DEATH

CHAPTER FOUR

She opened her eyes and shut them quickly, the sun and headache hit her hard followed by the body pains, she took in her surroundings and realized it was her tent "I feel so fucked up" laughter erupted "and you look like shit too, I heard from Vica you have improved drastically and that makes me overjoyed" eyes opened wide to the voice" you are back, how did it go with the battle" forgetting her pain. She jumped out of bed wanting to know what happened. "How is the General, the warriors, and the enemies, I hope we kill them all" Noorebella ask questions after questions, her curiosity eating her brain alive, "we won", Noorebella was taken back by her mother's expression, she looked hopeless, frail and tired. She wanted to console her mother, but she knew that will be frowned upon and seen as a weakness. "The General was hurt badly," Noorebella's heart stopped for a second, she felt scared, and the feeling captured her whole being, she dashed out energetically, turning her head rapidly to the sides, she needs to see the General, she need to know that she is okay and fine, she just need her" goddess please do not take her from me, I will walk on the glassy greens if that is what you want from me, save her for me" in a heart, she prayed and prayed to the Goddess to accept her prayer. She followed the crowd to the General's room she was sweating, shaking and going through hell, her face was stoic, without any emotions, without any fear, death is the next generation to them, the place you go to meet their ancestors and for you to be praised by your achievement. Her Grandmother's eyes met her, misty with tears and she turned and left because she knew what it means. The General was dying, and she does not want her to witness a sad and weak point in her life, the image she has for her will not be tarnished.

Noorebella run and run with troubled mind, she needed to ease the pain in her heart, adrenaline kicked in and she flew past the trees with tears running down her face and repeating her words " save her for me, save her for me"

Darkness came, and the forest turned quiet Noorebella was huddled close to a tree sitting down, head in her hands praying in her head with the cold rains beating her back, she does not want to return and be met with a deadly blow but yet again she wants to know if her prayer worked, and the goddess took pity on her.

Rotama was called by the General into her chambers, everyone is called out as she entered with an aching heart, she failed to protect the General and with self-guilt she kneeled in front of the paled sickly woman who was once a strong figure to look up to for all these years."Rotama , wipe that bad sadness of your face this instant or you will disobey me again". She looked up to her with tears in her eyes" I am sorry for causing you harm, General , I didn't care for you well, I will leave my position and serve you as a servant for the rest of my life " shut up and listen, you will take after me, when I join my ancestors lead well, win wars, train my granddaughter to be the best, to uphold the family legacy, and always remember kill them all, no survivors, make me proud"

Pera stretched her hand and touched her daughter's face, it had been so long since she took a closer look at her, she was happy with her and she knew she will be a greater General than her, she wished to get a first view of her achievement. Shocked by the affection being displayed to her, Rotama held her mother's hand, "Noorebella has left camp, let me go and look for her she needs to see you." Pera shooked her head "Let her be, if she sees me like this it will break her more, leave now I want to sleep, and be well my general," Pera sacked her daughter out of her tent. She needs to meet her fallen people. It rained heavily that night, filling the sea up to the brim, watering the crops and flooding the lake.

Morning came and General Pera had let the land of the living, no tears were shed for the great woman because to them it will mean her accomplishments were not enough, she was bathe and clothed in pure calico sheets, and rested on Odum woods arranged in a grand way , flowers were circled around her, her face so peaceful, her body laid there for the sun to rise and shine brightly before she was burnt. News of her death traveled all across the land and many people burned sage and mint to lead her way to the afterlife. The clan heads killed and burnt a ram to show their respect and the King lighted a candle and burnt a feather of a phoenix to show his appreciation to her sacrifice and sent her army supplies.

Everyone wore a white veil on their head and standing in the middle of a circle drawn with rabbit blood, holding mint leaves and sage leaves to calm Pera's way. Rotama held the torch and lit the woods to set it ablaze.

Noorebella showed up dirty, barefooted, and with death in her eyes, she bowed in front of her grandmother's corpse, and kneeled down until all was burnt and the wind carried away the ashes. she got up and walk straight into her tent, got cleaned up and came out with her weapon, heading into the training grounds, she channeled all her pain, anger and sadness into her training, cursing the goddess in her head and vowing to get rid of all their enemies that will stand in her way.