What could have been
Chapter 15
I'm sitting alone with my face to the floor wondering what life would have been like for Azzar if what happened to his mother never happened in the first place. After the chief walks Mr. Ozar back to the motel to get his things ready for their departure, he comes back to me and He asked how I'm doing, to which I sluggishly give anything worth calling a response. I think any sane human would be down as well after hearing their story. we walk back to the motel where we meet with luvera outside, the chief makes his way inside, but I remain outside with her.
" How's Azzar doing? " I ask?
" He's good. He's fast asleep ". she replies, Then for a bit there's an awkward silence. We don't talk that much or at all and I know I'm just trying to make small talk, but she's honestly not making it easy for me. cept comes out and calls us inside to give the chief a listen since he wants to say something. he states that he has made a few changes in our schedule and that we would be heading to the council tomorrow rather than the date set for us, though He doesn't specify exactly why he has made the changes, nobody seems to be complaining. Kasim then asks how we can make that possible since the council are known for their very orderly and timely manner. the chief says that he could try to alter our reservation with the council though it's very likely not to work, After the village chief makes his points we scatter, luvera and Kasim head into the kitchen to make some food, they seem to be less concerned about the others finding out their a thing, and more concerned with enjoying their time together. Gideon just sits on a chair doing nothing. and Just as I'm about to engage with him cept pulls my attention and calls me outside, Apparently luvera needs some items for the cooking so she asks cept to go get them for her. And now I'm left to wonder why he's asking me to tag along, though I quickly dismiss it as nothing.
We head for the great merchant square to buy whatever is needed, then I begin taunting him about if he even knows what food items to buy, he just replies with a yes. though I think that's a lie, I begin taunting him again about if he even knows how to cook at all. to which he replies with a yes, that he's known how to cook since he was a kid because his mother passed when he was young. I'm shocked to hear that, I never knew he had a bad experience as a kid, I apologize for taunting him and we continue to the square. while on our way there We are stopped by a few guards. I immediately become aggressive, but cept calms me down. The Guard asked who we are and what our business is claiming never to have seen us in the Agi before. To which I reply that there is no way for them to know every single person in the agi. He quietly stares at me for a few seconds, then they all laugh. He then tells us that the fact that we call the Agi, the agi very much means we are not from here. and knowing me like a loudmouth I ask what it's called to which he replies, " The hellhole ". then I notice it, a tattoo on the guards neck, a thorn crown. and if I remember correctly I saw that same tattoo on those Yoko family goons, I immediately know these guys aren't here on guard duty but before I can notify cept the guard yells " grab them " to his subordinates. cept tells me to make a run for it. I sprint in the other direction, but one of them is blocking my path. He pulls out a knife but I smash his head against a wall. As I make my run, I begin to get lightheaded. as I look back I think I've covered some distance so I decide to rest and as I lean on a wall, the pain kicks in. It's a knife. He stabbed me with a knife as I smashed his head. this is definitely a personal vendetta against us. I pulled out the blade and stop the bleeding. As I wobble into the market, I walk into the first shop I see with no care whatsoever.
the owner doesn't seem to be bothered with me. He just sitting on a chair watching me crawl into his shop, he's a roachfolk. He asked for my name to which I reply Lilith and I ask for his and he tells me codala is my name. The name rings a couple of times in my head, but I can't figure out why. and then it hit me. The name sounds very familiar. I must have heard that name somewhere before. I'm pretty sure it's connected to the village somehow. I could start brainstorming about where I know the name from but I'm too busy trying not to get caught by these asshole Guards. Do you need some assistance? He asks. Yes. What the fuck do you think I reply? Maybe not the best move on my part since I need help very badly. But he escorts me into his shop nonetheless, and sits me down behind the counter while telling me to wait quietly. I respond in anger, telling him I'm already quiet and any more than this would mean like crossing the river Styx. He looks me in the eye with a smile on his face, or what I assume is a smile and he says to be quiet. Just then some Guards run past the shop, then circle back and start to question him on whether he has seen some fugitives. Run past the premises. To which he replies No. But the question implies that cept also escaped them, and I begin to wonder where he is and if he is safe. The guards on the other hand aren't buying what codala is saying. And I'm assuming it's because he's a roach folk and they hate roachfolks. They seem to be insisting on searching his shop. And just as they're about to break into a shop some guards down the road start yelling for reinforcements as they're having trouble with a roach folk. I don't know about you but this seems like some higher power at work, The guards quickly go on to aid them. Codala helps me up and walks me to the back door and tells me to rest there for a bit while he gets some things, I wait there and I start to get light headed. it seems I've lost a good enough amount of blood to make me pass out. all I can think about at the moment is my mother back at the village while I pass out.