The Chaos Circles #2

Jaque could remember the day he first saw Lya, on a white dawn after a black sunset. He was an anyman's son, more than an infant yet barely a boy. And she was wrapped in a white, sheep wool blanket, crying for her mother, a mother, any mother. Jaque took her and carried her to the black and smoky remains of Enatuh, where his father and a friend had almost lost hope of ever finding Jaque.

Thirteen years ago, Asuqaro warred with a larger, greater neighbour, a nation called Uvounuq. Most of the ferocious battles were in the southern valley, but to the hearts of the village, it was still too close. Their homes sat on an all but forgotten pathway into a lesser defensive part of northwest Uvounuq, where the great mountain range was thought to be an impassable wall.

Day after day, many people from the battered south walked the grassy, hidden road below the village into Uvounuq. Refugees, deserters, noblemen overthrown, all wishing to escape what they believe are a losing cause. But so fierce was the Duke's will and the skills of his mages, Asuqaro had won the war. The dukedom gained their independence and the Duke was crowed the first King.

In retaliation, the broken and retreating armies of Uvounuq raided and pillaged the small communities as they pass by. Enatuh had not been spared. Though the unwelcome company were not great in numbers, their swords still stained with blood and their torches were always a blazed. Jaque never saw his mother or sisters again after that storm-ridden tragedy. Nor were the birth family of Lya had ever been found.

And it was exactly at that moment of the day, a bright spring morning, over the scene of a waking hamlet and almost a third of the kingdom below them, on the edge of Table Cliff, did Jaque and Lya had said their first greetings and would soon say their last farewells.
"Kennick is stuffing his hand into your ass again, I see," said Lya.

Jaque almost turned his head to look behind him before he understood Lya was trying to change the subject. On one far edge of the village was a farmstead that belonged to a Jaymes. It was his father's, and soon it would have been his. Kennick was supposed to be feeding the chickens that morning. From his vantage point, it seems that his youngest half-brother had been playing the fool with Jaque's own mule instead.

He sniggered, more to himself, and ended with a sigh.
"Never mind him. He'll miss Ned soon enough and Ned will never find out if he could bite the brat's hand off."
And Jaque knew that he himself would miss a lot of Enatuh, especially the one beside him.

Lya spoke as though she had read his mind.
"I'm going to miss having you around, Jaque. You are my brother in heart and I never knew any better friend than you."
She said all that with a straight face and mischievous eyes.
"Then miss me, then. I'll be insulted if you didn't," said Jaque, smirking. "Just promise me that you'll make sure everybody isn't too likely to forget me, either."

To be continued...