Chapter 15: “You're asking for trouble!”

Sahler Village.

It was late at night, and the sky was full of stars.

In a house in the village, the dim light of a candle shone through the window.

Alva, Nadim, Parla, and others sat around inside the house.

"Send a few people to watch over Laqih City and Tamnu Fortress. Report back immediately if any troops enter or leave. Also send people to monitor the village of Doga between Laqih City and Tamnu Fortress, observing passing caravans and troops," Alva instructed Parra.

"Have you heard anything from the people you sent to assassinate Tais?" Alva asked Nadim.

"There's no news yet, but we'll have results soon."

"We must kill him before Tais leads his legion to attack Laqih City. Otherwise, Tais will use his military achievements to annex Laqih City into their Gilead tribe. The Sarran tribe will have no hope of restoring its former glory."

"Yes, Miss."

"Is that bandit dead?"

"No, he's awake."

"I'll go check on him. You may return."

Nadim and the others stood up and left.

Alva also stood up and headed toward the side room.

After the guard opened the door, they saw Vahan lying on an old blanket, with a layer of straw beneath it.

Vahan, seeing someone enter, dragged his left arm and leaned against the earthen wall.

The guard stood by holding a torch. The flickering light illuminated the sparse room, casting a dim glow through the dust.

"You're still alive despite losing so much blood. You really are lucky. Have you thought about how you want to die?" Alva smiled faintly.

"If you want me dead, why did you save me?" Wahan said weakly.

"I don't want to make it easy for you. I won't let you die so easily.

I never intended to kill you. If I wanted to kill you, why wait so long? If you had simply begged for mercy, this would have been over. But you and your so-called brothers chose to pick up weapons and fight back. So fight on."

"So what? You still lost," Wahan sneered. "When the knife was at your throat, did you regret your decision to kill us?!"

"You!" Alva seemed to recall the moment when Vahan had held her hostage, so she walked over to Vahan's side and stepped on his injured shoulder with her boot.

The bandage wrapped around Vahan's shoulder was once again soaked in blood.

"Still talking back?"

"You bitch, you have such a cruel heart," Vahan snarled, slapping her calf with his right hand.

"Want to try again?" Alva withdrew her foot and paced back and forth inside the house.

"Sure, little girl, you better watch your back and stop swaying back and forth in front of me," Wahan said with a laugh.

"You go first," Alva took the torch from the guard's hand and walked back to Wahan, kneeling down in front of him.

The flames flickered before Wahan and Alva, and smoke rose and drifted away.

"You're so loyal and righteous. This time, let's compete. Will your brothers be as loyal and righteous as you?" Alva stood up and walked toward the door. "Live well. Your brothers will come to keep you company."

"Have the military doctor come over and bandage his wounds," Alva said to the guard.

He turned back to Wahan and said, "I'll come every day to bleed you. You stubborn bastard."

As Alva had said, in the days that followed, she came to the side room every night, stepped on Wahan's injured shoulder, and spoke harshly to him.

Wahan remained as stubborn as ever, mocking her in return.

Nadim and Parla stood in the courtyard, watching the two silently.

"How many more days do you think he can last?" Parla asked, leaning on his long sword.

"Hard to say, but it won't be short. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?!" Nadim whispered.

"Hm?"

"If these two keep bickering and end up developing feelings for each other, that'll be trouble."

"That's impossible. Our lady can fight on the battlefield and govern a town. She wouldn't be interested in that guy."

"You've been a bachelor for decades. What do you know?"

"You're no better!"

"I'm not like you. There are plenty of village girls and beautiful women following me, but I don't even bother with them."

...

————

Another Day late at night.

Alba went inside and sat on a log beside Wakhan.

"Guess what those guys are going to do to save you?" Alba said lightly.

"They won't come," Wakhan said, trying to reassure Alba.

"It doesn't matter what you say. They bought the armor in Memphis and should be here to rescue you in two or three days."

"You sent men after them?"

"Yeah, I'm not going to arrest them, I'm going to let them come to me," Alba said with a laugh.

"It's funny how you play with people like that."

"Yes, I'm going to let you float around in life and death and make you suffer."

"It's Ma. Come here, I'll tell you something about Emir Teis. Please leave us alone."

Alba approached Wakhan and crouched down.

"A little closer."

Alba moved forward.

Wakhan, covering her mouth with her right hand, leaned close to alvah and whispered, "Your hair smells like horse piss. It doesn't smell as good as the day you were in my arms..."

Before Wakhan could finish, Alba slapped Wakhan in the face, then got up and stomped on Wakhan's shoulder again, twisting the boot back and forth.

Wakhan still slaps Alvah in the calf.

Alba got up in anger and left.

After a while, the military doctor entered the room, removed the blood-soaked cloths, rubbed the wounds, and filled them with new drugs, "You say what you do to annoy her every day. If you go on like this, you'll die sooner or later. After a long time, the blood you shed will be black and stink."

————

The next day, night.

Alba opens the door and enters the room again.

Without waiting for Alba.

Wakhan immediately stood up with his back to the wall, his head thrown back, breathing heavily.

"Yes, that's the smell! The hair smells as good today as it did that day."

Alba kicked Wakhan in the face. "You're killing yourself!"

Still angry, he banged his hand on the cut in Wakhan's shoulder.

As Alba bent over, her long hair was blown by the wind that rushed in through the door.

Wakhan took hold of Alba's arm in spite of the pain, and sucked again. "You don't like me enough to kill me, do you?"

Alba gave Wakhan a startled look, got up quickly and kicked Wakhan to the ground.

Alba went outside to his room. Sniffing my black hair. How did he know I washed my hair today.

She suddenly startled, as if to think of playing with the hearts of several words.

Alba immediately got up and went back to the side room, kicking and punching Wakhan, muttering"I'll kill you, I'll kill you..."

Another morning. It was a little bright.

Wakhan was hauled out of the side room by two guards. In the courtyard, next to the old carriage, stood a huge cage made of thick wooden poles.

Inside the wooden cage, squatting, sat five people: Ramto, Lada, Zhayin, Zhana and Borg. The five men had strips of cloth tied around their mouths.

When Wakhan saw them, tears began to fall from the corners of her eyes.

Wakhan lunged at Alba, who was standing next to the cage, but Alba kicked him to the ground.

Guards chained Wakhan to a stake in the yard.

Nadim shook her head.

It was bright and the soldiers were drilling in the open field outside the yard.

Nadim sent bread and water to Ramm's men. And handed Wakhan another cookie.

"You'll give her a break and beg for mercy," Nadim muttered quietly.

"You're right," Wakhan said, turning to Lumuto. "When the little girl gets here, we'll all beg for mercy. She'll let us go."