Ogres and Ogresses Ch. 13

"The opposed may chose the event," Kyzu said. She was working the crowd like this was a game or a sporting contest.

"They may decide their best event among themselves," Zyra declared.

The three huntresses huddled together for a moment before Henna broke out of it.

"Archery."

"Archery is then chosen," Kyzu said smirking.

She had seen the Henna girl shoot. She was quite skilled indeed. She looked at her arrogant sister's stoic face. So she would keep her rage locked inside? She wondered what would happen if Zyra lost. Could she hate grow to her? Could Zyra betray her perfection in that way?

The other huntresses set up a target range in the center of the village. Lines were drawn to show the starting point distance from each target. The three targets, a sack of grain, a wooden plank in a tree, and three apples stood in a line. To keep up with the rites they also put an impossible target in the bunch. It was mostly a symbolic thing, but should the opposed hit such a target, never again could they be contended with in a duel rite.

The target was a grape, 200 meters away on the top of the tallest tent plank. Squinting from the tent next to it, one could not see it clearly. It could not be done.

The opposers went first.

Zyra closed her eyes and sat in a corner while Henna walked forward.

Giving it her best Henna hit each target. The sack was hit in the center and she had missed the circle on the wooden plank. The apple she had gotten near the top. She smiled and gave Zyra a look, but frowned when she saw Zyra hadn't even been watching.

No matter, her hubris would be the end of her.

Imjah went next, she took a long time to set up, but she hit each target center.

Kyzu exalted, a few uncertain cheers going up withinhe huntresses.

Rair was last. She took the bow, but she didn't move.

"Go ahead. Shoot your three arrows," Kyzu demanded.

Rair lifted up her bow. With a weak pull she landed all three arrows into the ground before her. Then she walked up to Zyra. Zyra opened an eye as she heard her stand in front of her.

Rair bowed to her and handed her the bow. It was one of Kail's.

"Forgive me, my huntress."

Then she walked off.

"Get back here!" Henna shouted at her. "You didn't even try!"

Rair looked at her coldly. "You are ungrateful."

Henna frowned unhappily but her concerns were ignored as Zyra stepped forward.

She rolled her shoulders, testing out the give on Kail's bow. She could use this surprisingly. Rair was the only one to remember that she had abandoned her bow when she went to save Henna.

As she passed her sister she bristled as she whispered in her ear.

"Are you afraid?"

She wasn't. She was everything but.

When in became clear she would not answer, Kyzu became curt.

"Three arrows," Kyzu said firmly. "You need to hit..."

Thwack!

Her arrow speared Imjah's arrow to pierce into the heart of the grain bag. She didn't even pause as her fingers released the next arrow.

Thwack!

Another split arrow through the tree plank target.

"Wait Zyra, give it a..."

Thwack!

The last target was hit. Imjah's hit had appeared direct, but it had been crooked. A perfect apple broke in half.

Zyra had hit the apple so perfectly that it split the core and fell into two pieces on the ground. She had taken all of 15 seconds.

The village was in stunned silence.

Kyzu's lips tightened. "It is decided then. The victor is..."

"There is one more target." Zyra lined up for the grape.

All eyes turned back to her.

"That's impossible," Henna shouted. "Don't try to show off!"

"Zyra, there is no need to..."

"That target is too far and small to..."

Zyra ignored the idle chatter of the nay sayers. There was a need. There was a need to show that she was not to be trifled with. If she could not have the love of her village, if she could not earn their respect, then she would have their fear. She would let it haunt her dreams and give them what they wanted.

A monster.

Her eyes squinted off to zoom in on the target. She could see actually see the shiny skin of the grape, the trapped juice listing inside of its thin case.

Her shoulder tensed as she lined up the string against her chin. The string hissed with the strain. The bow was going to break if she pulled farther, but she needed to pull this far if she was to get the shot off. Kail would have to make Rair another bow. She had just one chance.

"ZYRA!"

She let the arrow fly, the string snapping in unison. They all watched as the arrow sliced through the air. It slid directly over the top of the tent. The tip impaled itself on a tree.

"She missed!" Henna shouted. "She hit a tree! She missed!"

"I knew she would."

"What was she thinking?"

"It was impressive sh..."

The villagers murmured until Imjah held up a hand. Walking forward she went to the tree and plucked the arrow out of it. She examined it then looked back at them.

"No. She didn't."

Imjah held the arrow up. On the tip of the arrow was the mutilated grape. Henna ran up to Imjah and grasped the arrow herself.

"It's true," she breathed. "She...she completed the impossible task."

The other huntresses looked horrified. The impossible task was a ruse. No one had ever completed it, until now.

"Does anyone else contest my leadership?" Zyra barked.

Silence.

Striding forward she went to Henna. She took the arrow from the girl who flinched when she grabbed it.

Then she backhanded her.

Henna's head jerked and her hands went up to her face as a choked cry escaped her.

Zyra almost felt bad. Almost.

In the last rite the huntress had killed her competitor off of principle. Henna was lucky.

"You are excluded from the hunt until further notice," she commanded. "You will fetch water with the girls from the right side of camp."

Henna's lips quivered. "But...but they're just children."

In fact her niece Nima fetched water.

"I know," she spat mercilessly. "It's where you belong."

She watched with a sick satisfaction as Henna burst into tears. Then she made the huntress call to follow. They gave Henna sympathetic looks, but when Zyra walked away, they followed her.

Along the fringe of the villagers Kyzu stood, staring at her. Her face was blank. Then she disappeared into the crowd.

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The mood of the village instantly became different.

Fear forced their respect, but it was not what Zyra had wanted. She had wanted their love, their true admiration. All this time, their feelings for her were hero worship. When she had shown weakness, they had rebuked her like a broken idol. She tried to tell herself that it was better to be feared than loved, but it was a hollow lie.

All she wanted was to be loved.

She stayed with her hunters for a moment longer as they mingled under the pretense of companionship. They sharpened their blades, told bad jokes, forced chuckles, until Zyra bid them goodbye and walked off to her tent.

The villagers changed. They stared at her, much like they had stared at the ogre during his first arrival. The power of the unspoken voices rang in her mind. The source clicked inside her mind. She could hear what they were thinking.

"Unnatural! Just frightful..."

"...dangerous girl, I never knew why..."

"How dare she! Embarrass me that way! That..."

"...Monster...she's..."

<

b>"... a monster."

"Monstrous!"

"...Monster girl..."

"Monster!"

She was running. Her feet were connected more firmly to her heart than any other part of her. It knew what she wanted. She ran until she collided with someone who stepped into her path. She and the person collapsed to the ground and she heard the voices getting louder.

"Monster!"

"...did you see that?"

"...poor girl."

"Is she alright?"

"...hit by that monster."

Ginger scrambled up and pulled her to her feet, putting an arm around her as she wordlessly took her to her tent. She placed her on the floor and knotted the flap, checking the lantern quickly before dropping in front of her.

"Zyra, sweetie. Look at me. Please look at me."

There were tears in her eyes. She couldn't see. No wonder she had bumped into Ginger. Ginger looked surprisingly heartbroken at the sight of her. Sighing she wrapped her arms around Zyra's stiff body. Zyra didn't react, wondering if it was too much to hope. Hope that maybe Ginger was different.

"I'm so sorry she did that to you Zyra," she cooed rubbing her back. "She had no right. That was awful."

Zyra swallowed back the emotion clogging her throat.

"You were there?" she rasped.

Ginger squeezed her tighter. "I'm always there. I love you to death Zyra."

Zyra tightened her arms around her as she began to tremble. "...no one loves me Ginger."

Ginger pulled back from her and held her shoulders. Her face was serious, something she had no idea Ginger possessed.

"I love you Zyra. No, look at me. I love you Zyra. Nima loves you Zyra. And Kail..."

She wiped a tear from Zyra's eye and gave her a small smile. "Kail really likes you, and I think if you gave him a chance, he would make you feel loved. Rell felt nice right? Imagine that times ten."

She let Zyra collect herself before holding her hands in her own.

"Zyra, you can't let her get you down. She's just jealous. I don't know how she hid her conniving, evil..."

"Ginger she's my sister," Zyra interrupted. She washed her face in Ginger's bowl and waited for the puffiness to leave her eyes.

"I have to confront her," Zyra said suddenly. "There's more at work here. Something isn't right."

"No Zyra. It's not some kind of spell or illness. Your sister is just plain..."

"I have to see her."

"Zyra no! You can't let her get into your head..."

But she was already gone.

She was glad for Ginger, but she knew if she didn't deal with Kyzu she would never be able to move on. She would never be able to deal with her fears of inadequacy, and she would never be able to accept Kail. If that, was what she truly wanted.

When Zyra crashed into Kyzu's tent it appeared that Kyzu had been waiting for her. Nima was placed before her like a shield. She was combing the girl's hair.

"Auntie Zyra!" Nima said happily. "I missed you! Did you bring me fur?"

"I missed you too," Zyra said forcing a smile. "Could you let me and your Mother speak for a while."

"Why? Do you intend on killing me?"

Zyra's mouth jutted in shock. Not only had Kyzu said something stupid, she had said it in the hunter's code. She had never known that Kyzu could use it. All this time, and she still did not know this person before her who claimed to be her sister.

"Is this how it is to be?"

"Auntie, what are you saying?"

"Yes."

Zyra had had enough of her games.

"I would never hurt you Kyzu. It's time we put an end to this."

Her heart sank when she saw Nima's angelic face turn to her mother in question.

"Mother, what does she mean?"

"Yes Kyzu, explain."

Kyzu's underestimation of Zyra left her at a loss. She patted her daughter lovingly. "Don't worry. Go outside and play okay? Look for your nanny."

Nima nodded and ran over to Zyra, giving her a quick hug before she zoomed out of the tent.

"Why would you bring her into our mess?" Kyzu asked angrily. "Are you that selfish?"

"How long have you hated me?"

Kyzu froze.

"What? Zyra I would never..."

"Never what Kyzu? Never lie to me? Never embarrass me in front of my huntresses?"

Kyzu put on a mask of kindness that seemed so fake to Zyra she wondered how she had ever been fooled by it.

"Sister, I was trying to help you by making it apparent who was rightful leader."

"Rightful leader?" Zyra scoffed. "Kyzu, tell me. Have you ever had to prove you were rightful leader?"

Kyzu's face dropped as Zyra stepped into sensitive territory.

"Do you think you can do better?" she asked tensely.

"I don't," Zyra admitted. "...but you do, and that is all that matters."

Kyzu laughed bitterly.

"I don't want your pity Zyra," she hissed. "I can see it well up in your eyes. Your pity for your poor, clueless, stupid, sister in your overly eager face. You just have to be a hero don't you? And I have to be the one who's helpless."

Zyra couldn't believe the nonsense coming out of her mouth. "I've never made you helpless—"

"Yes you have!" Kyzu shouted. "By being so reliable! By letting me lean on you when I should have been standing on my own two feet! You made me weak Zyra. If I'm a bad Chieftess it's because of you."

Zyra shook her head in disbelief. "No, you're wrong."

Kyzu rounded on her, getting closer to her as her bravado grew. "Think Zyra. Name one time that I had a difficulty that I overcame without your aid. Tell me I'm wrong. Say it."

Zyra scrapped her brain, but all that came up was Kyzu's words. They were a team. It wasn't supposed to be pity.

"I...just wanted to be everything you needed," Zyra whimpered.

Oh God, it was her fault. She had made Kyzu this way. Into the terrible person she had become.

"You are," Kyzu said gently. She put a hand on her sister's face, stroking her cheek softly.

Zyra relaxed into her comforting touch. Would she forgive her? Would things go back to normal?

"Don't you get it sister?" Kyzu lulled. "You've been training since forever to take my place." She gave her a sweet smile. "So...why don't you just take it?"

The look in Kyzu's eyes scared her.

"Kyzu..."

"I'll die, and you can have everything."

Tears welled in her eyes as she took in Kyzu's awful words. She grasped her sister's arm desperately.

"Kyzu no. Please stop."

"No Zyra! Take it. Take my title, take my village, take my daughter..."

Zyra gasped in horror. "I would never try to replace..."

"You wouldn't have to," Kyzu chuckled ruefully. "All these things would just flock to you."

She threw up her hands with a laugh. "It's unnatural how parasitic you are. I never noticed it much until Nima was sick. You left home, left on a holy suicide mission and came back stronger for it. Do you know how deranged that is?"

"Did you want me to die?"

Kyzu shook her head. "I was hoping you'd come back, but stronger? You can even feed off the magical realm. The realm that controls our existence. Do you realize how monstrous you are?"

Zyra let out a shaky sob as thick tears ran down her face. Her knees were weak and she clasped Kyzu's waist like she used to as a little girl.

"Please! Please understand. I did it to save you! The witch said you were going to die. I did it to save you. I love you."

"You should have let me die," Kyzu growled. She pushed the sobbing Zyra off and her and cringed when she saw her curl up into a ball. It made her sick to see her sister so torn up. Yet, wasn't that what she wanted? She didn't even know.

"You should have let me die!" Kyzu shrieked. "Instead of being trapped in this bitter ugly shell! Instead of loving you with half my soul and hating you with the other! You were perfect and I was sickly and dumb. And even now I can't get inside your head. Do you really mean what you say? Are you really that selfless?"

She slunk to her own knees with her own tears as Zyra cried before her. She gave her a twisted smile.

"I'm not even sure if my hate is justified. But you know what? Now...now I've found a chink in your armor. You are afraid of sex, and you want the ogre. Oh yes sister, I noticed."

She snorted and bit her thumb. "I mean...you don't show interest for any man your entire existence, and then you choose to fall for a monster with a cock that would tear your tight little flower in half! I mean really Zyra?"

Zyra wiped her eyes as Kyzu launched into a laughing fit. She had gone mad, she was sure of it. Her sister would never say those things to her. She was sick, she needed help.

"Sister," Zyra said rubbing her eyes. "Something is wrong. You're sick. You need..."

"Are you still trying to help me?" Kyzu asked flatly. "And I'm the pathetic one? You need to worry about yourself. Your inability to participate in the celebration will get you exiled out of our clan. And if you do manage to stay, you will have to submit to the mercy of another for the first time in your life. Either way you lose Zyra."

She crawled over to her crouched place and held her damp face in her hands.

"Look at me Zyra. Don't close your eyes. You will have to lose Zyra and you will never get this piece of you back. Every feeling you feel for the ogre is a trap. Every instinct and desire is trying to destroy you. He will hurt you. He tried to hurt me when he was in my tent. Your virginity is the only thing that remains of Zyra, holy huntress of the Rovians. If he takes that..."

She squeezed Zyra's cheeks.

"Then the old Zyra will die."

Zyra shook her head in terror standing up from Kyzu's cruelty.

When she tried to reclaim her face she flinched.

"Fear it," Kyzu seethed. "Leave this tent Zyra. Never show me another kindness. If you save me again, I will die because of you."

Zyra turned from her and ran into the forest.

Etaceh was at a loss. She knew humans were cruel, but somehow she hadn't seen that one coming. She actually felt bad for Zyra. Considering how she had used Kyzu to torture her, it seemed awful that Kyzu, the object of her devotion, had tortured her as well. That needed to be fixed.

"What a twisted little thing you are...Kyzu," Etaceh tutted as she wove her magic over the woman's tent.

"I can't have you destroying our brave little keromedio's spirit. Oh no. There must be some damage control done." When the web was complete she showered it down on Kyzu. Kyzu grabbed her throat as she felt it constricting. She fell onto her back and rolled about in the tent. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a dark figure with blood red lips step beside her. She was transparent, but she felt her run a finger through her hair.

"I hope you enjoyed your power over her, because it will be the last time you ever feel it," the woman mused happily. "It's good though, you don't deserve her. No one does." Kyzu choked, her eyes rolling into the back of her head until she passed out. Etaceh checked the spell. Good, it had attached perfectly. She prepared to exit the tent.

"Oh and Kyzu?" she said to the unconscious body on the floor. "Zyra? Thanks to you, she's mine."

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Haziness...it was the reality that the word embodied her that scared her awake.

She was neither here nor there, in or out, whole or broken. She was purposeless. She fought against the black that had stolen her breath away, knowing that she was too unlucky to die. Zyra's lids were heavy, beckoning her to stay beneath the blinds, keeping her blind to the tumultuous world she called home.

But Zyra was no coward.

She forced her eyes open and was rewarded with a scorching light that caused her to flinch in its intensity.

Was it daytime? No, she was in something. She lifted herself up and saw she had been lying in a bed of furs. There were two lanterns on either side of the room. It was large, shaped like a spacious box made of wood. The wooden tent! She was inside Kail's new home.

She turned around to look behind her and saw shelves filled with strange herbs. There was a pretty pink plant growing tall in one corner, a finely carved wooden stool in the other. All about her seemed to be nooks and crannies of unusual things that the ogre had collected, but the focal point of the room was the spacious and well padded sleeping place.