Chapter 1
In Persia: 512 BC
"Momma, where's Jeffery? He said he would be here before I went to sleep.", a little girl, no older than six said to her mother. She had her little arms crossed over her chest with her bottom lips pouted out. Her curly black hair hanging loosely around her shoulders. She had a round face with big green eyes. She wore a simply night gown that went down to her knees. She was sitting in her little bed with the covers thrown to the foot of the bed.
"He's with your father. They will be back in the morning, now go to sleep little one.", her mother smiled. She was a beautiful woman, with long black hair that matched her daughter's. Her face had a gentle expression on it. Her big brown eyes were watching the little girl with amusement. She was a thin but not to thin woman. "Tell you what, if you go to sleep now, I will make you what ever you want for breakfast tomorrow. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"
"Momma you are just trying to trick me to go to sleep and forget about Jeff, aren't you?"
"No no dear, I only do whatever makes you happy.", she smiled innocently. The daughter looked at her with curiosity in her eyes. She searched her mother's face for any deceit. She found none. She smiled at her mother and giggled.
"Alright momma, I will do as you say, but you must keep the promise, yes?"
"Yes, now go to bed. If your father sees you up at this hour he will not be pleased with you nor I.", she said as she tucked her daughter in. The little girl nodded in agreement and snuggled into her bed some more. Her mother kissed her on the forehead and took the candle that was sitting on her little side table. She walked to the door and turned around to look at her daughter once more. The little six-year-old had already fallen sound asleep. The mother smiled at her precious daughter. "Good Night, Nasrim. Sweet dreams little one.", she whispered before walking out of the room and into her own.
She could be a handful sometimes with out Jeffery, the oldest and only son. They were close, even though Jeff was six years older than her, he took great care of his little sister. He made sure she ate and came home on time, tucked her in every night that he was home. He even helps with bathing her when their mother couldn't do it. He was a great older brother and she loved him dearly. Lately though, Jeff has been distant. He has been too tired to do any of that with her because of their father.
Their father is a soldier of the Persian Army. Ever since he had come back from the second battle they had with Greece, he has been distant some how. He takes no notice of Nasrim anymore, just Jeff. Jeff noticed it as well. Nasrim on the other hand, hasn't. She figures her father is busy, since he's a soldier and the King calls on them at random for something or another.
The sound of horses coming broke her out of her thoughts. She walked over to the window and peeped through to see who it was. It was her husband and son coming around the house. She sighed and smiled to herself. She was happy that they returned home safely. She heard them come through the front door with their bags and swords.
"Raasha!"
"Quiet Arman! Nasrim just fell asleep."
"Don't tell me to be quiet. Know your place woman!", he spat back. Jeff looked at his mother with sympathetic eyes. She just gave him a reassuring smile.
"Jeffery, have you eaten anything?", she asked softly. He nodded sleepily at his mother in response. She smiled and said, "Why don't you go to bed. You look tired."
"That's a good idea, I'm exhausted. Goodnight mother, father.", he said politely and walked off. He walked through their little clay home until he came to his room. He dropped his things and went over to his bed. Just about when he was going to fall on it, he remembered his promise to his little sister. He slowly walked out of his room and into hers.
Nasrim was sound asleep, snoring lightly. Jeff couldn't help but giggle at his baby sister. Once he stepped closer though, Nasrim's eyes flew open, ready to attack. Jeff merely chuckled at her again. She always had a good sense of who was near her, and because of this, it was impossible to sneak up on her. Her senses were all acute. She could hear a pin drop from across the road.
"Relax Nasrim. It is just me," Jeff stated. She looked over at him, knowing exactly where his presence was in the room. It was pitch black, but there was little light in the room.
"Jeffery!", she smiled. He walked over to her bed and opened his arms for her to jump into. She leaped to him and wrapped her little arms around his neck. After a minute or two, she let go and looked at him sternly. She then smacked him on the right shoulder, catching him off guard.
Jeff was confused. He rubbed his shoulder and asked, "What is wrong little one. You are not please to see me?"
"I am, but you broke our promise.", she pouted.
Jeff crossed his arms. "Yes, you are right. I did break our promise. I am sorry. Please forgive me."
I will, but if you play with me all day tomorrow", she smiled. Jeff chuckled and nodded in agreement. Upon seeing him nod, Nasrim began jumping up and down on her bed. Jeff laughed and stopped her before she hurt herself or worse, get their parent's attention that she was still awake. "Well, you better get some sleep. We will have a long day ahead tomorrow."
"Yes we will. Goodnight Nasrim.", she said gently. She smiled and climbed into bed. Jeff tucked her in for the second time tonight. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and the walked over to the door.
"Good night Jeffery." she said sleepily. She snuggled into her pillow and before Jeff knew it, she was asleep again.
Jeff sighed and walked back to his own room. Once there he stripped his cloths of, leaving his pants and jumped on his bed. Today was a long day, traveling back from the desert was hard since it was in the middle of summer, but his father wanted to train him for battle. He let out a long and slow breath and calmed himself. Tomorrow will be long as well, spending the whole day with his six year old sister was tough but at least it would be fun. He shut his eyes and instantly felt the sleep coming over him. He smiled as he thought of the torture his little sister would have for him.
It wasn't long before something else woke Nasrim up: the sound of galloping horses and men yelling. She jolt up and jumped our of bed heading straight for her brother's room. When she got there, Jeff was already awake and sitting up. She jumped up and gave him a hug.
"Jeffery? What is happening?"
"I do not know. Come let's go to father and see what he says.", he replied. He got out of bed and picked Nasrim up, carrying her to the door. However, once they got in the hallway, the front door busted wide open revealing five soldiers barging in. Jeff was frozen in his tracks. He quickly ran to his parents room and shut their door.
"Father! There are soldiers in our house. I just saw them!"
"Yes calm down Jeffery! They are from Greece herself coming to spill Persian blood. But not tonight, yes?"
"Yes Father. They will not get the chance."
"That's my boy. Now come we must get to them before they get to us. Nasrim, you stay here with your mother, and no exceptions!", he ordered. He glanced at her and then gave his wife a quick peck on the lips. He then ran out to his bag and got out his sword and dagger. He threw his extra sword to Jeff who caught it easily and ran over to the door. Jeff followed him and charged into the fight.
Nasrim was scared out of her mind. She never heard anything like this. Jeff had shut the bedroom door after he had left, so she couldn't see anything but she heard everything. She heard screams and yells of men coming from the other side of the house. Nasrim began to tremble as she her little imagination started kicking in. She began to worry about her brother and father. She felt her self being lifted and set into her mother's lap.
"Shh… it's alright Nasrim. Your father and brother are great fighters, they will take care of them.", her mother cooed. She gently began brushing the little girl's hair. Just as Raasha got her calm, the door flew open again. A soldier had gotten past Arman and Jeff. He came charging at the two females in the bed.
Raasha grabbed her daughter and dodged the man's Blade to the left. She set her daughter down and told her to stay behind her. Nasrim could feel something was wrong in the way her mother was talking to her. She stared at the soldier coming closer to them with wide eyes. She could see there was some blood on his sword. "I hope that's not papa's or Jeff's blood", she thought as he came closer. The crimson liquid was dripping on the the bed and floor.
"Now which one should I take first?"
"Take me, forget her. She is nothing but a child!", Raasha yelled. The soldier had enough and he grabbed Raasha and threw her on the bed. Nasrim watched as her mother struggled against the man. She didn't know what to do except protect her mother some how. An idea popped into her little head. She ran over to her father's bag and grabbed an spare dagger sitting at the bottom. Running back over to the man, she stabbed him in the leg that was pinning her mother down. He screamed in pain and fell off Raasha. Nasrim watched him pulled the dagger out get off the bed.
"You little brat! I will make you pay!", he yelled. Nasrim wanted to run but her legs weren't listening to her. All she could do is back up into the corner. Raasha watched as the man was closing in on her daughter. She rolled over to see that the soldier had forgotten his sword with her on the bed. She grabbed it and got off the bed. She stabbed in the lower back just in time to save her little girl. Nasrim watched the man's eyes grow wide and then close. He fell over to his right side, opening a way to her mother.
"Nasrim come here.", her mother said. She ran over and began crying into her mother's chest. "Shh, it's alright. He is dead, we won't hurt us now, but we must get out of here, okay?"
"Yes… but if we go out there, will we not be in danger again?"
"No, your father and brother will let nothing happen to us. Now come, we must be going now, before we get trapped in here again.", she replied. She felt her daughter nod in her arms and smiled. She lifted her up and kept her head held in her hand, gently pressing Nasrim's forehead into her shoulder. Nasrim had wrapped her little arms and legs around her mother as far as they would let her.
Raasha carefully walked over the dead soldier's body and then headed to the door. She stopped and listened to what was happening outside the room. There was no noise coming from the other rooms in the house. She nodded to herself and slowly opened the door. She checked if it was clear and walked out cautiously down the hallway of their small house. She made it to the family room. There were bodies all sprawled across the room. Their furniture was ruined, broken and bloody. She walked into the kitchen to see that the fight had also came in here. There were two dead bodies bleeding in the corner by the oven.
Raasha had seen enough, and she didn't want her little six-year-old to see the carnage in their house. She decided that she would get out of the house and go somewhere where she knew both Arman and Jeff would find them later. She walked back out of the kitchen and headed straight to the door.
Once outside, something happened that no one of this family would ever forget. Raasha had walked right into a Greek soldier. He watched as she backed away once she realized who he was. Nasrim had turned around when her mother had hit something. Her eyes widened in fear as she saw another greek soldier. He smiled and began advancing on the both of the.
Nasrim saw her father come up behind the greek. He charged right at him. The soldier on the other had, had different plans. He pivoted out of the way of Arman's sword. It happened so fast. All Nasrim knew was that there she was falling and there was a sharp pain in her leg. When she hit the ground, there was a scream that pierced all worlds. At first she thought it was her own, but she soon realized it wasn't her. It was her mother.
She looked up at where her mother was standing in front of her. The image she saw before her would be imprinted in her mind until the day she died. There her mother and father stood, face to face. The only thing disturbing: her father's sword piercing her mother's abdomen. Jeff came to his sister's aid. He looked in horror as he saw the same image. They watched as their mother fell into their father's arms. She leaned on him and her eyes closed. Their father whispered something to her and she nodded. Then he pulled the sword out of her, throwing it the ground beside him. He fell down with her in his embrace.
"Raasha?"
"I am fine, Arman. I am in no pain. I fear you have hurt Nasrim though.", she whispered. She turned her head towards her children. "Jeffery? How is she?"
"She… she has a… a deep cut on her thigh."
"Take care of it will you?"
"Yes mother, I will. You just rest."
"Yes, that is what I need to do.", she smiled. "I love the both of you, my children. Never think for a one second I never did, alright? Good.", she said lovingly. She turned her attention back to her husband. "Take care of them. The both of them. Do not forget that Nasrim is your child too…"
"Raasha? RAASHA!"
"I am here Arman, no need to yell.", she whispered. Her eyes had closed and her breathing had become shallow. Arman knew he was losing his wife. It was a matter of time before he lost her. He held her firmly in his arms, cradling her in her last moments. "I love you, arman…", she said finally. Then, she left just as fast as she came. Her breathing and heartbeat had stopped. She bled all over him but that wasn't his concern. She had left him, the only love he truly knew, was gone. She had left him with two little children to care for. He couldn't believe it. He just broke down. He cried and screamed, cursing the man that caused this. Not himself, the soldier.
Nasrim watched as the only true parent she knew, vanished before her. The pain in her leg was nothing compared to the pain she had in her heart. It felt as if someone had ripped it to shreds. She looked up at her brother who's eyes were leaking tears. Her own eyes began to blur with her own tears. She turned around and cried into her brother's shirt. He did his best to show courage for her, but he failed as he felt her tears soaking through his tunic. He cried with her.
This night stayed forever locked into the family's memory. The beloved mother and wife had been taken from them. To Arman, a wife and his love. To Jeff his mother, a woman who loved him no matter what he did. No matter how many things he did wrong. But to Nasrim, she was more than a mother. She was her role model and her true parent. She played the part of a mother and a father at times. She was her best friend. At the moment, something changed in Nasrim. The Nasrim her family knew had, died with her mother and a new Nasrim was born. A darker Nasrim.
