Assamaril's Way

[Assamaril]

Early in the morning. I am sitting in the gloominess of the simple hut at the table. In front of me the leather bag is waiting, waiting for the incredible step I shall have to go. I can feel my parents staring at me, shivering of fear for their daughters. My parents are old already worked all time to keep them alive and later to keep us alive. Surely a hard life in the lost lands and a hard life under the dictatorships and their self announced kings who changed as often as new greedy babys were born. The violence of the weapon were always leading never the will of the folk and never a shiny brain with the heart for the poor lost people in the Lost Lands. Amazing King Hrungor could hold the power about nine years already.
Dad sighs lightly. I know that he ist looking for words. Beautiful words as gift for my way in front of me. But he cannot find any. We keep silently waiting for the moment and I am freezing a little bit while I remember.

"He has chosen me", Asiskamaril said, as dry a as a fish could be after it lied in the Lost Land's sun for one hour. I remember I didn't get her at once. There was no emotion in her voice, she told about as she would tell about a desert-bug she stepped on. But I saw the reaction of my parents. Mom opened her eyes widely and looked for the hold of my dad. Then I got it.

"Prince Irginarzh?",I asked and the eyes of my sister gave the answer. Somehow our folk is as lost as the whole land. Victims of the will of the one who is keeping the power. Ready to take everything they can get. Prince Irginarzh the king's son likes to take the last from us. Our honor. From time to time he chooses girls for his pleasure for one night. The authority calls that: 'Honor to please the protector." But the truth is that the young girls loses all their honor in our society after they were taken. Many of the "chosen one" killed themselves after the terrible night. I am not sure what happens to the chosen ones, the victims feel too ashamed to tell about it. Of course I have been happy that the prince never discovered me. But he discovered my sister.

"I'll go!", I said and looked into my sister's face rigorously. As I look into a mirrow. We are twins and only mom and dad know who is me Assamaril and who is my sister Asiskamaril. As much we look the same as much we are different in our heart in our thinking.

"No, you'll not take my fate. You know that I couldn't live with that."

"None of us can live with your fate. Think at mom and dad! Let me go!"

"Marils", dad interupted me and looked to each of us. "Don't mind us. We are old, they will not harm us." He turned to mom looked for her help. She took his hands and let him continue. "Nobody can escape or betray his fate. And the both of you have to keep it on your future way." I remeber well how surpised I was about this words. It was the first time that my parents support the way of my sister. But I also remember well that I heard their hearts breaking.

I touch my bag. I can feel the moment is coming. Mom smiles at me. I cannot imagine where she has got this smile for me.

Suddenly trouble! Scraming. Voices call:

"The prince is dead." Dead! A word what steals my breath. But also a word that tells the irony that Prince Irginarzh has chosen bad somehow." Mom goes to me. I cannot see any fear in her face. Not any more. The noice is getting louder. She opens her hand and shows a tiny plain book.

"Keep our tradition and go continuesly your right way. Do it in our memory."

"Mom", I shout and took the book. In that moment the door slaps open and Asiskamaril hurries in. She is still in a bit invisible silk.

"He will never ever rob the virginity of a girl anymore", she declares and her eyes are empty. "Assa, we must leave, now!" She changes quickly her clothes.

I embrace mom and dad and my sister does the same.

"All right! I am ready. We can visit the desert", I say but Asiskamaril just looks into my eyes sadly while she takes the jacket.

"No, sister. You'll not come with me. My way ist the way of death. That is my fate. Your way is the way of life. I'll destruct, you'll heal. The desert will be my home. Your way cannot survive there. You must escape to Britannia."

"So come with me to Britannia."

"How stupid you are", she answers lightly rough. "What do you think will happen if Britannia and Hrungor get that I am with you in the green country?!"

"I am not ready to be devided from you" I whisper and I can feel two tears running down my cheeks. Asiskamaril takes me in her arms and pressed me hard while she says:

"We will see each other again. I will look for you. And I will be there if you need me. I love you sister."

"I love you sister", I response. Asiskamaril lets me free turns around disappears as quickly as a wyvern. I grab my bag and step to the open door. I looked over my shoulder to mom and dad.

"Go! At once!",mom screams and I run, run and run. Leaving the hut which was my home since my birth. Leaving the town which I never have seriously left before. Leaving everything what is part in my life.

I know I have a long way to go. Along this caravan's path leading through the desert. Quick and sneaky, not to be recognized by all these wild creatures. And always my hand on the book which mom gave me. The way will go out of the desert into the jungle close to Papua. Somewhere there must be a secret passage to Britain. But I don't know where.

"Gods of this world protect me If I ever shall follow my fate!", I pray and keep on holding the book of ancestry. Asiskamaril is in my mind. How is she doing now? Where is she? I am getting afraid. Especially when my parents come into my mind. The guard has surely visited our hut already. Probably mom and dad are arrested now. "Gods of this world protect my family!" I collapse.

"Hey wake up!" A rough man's voice. I can hear the noise of horses and lamas, and I can feel some water drops falling on my thursty lips.

"Pretty thing", another man says. "From the Northern Desert I guess" And he points on my slit eyes.

"Did you walk all way by yourself?", asks the man who has his hands under the back of my head. I don't answer. I don't trust these guys around me.

"Maybe she ist saleable", the second man proposals.

"Out of my way", a deep woman's voice grumbles and the owner appears between the crowd. Uh, she is as big as 2 men together could be "You want to become a slave-trader now Juff?"

"No, no Ma'am. It was just ..."

"Shut up. Let me see. Poor girl. We will take her with us. Put her into the carriage. Myra shall care her."

"Where do you go?", I ask silently.

"Britain! Sweety! Not too far away. Have a break! The way is dangerous but we are prepared. Don't worry!" The woman smiles at me and she tries to speak gently. I can feel that she tries hard but without any success. Anyway the gods of this world have their hands over me. I have been carried into one of the carriage and I still have heard the thunder voice of her: "Nobody of you greedies shall dare to touch that girl!", before I fall to sleep.

Laughter wakes me up. I look out and see that I am in another world. Britannia of course. A big city. That must be Britain. We just have arrived and I see many many many people. Traders, music. A very busy place like ants.

"Hey Sweety. You are awaken!", says the good hearted woman. "Where do you want to go? You want to wait for the next caravan to your lands? That might take some months."

"No, I wanted to go to Britannia. But ..." I am looking around, sometimes I am pushed by pedestrians.

"Don't you have any familars?", she aks but I stayed quiet. "Oh, I see, you are a refugee. Aren't you?"

"Don't mind me Ma'am! Thank you very much for your great help!" I smile at her. "I will find my way here."

"Get out of my way!" A rider gallops on the way and the horse hits me at the side. I fall on the ground.

"Oh, I see you will manage it", the woman laughs loudly and rosty. "The desert is dangerous I know but Britain is ten times more dangerous for you. Come!" She leads me to the port. I'll buy you a ticket to Cove. Believe me, the people there are more than strange but friendly and caring. There you have a good chance to survive."

"Thank you, very very much, Ma'am."

"Rose"

"Rose. My name is Assamaril."

"Yes that fits. Never heard this name, never seen a girl like you", Roses laughs. "I'll visit you there one day!" I embrace her thankfully but I have to recognize that my arms are not long enough. She does the same and presses me as hard as I thought only a grizzly can do. I enter the ship and wave. After a while the voyage starts. Goes to Cove. Cove! Sounds unimpressioned. Sounds save. Sounds far away from everything I ever have experienced. I am ... afraid.