"The night was dedicated to Jorasil. Though stars were not found in the sky, the moon lit the brightest light that shone on the women."
***
Huya was informed of the mourning yesterday. Early next morning he barged into Jesauma’s room and pushed her down to the floor. He strangled her on the neck and pressed her down to the floor.
“How could you?”
Jesauma could barely breathe or even make a sound.
“How could you mourn for other men?” Huya slapped her twice on her left and right cheeks.
“You brought shame to my name. I could kill you if I want.”
He released his hands and stood up. Jesauma protected her neck with her hands while gasping for air.
“Officials of Jub and the priests knew you mourned for a slave.”
“You released him from slavery yesterday before the dance,” for the very first time, Jesauma mustered up courage to speak before Huya.
Huya was surprised with her reply. He went closer and grabbed her by the neck.
“What did you just say?”
“Let her go!” there came Kilahya from behind. Huya heard her voice and looked back.
“If that was a shameful act you consider for tarnishing your good name, how about your relationship with that priestess?” she challenged her.
Huya stood up but was unable to stand still.
“How dare you challenge me!” he gave her a slap. Kilahya’s lips bled. She immediately wiped the blood off with her fingers and flanged her hands at Huya. The blood stain marked on his face. Kilahya spitted on at him.
“Why can’t I!” Kilahya pushed him onto the table. Jesauma repeated pleading “No, Kilahya, no…” even when lying on the floor.
“Because I am your man, your master. You defy me and you will be stoned to death!” laughed Huya.
“You can be the master but we are not your beast!”
“Yes you are,” and he laughed. Huya came up and grabbed her by her arm and pushed her to the door side. Kilahya fell but she yelled loudly and threw a chair at him.
“You will forever be,” he added. “You are my beast, and I’m your master!”
Kilahya stood up and pressed his head against the table.
“No!” as she repeatedly pressed his head down. Huya continued to laugh. He was too strong for Kilahya. He pushed Kilahya aside again until her Guhaty fell off. Huya looked around and found himself a dagger on the wall.
“No…no…no!” Jesauma knew he had lost his sanity. She crawled to him and pulled his legs.
“Yes, we are your beast, we are…we are…”
Huya kicked her aside and fetched the sword. He drew the dagger out from the protector and laughed.
“You don’t need to learn the dance of Bhu-guinah. I will send you to him myself!”
He aimed the dagger right at kilahya’s heart. With forceful might he pushed forward. The seriously wounded Jesauma used her body to block the weapon instead. The edge went right through her abdomen. The sharp edge was like an arm length from Kilahya’s heart.
Huya’s eyes opened wide, seeing the beautiful Jesauma turned pale. He paused a moment but laughed again. He twisted the dagger left and right in her flesh over and over again.
“No!” Kilahya screamed.
***
The Old Priestess exposed her wicked act before the temple council. She was tied up, like a lamb waiting to be butchered. The Old Priestess cried out loud to plead the council to punish her but when turned around instead, she grinned at her.
Kitsra woke up from the nightmare. She wiped off sweat and tears on her face. The voice of the Old Priestess kept surrounding her bed. Kitsra panted faster and faster while her eyes were constantly looking to both left and right.
No, no, she will not destroy me. Not by any chance!
Kilahya escaped to the temple with her garment stained with Jesauma’s blood. She knocked at the temple's door. The Old Priestess was shock to see Kilahya in this dreadful state, and also her vulnerable look of seeking shelter for the very first time.
She settled Kilahya in a tiny but comfortable room.
“We will speak to the council tomorrow for a decision,” she comforted.
The door was slightly opened. In her illusion, she envisioned the dream in her mind again. She trembled as she heard both women mentioning about meeting the council. She ran away immediately. The Old Priestess heard footsteps running and looked back curiously but she saw nothing. Kilahya was aware that the woman was Kitsra as she was facing the door.
Kitsra waited at the corner of the walkway. The Old Priestess came out from the room and lit the lamp in her hand. Kitsra stood out from the side with a knife in her shivering hand.
“You are not seeing the council,” she threatened.
“I have to,” The Old Priestess remained calm.
“Why can’t you just let it go, old woman!” she stabbed the knife right into her abdomen. “You could have died peaceful. Why do you want to go against me?”
The oil lamp fell onto the ground and The Old Priestess struggled to breathe but could no longer talk. Kilahya heard the sound and went out the room.
“If you have supported me taking the position of the priestess, I would not need to put a scorpion in your room that day! You deserve it. And you are jealous that I found myself a man. You know I love Huya, that’s why you want to take revenge on me, to expose our secret of deceiving The Scribe to take his land back! But no, you can’t!” few stabs again into the breathless body.
The noises have awakened some of the priestess. One of the priestess stood behind her screamed. Kitsra turned around and stabbed her.
“Quiet! The council might hear you!”
The brave priestesses ran to her and nabbed her down. Kilahya ran up and confronted the woman.
“You, lied to my father?”
Kitsra laughed with tears in her eyes. “You were supposed to be dead, so that we could revive you with the help of Fush-urah if only your father, the intelligent one agreed to give up his land.”
Kilahya gave her a tight slap but Kitsra laughed louder, shouting: “You will die, you will die, Huya loves me only…”
Kilahya squatted down by The Old Priestess. Her face was pale and eyes opened wide. Breathless. Kilahya kissed her forehead and shut her eyes. Kilahya whispered a prayer to Fush-urah for blessing upon the righteous woman who spent most of her lifetime to the goddess. It was the same prayer she said to seek blessing for Jesauma.
Huya received news from the temple the next day. He was frightened that Kitsra might blurt out all the secrets so he set off early in the morning to witness the hearing of the case.
Kitsra’s hands were tied up when she was brought before the council. She looked onto the ceiling and smiled to herself. Until the moment she saw Huya coming in for the hearing, she shouted happily.
“Come save me now! Set me free! Tell them that the story we made to fool The Scribe, tell them, tell them!”
Huya dare not looked at Kitsra but his eyes caught a fierce glance from Kilahya who stood afar from the outside. He spoke to the court. “I do not know her.”
Kitsra’s laughter stopped. She realised Kilahya was standing outside of the court. She smiled.
“Don’t worry, your wife cannot hurt you. She is so far away. Tell them about the flawless story we made together, love…”
“This woman has lost her mind,” Huya said. “I just wished any decision made would be able to restore the good name of the Fush-urah temple. A murderer like her must face justice.”
Kitsra looked at him with disappointment. “You said you will love me! How could you say such words! I kill you!”
Kitsra stood up and ran towards the crowd.
“Take her down!” the council ordered. She was held back to kneel before the council.
“It is very clear that she had murdered The Old Priestess. She must be punished for her evil deeds,” said the council.
Kitsra was dragged to leave the court.
“Huya! Huya! Save me, love! Help! Help!” she cried and laughed both at the same time.
Throughout the session, Kilahya stared at Huya but he avoided the fierce glance.
***
Kitsra was impaled to death for public display at a hillside. Her naked body, exposed under the sun, was slowly picked at by vultures until the her hanging skeleton fell from the stout pole.
The order in the Fush-urah temple was restored by Queen Disghertin. The Old Priestess was given a grand burial. She finally brought her birth mystery along to the grave. A new leader was chosen among the priestesses. Nonetheless the worship of Fush-urah was greatly affected as during the drought, the women turned to Tellash to seek peace for the family.
After the incident was exposed, the Jubites mocked The Scribe for his foolishness in believing Huya’s trick. Little did they know The Scribe at that time had already recorded a decree from King Norteapurt that all Froyale land owner were made to double the taxes to face the coming drought as predicted by the king’s foretellers.
Seeing his barren land that was unable to bring him wealth, The Scribe was displeased with Huya's cheat. It was a great chance to return the land to Huya in the name of reviving her daughter to earn respect of the officials for the love he had for his offspring.
The decree was only announced a month later after Huya got back his land. With all the land he had, the infuriated man reluctantly paid a lump sum taxes to the Norteapurt government.
After all, The Scribe still has a plot of land by the Grubo Lake given to him by the King. He was excused from the taxes since he convinced the king to officially announce it after the Khuy Festival.
The biggest winner of the contractual marriage was none other than The Scribe himself.
Rumoured had it that Kilahya disappeared from any part of Jub. Some said she wandered almost two months in the wilderness bordering Froyale and Khebi. She managed to survived the scorching sun on little food and water. Having been through so much torture at young age, Kilahya fought to stay alive under the extreme circumstances. No one was there to lend her a hand, she barely saw any living animal in the desert.
One day, Kilahya was discovered by a rich merchant from Khebi returning from Froyale. She married The Rich Merchant and adopted the Khebite culture. She was born anew as a Khebite woman.
Three years later, on a dinner invitation at the house of Huya, The Rich Merchant brought along his wife. Kilahya decided to seize the opportunity to take revenge against the murderer who had brought misery to her life and death to her mates.
Dressed in a traditional Khebite costume, her lower face was covered with a veil of bright purple with golden embroideries on it, leaving only her eyes exposed to the public.
Kilahya had always been a beauty but her beauty was hidden by her stricken face and ego after marrying Huya. After three years, she had transformed into a woman who knew how to exercise her femininity to attract man. Of course, she learned all this with a purpose to be performed on a special day. And this day had finally arrived.
Accompanied by two Jubite beauties at his side, Huya was no longer bothered by the tragedy happened three years ago. He was drinking his heart out and toasting to his guests at his table.
I cannot wait to finish him off.
The Rich Merchant brought his wife to greet Huya. Kilahya held back her anger by greeting Huya with her mesmerizing eyes. Though covered with a veil, Huya could tell she was an exquisite beauty.
“Your wife is beautiful,” he complimented Kilahya in front of The Rich Merchant. The Rich Merchant replied him with a smile. He went on talking to other guests at the other corner. Kilahya reached out her right hands to touch Huya’s arm and gave him a seducing look.
Huya knew she wanted him and he wanted to have this beauty for the night. He ordered a servant to drug the merchant’s wine and sent him back to his inn.
Without anyone knowing, Huya silently carried her to his room. He was lying on top of Kilahya and looked into her eyes.
“You’re beautiful,” he said.
Kilahya pushed him away slightly and made him laid on bed and she on him instead.
“You like me?” she asked and touched his face.
He reached out his hands to remove the veil. Just the minute Huya removed the veil Kilahya took out a dagger behind her and stabbed right into his heart. Huya was shocked to see the woman in front of him was Kilahya. He shouted loudly and pushed her off. Kilahya stood up again and sat on him. She pulled out the dagger and stabbed into his heart again.
“This is for Jesauma, whom you have murdered and had her body burned secretly!”
Kilahya pulled out the dagger once again. “This, is for me,” she cut off his throat till she felt no breath from the body.
Kilahya escaped immediately and returned to The Rich Merchant. The Rich Merchant finally regained his conscience and both left for Khebi.
Since then, Kilahya was no longer heard or seen in Froyale of Khebi anymore but story was passed down that after having gone through all the bloodstain murder, Kilahya had lost her sanity. It was said that she had The Rich Merchant murdered and drown herself in the river of Senio while some said she was eaten by a crocodile. It could only be either a punishment from Fush-urah or a self-fulfilling prophecy of the story made up by Huya.
But this time, there would be no resurrection for sure.
* THE END *
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