COTN House of Karen Part 1

Fourth Part

The House of Karen

1. Recovery

Kiring sat by herself at the pond when they took their rest. Shana has gone off to look for fruits to feed their hunger, while Kiring' condition could only make her wait here. Kiring looked at herself in the reflection and she could hardly recognised the face on the water. Her once proud braided hair is now short cropped but it covers only half her scalp. The scarred left side is deprived of hairs and now covered by wrinkled skin. She looked down to the left shoulder and set her sight on her missing limb. Shana had to removed it to stop the infection from spreading to her heart.

Kiring cried out on the loss of her arm, then and now again.

"Kiring, its time for your potion." Shana placed her hand on right shoulder of Kiring but the warrior shrug her shoulder.

No more potion........." but Kiring did not get to complete the sentence. She has been sedated by Shana with the pin needle into her shoulder. Kiring slump onto the ground in a deep sleep.

"Sorry, Kiring. Its for your own good. You are not ready to face your new reality." Shana dragged the warrior to the shade and leaned her against the tree trunk. "Sleep well. Its time to dream now."

"Kiring, its time to come home." Kiring heard her mother but she is in the middle of perfecting her spell to levitate the stone. Her innocent mind at the age of five is not strong to control the thoughts but she is determined to try. She been failing to concentrate on the spell as her mind find too many distraction. She shut them off as much as she can. Most she can beat over, but not her mother who is more powerful than any spells.

"Kiring, this is your mother. I am also the most powerful person in the House of Karen. When I called out, or even whispered their name; they come running and fall to their knees. You are not an exception." The lady who speaks dressed in a long red silky gown with a plunging neckline laced together to hold her bosom high. Around her waist is the bejeweled belt with four mini daggers as they are the length of the finger than the full hand. Some may mistaken them for steel darts but they cut instead of prick. That is not all, but her hair is braided length lead to below her waist.

"No, mother. I am the exception. All your children are warriors except for me. I am the one dabbling in spells and playing with toads. And serpents too. The roaches I feed to the birds." That made her mother laughed out loud.

"Ever the exceptional one. You are lucky that I only have you. My other children are mine by command and not by blood." Kiring mother is the Head of Council for the House of Karen. Her personal guards are loyal to her and considered by her as her own children.

Kiring hugged her mother as any child would do. Both the mother and daughter walked to the Dining Hall. On their way there, one of the Council guards came to her.

"Head Councilor, we have a situation. There is a guest from the House of Genoe. He give his name as Malech."

Kiring had her supper alone. It was only later that her mother appeared and she looked distressed. Kiring watched as her mother take the seat next to her. The Head of Council took the goblet of goat's milk and drank it down.

"Yuck! I never did like milk. I am sorry that you have to consumed it but its supposed to be good." The look on the mother' face is worth the words. "I have some news to talk to you. You need to know as one day you would inherit this position."

"Mother, I am trying to be a sorceress, not any Councilor. I want to be more than you ever would be. I want to be greater." Kiring stood up in showing her aspiration but her mother like any mother never take any tantrums from their kids. The Head of Council glared at her and raised her voice.

"Kiring, behave or you would be in the chamber for a spell." Kiring' mother stomped out leaving her daughter in tears. Kiring was not to know the gravity of the issue at hand then. She next met her mother three days later in the Main Hall. Her mother is dressed in her blue robe with the emblem of the Karen Logo on it alongside of her belt waist. During that three days, she watched as guards and servants rushed through the chambers. She discovered that her mother and the rest of the Councils has personal guards behind them.

"House of Karen, please listen to me. We are at the verge of war with the Serpents; our old foe for over five centuries. There is a new Set on the throne and above all, they are strong in numbers. The Man has asked us to answer their call of unity. I was told of that by the Genoe sorcerer and he sounds out his reasons well. House of Karen, we are to marched to war."The house roar to her words but Kiring did not even get within arm lengths of her mother. For those few moments of her early life, Kiring felt she needed her mother as her birth mother.

"Mother!" but her call was not heeded. Her mother is needed elsewhere with all her other children.

"Kiring, you need to wake up now." Kiring opened her eye to see Shana overlooking her.

"You are with me. You were dreaming." Shana helped the recovering warrior to see the current environment. Her mind now setting back to reality and the realization of her current state in her body, put her back into shock. Shana placed a potion to the mouth and forced Kiring drink it.

"You would be fine soon." Kiring slumped back to sleep as Shana sat back to figure who would last the ordeal; she or Kiring. Kiring would need a more conducive place like her own home. It was then Shana noticed the new oncoming threat from the nearby trees; they are slithering down the branches and trunk as more serpents are appearing from the trees.

"Serpents! I hate you all." Shana took out a potion from her robe. She throw it to the air and she then chant a spell which would bring the elements she want. Its the wind which build up to a small tempest that lashed out with its arms to the trees and flinging the serpents to far distance.

"She belongs to me." Shana dragged Kiring again to the shade. She then sat down to think of how to move this mass to her home.

"Perhaps I can help." Shana turned to see who was one who spoke.

"Hello, Malech. How long you been following us?"

Malech laughed out loud. He walked over and then crouched down next to Kiring.

"How is she?" I just caught up with you half an hour ago. I saw the serpents and I wanted to hit them but you played a spell from Artoo. She need to be moved?" Malech after his soul searching decided to make sure of the health of Kiring.

"Yes, to her own place. The Tower of Karen."

"Shana, the Tower has been destroyed as what I was told. So why there? Kiring left the place after her mother died. She told me she did not want to go back.

"Kiring, my name is Malech. I am sorry about your mother. She died for a cause." The child is hiding in a dark corner holding onto her mother's red silky gown. "Could I sit down sith you? Its been a long day."

The child nodded and Malech crawled in next to her. They sat there for some time before the child slept on the lap of the sorcerer. He hymn these words to soothe down her fear.

Few want, few wished for the crisis wars to cease,
More that nations restored to unity an' peace;
There is also a wish of a child her and there

Who wished the return of her father who would turn the road.

His name was called to cross the distance between 
A reunion she yearn for the warmth of being held

But that departure from it would need to wait

Her father is not stopping in his walk

She cried her name and tears to dropped

She cling to his legs and yet they move

As if they are drawn by others that even love

Cannot stop the calling from even her daughter.

Sorry my love, the crisis wars wont' cease

Its my fate to continue my fight for us

In defend of our home and also your life.

Wait for me my child; your parents would unite

I promised you and also your mother

Your brother needs my protection and care

His brash attitude to join without my knowing

His life may may be mine to save as I give his.

Yet, I plead for the others to heed mine

If I am to fall, please tell my loves

That I did aim to come back but

I cannot now, so please take care of them for me.

I can only looked as he leave the road

The dust now settled the memories fresh

Another love come to hold me

She replaced the one who just left.

Held her close, my love

I am at tears myself but I must

Bring our family home all altogether again

I hope not to failed you too.

Malech leaned own to laid his lips on Kiring. He then looked up at Shana.

"I would help you to ensure she is fully recovered. I promised her once before." He then ran off but he promised that he would return. He did with a wagon pulled by two horses.

"Take it and bring her there. I have other matters to attend. I have also placed some spells to protect your journey from the serpents." Malech soon stand there to see the wagon take the two ladies to the Tower of Karen.