PROLOGUE
I was 12 when the war hit...
"Jann...Wake up my love. Your brother is about to leave", My mother's soft voice gently pulled me from sleep.
I sat up quickly, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes. I was equal part excited, equal part nervous.
It's been a year since we moved to Kresh from our apartment in the capital. Since my Papa came home one night, asked us to pack our things and moved us away from the vibrant Yarin to the tiny village of Kresh.
It was hard at first, especially on Fahd who wanted to go to university. It was better now. I had many friends.
Anyways Fahd was going to the city for university today, after months of him and my mama convincing my Papa. I was happy for him; Fahd was smart and wanted to be a doctor. Me not so much. I was happy with the village school and running around with my friends. Perhaps when I reached his age, I would be a fisherman. I love fish. But I would also miss my brother. Who would I share my candy with during the festival?
I got up from the mat to see him off. By the time I got to our tiny 'parlour', he was already dressed in his newest Kanda with a backpack and his beads around his wrist- he never went anywhere without his bead. He was standing by my father who folded his arms and had a small frown on his face, like he was unsure about something.
But I didn't care. I ran to him.
"When will you be back?", I asked. A small smile brushed his lips.
"Stupid question. I haven't even left. You want to steal my things, eh?", he said, making me grin.
"More flatbread for me", I said.
"Brat"
He ruffled my hair and I fought to escape his grasp. Fahd was very tall, and strong like my papa. My mama said it's because he's 5 years older and has had his 'growth spurt'. That'll have mine soon. I hoped so. I was tired of Qhlid calling me tiny.
Soon, my mama served us some flatbread and curry. We all ate on the floor as usual. Fahd kept me close to him throughout. After, my mama showered him with kisses and even cried a little. My papa was still silent with that look in his eyes.
When Fahd was finally set to leave, my papa finally broke his silence. He brought out a a small white pouch and forced it into his hands:
"Go well"
Fahd only nodded. Then turned to me and smiled.
"Hope you won't cry, hmm baby? And you will help Mama. Don't let her fetch water, ok? I'll be back soon but for now take this so you wont't miss me too much", he said as he removed 2 of his sacred beads I wasn't allowed to touch and put in on my wrist.
"Break them and not even Mama can save you", he warned.
I nodded quickly, excited. He smiled and ruffled my hair again before straightening and nodding at my father then kissing my mother.
Then, he was gone.
My father remained quiet even after he stopped being visible. Then he just walked off.
It was Saturday so no school. I was about to go play ball when my mother called.
"Ashqiel, go and walk the goats to drink water"
I wanted to complain but I remembered Fahd's words, so I agreed. As I went to get ready, I saw Fahd left one of his precious notebooks.
"Mama, Fahd left his book. He hasn't been gone long so as I go walk the goats, I'll look out for him and give it to him", I informed her.
"Ok, Jann. Just be careful and don't leave the village, ok?", She instructed.
"Ok"
I hadn't gone far when the gunshots started.
The goats startled at the loud sound, and I froze in shock. Then I heard another one which jolted me out of my fear.
I took a deep breathe. After all, gun violence wasn't uncommon in Qadan; significantly less here in Kresh than Yarin but it existed. It was probably the Zahkarim, Shar (short for Sharirun) Azrakin's gestapo.
Perhaps there was a curfew and we had missed it. However, it was mid-day? Well, I didn't linger to find out.
Letting the goats run(they'll find their way back home), I duck into a small thatch hut, where the ranchers keep hay.
It was tiny and the hay itched my skin as I barely fit inside but that was the last of my priorities as the sounds got louder.
I held my breathe, covered my ears and clutched the beads Fahd gave me.
Thirty minutes passed, and the shots continued. Strange. Curiosity got the best of me, so I crouched lower until my eye was at the small hole on the floor of the hut.
My first thought of the soldiers was they didn't look like Zahkarim. They looked like foreigners: covered head to toe, unfit for the harsh Qadan weather. They also spoke a foreign tongue.
Screams soon exploded. They tied some people up and seemed to be executing them. I held back a scream as the gunshots sounded. Laughter filled the space.
I aged ten years in that moment
My eyes widened and I physically had to hold back a scream when I saw the next victim.
Fahd. Bloodied and bruised. On his knees. A far cry from the tidy, excited young man from this morning. Yet the defiance in his eyes stuck with me. He looked at the soldier in disdain. Silent unlike the others. He had always been proud. Hated begging. So instead of pleading for mercy he spat on the soldier boot.
He got a kick in the head for his troubles. I thought I would die in that moment. Suddenly, his beads on my hands burned my skin.
I couldn't look at the gunshot. I only shut my eyes and sobbed.
Suddenly, the gunshots stopped and the sound of boots hitting the sand filled the air.
I barely waited five minutes before I dashed out of my hiding place.
Suddenly, it felt like I was in a desert of bodies. The sand wet with blood and the air ripe with the scent of the dead and dying. But I only had eyes for one person.
I knelt beside him, ignoring the blood that was soaking through my kethar. His body was faced down, his life seeping into the sand.
"Fah'd! Fah'd! Please get up Fah'd. Please. Mama will be upset. See I even brought your book. Please Fah'd", I pleaded tearfully, shaking him as hard as I could. Not caring about my bloody hands.
Then, I heard it. His voice. Weak. A far-cry from his usual deep timbre. He only said four words to me:
"Take this...Run Ashqiel"
His arm was stretched out and I saw the rest of his untouchable beads. Tearfully, I took them and ran home.
But they was no home....
Instead of a home, there was a fire. With those soldiers surrounding my father and my mother's screaming in the background. I was frozen to the spot.
Then, I locked eyes with my father. I barely registered the instruction on his lips before the axe came down..
RUN ASHQIEL!
So I did. I ran and ran and never looked back. Until my running landed me in the unfriendly land of Eisenholt. My new prison...
A/N: New book. Please show some love. I stopped the others because of low interaction. Please🥲
