The small blade fell from Rahim's hand with a clatter, though he barely
noticed the sound. With a flash of panic he realized their was blood on
his hand and suppressed the sick feeling the swelled up in his stomach.
It was a small amount, only painting the tips of his fingers, but it was
her blood.
Adonia stood hunched over in front of him
with her long hair falling over her shoulders and shadowing her face.
Rahim's eyes focused on where her hand clutched at her side, blood
oozing between her fingers from the gash. Rahim staggered back in horror
as fear and anguish rushed through him. She let out a ragged breath as
she lifted her gaze to meet his. Her pale green eyes bored into him with
disbelief like teeth into flesh. "Rahim?"
He winced at the pain in her voice. "I never meant to-"
"Get out." Her eyes were closed now and beads of sweat rested on her face and arms.
Rahim gaped at her, searching for words, but there were none he could
say to her now. Not after this. The thought that she might die- at his
hand- flashed through his mind. As fear sank its teethe into him his
limbs began to tremble.
Adonia faltered and Rahim moved
forward toward her, but she caught her balance on a small table just as
he reached her She shoved him away with her elbow as an ornate vase from
the table hit the polished floor with a crash. "Now!" she hissed.
He wanted to throw himself at her feet, but the fierce look in her eyes chased him from the room, too afraid to look back.
He ran from the chambers they had shared as quickly as his feet would
carry him, praying that it was all only an awful dream.
Rahim couldn't even remember drawing the small blade. He had held Adonia
in his arms only moments before, his fingers playing lightly at the
ends oh her long hair. Then, she had began to speak to him of politics.
Of what it had like to be the Sovereign of Nivahl.
They both
had been raised in the outer palace among the Chosen, children brought
up and taught as potential Sovereigns. All his childhood Rahim had
dreamed, and believed, that the when the time came the Elders would
coronate him as Sovereign. Adonia would have been his loving and
supporting wife, proud that her husband had been chosen to lead her
country. When the Elders made their announcement and called out Adonia's
name, Rahim had been knocked off balance. He remembered that she had
had little interest in becoming Sovereign. While he and the other
students studied and competed to impress their teachers, Adonia
preferred to ride horses or swim in the lake. But when she stepped
forward to receive the blessing of the previous Sovereign, a man well
aged by that time, she stepped forward with the calm serenity of a
leader. Love and jealousy sprang up unanimously in Rahim's heart as he
watched her climb the marble steps from where he keeled among his peers.
His fellow rejects. As time went on his jealousy ebbed past his love
and began to saturate every nerve vein and muscle in his body. Before he
realized what he was doing it, the knife had already tasted her skin.
The halls of the inner palace were empty aside from Rahim, but he
forced himself to slow to a walk to avoid rousing suspicion as he
approached the palace doors. They were painted bright red and decorated
with the golden shapes of birds and flowers. Two guards stood vigil
before them, eying Rahim with concern.
"Master Rahim," one said, "it is late. Is something wrong?"
"No," he answered breathlessly. "I just need some fresh air. I'm not
feeling well." He ignored their questioning looks and passed through the
doors with all the calmness he could gather though his hands still
shook.
Once outside he resumed running. Through the dark he
found his way to the palace stables. He slowed as he entered, wary of
the stable-hand sleeping in the loft above, and crept past the stalls
until until he came to the one that belonged to his horse he stretched
out an unsteady hand through the dark. When his fingertips met Agrah's
shoulder, the horse gave a start, then a soft nicker as he recognized
his master's scent.
Rahim flinched as shouts rang out
from the palace and the stable hand began to stir. They would be
looking for him now, and he had to there was little time to waste. He
slipped a bridle onto Agrah and unlatched the stall with shaky hands.
Without bothering with a saddle he scrabbled onto the grey stallion's
back and dug his heels into his flanks.
He pushed Agrah
harder than he ever had before, weaving through the buildings and high
walls of the city. He did not allow Agrah to slow until they were well
out of the city and Agrah's neck was speckled with lather. Twisting in
his seat, Rahim watched the dark night behind him watching for any sign
of pursuit. The shouts had long since faded as did his fear, leaving
behind only suffocating sorrow. He leaned forward gingerly and patted
the stallion's sweat-soak neck with an exhausted sigh. They would still have a long way to travel before they could stop to rest.
As the moon rose higher into the sky and Agrah trudged on through the
dry landscape, Rahim's thoughts began to fester. In the black night all
he could see were her eyes staring at him. Accusing him. Hating him.
Suddenly he was shaken by laughter until he nearly fell from Agrah's
back. When he readjusted himself he was somber once more, startled by
his own outburst. He dragged his fingertips across his face wearily. This cant be real, he thought grimly.
I will be sure to touch up the areas you mentioned.
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