The Great Zenith

Salvia

How do you respond while a sword is pointed to your neck, how do you calm a quivering body and a clouded mind? And most importantly how can I tear my eyes away from the frightening man in front of me?

If someone can just make him leave, maybe I can calm my mind and be able to produce words.

Right now I'm more scared of him than the fact that I was reborn in a world I know nothing and no one of!

"Should I ask my men to pull that insolent tongue out of your mouth woman? Why do you make me repeat every word I say Reida, aren't you a proud loud talker?" He spat with burning gray eyes that questions me

"I...don't know, pl...please stop" is what I managed to say, his hands kept grasping my face tighter that I can even feel my jaw hurt. He is not a good man, that I'm sure of.

Please someone, anyone, stop this raging man. I closed my eyes and sealed my lips.

Suddenly miracle happened.

That's when I hear a thud, I slightly opened my eyes and saw the old man with his face on the ground. What is he doing?

"Great Zenith of Anderia whom the goddesses placed to rule amongst men! I, the ruler of southeastern tribe of Gayne is begging your mercy. Please spare my daughter only this time, she must still be in a mental shock."

His voice is trembling

"As for her eyes, I have summoned the great herbalists and medicinists of the land, I will let them examine her right away your greatness!"

So this man in front of me is really someone great and powerful.

I heard from my master before that the entire land of Anderia is ruled by the Great Zeniths, a title passed down through generation of a family from the goddess of war bloodline.

Everyone bowed down their heads with their faces touching the bare ground, begging mercy from the man in front of me whose spiteful eyes never left mine.

What has Reida done to this man that he despise her this much? In his eyes I read rage, suspicion, disgrace, disgust and pain.

He harshly let go of my face and shake his head from disappointment

"Haaa!" he exhaled loudly and pulled his sword away from my neck.

"What a waste of time. I expected it was for your funeral that I was called on this land...but here, you showed me this madness instead. You really are a woman deserving of your title" He grimaced and turned his back away from me.

"Prepare the horses, we're marching back to northwestern land" He ordered to the armored men waiting for him and we watched as they drape an elaborate cloak around him and with that they left.

I slumped my body on the bed and tried to control my shaking hands. Even in this world my existence was condemned, how truly cruel the goddesses are.

The old man rose from his knees and ran to me, embracing me while crying.

"Reida, this is all your father's fault. Forgive me daughter, I shouldn't have agreed for you to be the sacrificial concubine of that ruthless man..."

"I should've just given up the unity of our land with theirs. I don't care if they take everything! Our rich soil, our ships, luxurious metals or even if they take our people to be warmongers in the battlefield. Father is willing to give up everything for you my dear daughter...but I'm sorry I didn't, for I am still the ruler of this land and the people's lives are under my protection."

I was crying too for this old man loved his daughter so much that he's willing to bend his knees and lower his face down the dirty ground. He was torn between his duty to protect his people and his love for his daughter.

I closed my eyes and it wasn't long till I fell into a deep sleep. And I prayed solemnly to the goddesses, 'Let all of these be just a fragment of dream which I had carried with me in the afterlife'

***

It was very dark.

I never thought I'd be able to experience this fear of darkness again. But here I was, delving on the same feeling I had years ago before I met my master.

In my past life darkness is all I know. It's all I've ever felt and seen since the moment I was born.

But who can blame the people of Yumina whose sanctity and pure bloodline was ruined by my cursed existence.

If ever, I am still thankful that they let me live. I was still thankful of the cave that serves as my home, inside the cave is an underground river that rises during rainy season and was extremely hot and suffocating during sunny days.

I never knew what the world outside the cave looks like, all I heard is that it was beautiful.

Sometimes I would sit near the entrance of the cave, barricaded by metal doors that only opens when people need my curse to heal their diseases and sickness.

There, behind the metal door, I will hear their stories of the world outside the cave, they bathe in wide rivers they call ocean, they climb tall trees, they harvest food blessed by the goddess of earth...they laugh, danced with bonfire and sing songs of lullaby as a means of praying to the goddesses that graced the land of Anderia.

I will never forget the first time I saw the light coming from the sky and the radiance given by the sun, it was the same day I met Coyran, my master.

That day I was already praying for death to come, after the eldest son of Yumina's ruler broke my trust and had forcefully taken my chastity, saying it was necessary to purify me of my curse. But I knew he only desired to ravish me and left me like a waste after he's satisfied.

As I was praying for death, it was hope that came.

Master Coyran held me in his arms and cried endless tears for a no one like me, whose feelings already turned numb. At that time, I was glad because it's the first warmth I ever felt from another person.

Master Coyran, how dare I forget how you looked like? Is it true that after death we forget everything of the world past us and only bring with us the feelings and emotions we experienced?

I forgot the color of your eyes, your skin, your hair or how your lips form a smile.

How could I forget your face Coyran? Help me remember you master, appear in my dreams, I want to see you once more in this new world where I was rebirthed in...so I can have the strength to face this new life again even without you in it.

💠