Ogres and Ogresses Ch. 21

Enui nodded and ran off to carry out her orders.

"Would you prefer for me to stay my huntress?" Gharla asked uncertainly.

She did not like the idea of giving Imjah power, but she was sure that Zyra would not have called her had the issue not been important.

Zyra looked at her for the briefest of moments, her vulnerability flickering like a doused flame. Gharla's sharp all seeing eyes caught it.

"I would like you by my side Gharla."

Gharla nodded, her heart warmed and chilled with a battle between love and fear.

The men watched the war-like troupe curiously as Zyra marched towards the forest. As she expected, Rell and Hanto appeared as she was on her way out of the village.

"Where are you going?"

"I'm coming with you."

Zyra glared dangerously at Hanto. She would not stand to be bullied, not again.

"It is not your concern."

She glanced at Rell, her insides twisting.

"It is not...an Ursie concern."

The hurt on Rell's face made her inwardly wince but she ignored it.

"This is a Rovian hunting party. If you interfere, you will insult us."

"You have rites to keep," Hanto growled. "You purified yourself..."

"I have permission," Zyra stated. "And I have business. Check if you like."

She shoved past him, roughly jarring him as her huntresses side stepped him in a similar fashion.

I'm sorry Rell, she thought sadly. I've involved you enough. You cannot join me on this journey.

Enui joined them silently. Zyra took point while the huntresses took their stances. Ginger stood in the middle, striving to keep up with their brisk pace. As they arrived at the ogre's dwelling, they found Kail was already outside.

When he saw her he strode forward with the intent to embrace her, but she willed him with her eyes not to. He paused jerkily.

"Come with me," she commanded.

Tensing his lips he nodded and followed.

The trip was a silent one. As they walked farther towards the border, understanding dawned on Kail, and he was unable to keep his mouth shut.

"Zyra...I—"

"It's alright," she said evenly. "We are going to the border. We won't cross it."

He gazed behind them at the disapproving Gharla, the emotionless Rair, the sympathetic Ginger, and the unreadable Enui. As the distance between Zyra and her party widened, Kail could find himself becoming more and more anxious.

"Please tell me what happened," he begged quietly.

She didn't look at him, but he knew she had heard him.

"Zyra are you ignoring me?"

"Kail, do you love me?"

"What?"

"I asked if you love me?"

Kail wanted to grab her and shake the answers out of her.

"Why do you ask this?" he rumbled. "Is it to tell me to trust you?"

"I want to know...if you would love me no matter what."

His dread began to rise, choking him with its potency.

"What? Did you sell me Zyra?" he asked curiously. "What could be so terrible?"

She shook her head, eyes staring forward. "I sold myself."

"How?"

"I—"

The ground began to shift as a loud ringing banged along the walls of her mind.

She let out a cry as she lurched forward, Kail barely catching her.

"Zyra!"

Her friends ran forward in worried unison.

"What did you do?" Gharla shouted.

"She is being called," Kail declared, lifting her.

He looked down at her as she gritted her teeth, the world swimming before her. She felt dizzy, disoriented, confused, just like last time.

Kail shook his head. "But why does it hurt? You should be fine unless..."

His eyes widened, and then narrowed accusingly.

"You refused them. You tried to refuse them didn't you Zyra?"

She didn't answer since she knew he wasn't asking a question. Growling, he stormed off toward the border, the huntresses rushing after him. They were fueled on adrenaline and so only took one break, and resumed again.

The sun had just begun to touch the horizon when they arrived. Kail placed Zyra on the ground and allowed her to grab his arm to steady herself. She pulled away and stumbled forward so that she could see the pristine clearing before her.

There it was; unchanging, immobile, perfect, and yet wretched, the valley of her horror.

"Oh! Darling, it's been too long!"

Their heads snapped in the direction of the unmistakably saccharine voice.

Etaceh stood in her classically black attire, a long slit on her thigh revealing the deadly pale skin of her legs. She wasn't wearing shoes; in fact her toes matched the same blood red of her fingernails. Her hair had grown even longer, now wrapped around an arm like fabric to keep from touching the floor.

"You look a little out of it sweetie," she cooed. "Step forward."

"You step forward," Zyra challenged.

She saw Etaceh's grin slip before a wave a dizziness made her stumble into the woman's chest. The witch held her, stroking her hair lovingly.

"Aw my poor stumbling baby. All bravado and nothing to back it. Or maybe too much..."

Zyra jumped back from her back into Kail when she felt her squeeze her butt.

"Stop!"

"Hubbba Hubba!"

"Behave now Etaceh."

Caligula stepped forward out of nothing, the air rippling in his wake. She heard Ginger gasp and snarled when his eyes went to her.

"Oh...look what we have here."

"I don't remember that one," Etaceh said, Caligula's interest peaking her own. "Now who are you?"

"She's a Rovian," Zyra snapped. "Who she is doesn't matter. What do you want from me?"

Etaceh looked back at Caligula who gave her a nod. She clapped her hands happily.

"Why, we want you to come home."

"Zyra is home," Gharla declared.

"Gharla..." Caligula simpered.

He looked her up and down in a way that made her skin crawl. "I see you have recovered well enough. The last time I saw you...well, you are well aware where you were."

Gharla felt her face burn red in anger.

"How dare you..."

"You are sending for her."

Caligula looked up and seemed to see the looming ogre for the first time. He looked at him with distaste.

"Yes," he spat. "We have come to collect what is ours."

"What do you mean?" Zyra asked.

She was displeased to find Kail and Caligula were locked in a stare down. After several moments, Caligula tore his gaze away reluctantly.

"We have need of you. Your main task. We will give you time to collect what you need. In two days time you will come to this border, and you will enter alone."

"What is this task?"

"Not an exile's concern."

"How long will I be gone?"

Silence...

She looked at Caligula and waited for an answer, but he said nothing.

"Etaceh?" she shouted. "You always have something to say. Answer me!"

"For as long as we have need of you," Caligula stated. "Be it days, months, years—"

"Years?"

"However long it takes for you to complete your task."

"Don't tell me you didn't see this coming," Etaceh tutted pompously. "You are well aware that you belong to us. How could you forget?"

She made a slashing motion with her claw like hands and Zyra grabbed her arm in pain. The bandages on her arm began to burn and she ripped them off. When her tattoo was visible, the pain left.

The black metallic symbol engrained in her skin seemed to hum with perverse joy.

"I thought we told you that covering that is a dishonor," Caligula tutted. "You would do good to obey us."

He reached out as though he would cup her face and she stepped back with a growl.

Caligula smirked and shook his head. "No matter. We will see you very soon Zyra. Don't forget to wear your keromedio clothes."

The air around the witches began to ripple and burn until a gap appeared. Looking through it Zyra could see the huddled masses of the minor witches inside of the Marble Tree.

"Chow darling," Etaceh shouted. "We'll always have Paris!"

Then they both stepped through the ripple and it closed.

The silence was deafening. Gharla put a hand on Zyra's shoulder, her mouth quivering with the words that would not form.

"Z...Zyra..."

"Please," Zyra sighed.

She stared at the tattoo on her arm and made a fist. No pain, they had taken their punishment with them. It was finished. They were done.

"Let's go," she ordered. She started for the village.

"But Zyra!" Ginger protested.

"In silence," she snapped.

Reluctantly, the party fell in line. The last vestiges of sunlight said its farewell, leaving fireflies in their place. When Zyra was sure the others excluding Kail could no longer see, she told them to make camp. They did this quietly, all of them uncomfortable with the grim news they had received.

Kail collected wood and built a fire. He knelt beside it, coaxing the embers with a practiced hand. His russet locks shivered in the light and it seemed like the fire had spread within him. But it burned low, resolute, unlike the fire he had sprouted before him. His fire was dying, and it pained Zyra to see that.

"We can't just pretend nothing happened."

Zyra looked up to see Rair staring at her. If she didn't know better she would have sworn it had been her imagination. Zyra forced herself to look about the circle and all of her comrades who looked at her with worry.

"What will you do?"

"What can I do?" Zyra asked.

"What about Rell?" Ginger added.

"What about Rell?" Kail interjected.

Ginger cringed, realizing her slip of tongue.

Zyra let out a long sigh.

"Kail, come with me."

He stood up, blocking the fire with his shadow and followed after her as she walked into the forest. Then she began to explain to him the rite of Shino Shuen. She didn't look at him as she spoke, facing her eyes forward as they walked through the mellow wood. Her gentle voice seemed to draw wildlife. The glowing eyes of animals reflected in the dark. She didn't mind, it was almost like they were giving her courage to continue.

When she finished her explanation they were too far out. She turned to continue back to the camp but Kail grabbed her shoulder. She stopped and placed her hand on his, bowing her head in shame.

"What will you do?" Kail asked.

"I don't know," she answered. "If we do the rites things will change forever. What if I never return to the Rovians? What if I do get a child? What about..." She looked up at him. "Us?"

Kail let out a mournful sigh and pulled her into his chest. He placed his chin in her hair, his yellow eyes glaring into the darkness. Then he caressed her and she leaned into his strength. After many moments he spoke again, his voice raspy with emotion.

"I was sure we had a year, two at least for our happiness. We weren't supposed to fall in love. It wasn't...meant to end this way."

"End?"

Zyra pushed away from in, her eyes filled with hurt. "What do you mean end?"

"I can't go with you Zyra," Kail whispered. "I can't help you. I can't be with you for who knows how long. The assignments...the things the witches do to their keromedios. It changes them. When this is over you won't...I'd be surprised if you'd want to even look at me. Magic will sicken you. I will sicken you."

"Don't be ridiculous," Zyra snapped. "Besides, I'm not gone yet. Don't try to get rid of me."

Kail looked as though he wanted to retort but he said nothing. Instead he let out a long heavy sigh.

"Tell me," he said, pulling her back to him. "Was it worth it? For that child? Do you feel it was all worth it?"

Zyra clutched to him. Things had been so clear once upon a time. She wanted to say she didn't know, but she did.

"I would have never met you Kail," she mumbled into his chest. "Of course it was worth it. I would have given everything."

"You did," he declared leaning down to kiss her. "You did."

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When they arrived back to the camp, the others had the decency to pretend to be sleeping.

Enui and Gharla had put Ginger in the same tree net as them, each on either side of their village sister. Zyra began to feel guilty as she watched the only actual sleeping member. She must have been exhausted. Ginger was only trying to support her, as were the others. They were probably equally devastated.

She shut her thoughts off as soon as Kyzu and Nima came into her mind. The thought of leaving them...

She shook her head and walked to the tree she and Rair shared. Kail placed his hands together and gave her a foothold to push herself smoothly into the net. Soundlessly she slipped beside Rair. She heard the woman's pulse race. So she was awake.

Kail placed himself at the base of the tree and leant his back on the bark closing his eyes with a sigh. Following his example, Zyra willed herself to sleep.

The more she told herself to be strong, the more she felt like a scared frightened girl. What a fine leader she pretended to be.

In a moment of weakness she reached for Rair and leaned against her back. The woman tensed and then, turned to her. To Zyra's surprise she pulled her towards her chest and put an arm around her. Rair had never shown such affection to anyone before, at least not that Zyra knew. It almost made her cry. Taking a deep breath she allowed herself to feel Rair's warmth. It was comforting. Slowly she felt sleep come to her and she leapt gratefully into its arms.

_________________________________________________

In the morning, Rair detached herself from Zyra wordlessly and began to assist her in taking down their nets. After food was eaten and the fire was snuffed out, they headed back towards the village. It was late morning when they arrived. Kyzu was in the center of the village with a basket of fruit speaking to a seemingly depressed Rell. When she saw them she smiled in relief.

"Zyra! I was beginning to worry."

"I'm here sister," Zyra said bowing respectfully to Kyzu.

She looked at Rell and saw how miserable he seemed and immediately felt guilty.

The villagers came from their duties to see what was happening. Men and women came together, the squabble among the tribes temporarily settled for lust.

Kyzu waited for her sister to speak but got testy when she simply stood there. Impatiently she handed the basket to another villager.

"Well? What did they say?"

"It is a long story."

"So? Tell me."

Zyra's lips curled under as expectant eyes raked over her and her party. She felt tired.

"They want me."

Kyzu nodded. "When?"

"In 7 days time."

"For how long?"

Zyra looked into her sister's expectant brown eyes.

"Zyra?"

She responded by handing Kyzu her spear. She took her pack off of her shoulders and dropped it to the floor. Then she walked away.

Rell watched Zyra retreat towards the tents and felt anger surge within him. Kail stood on the edge of the forest, glaring at him with intense dislike. He saw this and frowned, knowing all too well the reason for the ogre's sudden viciousness.

Suddenly Rell's father came forward, Hanto behind him. Seeing this, Kail retreated slowly back to his dwelling.

"Where is Zyra?" Hanto demanded. "What happened?"

Gharla stepped forward and picked up Zyra's pack.

"It would be best if Zyra told you."

Kyzu ignored the urge to wring the truth out of them even though it was her right.

"Very well. Come then, you must be tired," she said with false warmth. "Villagers? Bring refreshment for the party."

Rell stood up and raced to Zyra's tent. Despite her head start she was traveling at a slow tottering pace. He was behind her shortly and watched her climb into her tent. He tossed the flap open after her and stepped inside. Eying him briefly, she flopped onto the floor, covering her eyes with her arm. So she would continue to ignore him? Seething, he closed the tent behind them.

"You are acting like a spoiled petulant child," Rell snapped. "We were worried about you. I was worried about you. Do you have nothing to say to me?"

To his astonishment Zyra shook her head no.

Enraged, Rell leaned over her, pulling her arm away from her face.

"Look at me!"

He flinched when he saw that her face was wet. When his grip slacked she rolled onto her stomach leaned her face on her arm once again.

"Zyra, what happened?" he asked. "You're going to hide in here without an explanation? This is not the right thing to do and you know it."

Zyra responded, but her words were muffled. He leaned closer to her.

"What did you say?"

She sat up, wiping her eyes.

"I said...why do I have to do the right thing?"

Rell's eyes widened. "What do you mean?"

"Why should I care about your reputation?" she said crassly. "Or Kail's life? Or Nima's and Kyzu's? Why should I give myself up and do what's right when I get absolutely...nothing in return? Hm? Why should I?"

Rell stared at her as she looked at him, angry at the world. He sighed and placed a hand on her cheek.

"Because Zyra, you are the hero. It's who you are. If you changed any part of you, well...that wouldn't be you would it?"

"I have changed," Zyra stated. "I'm not the same from when I first met you."

"Not really," Rell chuckled. "Not your beliefs and principles. Not the things that truly matter. Of all the sins you can be guilty of, why should doing the right things make you more damned than the rest of us?"

"I am damned," she cried. Rell of all people should understand how she felt!

"I am damned and cursed and broken!"

"No."

He reached up to touch her face, his thumb pushing away a tear. He wasn't sure whether to be more shocked that he was doing this, or that she was crying.

"They can never break you. Not unless you let them."

The tears began to fall steadier as Rell's words tugged at her heart.

"I feel so..."

Her voice cracked in the middle of her sentence. Weak, she was going to say weak.

And weak felt terrible.

With a sympathetic sigh Rell pulled her close and held her tight.

"I know. It's okay to cry Zyra. You're owed that much."

No, she thought. I am Zyra, the brave Rovian huntress, Zyra the strong, tougher than man and woman, sister of the Chieftess, daughter of...

Zyra of...repeating this did nothing for her.

No matter how strong she was, she was crying now and she needed that.

She held onto Rell as she sobbed, crying at the violation she felt at being used by forces she could never stop. She cried for the loss of her life, the loss of her family, the loss of her tribe and lover. The more she cried the more things became clear, and the more she mourned for her losses. She felt bad for Rell's tunic.

If Rell could sense the change in her he said nothing. When she was finished crying he took her hand.

"Now Zyra, tell me what has happened."

She told him every detail, from her sister's reactions to her talk with Kail. He sat and listened, his face unreadable. When her tale was finished, her eyes were dry.

"So what will you do?" he asked.

"I don't know."

"Yes, you do."

His reply startled her. "What do you mean?"

His blue eyes did not waver as he regarded her solemnly.

"You know what I mean. You have already decided what to do, you just can't acknowledge it. That's why you were ignoring us Zyra, you want to spare us from the truth. You want to draw out the inevitable."

"Then please, enlighten me oh Great Ursie Sage of the age, as to what the truth is," she teased.

He shook his head with a smirk.

"Come on. I'm not upset Zyra. I'm stronger than you know."

Zyra small smile faltered and her head bowed.

"I don't want you to lose the Chiefdom."

"If I lose my title just because I fail to bed you, I don't think I ever truly had a chance," he confided. He patted her back as she pulled away. "But what about you?"

Zyra shook her head ruefully.

"If I leave here for years I don't even know if Nima will even remember me. I won't be the lead huntress anymore, I won't be able to fulfill my duties, and I won't help my village that way."