Chapter 26: Ash

  According to law the only people who could be tried for crimes in Aidkjeen were adults. If a family had committed treason the ones of age would be punished for the crimes and the children would be given a quick death. Lest the Gods strike with anger at pure souls paying prices of guilty ones.

  The trial for the Aljehnis was almost over.

  Herom Aljehni was found guilty of training Stilits. Dharam Aljehni was guilty of aiding Babu Jian, and hiding the lost weapons. Amenah Aljehni had incited disobedience in the people causing death, as well as aiding Babu Jian.

  King Saamun rose from his chair and pulled Aaleyah to her feet. “Despite this family’s gut wrenching betrayal, I will allow this one to live. After all she is the one who admitted her family’s guilt. She shall be acquitted after she puts in writing the crimes of her family.”

  Aaleyah tried to move out of the king’s hold. “Your majesty please, I will not. I can not! ‘The bonds of family shall withstand ocean waves, and storms of sand.’” She quoted the ancient text.

  “It is due to the bonds of family that you will live. My grandson only found value in your life. All others are counterfeit.” King Saamun unsheathed a guard’s sword and aimed it at Roset.

  “No!” Everyone moved, Amenah reached for the collar of Roset’s robe, her finger slid across the linen before she was pulled back.

  Herom’s bloody arm reached out ignoring the kick in his back to pull Roset towards him. His fingers found the familiar place on their baby brother’s neck and Roset fell asleep once more.

  Aaleyah slipped out of the king’s grasp and bolted up the two stairs as Dharam’s body fell over.

  King Saamun’s words froze Aaleyah’s movements. “Until the youngest female Aljehni writes the guilt of her family, Third Lord Dharam Aljehni will experience the First Karma.”

  Her body shook and guards held her siblings back as two men began to kick Dharam.

  “No, stop! You will kill him!” Amenah screeched.

  Other than slight intakes of breath Dharam did not make a sound.

  The 10 Karmas, otherwise known as the Ten Curses of the Human Soul. The first five were to attack the body, and the next destroyed the soul. The First Karma was to be kicked and beaten. Second Karma was to be punched with no way to protect oneself. Third Karma was to be whipped. Fourth was to be branded with hot iron. Fifth was stabbing, and by then the person would be dead.

  Amenah was beside herself as she fought to get out of the guards hold. Chains were placed around her arms. Forced on her knees the guards stepped on her legs to hold her in place.

  “Aaleyah, just do it! Please he will die, he can not take anymore. Ley Ley!” Amenah wailed. “It is too late for us, no matter what you argue we will not make it, write the confession.” Amenah pled, the latter of the sentence was spoken in the old tongue and Aaleyah struggled to breathe between her sobs.

  Aaleyah tearfully turned to the king. “I will write, please stop hurting him. I will obey,” she shook with restrained sobs.

  King Saamun lazily raised his hand and the guards ceased their kicks. Aaleyah stared, unable to breathe until she saw that Dharam’s chest rose and fell.

  A scroll was dropped on the ground in front of Aaleyah and a brush thrust in her hand. She lifted her hand to write. Her tears dropped on the scroll mixing with the ink blurring the words and the king rubbed his temple.

  “Give her a new paper. Little Aljehni, if you can not write properly we can continue our punishment,” he spoke in a bored manner, but as Aaleyah forced her tear stained face to look at him, she could see humour in his gaze.

  “Ley Ley, breathe. It will be alright. You are not betraying us. Our Family Head is saving us from pain,” Herom comforted in their language.

  Aaleyah’s chin trembled as she responded in their language. “I wish to go to the sycamore tree,” she whimpered.

  A guard kicked Herom’s side. “His majesty asked for you to speak Aidjeeken.”

  Aaleyah wiped her tears, her nails scratching her cheek and her eyes drifted to Dharam. Her hand splattered paint as it shook. Action or inaction would give Dharam pain, there had to be a way out. She just needed to think!

  The king peered over her shoulder. “You must state your name clearly. Do you lack intelligence?” She stumbled as his knee pushed into her back. “And to write with your left, truly a lucky being,” he snided.

  “Aljehni sword dance requires two,” Aaleyah answered stupidly. The king did not care.. The Aljehni sword dance utilized the left and right, mixed with kicks and attacks with the sheath of the sword, all her siblings could use both hands. Asbed studied to be a scholar and mostly used his right, but her other brothers wrote with their left.

  “Write what I tell you. I, Fourth Lady Aaleyah Aljehni-”

  Moving the brush to her right, Aaleyah clutched her wrist to stop her hand from shaking unaware that her entire body shook. She vibrated faster than the insects that sang throughout the night. Her tears became a puddle on the wooden stage.

  “Ley Ley,” Dharam weakly exhaled from the floor. Their pained eyes met and she understood what he wished to say. Understood he was telling her it was okay, it was not her fault. Just earlier that day he took arrows to get her to safety. He fought with all he had. His wounds were a testament of his desire for her safety. He was going to die for her then, and he was willing to die for her now.

  Aaleyah focused on the scroll and wrote the words the king told her, her heart darkening. Her family was wrong. Dharam was wrong. It was her fault entirely.

  The Lord of the Heavens was merciful. Her father said that he loved everyone as his own child. Would the Heavenly Lord look at her with the disappointment her father had given her this past moon? Would he see her actions in this moment as a sense of betrayal? When her family goes to the peaceful realm, will she be denied entrance? Will the Lord of the Heavens give up on her for sentencing her family to death? Aaleyah dared not look at the sky to find out.

  What of the Old Gods? Would they revoke her reincarnation and sentence her to a millennium of fire?

  “Daughter of Scholar Havil Aljehni, and General Amenah Medes,” the king continued. Aaleyah numbly followed. If she was lucky maybe she would suffer the 10 Karmas. Then she would need not worry about what would befall her after death. With her own hand Aaleyah framed her family, with her own words she sentenced them to death.

  “Sign it. Quickly!” The king’s excitement was palpable.

  As he smiled in glee Aaleyah began to wonder. How many moves would it take to slit his throat?

  Her family was already convicted for false crimes, why not make it true? Her eyes trailed to Duke Majidi, the whip rolled and hung loosely at his side. She could not move faster than him, but she had never felt every muscle in her body desire to take a life so badly.

  The scroll was signed and the king ripped it off the ground. “Perfect..” With great care he placed the scroll on a tray and twirled with flair to face her. “For your work you can choose the order.”

  His words distracted her thoughts of killing. “Oder?”

  The King motioned for the chair he sat in to be taken away. “Of how they die. This is not a choice given to treasonous criminals, what I grant you tonight is a privilege.”

  His words, his smile, his name; her mind begged to kill him. Even if she were to die as well, there was nothing she needed more, nothing she longed for than to have him bleed and break the way she was. The way Dharam was!

  From the side, Duke Majidi’s deep voice sounded. His blank eyes trained on her as if he read the hatred on her face. “Thank the king.”

  Aaleyah’s eyes fell to her hands, she had written their deaths, but now with her voice she had to sentence them as well? Would he tell her to swing the sword next?

  Her shoulder stung and her skin ripped under the material of the Duke’s whip. “Thank his majesty,” the duke repeated.

  Her heart burned as it beat, the tight sensation pulsed a feeling she had never felt. Her eyes watered not with sadness, not with despair; but something far greater. Killing the king would not be enough to slow the excruciating burning of her chest

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  “Thank you,” Herom blurted out from the stage. “His majesty has shown his true self, this servant will never forget.”

  The king did not catch the bitter tone in Herom’s words, or maybe he ignored it. He stepped back with a warm smile as he motioned for men to exit. “If not you, I shall act for you.”

  Her ears twitched with each step he made out of the courtyard.

  Duke Majidi followed and other than the eight guards that remained, it was just Aaleyah and her family on the stage.

  “Ley Ley. Legacy is important. It is the reason you had to make it out, the reason you have to live now. As the Aljehni Head you must carry on the legacy,” Herom said in the old language. At this point the guards were too busy hitting the sides of their heads to notice. Her sibling would not fight back anyway. Amenah had been released and held Dharam loosely in her chained arms. Herom knelt on his knees, and Asbed did the same, a perfect replica of their older brother.

  “No,” Aaleyah’s desperation stole her air. “I am not strong enough. No die-no-not you.”

  “Ley Ley, Lord of the Heavens will not blame you. This guilt will not be on your hands.” Zale cupped his bruised wrist.

  Unable to stand, she crawled to Zale’s side to pull him into her arms. “No. We came to the world together, we must not leave apart.” She cupped his injured wrist.

  Zale leaned his head on her shoulder and the fabric there grew wet with tears. “I am to be the protector; allow this to be my first and last act.”

  She stiffened. “As the family head I order you not to leave me.”

  “I wish it worked like that too,” he whimpered.

  “Ley Ley,” Herom called.

  Moving her eyes in his direction she saw the reason for the call.

  Roset was beginning to stir.

  “Ley Ley, it has to be him,” Herom’s voice was too gentle. A tone that once taught her to hold the blade correctly was now telling her to kill her brother.

  He had to be first, otherwise he would wake to the blood of his family being spilled. Roset did not deserve that.

  Zale sat up to face her. “We will say it at the same time.”

  Aaleyah said nothing. Her eyes on Roset’s rising and falling chest. His closed eyes and serene face filled her own chest with ice. Was there a name for someone who murdered their own blood?

  Herom turned to guard behind him. “Nigol, will it be you who strikes?”

  Nigol? Aaleyah recognized the name, Herom once spoke of a promising talent.

  The Nigol in question tilted his head at an unnatural angle, his lips upturning into a smile. “I am loyal-”

  “- to the Aljehnis. I know.” Herom finished. “My family is not strong enough to accept such loyalty.”

  Zale gripped her hand as they sentenced Roset.

  Nigol did not swing his blade to decapitate Roset. Instead his sword went clean through her little brother’s chest. Roset never saw it coming. She did not have to see his small golden eyes fill with dread.

  Chiara screamed in horror, her hand failed to stifle her despair.

  Aaleyah locked eyes with Herom. How was he so strong?

  Herom smiled at her unaware of the tears trailing down his cheeks.. “None of this is your fault Ley Ley. Our family is proud of you.”

  “Ley Ley, you grant us mercy. Otherwise it would be someone else,” Asbed finally spoke. His body shook with held back grief that could only confirm her monstrous fate.

  “Dharam.”

  Amenah and Aaleyah sucked in a breath at Herom’s order.

  Dharam opened his eyes with a broken smile. “I am already- I- almost gone.”

  His haggard breaths. Bloody body. Ashen face. It was proof. Her brother Dharam truly was at death’s door.

  “Together!” Amenah pulled Dharam to her chest, her arms snaked around him like a snake. “We go together! Take us together! Please!” Her eyes wildly looked at Herom, her breathing faster as she turned to Aaleyah. “Please!”

  The more Amenah cried the more hysterical she became. The guards hit their heads harder and Nigol stepped forward, the eerie smile on his face did not match his teary eyes. He swung his blade and suddenly Aaleyah only had four siblings left.

  “Aaleyah, I-I-I” Chiara did not finish because her sobs overwhelmed her. Her wails loud, her body fell forward slamming her fist onto the ground. “Not your fault. Ley Ley! I do not blame you! Ley Ley I love you!” Her words came as sobs and pounds on the wood. “I promise. You are talented, smart- the one who has to continue the Aljehni name.” The more she spoke the more crazed her words became, her fists painted red with her blood. Her wails came from deep with her diaphragm, “Me next, take me! I can not watch anymore. I do not wish to see anymore!”

  Asbed fell from his kneeling position, no longer able to mimic his older brother, his body broke with silent sobs.

  Zale loosened Aaleyah’s fists. One finger at a time he pulled her nails from her bleeding palms. Together they sentenced Chiara to death, then Asbed.

  There was only Herom and Zale left. The silence on the stage made it hard to breath, hard to move.

  No one made a sound, even the wind dared not blow.

  “You did not read all the scrolls yet, you are both too young,” Herom started in the old language, breaking the silence. “The Family Head and the Protector are always twins, you knew this. But that is because within both of you the stone cultivates. When you become adults the stone will become tangible. As of now it lives within the both of you.”

  “Why do you say this now?” Zale asked and Aaleyah ordered herself to listen. These would be his last words, may he speak forever and save her from this darkness.

  “When Zale dies the power will return to you. Because you are still a child it will be painful. Ley Ley promise me you will fight through it. Promise you will not give up.” Herom lifted his battered body from the floor, leaning all his weight on one leg.

  “Your words, this means that-that Zale is next?” Aaleyah clutched onto Zale’s hand. Everytime she thought she had no tears left to cry her body proved her wrong.

  “Because of your connection, it may be less painful if you are the one who kills him.” Herom limped towards them, his hand ruffled their hair. “As long as I am here they will not give you a weapon.” Leaning down he kissed their foreheads and limped backwards.

  “No!” Zale and Aaleyah yelled in sync.

  “What is life if not a circle? What starts and ends will always begin again. What was once lost will always be found. Remember my words, it has to be you who kills Zale, otherwise the pain will be too much.” Herom opened his arms and Aaleyah and Zale watched as the blade ran through his chest. Blood sputtered from his mouth as he fell to his knees. His body heavily hit the ground.

  Nigol pulled his sword out and walked towards them.

  Zale weakly pushed Aaleyah behind him, but Nigol dropped his sword on their feet. “I am loyal t-to the Aleje-jehni,” he gritted out painfully. His eyes glanced past them and Aaleyah followed his gaze upward into the shadows.

  At Nigol’s silent command all the guards stepped off the stage.

  Aaleyah stared at the darkness, refusing to meet Zale’s eyes. Kill Zale or the pain would be too much? It was already too much! Everything was too much!

  As the sound of night picked up again, and the insects made their music under the moonlight, Zale lifted the blade, the scraping off the wood heard as he leaned on her shoulder to push himself back to a standing position.

  Leaving the shadows, Aaleyah fearfully lifted her eyes to the sky. Lord of the Heavens. Please. If you are listening, if you are watching. Please, please do something. Grant me strength. She silently prayed. There was no heat in her body, no ice. She no longer felt her heart beat, or her lungs breathe. All she felt was fear. Not Zale. Heavenly Lord, please not Zale.

  Zale placed the hilt of the sword into her hand.

  Her hand burned the moment the hilt touched her palm. Soaked in blood, her siblings' blood. Their blood would never leave her hands. “I hate swords,” she whispered flatly.

  “I know.”

  The blade was heavy, her muscles ached to hold it. How strong did one have to be to hold a blade at their loved one?

  “Ley Ley, you must never allow others to learn that they have won, that they could break you.”

  “They have broken me.” Her eyes stared at the hilt in her hand. The red that dripped off it.

  “No. Winners learn to conceal their fear of defeat. That is the way an Aljehni wins, and Ley Ley; you have to win!” He lifted the blade towards him.

  “Zale-” Her hand grips the blade.

  “You can do it. You have to do it.”

  Aaleyah watched a drop of blood pool, and fall to the wooden floor. A darkened spot of wood caught her attention at Zale's feet. His tears dropped faster than the blood on the blade.

  How could he tell her she could do it? How dare he pretend not to feel broken? Her idiot twin who gave her his jackets, and failed to cook rice. The stupid boy who insisted on playing the lyre. If she had known it would end like this she would have never argued. She would have learned the instrument alongside him. She would have been the best sister. She would have-

  The blade gleamed in the moonlight, and her hand faltered, the blade tilting.

  Zale gave a teary smile and lifted the blade, slicing his hand as he yanked it to thrust into his chest.

  The moment the blade cut him Aaleyah could feel her chest explode as if her veins were being ripped apart and doused in fire. “Zale!”

  He pulled her into a hug, the blade digging into his body. She could hear his sharpened breaths as he held her close.

  Blood rose into her throat and she coughed it up over his shoulder. “Let me go, Zale let go. We have to stop this!” She fought to get out of his hold but as he whimpered in pain her body froze.

  “I only pray,” his whispers carved into her heart, “I pray you find another protector.”

  His words breathed on her neck as his weight became heavier, sinking to the ground, his arms finally released her from his hold. Falling with him his blood burned as it coated her arms. With a shaky hand she pulled the sword out before holding him tightly in her arms once more.

  The world around her turned golden, her eyes burned and somewhere a sound was so loud she could not breath. Only after inhaling once more did she realize it was her screaming. In her arms Zale seemed to be smiling.

  Her body leaned over Zale’s, her mouth opened as her heart sank but this time no sounds escaped her. Her silent scream ripped through the last threads of sanity she had left.