Emptiness within

De voe stood at the high pinnacle of the castle, admiring the magnificent view of the kingdom. As he was enjoying the view, and sipping his wine on a goblet of gold, someone in through the gates. Looking closely, he saw that the person was suited in amour. This meant one thing to him, there was news about the battle. But what news could it be, he thought. Quickly, he went back inside, and sat on the throne, waiting in anticipation for the arrival of the news. The stumping sounds from the long steps, steadily advanced, getting more audible to the hearing of De voe. It grew louder, till it finally came to a silent halt, right behind the door. Swaying the door open, Raja stumbled into the chamber, sweating intensely, and breathing heavily.

"Raja!!!" exclaimed De voe in surprise.

"My master," answered Raja, falling to his knees.

The look on the face of Raja spelled danger, De voe could sense it already.

"How did it go? What about the troops?" asked De voe, with curiosity displayed all over him.

"They're all dead," answered Raja, brusquely.

"The enemy?" asked De voe.

"No, the troops," answered Raja.

"What?!!!" exclaimed De voe, as he sprang up to his feet.

De voe was shocked to the bones by what he just heard from Raja. It sounded obscure to his ears.

"How? What happened out there?" he asked.

"They knew we were coming, and they had us outnumbered, being way too many than we expected," answered Raja.

"How... how many?" asked De voe.

"They were mightier than us my master, so they got the upper hand, devouring the army, like we were mere flocks of sheep, but sparing only my life, that I may deliver a message to you," said Raja.

"What message?" asked De voe.

"They're coming," was the curt reply from Raja.

Zain was still hiding inside the wardrobe, she had stopped hearing their voices. They must've left, she thought. Slowly and carefully, she pushed open the door of the wardrobe and stepped out of it. She quietly closed the door, and silently, she was out of the chamber. Before passing through the main temple, she peeped through, for safety reasons. She could perceive the choking smell of the incense, and see the smoke swirling around. There stood the priest at the altar, burning the incense. She peered at the other end, the side door was open. If only she could sneak to the door uncaught, she would make it out safely. This was so risky to do, the priest could easily look there, and see her. But there was no other option. She couldn't lose her only chance of escape, so she stepped out quietly, and began tiptoeing her way to the door. She moved forward, without any hesitation, or attempt to look back. She was almost out of the door, when she noticed a brittle vessel on an elevated stand beside her, shaking. She had mistakenly hit it with her shoulder.

"Please don't fall... Please don't fall..." she whispered continuously, pausing where she stood.

The vessel wriggled and wriggled, till finally, it shifted out of the space it stood. Without wasting any second, Zain slid into the drop zone, and caught it in mid-air, preventing it from touching the ground, and avoiding catastrophe. She stood to her feet, returning the vessel to its stand. Finally, she was out of the temple, unnoticed.

"Phew, that was close," she muttered.

The intensity of the storm outside had reduced drastically, unlike the way it blew earlier. This was a great relief to Zain, now she won't have to worry about going back home. On the way home, she saw a few locals walking the streets, all of them were moving in her direction. Obviously, they were on their way to the temple for prayers. As she was going, she saw coming opposite her, Tobin's mother. She remembered now, about the mission that Tobin and Alec, talked about. She had forgotten all these while about it because she was busy thinking about herself, and De voe. Seeing Tobin's mother now, made it clear to her. The mission must've been a success, she thought. Zain felt a little bit upset as well. Tobin promised to visit her after the mission, but he was still yet to do so. She wondered why he would be delaying seeing her. She approached Tobin's mother, to greet her, it had been quite a very long time since she last saw her.

"Mrs. Rael!" exclaimed Zain in excitement.

"Zain Potter, how are you?" said Tobin's mother to Zain.

"What can I say, it's been so so long," answered Zain.

"I never knew you were released already, I'm glad the mission was a success," said Zain, with a lower tone, cautious of the surrounding.

"You're aware of this?" asked Rael; Tobin's mother.

"Yes, we planned it together. I've been waiting since for their arrival, not knowing that it's have already been done as planned," said Zain.

Rael's mood changes now.

"It wasn't successful though," she said.

"What are you saying?" asked Zain, wearing a curious expression on her face.

"Your son saved you, didn't he ?" she asked.

Rael's eyes were clouded with tears now. She sniffed frequently, her nose wet already. Zain noticed that she was on the verge of crying.

"Did I say something wrong?" asked Zain.

Rael sniffed and clears her throat.

"You didn't, Zain. It's just that... when I remember that he sacrificed himself for my freedom, I just can't help it," she said, with a cracked voice.

"Sacrifice himself?" asked Zain in surprise.

"I don't get it, why would he do that? That wasn't even part of the plan, and besides..." spluttered Zain, but she was interrupted by Rael.

"He was told to decide who stays, him, or me and the rest that came," said Rael.

"How come? What of the sleep potions, didn't they work?" asked Zain.

"De voe found out about it because he can see through his men, and hear through them also, so he didn't take the drink," said Rael.

All of these sounded very strange to Zain. It made her scared too, to hear that De voe could see and hear through his men. Rael was crying silently now.

"They've taken all I have away from me," she said as she wept, "My husband and my son are both subjected to hard labor, at the mountain," she said.

Zain hugged her tight, as she consoled her. She could imagine how Rael was feeling now, she had really passed through hell. Zain also imagined how Tobin would be suffering in the mountains. She could help but join in the cry. She continued on her way home, still sobbing silently, she had missed him, and now he was taken away to the harsh camp. Even as she got back home, she couldn't set her mind off him. She went to her room and locked herself up there, she couldn't stop crying, all her friends were now prisoners. Though she hadn't been speaking with him for some time now, she felt this loneliness inside, like there was no one else by her side.

After sobbing for a long, she came back to herself, remembering that she had cooking to do. She went out to the kitchen, stranded for some minutes on what to do there, as she gazed at the kitchen knife she was holding. The loneliness, and emptiness that she was feeling, weakened her. She sluggishly placed the carrots on the chopping board and began slicing them, in a lazy manner. It took her more than an eternity just to be done with a single root of carrot, five more were still lying in wait, and this weakened her the more. She didn't even make sure to cut them properly like she normally does. She put a few measures of corn grains inside the pot that was hung over the fire, then added the carrot to the boiling corn, after some time. She added some ingredients to the boiling food, then she served them in bowls. She carried the bowls out to the dining and arranged them on the table.

"Papa!" she called out with a weak tone, "food's done!"

She dusted the chairs, even though she already did that in the morning.

"Papa!" she called again.

The fact that he was ignoring her now, made her grumble something under her breath.

"If this food gets cold, it's on you," she said. She didn't care if he heard that one. She proceeded back upstairs, to get Leo.

"Knock... knock..." she said, tapping on the door.

There was no response.

"Leo aren't you in there? I'm coming in," she said, twisting the knob, pretending to be opening the door.

There was still no response.

"Leo? Leo" she called, but nothing was heard in response.

She began knocking, but there was no answer from him. She increased the intensity, and ended up banging on the door, but still no response from the other side. She was getting tensed by the passing moments, how come he wasn't responding to such loud bangings, she thought.

"Just stop joking Leo," she said, "I'm coming in, and I don't care if you're not on your clothes."

She slowly twisted the knob and pushed it open. She stood there, frozen in great shock by what she saw. Right now she wasn't even thinking straight, about a hundred thoughts rushed into her head.

"This can't be happening," she thought, imagining how a living hell her life would be without him.

"Leo?" she muttered.