Forgotten Past Revealed

Darkness blocked his view of Allison. Weightlessness surrounded him. His eyelids were shut. Suddenly he tensed up as cold stone pressed against his skin. Feet moving caused his eyelids to open. Lifting and turning his head revealed his naked body strapped to a stone table.

Stepping from the darkness, a bearded man in a green robe said, "Enjoyed your trip, Rath."

Acting an aware of the confusion sketched on the youth's face, he continued, "Sorry for tearing you away from your lady love, but sacrifices have to be made."

No answer from his young captive didn't make him miss a beat.

"Sacrifices made to stop a darkness, trying to engulf existence, doesn't know love just emptiness, Rath."

Strapping a harness to prevent the captive's head from moving, the bearded man commented, "Your education's about to begin, Rath."

"Name's not Rath."

"It well be," motioning towards the darkness, "now."

Pain shot into his head.

"Edwards," Rath said sitting up.

His dream came back, after being pulled away from the strange girl and then St. Edwards strapping a harness to his head. His ears detected movement. Green light cut through the darkness. His eyes adjusted to the light.

A naked April stood looking at a stone lantern hanging from the ceiling. She sat on his cot. Placing her right hand on his sweat soaked forehead then his left cheek, she asked, "Who's Edwards?"

"The Dinh judge of Terra," Rath answered, "April?"

"Yes."

"Could you cover yourself?"

"Don't like looking at my bare breasts."

"Only know you for a few days."

"You're not wearing any clothes."

"True, but this blanket covers me. Asking if you can cover yourself."

Getting up and putting on a poncho, she commented, "So women can be gunslingers?"

"It was ladies, not women, who shouldn't be. Women can be gunslingers if they can survive the training."

Sitting cross legged, April asked, "What were you dreaming?"

"Why?"

"Cause this tribe believes dreams tells ones future."

"So my future's to be torn away from lady love by St. Edwards."

Slightly laughing, she asked, "If that is what your dreams are telling you? Were these dreams recent?"

"Appearing and disappearing for most of my life."

"Do your parents has an explanation?"

"Died when I was young."

Before she could apologize, he added, "Can't remember them. Earliest memory being with Edwards as Cob met us."

"What's your story?" he asked.

Staring at the stone floor, her lips curled up.

Letting out a long breath, she said, "Time to tell my tale," Rath nodded in agreement, "I'm the surviving member of the royal house of Adroit. This dwelling were warriors for my family. The Dinh of this tribe left me with Valdris, a gunslinger."

"Valdris," shifting his eyes in recognition.

"The name familiar to you?" she asked.

"He was a master gunslinger."

"Was?"

"Died. Explains why Cob came? Sight unseen and untested. Cob respect Valdris's opinion."

"So I'm a gunslinger based on one's opinion?"

"No, you're still need to be tested. Cob's not into giving free rides. You're going to earn your shooters."

"That eases my high opinion of myself."

"So what did Valdris do with you?"

"Left me with the blacksmith's family."

"So all you did was wait."

"Correct. You didn't ask if I can get us out of here."

"If that's true, then why have my shooters not been returned to me?"

"Not as empty headed as I thought."

"So you've got limits, where to go next needs to been answered."

"Dinh will talk to you about the wagon train."

"Will then next light a audience the dinh."

Standing up, she bent over and kissed his forehead.

"Yes, an audience and he will explain."

Before he asked about the kiss, she covered the green light.

"Now go to sleep," she said and he did.

Scent of food cooking opened his eyelids. An animal skin dressed back of a sitting April grabbed his attention. She was wearing the same poncho that she had on last night. It barely came to her thighs. Slightly turning his head saw her stirring a wooden spoon in a small metal pot.

"Hungry?"

"Yes."

Spooning a white substance in a clay bowel, she handed it to him. She retrieved a brown jar and stirred a dark clear substance. From a wooden spool, she poured the ooze into his bowel. He stirred the substance with his two fingers.

"Molasses with maizton make a good dawn meal," she remarked.

Shaking his head in agreement, cupped the sweetened maizton and scooped it into his mouth.

Back of her right hand felt his forehead.

Feeling his cheeks, she commented, "Your fever gone down," getting up and went over to a blanket on the floor.

Sliding the blanket over, revealing three boards. Removing a plank, her hand entered the hole. She pulled out clothes and laid them beside her.

"Those are my clothes," he said.

"Correct."

"And they were there the whole time?"

"Correct."

"Where are my shooters?"

"With the dinh," returning the blankets over the boards, "Besides didn't want you to go and do something harsh," placing his clothes on the cot.

Sitting cross-legged across from him, she added, "Didn't expect you to came after me."

"Couldn't leave a fellow gunslinger behind."

"Is there any other reasons why you're here?"

"Should I have another reason?"

"No. Where's Cort?"

"He had to lead the wagon train to Mid."

"And if you don't return?"

"Go to Terra and return with more gunslingers."

"The blood shed that I tried to prevent will actually happen."

"May, or may not, but first when does the palaver with the dinh begin?"

"As soon as you get dressed."

With his finger pointed towards the ground, motioned her to turn around.

"Already seen my bare breasts and you're getting shy."

He continued motioning.

"Seen you without clothes, somebody had to undress you."

Turning around, "Your mind better be eased. For a gunslinger, you're unnerved around women."

"No, just little more respectable."

"Respectable gunslinger? Contradiction in words."

"You can turn around now."

She did and saw him in his clothes. Only thing was his hat, shooters and duster.

"Are you ready?" he asked.

"No, think they'll let me go outside wearing just this poncho," closer to his face and staring into his blue eyes, "and don't mind if you watch me dress."

"Are you flirting with me?" watching her hazel eyes.

"Like last night, not so empty headed."

"Gunslingers can't be lovers."

"Why?"

"A woman gunslinger once went on a killing spree cause her lover got shot in the back."

"Do you like to gamble?"

"When the odds are in me favor?"

"When they are not?"

"Depends on the odds."

"If I asked Cob to bed with me, would he do it?"

"In a heart beat."

"So you're different?"

"Being a gunslinger hard on relationships. A special woman could make me rethink about gambling."

"Then turn around."

He did.

"I'm done."

Turning around, he saw a skin dress that showed off her body.

"Let's go," she said pushing animal skinned door away.

He followed her out. After his eyes adjusted to the sudden brightness, noticed the two warriors standing beside the tent's doorway. As they walked, two warriors covered the rear, but April led without guards in the front.

Rath's eyes scanned the scenery. Majority of the tribe went about their daily actives. Children pointed to this small crowd. Adults whispered to this children and took them away.

"Properly told them to ignore the naked king," thought Rath.

They walked towards a stone temple. The stone temple grew as they got closer. It looked bigger up close then from the rim. They walked up the stone stairs. People passed them with room to spare. Two guards stood beside the stone doorway. Entering, Rath was surprised how clean the inside was. Dust didn't hang in the air. On a stone throne sat a man in a feather head dress. Closer he got, a realization hit him. This was the man who questioned him on the rim.

Bowing her head, "Dinh, of this desert dwelling, the gunslinger's ready to open his ears to your words."

"His health regained under your care."

Bowing her head in agreement.

"Opening his ears may be possible, however what his does with his tongue, that flame couldn't loosen, are hazing."

"Give him a chance. His eyes show a wise warrior trying to make the right decision."

Rath came forward after being motioned to.

"Listen, don't make judgements until the end," whispered April.

Bowing his head, Rath heard the dinh chuckling.

"Humbling cracked your stone resolve where the flame couldn't," remarked the dinh.

Rath just stared as the dinh continued, "A grave of a high dinh was defiled. We chased the defilers to the wagon train. We were shot at first, simply returned fire."

"What was taken?"

"Necklace with blue green beads along with the skull of the pervious owner."

"How many were responsible?"

"Five. Five guilty responsible for death of many."

"As a gunslinger, I'll bring the five to justice and return your property."

"Unacceptable!" turned Rath's attention to a scar warrior.

He dwarfed the other warriors. His hands looked like one could wrap around a man's throat. His hazel eyes seemed to burn through Rath. Rath returned the same hole burning stare as his instincts warned him of the danger radiating from this man.

"How, Shan, does this unacceptability reach your sight?" asked Dinh.

"Tribal business shouldn't be interfered by outsiders," answered Shan.

"For this tribal business to be settled with less blood flowing, then I have to interfere."

"Why do you have to interfere?" asked Dinh.

"The wagon lost their trailfinder. My fellow gunslinger happens to be leading them. If your warriors attack and I don't return, instead of few settlers to deal with, you'll have an army of gunslingers to deal with. They never worry about tribal business of dead people."

Sketched acrossed Dinh's face were the words of Rath's sinking in.

"Dinh," the warrior said, "the outsider needs to be isolated from tribal business."

"So the only problem here, that I'm an outsider, so how do I become a tribal member."