Public Announcement

       Before the palace. Havila. 

     "Citizens of Havila."

    Lailah said for the hundredth time, trying to fight her way around words. Yet the vociferation of the lots kept outweighing her voice, swelling in size and number. All she kept hearing was,

     "Fuck off bitch!"

     "We deserve justice!"

     "Lailah must die!"

     "All the strangers must go."

    Lailah at a point was forced to resort to her dark magic but she didn't want to. She wanted everyone to have a shot. A chance of lending his or her voice. 

     The days of anarchy and coercion were gone. But the only thing which could steer the beast in her was if anyone lay their hands on Ja. She might set the fellow on fire. 

      "Die, Lailah, Die!"

     One of the men hurled stone at her and it hit her in the face. Ja gasped and wanted to come to her aid, but she held her hand up to prevent him. 

    Jim was quite behind too and was beginning to feel concerned when the people chose violence. Lailah on the other hand yet found no qualms.

     She looked sharply at the chiefs behind her, they loved the view and violence. She could tell by the peace in there faces. 

     "Die, Lailah, Die... Die, Lailah, Dia... Dia, Lailah, Dia..."

     The chant kept coming on as the people kept hurling stones and woods and all at her. The chiefs were beginning to excuse themselves into the palace to avoid being hit but Ja tarried ducking the throws. 

      Lailah's face was already bleeding from the force of the stone. Yet she didn't say a word. Then at once, she said as loudly as she could,

      "Have you all had enough?"

      The place was gulped by a thirsty silence. The men and women began to tap themselves, allowing the peak of the silence. 

     "I asked you all questions, animals!!!"

    She was raged but was trying as much as possible to contain her rage. The gate to the palace creaked and the chiefs walked out again wondering from where the peace had hailed. 

      Those amongst the groups who had rage and had determination in their faces seemed to had traded it. Twas a wonder how keenly they all dread Lailah. 

      She took two steps forward and the crowd shuffled. She heard few of the men muttering in fear. She felt proud of herself and looked at her yet to be husband. She could die for him.

    Ja had worries spread across his face. There was no point feigning the tough guy. She smiled at him and looked away. 

     "Who wants to throw one more stone?"

    She said as she bent down and picked one of the stones hurled at her. 

     "You, take, and throw it."

     She walked to a man and tried handing the stone over to him but the fellow retreated instead. 

     "Die, Lailah, Die. Cowards! Has your anger been assorted? Or is your burning rage fanned out by the haughty winds?"

      Her voice rang across the space as more people began to join the crowd. It seemed like everyone in Havila was present. Listening to the tough babe, Lailah. 

       "At first when I arrived at earth, I was with no faintest hope and was wretched. I was unconscious and without a bearing but then I found him."

     She turned to Ja. Ja gasped as he held her gaze with his. Her bloody and wounded face had been cleared. There was no trace of blood on her face anymore. It seemed like a new skin sprouted and covered the beaten. 

      She looked away to the crowd and they also awed the change. There was a brief mutter. 

     "He saved me and took care of, well without having an idea who I was. Such thing Poseidon would never do."

      She paused occasionally to see what effect her speech had on the audience. She loved what she was arriving at. There was no best feeling other than that. 

     "Then he asked me for sex. Well, I had no idea what twas back then. I am a Nymph, you probably haven't seen any."

     She explained. She knew that men were bound to disbelieve and make exceptions at what they believe in. She couldn't help save some details. 

       "I did offer him sex. I did because I thought he had asked as a charge of being nice to me. That was the order in Philiah. Nothing happens freely. One thing for the other."

     Twas a wonder how enthralled all the people were. Some were so swept off their feet that they began to sit. Jim couldn't help but laugh. 

     Lailah shot a gaze at him and he rolled his eyes. She didn't know if he would ever appreciate anything. 

     She continued,

      "But after tasting sex, I loved it so much and couldn't help but ask for more. But my love couldn't satisfy my urge. "

      "I thought of easing him of the duty and looking for other helping hands. So I went in search of several other men and started having sex with them. But unfortunately, the first two I met were his siblings."

      She didn't look at Jim. Not because she was scared, she only didn't have the time. She was being considerate of the crowd whom she had won over with her petty tale. 

     She ignored other details and reeled over her points. 

     "While testing the wills of men, I discovered that the king of Kula intended to kill all the princes. Well, he killed the prince of your former king."

     The crowd reacted in a rather harsh manner. Majority of them hated to be left in the dark of the issues of their land. 

     "The king of Kula wanted to play games with the other Kings and I joined. Though, I wasn't invited. Then I discovered the odd motives clouding. I killed all the Kings. The king of Kula for the odds, and the rest for fun."

     She scoffed and continued almost immediately, knowing fully well that the crowd wasn't ready for what she was about to say, 

     "About the Emperor and the two others killed. I ensured their death because they harmed my Ja. If I didn't save him, he would be dead. Why should a man be killed because he is a stranger? Aren't you all stranger on this land? You have an idea how many spirits lived here before the forests were cleared and houses built? Did you know that Centaurs and Imps once lived here?"

     She paused abruptly. Her facial expression changed immediately and she began to speak in a hurry as though she was late for something,

      "The reason I made this call is to tell you that my love, Ja Lia would be your next king. It isn't a proposal but an order of a Nymph. Take it as a compensation for ever hurting him."

      She turned away from the crowd and walked to Ja Lia. She could see majority of the men protesting and chanting. She didn't care. 

     She got to Ja. 

      "That was hell of a show."

    He said but she only stared without a response. She leaned upon him and rested her lips on his. They both disappeared. 

    The crowd scattered.