The break of dawn found Mairek walking towards the Entrail Seer's tent that was set up away from the cluster of Talisi tents. He needed to know of the future, to see whether it was possible for him to save his friend. He also wanted to escape the White Beard Regiment for a while, they seemed like a good lot in general but their numerous questions about Ishar and the way they stared at him as he spoke, visibly gobbling every word out of his mouth was quite a disquieting ordeal. He needed a break and It wasn't like there was much about Ishar for him to talk about anyway, the lad had been a simple shepherd before he became a martyr.

As he covered ground the noise of the waking Talisi slowly died down behind him. The women meant to be a gift to Binoria had not been released to go back to their homes as is counter to the will of Ishar, instead King Gans opted to keep them close incase the Binorians returned seeking their rightful due with claims that a Kolotian, some gold and silk didn't quite match what was expected of Talisi. King Gans saw the continued presence of the women upon the Ganidan plain as a conservative necessity towards the preservation of Talisi. Ishar is going to die for nothing. Mairek thought.

Mairek sighed and quickened his pace as he pondered. Ishar had made a choice and took a stand against Binoria as the Talisi stood and did nothing but watch as a man of another race fought for their women. And what thanks did he get? Nothing but a death sentence! He'd saved the Talisi King and the man did little to return the favor, instead the King ensured the women Ishar sacrificed himself for were still destined to be gifted into slavery. Mairek stopped in his tracks, looked up at the morning sky and screamed. "CURSE ALL YOU GODS FOR THIS! MAY DIVINE MAGGOTS BARROW THROUGH YOUR IMMORTAL ARSES!"

Mairek turned his head down to observe the Centala flowers thickly sprouting upon the ground. He raised his foot and with another yell he stomped on their petals. He repeatedly raised his foot and brought it down while screaming out of frustration and helplessness. He didn't know what to do, he doubted he could save his friend regardless of what the Entrail Seer said. He was just so small, too weak and incapable to stand tall as Ishar had done. He was too cowardly to do so. Mairek wept as he repeatedly trampled the flowers.

"Uhh." said a voice from behind him. Mairek turned his tear stained face to find Niada, still dressed in the same red robes the women wore. She was barefoot and that plus the jade colored flowers must have muffled her steps and hidden her approach from him. "Are you okay?" She looked concerned with the way her long neck leaned to the side and her almond shaped eyes regarded him with her full lips tightly pressed. The morning breeze ruffled her hair and sent it flowing in silky white waves. Gods she's beautiful! Mairek thought. I understand Ishar better now.

Mairek turned towards the direction of Kenne's tent that was but a hazy spec in the distance and continued marching towards it. He heard as Niada followed behind him. "Go away." He spoke loud enough for her to hear.

"Not until you tell me what I need to know." Niada replied. Her voice was rich with melody but not lacking defiance. She was not one to be turned down. Mairek whirled and glared at her, defiance wasn't going to deter him. She stood three feet away, setting her jaw in a tilted raise with her hands folded bellow her bosom. Her intention was clear, she was not going away. Mairek grunted and continued on his way to the Entrail Seer.

"What do you need to know?" His voice was softer but its edge hadn't completely worn off. Niada's steps, now that he knew she was following behind him, pattered gently in opposite rhythm to his stomping.

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

"The Kolotian..." She started.

"Ishar." Mairek interrupted.

"Ishar." Niada said, engraving the word in her mind. "You said earlier in the King's tent that he came to rescue me?" Mairek grunted in the affirmative. "I want to understand why he would do that, I mean, I just don't understand why he'd risk something like to defy a King over someone he didn't know." Mairek wondered if he'd have done the same if Jesna had been taken away. He probably would have but he doubted he'd have taken on a freaking Prince of Binoria. Gods! Ishar is crazy.

"Ishar knows you." Mairek replied.

"We've never talked to each other, he doesn't know me."

"He knows you through what he feels." Mairek replied while taking note of the grey tent that was steadily becoming larger before him. He quickened his pace and heard as Niada heaved as she struggled to keep up.

"What do you mean by that? Are you some kind of bard? Speaking in metaphors and hiding behind vague sentences." He heard her words closer than they were before. Niada's quickened pace in an effort to match his had reduced the distance between them. She walked beside him now, unaware of where he was going but willing to follow so as to get her questions answered. The grey tent drew nearer with each step.

Mairek and Niada walked for a while with a maintained silence between them that neither he nor her sought to break. She wanted an answer and she wasn't going to press him for it but her presence was enough of an indicator that he was not going to dodge his way out of answering. "When he saw you." Mairek started. "He felt something that could be vaguely likened to happiness, his life wasn't exactly blissful and the only thing that made it worthwhile for him everyday when he woke up was the chance that he'd get to see you as you fetched water at the water well.

"He hid in anticipation of you at the water well, praying to the Gods that you would cross his sight and bless his view. You are right in saying that Ishar didn't know you for you never quite spoke to him. But he knew beauty when he saw you and he knew grace when you moved. He admired the elegance with which you fetched and filled your jars and pots and though there was silence between the two of you there was an unmistakable musical note that brushed Ishar's ear whenever you were there." Mairek concluded and turned his head to observe Niada. She was nibbling at her lower lip and blushing furiously.

When she noticed him staring she fought away the blush and replaced it with a nonchalant mask. "He told you all that?" She asked.

"More or less."

"Why didn't he ever say something to me?"

"I don't know, only he has the answer to that question." Mairek said. After a moment of silence he added. "I don't know if you'll ever get the answer to that question." Niada didn't answer, she knew as well as he did that Ishar was facing certain death wherever he was.

"I always heard there was a Kolotian in Jamou, never really thought much of it." Niada said after a while. "Now he's all I think about, ever since he shouted at me at the Ganidan plain, ever since I saw him beat the shit out of the golden armored man. Did you see what he did?"

Mairek chuckled. "Hard not to."

"A whole Binorian was screaming and weeping on the ground, the girls around me couldn't believe it. Everybody was in shock as the Kolotian set to work on the man's body. Never really thought I'd ever hear a Binorian scream in pain and cry." Niada said. "It was a beautiful sound."

Mairek couldn't hide his beaming smile as he recalled Ishar's feats upon the Ganidan plain. The stench of offal hit his nose and Niada visibly gagged as they got close enough to the grey tent to see a man dressed only in a grey loin cloth lying flat on the ground with his limbs spread outside the tent. Kenne's skin that sagged from old age couldn't quite hide the lean muscle underneath and if it wasn't for the steady rising and falling of his chest one might have taken him for dead. As they approached the old man raised his head to observe them. "Aaaaaah." Kenne said. "I've been waiting for you two."