Chapter Nineteen

“Wake up and get out of here,” a cold voice commanded. “We don’t want you in the Gulch.” A large hand bunched her tunic together and jerked her off the floor. The unknown man released her, and she plummeted to the wooden floor. The crack of her head resembled a thumped watermelon.

Somewhere, as she wandered in an underworld abyss, a lightning flash jolted her brain. A severe headache forced her to clasp her sore head. She became aware of her surroundings. Lying on the restaurant floor, she tried to focus her eyes on her harsh tormentor. He stood outside a circle of dried feces. She lay inside it. A bucket of hot water and a mop sat near the wall. The stench of her excrement offended her sense of nature. Ashamed, she staggered to her feet and reached for her bag. She fell face forward onto the floor. Impatient, the large proprietor grabbed her by the right heel, dragged her to the front door, and threw her into the muddy roadway. “Try taking a bath,” he yelled at her and slammed the door.

“This part of her story will never be told. It is our secret,” the gentle voice spoke from the shadow.

Her vision appeared to be blurred. Closing one eye and then the other, she determined they functioned properly. She searched around the empty street in an attempt to find the wet stench following her. Clouds hurried away, and sunlight filled the road. She cried. Never had it been so welcome. Empty houses with drawn curtains mocked her presence and denied her entrance into their sealed doors. Somewhere in her mind, she knew the Gulch no longer welcomed her. She had committed the unpardonable. Dragging her pack, she slowly turned and walked south toward the high plains.

She reached level ground in high shadow and stood before the barren, large oak tree. The weather had worn off more words since she passed it a year earlier. Turning away, she stumbled toward the south. A light breeze rustled the dry leaves. She screamed and threw herself onto the ground. Curling into a fetal position, she clutched her breast and cried. Searching through her scattered thoughts, she attempted to locate the Ba’uu. Unable to hear its movement, she lay still and let the sun heat her cold body. Death didn’t come to claim her. She slowly rolled to one side and stood up. Weak from the lack of food and mental exhaustion, she staggered and fell numerous times.

Without thought or purpose, she continued to wander southward. Daylight faded, and a moonless night refused to light her way through the forest. Everything, including nature and the heavens above, had turned against her. It matched the blackness of her mind as she stumbled along the narrow trail. The night turned cold, offering no comfort to her waning strength. Erratically, she wandered from one side of the trail to the other until her foot was hooked under a tree root. She fell on her face without thinking of throwing her arms out to break her fall.

Sweat drenched her as the cold chills covered her body. It was hot, and she was freezing. Crying, she pulled the quilt up over her head and breathed the hot moisture from her lungs. A loud rustling noise sounded on her right side. Screaming, she threw the quilt from her and fell out of the bed onto the floor. She continued to scream as she backed into a corner of the bedroom. Daylight lit up her dark sanctuary. Covering her eyes with her right hand, she extended her left hand to ward off any attackers. “I’m sorry, Watermelon, oh god, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me,” she cried. “Please forgive me, my love.” Lying her head on her arms, she wept bitterly.

“Stop that nonsense and get yourself up from the floor,” a woman said. Krinna felt strong hands lifting her. The woman turned her body and set her on the edge of the bed. Her feet were raised and put back under the quilt. A dry cloth wiped her eyes and cleaned the snot from her nose. “Lie there and be still while I fetch a bowl of soup,” the woman said. Krinna heard her leave the room. She looked around to locate the Ba’uu that crawled through the leaves. She finally came to her senses and realized that the sound she had heard was the woman drawing the curtain open. She lay passive while her heart tried to destroy her mind. Guilt, shame, and hate vied to control her. She concentrated on the room’s interior to block her tormenting thoughts. The woman lived a simple life. The furnishings included a bed, a wardrobe, and a stand-up mirror. Dried flowers decorated the walls. Coarse linen curtains allowed or disallowed the light to enter through the single window. A heavy, wooden plank door separated the bedroom from the rest of the house.

Her eyes focused on a small mirror hanging on a finished wooden wall. Tempted to get up and view herself in it, she thought it better to wait until the woman brought the soup. Afterward, she would sneak out of bed, dress, and head south. Where was she? Turning her head toward the window, she deduced that the sun shining through it was from the south. South of what? She thought. I’ll need to talk to the woman to reveal my location.

The older woman entered without knocking. She carried a large bowl of steaming food. Krinna’s stomach rumbled. “We need to sit you up so you can be comfortable while you eat your soup.”

In the dark recesses of her mind, she thought she had seen the older woman before. Hindered by the ravages of time, she walked with a definite limp. Certain parts of her ancient countenance resembled someone she had known long ago. When she thought she had a name to go with the face, it eluded her.

"You need to stop daydreaming and eat your soup,” the woman said as she spooned the hot broth into her mouth.

“Thank you, it tastes good.”

She patiently fed Krinna until the bowl was empty. She left the bedroom without speaking and closed the door behind her. Krinna threw the quilt back and slipped quietly to the floor. She staggered on trembling legs as she walked over and stood in front of the mirror. “Oh my god!” she exclaimed. Tears welled in her eyes. A skeletal figure with skin stretched over its bony frame stared at her. She recalled how the cracked mirror in her rented room displayed every portion of her once voluptuous body. “What happened to me?” she cried. She returned to the bed, crawled under the quilt, and cried herself to sleep.

She wandered through the Elple orchard, looking for her mark. He was close. A gentle breeze from the north carried the savory odor of food from his campfire. Soon, she would end her quest, return triumphantly to the guild, and collect her reward. Taking a lethal dart from her belt pouch, she inserted it into a small blowgun and crept up to the campsite. Watermelon lay naked near the fire. No one sat around a fire in broad daylight completely naked. He was up to something. Warily, she approached until she stood at his left shoulder. Dry blood had soaked into the ground under his head. Astonished, she searched the area for the assassin who had cut his throat.

His cold, dead body sat up and said, “I loved you.” With dripping fangs, the Ba’uu struck from out of nowhere. A solid left hand stopped it in mid-air. She panicked, dropped her blowgun, and raced screaming from the orchard.

She awoke in a cold sweat. She sat on the edge of the bed, removing the damp covers from her body. A cotton linen nightgown lay across the back of a chair. She took it and slipped it over her head. The nightmare troubled her as she opened the bedroom door and wandered through the small bungalow. The older woman kept it spotlessly clean. Not finding her in the house, she exited onto the front porch. She sat rocking in a handmade oak rocking chair on the left side of the porch—an empty, old, hardback chair with a seat cushion was located on the right side of the door.

“May I sit and join you?” she asked.

“Please, I would enjoy some company,” she answered. She continued to rock and stare out toward the pine forest. Neither did she look at her nor speak again.

Krinna sat and pulled her spindly legs up under her body. It hurt to fold them together. It pleased her because the older woman didn’t want to talk. The solitude of the forest glen lulled her into a semiconscious state. She felt safe after leaving Oberon for the first time in her life. He had taught her how to survive but never to relax. If the woman allowed her to stay, she could live the rest of her life peaceably on the front porch. Her hostess appeared to be a dynamic person. Flower beds containing a variety of tame and wildflowers extended to the tree line. Their aroma, mixed with the pine, delighted her senses. She watched squirrels chase each other across the grass and up the trees through half-closed eyes. Somewhere, a jaybird chirped a warning. She nearly jumped from the chair when the woman spoke.

“Your nightmares prevent you from sleeping,” she said.

Krinna hesitated and said, “Yes, they are.”

“Do you need to talk about it?”

Looking at her profile, she replied, “No.”

“If you loved him, then why did you kill him?”

“Who told you that?”

“Young lady, I wasn’t born yesterday. You have been yelling about killing a watermelon you loved. I don’t fancy your type loving a watermelon. It isn’t natural for a woman to fall in love with a green fruit and then assassinate it,” she said, staring at Krinna. “Who was he, and why did you find it necessary to kill him?”

Krinna didn’t want to discuss her past actions with an old busybody. It wasn’t any of her business. Putting her feet down, she stood up. “I think I’ll walk in the woods,” she said, ignoring the question.

“I don’t think you should.”

“Are you going to stop me?”

“Of course not. Do as you please.”

She realized she didn’t have boots when her bare foot touched the grass. I’ll have to enquire about my clothes when I return. Krinna stopped at the edge of the trees and looked back at the rocking woman. The distance had been greater than she anticipated. She had exhausted her strength to reach the forest. She stood quietly, mustered her waning desire to continue, and entered the woods. The soft crunch of pine needles in the damp earth muffled the sound of her passing. To catch her breath, she leaned against a pine tree and savored a time of rest. Carefully searching through the boughs of sturdy sentinels, she listened for unusual sounds. She jumped away from the tree trunk and watched the pine cone drop from her shoulder to the bed of needles. She looked up and spotted the culprit as he jumped into another pine. Satisfied that she alone occupied the woods, she moved forward. Her foot turned on a needle-covered stone. She threw her hands out to break her fall.

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She awoke to a torrential downpour of rain. Shivering from the cold, she sat up and discovered her gown missing. Naked, she sat and allowed her tears to flow with the rain. Her unknown nemesis had struck again. “I hate you,” she shouted. “Why don’t you go away and leave me alone?” Perusing the forest, she whispered, “Please go away.” Rising to her feet, she turned toward the house. She had to find her way back before night caught her in the forest. Naked and unarmed, she would be a prey for any man-hunting predator.

Before she reached the house, she thought she would drown. Her left shin slammed into the porch. She subdued her cry of pain, leaned forward past the roof line, and entered a rain-free environment. The heavy rain beat down around the house in a thunderous fury. She saw her nightgown and a towel draped over the hardback chair. Weeping, she crawled across the porch on her hands and knees. She supported herself on the chair and stood to her feet. She dried her cold body and stared at the deluge threatening to wash the land away. Beyond the porch, the world was invisible. She pressed most of the water from her hair and slipped the gown over her head. She appreciated its comforting warmth. With the towel in hand, she opened the door, entered, and closed it behind her. She heard pots being placed on the wood-burning cook stove in the kitchen. Cocking her head to one side, she listened for the rain. Thankfully, it couldn’t be heard. She moved to the kitchen door. Two plates sat on the table. The older woman placed food on it and looked up.

“Supper is ready. Sit here by the stove and warm yourself,” she said. “I didn’t know when or if you would return.”

“Thank you,” she said, moving behind the table near the stove. “Why would I not come back? I don’t have any clothes and don’t know where I am.”

“Young lady, you didn’t come back last night. What was I to think?"

Krinna’s distrust of the woman mounted. What was her game? What did she have to gain from being in the house? She had to tread carefully, coax the information out of her, and not tip her hand. She sat down and heaped her plate full of delicious-smelling food. She scooped a large spoonful and moved it toward her mouth. She stopped. The woman stared at her.

“Can I thank the Creator for the blessings he has given me before we eat?” she asked.

“Please forgive me. I didn’t mean to violate the hospitality law,” she said, putting the spoon on her plate. Though they took shelter in an enemy’s house, no one knowingly violated the hospitality rules. She remained quiet and respectful as the woman thanked her Creator. Alarms went off in her mind. She thanked the Creator for Krinna’s presence in her house. How did she know her name? She had to use the utmost care.

They finished the meal without speaking. Krinna cast furtive glances at her when she thought she wasn’t looking. Her hostess rose from the table and collected the dishes. Addressing Krinna, she said, “If you want to wait in the front room, I’ll clean these up and join you shortly.”

Krinna wondered if she would wake up two days later and decide if she needed to help with the kitchen chores. The woman washed the dishes, and Krinna took a dry rag from the countertop and began to dry them.

“It has been a long time since we did this together.”

“What do you mean? I don’t know you,” Krinna said.

"No, I guess you don’t.”

“Explain your statement. I had never seen you before I came here. By the way, how did I get here? Please, I don’t want to be discourteous. I need some answers.”

“Finish drying the plates, and we can enter the front room. We can talk there. I will try to fill in the gaps in your mind.”

“Come,” she said as she finished the last pan, picked up the lamp, and went to the living room. She put the light on a small table and sat in a cushioned chair. Krinna followed, sat down with her legs crossed, and faced the older woman. “Now, we can talk. What do you want to know?”

“How do you know my name? How did I get here? What is going to happen to me? Why am I being held —”

“You are not a prisoner in my home,” she interrupted. “I have known you since you were a child. We made cookies in the palace kitchen. You helped me clean the utensils and pans.” She smiled as Krinna recalled the pleasant events. “I see you are beginning to understand.”

“By all that is holy, you are Lilac, Sar’s mother. I saw something familiar in your features, but it has been so long. I’m sorry for not knowing you.”

“Let me finish answering your question. A hooded man brought you to my house. No, before you ask, I don’t know him. I never saw his face. I was told to nurse you back to health. He is going to end your career when you are healthy.”

“What kind of fiend is he?” she cried. “Who in their right mind cares if your mark is sick or healthy? Either way, they are dead.”

Krinna hung her head and said, “I’m sorry for bringing my troubles to your door. An assassin is hunting me. I’ll leave as soon as I get dressed.”

“No, you’ll stay here until you get well. If you go before then, you put my life in jeopardy. Why is an assassin after you? What terrible thing have you done?”

“Lilac, my friend, with great shame, I admit I’m an assassin. I am one of the best. At least, I thought I was until a better one took a contract on my life. I can’t hide from him. When I think I have bested him, I wake up naked in a thunderstorm in the middle of a forest.”

“When the king dismissed you from his service, he took Sar out of my life. He beat me and locked me away in a stone room until he forced me into the arms academy. I hated him. My Master Oberon taught me the assassin’s skills. He taught me to live and not to fear any man. I loved him as my father. He gave me my life. I am very proficient at killing people.”

Hanging her head, she picked at her dirty fingernails and continued, “Completing my last contract was the greatest mistake I have ever made. Sar and others tried to warn me. I refused to listen. He was a gentle, kind man. I never heard him say an unkind word.” Looking up with tears streaming down her face, she said, “You didn’t know he saved my life three times, did you? No, of course, you don’t. I know now he killed six of my assassin guild brothers because they beat me beyond recognition. I didn’t appreciate his tender care. While I was unconscious, he protected and tended to me for three weeks. I vaguely remember being dragged through cactus patches and thorn bushes. I asked him why he helped me. It was because we ate together. I thought it a stupid reason, but now, I understand all the act implies.”

“He cooked meals fit for a king. Even during our travels, he created delicious fare from Elple fruit. I bet you didn’t know they are poisonous until ripe. The menu featured succulent roast pheasant, hare, and pork, all cooked to perfection. He did it for me, and I killed him for money I no longer have.”

“Gorga and I got drunk on his Elple wine and climbed-"

“Who is Gorga?”

“She was his pet Ba’uu. We fed her watermelon. I called my mark Watermelon Man because he always provided us with melons. The thing that scared me the most about him was his eyes. When he changed his blue eyes to a diamond shape-”

“What did you say?” Lilac asked in a low, strained voice as she glared at her.

Krinna failed to notice the subtle change in Lilac’s voice and demeanor. “He could shape his eyes into diamond shapes. What are you doing?” she screamed as Lilac jumped out of her chair and tackled her. The force of her attack knocked Krinna’s chair over. Lilac straddled her body and began to beat her severely with her fists. She covered her face to protect her eyes.

Hysterically, she cried as she hit Krinna over and over. Without warning, she stopped, lay her head next to Krinna’s, and whispered, “Please, God, forgive me. I’m sorry.” Silently, she wept.

Krinna placed her right hand behind Lilac’s head and held her close for several minutes. Slowly, she stood to her feet and assisted Krinna up. Cautiously, she eyed Lilac as she set her chair upright. Sitting down, she kept her feet on the floor in preparation for another attack.

Remorsefully, Lilac said, “I’m truly sorry for my unwarranted assault on you.” Silence filled the room as she stared into the fireplace. Krinna didn’t want to spoil the moment. Perhaps she could learn more about her mark and her hunter. “The man you murdered,” she began quietly, “was my benefactor. He gave me this house and land when I lost my position with your father. He asked nothing in return. He gave Sar and Kyber their home and land. I don’t know who he is, but he was from the southern kingdom. I do know he was a mighty and wealthy man. You can better understand why you are being hunted.”

“I first saw his blue, snake eyes when I moved into this house. An Orange Ba’uu lived in it. He removed it. His eyes changed, and the reptile crawled up his arm and climbed into a coat pocket. He looked up at me before they changed back to normal. I knew he was different. But when you mentioned his eyes, hate, and uncontrolled rage, it filled my heart. Never, in my time, have I heard an ill report about him. Now, he is dead, and other than food and shelter, I can’t help you. I’m sorry.”

“Lest I forget, I want to thank you for your hospitality. I ask you to forgive me. I had so much hate in me, I couldn’t see the goodness in any man. It started with my father when he separated me from Sar. I never understood his hatred toward me. It has never left my mind.”

“Dearest Krinna, how can I make you understand your father’s love for you? When he received word you had disappeared, he diligently searched the kingdom for you. He called me back to the castle for a while. Many times, I delivered food to their chambers and caught him crying. Your mother couldn’t console him. He didn’t leave the castle for two years. He waited patiently for any reports from the hunters he sent to find you. Kyber, Sar’s husband, was one of them.”

“He told me. They tried to warn me about fulfilling my contract. Sar said he professed love for me. She even intimated I loved him. I scoffed at her to hide my feelings.” Turning to Lilac, she said, “I truly loved him. I don’t know when it happened. I fought the idea until that fatal … day. The day I killed him, he saved me from freezing to death and prevented Gorga from fanging me. I don’t know how many times he saved my life. How did I repay him? May the Creator forgive me?”

Lilac stood and said, “It is past my bedtime. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Thank you. I think I’ll stay up for a while and sit on the porch,” she said, and went outside. Sitting in Lilac’s rocker, she stared quietly toward the shadows forming under the Pine trees. In the darker depths, fireflies began to flit about. A whippoorwill sang. Its song was answered from the back of the house. A calm peace swept over her mind and spirit. She had wasted her life killing people. Perhaps it was time for her to die.

Rocking gently, she reminisced on a fruitless existence. The man she loved died at her hand. She had struck at Galvar, her brother. What if she had murdered him? Her parents would never forgive her. She would never forgive herself. Only one thing remained incomplete after effectively destroying love in her miserable existence. Standing, she walked to the tree line and came to a stop. Taking a deep breath, she inhaled the pine aroma and smiled. Contentment filled her soul as she made her decision.

“I know you can hear me. Listen carefully. Please kill me. I deserve to die. From this day forward, I’m not going to run from you. I regret murdering Watermelon Man. Not because you are after me, but because I truly loved him. Avarice ruled my mind and life. Do with me as you wish. I’m going to bed now, and when I get well enough to travel, I’m going home. Good night.” Krinna turned toward the house and kissed the Pine needles.