Music Box Ch. 01

The last of the Empress' Eagle let out sharp cries, warning of the great rains that winter brought. Not that it needed to, as the overcast sky was gloomy and ash grey.

Beating its sapphire blue wings, it swooped northward towards the Chiefdoms of Llurha.

Aliph was mesmerized, knowing he may not see any eagle for the coming 2 seasons.

He would sometimes wonder how it would be like to be a bird and fly wherever you wanted. Born and raised deep in the remote mountain regions of the Thala Empire, he was fascinated about seeing the outside world. A world he knew nothing of.

His late father often told him of his time as a Spearman for the empire. Tales that fueled his fascination with the outside world.

Aliph sat up and heaved a sigh. He had responsibilities, as all headsmen do. Many he couldn't even begin to count. The most important being a strong pillar for his family.

His eyes fell down the grassland to the nut brown, fuzzy furred cows that grazed on grass yellowed by age. He loved the grassland. It was serene, and the grass was plenty--Aliph even circulated false sightings of a pack of wild dogs nearby to make sure it stayed that way.

He considered herding as one of his duties as to his people, cows were a wealth status, to him though, they were his parents' last gift before their deaths. One he wanted to expand upon.

Aliph recalled his father's last woeful words. Words that filled him with sorrow.

You are this family's headsman... t-take care of your younger sisters and brother... remember to be patient and understanding...

Aliph stood up. Ready to head home, and sure that the cows have had their fill and probably thirsty.

He picked up a meter long, coal dark stick down beside him. It was 2 inches thick and each end wrapped with beaded cotton strings. Beads that were wooden and peacock green coloured.

It wasn't for stick fighting, nor symbolized any social status. The stick was called Nto and was given to young adults who survived to their 50th season.

He held it proudly and said a silent prayer to his forefathers.

He marched towards where his cows fed, but he suddenly stopped. A beautiful, sorrowful symphony began to play.

Aliph whipped his head to his left, seeking the source of the harmonious sound.

His eyes peered at a heavy set of man tall shrubs not far, and he heard them rattle.

A person walked out. Aliph was struck by their exquisite, ruby red attire. The closer they strutted forth, the clearer the melody got, and the more he realized the attire was none he had ever seen before.

They wore a weirdly patterned, see through veil, a sleeveless, blood-red knee long dress with a lava red sash. They walked with the determination of a soldier and the grace of a noble born.

Aliph was dumbfounded when the person looked more like a woman. She had oil dark, neck length wavy hair. A pair of sparkling royal purple eyes and owl tawny skin.

Couple all that with the soothing melody that rang on, she seemed ethereal in Aliph's eyes.

She continued to walk in silence, and when she was 8 paces away, the woman stopped and her eyes darted to Aliph's cows then settled on him. Aliph stared back. She was about a head taller than he, her body frame lithe as a Spearman's.

Her eyes narrowed when she noticed he stared back.

(You can see me?) she asked in a strange tongue.

Aliph was too stunned to reply. He couldn't believe he understood her. Her words were foreign to his ears, nonetheless he understood.

"Am I not supposed to. Sorry, eyes tend to do that," he finally said.

She gave a slight smile to the cheeky reply. (I didn't mean any offence.)

A thousand questions ran through Aliph's head. All wanting to spew out of his mind.

"Are you lost?"

(No,) she simply replied.

Her reply heightened Aliph's curiosity. He furrowed his brows as his head brimmed with further questions. "Excuse my manners, but where are you from and what are you doing in this remote region of the Empire?"

She smiled. (I'm a huntress. I am not alone, my party is camped not far from here. I just took a walk, trying to see if there are any exotic birds, such as the Empress' Eagle, we could hunt and trade.)

Aliph's flared his nostrils and gritted his teeth. She had admitted to being a poacher. Though angry, Aliph calmed himself.

Her story was plausible, but he still didn't believe her. He sucked in a breath.

"The Empress' Eagle is a sacred bird to the Empress' Clan, and, by extension, to my people due to the debt we owe to Her."

Her eyes widened. She mumbled something under her breath and gave Aliph a nervous smile. (Oh, um... we didn't--)

"You are lying." he declared, "No poacher would admit such a thing to a native after the Empress' decree. Not to mention, it's late autumn, they all have migrated. You are no poacher, so what are you?"

Aliph was now driven by pure curiosity. The woman could see that, and no malice laced his words.

She nodded and thought for a while, then said, (I admire your sharpness. Though, I will admit I'm no huntress and my homeland is far from here. I also mean no harm to your people.)

Her voice was strong, clear and boomed like that of an arrogant chieftain. Aliph nodded, he strangely believed her. His mind urged him to ask more, but what more could he ask.

"Say, what's your name?"

She hesitated but finally said, (Luna, yours?)

"Aliph. That music, where's it coming from?"

She arched her brows, stunned. (You can hear it?)

"Yeah, ears tend to hear things," he chuckled at his joke, "it's beautiful."

She nodded. (It's Braham's Melody, composed by his son on his death bed,) she paused then added, (You are  a strange Espandōean.)

"Sorry?"

Aliph's head burned with further questions, but the woman looked east, towards the rocky foot of the Mayaz mountain.

(Aliph... I should be on my way. May Harmouna bring you joy.)

She smiled and the tune faded and she vanished. Aliph stared into the space she disappeared from, bewildered.

His ears whined for the symphony he was sure he would never listen to again. Everything felt surreal, but he snapped out of it.

He just witnessed what his people would call Ba har. A moment when men and women have said to see off world sighting.

Some would say they saw a city float by, strange noises or circular objects fly overhead.

Each were branded lunatics, ridiculed, and soon after became social outcasts. Aliph knew he wouldn't tell a soul, he would likely take this to his grave.

That didn't stop his head from overflowing with questions he had no hopes of answering.

He huffed and walked to his cows. He still had responsibilities. Furthermore, he consolidated his mind by thinking of his beautiful wife and her delicious Salhami biscuits.

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Thanks for reading this far and I would love some constructive criticism