response took Quine and Shassii by surprise. Quine especially who was shooked Ussu could read the situation this far. She let the mood sink in before speaking up.

"She wanted at least you to survive" Quine reinforced.

Shassii swallowed up her sorrow and stood up. Quine and Ussu were startled.

"HMPH HMPH"

"Thanks you too, well. But..... but....." "We can't worry about that right now, we're being followed" Quine warned interrupting Shassii.

They all looked behind the carriage.

Kairui overhead her and leaned past the edge using the wagon bed to steady herself as she fastened off to see.

She squinted her eyes to see past the mist.

The rain had subsided now but it brought about a thick mist.

All that was visible was the thick mist that shrouded the town and the forest ahead. In the foreground, the town burned, and the smoke dissipated into the sky obscuring their sight. Through the mist, they could hear the horses hurtle and neigh.

Kairui gazed into the mist and saw an arrow skim past her slicing her face.

"Duck" she shouted.

The party hugged the floor as Sannu commissioned the horse to run faster.

"YAAAHHH"

Yannu found a bow in the barrel beside him and chucked it at Kairui. She caught it and tested its bowstring.

"The quiver now!!".

Yannu swung it at her as she ducked and dived her head past the array of arrows. Kairui armed up in an instant firing back at the unit in the mist. Coming to light, the soldiers appeared torches in hand.

Three horses came close shooting at them. Yannu found two other bows and gave one to Quine and Ussu. Quine took it and picked up some arrows. Ussu tried to shoot but failed to shoot it properly. Each attempt led to the arrow falling before release.

Rachid noticed and came back into the cover.

"Rachid where you at, what are you doing?" Sannu turned back to see her concerned.

Kairui ducked as another arrow slung past her slicing a strand of hair. She pinched Sannu's puffy cheeks.

"Eyes on the road big man".

Rachid armed up and was a master shot. She Hit three soldiers in two breathe takes.

Yannu and Quine were amazed. There were just Thirteen soldiers left who chased them now.

Yannu shot one of the riders' horses in the head and his horse collapsed and caused two others to flip and get flung into a mud patch.

"Yeah" he cheered.

Kairui shot an arrow at an archer aiming at Yannu.

It hit the archer piercing through his gauntlet and throwing him off track.

"Good one kid but don't drop your guard".

Yannu saluted her. She winked back at him.

The rest of the unit had lost their archers now and engaged in a zig-zag maneuver, only the leader had a bow.

He stood on his stirrup and raised his back straight, breathed down, aimed up, and shot an arrow.

The arrow sliced through the mist hitting Rachid in the chest near her heart. Rachid flew back dropping to the floor with Quine and Shassi catching her.

Ussu turned to her side and dropped her guard. Quine switched out with Ussu and fired back relentlessly at the cavalry.

Missing every shot as they glided past her array of arrows.

Yannu reacted instantly took a few steps and aimed his arrow at the leader.

"BANG!" he let out as he released the arrow.

Missing his head by a few inches but scraping his cheek.

He grunted, regaining his composure after the assault.

The leader wiped the blood from his cheek, then aimed at Yannu who froze. He thought he would hit him. Seeing the leaders unfazed look shook him to his core, he was scared once again. Yannu couldn't think of how to dodge or fire back in time to stop him, his mind was empty, no solutions.

Kairui stepped in and shot him in his throat, the arrow propelling and flinging him off his horse and thrusting him onto the ground. His men pulled their reins, suddenly the chase was over, they surrounding him and rushing to his safety.

Yannu looked back at Kairui thankfully, then knelt to help Rachid. Blood gushed from her chest as she let out a few grunts in pain.

"UGHHH, UHHH, ARGGH"

"ARHHHH" she let out. "We in the clear. I don't hear them anymore" Sannu said cheerfully encouraged.

No one responded.

He heard a few noises and recognized Rachid's painful moans. He slowly span his head around as he decreased the speed.

The leader was choking on the floor. One of the soldiers hopped off his horse, rushing to him. Slowly and carefully removing the arrow and pressing down on his wound. Looking at him and grunting while pointing outwards.

The soldier called one of the men.

"ARGH, ARGH, ARGH"

"You get going, track them down so we know what direction they've headed to at least, we can't let the mud dry at daybreak. If the army comes in before it will skewer their tracks".

"ARGHHHHH"

"Commissioner Losuii please calm down, just stay with me and stay awake," he pleaded as he pressed down.

Losuii was now fighting for his life, his chest pulsated and he kept springing up in desperate attempts to breathe. He pulled down on his comrade's breastplate as gasped in pain.

The soldier followed the orders and mounted up. Continuing the chase, he left the unit.

"The rest of you follow me, we need to get him urgent care!! Losuii will live! One of you ride out ahead and bring the medic to the bridge, the situation here is dire, and inform Lieutenant Nalnick immediately".

The party gravely rushed back to the village.