Artaqifa by Eric K. Hasler (readnow txt) 📖

the right...” “Shut up!” exploded Artaqifa. “If we stay here all night fighting over nothing then we’ll never reach the clearing!” All the women stopped and stared, “well I never,” said one woman, “in all my years,” said another, “you should teach you daughter some manners,” said another.... “By the fates,” bellowed Artaqifa, “children, start heading up the Path to Nowhere. If these women want to live they’ll follow us instead of standing here fighting to the death over something so trivial.” Artaqifa and the children started up the path while the women slowly came to an agreement that the nerve of that young lady needs to be beaten out of her if she’s to have any hope of finding a husband. Still, they understood the sense of what Artaqifa had said and followed her and their children up the Path to Nowhere.

The pathway up into the western mountain range was steep and winding. The children had no trouble negotiating the steepness; the mothers however were an entirely different story. They were always moaning and groaning. “Slow down!” complained one of them, “it’s better for all of us if we stay together.” Hearing the sense in the words that had been groaned at her, Artaqifa called the children to a halt at the next corner. She turned to the older women, “You’re all doing a magnificent job at keeping up,” she said attempting to create a tone that would sound reassuring, “The first clearing isn’t far off. In fact it’s around only another two bends.” The women were huffing, puffing and heaving, some were doubled over in an attempt to catch their breath. “If we continue now we can rest a little longer at the first clearing,” said Artaqifa hoping her voice sounded strong reassuring. Through very deep heavy breathing came a voice, “It’ll be the death of me if I continue now.” “Mother,” said Artaqifa strongly, “it’ll be the death of all of us if we don’t reach the second clearing. We must continue to at least the first clearing, that way we can at least do half of what Kyson told us to do.” A young voice spoke up, “What is half of what Kyson told us to do?” Artaqifa turned to the voice, got down on one knee and said, “We’re to hide at the far end of the clearing. You’ll be able to get some sleep there as well,” she said calmly as she patted the child’s shoulder. “You’re tough enough to do that aren’t you?” “I’m so tough,” said the young child, “I’ll be able to stay awake all night!” Artaqifa giggled, “I bet you will too,” she said through her big beautiful beaming smile.

The clearing was full of tall grass which was over the head of most the children. Keeping track of them would be difficult, so Artaqifa guided them around the outside of the clearing weaving in between the first layer of trees. The going was a little rough with tree roots and rocks making walking problematic, and the vines hanging down were rapidly becoming a nuisance; then the complaints started. “This is brainless! Why are we following this unintelligent little girl? We should be leading the way!” rasped out a mother’s voice in a malicious pitch. Artaqifa stopped, turned around and walked straight up to the nasty voices owner and snapped back, “Not only will it be impossible to keep watch over the little children if we walked through the long grass, but if whatever it is that has Kyson anxious manages to get through our men and head this way, it’ll be effortless tracking us through the bent over and broken blades of grass.” She took a deep breath and continued, “I know this area better than you and the other...women. I know where we’re heading, you don’t. So take this into consideration, it would be better for all of us if you would just shut your mouths and help me take these children to safety.” The look on the mothers face made her smile, which made it easier for her to turn towards the children and say in a joyful tone, “come on, it’s not far now.” Her mother smiled and muttered under her breath, “just like her father.”

Once they reached the other side of the clearing Artaqifa got everyone to lie down on their stomachs. She crawled over to each child and comforted them by saying things like, “we’re safe now, fear not, our fathers will come for us soon.” She was right on just one of these statements. Their fathers did come for them, but they weren’t as careful as Artaqifa. They entered the south side of the clearing and started to run straight through the long grass creating an easy path to follow. When they had reached the middle there was a shout from behind, “there they are! Kill them all,” which was followed by a lot of cheering and howling. Artaqifa shuddered with anticipation, and as the moments trickled by she found herself not being able to hold back any longer. She stood up to see what was happening. With her head just above the grass she got a shock. Her eyes widened, her bottom jaw dropped. They were being attacked, and were considerably out numbered. She froze not knowing what to expect. She started to shake and then an arm reached across her shoulders to shelter her from what was happening. “Mum,” she said, “lie down!” “Honey,” said her mother, “this is your father’s job. For years you thought he was just the captain of the city guard, but he is more than that. He is Kyson’s right hand man and second in command of our army.” “What?” was the word that came from the shocked mouth of Artaqifa. “You were chosen to lead us to safety not only because you know the path, but because you will not take crap from the other women, just like your father. You have to be strong now. We need a leader who’ll stop at nothing to get us to safety,” said her mother. “Can you do it?” She turned to look at the women and children. Frustration set in. Seeing the other women cowering behind their fear disappointed her, a fury rose up in her, her fists clenched as she strode over to the mothers and scolded them. “It’s your fault that we’re still here. If you had just done what you were told instead of continuously complaining we would be safe at the other clearing by now. Come with me, now!” Everyone jumped to attention and followed Artaqifa towards the second ascent on the Path to Nowhere.

Upon reaching the path Artaqifa said, “I will follow you.” “No you will not,” said one of the mothers, “you have to be in front to direct us up the path!” Artaqifa’s eyes narrowed as anger continued to set in. She swung her right hand towards the woman’s face with force; the palm of her hand connected with the woman’s left cheek with a loud slap. “Listen to me and listen carefully!” she ordered, “If I lead you up that path you will drag behind and we’ll all be caught, so instead I will be coming up behind you so I can kick your arse when you complain,” she said with dominating force. Everybody was not only shocked at what they had just witnessed, but they had started very quickly running up the track. Artaqifa followed them silently, giggling to herself.

The second clearing was much larger than the first and there was no grass to be seen, which was both comforting and disturbing at the same time. The ground was solid rock with a fine covering of gravel, medium size stones, and some rocks scattered about for good measure. “This is the place where you don’t want to be caught when trying to escape,” thought Artaqifa. “What do we do now little miss know it all!” screeched one of the mothers towards Artaqifa in such a way that it felt like daggers had been stabbed into her chest. With a beaming smile that could dazzle a blind person mixed with a look in her eyes that could set the rocks on fire, she slowly moved towards the evil screeching mother. Her smile turned into a grin exposing her prefect white teeth, her eyes grew wider exposing the deep and yet light green pools that held her pupils in place. “How about we use you as bate for those that are following us? That way you will finally be doing something good for us by allowing us a chance to escape, rather than holding us back with dim-witted questions, which seem to be for all purposes allowing us to be captured.” Artaqifa was calm like she had never been before. Words appeared in her head just when she needed them the most. “Are you working for our enemy?” she asked coldly. “No!” said the now very scared women. She dropped to her knees, put both hands together in front of her face and begged, “No. Please... I just want to get to safety. I’m scared and I don’t know if my husband is still alive.” She started to cry. Artaqifa leaned in close to the crying mess, “If you don’t want to die then you will become the woman your husband expects. You will do everything you can to make sure that we will survive.” “I will, I will,” snivelled the mother. “One more thing,” said Artaqifa, “If you ever challenge my authority again.... well, you know that I’m my father’s daughter, and even more so,” explained Artaqifa in a way that had never been heard before. Her beaming grin grew larger at the effective illusion her words had on the coward of a mother who was now shaking uncontrollably. Artaqifa stood up straight and said to everyone, “All right, you people listen, and you listen well! I want all of you to run as fast as you can to the other side of the clearing and hide amongst the second row of trees. Make sure that you stay hidden. If I catch any of you trying to see what is happening, I swear by the fates that I will flay you alive. Understand?” she shouted. Everyone nodded and then ran for their lives towards the trees.

Artaqifa turned and went back the way they had come and stopped a little way down the track. She dropped to her knees and opened her sack and pulled out the biggest pouch. “I’ll burn you bastards,” she muttered under her breath, and while cackling at the thought she opened the pouch with her intent crystal clear. She sprinkled a golden powder, completely covering the track in a thick layer at a length of three times the height she stood. Satisfied with what she had done she quickly ran towards the clearing, dropped to her knees, opened the sack and pulled out ten little clay pots which she used to store the pretty white powder. She stood and looked at where she had laced the golden powder. She smiled and cackled loudly, then wandered to her left counting out fifteen steps, she then placed five of the pots in a line from east to west. Then she walked towards the north counting her footsteps. When the count was thirty she placed the five of the remaining pots in the same order as before. Returning to her sack she fondled through until she found the pot and stone she was looking for. She re-tied her sack and took it to the south side of the clearing and placed it on top of the red rock, she then returned to the edge of the track to wait for the men and their pursuers. While waiting she crouched into a crab like position, opened the pot and tipped a little bit of the liquid onto the solid rock ground. She then ripped a strip off her sleeve and