Background
Brehira encounters Dahlia, goddess of Domari, who makes her request known
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Chapter 10 (part 2)
Gift of the gods
Brehira stood on the white stone balcony of her room and gazed up at the Domarian sky; her smiling eyes twinkled and a thousand stars appeared to wink back.
Her serenity was interrupted when a male servant entered the room with a gold tray of assorted meats and fruits. In the middle of the tray sat a multi-colored bowl with a green sauce and a vessel with sweet water from the Matron's personal well.
She thanked the servant who nodded politely and left. The meal had an odd but pleasant aroma. The sliced meats were dark pink and tender; the fruits were plump and juicy. Brehira later learned the main ingredients for the sauce was one of Domari's rare plants; it tasted like the nectar from the wildflowers that only grew in her beloved land, Volaria.
After the servant returned for the empty food tray, Brehira settled down for the night.
Hours crept by and well into her slumber, she woke but seemed to be dreaming. Goddess Dahlia appeared before her in a blue haze--dressed in white; upon her head sat a crown of sapphire gems. When she called Brehira, her voice sounded like a whistling wind in a rainstorm. Brehira did not answer; the goddess called again.
"Breehearaahh."
Brehira, groggy from sleep, moaned and a bright light hit the slits of her squinting eyes.
"Breehearaahh,"
"Yes," she heard herself answer.
"Open your eyes."
She opened her eyes, sat up, and gasped. There, in mid-air sat Goddess Dahlia on a white throne.
"Who are you? No. Wait. You are the goddess Dahlia, aren't you?"
"Yes," she repied in a normal clear voice.
"Ndornah and Melitah speak of you with great fondness. But what do you want of me?"
"We have observed you for many years, and I have chosen you to be my high priestess in your new land. Within days upon that soil, you are to erect an altar in my image; incase it with the finest building stones and worship me there every seven days. You will choose the best among your people--those of fine character, to teach and train how to serve me."
"I am honored, but what if the people refuse me. Many profess their own faiths."
"You are their healer. They will make the connection."
Brehira frowned and seemed confused at first. Her eyebrows rose as if a bright light lit up her brain. "It was you who gifted me with healing. And when the people see me worshipping you, they will want to worship you also?"
The goddess appearing pleased with Brehira's reasoning nodded.
"But you gave it to me as a deadly weapon. It was I who discovered it as a life-saver."
"It was a test, Brehira. When you took what was deadly and made it an instrument of good for your people, I saw your heart and knew you were to be my new priestess."
Brehira's eyes filled and she bowed her head humbly before the goddess and said, "Bless you. You are truly the wisest and kindest of the gods."
"I see you are overcome, but there is more, my dear."
Immediately, a holy book, white with the gold seal of the faith, materialized. Then a sword and shield as bright as a morning's dawn also appeared.
"Give these gifts to Celio and tell him Raziel, the god of leadership, law, and order wishes him to become his Holy Templar."
"Yes, Goddess Dahlia, and my son, Dinary?" she asked wide-eyed.
"We have plans for Dinary, but not yet," she assured.
Brehira scrambled out of bed--bowed low before the throne and thanked Dahlia. When she looked up, the goddess had disappeared in the same blue haze. Brehira returned to bed but overwhelmed by the divine visit, she merely catnapped throughout the night.
*****
The next morning, very early, Brehira packed the divine gifts. She thanked Ndornah, Melitah, and Matron Dianah for their favors and gracious hospitality, but made no mentioning of her encounter with the goddess; she knew what gods spoke in private was sacred.
Three guards volunteered to escort Brehira back to the ship. However, before she left, she gave a gift of a very expensive gem to the high priestess.
Priestess Dianah was very pleased. She marveled over the gem and said the gift would serve as a life-long bond between them.
On Brehira's way to the ship, the guards had remained silent, but within minutes of reaching the dock, they stopped abruptly.
"Is something wrong?" Brehira asked. "Why have we stopped?"
The women appeared nervous and kept looking behind them. "We want to come with you," the lead guard said.
"Come with me?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
The women just stood silently looking one to the other.
"I don't understand," Brehira frowned.
"We simply wish to leave. But we know we need permission to board your ship. That's why we're asking," the same guard replied.
"You want to leave your land--this, this paradise?" Brehira asked, waving her arm. "But that doesn't make any sense."
"We can pay our way and we're excellent fighters, so your men won't have the burden of protecting us. We'd be a tremendous asset," the guard pleaded.
"You're really serious, aren't you?"
"As I said, we can pay."
Brehira raised an eyebrow. "Are you in trouble?"
The women stood looking dumbfounded and shifting their weight.
"If you are, you're not bringing it on our ship," she said sternly.
"We've done nothing wrong," the guard lied. "We're just tired of the strict rules."
"Yes, and...and the arranged marriages," another fabricated.
"And beatings...oh the beatings," the third guard blurted.
"Beatings?" Brehira asked, frowning. "Oh dear, but everyone seemed so nice."
"Well, of course, you were a guest," the lead guard said.
"Well, I'm certain under the circumstances..." Brehira placed a finger to her lips. "I'm sure Lord Abrams might consider. I..."
"Oh, thank you, Lady Abram," the lead guard interrupted. "You won't regret this. I can assure you."
"Well, we better get moving," Brehira said. "The ship won't leave me, but we are on a tight schedule."
The women started walking fast and Brehira struggled to keep up. "And just who are my three new friends?" she asked, looking over at them.
"Oh, I'm Letty," the first guard said. "This is Pryah, and that's Alema.
"Well, Letty, Pryah, and Alema, so glad to make your acquaintance."
The women smiled.
Brehira stopped. "My stars," she blurted, looking towards the ship in the short distance. "Lord Abram is waving for us to hurry aboard." She turned to them." Now you let me do all the talking."
"The women nodded eagerly.
"Coming!" Brehira shouted as they rushed to board.
*****
Meanwhile, in a meeting room back at the White Building, Ndornah paced back and forth waiting on news from the captain of her guards.
The door opened with a guard announcing the captain who rushed in out of breath, followed by a low-ranking guard. Both bowed before Ndornah then rose.
"Well!" Ndornah asked impatiently.
"We found three men in shallow graves, and their fatal wounds are consistent with Letty's unique killing style," the captain said.
"Who are the others?"
"Pryah and Alema, Ushiah," the minor guard replied. Ushiah is the title given to the oldest daughter of a Matron.
"And who are you?" Ndornah asked the minor guard.
"Mu...Mulari, Ushiah," the guard stammered.
"It was Mulari's suspicion that alerted us to investigate, Ushiah," The captain said. "She saw Letty and the others with these strange metal swords. And she talked with farmers who swear no Seawolves have entered our territory for weeks."
Ndornah sighed when she recognized the metal; she knew only Gangus's men had such weapons. She felt betrayed, but not by Gangus or Brehira. She felt betrayed by her kinswomen whose negligence had led to the senseless murders of trespassers whose Lord and Lady had saved and preserved her and Melitah's lives.
"I've already assigned a detail to search for the three guards," the captain said.
"No."
"Ushiah?"
"No. Let them be. They've probably left the island by now anyway," Ndornah said. "Mulari."
"Yes, Ushiah." The low-ranking guard stepped forward.
"Because of your sharp wit and dedication to keeping with the laws, I promote you to middle-guard. You will move your belongings to Hamond Hill."
"Oh, bless you, Ushiah," she said bowing foolishly. "Blessings, blessings." She tried to kiss Ndornah's foot but was pulled away by the captain and escorted out of Ndornah's presence still bowing.
*****
Aboard the Cristofur, as the day wound down and everything seemed to come to a close: Kori, the fourth seamen who had sneaked back onto the ship worried about leaving his three mates behind. But he couldn't be the one to have reported them missing without implicating himself. God, I hope they're alright.
In the meantime, Brehira left Celio in his cabin dazzled with his mouth gaped open examining his divine gifts. "So, it wasn't a dream," he whispered. The glare of the sword and shield lit up the entire bed-chamber just as the visions predicted.
As for Letty, Pryah, and Alema, Brehira never believed a word they said from the Island to the ship. Somehow, Brehira knew there was a connection between the three missing seamen and the three lying women. But whatever she discovered, Brehira thought, she'd keep their blasted secret to herself--for a while.
Image: by Dantegrafice from Pixabay
Main Characters
Lord Gangus Abram Leader of his clan
Lady Brehira (Bree he ra) His wife
Dinary (Di nary) Youngest Son
Celio (Seal le o) Soldier and close friend
Princess Netrekka (Neh trek kah) Dinary's Lover/wife
Minor Characters
Khimah (Kee ma) Eldest Son
Captain Dulcy P Dordrecht (Door check) Captain of the Cristofur
Judian (Jew-dee-in) Second in Command of the Christofur
Kofius (Ko fee us) The Sail Master
Author Notes
When Lord Gangus Abram is awakened by a mysterious voice in the night and told to seek out the Oracle Naman, he must make a journey across the Endless Ocean to destroy the Nordoxz, an undefeated race of humanoids that are controlled by powerful forces of evil.
Lord Abrams plunges into a perilous trek to obey the gods and settle in Bethica, a land of dragons, cannibals, Fallen Angels, Amazonians, and Dark Lords. He is joined by his wife, Brehira, youngest son Dinary, comrade and friend, Celio, Shapeshifter and Beast Master, Olutunji, and 750 people willing to risk their lives for land and freedom.
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