Day 5

Viola Stone didn’t sleep at all. Between the shock and the cold and hanging over a bridge in a net in the dark all night. She didn’t sleep. As the light sprinkled through the leaves. She could make out shapes of other people also hanging in nets. Some didn’t look so lively anymore.

A woman pulled her up. She said something to her, but Viola didn’t understand.

She was brought before the Queen Kaneeda once again. Her long blond dreadlocks moved over her shoulders as the mountain of a woman moved towards her. She had muscles like a man and scares all over her body. The brand on her back right shoulder looked like three sparrows. She beckoned for someone to come look at her.

Viola black evening dress was completely destroyed. Her one shoe was missing. Her clutch bag was lost and she could see a cactus growing under her arm. She smelt bad and looked bad. Her hair was oily and in need of a good wash.

Viola noticed that there were only women in the room. All wearing clothes made for protection. Animal skins with loose rope like stitching giving it flexibility.

“Hi” she said raising her hand and waving.

Almost everyone in the room had a weapon of sorts.

If only I could get a weapon, she thought.

The queen gave her a staff and shoes. Then she picked up another staff. She yelled something at Viola and then engaged in a fight. Viola had barely finished putting on the shoes when the mountain yelled and engaged in fight.

Viola had training which really helped. The queen had strength and power in her strikes but Viola didn’t fight fair.

After a short painful fight. Viola lost to Queen Kaneeda.

Kaneeda fought like she wasn’t afraid to die and at this point Viola was afraid to die.

Fear of death was meant to motivate you but this woman was fierce.

A girl came in. She was smaller in build and didn’t have muscles like a man. She started to clean Viola up. Then she put Viola’s hand on her heart and her eyes started to glow red.

“Not another one” Viola moaned.

Then the girl was in her head,

“You have met someone like me?”

“Yes, Ranger, he saved me and my sister from some men in the forest.”

The images came before her mind’s eye.

“Who are you?” Viola asked,

“I am Shanti, and this is my Queen Kaneeda. She saved all of us at some point. Most of us are orphaned or were slaves. She freed us and taught us how to protect ourselves and free others. We don’t take weak sisters. We are warriors. You held yourself very well today. You may become one of us. But I must check your intentions and then heal you.”

“So, you are the doctor?” Viola sighed

Dig away, she thought, maybe you can also feed me.

“We will give you something to eat just now.” Shanti said.

Wondering if even her thoughts could be read, she tested.

My sister wants to marry a man like you with freaky red eyes… she waited.

Nothing.

Then she saw a child being chased by a big scary looking man. He caught her and dragged her by her hair. Then a teenager appeared. She pushed the man and he fell over. Then she took the branding iron and ran him through, saving the girl.

Viola realized she was in Shanti’s mind seeing her memories. All the children were freed, but the boys spat at her saying a girl couldn’t be a warrior. Even though she had just saved them.

“You have made things worse for us” they accused

So, the teenager stood there and made a call to freedom.

“Who will fight with me and stay free? Who will follow me?”

Only the girls followed. This happened two more times were the boys and even men were ungrateful for her help. So, a decision was made. No men ever and so Kaneeda built an army of women, and a home in the forest tree tops away from danger. The tribe grew and grew until it became what it now was. People from almost every tribe made up this sisterhood. Then Shanti broke the connection. Putting Viola in a sleep.

She explained to Kaneeda that Viola was from another world where she was a woman of a special skill set. Her sister Fiona was also in this world. But neither know how they got here.

Viola is loyal to her people but maybe she could become part of their family. Viola could be useful to them. But whether it was a good idea or not Shanti couldn’t tell.

Viola awoke from her sleep. She had no pain at all not even on her feet. She checked her wounds, they were gone. Maybe it had been a dream?

But then Shanti came in. The girl must have been about seventeen. She had a little girl with her who must have been about twelve. She had a sword on her back and she was also covered in scares. Viola realized that she also had a scare where her skin had broken during the fight.

Great it was real, she thought.

The child had big honey-colored eyes and black dreadlocks.

Viola waited in the room feeling like a prisoner.

These unwashed monkeys were too weird for her. She needed to find her sister. She hoped Fiona was ok and not also a captive.

A girl about fourteen years old come into the room she had lilac eyes like flames with blue and white. Her white hair was short and curly. She walked over to Viola and tried to kiss her.

Viola freaked out.

“No ways! I don’t swing that way. No offense but NO!”

The girl was persistent. Viola prevented her every-time.

This world and these weird children and tree people were getting too much. She didn’t want to hurt them but she wanted to leave.

Shanti came in again.

She asked her to please let the girl kiss her. But she refused. It will help you Shanti insisted.

But Viola refused.

The Queen Kaneeda came in. She had mean warrior women with her. The one woman had muscles that looked manly. She was big too with legs like tree trunks.

Eeer, Viola thought,

Why is this kiss so important?

She realized she could kiss the girl willingly or my force. Neither option was nice. She closed her eyes and sealed her lips as tightly as possible.

The Lilac eyes child kissed her on the lips, a small peck. It was over as quickly as it began.

Then the child kissed her again unexpected and Viola was very annoyed by it.

“Who is she and can we use her?” Kaneeda asked

“Yes, she is loyal. Her fighting must improve but she does have experience killing.”

Tilihah the child that kissed Viola said.

“How do I understand you?” Viola asked

“Tilihah has the ability to attain knowledge and impart knowledge. She has given you the knowledge of all the languages she has. Tilihah is from the Viden tribe. She is now one of us.” Shanti explained.

“Are you saying this child knows everything I know?” Viola asked worried.

“Yes, she does.” Kaneeda answered

“Now I need to know are you a friend or a foe?” she asked.

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“Ummm” Viola began.

“I would like to be your friend” she said cautiously.

“Then you must become one of us. We will go tonight and see your true intentions.”

“Wait! Go where tonight? Look I am not sure you are my friend. After all you beat me and left me hanging off a bridge in the cold all night.”

“We were unsure of your intentions. Now you can prove yourself, we require you to rescue a cage of slaves being taken to the castle.”

Viola felt their friendship was not her idea of friendship. But she didn’t want to die because of being beaten to death by peculiar aliens that looked formidable.

“So, can I meet everyone?” Viola asked

“Yes” Kaneeda replied.

So, Viola was introduced to the members of a tribal tree house village.

The tree house was very well made, excellent work. The rooms all joined together by a wooden bridge. Each room was separate yet large and well laid out. They had everything they needed. Rope bridges enabled them to build up making it a village in the tree tops. No one from the sky could see them. Nor anyone on the ground. They worked and lived together in harmony under Kaneeda. It was amazing.

A woman came back with a full grown dear over her shoulder as she climbed the rope ladder.

“This is Sage. She is a hunter. She keeps us fed. This is Rosemary, and that’s Rue. That’s Celeriac and that over there is our war chief Dakota. She trains the new comers. This is Ginger, she is a mighty warrior. That’s Blinckx, you already met her once. And that’s Za’atar. There are others but they aren’t here right now.” Shanti finished

“Wow is there is a lot of you? Are you all women?” Viola asked.

“Yes.” Shanti replied unfazed by it.

Viola was put into an arena type thing with multiple obstacles and given a choice of weapons. She chose a staff as she didn’t want to hurt anyone.

Then Dakota came in with no weapons.

“Fight” Kaneeda called.

“Where is your weapon?” Viola asked Dakota

“I will take yours from you.” Dakota calmly replied.

Then Dakota ran straight for her. But at the last second while still bring out of reach from the staff. She moved left onto the wooden wall and jumped off it like it was a spring board, twisting though the air she landed gracefully behind Viola stunning her. She grabbed the staff in her hands and started chocking her with it.

Viola elbowed her in the stomach to no avail. Then she tried stomping on her foot. But that also didn’t work. Her body was panicking this woman wasn’t taking it easy on her. Nor did her grip loosen.

Head-butt, Viola thought

As adrenaline pumped though her body, she jumped backwards using the back of her head to smash Dakota’s face.

It worked. The gripped loosened enough for Viola to make a break for it, leaving the staff behind. She hid catching her breath,

Was she trying to kill me? Viola wondered,

I don’t want to kill one of them. Then they will kill me. But if I disable her…

Viola looked around for something she could use. She found loose river sand. She put it in her pocket. A small stone, some dried leaves, and something that looked like cinnamon roots.

She scavenged all she could from around the arena while making sure she knew where Dakota was.

She cut one of the ropes holding the wall together. If Dakota tried the same move again it would fail, the wall would collapse. She used the stone and cut a few other ropes. Just to be on the safe side. She felt very out matched. Her only hope was out smarting her.

The arena was in the air. Between four huge trees.

Maybe she could escape the arena. She could see branches beneath her through the gaps in the wood.

But her time of hiding was up. A shadow moved into her light and Dakota stood above her with the staff, a powerful swing was avoided by a roll and so a few more swings missed by a hair. Viola took the handful of sand and through it into Dakota’s eyes. This distracted her just long enough to take the staff back. Viola went for a knockout strike to the head. But it only made Dakota mad.

Her hardest blow only drew blood. Didn’t even knock her to the ground.

I am fighting the she hulk? Viola thought.

She used her ground Cinnamon root and blew it directly into Dakota’s face.

The woman chocked and coughed and coughed. Viola got worried

“I think we need help”

She called to Kaneeda who watched from the walk away around the arena.

Viola went to her.

“Breathe deeply and quickly. We need to clear your lungs”

But her compassion was met with a kick that floored her and disorientated her. Looking up Dakota stood above her with the staff. She pressed its end against her neck.

“Enough” Kaneeda ordered

The dizzy Viola was carried to the room she had first been in.

Viola Stone found herself once again getting healed by Shanti.

“Tonight, you will prove yourself. We are going to free slaves and add to our numbers. You will help us.”

“So, what was that?” Viola asked

“Training for tonight.” Shanti answered

“What if I don’t want to join your sisterhood?” Viola asked

“If you prove you are not against us. We will set you free. None of us are prisoners.”

“Except the prisoners?” Viola replied

“We need to protect ourselves. Our people, our sisters.”

“So, if I free little girls to become part of this sisterhood, you will let me go? Just like that?”

“I do not understand you. But you will be free to leave.” Shanti answered

Viola asked what she would need to do?

How to pass the test. But Shanti didn’t tell her anything useful.

When the afternoon cool air came, Viola was given new clothes. Leather guards for her legs that laced on and tied and for her lower and upper arms.

She was given pants that laced up too and flat leather boots. Very functional.

Her new top was like pieces of leather armor all joining together. She could move but it was heavy.

She was given a choice of weapons. She chose throwing knives. They gave her a belt that had sheaves for the knives.

The time came to leave the tree house and prove herself.

They made their way silently through the jungle. Well, everyone but Viola.

They went the opposite direction from the city Point where she wanted to go.

The jungle cleared and a lightly tree lined dust road was before them. The other warriors with her took places in the trees. With bows and arrows, swords and spears.

Viola crouched behind a tree. Hoping for as little action as possible.

Maybe she could run for it? But she knew that wouldn’t end well for her. As it got dark, she could hear horses, and people talking. They come down the path, a wagon pulled by two horses with about five men and a load of chopped wood. It passed them as it went down the road.

The waiting seemed like forever. But finally, another wagon came passed. This time it was a family traveling, they were concerned about not making it to a town as it was already dark.

Viola’s crouching position had changed several times as it was very uncomfortable.

Finally, the slave traders came. A wagon with three burly men and a cage with people in it.

The warriors shot the men and attacked. But these men seemed confident even while dying. Viola had a bad feeling about that. She ran down the path and saw about twenty men, sneaking in the tree line towards the wagon.

She ran back to the warrior women, “men incoming!” she yelled to them.

“What is she going on about” one said.

Viola took Dakota’s arm,

“Twenty men are coming to kill you” she said as clearly as possible.

The order to retreat was given but not in time. Spears flew through the air. They didn’t care if they killed the slaves. They wanted the women who kept freeing the slaves, dead.

After all they were bad for business.

Kidnapping women and children weren’t easy.

The spears killed some of the warriors and so the battle began. Ten women against twenty armed men.

Dakota did her warrior thing but the odds were not in her favor. Viola threw her knives. Making sure she got a kill shot. Or what should be a kill shot.

The man pulled the knife out of his head and ran towards her. She picked up a spear. But then he fell over.

“I hate this world” Viola muttered

She went to the tree line assessing quickly. She didn’t know how to use a sword and trying to learn now would be very bad timing. But she could throw things with great accuracy.

Picking up stones and throwing them at the heads of the men still fighting and killing her new frenemies.

She picked up knives and threw them. Once out of knives she threw stones while gathering knives. Another attack was on its way.

Dakota, Viola and Za’atar were the only three remaining.

Viola quickly freed the slaves and ran with them to the tree line.

Dakota was chopping off the heads of every man that was dead.

“We must go” Viola insisted

“We will take our dead and hang the heads of our enemies.” she was interrupted by a spear that just missed her face.

“We will come back for the dead. But let us stay as the living.” Viola insisted.

Za’atar retreated to the jungle with Dakota and they ran with everyone.

Once they thought they were safe. They began to check the slaves.

“Line up” Dakota ordered.

So, the children lined up.

Viola looked at the twins holding a baby’s hand.

“I want your name and tribe.”

She stood in front of the first girl

“Dawn Aurum” She cried.

Dakota stood in front of the next.

“Primrose, Terra” she said.

“You are scaring them” Viola said

“Boys” Dakota called “Stand this side”

So, all the boys moved to the other side except the baby whose hand was being held by twin girls.

“What’s this?” she demanded

“Our brother Jordon”

“He must stand that side” she ordered

“We stay together” the brave twins said.

Dakota gave them a look that even chilled Viola but the girls refused to part with their baby brother.

“Stop it!” Viola demanded

“We are taking all these children back. Boys, girls, it doesn’t matter, they are children.”

Dakota tried to take Jordon away from the girls, they started screaming. Then they ran, holding their brother but they didn’t get far.

“Do you want to die tonight?” Viola asked Dakota

“No, why?” she asked menacingly as if wanting to fight.

“We were being chased and now a child has been screaming. You may have no maternal instant but maybe an instinct to live? Listen?”

Everyone was quiet, and it was quiet, too quiet.

“Girls follow me” Dakota said

“Keep quiet”

“Oh no,” Viola said “Everyone lives or everyone dies, you are not leaving the boys.”

“We don’t have time for this.”

“No, we don’t. Boys follow quietly” Viola said

Turning back to Dakota she said

“I will take responsibility for them.”

They quietly walked through the forest. It was awkwardly quiet. With strong vibes and no words.

Once back in the jungle fortress Viola, Dakota, Za’atar and all the children stood before Kaneeda.

She stared at the boys refusing to allow Dakota to explain.

Finally, she said.

“What is the meaning of this? Bringing our enemies into our home. Shall we have a feast with the slave traders? EXPLAIN!”

Dakota began

“We were caught off guard. The slave traders were expecting us, and they had reinforcements for their reinforcements.”

Viola interrupted. “I wouldn’t allow children to be killed just because they were unfortunate in being born male. If you want these children dead. Have the courage to do it yourself. Don’t hide behind another doing the deed for you. You know leaving them is death. You are no better than the slave traders. Deciding who lives.”

Kaneeda slapped Viola across the face so hard she fell to the floor.

“Don’t be a coward. Do it yourself. Kill children.” Viola continued.

Her lip started bleeding.

“You know nothing.” Kaneeda said

“Men will betray us. They always do. My father sold me for bread and my first master sold me because of profit. Men burned me, used me, hurt me, lied and proved their worth. And went I tried to help them they spat at me. Men are the reason we are all here.”

“Men.” Viola said

“Not boys, not babies.”

She stood up “I am not here because of men.” She added waiting for another slap.

“And if they are so bad. Let me find families for them in the city.” Viola added quickly.

The twins held their brother. Tears ran down their faces. Which lit up the skin everywhere the tears ran. Markings illuminated on their faces which had once appeared as normal skin.

Kaneeda looked around her.

“Za’atar what happened?”

“We killed the slave traders, and before we could free the slaves. Viola warned us that men were coming, and then they were there. They killed many of us in battle and we are all that is left. We had to leave our dead as more came. Viola freed the children and ran to the jungle with them. There Dakota tried to sort them but after the twins screamed giving away our position we had to move again. Viola refused to leave the boys and said she would take responsibility for them.” Za’atar finished.

“Dakota, do you want to add anything?” Kaneeda asked

“I apologize for my failure” Dakota said.

Kaneeda looked at Viola, then the children.

“What tribe are you?” she asked the crying twins.

“Tskhali” they sobbed.

“I do not know this tribe.”

“Are you going to kill our brother?” the one asked.

“No” Kaneeda replied.

“Viola will find him a home in the city”

“We also want to go to this home.” They said “I want to stay with my brother”

“How old is he?”

“Thirty moons” they answered.

Viola tried to work that out. There are approximately thirteen moons in a year…

“Three cycles.” Kaneeda said.

“If I welcome your brother here and I teach you to fight so you can look after yourself and your brother, would you want to stay?”

“Ummm…” they began looking at Dakota

“No one will be allowed to kill us or our brother?” they asked still looking at Dakota

“No one.” She said.

They smiled,

“We want to stay”.

A decision was made that Viola was not going to become a sister. Kaneeda was so angry with having the boys in her home that she paced half the night.

Viola stayed with the new children that night. There were six girls and seven boys including Jordon who was the only boy allowed to stay.

The twin’s names were River and Cascada. They were identical in every way. The same blue eyes and blue-black hair. Cut the same way. Even the same height. They were seven years old, and from a water tribe traveling from the village Fish.

Their parents had been killed and robbed. Then a man found them and sold them to the slave traders.

Then there was Dawn the girl with gold hair and gold eyes. She had eleven diamond shaped gold marks starting by her right eye and making its way down her neck. She had the weird ability to control her hair. It moved at will.

She had a scare on her knee that was also gold. But her skin was powder white.

This girl might possibly glow in the dark she is so white. Viola thought

She came from the tribe Aurum. She had been playing in the river when it swept her away and the slave traders found her.

Primrose was from the Terra tribe that was the same as Kaneeda. Just human so to speak. She had been born to a slave woman and had been a slave her whole life. She had been learning pottery from her master. But he was killed and so his son sold her to the slave traders.

Then Cole aged nine. She had short, thick, straight dark grey hair. One blue eye and one brown eye. She didn’t want to talk.

Jasmine was the oldest girl. She was fourteen and from the Terra tribe. She had also been born a slave. Her master was a farmer. He had been good to her. But the queen’s taxes became too much and he had to start selling his slaves.

So, after he had sold her, she had been to three different masters and was on her way to another.

Viola also spoke to the boys. But they were tighter lipped.

When Shanti came in and healed their scratches and brands.

But she didn’t heal Viola’s wounds nor they boys.