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S. A. A

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I followed the sounds of the screams and stilled when I realised where I had found myself.

Faridha's house

I ran now, without thought, to the entrance. Coughing at the smoke that emanated, I walked in, shocked at the flames that were slowly crawling up the walls. I heard the scream again and moved in further to see a man stood over Faridha and Khalid as they hugged tightly, weeping to themselves. He pried them apart and threw Khalid near the entrance. I ran towards him then, holding him tightly. He struggled for a while until realising who it was and hugging back. I made way to bring him to the exit, but a Chigaru grabbed my hair from the back and I winced in pain. He pulled the sword out of my hand without struggle.

"Look what we have here, Jabari! A puny bitch!" He sneered out and the man stood in front of Faridha turned and gave me a glare. I looked back with the same intensity before turning to Faridha who looked at me with those warm loving eyes. My grip on Khalid's shoulders tightened at the intensity of her gaze.

"We'll be alright." I said, tears seeping out my eyes and Faridha smiled at my words before looking to Khalid who was digging his nails into my dress. I didn't care for the pain that it elicited for it couldn't have felt more than the pain I was feeling when looking at Faridha. She looked back at me and I let out a whimper. 'Jabari' laughed at this before bringing his sword up. I struggled in the other man's hold and he pulled my hair harder.

"I said, we'll be fine, Khala." I let out again more anxiously and she smiled more warmly than before and I felt the growing urge to feel her hug again.

"Take care of Babu for me." She said softly and I screamed, covering Khalid's eyes when the man in front of her buried the sword deep into her chest. The sound of her dropping to the ground made me want to vomit and I thrust forward with all my strength, falling to the floor with Khalid. I scrambled towards Faridha and the Chigaru laughed at this, letting me. For they knew, I couldn't do anything else.

Her eyes were open and I lay against her chest, her blood bathing my face. I held Khalid close to me. I could hear her wheezed breathing and I knew that she was struggling to breathe. This made me cry harder and I looked up holding her cold face in my hands. She looked at me with vacant eyes. I cried as I spoke.

"I lied. I'm Hanna Aset. I'm... I'm the prophecy." I whispered tearfully and, for a second, I saw her eyes gleam with something more before her face became heavy in my hands and her eyes glazed over.

I let out stuttered sobs before holding Khalid tightly to me and looked up with angry eyes. This only made the Chigaru raise an eyebrow. He used his sword to flick my hair back before drawing the sword gently down my body.

"This one's pretty, don't you think?" He murmured and I moved back in disgust, glaring at him through misty eyes.

Suddenly, I was pulled up again by my hair and I screamed in pain.

"You can have me; just let him go." I said through clenched teeth and the Chigaru laughed, looking at each other.

"Do you think you have a choice, girl? We can kill you both." He exclaimed and Khalid whimpered at his words. I felt my blood boil at his words and kicked him in the groin to which he buckled over. I grabbed Khalid again before running for the exit and running out. He cried loudly in my arms and I cried for his loss, remembering when I had picked him up like this a previous time, to take him to his mother. Only now, I was taking him away.

I ran, avoiding all the arrows being flung across the place, running until I saw the blossom trees and jumped behind a bush.

"We'll be safe here, Babu." I said, stroking his back, but I was met with silence. My hand stroked wetness and I looked at it to see my hands coated red.

Please, no.

Pulling Khalid back slowly, I let out a startled gasp at the large arrow that stuck out his tiny back. I placed my shaky hand tentatively under his nose and felt nothing.

"No!" Heavy sobs racked my body, as I pulled him close to me and hugged him. He lay lifeless in my hands and I clenched tightly to him as if doing so would bring him back.

Please, no.

I laid him down near the bush. He looked peaceful then as though he was sleeping and I wished that was the case. Sniffing, I leaned forward pressing a kiss on his forehead, my tears staining his face.

I'm sorry, Khala, I couldn't keep my promise.

I leaned back numbly, staring down at my bloody hands with vacant eyes. The adrenaline rush was long gone and the thought of what I had lost was too much to bear.

The sound of crunching leaves brought me back and I hid myself further, looking out.

But I wish I hadn't

I let out a silent scream at Jibari who held Faridha's lifeless head in his hands, blood trickling out like a shower head. I looked to Khalid then and hid him further into the bush so nothing of the same sort would happen to him.

"Hello girly." He sneered loudly, shaking the head around and I willed myself to calm down as I clamped a hand over my mouth. He listened intently for any noise, a sneer on his face.

"Do you know why our people behead?" He asked tauntingly, lifting the head up yet again and I clenched my eyes shut, hoping it was a nightmare.

He smacked his lips together as he walked on, coming closer to my location.

"We do it to show authority. It means you kneel to me." He let with a sputtering laugh and I stilled as he stood right next to the bush I was behind. He moved to walk forward and I let out a breath to which his head snapped my way and he dove his hand in, grabbing me by my hair as I screeched loudly.

"Your long hair has many benefits, harlot." He drawled out suggestively before dropping the head with a soft thud. I screamed at this, clawing at him but he merely laughed before pushing me head first into a tree. The searing pain in my skull made me speechless and I staggered down to my knees, feeling lightheaded. I heard the echoing of his laughter and I squinted my eyes to focus. I saw the glint of his sword and then suddenly everything was clear again. I shuffled back in panic, holding the back of my head.

He lifted the sword up before letting it fall and I let out a scream. But, before it could make contact, I was pulled back and the sword made contact with mud. I looked up in shock at Demir who stood in front of me, a bored look on his face as he gazed at the Chigaru. His grey eyes flitted from Faridha's lifeless head to the Chigaru and I gripped onto his clothes, hiding further to not see the bloody sight.

The Chigaru laughed raucously, pointing at me with grubby fingers.

"Is she your bitch as w-"

Slice

I sucked in a breath as Demir retreated his glaive back to his side and the Chigaru's head rolled down right beside Faridha's. His body dropped down a short while after.

I heard footsteps and looked to see more Chigaru come. Demir grabbed my arm before shoving me back and I fell into another pair of arms.

"Get her away." Demir said before raising his glaive at the Chigaru. I looked up as Emut pulled me away, not making eye contact and I let the tears fall.

"Babu- he's in the bush... dead. Please get him." I pleaded and Emut stilled for a minute looking towards the battle scene before turning back and pulling me.

He let go of me then when we neared a place where all the villagers were now coming out of hiding. They were safe.

Unlike Faridha and Khalid

I moved forward, stumbling and I reached out to touch the aching pain in my head and felt my hair was wet to the touch. I raised my hand to see fresh blood staining my hands.

"Hanna, you're bleeding!" I heard Arun call, but nothing mattered anymore.

Take care of Babu for me

I fell to the ground, happy when the darkness overtook. Hoping it could give me a moment without the guilt. Hoping it could take the pain away.

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Hope you guys liked it! Let me know how it was!

I will be updating weekly now so make sure to add to your library to get the notifications!

S. A. A