Chapter III

The Woman who sees it all

“− Have you been gambling?
− No, of course not.
− You do know we don’t have that much money, not much for savings also, and the store-room is emptier every day, you don’t care about the land as you used too.
− Are you complaining again, woman? − Laye smoothed his shoulders. She was so beautiful, so angelic; it was almost a sin cry at her. She would look him with those deep black innocent eyes, while imagining what she had done to deserve such punishment. She believed she deserved, otherwise there was no reason for his cruelty. Evidently it was all her fault.
− Have you? – she whispered again. − I am not complaining. I do understand. Really I do. But I do need for you to tell me the truth; I beg you, don’t lie to me. It is very important, your word, I mean – the alcohol fragrance embraced her nose with his vulgar belch. She stared at his when she embraced her forcedly trying to kiss her.
If they made love all their problems would disappeared, so he thought. That her only need was love, physical love, because it was the only kind of love he knew, but actually he wasn’t that great at it.
− I’ll ask you one more time. No wait! Don’t answer me yet. I want you to think carefully about the answer you will be giving me. No one will convince me of whatsoever, not others people words will mean more as your own. Only my husband’s words, so… please. Have you been gambling?”
Laye pressed her lips for a inaudible whistling, a characteristic gesture of hers as she placed the cards on the table and left the other players completely stun for the second round, opened her harms to push the booty in to her direction.
“Answer me please, have you been gambling?” young. Back them she was so young, unfortunate young, almost seventeen.
As she curled the dress between her fingers he answered.
− No.
She closed her eyes and let him suck her skin. He called that untamed desire of devour her kissing. Love. He would lay her down on a rough cold surface, so the tenderness and softness of her body turned him on. He started by kissing her face. She was so beautiful. The hands riddled a path where his lips would cross. He didn’t kiss her lips anymore for along time. There was no passion. He thought she enjoyed that moment as much as him because her body was a liar, her breast would fake to sight the pleasure of his touch. And so, he would split inside her so easily…”
Themenreturned to the table.
− You tricked us, whore!
Coins fell. Laye heard theirs thoughts to rapidly avoid getting struck. She dint want to strike them back, in a certain way, they were right. She did really read all their thought while playing.
Lay grabbed a fist full of money and left the rest before she turned her back at them. She only took that much for her journey and never more than that.
“The money wasn’t enough for both of them, nor for the collectors. The main problem resigned when they would come to the house without permission. They always did when she was alone. They took a stroll around the place, opened the drawers, toyed with her clothes, rubbed on her, licked her skin as kisses, and measured her body with hand grips while testing her softness without her permission. She just stood petrified by the oven while they confiscated all the objects to pay the debt. One day they even took her onion dirty kitchen knife. Laye simply stood there motionless, silently waiting as she imagine how long would it take to slice the meat now that she hadn’t a knife anymore. That was her marriage life for the last year with the man who saved her from slavery.
− Where’s my food?
− Just a minute…
So thoughtful, dedicate, gentile…”
Laye froze in the middle of the road, she was surrounded. The men had followed her from the tavern to settle business with her. Her memories where so vivid that evening. Perhaps, because she was near the road, which would lead them to the city, where she lived as Délian´s wife.
“− Where’s the food, damn it? – he cried smashing the table.
Laye look over her shoulder to stare at him. Délian felt the absence of a plate at dinner time, but didn’t mention that there was not a single chair in that kitchen.
− Its almost don – she whispered. − Had a bad day? That many trouble downtown? I understand you are responsible for the people, as the governor, your troubles are too much for only one man. On the other hand, we are lucky; those horrible creatures don’t make a path through our village. We don’t need to bee on watch every instant, and the wall your brother is building will keep as safe for
−What the hell are you talking about? Shut up, as if you cared for the village. What can you possible know about the village problems? Or of my brother?
− You’ve been drinking.
− NO! – he shouted. Than he punched the table so hard he broke it before leaving the compartment. The prostitute fragrance filled the room.
− You have been having yourmenaround the, haven’t you? My brother, too?
Lay was emotionally silence by the kitchen door.
− I can feel him – he walked around the living room – here, there, together, laughing at my back, fornicating all over the place. How could you?
− How can you? Say things like that?
− How? Look at me! – she jumped with his cry.
Délian grabbed her by her hair and pushed her in front of a mirror. She was so beautiful, and young, but he…
− How can you lay down with me so peacefully if you don’t have your beautifulmenby the day, every day. Do you really think I don’t know?
− Don’t say more, please.
− Liar! Every day you lie to me. I don’t know you anymore.
− Please, I don’t understand what happened today, but please don’t
− I don’t need your pity! – he casted her on the floor – I just want your confession.
− There is nothing to say. I don’t have any other man. There is no one else.
− Say you love me! – he shouted and shouted again. Laye did not move.
− I love you – it was a cohesive answer, without any feeling attached Délian beat her. It was no difference as a slave.
Silence.
− Gentleman, I advise you to step out of my way if you are not looking for trouble.
The men laugh hardly at her.
Silence.
That night Laye slept hanged on the slave pole, bloody back. She felt no pain, hunger or rage, only loneliness The village people didn’t saw her anymore, nor at the market, nor when some one would try to visit her at home. They all knew but there wasn’t so much they could do about it.
Lay turned a man’s neck and his body fell on the floor, the last one to fall by her feet.
− Damn it!
She walked by the road lost in memories. She didn’t heard the alarm, nor the vibration by the Stanger’s proximity to that village as they made their blind passage,
She opened her eyes, saw feathers and blood all over the place. The bodies where nowhere to be found. As if there where none in the first place. Only the tracks of the way they where dragged felt behind. Was she so lost in her thoughts she didn’t see the beast passing by? Eating the rotten corpses?
She hurried herself down the road to the inn where Miller was already waiting for her laying shaking on the bed.
− Where have you been? I`ve been looking for you. Where you outside? How? There where Stangers outside.
− No, I wasn’t. I was in, at − she look a side − on the stables, with the horses. You know how the animals go crazy with the Strangers proximity. We cant afford losing them now.
The girl swept her tears.
I cant get used to the sound. I don’t know how you maintain you cool. Have you ever seen those monsters close? – Laye shook her head – neither have I – they were both lying.
She left her sleeping in the room and joined others by the counter. She drank all night, her scars burning her thoughts about that particular night. As she lay her head to rest because she couldn’t sleep, she heard the inn keeper thoughts about her, how he desired her for her beauty, even knowing she was a dangerous woman. The men at the table shared the same lust. She heard the wife at the kitchen, the daughters in the room above her head, the men’s bet outside, thoughts all over her, of passion, of treason, of confession… her head was so full she was pretty sure it was to explode at any minute.
− How much do you love me? What would you be ready to do for me in the name of that love? You’ll you cut your hand out for me?
Again the silence. Laye searched for the truth in his eyes beyond the insanity, she found none.
Her glass was full.
One night Laye spent sit on the floor after his abruptly love. No hunger, no rage, only emptiness over her shoulder that kept her warm till morning. Délian would come home drunker, ready to love her as prostitute. He would leave her in the middle of the night in a dirty bed after his release. One nigh Laye escaped to the windmill. Délian went insane; some friend had told him that he actually loved his wife so much that he couldn’t bear to stay. He hat to leave the village for ever because he also treasured his friendship with him. Before leaving he had to confess to his friend as he looked as a brother. For how long Laye did not appear downtown? Not even in public? The man was truly sorry to leave without a glance of her beauty again.
− Come out! I said, come out this instant! One of your lovers is leaving. Come out here now! – he shouted. Laye embraced her head, she would not listen, she was feeling so hurt her soul bleeding – Come, obey me! Do you loathe me? I know, that’s it! Oh, that’s really it. I already know how I can forgive you. Come her. Don’t be afraid, I will not spank you. I am your husband, come… that’s right, good girl.
He smiled at her.
− I know how to forgive. If you truly love me, cut of your face. Cut it all! I only want to recognize your eyes. You have five days to do it.
Than he left her. Almost killed his friend. A brother. Almost like a brother. Laye knew because she saw it all. Cleary as she witnessed it. Délian followed him by the road till the end of the village and a little more, so no one could guess who had done it. So no one could find his corpse again. Almost killed… no he did kill him. He had his money, his bag stained with blood, his blood.
Five days went by.
Five days.”
− You are worse than a man drinking like that! Tell me you are not drinking since last nigh? Is that to keep the men away? What are you thinking right now? Laye! You had enough, let it go – Miller pushed the bottle of her had, but it was full, so the glass.
− Its not a good day! So, just for this once, just for today, don’t get close.
− Today, yesterday, and the day before, its been a week you keep repeating the same thing. Since we got to this town.
− I feel melancholic − she felt her scars with her finger on the neck.
− You should! You hit and cry with everyone as if it was out fault. At least you haven’t killed no one in this town yet, that surprises me − Laye made the usual lip gesture of a silent whistling. − Why the bad day?
− There is always a why around you.
− I know you enough, they way
− “…you stare at the nothingness thinking about the past!”
− Oh, stop that. You know I don’t like you peeking in my head.
− I just saved you the trouble, and the words.
− I don’t enjoy that gift of yours.
− On you at least. Its very handy sometimes. You love my special powers on the rest of the world.
− To prevent calamities, to do better for others, that’s why we are cursed.
− Today we it’s a curse?
Miller sighted. She thanked the slice of bread the inn keeper brought her as Laye drown her face on her hands.
− At least you can be yourself around me.
− You’re so poetic today. It’s your birthday?
It was a birthday, not her own.
− If you haven’t got a worthy revelation just leave me alone, go play.
− I wont! I have news.
Laye looked at her. Probably the creature’s passage made her see something about the future path. The hunt was getting difficult and expensive.
− I’m sorry; it’s not about your personal matters. Someone requested an assassin for a job. Guess who’s the best? Your high reputation turned you into a legend.
− How much?
− How much?? You don’t even care where, when, how?
− Don’t give a damn. How much? We need a lot of money if we are to leave this town as quickly as possible, if I stay here, ill go mad.
− Seven thousand.
− Huh… expensive. Who? – she lift a pamphlet with the bounty a sigh – another stupid job. I have never heard about this Balien guy, it doesn’t seem right, expensive as it is. It’s a trap.
− I don’t think so. He is wanted by Tiraíl´s governor. The price is correct, and if it turns out to be a easy job, better for you, isn’t it? You only care about the money anyway. Are you letting your hair grow again?
− No, I have a blunt razor.
Miller smiled.
− It suites you, you look less scary.
− Don’t have to suck up to me. I pay for today.
−How did you get the money? Laye. Have you been gambling?
The assassin stared at her, smiled back without an answer.
− You know when you play you always make trouble – the girl sigh again, there was nothing she could do to make her reason. Laye´s mind was way absente since some time – When will we leave town?
− As soon as the horses are ready.
− Perfect!
− Now leave me.
Her tone brought her some sadness. Miller looked over the table.
− To speack the truth, I had a dream. I have other news.
There was a pause for the girl to study her face. Laye´s crystal green eyes turned black. Laye. She set her teeth harshly and for a second Miller was afraid of her.
− I don’t know, I just hate you. I feel disgusted by your perfection. I believe that’s the reason – he pinched her against the pillar and whipped her back. He wished she cried for forgiveness with untrue confessions.
The objects danced. It obeyed the trepidation. There was no scout to sound the alarm. The walls vibration kept wider and wider. The passage was near.
− What have you said, Laye?
− You will burn in hell – Délian grabbed himself to the pillar. Than he run in to the house. By the window he could see the creatures, gigantic forms even terrible by night. They ripped the walls with such rage that the roof title feel like rain. The screams reach downtown in no time.
Lay hide her face between her harms. She felt the feathers kissing her and the noise almost made her insane. She lost vision before such darkness. One of the creatures stood by her, stared at her. Its smelly bloody stench was making her sick, it licked her bloody back. Laye felt nothing, nor fear or cold…
Délian closed the door. Let Laye out side between the creatures and stood still listening.
The vibration was over.
As the darkness embraced him, first the silence, than the solitude, at last the emptiness. He felt the house, the walls whisper. Little devilish shadows all around him. The day would break over a massacred village.
− I found him! – she made a gesture to see her face, to understand her possible reaction, but there was none. Laye kept her glass on her hand, far away. Suddlen she drank and made a grim smile.
− I bet you did!