Confrontation
The journey to Jauhar by boat had been eventful. Apparently the baby got sea sick. V'demhe had had to wash both herself and the child more than once due to unfortunate incidents. Not that she was complaining, though she did wonder if there was something more sickly about the baby. After all, it had spit up quiet a bit. When she was on solid ground the child seemed to settle down once more. Something for which Dem was grateful.
Since she knew the views of most Alkidikes she made sure to keep the hybrid baby close as well as mostly out of view of the others. Especially once she set foot on land. V'demhe made a small stop to collect food, for the baby and for her, though she didn't linger long. They had a good walk ahead of them and she would make it quick if she could. When she left the port village and entered into the forests she was met by a familiar blue radaku.
“Hey Maha, sorry I didn't bring you with me buddy. I didn't think mother would like it.” Making sure she had a hold on the child she reached out with her other hand to scratch behind Maha's ears.
The familiar was curious about what she held and she chuckled at how he sniffed.
“Easy boy. She's a baby.” Still, V'demhe crouched so that her familiar could sniff and be curious all he liked. After a moment he seemed to approve and lost interest. With a shake of her head Dem stood up and looked around to make sure no one was paying too much attention to her or the child in her arms.
“Come on boy, we have to take this little one to her mother.” She nodded her head then patted her thigh as a signal for him to follow. The trio set off with Dem leading the way and Maha taking up the rear. She felt safer knowing he was behind her and keeping watch.
Luckily she knew the way to Andile and didn't have to stop and ask someone for directions. It meant that she kept her interactions with others to a minimum. Dem thought it best since the child she carried with her was the object of hate for so many. Not personally, but in a general sense since she was of mixed blood.
When the child started to cry she paused in her travels to see what was wrong. V'demhe figured that perhaps the baby was hungry and she attempted to feed her. Sadly the little one was not having it and cried all the more. Unsure of what else to do, and slightly panicking, she lightly bounced the child and did her best to make her quiet down. This took a while but when she finally managed it she let out a breath and stared at Maha. The radaku had his ears perked and his head tilted as he stared at the bundle that had caused all the noise. For a minute or two they could only stare. She at him and he at the baby.
This is gonna be a looooong walk, she thought to herself. Taking a deep and relaxing breath she motioned with her head for her familiar to follow. V'demhe started to walk again and she chanced a look at the gift she carried. The baby had fallen asleep. There was instant relief that flooded through her and she gave some slack to her shoulders.
“Boy.. Now I know how I was to my mother.” She stated quietly to herself, though her words caught Maha's attention and he tilted his head questioningly.
“Don't ask, Maha.” Was all she said after that.
They continued on this way, the baby sleeping close and the other two keeping alert as they walked. When the drew closer to a village Dem smiled. Soon she would reunite the child with her mother. Well, the mother that would raise her. Though it also concerned her. She had to find said mother first. That meant walking through the village with a hybrid child and potentially some extremists that might spot her. Casting her eyes toward her radaku, V'demhe gave an order.
“Keep an eye out boy.” She wondered if there would be confrontation on that front. With her having an un-pure baby in her arms. Dem had already had one head to head argument in regards to her views. Granted she hadn't taken it seriously. Sure she'd expressed her own acceptance of the hybrids, and it was clear that she found some of them appealing, but she didn't think it would completely separate her from her tribe. This mission very well could.
It worried her a little. To think that she might be osctrisized simply because she was as open eyed as Aisha. Non discriminate. V'demhe looked at the sleeping baby in her arms and knew instantly what her decisions would be each and every time. Life. Life for hybrids. She didn't see them as tainted like the other Alkidikes. They held the blood of their mother within them, they were born of the lotus as they were, so clearly they were meant to be. It only pained her that she would need to go against her mother and sisters in order to protect them. She moved into the village and did her best to come up with where to start her search. She could go door to door and ask if Mesiva lived within, but that could take a while. A long while. Not something she was looking forward to. So V'demhe settled for asking someone if they knew where the woman lived. She approached one Alkidike and cleared her throat slightly.
“Excuse me. Do you know where Mesiva lives?” She got a shake of the head in reply. So that was a no.
“Okay thanks.” And she moved on. When she found another Alkidike to ask she did so and was given the same answer. A no.
Spitefully she thought that they should know the Alkidikes in their village. Then she remembered that she didn't know the names of all those that lived in hers back home. So Dem sighed and decided to keep looking. When she spotted a tall warrior that looked like she was the leader she made a quick bee-line toward her.
“Excuse me, can you point me to Mesiva's home? I have her child.” V'demhe was hopeful that this woman would know where she was supposed to go.
“Mesiva...? You have her abomination then?” The words that came out made Dem take a step back. Wrong person to ask apparently.
“I have her child.” There was a clear lift of her chin as she spoke. V'demhe didn't want to let the woman intimidate her. Nor would she rise to the bait of calling a child names. When the woman stepped toward her she seemed to have a glare that was pointed right at the baby. Dem shifted a little so that she could shield the child from such a stare.
“Do you know where Mesiva is or not?” Keep to the subject and maybe she'd get an answer.
“I do, but she should not have asked Aisha for such a thing. Hand the thing here and I shall dispose of it.” The tone the woman used was far more hateful than Dem could imagine.
“I will not. She is just a child and needs her mother.” She defended her decision.
“IT is an abomination!” The yelling brought many eyes toward them and even started some mutterings. V'demhe shook her head once more.
“No. SHE is a baby.” The leader took another step toward them menacingly.
“She is a hybrid and therefore should not exist. Her mother abused Aisha!” By now everyone in the village knew what was going on though no one had decided it would be a good idea to circle them and Dem was thankful for that. She took a step back and shook her head once more. There was no way she would hand a child over to someone that wished them harm. Not even a hybrid child. V'demhe looked around at the crowd, those eyes that stared a little too hard.
“Does anyone know where I can find Mesiva?” This was a mistake on her part, turning her back on the angry woman. Just as she had posed her question she was attacked. Well, more like she was grabbed. The leader had come up behind her and grappled for the child. She managed to get her hand on the blanket that the baby was wrapped in and she pulled. V'demhe gasped as she felt the tug and almost lost her hold on the little girl. Fumbling she'd gain control again and quickly sprint away, yanking the blanket from the woman's hands.
“Get away!” She yelled. Not that it did much to deter the Alkidike leader.
This time the woman came at her with a blade in hand and it looked like she was going to attempt to stab the child. Wide eyed Dem quickly turned and did her best to avoid the knife. The edge caught her on the side and tore through the skin. The wound stung and bled but she could tell it wasn't deep enough to be life threatening. Now since she knew the woman was being serious she turned her head to stare at her for only a moment before she once more moved and avoided a slash that was aimed at her arms.
“Maha! Attack!” V'demhe didn't want to send her familiar after someone that had a weapon but she had no choice. With a child in her arms she couldn't do much.
“You will regret your choice, Traitor.” The leader bellowed as she switched her attention to the radaku that now attacked her.
The radaku jumped at the woman and snarled, his teeth going for her wrist. He was kicked aside and ignored as the woman tried to continue coming after Dem but Maha quickly recovered and went for her again. This time he managed to sink his teeth into the Alkidike's leg. There was a cry of pain as it registered on the leader's face that she'd been biten. Dem quickly adjusted her load so that the baby was firmly in one hand so that her other was free to draw at least one of her blades. While the leader was busy pulling her leg and attempting to slice at Maha, V'demhe rushed in and gave a quick cut to one of the woman's legs, and at the same time she kept the babe in her arms pressed close to her.
She didn't want to seriously injure her, as that could become quite the problem for her, but she did want to make a point. Since the woman was flailing her knife around wildly, when she was cut she brought it toward Dem once more. This time it caught her back and created a gash that went from hip to shoulder blade.
“Gah!” She cried out. After this she would need to find a healer. Moving quickly away and favoring the one side she couldn't help but arc her back and hiss at the sting.
V'demhe didn't want to take more blows like that so she looked at her familiar and gave a whistle.
“Run!” She commanded. Maha let go and sprang into action. She ran as well. Since the leading Alkidike had two wounds to her legs she would be slower. Not by much if she were a true warrior, but it could be just enough to let Dem vanish between the houses. Luckily she did just that. Vaguely she heard the woman shout orders.
“Find her! I want that hybrid child taken care of!” Since she heard the footsteps of others searching she moved so that she doubled back to where the fight had started and hid herself and the baby behind a small collection of water barrels.
Working to catch her breath she looked down at the child to see that she was unharmed. When that was determined she leaned her head back and took deep breaths.
Dem wasn't fond of the pain she felt, but there was something else that seemed to cause a sinking feeling within her. She had just disobeyed a leader of her people. Was she now indeed a traitor to those she cared about? Simply because she could not hand over an innocent child to be disposed of? Tears pricked at her eyes and she did her best to ignore them. When she heard Maha sniffing at something she cast her eyes toward him. What she saw made her gaze in horror. She'd left a blood trail! All it would take was one finding it and following it right to her. There was a groan and she held the hybrid child close as she moved again. This time she did her best to make her path confusing. If she had the time she'd loop around and double back. The chase lasted for a few hours at least and it was just V'demhe doing what she could to remain uncaptured.
After some time the blood from her wounds dried up and stopped dripping all over the place. V'demhe was thankful for such a mercy from Aisha. As she paused to take a breather she failed to hear or sense the woman that found her.
“Are you the one looking for Mesiva?” Her voice startled both Dem and Maha. Instantly she was holding her blade out at the woman.
“What do you want?” She questioned. With current events she couldn't afford to not be suspicious of others.
“Easy.” The woman said as she held up her hands to show she was unarmed.
“I am Mesiva's friend. There was gossip that someone had come to the village with her child and I came to find you.” V'demhe glared. It seemed too good to be true but she was quickly tiring from the chase and she couldn't afford to be cut again. Finally she consented and gave a nod of her head.
“Lead the way. I won't hand the child over unless it's to her mother.” And she prayed to Aisha this was no trap. The woman nodded as well and turned to lead her to Mesiva. The trek was a short one, thankfully, and no trap. They entered the house and she soon found a sickly Alkidike sitting on the couch with tears in her eyes.
“You have her? My baby?” She asked. V'demhe nodded her head.
“You are Mesiva?” The woman jerked her head slightly but her eyes were on the bundle in her arms. Dem moved forward and gently handed over the child. However, she lingered close and watched the woman for a reaction. If there was hostility she would cut the woman down and take the child. The sickly one lit up with smiles and tears as she stared down at her daughter. It was only a moment before she looked back up.
“What is your name?” She asked.
V'demhe was a bit startled by that but supposed she'd want to know the name of the person that brought her daughter to her safely as well.
“My name is V'demhe.” The woman nodded silently then looked back down to her daughter. Dem stood there for another minute or so before she turned and headed for the door. It was then that the mother saw the gashes that she had sustained. There was a look of fear and concern on her face but Dem didn't see it. Instead she paused half way there and turned her head.
“What did you name her?” She was far too curious not to ask.
The mother cradled her daughter close and stared down into her eyes. Her child was beatiful and would grow up to be strong. Strong like the Alkidike that had brought her home and made sure to defend her from harm.
“V'demhe. Her name shall be V'demhe.” Hearing that made Dem froze in place and simply stared. Had she heard right. The mother had named her child after her? A stranger? When the sickly Alkidike looked up to meet her gaze Dem saw the thanks written so plainly across her face. So she smiled and gave a nod of her head.
“A good strong name for a beautiful girl.” Her mission was done. She had completed the task that had been given to her by the elders. Still she would say one more thing to the mother before she left.
“You should leave this place with your daughter. There are those that wish her harm.” She hoped her mission hadn't been for nothing.
Though she wondered for a moment if perhaps the elders had known she was conflicted about everything and had picked her for this on purpose. “I risked my own safety and disobeyed someone of higher standing so that you could have your daughter. Please, keep her safe.” It was truth. And what's more is she now knew where she would stand in all of this. She would defend all Alkidike blood. Even those who shared blood with earthlings. V'demhe was for hybrids.Feeling the exhaustion that had been creeping over her from blood loss and other things she gave a final smile and wave then left the house. She and Maha made a quick escape into the forest, they didn't even bother with the village roads. V'demhe needed to find a place to rest that wouldn't put her in danger of being found. She stumbled along and did her best to stay on her feet. When her familiar noticed how tired she was he moved so that he could support her.
“Thanks buddy.” She patted him and slowly mounted. He was now big enough to ride and she hadn't grown taller. It was a good fit. With her no longer having to move her body she soon passed out and Maha was left to get them as far from Andile as possible.
Word Count - 3013
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