Her garments were white and sleek as they clung to her womanly body in the light of the crescent moon. Sashes of silver radiated through the darkness as they ran from the perfect curve of her hips to her ankles in the most flattering of ways. The picture of her in the evergreen forest would have been almost serene if it weren't for her frantic leaps across logs, rocks, and muddy puddles of water. She was late... very late... and Malickee Setsune would scold her as she has done every day since the rigorous training lessons started.
She stopped for a moment when a sudden rustle of the brush to her side shivered with fright. Her heart beat like an unbearable drum as she took in raged breaths and held an undeniably still pose so not to cause any unwanted attention. *Danger* her senses roared from the depths of her mind yet still she didn't move.
She wanted to end this suffering… end it now… but she knew if she yelled out there was a slight chance a soldier from the Totark Tribe could be the ones behind the brush. The sudden images of her body being ravished and stripped of all innocence filled her mind. Shivers ran up and down her spine as goose bumps brushed against the soft fabric of her robes and she held her breath as yet another fearful shake of the branches before her shivered.
She had to do something before she was caught … she just had to… So in the last few moments of her sanity she jumped into the leafy bed of bushes and onto her assailant. Her attacker screamed as she fell to the ground and attempted to get free. "Serenity! Get off of me!" A female voice yelled from below the silver haired maiden.
At the sound of the familiar voice Serenity let out a laugh that could match no other in its beauty and quickly rolled off of her friend and onto the soft dirt ground. "Oh, Hotarm! I thought you were a soldier from Totark. You gave me quite the fright just then."
Hotarm sat up from where she had been knocked from her feet and looked at the Diolan. She brushed the tiny twigs from her short dark purple robes and raked her black hair with her bone white fingers as she childishly laughed. "For Mahala's sake, I pray that next time it is the Totark so they may teach you a lesson or two about coming out this far from the village." Hotarm paused for a moment as she taped her chin lightly with her finger, a pure sign that she was trying to come up with light words on bad news.
"Oh! Save me the horrific details that you are conjuring and tell me out right. What has happened?" Serenity's creamy forehead wrinkled as she leaned back onto an old oak tree and moped. When Hotarm only responded with the light tapping on the chin Serenity flared to life. "Malick Hotarm! As your Diolan, I demand you tell me straight out. What has happened?"
The Malick looked to her friend and smiled. "The hunter's are back! I saw them with my own two eyes they're going to be entering the village any moment now with all the food you could ever dream of. Not only that but I saw Kunzim at the head of the party! He returned to keep his promise to you. He now has the respect of the elders to ask for your hand!" Hotarm squealed in delight as she saw Serenity's face go from utter anxiety to sheer bliss.
"Kunzim…" Serenity whispered with a smile that told all. Love.
Horns sounded from the north where the village sat only meaning one thing. The hunters had arrived and everyone was to come out to greet them for their victory. "Come on!" Serenity jumped from the ground onto her feet dragging Hotarm with her. "We have to go meet them!" With her friend in hand Serenity took off on yet another high-speed sprint.
As they reached the village Serenity could see the crowds filling the open areas, hoping to catch the first glance of the glorified hunters. The Silver haired siren released Hotarm's hand as they started making their way to the front of the crowd until she halted in disbelief. Time stopped and not a word was uttered. Moments went by without the slightest murmur. There were no cheers, no calls for celebration, no kissing between wives and returned husbands only the gasps that came from every villager's lips. A woman fell to her knees; baby in hand and started weeping. Many other married women did the same or ran forward trying to find their husbands and failing.
Hotarm's eyes filled with tears as she stepped beside Serenity. "Oh, Goddess, no!" Her hands leapt to her mouth as a slight whimper parted her lips. Tears stained her cheeks as she looked to her friend for comfort but found none when the Diolan, too, had tears soaking her cheeks
"What has happened here?" I sturdy female voice called from somewhere in the back. The crowd's sobs lowered and all looked to where the voice had come from. "I demand to know, Kunzim. What has happened?" A tall older women with forest green hair lightly streaked with wisps of gray made her way to the center of the village. Her flowing light purple robes and staff symbolized her status in the village as the great wise woman, the Malickee. "Have you heard me, boy? For I will ask you again." Her voice deepened as she went on. "What has happened here?"
A white haired young man appeared before her and dropped to one knee. His hair was set in a loose quill and his leather hunting attire was as beaten and bruised as he himself. "It was the Totark, Malickee Setsune. We were ambushed and completely out numbered. Thirty of us left a moon ago and now only seven of us return." His head dropped as he pounded his fist against the soft earth. Anger could be seen from the farthest onlooker as shimmering tears fell from his eyes.
Serenity came forward and placed her hand on Kunzim's shoulder, hoping to comfort him. He quickly shook her off as soon as her light touch graced his skin. More tears flowed from her eyes as she moved closer to the older, wiser woman and sank down to her knees. "What are we going to do? All of those men … died."
Malickee Setsune looked to the women and children who had lost loved ones. She had to be strong as the wise woman of the tribe Mahal and in doing so rose her staff she held in her right hand spoke above all the other moans and sobs of the villagers. "Everyone, there is only one way to settle this. We must retreat to where we are plenty far from the Totark. We are obviously too close for either of us to live peacef…"
"That can't be the answer! We must fight back! It is the only way!" A strong female voice from within the crowd boomed. "Don't you see? If we run they are only going to follow." A tall blond woman approached the wise woman. "We must fight!"
Setsune thought on the matter for a few moments. "We don't have to resources to fight back. Our men aren't trained worriers like the Totark. They have no skill in the area of combat. Besides, Sunsire Horunas, our best went on the hunt and only seven of those men returned." She almost jumped at the blond haired woman as rage filled her being.
"If our tribe wasn't so worried about pleasing, Mahala, the Moon Goddess we would have an army three times fold the Totark's." As the remark was made all that stood watching the Sunsire and the Malickee argue gasped. To say words against the goddess was unheard of.
Moments of silence passed as a bright crimson color filled the Malickee's face as the words against the Goddess were spoken. "Sunsire Horunas! How dare…"
"Stop this!" Serenity's voice was heard over the Malickee's. "Men have died! Children have lost their fathers and women have lost their husbands! How can you even think of war at a time like this? More men will die if war comes." The Diolan stopped for a moment to wipe the newfound tears from her eyes. "I may not have the power as Diola for another two years but I speak as your Diolan! This must stop! War will be discussed later but for now we should only mourn."
Setsune nodded as the true pale color of her face returned. Her eyes reflected the silver moonlight as she gave a gentle smile. "My Darling, Diolan." The Malickee held her hands out to the crying child. "You are right. We should mourn now." She then faced Horunas. "And we will discuss other things tomorrow." She took Serenity in her arms and guided her to her resting area while every other village went into their own homes to mourn and cry for the dead.
Kunzim rose from the ground and approached Horunas. "Pay no mind to the old woman. She will try to the bitter end to keep war from coming upon us. But it is here, Sunsire. I promise that. As for the Diolan… she is but a child and doesn't understand the severity of this event. She is immature and innocent to the eyes of evil. But she will learn" Smiling he slapped the tall woman on the back. "Good eve, Horunas."
"Good eve." The Sunsire groaned as she walked to her own chambers.
***Within the Village of the Totark***
Horns sounded as the party approached the village. Not a man, woman, nor child had not run to greet the army as they made their way home. Cheers sounded and bells rang. "The Sunsire Diolon has returned!" Yelled a man from his doorstep.
A woman child raced through the open ways of the village to meet her beloved cousin as he made his way back into the safety of the village. She ran her pale fingers through her raven hair as she searched the party for the Diolon. "Endymion!" She screamed when he was spotted. Without any concern for his state of arrival she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist and planting a passionate kiss on his lips.
The Diolon dropped what he had been carrying and enfolded her perfect body within his arms. It had been two whole months since he had felt the warm embrace of his beautiful cousin and he needed her touch to forget what had happened days ago. "Reisha, What do you say we sneak out of this terrible crowd and collapse in my chambers until the end of time."
To this dreadful little suggestion came a snicker of pure delight as she ran her thin pale fingers through his pitch colored air. "Darling cousin, what a sinful idea." She carefully leapt from his embrace and back down to the dirt covered ground.
They proceeded unnoticed until an announcement called the Sunsire back to his post. "Diolon Endymion, It is time to celebrate… Come tell the people of Totark about the great victory over Mahal! Come and let us drink and make merry until the Sun goes down. Let us all celebrate this great defeat!" A man with short golden locks called from the center of the excitement. After he had finished his piece the people of Totark urged the Diolon on.
Endymion sighed in utter defeat and silently apologized to his mistress. "Jedine, You demon, you make it sound more great then the victory was. I'm sure the people would much rather drink and celebrate with their family and friends knowing that they had won then to sit and wait for the long story to be over and still coming to the same conclusion." He turned again to join Reisha.
"Oh Great Sunsire Diolon! It seems that you would rather celebrate in the bed of your cousin then in the arms of the villagers." Jedine jested. "This is a festive occasion and should be shared with all not just your mistress." The villagers agreed and soon persuaded their victor to tell the story of the defeat of the hunting party from Mahal.
Hours passed and as they did not one man was not drunk nor one women. All the children lay in their beds. Endymion and Reisha had taken to the Diolon's chamber and had made love for hours on end.
Reisha screamed and collapsed back onto the bed. Her partner rolled off of her as he took in a deep breath. "Oh, I have missed you, Reisha." Endymion's raged breathing could be heard between every word.
"And I you, Cousin." The black haired vixen sighed.
***End of Chapter One***
I'm sorry for ending it there. I just wanted to show the relationship between the Totark's Diolon and the Diolan. Oh and just so everyone isn't completely confused incest between cousins wasn't looked down upon within this age… Actually incest between siblings wasn't either but I'm not going to go there. Oh and I added a word to the Glossary. Sunsire is the leader of their respected army. I hope everyone enjoyed the first chapter of The Legend of the Sun and the Moon.
Merry Meet, Merry Part, Merry Meet Again!