Chapter Five

The Village of Innocence

Shamira carried the buckets for miles, made to stand with them while the rest at dinner, and were waiting for her at dawn when Kimball said his first and only word since it happened.

"Breakfast."

He wasn't going to deprive her of another meal, but she knew she'd be carrying her buckets for the remainder of that day as well. At least during breakfast the rest of them talked about where they were going.

"So what is this place we are going to?" Bardia asked, most likely to give the information to Shamira.

"The Village of Innocence, it's the closest village to us. Once we are there we can get some real rest and some real food. Your training will pick up more intensely there, but until then you can practice with Nuri. Someone else is busy doing something else." Kimball explained

"Village of Innocence? What's with the crazy name?"

"It's where all the women of Elam deliver their babies." Nuri answered before taking a big gulp of his water.

"Yes. It's completely devoted to help mothers during their first month with their young. Things can get very hard sometimes, so we find it creates a healthier and happier environment for the mother if there are no cares other than their newborns. It also seems to form a more bonding connection between them. Most fathers spend the month with them too. You were born there too young sir." Kimball explained with further detail.

"So, we were all born there?" Bardia asked curiously.

No one answered, but Bardia saw Nuri trying to avoid glancing at Shamira who was staring firmly at the ground. She had thought about storming away at the beginning of the conversation, but decided it would be in her best interest if she didn't. Although dimwitted at times, Bardia got the hint and figured out on his own that for some reason Shamira was not born there. There was something about Shamira that made her different from the rest of Elam, but no one would tell him.

It took three days to reach the Village of Innocence. It had been a very awkward experience. Neither Bardia nor Nuri would speak to Shamira if Kimball was around, and Kimball still refused to speak to her. She had found out more information from them in broken intervals while he was away for brief moments; Morrigan had sent the girl though that much Shamira knew, but even the child herself was unaware why she was sent. She had only been told she would probably be killed. She was really of no use. They let her go and that was that. While Shamira stood in the sun with the weight of the two buckets of rocks Bardia improved his skills with Kimballs lessons and practiced with Nuri. By the time they reached the village even Shamira would admit she was impressed at the speed in which Bardia was learning. He was already able to control his ability to move small patches of the ground and even manipulate small bushes and trees to move. His was becoming faster and faster, but felt he'd never reach the speeds he'd seen Shamira capable of reaching, and without letting anyone else know Kimball agreed. He doubted he'd ever see anyone as fast as Shamira.

Kimball knocked on the gates at the entrance of the village with his staff. Slowly they creaked open and Kimball lead the way in. The gates closed by themselves once they were all in. A man approached them and seemed delighted with his visitors.

"Lord Kimball how marvelous to see you. Please come in, come in you are most welcome here, as are your … " The man stumbled over his words when he looked at his other guests. Standing next to Kimball was Bardia and the man bowed with excitement. "Oh Prince Bardia what an incredible honor."

Bardia stood dumbfounded. This was the first time he had been truly treated like a prince and was unsure how to react.

"Uh, err, thank you." He sputtered out.

Shamira suppressed a giggle.

"And as are you other guests of course."

"Thank you Tibet. This is Nuri of the star of water."

Tibet smiled warmly and extended his hand to Nuri.

"And this is Shamira Kella of the star of wind."

Bardia was shocked at what happened next. There was no warm smile, no handshake,

just a poor attempt to hide the look of disgust on Tibet's face. Tibet glanced from Shamira to

Kimball and back to Shamira. Shamira never lost eye contact with him. To Bardia's surprise

she kept a straight face and did not look angry, a little annoyed perhaps, but not as angry as Bardia would have expected.

"Yes, well." Tibet said coolly finally breaking his glare at Shamira. "Let me show you where you will be staying for the night."

While walking through the village a few people came over and greeted them, mainly women, some of whom Kimball knew, other's he didn't. The villagers seemed thrilled to see Kimball, bowed to Bardia, smiled at Nuri and ignored Shamira. There were several small cottages with women coming in and out of with their newborns. It was a very peaceful place and everyone seemed to be blissfully happy. When they reached the smallest cottage Tibet held the door open for them. Kimball stepped aside and let Bardia enter first. It was the coziest place he'd ever seen. The floor was soft and the temperature of just right. There was one woman feeding her baby in the corner of the room who smiled and bowed her head to her prince just slightly to not disturb her eating infant. Bardia smiled back at her. Kimball followed Bardia in with Nuri right behind him, but just has Shamira was about to enter Tibet held his hand out.

"Oh, well, we were not aware that, um … " He paused and tried to not look like he was trying to think of something, "You see, I did not know you would have a female with you and well having this young child in the same place as this, other female so young of age may be confusing, so maybe it would be best if …" He trailed off and stared at the rickety storage shed off in the distance.

Shamira slightly shook her head that had been staring at the ground, closed her eyes and letting out a deep silent breath. She bit her lower lip and stepped back from the door.

"Yes. Yes, that will have to do. You will be fetched for dinner. It is such a pleasure to have you here with us Lord Kimball and a complete honor to be of service to you Prince Bardia" Tibet smiled at Nuri and left Shamira standing outside on the steps of the cottage.

Bardia looked at Kimball to see if he would do anything, but he only gazed after Tibet with a disappointed look on his face. There was nothing he could really do about this. Tibet was the village leader and had the right to make people sleep wherever he felt suitable. He had done nothing illegal. Bardia stopped looking at Kimball only when he heard Shamira's footsteps walking away from their cozy cottage towards the dismal shack. She didn't look at any of them before she left.

Shamira walked slowly towards her shack overwhelmed by the familiar feeling of loneliness. She froze in her spot when she felt the hand on her shoulder. She gradually turned around and faced Kimball. She began to fall to her knees to bow, expecting to be given back her buckets of rocks, but was stopped suddenly when Kimball placed his hand under her chin. His eyes were no longer cold towards her and his compassion had returned. It was all she needed from him and continued towards her shack.

A little more than an hour later Nuri came for her.

"It's time for dinner." He said to her cautiously.

"Yeah? I don't think I'm wanted." She responded, though Nuri knew she wasn't being cruel towards him.

"Well, you have to. You're the Prince's assigned warrior. You're the one who has to be there whether or not those idiots want you there." He said with a bit more force than he had intended.

Shamira look up at him and smiled. When they entered the cottage where dinner was being served she got quite a few unpleasant looks while she stood behind Bardia. Bardia seemed to be more offended by the looks she was getting than she was.

"I wouldn't." Kimball said quietly to Bardia who seemed to be shook from his train of thought.

"Huh?" He asked shocked and confused.

"It will only make things worse. She can handle it. She has all her life. Bringing attention to it will only stir up topics that should only be discussed by certain people."

"Err, um, okay." Bardia said completely amazed.

Kimball had known that he wanted to stand and shout out to everyone to leave her alone, that she had been his friend his whole life, and somehow he'd known.

That night, while Shamira slept on the hard ground in the storage shed she had another

dream. This time she dreamed she was a little girl again, with a woman she'd never seen before, but seemed to know forever. They were at a pond together where the woman fell in and drowned. When people found them they all screamed at her calling her a monster and murderer. She kept shouting back at them that it wasn't her fault, but the louder she got the more and more people came accusing her. All at once Shamira couldn't breathe. She leaped up to her feet and someone tumbled back. She had her sword drawn and until she heard someone speaking hadn't known she was awake.

"Shamira, it's me! It's Bardia Shamira!" He said.

She sighed and rolled her eyes putting her sword away.

"Ugh, kid, what are you doing? You could get yourself killed like that." She scolded.

"Yeah, well, you were yelling in your sleep. I didn't want Kimball to wake up and hear you first so I figured I'd come down to wake you up." He explained.

"Oh. What were you doing up?" She asked.

"Nothing, just thinking." He answered honestly.

There was a brief moment of silence before Bardia decided to ask one of the things he wanted to ask.

"Shamira, what were you dreaming about?"

"What? Oh nothing, just kid's stuff. I don't really remember most of it." She lied.

"Oh. Can I ask you something?"

"Don't really have a choice do I your majesty?" She teased as though to avoid something.

"Shamira. Why?" was all he had the nerve to ask.

"Why what?" She said as though he had no reason to ask her anything.

"Why …, " He paused to take in a deep breath "why are they like that?"

"Who like what?" She said, running out of ways to avoid the subject.

"Why do they all stare at you? Why did Tibet look at you like you tried to kill him? Why are you made to sleep in this place while we are up there warm and comfortable?"

She turned away from him as though he had dug up some forgotten unpleasant memory. She clenched her jaw like he was trying to make her eat poison.

"Shamira, please tell me."

She took in a deep breath.

"They don't trust me." Was all she said.

"What? Why don't they trust you? Why weren't you born here like the rest of them?"

"Look, it's just something's that happened a long time ago, superstitions really …"

"Oh give me a break. Shamira, I am your prince and as such I'm ordering you …"
"Ordering me? YOU'RE ORDERING ME TO WHAT? TO WHAT, HUH? YOU WANT TO KNOW WHY ALL MY LIFE PEOPLE STARED AT ME WITH PURE HATRED FOR SOMETHING I DIDN'T DO? YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW I WAS PUNISHED FOR CRIMES THAT WEREN'T MY OWN? YOU REALLY WANT TO KNOW ABOUT ME BEING PUSHED INTO THE MUD AND LEFT OUT IN THE RAIN AND HAVING NO ONE TO TURN TO? YOU WANT TO KNOW HOW IT FEELS TO BE COMPLETELY ALONE?" Shamira would have kept on screaming had her own screams had not been drown out by the scream of someone else echoing in her ears.

She suddenly stopped her yelling and listened closely. Bardia feeling a little guilty didn't know why she had stopped.

"What? What is it?" He whispered.

"Don't you hear it?"

"Hear what?"

"That woman, she's screaming. Something's wrong, come on." She said getting up fast and hurrying out of the shack.

They had already reached the screaming woman before most of the village had even heard. Kimball was on his way with Nuri just before the woman began hitting Shamira.

"YOU MONSTER! YOU EVIL LITTLE WENCH! HOW COULD YOU? HOW COULD YOU KILL THEM ALL? YOU STUPID CREATURE! YOU NASTY LITTLE DEMON!" She screamed smacking Shamira, who did nothing to retaliate.

"MADAM!" Kimball yelled while restraining the irate woman. "Madam please calm down, what's happened?"

"CALM DOWN! WHAT HAPPENED?" She continued to scream, only now she also had tears streaming from her eyes, "Just look! Look at what that demon has done!"

They looked in the direction she pointed in. The rest of the villagers had now emerged from their homes and there were moans and gasps and mournful cries. There were also more accusations towards Shamira. Tibet was now at the site of the disaster. The cottage that housed the mother's and the babies they had given birth to that very day was in ruins bodies scattered within the rubble.

Kimball quickly ran over to see if anyone had survived the tragedy, leaving Shamira and the others behind. A man seized his opportunity and grabbed Shamira from behind. He restrained her from moving, though Shamira did nothing to free herself. Before her companions had realized what happened, a few of the villagers had spat on her leaving trails of saliva running down her face. A few men had even punched her hard in the stomach. It wasn't until Bardia noticed that it changed.

"LET HER GO!" He demanded.

"But, but your majesty, look, look what she has done, that monster has slain these innocent mother and their newborns. We must do…"

"What do you mean she killed them? What in the world makes you think Shamira killed them?"

"Oh come on. After last time!" Shouted someone from the crowd.

"Sir, if I may," a young timid girl began "just before the screams I saw the winds. I saw the tornadoes leaving the area, and she is, well, the demon of the star of wind."

"And you just assume that Shamira caused them! I told you to let her go! She did not do this! I was with her you fools! I was with her when this happened!" He screamed at them.

The man who had been holding her reluctantly let go of his grip on her. No one but Kimball seemed to notice the red fading away from her eyes.

"Please, if we could all just calm down and get a handle on the situation and try to figure out what happened here tonight." Kimball said calmly. "Tibet, if you would please assist me."

Tibet began calmly talking to the others and persuaded them to return to their homes, promising nothing was going to happened and brought them all warm towels to wash their faces with. Before going to help him Kimball turned to Shamira and Nuri and told them to bring Bardia back to their cottage and keep an eye out.

Back at the cottage they sat and waited in an uncomfortable silence. Bardia wanted to ask Shamira what 'the last time' meant. Nuri was in an awkward position as well. He couldn't make up for what they had said out there, yet he wanted to put his arm around Shamira. Shamira on the other hand paced nervously waiting for Kimball to return. More than a half an hour went by and nothing happened. Everything outside was quiet, with the exception of muffled voices in the distance. Finally, Nuri noticed him coming back. By this time Shamira had seated herself in the far corner of the cottage. Even when the other two got up to bombard Kimball with questions she stayed in her solitude.

"Master, did they find anything?" Nuri asked before he was even in the cottage.

"How many were killed? Were the babies hurt?"

More and more questions seemed to flow endlessly from their mouths, but Kimball did not answer one of them. He merely stepped passed them and made his way towards Shamira. Knowing he was coming to her she got down on her knees and bowed, only this time Kimball did something he had never done in the past. Before Shamira got back up, he knelt down next to her and whispered,

"Come. Let's go take a walk."

Shamira looked up at him and for an instant forgot she did not want to meet his gaze, so immediately looked away. She stood up and followed him out of the cottage leaving Bardia and Nuri with their unanswered questions.

The air was cooler than it had been before, but Shamira felt that it may have felt so warm because of all that was happening around her. The moon was full and the sky was full of stars. They walked for more than a mile into the part of the village that was no longer in use. It seemed old, and grown over. Most of the cottages seemed to have been torn apart. A few animals scattered away when they approached.

"The burden you carry my young warrior is a heavy one. One that I've cursed myself for not being able to lift it from you, yet you know these are things that cannot be done."

Shamira said nothing.

"Do you know where we are Shamira?" Kimball asked in a peaceful voice.

"Yes." She answered without looking at him. She stared blankly at the old village in front of her.

"Do you know what happened here?"

"Yes." She said, just above a whisper.

"Tell me Shamira. Tell me the story of what happened here years ago."

For a few minutes there was only silence. Crickets chirped within the grass and the wind blew softly over the earth, but neither of them spoke.

"No." Shamira whispered.

"Shamira Kella, you must tell me what happened here in order to understand what happened tonight. Now please, tell me. Start off slow. Tell me where we are." He said, forcefully, but with kindness.

"This is where my mother died." She said after a long pause.

Kimball nodded. "And how did your mother die?"

Shamira had now stopped forcing the tears back, they ran freely down her cheeks.

"I killed her." She whispered.

Kimball sighed.

"Why do you think such things Shamira?"

"It was my tornadoes that did this. This part of the village is in ruins because I made the tornadoes that destroyed it."

"As I told you many years ago, you did not kill your mother. Those tornadoes were caused by the force inside of you that you had no control of. You were but a week old when you were separated. It was unfair to take a mother away from her children at such an age. You were alone for the first since you were conceived and you knew something was wrong. Your powers exceeded any newborns powers and you cannot be blamed for that. The villagers killed your mother the day they took her away from you. I was here the nights your winds attacked. There was a very similar aura in the air tonight after the attack, similar Shamira, not the same."

"What are you saying Master?" Shamira asked looking at him for the first time.

"I'm saying Shamira that you did not cause these winds tonight, but we were meant to believe it."

"But I dreamed ..."

"Listen to what I'm telling you Shamira. You know of the other."

Shamira lowered her head and nodded.

"These winds tonight were caused, by your brother."