03-22-2020, 04:57 PM
The quiet felt like a blanket. He felt Sesuna kneel down, the symbol emblazoned on her forearm displayed to his lowered eyes.
He remembered the night she got it. The fear she felt. The courage she had, despite. The complete trust in him. The knowledge she would always be a support to him. The teary eyes as she asked if she had to kill now, too.
The mountain was heavy. And yet, that simple act seemed to lighten the load enough. Just knowing he wasn't alone, didn't have to be Idris. He could stay Anbessa.
He raised his head, fists clenched, the power flooding him to bursting. He felt connected to the universe itself, felt the energy coursing through his veins. Fist pushed up from the ground, he stood, the weight on his shoulders there, standing erect. He glanced at his sister, face stoney and defiant. And now, they stood side by side, looking down at the Negus, ignoring the men who watched them with anger or disapproval etched on their faces.
His voice was quiet but firm. "Why have we been summoned, Negus?"
The small women's eyes did not lose their humor. Standing there, looking up at both of them, she felt perfectly safe. And she was, he supposed. He was not a man to strike an old woman down. She raised an eyebrow as she considered their faces, but said nothing about it.
"Why the Urim, of course, my son. Your vision has been fulfilled. But you are the Heart of the Atharim. Your work is not done."
He looked at her for a moment, then at his sister. Reluctantly, he nodded. Still, he took his sister's hand. He would do this alone no longer.
He remembered the night she got it. The fear she felt. The courage she had, despite. The complete trust in him. The knowledge she would always be a support to him. The teary eyes as she asked if she had to kill now, too.
The mountain was heavy. And yet, that simple act seemed to lighten the load enough. Just knowing he wasn't alone, didn't have to be Idris. He could stay Anbessa.
He raised his head, fists clenched, the power flooding him to bursting. He felt connected to the universe itself, felt the energy coursing through his veins. Fist pushed up from the ground, he stood, the weight on his shoulders there, standing erect. He glanced at his sister, face stoney and defiant. And now, they stood side by side, looking down at the Negus, ignoring the men who watched them with anger or disapproval etched on their faces.
His voice was quiet but firm. "Why have we been summoned, Negus?"
The small women's eyes did not lose their humor. Standing there, looking up at both of them, she felt perfectly safe. And she was, he supposed. He was not a man to strike an old woman down. She raised an eyebrow as she considered their faces, but said nothing about it.
"Why the Urim, of course, my son. Your vision has been fulfilled. But you are the Heart of the Atharim. Your work is not done."
He looked at her for a moment, then at his sister. Reluctantly, he nodded. Still, he took his sister's hand. He would do this alone no longer.