COTN House of Karen Part 2

2. Mother's Love

Kiring looked at the old tower which used to be her home. Once it was a towering heights build into the side of the mountain using the sides of it as foundation and strengthen by the stones that deep down to the great lake below. The city of seven main tower surrounded the deep lake situated within the mountain. Its like a design of most dormant volcano, but there is a difference here. There is an island in the center of the lake where a smaller tower is situated and its not high like the rest but rather cone to the tip. That is not the only differences; the smaller tower is string to the others with monkey rope ladders.

But today, there are only three towers left which is not reduced to rubble, while the ones intact are in the state of derelict and devoid of inhabitants. The rubbles of the collapsed towers are seen partly beneath the lake surface.

"Why did you bring me here? This place gives me more pain than I can handle." The five days of traveling on the wagon was long and followed by the serpents but none attacked the wagon. The spell held well to deter them.

"Kiring, the best place to heal is home. This is your home."Shana explained to Kiring but the later lashed out.

"This was my Mother's home. I left it when she died. They discarded me as an outcast on her death. They said she cause them to lose the warrior' superiority over the others. My Mother was executed by them." Kiring cried out on the buried memory. She was taken by Malech on his pleading but later she found out the truth from others.

"Kiring, this is still your home. You are a Karen and remember that. Do not forget that. If what you know is the truth then restore the honor. Faced the one which caused you to be a discard." Shana point out to Kiring the tower in the center of the lake. "That is where you would find your own truth version."

Kiring turned her face away as tears come down on her cheek. Her right arm hold hard on the side of the wagon as her mind go back then.

"Malech, why are they not looking at me?" The child was on the wagon which Malech was holding the rein. She looked at the people who once knew her as the daughter of the High Council. She also used to play with their children but they pretend not to know her. She saw one other who tried to approach her, but the others stopped her.

"Malech, can I sit closer to you?" She had shifted her position to sit closer to the sorcerer.

"Its okay, child. No one would hurt you when I am here." They rode out that day and the last sight of the tower soon disappear as they crossed the summit and going down the other side. It was then the child was more chatty again as she see the new scenery before her.

"Is that a forest?" She points to the green trees that covers a wide expanse of land. She had already forgotten her previous home.

Kiring is now standing at the bottom of one of the intact tower watching the water lapped at the foundation. They have not seen any living Karen on the way down; only bones and more bones. Shana is looking for something to use to cross over. Kiring saw something which she can use; the double blade sword of the House. This sword is different; it has some etching on it which is reserved for the sword used by the Councilor. This one belongs to Jarek; a fellow Councilor of the House, and rival for Kiring' mother' position. Kiring picked up the sword and carried it with her.

"Kiring, there is a way to go over." Shana points to her. "There is a monkey ladder rope. Its still intact."

Kiring looked at the rope and she laughed.

"You expect me to climb that with one hand. Shana, I would not made more than a short distance before I fall down."

"Well, its that, or the swim across with them for company." Shana points to the lake and there are a large serpent there. Its five times their size and it look hungry. Its a Sea Serpent but how did it come here, would be the question that would be raised by everyone.

"Let me try. I am their Queen." Kiring walked to the edge again and she raised her right hand. She called out to the serpent and its coming forth but its moving fast. More like its going to attack her but Kiring stood her ground. Its coming in faster now, and the serpent is within striking distance.

"Stop!" Kiring shout out in rage. "I am your Queen."

The serpent raised its neck and its fang flared out from its jaw, but the serpent head remained poise in its attack. Its slowly closed its jaw and its hissed out with its forked tongue. Its picking up the scent of its queen and its slowly lowering its head. Its came down to the edge of the lake and the orb which its eyes stared at her. Its registering her in its mind and its bowing to the queen.

Kiring walked to the serpent and pat it on the jaw. She leaned down and kissed the scales there. The serpent moved forth slowly and laid its head against it mother who is also its queen.

"Neppy, I knew you would not betray me. Thank you for waiting for me here. Only you would know I would come back here. You are mother's favorite." She turned to look at Shana who is still standing in the tower. "You may come out now."

Shana walked out and the serpent raised its neck as its sensed danger. Not danger form Shana but who is rappeling down from the top. There are twenty of them and they are of Man; Red Guards. Not any Red Guards, but the elite division. The one division used in suicide missions, as these are the best and ruthless in nature. They are few of them, and this probably the last of them.

"Shana, the walls." Kiring point to the walls and the assassins coming down.

Shana looked up and then she called back.

"Go to the Tower. I will be fine." Shana disappeared into the Tower while Kiring looked back to the Serpent. She mount on top of the neck and the serpent turned back to the lake. Its slithered away on the surface to the island while the Red Guards are left standing there.

"You grown big, Neppy. You must be about ten times the height of Man, and you are coming to maturity. Was it only a short time when you were a little one. Tell me what happened to your sister, Meppy."

The answer came with the shouts of alarm on the lake edge. Meppy had made her appearance by attacking the Red Guards. She is a replica of Neppy but she has a dark mole on her right side of the jaw. She is battling the guards and she is winning as she is five times their size.

"Guess I would leave her there for now. We would get acquainted later. Proceed on Neppy."

Kiring got off the serpent on her arrival at the island. She pat the serpent but its slithering back to go join its twin.

"Be careful, Neppy. I love you." She called out to the serpent but its beyond hearing distance. Kiring could not let go of her maternal instinct. She looked at the departing serpent and she sensed something wrong.

"No!" She screamed out. She knows what it happening. Neppy is going for Meppy on a duel like before. They are twins but they never liked each other when its comes for mother's love. Kiring presence here is creating the coming battle and if she read Neppy' mind right, Neppy is upset at Meppy telling her that mother does not love her anymore.

Neppy rushed up the edge and rammed into Meppy who is biting a guard off by its lower torso. Meppy sensed the arrival of Neppy too late, as the other twin crashed into the side of her jaw. It made her drop her last victim when Neppy bite into her neck just below the jaw. Meppy shrieked out in pain and it lashing back by using its body to push the other twin off.

Neppy by then had coiled her body onto the land and it now using its body mass to pushed the other against the wall. It pushed its body to get the other be cramped in tight. Meppy finding itself in a disadvantage tried to pull away from the wall by slithering backward. It pulled away and it reared its head up to strike back but Neppy ever the more smarter one had pushed hard on the attack now lunged at Meppy' neck line again. Neppy' fangs sink into the flesh below the neck and she bite hard. Meppy shrieked out louder as this time the other twin is furious on the lies.

Neppy rise up again on releasing the neck and ready for the fatal bite on the head. It heard the call form across the lake, and it stopped on the move. It paused to hear its mother, and it looked at the injured twin. It closed it jaw and hissed out the tongue to scent the twin. It caught the familiar scent and the memories come back to ease the anger. It raised it neck to hear the call again. It felt the other slither closer to it and Neppy lowered it neck. It nudged the other serpent and then its head on top of the other.

Across the lake, a voice can be heard with soothing words for the two children. Kiring is singing a lullaby and though they could not know the words, but they can feel the vibrations of her voice.