"I have not killed to do what, Ms. Dian Harrington?" I replied as I turn towards the old woman.
"You have not killed to conceal, have you?" she asked walking towards me holding up a bag.
"Not to conceal." I spoke slowly taking the bag from her nimble hands.
"You have killed before though. I can see it in your eyes. Fear... That is why you have killed before, no?" she continued, scraping the shards of glass into a small basket, "For such a steady hand only appears when death becomes morally right in the eyes of the killer."
"Fear has driven me to such, does it not to all?" I replied gently running my fingertips along the sharp edge of my dagger.
"I suppose so." She spoke continuing to rake off the shards of broken glass into her basket.
I was about to speak when she said,
"His death was coming and in this, you can not be held for it."
"What do you mean by this?" I inquired, confused.
"You are free to go Miss... I am not going to report this little incident. If anyone asks what happened, the alcohol can explain." She continued, a sly smile forming at the curve of her lips.
"Thank you." I breathed as I began to leave this death filled place, "Why?"
Ms. Harrington turned to me, her eyes glimmering with memories as she spoke.
"Because, Great Phantess, God has plans for you, though he believe in him or not and it is not my place to interfere. Besides, you remind me of my daughters."
A tear fell from her old cheek and a smile swept across her face as I turned and left that place.
"Be safe and may you fulfill God's plan." I heard her whisper as I ran out into the cool night air, never looking back.
I have now killed to conceal, I have taken a life not out of fear of my life, but for the concealment of who am I am becoming. I did not quite understand what Ms. Harrington meant by "God's plans." I have pretty much given up on him.
After all that I have gone through, I have lost all faith in God. My mother always told me to pray to him for guidance and that he would answer... My mother is dead... and I've stopped praying.
The cool night air filled my lungs so serenely giving me new strength as I quickly crept towards Cavaliere whom was stamping about his stall.
"I see you haven't slept my friend. We must be quick." I breathed as I fasten my bag to his saddle and lead him from his stable.
The sound of Cavaliere's hooves as the pounded on the sand match the beating of my burdened heart. Thoughts flowed unusually slowly through my mind as the pounding of Cavaliere's hooves became a part of my being.
"Why did I kill him? What drove me to do so? I gave him the opportunity to strike and he did not. So why did I kill him? Was he going to be a threat to me? He was no different than the other men who were present. Oh, why did I do it?!"
That's when the answer hit me like the sun's harsh rays as they drove away the cool air of night.
My father... It was because he acted as my father did. Though he did not harm Akira, from what I had seen, he had a... threatening sense about him. That's what drove me to end him... my father...
I didn't know where I was headed and I didn't care. I just wanted to get away, to leave that small place with the burdens it had bestowed upon me. After about an hour after sunrise, the desert heat became near unbearable; Cavaliere's steady breathing became irregular and shallow and I knew we must find shade and water. We rode only a few minutes more before we came upon a seemingly small city that was bustling with movement and excitement.
I slowed Cavaliere to a canter as we entered the busy streets.
"Welcome Miss to Cairo!" a man near the entrance to the city shouted in Arabic.
Cairo? Perfect. A large city where I may rest and not be as easily found and Christian's mask should help aid in my attempts for seclusion.
I felt a smirk tug at the sides of my lips as I rode atop Cavaliere above the crowd of people that had no clue who I was. As I rode by, I overheard a group of men talking of job offerings at a local excavation site near the pyramids. After hearing this I shouted in Arabic to one of the men.
"Do you know of where the pyramids are? I seem to be a lost."
"Sure Miss. They are located near Giza, a city not far from here. I believe it is due northwest from here." He replied.
"Thank you." I called as I set Cavaliere in a canter and make my way through the city towards Giza and... the pyramids.
I rode for about half an hour in the direction the man told me of and sure enough, I came upon Giza. As I entered the even busier city, I first saw the large monuments as they towered in the background of the glorious city.
I felt a sense of excitement and discovery as I began to near the magnificent monuments. The site of them sent chills riveting down my spine.
Maybe this could be a place of learning and understanding.
I rode up to one of the men whom stood guard and inquired of how I may get a job as a worker. He pointed towards a man whom was standing with a map in his hands and I spoke with him.
After a few minutes of negotiating and him asking me questions and I spitting the answers out in rapid succession, I received an astonished look and a job helping him with his research on the many pyramids that towered over the desert landscape. No physical labor if I did not wish.
The man, whose name was Dr. Hazier, seemed extremely impressed and intrigued by the knowledge I contained, and the greatest part of this was... He had no earthly idea who I was.
A clean slate, a new start, and time to live and explore; what more could a girl like me ask for?
