Chapter 11: The Godmother
Once upon a time there was a proud warrior who was deemed to be unbreakable, however what none knew was that his greatest weakness was his heel, though still knowing this the young man still boldly went into battle. But… how could the hero conquer his enemies when he could not even conquer his one fear?
As Fakir had screamed he'd closed his eyes shielding himself from an attack that was sure to follow, however nothing came. Confused he opened his eyes.
Before him was still darkness however as he moved his hand towards his face he realized he could see himself, he was illuminated all over by green light and somehow he was in his human form! "How did this happen?" He asked himself for he hadn't removed his mask
Then suddenly as he asked this question all around him shapes began to emerge in the darkness noticing them Fakir stared at these shapes. He watched in horror as suddenly he saw ravens in human shape coming towards him all of them armed with razor sharp blades.
Fakir didn't know what to do, he didn't have any weapons nor was he armed and he couldn't see any way out. Worried they came on closer seemingly to become more aggressive with each step he backed away, he realized he had no other option than to run.
But as he turned around to do so he stopped in his tracks, for in front of him glowing slightly in a golden light Ahiru stood before him.
Fakir stared wide-eyed in shock forgetting immediately about the ravens, for what was Ahiru doing there! But as he looked at her he then realized that she was looking at him with eyes full of sadness.
"Ahiru?" He asked concerned and shocked for he had never seen such a sad face except once when they had danced together upon the floor of the lake of despair.
As he asked this question though Ahiru turned away from him as tears flowed down from her cheeks and somehow she was being guided away from him.
"No wait!" He called out to her in worry reaching his hand out to her but she drifted away farther then he could reach.
Then behind him suddenly he heard the call of the ravens turning around again he saw that they were no less than a few feet away from him, their blades no more than inches away from him. He stared in shock at them, for there was now no way for him to escape even if he started to try and run they would surely fly and catch up to him in moments.
Another of the horrible birds let out their awful cry as they suddenly moved at tremendous speed towards him, Fakir didn't even scream as he tried to shield himself against the horrible pain he knew the blades would deliver unto him.
But the force he should have felt didn't come instead he felt them go right past him as he felt a rush of air as the ravens flew right by him. Opening his eyes he quickly turned around and watched in horror as they flew towards the glimmering warm light that was Ahiru. He suddenly then heard a cry of pain as the ravens started to attack. Fakir looked on in horror at the black-feathered crowd of ravens that were engulfing that one sweet light.
Fakir shouted in horror and fear for them to stop as he started to run towards the scene, he was desperate to stop them he couldn't bear seeing this happen not when he was right there and he could do something!
However as he ran it felt like as though he was going nowhere at all and the strikes got worse as the light was slowing fading away under the dark cloud of birds.
"Ahiru!" He screamed out in desperation and pain.
It was then that suddenly the crowd of ravens suddenly flew away as though they were scared off by the scream. Though as Fakir walked on the distance seemed like nothing but when he arrived to the scene to where Ahiru should have been, he saw there was nothing. Nothing but a few yellow withered feathers and some traces of blood.
Fakir looked at the scene in disbelief and pain he screamed unable to take the sight before him, "This is a nightmare! This is a nightmare! This is a nightmare!!"
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He gasped suddenly as he woke up discovering that he was in a bed, quilts all around him. He breathed in heavily in fear still recovering from the shock of the nightmare. As he continued to breathe he started to calm down slightly looking around himself, he saw he was in a wooden room a window behind him revealing pale moonlight that illuminated everything in a silvery sad light. He then saw in the light he was in his normal human self, looking his saw his falcon mask laid on a small table next to the bed.
Taking in these surroundings he was confused, how did he get into this room? And…?
The imagery of the nightmare came back to him and he shook his head vigorously refusing to see those horrible images again he huddled his knees so he could rest his forehead against them, trying to get some reassurance from the reality around him.
As he laid his head against his knees his eyes closed in the darkness he then started to try and concentrate on his surroundings hoping he would get an answer for the questions and some escape from the horror he had suffered.
As he sat there he then suddenly heard something, a door opening somewhere near and he then heard something like water being set down in something wooden that he heard clatter slightly, probably against a table.
"Ah that was well done," gasped a tiredly elder feminine voice.
Fakir then lifted his head up hearing that voice realizing he was not alone.
"Yeah it was…" breathed a familiar tone.
Fakir then raised his eyebrows whispering "Uzuri?"
He then heard more movement as a heaving sound was made as something springy stretched; he assumed it to be a chair.
He then heard footsteps, "I can't believe he made such a racket!," Uzuri said obviously annoyed.
Fakir raised his eyebrows at this he knew she was obviously talking about him, wanting to find out more he moved silently off the bed removing the quilts quietly. He then walked to a door that he could now see in the dark, he then gently pushed the door open letting in a small ray of golden light into the room.
Looking out the small gap he had created he saw Uzuri standing before an old pale bare wooden table her arms crossed as he saw clearly that she was annoyed as the tone she had just spoke with.
"Well it's to be expected sweetheart," came that elderly tone once again.
Fakir wondered whom that woman was he couldn't see her from the gap for if he opened it any wider he would obviously be spotted.
Uzuri looked annoyed again as she leaned against the table supporting herself with her hands against its surface, "I know it is but he didn't have to be so loud!"
Fakir wondered what she was talking about and then remembered when he screamed, he looked at her in surprise she saw him scream!
The elderly voice let out a little laugh as he heard the chair from where she was sitting heave, "I was also very surprised at what I saw… he almost seems similar to you."
Fakir creased his eyebrows in disbelief as Uzuri herself also showed that she was just as dismissive "he and I are never nothing alike!"
Uzuri looked away angrily hiding her face so Fakir couldn't see the angry scowl she had.
The elderly voice sounded sympathetic as she then continued, "The events that happened then are still affecting him as they do to you now, aren't they?" She asked her.
'The events that happened?' He thought to himself, he wondered what that meant.
Uzuri shook her head as she then said, "affecting me? They practically haunt me! Those events, that stupid story!" She finished with a shout as she got up and kicked the table making a huge bang echo throughout the whole room.
Fakir stared at her in shock and surprise he had never seen Uzuri this angry before.
The elderly feminine tone didn't speak, Fakir thought to himself he wouldn't speak if he were there in that same situation.
Uzuri then sat back against the table again as she then continued to speak sounding with a tone of regret mingled with sadness; " I remember everything too well… Ahiru missing in the morning everyone in a panic… after everyone looked around the kingdom and found nothing… I then knew all to where Pi-kokku would have left her so I flew." Uzuri paused for a moment as she looked down at the ground as she started to then speak again. "I flew to the south into the outside, it was the only place no-one else would look and then when I got out there I discovered a fog, a white fog covering everything and when I flew in to where the lake was, where I knew she'd be…. He was there!"
She then paused again, Fakir didn't need to know whom it was she was talking about, and he already knew whom it was…. Droselmeyer! He watched her wide eyed as she then continued again.
"I watched on in horror as he took her and I couldn't do anything to help her! And then he-! That man told me he couldn't have me involved so he stopped me! I couldn't get near the town, whenever I was able to find the town I flew nearby or even just near the lake, every time he imprisoned me in his stupid mechanism! Then after he was finished with me the whole place would just vanish! I could hardly at times find it because he always moved it straight afterwards! I was forced to watch my sister's pain as she suffered just for his enjoyment!!" She was now nearly crying as she held her face in her hands.
Fakir couldn't believe what he was hearing, she knew! She knew everything all along! But why did she?…
"And then finally in the end when those ravens went on at her I nearly died at the sight of it! What did my little sister do to deserve that! And I hated him!" Uzuri then pointed to the door looking nearly seemingly at Fakir.
Fakir looked on at her in utter shock, she hated him?
Uzuri turned away from the door as she then looked at the ground again, "I hated him because… he was there in the story, and he didn't even do anything! He just let my sister get hurt! That's what I hate the most! People those who don't keep their promises…"
Fakir looked at her sadly when she said this for what she was saying was true to some degree he had failed at protecting her and Mytho alike. He could understand why Uzuri hated him now.
But then suddenly he heard the elderly voice again, "but then you too know what it's like too now don't you?"
Uzuri looked up at this comment and then looked down again as she silently nodded, "Yes I do cause I also broke my promise to protect her… for mother, she told me to look after her when she couldn't… and I failed her utterly."
Fakir then at that moment realized that he and her were extremely similar from what she said, they had both broken sacred promises that they had made to people close to them.
"But I couldn't let him off the hook that easily so… I had to make him stronger because I'm not going to hand my sister over to someone that weak and also it's a punishment for scaring my sister and nearly killing her." She continued she seemed to be calming down now from the extreme emotions that she had been overcome with but as she continued about Fakir she grew angry once more.
Fakir raised his eyebrows at this as he heard her say this 'make me stronger?' He wondered but then he heard the last part, he then felt bad inside remembering the past times when he wasn't exactly friendly to her.
"So then is that why you've been so hard on him?" The elderly voice asked.
Uzuri looked up at this and wondered to herself before she answered, "yes... and because I like picking on him." She finished with a smile.
Fakir immediately was taken aback as he heard this, what he went through was a game for her!
"You wouldn't believe the faces he makes!" She laughed.
Fakir grew furious at her; she led him around through all this mess because she enjoyed it!
"You should see the face he's making right now!" With that Uzuri walked over to the door where Fakir was behind and before he could move away Uzuri had opened the door wide and revealed him to the elderly woman who he could now see was sat fully in an armchair in the corner of the room next to a warm stove.
He stared in utter shock as he looked at the old woman sitting in the chair, she wore big red spectacles and her hair was short and black with little black feathers peaking out. A walking stick stood ready to be picked up by her awaiting hand.
Fakir stared at her wide-eyed and then as he did the old woman suddenly laughed out loud this making him turn bright red, "I see he certainly does," laughed the old woman.
Fakir blinked at the old woman as he looked at her, as he did he then remembered when he had screamed at those red eyes. The old woman he was looking at had the exact same eyes he had seen before the nightmare.
"You are…?"
But before he could say anything else Uzuri interrupted him she then gestured with her hand acting upon the rules of curtsey, "this is my and Ahiru's godmother, godmother Karasu."
Fakir looked at Uzuri and then back to godmother Karasu he blinked, godmother Karasu smiled at Fakir's confusion and bowed her head in a gesture of hello.
Fakir himself tilted his head repeating the same hello that she had done.
"It is nice to meet you at last young Fakir, Uzuri has told me much about you." She smiled as she spoke.
Fakir looked at Uzuri as godmother Karasu said this Uzuri looked at him and then looked away. But then Fakir realized something. Other than Uzuri nobody else had ever called him by his true name since he had come to the kingdom, "it's nice to meet you too, I'm sorry for the trouble I must have caused you earlier…"
Godmother Karasu regarded him kindly "it's all right it's the normal reaction for someone who looks at me in the dark so do not trouble your self." She continued.
Fakir looked up at her and then smiled at the old woman's kindness, but then Uzuri said something, "that reminds me, grandma who is this?"
Uzuri then motioned to someone who was stood next to her barely reaching above her knee, a bob of green hair above her head her skin snow white with pink cheeks. Two eyes full of innocent curiosity looked at everyone until they settled back on a very surprised "Fakir?"
He looked at the old familiar face as he said in a rushed gasp, "Uzura!"
Then without another word Uzura banged her drums excitedly as she rushed over to Fakir giving him a hug, "it's been a long long time zura!"
Fakir stared wide-eyed as he felt the old familiar warmth of her little hands around his neck he then moved his own hands around Uzura's small body feeling comforted properly the first time by something in so long.
"Yes it has been a long time…" he answered feeling extremely happy a smile on his lips.
Godmother Karasu looked at the scene and smiled warmly at the happy atmosphere while Uzuri though looked on with her normal bored look.
"So obviously they know each other… so Grandma who is she?" Uzuri asked her godmother once more.
Godmother Karasu turned to her young goddaughter a smile on her lips "her name is Uzura she came wandering into my cave and so she's been hanging around all day."
Uzuri looked at her Godmother sceptically and then back at the happy Fakir and Uzura again, "well I see where the weird side of the family comes from…"
Suddenly then Uzura opened her eyes and detached herself from Fakir walking over to Uzuri she looked at her with her big curious eyes, Uzuri looked back looking at her queerly.
"Are you Uzuri zura?" She asked her.
"Uhhhh yes… why?" Uzuri asked she was a little uncomfortable being stared at.
"Grandma Karasu said that Uzuri turns into Uzura zura," said looking at Uzuri as though as she had the answer.
Fakir stared at her and blinked, as did Uzuri.
"Uhhhh I don't know what you're talking about," Uzuri was getting a little uncomfortable from Uzura's staring.
Fakir was completely lost as he listened to this conversation.
But then came the voice of reason, " I think what she means is that you turn into a quail because you see her name Uzura means quail," godmother Karasu explained.
Finally then Uzuri and Fakir understood what Uzura meant, "yeah well I do turn into a quail but I don't turn into you," Uzuri answered.
"Ohhhh cool zura!" Uzura cried as she banged her drums happily walking over to godmother Karasu, Fakir blinked but then smiled to himself enjoying the warm family feeling in the room.
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After the goodbyes and farewells that had happened Fakir walked beside Uzuri holding his mask in his right hand and looking on ahead the clear night sky still shining with stars as they both journeyed back to the kingdom.
Fakir was still smiling warmly as they both walked along Uzura had definitely given him a huge morale boost but then something came over him as he thought back to the time in the house and the cave.
"Hey how did you know when I was awake?" He asked her.
Uzuri looked at him a bored look in her eyes, "when I saw you in the doorway and before you ask further yes those were my true feelings that you saw there, and I did hate you."
Fakir looked at her and then looked away, "do you still hate me now?" He asked.
Uzuri looked at him, "what makes you bring that up?" She asked him.
Fakir looked down, "well because I mean why would you want me near you or Ahiru after what happened in the story and as your servant?"
Uzuri blinked and then turned her head towards the stars she smirked, "well you might not believe this… but on the night I brought Ahiru back here she kept saying something while she was unconscious, do you want to know what she kept saying?"
Fakir stared at her as she then moved her head back to look at him a cool kind look in her eyes, "she kept saying, 'Fakir' over and over again."
Fakir stared wide-eyed at her he couldn't believe what she was saying but she didn't look like she was lying so…"Ahiru never forgot me then?" He asked with a smile as looked back at the path before them.
"Well not sub-consciously anyway so that's why I helped you because to my sister you're special," Uzuri smiled as she spoke eyes still on the road ahead.
Fakir glad about the news then decided to ask Uzuri one last thing, "in the story she turned into a human how come she didn't have any of her human memories?"
Uzuri looked at him again the smile gone as she then sighed and answered, "Because the seal hadn't been activated so her memories were still sealed away, she can only have her memories back that way and no other to do so."
Fakirs nodded and then seeing that Uzuri seemed to be tired he finally brought out his last question, "okay but how do you exactly turn into a bird from the curse?"
Uzuri looked at him annoyed; "well that's rather obvious isn't it? It happens when we-"
BANG BANG BANG BANG BANG
"Tweeeeet!" Uzuri suddenly covered her mouth but it was too late as she suddenly disappeared in a blue twinkle her clothes falling around her.
Fakir stared in shock as he suddenly saw from within the clothes a brown little bird with Dark blue eyes started tweeting like mad obviously in a bad mood, Fakir saw then Uzura come out from the trees she then started looking at Uzuri, "Ohhh so that's a Uzura zura?" She asked fascinated.
Fakir just blinked as she then vanished behind the trees quickly Fakir was then left with an angry tweeting quail "So what do I do now?" He asked her for he didn't exactly have what was needed to turn her back.
But then suddenly it came back before he could blink for Uzura came back with her trusty jug of water and then poured it on Uzuri who looked at Uzura angrily.
"Tweet tee- how dare you do that you little!" She cried angrily at Uzura fully back to her old shape who looked at Uzuri fascinated.
Uzura looked at her and then said laughing loudly, "You're an Uzura zura!"
"Don't you get started with that you…!" But then she looked down and realized that she was naked, turning around slowly she then saw Fakir was blushing madly red as he had his hand over his mouth and nose his face turned away.
Uzuri then quietly got dressed before she turned around and then looked at Fakir who looked back at her, she then pulled her right hand back slightly and then gave him an almighty smack.
"Clearly family reunions are both good and bad for the unlikely hero."