Mahnu, Her Journey Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Mahnu slowly travelled from north west of Conrella to the East town of Nowell, feeling uneasy.

The reason was that Nowell was were The Siege had taken place. The free humans had lead the G.o.ds there away from the capital and the G.o.d's had walked right into the trap laid out for them. Mahnu, after using her power for the chest, was unable to move so she had been still in Havlish were 'The Chest of the G.o.d's' had been created.

The east was where the betrayal had taken place and she felt like she didn't even have a right to be there.

As she walked to Nowell, she heard the news that a princess was born to the King and Queen and how proud the father of the Queen was.

The Queen was from the south town of Harval and her father was the governor Valtac. He was smart and Mahnu had known that he was the previous King’s favourite governor. Mahnu also knew that he was shady and he doesn’t really care much for the people of the town that he governs. Twenty years ago, he had made a big commotion about lowering the tax in the town of Harval but under it all, he had bought any remaining land at a low price so that he could sell it for a hefty sum. It was not only for money but to continue to be the governor as some people had started to have doubts, which changed when the tax did. The people didn’t obviously know that the governor had just schemed them.

He had always wanted to be the next father in law to the King, in which it had come true, as he had asked the last King for his daughter to marry the Crowned Prince, who is now King of Kralaide.

Mahnu didn't understand why people wanted so much.

What is being 'the father in law to the King good for? She thought.

Politics seemed to be something Mahnu could never understand. To her, it just didn't matter because as the years pa.s.sed by, nothing really changed...If politics was something that really did aid to the suffering of the people then it would have been something she tried to learn a long time ago.

But politics seemed to be another word for power. Another way to separate the rich from poor, royal and commoner and power to powerless. Nonetheless, Valtac totally believed in it and valiantly continued to use that word to think he is able to do anything.

Mahnu knew her opinions were different to humans, wish is another reason to not voice them and stay away. Half of what she thought would properly get her into trouble, in which she would rather avoid. Again, she was glad she didn't bother to speak or be with anyone.

As she got closer to the east, Mahnu also heard about the rivalries between the governors Zachery and  Sedric. She could almost antic.i.p.ate that another small skirmish was about to happen between them.

The innocent village of Nowell was in between them, so that was how east became her next destination. Mahnu did admit there was something strange going on because Zachary, known of his brute strength and military soldiers, seemed to only want to defend with a small number of soldiers. Zachery was either not into winning or had that much of an ego that he was going to win that Mahnu wondered if she should intervene.

No, she thought straight away.

They act like immature children and Mahnu was positive that getting involved may send her back into depression again.

Moving her mind instead to the suffering in Nowell, she tried to put that matter behind her.

***

It took two months for her to reach her destination from Havlish to Nowell, as she didn't ride horses. She had all the time in the world so she didn't see the point in getting to any place sooner than walking required.

Mahnu wondered if it was her own way of rebelling against immortality and smiled. If I were to rebel, who would punish me? Was there anyone with enough guts to punish a G.o.d?

Mahnu let out a small laugh, something she rarely did, and looked out to see Nowell on the horizon.  The mangroves close by was a popular area for many kind of insects and she sighed as she continued to shorten the distance.

The east doesn't have a leader and the population has always been small, even now it is only three hundred people. It was also known as a haunted area and kept what was needed away like traders and builders. The people and the land of Nowell was most certainly those who suffered the most in the land of Kralaide.

Mahnu has been there often to see no growth from the last time she was there. There was still the rice farm with a dirt area that grew two vegetables and two fruit that she had helped with in her last visit. The people here were still eating once a day and getting not the cleanest of water from a far distance. Mahnu knew that the humans here were quite lethargic because of the amount of food they ate, but she wished they would do something about it!

It was a wonder to her how they seemed quite happy to live like this…Did they not know that humans can have three meals a day and snacks!? Didn’t they think there were better lands that their children could play in?

It was also obvious that their lives spans were shorter compared to the other humans in Kralaide. Sickness was Nowell’s enemy as they had insects and water that needed more attention before drinking.

Their lifestyle…Mahnu stopped questioning them yet again.

She wondered if they depended too greatly on the King’s monthly transported goods.

Mahnu repeatedly wanted to know why they were all still here. She had once, a long time ago when she had spoken, asked the people to move away from the area and in response they asked her where they should go. That had made her feel worse because it was only to make herself feel better about their situation as she felt it was her responsibility. Yet, here they were depending on others to survive...

Of course, another reason was that she didn't want to come here.

It doesn't matter anymore, she reminded herself. Why would she care if they wanted to stay here in this desolate place?

***

As the years went by, Mahnu was glad that no skirmish had taken place. She helped during the nights, so she was rarely ever seen and now the small village had more food for them to eat.

It was the year 1628, King Richard now 35, and an unauthorized skirmish between Zachary and Sedric had finally happened. The King went undercover to find the culprits, which was 51 from Zachary and 157 from Sedric, all caught, except 22 that had died.

It was on a whim, after the skirmish, that the King decided to visit Nowell, as he had never been there before. He wants everywhere in Kralaide to flourish but finds that the east may not after he gets there, as they are in a very poor state. Only two farms, three types of vegetables and three fruit trees and everyone was dirty.

Were all the goods making it here? He thought as he made a mental note to question it when he returned to Conrella.

As he walks further, he sees Mahnu fighting off someone who got away. He was wearing the same clothes as the other culprits they had caught from the south east. Rus.h.i.+ng to help, he witnesses her putting him down on the hard ground floor, pressing his head down with only one hand. Her eyes were blazing in anger.

“Wow” Escaped from his lips, enthralled by her.

The culprit finally said sorry, begging for sympathy and saying that he is alone and doesn't want to die. She let him go and he went to attack her from behind with a hidden knife. The King intervened saying that he's been looking for him and the knights close by immediately took the culprit away.

She hadn't changed, he thought as he turned back to her.

He watched her kneel over a mother and child on the ground close by and saw her shake her head. The mother cried louder.

A child had died, now he understood why her eyes had been blazing with rage. She was strong willed and fought for even a child. He looked around and believed that they all looked like they hadn't had a bath in weeks, the maiden especially. He was sure she could look a lot prettier and then he wanted to know what she would look like being freshly soaked and cleaned.

King Richard collected his thoughts, upset that she could intrude on them as she did, especially when there was something so important at hand! He had to think about a child dying and the skirmish.

Mahnu was upset with herself. If she wasn’t so concerned about staying away from humans so much she would have been able to save that child in time.

I should have known, she scolded herself hopelessly, that child’s death is my fault!

Thinking about state of affairs later in his tent, that they had put up in Nowell, the King suddenly found the maiden that didn’t speak was staring at him in sadness. He wondered in surprise to how she could just come into a King's tent like that!?

Was that her speciality? He thought. Disappearing and appearing whenever she wants too!

And then he wanted to know why she looked so sad.

She heard him, even though a word was not spoken, and silently told him it was his own thoughts that made her sad and her self-hatred for not being able to save the child. It isn’t something she could easily forget as the child’s mother was suffering because of it.

All the problems he was thinking about and how eager he was to fix them all, made her pity him. She has tried to stop the suffering of people for so long and here he was trying to make things better in a human’s life span. In over a thousand years nothing has changed, the humans still suffer and here he was so enthusiastic about it. She wondered if she should tell him not to bother.

Instead, she found herself kneeling in front of him, wis.h.i.+ng him all the best in his mission. King Richard was amazed how heart felt it was to him. He knelt beside her, asking her what she is trying to say. She doesn't say anything or move.

She's become a statue…He thinks.

Then King Richard sighs, annoyed that she didn't speak. "Is it that you want to join me?"

Her nod surprised him and herself. This is not something she normally does but he does give her questions that she wanted answers to, such as why does he dream about the past when he wasn't even there? And why do his actions get to me?

There had been a very little number of humans till now that made her feel curious to the extent of staying with them. If only for a short while.

She knew very well that questions weren't a direction she wanted to take but accepting this proposal feels like the right thing to do right now.

"I prefer it if you didn't become a soldier, even though I've seen your...ten years ago, you tied up the person who tried to kill me, didn't you?"

He was close to her now, he could smell her. She needs a bath! He thought.

She nodded, confused on what he was thinking. Although he was right, she hadn't had a bath in a long time, she hadn't seen the need to have one. I won’t get sick and I don’t stay near people for them to get sick, she thought defensively. Why does he care so much that I should be clean!?

“But then...” He put his hands through her dirty hair, seeing her flinch and his hands stoped shortly after because of knots.  “You ran away. And I had worried over you. I wanted to know if you had gotten an antidote in time. I didn’t want to think you would have died because of me…But now that I see you are unharmed, I’m grateful. Thank you for saving my life.”

His close contact was scary to her, which wasn't an emotion that she was used to. Was it because I think he would continue to chase me? Even if that is so, why would that scare me, she thought, angry with herself.

Being a G.o.d, there wasn't anything to be scared about, but why him? It must be because I’m not used to being touched by others.

He lifted her head with his hand, so to look at her in the eyes and said, “You look the same as then too...how old are you?”

Her eyes looked wide but gave nothing away. Ten years ago, he had thought of her a mere child, but now, she looked all woman. How could that happen when she hasn’t changed!?

"Thirty years?" He asked as he trailed his thumb over her lips. They were soft to touch and he wondered what they would taste like.

Thirty years is such a brief time, she was thinking, trying not to listen to his ridicules thoughts.

Forgetting the conversation as she stared back, he brought her face to his and kissed her. He heard her sharp intake of breath but continued anyway.

He had never lost himself to a woman, never. Yet, kissing this maiden, had made him feel more then what the Queen had in twelve long years. She was dirty, had a smell that wasn't of flowers, clothes that didn't benefit her figure at all. And yet, he desired her.

When she shook her head, parting them, he wanted to pout, totally unsatisfied. His excitement just to kiss her totally astonished him. What would it be like to be with her in his bed? As he thought about it he had never felt such a desire before.

The spell had been broken though, and Mahnu blinked, trying to take control again. It was like something had flown into her chest and started fluttering about franticly! A human not only touched her...but kissed her!

Mahnu was...speechless! Remembering thoughts of women in the past about their first kiss, Mahnu could only feel embarra.s.sed. Is this what they were feeling too? She wondered.

The moments ticked by and he saw that she bowed her head again and silently thanked her as he cooled his own thoughts. What am I doing? He asked himself.

As he let out a frustrated sigh, one of his men came into the tent. “Your Majesty...”

When the knight saw her and the King on the floor they stopped short, asking if they had interrupted something important. The King glared at him, why did they charge in like that!? Am I being too lenient these days with my people!

King Richard sighed and asked the knights question again in his head, looking at his desire. He wanted to say yes, but felt himself start to blush, knowing there was no other reason to say yes other than that it was personal. And for a King who should look after his people first, how could that be more important then what the man has to say?

“No, we are finished. She will come back to the Conrella with us.”

The knight didn't respond but looked confused. The King stood up and held out his hand to the maiden. When she looked up at him, he remembered their kiss and felt his body start to heat again. Even just a look from her and he was dazzled!

There was something to look forward to, he thought, glad to be about to continue to see her.

Her not using his hand to stand silently herself, sent him back into the present.

After she left the tent, the King laughed. He didn't know how to react at all to her obvious dislike of him.

King Richard questioned again if it was dislike, or possibly indifference…or something else? He grunted unhappily.

My G.o.d, he sighed, how am I going to keep my hands of her?

When his men came in to report of the latest news from the capital, the King was momentarily saddened. It had been a long time since he forgot about matters at hand to think of something so totally unrelated to the people or land.

I want her back already, is it more like a selfish plea for pleasure...or torture! He questioned, grumbling again.

King Richard sighed, again glad that she was returning with him back to Conrella.

***