Chapter 43

"Where do you think you're going?" Dhiliaf asked as he watched a disconcerted Mairek stumble around in the White Beard Regiment's tent. Mairek picked up the makeshift bags he and Ishar had carried to the Ganidan plain and propped them onto his back.

"I'm going to Binoria, they have my friend and I'm going to get him back." Mairek said while swirling around to pick up one of the bedsheet bags that had slipped from his grasp. Sergeant Goki's face appeared at the tent's entrance and observed Mairek with the same impassive look held by Dhiliaf.

"Your friend assaulted a Binorian Prince right before our eyes, risking all out war." Dhiliaf replied.

"Well, by the looks of things your beloved King whom you follow so whole heartedly would have met his death on that plain if it wasn't for Ishar." Mairek replied, his jaw was set and eyebrows furrowed, he was not going to be talked out of what he'd decided. He'd stood hopelessly on the sidelines as Ishar threw himself to the wolves. He'd watched as his friend got whisked away in exchange for the freedom of the Talisi women. He will not watch as he perished, he would do something to save Ishar.

"Damn it boy can't you think?" Dhiliaf's deep voice rumbled. "How are you going to get past the North Local and the several villages after that? How are you going to get to Binoria and through its rings? How will you even set foot in the palace? Have you seen your skin color? Do you honestly believe you can pass for a Binorian? They will eat you alive boy, think this through!"

Dhiliaf was right, Godsdammit he was right! Mairek felt exasperated by the sheer weight of what he was to undergo if he stuck to his current plan. He also felt hatred seething within him, a hatred for Binoria and all they stood for. They'd taken his girl away, Jesna. Gods it had been so long since he'd last thought of her, probably the longest stretch of time he'd ever gone without crumbling at the mere thought of her. And he owed it all to Ishar, his friend had helped him overcome his pain, taking his anguish and replacing it with an irrational nonchalance. Though for the love of the Gods Mairek could not remember the words Ishar had uttered to free him of his bondage, try as hard as he could but he just couldn't recall the words.

"I don't care, my friend needs me." Mairek said and made as if to exit the tent.

"Put those rags down boy! The King requests your presence." Sergeant Goki spoke. Mairek's eyebrows both rose in surprise. What would the King want with me? He wondered as he dropped the makeshift bags.

Mairek walked between Dhiliaf and Goki, the night's cool breeze wafted between the tents making him shiver in his green leather attire that did little to keep out the cold. "The Kolotian..." He heard as he passed a group of women dressed in red robes conversing in hushed tones. "Kolotian..."  Mairek heard as he passed another similar group of women. "He sacrificed himself for us..." A lady with braided white hair and slender long limbs gesticulated wildly as three other women eagerly took in her words. "The Kolotian took our place.." a feminine voice sounded from a tent.

Mairek noticed Dhiliaf's eyes on him. "Your friend is a hero." The big man said. Mairek grunted in reply and quickened his pace to keep up with Sergeant Goki. It wasn't long before the King's massive tent loomed before them. The guards at the entrance flap quickly parted when they saw Sergeant Goki. Dhiliaf opted to stay outside the tent as the Sergeant led Mairek in.

King Gans sat on his throne at the end of the tent in a flowing green robe with two men on either side of him dressed in dark green leather. Princess Tari still dressed in red robes stood to the right of the throne with her narrow eyes fixed on Mairek as he approached the throne. Another girl dressed in red robes knelt before the throne with her hands clasped before her, as Mairek got closer he noticed the tears running down the beautiful girl's face as recognition dawned on him.

Mairek took Sergeant Goki's lead and went down on one knee while bowing his head low. "Get up Sergeant." King Gans said. Goki got up, bowed once more, turned around and departed the tent. Mairek remained kneeling, a slight trembling took over him as the continued silence, save for the gentle sobs of the girl beside him, stretched the tension within the room. "Who are you?" King Gans asked, Mairek lifted his head and met the King's eyes.

"I am Mairek of Jamou." He answered.

"Do you know the woman beside you?" King Gans asked.

Mairek did not turn his eyes to her. "Yes, she is Niada of Jamou."

"Do you know this man?" King Gans asked, his eyes turning to Niada. Mairek felt sorry for her, the girl looked frightened and confused.

"I've seen him around Jamou." Niada said. "Your grace." She added after a moment's hesitation.

"Yet you do not know the Kolotian who addressed you before the entire Talisi populace at the Ganidan plain." King Gans said.

Niada started sobbing once more and spoke in between shaky breaths "I don't know him your grace.. I.. I thought he was a mad man.. He just started shouting at me.."

"What did he say?" Princess Tari asked, her tone of voice was soft and sympathetic, seemingly appearing so in order to comfort and cajole Niada into saying more.

"He told me.. He told me not to pray to Meena.. That.. That I would doom myself if I did.. I didn't even understand, I've always prayed to Meena as my father instructed me to since.. Since I was a child." Niada replied, her voice turning hoarse with every effort she put into speaking.

King Gans turned his eyes to Mairek. "Do you know the Kolotian? I have reports from the White Beard Regiment and from the Entrail Seer regarding you two so do not lie to me."

Mairek flinched at the King's last words, they came with venom to them and Mairek couldn't dare lie even if he wanted to. But would speaking the truth be wise? Would it honor his friend to unveil their grand plan to the people before him? Mairek took in a deep breath and pointed at Niada." She isn't lying, she doesn't know him but he knows her. Ishar... The Kolotian.. Has been infatuated with her ever since he was a child when he first saw her on his way to the water well at Jamou. It was because of her that he and I decided to come to the Ganidan plain, in an attempt to rescue her from the Binorians."

Mairek took note of the way Niada's almond shaped eyes were glued to him, her tears had ceased flowing and her mouth was gently parted. He would have given a silver lesos to know what her thoughts were in that moment, she looked like she was trapped between fainting in shock and having a stroke. King Gans stood up from his throne, his jaw clenched in anger. "You came to the Ganidan plain to defy my orders? To disrupt my plan to ensure the salvation of Talisi from the wrath of Binoria?"

"With all due respect your grace." Mairek said. "If Ishar was not in the Ganidan plain when the Binorians arrived you would have died by their hand. He saved your life, we all saw it! " He turned his eyes to Princess Tari. "You saw it" Tari turned her eyes away from him. Mairek pointed at Niada. "Ishar said he was told that she would die in some whore house in Binoria, that it was the fate prescribed many to meet our miserable ends after leading miserable lives all because a Goddess saw it fit to bless a King and create imbalance." Mairek paused, surprised that the words uttered by his friend still resonated within him. "Imbalance." He repeated the word, mulling it over.

"Who told the Kolotian these things?" King Gans asked, his voice calm.

Mairek thought over the question, taking his time to answer as he knelt on the ground before the King. Everyone's eyes were on him but his eyes were unfocused as his mind wandered elsewhere. His thoughts were with Ishar. He recalled his friend swapping away Dhiliaf's hurled spear after successfully tussling with Sergeant Goki. He recalled the bird shitting on Ishar and the words of the Entrail Seer after cracking an egg over Ishar's head. He remembered what he had seen on the Ganidan plain as Ishar demolished a freaking Prince of Binoria!

Ishar was a simple shepherd. It's what he'd always been, he never had any military training so how was he able to do the things he'd done? Mairek turned his eyes to King Gans, meeting the silver crowned King who was patiently waiting for a reply to his question. "A God." Mairek answered. Tari gasped and turned to her father, Niada's breathing quickened as she raised her hand to her mouth and the men beside King Gans's throne visibly shuddered at his words. Somewhere within Mairek, he had a faint sensation likened to that of a distant chain snapping. "Ishar met a God." He said.

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