Pleasant light peeled in through jade coloured curtains, open frames allowing in soft winds as the sounds of the waterfalls outside perpetually echoed.
Fine architecture the likes the world were ignorant of made up the rooms interior. Beautiful drawers of ivory sat before a bed the size of five men, whose covers were softer than a ducks feathers.
A table of glass with woven chairs sat in the corner, as a run made mural of the history of the city lay on the floor, creating soft grounds to tread upon. The ceiling was painted with fine detail, a moving mural that depicted the history of the Sarnori.
" Hm ... " Malak flipped through thick pages as he lay on the soft bed, having spent an entire day wrapped in its covers, the finest thing he had felt this life. As Uhar stood beside the only entrance to the room, a sentry always on duty. " Quite the read this, a rather interesting perspective about their little... bloodwar "
He snapped the book shut with a resounding clap, reaching from the confines of the bed to a table where several other history books lay, already read, already digested.
"Uhar" The woman garbed black turned her head to him, where she saw him to be beckoning her to his side, gently petting the side of the bed." Surely you are tired from standing so long. Come ... sit with me "
She kicked off of the wall, slow steps a hollow thud against the carpet below as she slowly sank into the groaning frame of the bed where he beckoned.
" Better ... it pains me to see you stand sentry, for every second of every minute of ever hour of every day without rest. Take a moment for yourself, to just ... relax" He layed back into the pillows as Uhar lay horizontally across the frame, her the veil laying flat upon her face, fluttering with every breath she made.
" .... " Her hands folded over her abdomen, her height still encapsulated by the bed taller than ever her.
" Hmhm ... " He interwove his fingers, observing her in her silent yet persistent breathing, the two basking together in the silence, the same silence they had lived together in day in and day out since their first meeting as children.
Radiant flowing waters echoed, the soft winds blowing the curtains as they endured the absense of voice.
" Uhar ... " His soft rarely used voice drawing his most loyals unseen gaze toward himself.
' Yes ... milord .. ' She remained lay, both reaping the comfort and unsure if having that comfort was truly acceptable.
" Do you believe in the afterlife... what comes next. The final journey" He asked, not for the first time did he ponder such a thing. Confounded by the situation he had been in for a decade and a half.
' Is my situation unique ... or it this just something that happens to everyone when they die... is there even a heaven to go to ' He layed back deeper into the pillows, hearing footsteps in the distance despite the rumbling waters around.' Am I really even alive ... ir is this just some kind of extended throughout form dream '
' I believe ... that we do go somewhere after we die milord... I don't know what it is... but I like to think that there is something waiting. Like yourself milord, I hope that ... if ever we do perish ... that wherever we end up ... we end up together' Ever the loyal guard, she wanted nothing more than to be at her masters side even in death, and that made his features soften ever so slightly behind his veil, his lips curl upwards and eyes twinkle.
" So do I Uhar... so do I" He slumped, allowing his head to fall back, the muscles in his back and neck relaxing, eyes slowly creasing shut as sleep took him, for the first time in days ... he allowed the blissful realm of sleep to take him into its soft embrace.
Hours later, as the sun's began to dive toward the far horizon, the beautiful skies a wash with orange and pink skies. Uhar and Malak shook away one after another, both having enjoyed the first sleep they had enjoyed in some time.
Uhar slowly rose, back cracking as plates shifted, fingers clenching and opening.
Malak looked around the room that was slowly darkening, seeing no disturbance, not that one would have or could have gotten in without their notice.
Then his gaze fell on Uhar who slumped over herself, looking upon her own hands in a long silent stare.
" Uhar ... I want you to know. You ... should you ever desire anything, I will give it to you... you're the only person to never waver in your devotion. From the time you peeled my veil back when we were children to now, you never wavered. You're the only person I believe I can trust in these backward lands... and I want you to know that no matter what, I will accommodate you the best I possibly can... " His heartfelt plea visibly made the woman coil at his words, not out of negative emotion, but gratitude.
Whatever she was about to say was disturbed by a gentle knock on the door. Seizing ever muscle in Uhar's body ad she shot up like a slung arrow, launching herself into action ready to cleave through the door and person beyond in the blink of an eye.
" Hrrr... " Teeth ground together, grinding violently as loud echoing cracks reverberated over the walls. " Come in "
He calmed himself forcefully by the time the door was opened, a tall dark skinned, long armed woman of beauty, with dark eyes and black hair, carrying a tray of silver over towards the bed where Malak lay.
" Your requested meal ser... " He squinted ever so slightly as she peeled the lid off of the plate to allow an aroma mouthwatering to his senses.
He sat up in bed, as Uhar moved to get a board to place the plate on so he may eat without spilling it over himself.
' Thank you ... ' He transmitted his thoughts as Uhar slotted the small wooden table over his legs, the servant placing the silver plate onto the table with cutlery placed neatly at its side.
Finely and delicately made soft flatbread stacked upon the plate. Mashed pumpkin, beans onions and garlic rimmed the plate as a finely cooked beef slab sat opposite the flatbread.
And finally, Beside the tray, the servant girl placed a fine silver goblet of wine, her palms sweaty, almost shaking as she placed the goblet down with a low bow.
" This smells ... " He lowered his nose to the plate, and took in a whiff so powerful the heated vapour on the plate flowed into the veil." Heavenly "
" Now ... " He turned to the servant girl. " Turn your back ... "
The girl did so without argument, as his hands slide from within the sleeves of his robe to lift the veil from his face.
Uhar stood, the only person permitted present to watch, shuddering in concealed delight as his face touched open air.
Slowly, tentatively, he reached for the cutlery, mixing the vegetables together and placing them in his gullet together as one. It was a lexicon of mixed flavours, both a mix of sweet and bitter at the same time.
" mmmm ... thish is " He spoke between mouthfuls, cheeks full before swallowing. " Better than every meal that place ever gave me "
Next he dove into the beef, juices running down his lips as he ate with gusto.
" mmm..mmm" He shivered, the sheer savoury taste, the way it splayed over his taste buds. " Fantastic "
The servant girl shifted from side to side, staring at a point in the wall opposite of Malak.
" Now ... " He reached for the goblet of wine, lifted it to his lips and allowed the acidic yet sweet liquid to stain the interior of his mouth, gulping it down until a third of the goblet had been emptied.
' Hm ... ' Dark eyes narrowed as the thick wine circled his mouth, tongue toying at his lip, licking up the final traces of the drink on his lips.
' I see... ' He sat back, meal half eaten, hand raising to his veil where he dropped it over his features once more.
" Girl ... look at me " His voice made the servant turn to face him, seeing the goblet partially emptied, her hands rubbed together nervously as she eyes Uhar closely. " Uhar ... could you try this a moment for me"
He smirked slightly, raising the goblet to the towering obelisk of dark, whom stepped forward to steps before gently accepting the wine from her lords hand. Lifting the base of her own white veil to reveal the bottom of a heart shaped chin, thin lips parting to allow the wine into her own mouth before she lowered her own and gave Malak back the drink. " Is it just me or is there something wrong with this wine"
" I'm... sure you're mistaken milord ... the chef " She was silenced as Uhar's hand gently fell to her shoulder, and then forced the girl to kneel beside the bed where Malak was still tasting his lips with half lidded eyes.
" Here ... tell me what poison this is ... " He reached down and lifted the girls chin, fingers pinching her cheeks tight and puckering her lips, allowing for him to forcefully pour the rest of the wine down her gullet despite the terror in her eyes.
" You see " He simply dropped the now empty goblet down into her heads, where the dark skinned girl lowered her gaze to the silver now cupped in her hand. " I'm afraid you'll find it quite difficult to kill us with your poisons... we're rather.. robust ... you see "
He wasn't displaying any signs of poisoning, rather just an annoying gurgling of the stomach much the same for Uhar.
The servant on the other hand, began to convulse as soon as the poison made its way into her system, blood running from her eyes and nose, eyes becoming bloodshot as blood vessels burst, before falling back in a whimper as Malak and Uhar simply watched her convuls until she stopped, the silver goblet falling from her hands, drool leaking from her mouth as vacant eyes spewed out twin streams of blood onto the carpet under her head.
' Such a waste ... ' He grumbled, rubbing his hands ever so slightly before turning back to the food. ' Well. ... waste not ... want not '
" Would you like some .. it's rather good after all " He plopped a portion of beef in his mouth, smiling despite himself as he savoured the flavour, forgetting the would be assassin, sure there would be someone to check up on her shortly.
' And them we'll deal with them too'
....
Surely enough, after Malak and Uhar both shared a portion of the best meal they had ever had, the servant girls handler burst into the room with four guards, clearly expecting to find them dead instead of the servant.
" What's taking so.... " Krone, master of the servant who lay deceased at Malak's bedside, had his voice die as soon as he saw the scene within.
" Oh thank the gods you've come ser, a rather unfortunate occurance happened not so long ago, this servant girl appears to have attempted to poison me... fortunately I do have a habit of having the person that serves my food, test it before I" He lied smoothly, the empty plate of silver stained with the juices of his meal. " Now if you could remove her so we can get down to business... I rather talk without the stench of death at my side"
Krone hissed internally, studying the stiff face of the girl he had sent to poison the outsiders that had forced their way into this great city. Nobody was allowed into these walls and to do so was expressly forbidden and warrented death if not disembowelment , a king couldn't get in here let alone two individuals baring a name none recognised. Sent by the city magistrate to levy punishment of these interlopers.
" Kill them " The handler hissed, as the guards rushed forward, drawing their scimitars and preparing to lay low the intruders into their city.
"Uhar ... " All pretence fled his body, a simple wave of the hand unleashing the black monolith as easy as a drawn bow.
And so her Uchigatana unleashed, the entire room quaking as her thunderous strike cleaved the first men in two, through his scimitar, through breastplate and flesh, folding the two halves away as her blade bit into the ground at her feet with a rumbling quake.
Their was no skill of the blade nor teaching, just savage power and instincts of an animal guided by experience.
The two halves fell away, as a gushing rush of blood blanketed the carpet.
" What strength" Krones eyes widened at the spectacle, watching the towering woman reached with her unarmed hand, knocking away a thrusting scimitar of the second of the four before a punch wrent steel and punctured flesh.
She grabbed the scimitar from the second dying man's hand, breaking the failing grip as a vicious kick sent the dying second man flying into the wall behind where he exploded against the wall in an explosion of blood and gore.
Krone took a step back at the sheer strength displayed, as Uhar danced between the last of the two guards, Scimitar and uchigatana a blur of steel as several thunderous clashes released sparks into the air, meanwhile Krone and Malak stared through the carnage between eachother in silence, one smug, the other in terror.
Krone watched as the stolen scimitar exploded into shrapnel as Uhar hammered the blade downward into the first, the blade separating in half before she thrust it down through the guard of the man and into his neck, through the jugular and out through the back of his head.
" Monster ... you weild a monster" He almost fell back, half turning to the open doorway only for the broken handle and half the blade of the scimitar to implant itself in the wall infront of his path.
Fear rose as she swiftly cut down the final guard he had brought with the ease of the first three, finally covering the last untouched floorspace of the carpet in crimson.
" That's quite rude don't you think ... Uhar restrain him" She leapt at his words, grabbing Krone by the shoulders and dragging him to kneel in the blood at the base of the bed Malak still sat apon.
" Pl...please spare me ... I... I can talk to the magistrate ... have you stay here allowed ... I can bring you coin and women ... just spare me" Sweat ran down his brow, his fat rolls slinging from the base of his shirt as Uhar held her uchigatana at the back of his neck, ready to separate head from body in a second.
" Oh don't fret. Despite your and your magistrate's attempts to kill me, I'm a rather forgiving man ... this time that Is ... " He swung his legs off the side of the bed, feet touching down apon the warm puddle of what smelt like iron." I want an audience with the magistrate and whoever runs this city... you will inform them... and you will act as the voice between us until the time we share a chamber "
With each word he spoke he neared, coming to a stop not two steps infront of Krone.
" Thank you milord ... thank you " He would have bowed if not for the fear that action would have his head removed.
" Don't be so grateful ... I may punish you yet... inform your masters ... I await their word... and to make sure they understand that my words are not without merit... Uhar " Malak layed but a finger on the mans head.
[ Gift of regeneration given ]
"remove his finger " His scream echoed through the chamber and out onto the stretching paths and balconies outside, as Uhar grabbed his right index finger and ripped it clean from its socket in a single movement.
" AAAHHHHHHHHH" Blood exploded outwards, spraying the wall as Uhar let him go, as he fell over himself, curling into a ball as he held the stump.
And then, a miracle occurred, something defying the sciences of Sarnori, something their culture would either call a blessing or a curse.
As he cradled his missing finger, a burning sensation erupted on his hand, through grit teeth and shut eyes.
The itch came after the burning, and he felt a pricking sensation on the inside of his unharmed hand. A static numbness descending over the destroyed digit.
He unfurmed his mutilated hand, and watched, enraptured despite the pain, despite the fire running through his blood and the pain of regeneration.
He watched as skin stitched itself together, bone growing from within, surrounded by unfurling tendons amd ligaments, beings weaving themselves through the growing ligaments, flesh layering itself thrice over the finger that regrew before his gaze.
He stared at it in silence for several long seconds, disbelief, awe ... and terror. And then, after flexing his hand to confirm he wasn't hallucinating, and looking to the floor where his old finger lay. He cast his gaze at the man he knew responsible.
And now, standing over him in self assured importance, the interloper became something more.
" Tell them the lord of blessings and gifts waits for their attendance " He hissed, with Uhar grabbing Krone by the back of the neck and tossing him out through the open door to where he came. " I'll be exploring ... Do not keep me waiting "
Each syllable that dropped from his mouth quaked the room and caused settled dust to fall from above, the bridges and balconies shook and the waters dispersed as if disturbed by a great pressure.
Krone didn't say anything else as he struggled to his feet despite the rumbling of the world, and rushed away to inform the magistrate of his findings.
Watching him leave, Malak gave a single tut, before turning to the corpses laying across the floor of his spacious room.
" Ergh ... let's go explore the city while we wait for the magistrate to find us... " Wjth that he clasped his hands together once more and stepped into the city, eager to see what they had on display, eager to sample this new place for all it was worth.