Where is she?

Unlike other days, today there was an unusual silence in all of Sirkari. No chattering of children, no sound music, or sight of dancers at the arched gate, no giggles, or gossip by young maidens. There was absolute silence, except for the clanking sounds of horse hooves as the ridder's patrolled the scanty streets. Observations of all these made one thought cloud her mind, a possibility that she wanted so desperately to whip away from the list of possible probabilities. Although she tried to wave the thought away, it didn't seem to go. She almost asked De voe about her mother, but didn't. She kept the question to herself, giving herself a little bit of hope. Instead, she asked; "Where is everyone?" but there was no reply. This increased her fear and frustration at the moment, that she could hear and feel her heart beat within her, faster than it should normally be.

" Where is my mother?" she asked in a cold and shaky voice, but there was no reply.

" Where is your priestess, for crying out loud!?" she yelled, but still no response.

" Why wouldn't someone talk to me, why wouldn't someone tell me what the hell is happening to her!?" she said.

" You have to calm down now, can't you see that everything is under control?" said De voe.

" There's no point calming down, knowing that my mother needs me," said Zelta.

" You don't under..." said De voe.

" Yes I do, you should too," she interrupted, not letting him complete his statement.

" You have to let me go so that I can help her, give me the flower," she demanded.

" So so sorry girl, the law is the law," said De voe.

" The law?" asked Zelta, " Is that what you call this?" she added.

"I call this justice," said De voe.

" This isn't justice," she said," This is tyranny".

" It's your priestess that we're talking about here, don't you have any bit of humanity in you?" asked Zelta.

" You better watch your mouth now," answered De voe in annoyance.

Entering the capital, they met a few people walking about. They all gazed awkwardly and whispered among themselves when they saw Zelta passing along the streets with guards beside her. Zelta looked on and spotted O'Neil coming from a distance, then she ran to him immediately, and embraced him.

" Where have you been Zelta, I've been looking all over for you," said O'Neil.

" How is she, how is my mother?" asked Zelta.

" I went beyond the mountains to get her the healers flower," she added.

" You shouldn't have done that, you know it's too dangerous," said O'Neil.

" I know it's dangerous, and I would do more to save her life, whatever the cost may be. I can't risk losing her now," said Zelta.

" All is well Zelta, all is well," replied her uncle.

" Enough of the pep-talk Zelta, your coming with us," said De voe.

" Where are you taking her to?" asked O'Neil.

" To face the penalty I suppose," said De voe.

" And believe me when I tell you this O'Neil, there isn't anything you're going to do about it," he added.

" You know you can't punish Zelta for what she did, do you?" asked O'Neil.

"Do not question me, O'Neil. The law says; 'nobody goes beyond the mountains,' so no one should," replied De voe.

" Young Zelta should be in the dungeon, but because of our beloved priestess, we'll lock her up in the block chamber till when's due," said De voe.

O'Neil begged for mercy, but De voe's heart was hardened.

" Please forgive her, she's too young to suffer this," he pleaded.

"I can't, I have to make sacrifices for the greater good," answered De voe.

This discussion between De voe and O'Neil made Zelta more frustrated and confused. De voe, who was the second in command displayed authority over O'Neil, who was the main commander-general. She had believed that O'Neil would be able to release her.

"Do something uncle, I can't stay in that chamber," she pleaded to her uncle.

" I'm so sorry, I can't help you," replied O'Neil.

" But you can just release me, you're the commander," she exclaimed.

" No Zelta, not anymore," replied O'Neil.

" What do you mean 'not anymore'?" asked Zelta.

" I'm no longer the army commander, De voe is," answered O'Neil.

" I stepped down for him," he added. On hearing this, Zelta became started and speechless, as De voe beamed with an evil smile. Zelta had no other word to utter, no other thing to do, she just stood there as tears rolled down her left cheek.

" I'm so sorry I let you down Zelta, I will surely get you out of this, I promise," said O'Neil. Zelta was escorted to the block chamber by the two guards, De voe led the way. It was a hidden chamber, situated at the base of the temple. The large steel cage-like door was opened by De voe, with the aid of a long silver key. The place wasn't much like any dungeon or prison, it was more like a comfortable room, with a bed and some other essential furniture.

" Welcome to your new home," said De voe, slamming the door behind her.

Zelta went to the bed across the room and sat on it. She spent time scanning around and studying this new environment of hers, before she eventually buried her face in her lap, sobbing silently. Her only possible savior right now was her mother, whom she hadn't heard anything reasonable about.

" I didn't mean to break the sacred laws, I just wanted you alive," she muttered in soliloquy, "I wish you'd come and get me one of here," she added.

" I hope you're still breathing," she whispered, falling to the bed.

The next morning, Alec, Zain, and Tobin sneaked back in and across the mountain. They bypassed the guards, making their way back into the city unnoticed. They headed to Zelta's house, to ask her about her mother's health and if the healers' flower had healed her. When they reached the house, they discovered that the place was silent and lonely. This they found rather strange and unusual.

" Zelta, Zelta!" called Alec, but there was no reply. Zain went to the front door to knock, but as she tried to do so, the door creaked open on its own.

" That's strange," said Zain, "The door is open," she added.

" I'll go check inside," said Tobin. He went inside to search, and coming back after a while, he said; "I searched all around the house, but I couldn't find anyone, it's all empty".

"I think we should go look for her at some other place," said Alec.

" But something's not right," said Zain.

"Even if Zelta is up as early this time, she won't go out more often as early as now. And by the way, where's the priestess?" she asked.

" The priestess is not here too, I'm starting to suspect that something odd has happened before our arrival," said Tobin.

" If she's not here, then that means she's either arrested or hiding in some hidden place," said Alec.

"That cannot be true," said Tobin.

"I mean, we all know that Zelta was only trying to save her mother, I don't think the commander would allow that," added Tobin.

" There's only one way to find out fellas," replied Alec. They left the house immediately, to meet O'Neil. On their way to meet him, they met him coming towards them, then they fastened their steps to meet him.

" Commander O'Neil, we need to talk," said Alec.