Irik
Returning home my eldest and younger brother are seen sitting and talking at the front sitting on the stoops. My younger brother (Nite) works in the fields helping to tend and grow food for the village. While my eldest brother (Sorok) is a shepherd of sheep and goat. We were 10, 9, and 8 when we were told that we were men. Our father died in war against the Hysieng when I was just 4 years of age.
My mother sent us on our way because she worried that without a father we would soften. She was wrong in some ways but to her she thought a hard life was the only other way to make men of us. There are many mothers who have raised men, after fathers died in war but she was a soft woman, and she thought herself to be too soft to know how to raise a man. My father took us to duty with him every day, taught us to be respectful, some would say he was stern, but he loved us.
On the day that we were sent out on our own it was the most confusing day of my life. Going from two parents to none. I felt null inside but knew that being helpless was not an option. My eldest brother and I found land where no one dwelt, and we built ourselves a hut. It was during the winter, so we spent many cold nights. The three of us. Using the skills our father taught us we caught fish to eat for daily meals. While also my eldest brother having great skills as a hunter even as a boy brought many meats to eat.
Then one day there was a man walking across our land. He saw us and asked to speak with our father. We told him he would be back tomorrow. He left and came back the next day and demanded to speak with our father. Sorok, my eldest brother tells him “He left in the early of the morning.” The man says that he would come back again tomorrow. Once again, the next day the man returns, but this time very early in the morning.
He tells us “There is no man here, who did you boys come with?” It was then that we were honest with him. He says that it is his land, but he has much land and works closely with the king and would allow us to stay, but the three of us would pay our way by taking a duty appropriate for a young lad. That is how we learned to survive, under his guidance. He raised us as a father would. His name is Otui, and he served King OFe who is King JoLe’s father.
King ZaKein
11 years ago, to this day we were defeated by the Yisraem’s. The time has come for vengeance. We have waited long enough to conquer their village. King OFe had favor from their God, but King OFe has long passed away. I ask my people of Hysieng, what are we waiting for? Haven’t we planned long enough. King JoLe is a man in his youth, he has not thought ahead like I have. I fought against his father. I have studied their people. My trusted sorcerers have told me if we fight now victory is ours.
We will make slaves of their men and whores of their women. No longer will they be able to look down on us. Their village is growing and if we allow this, they will make war with us. Going to war with Yisraem again was not our first decision. Efforts have been made by our sorcerers to make the Yisraem people unable to conceive children. Yet, their village grows. Yet, their men are strong and are loved by their women. We will strip away their God and give them ours to serve.
They will forget who they once were or suffer for their remembrance. Tonight we war! Tonight we war! The crowd starts to repeat King ZaKein chanting “Tonight we war! Tonight we war! After announcements with the people I return to my resting chambers only to find ‘Harem’ one of my lower ranked sorcerers. “King ZaKein, I know my timing is inappropriate, but I must warn you and ask you why must we war with the Yisraem when a peace treaty has been established?
They are a people of faith and peace who would not make war with us without being forced. We could still restore the agreement of peace and we may need to for our own sake. A spy from the Yisraem village has warned me of a man there who speaks of knowing our weapons of choice. There is also a rumor of a dream about a great war in which at the start we overpowered but did not win. I can only take this to mean we should wait until the dreamer is revealed. If the dreamer lives, he will rise up and defeat us as King OFe did in times past.”
Harem, my leading sorcerer ‘Sedal’ has told us the time is now. While I appreciate your concern, you will only postpone a guaranteed victory. The village of Yisraem will be mine to do as I please. Do not speak your words to anyone else. Or else you will cause doubt in the heart of a warrior. Now please find a woman and strong wine to comfort me while I prepare for war. “Yes King, will do right away.” Entering my resting chambers is a beautiful slave girl we captured from the people of Yoson.
The tears rolling down her face as she moves near me only tempts me to want her more. She has been a slave for a short time so breaking her is intoxicating. How dare she believes herself to be human? When she is of a small village with little power. It starts to anger me in a way. So, I grab her and wrap her head in my bed fabrics doing my pleasures with her until her body is without life.
