The Destiny of Amalah (92 page)

‘So am I,’ Luxor replied, as he turned his back on his father and walked out of the family home.

Luxor carried on walking until he was far from the family house and close to the snow topped pine trees. He looked around and all he could see in the dusk light was a blanket of snow and dim light coming from the homes and inns. He looked at the pine trees once again and decided against walking through the forest at that hour, for he knew he was not dressed well enough to stay out in the cold for a long time.

He headed back to the village, striding quickly through the snow and he made his way to one of the houses in the village. He walked around the outside of the house once and then ventured inside; he opened the door carefully, looked around and listened, before he stepped into the front room. His black boot landed firmly on the mat and as it made contact, he heard a creek, he stopped dead still and listened for a few seconds and when he heard no more noise; he placed the other boot next to the one on the mat and then quickly closed the door behind him.

He snuck quietly through the house, picking up and eating a bread roll that had been freshly baked. He came to a small bedroom and opened the door ever so quietly and then stepped into it. He remained at the door and watched as a young blond woman slept on the makeshift bed. He watched as her chest heaved up and down with each breath and he watched as she laid otherwise perfectly still; her long golden ringlets were splayed at her side and one arm was caught up in her head and another rested on her waist.

He looked at her for a few seconds and then he went to the bed where she lay. He gently sat down on the bed beside her and ran his fingers through her hair and then held onto her head. She was still oblivious to Luxor’s presence and she only stirred when he bent forward and kissed her on her head. She smiled slightly and shook her head gently and Luxor smiled as she stirred from his touch. He bent forward again and kissed her forehead once again, holding her cheek in his hand. This time, she stirred and then opened her eyes and she was surprised to see Luxor watching over her.

‘Luxor!’ she gasped in surprise. ‘What are you doing here? If Johann were to come home…’

‘I don’t think Johann will be home for a while,’ Luxor said, smiling at the young woman as he placed his hand on her waist. ‘I think Johann will be spending a long time at the inn.’

‘And if he doesn’t?’

‘He doesn’t,’ Luxor said simply.

‘He will kill you if he catches you here.’

Luxor snorted a small snort and laughed softly. ‘He could try,’ Luxor said, unperturbed by the thought of Johann attempting to kill him. ‘I came to see you Maya; this is going to be the last time that I see you.’

‘Why?’ she asked, shocked by Luxor’s revelation.

‘Because I am leaving the village; probably leaving Parades.’

‘Why?’

‘Father asked me to, but the villagers have also insisted that I leave.’

‘Where will you go?’

‘I do not know myself yet.’

‘When?’

‘The day after tomorrow.’

‘But I leave tomorrow.’

‘I know; that is why I came to see you now.’

‘You came here – to my house, where Johann lives. Knowing that if he came back he would kill you – why?’

‘You know why,’ Luxor said, looking at her lustfully.

‘Tell me,’ she said teasingly.

‘I want you,’ he said, as he pulled her up towards him and kissed her passionately. ‘I want you now.’

Maya kissed him back and threw her arms around Luxor and held onto him tightly as they kissed each other with such drive and passion that their bodied hardened as they touched. The two of them removed each other’s clothes quickly and skilfully and fell back onto the bed, where they made love that was full of lust and heat and passion that set them both on fire.

They rolled around on the bed touching, kissing and holding each other as their bodies entwined and they brought each other great ecstasy time and time again until they were both too tired to go on anymore and when they were done; Maya fell into Luxor’s arms and he held onto her.

‘Will you ever return?’

‘Yes I will,’ he promised. ‘I do not know when but one day, I will return.’

‘I shall miss this,’ she said simply. ‘I shall miss you.’

‘You will have Johann,’ he told her.

‘Johann does not touch me the way you do, nor does he bring me such pleasure,’ she said wanly.

Luxor pulled her closer to him and kissed her shoulder and stroked her hair.

‘The woman who ignites such passion in me is betrothed to another, a cruel irony if ever there was one,’ he said, as he continued to stroke her hair.

‘If this is to be our last time together then make love to me one more time,’ she said longingly. ‘Just one more time,’ she said softly.

Luxor pulled her even closer towards him and the two of them began kissing again and then they made love for the very last time. When they were done, Luxor kissed her for the longest time before he rose to get dressed. Maya remained on the bed and watched him as he put his clothes back on. When he was dressed, he sat down besides her and stroked her hair and looked into her eyes, smiling at her.

‘I do not know when I will return Maya, but there are few things that pains me about leaving this village; one is leaving you, and you not being in my arms anymore. It also pains me that I will not be seeing my brother and sister,’ he said, before he leaned forward and kissed her.

‘Everyday without you will pain me Luxor,’ Maya said to him. ‘When Johann is in this bed, I will wish it was you for always.’

Luxor pulled her towards him and hugged and kissed her one more time before he stood up and made his way to the door. He turned and stared and then winked, before he left her in the room alone again and then he quietly made his way out of the house and onto the street, checking that no one was around before he stepped out.

He walked back to the house and went straight to his room; Luxor took off his outer clothes and then he lay on the bed and sat thinking for most of the night. He read a little too but when tiredness came over him, he got into bed and fell asleep. He slept soundly and when he awoke, he was ready to start a new day. It took him a few minutes to recall the conversations of yesterday and to remember that he would be leaving tomorrow.

Luxor rose up in his bed and gathered his thoughts and when he grew tired of contemplating what the future held, he got out of bed and decided that he was going to make the most of his last day in the village. He left the house shortly afterwards and went to buy the final supplies for his journey. Luxor took his time wandering through the village; he took in the small houses and inns, the crisp white snow that covered absolutely everything in the village and he glanced at the people around him – and to him – they all seemed small and insignificant. He could not look at anyone with fondness anymore, as he knew that they had probably wanted him out of the village but had not dared to say it to his face.

Luxor returned home and spent some time with his siblings; at first they were distraught that their beloved elder brother was leaving them but before long, Luxor cheered them up. They spent the evening talking, laughing and playing games and making up stories until their father told the two young children that it would soon be time to go to bed.

Luxor hugged his sister and brother one more time and for the rest of the evening that they had left, he spent his time with them, giving them his undivided attention until tiredness took over them and they fell asleep before their bedtime.

Luxor and his father put the two children to bed and then Luxor retired to his own bed; not wanting to spend any time with his father, who he felt had betrayed him. Luxor spent the night in his room and when he was ready; he got into bed and slept soundly through to the next morning.

When Luxor awoke, he was immediately alert and he knew what the day ahead held in store for him. He got out of bed and washed and dressed and sat down to a big breakfast with his siblings and father. When he was finished he rose from the table and went back to his room.

The next day had come quickly for Luxor and when he rose, he continued to prepare for his journey, he found that he was still missing some supplies. He made his way back into the village to gather his remaining things and when he had everything he needed, he set off on the last ever journey, he would make home

Luxor eventually returned home that morning and when he arrived, he found his younger brother and sister and father in the living room. His siblings ran to him and hugged him and his father looked on as the siblings shared their moments of affection. Luxor looked at his father with a mixture of mockery and sympathy, because Luxor now saw his father as weak, after he had acquiesced to the villagers and he wondered how they could possibly share the same blood. Luxor’s father smiled weakly at his son and Luxor smiled back and nodded his head. He released his brother and sister and knelt down beside them.

‘Is it time?’ Luxor’s younger brother asked.

‘Yes it is,’ Luxor replied, knowing what his younger brother was asking.

‘Don’t leave us,’ Luxor’s younger sister begged.

‘I have to,’ Luxor said sadly and softly. ‘I have no choice.’

‘I hate them,’ his brother said sulkily.

‘Don’t hate them on my account,’ said Luxor.’

‘Very well, but I still hate them.’

‘Piet!’ Luxor’s father said sternly, scolding the boy.

‘What?’

‘Do not talk like that and do not talk that way to me.’

Luxor remained silent, refusing to side with his father; he simply turned to stare at him with that look of mockery that his father hated so, and then he turned back to his brother and sister.

‘I will return and when I do, we will remain together for all time.’

‘Really?’ Luxor’s sister asked.

‘Really,’ Luxor answered.

‘Promise,’ Piet said.

‘I promise.’

‘The two of you look out for each other, do you hear me?’ he said, looking at both of them.

‘Yes Luxor,’ they echoed.

‘Good. Stick together no matter what and remember what I taught you.’

‘Yes Luxor,’ his brother replied.

‘I love you, both of you,’ he said to the two children.’

‘I love you too,’ they said in unison.

Luxor rose to his feet and went to gather his belongings; he went to his bedroom and gathered the various sacks and bundles and loaded them onto his broad shoulders. The sacks were heavy but Luxor was strong and so he carried them with greater ease than most would have. He looked around his room for the last time and then turned and left it.

He walked through the house past his father and his siblings and out into the front yard. He walked through the crisp snow where his horse was tied and he loaded him up. When he had secured his supplies, he turned to face the house and faced his father, brother and sister.

‘Well, this must be it,’ he said, eyeing his father.

‘Not quite,’ his father replied. ‘I have something for you.’ Luxor’s father stepped forward and walked towards his son.

‘What is it?’ Luxor asked curiously.

‘A gift – a parting gift, if you will,’ his father said, handing Luxor the long box.

Luxor opened the box and inside was a beautifully crafted sword that shone under the daylight skies, his eyes widened when he saw it, the sword was much bigger than anything he had ever seen yet it was uniquely elegant.

‘Father it is truly splendid,’ Luxor said, as he continued to eye the sword up and down and appraise it. ‘Where did it come from?’

‘My father.’

‘It looks as though it were made yesterday.’

‘That is the beauty of the sword,’ his father replied. ‘That sword has been through a long and bloody war and still it remains the way it is.’

Luxor picked up the sword, it was heavy but he handled it well and because of his size, the sword fitted him perfectly. He swung the sword expertly and gracefully and he watched as the blade glided though the air and sliced though the atmosphere. Luxor brought the sword to a halt and placed the tip in the palm of his left hand, he held the sword in both palms and then grabbed the hilt once again before he ran his hand down the blade barely touching the edges; he smiled as he felt the cold metal slide along his hand and when he finished his appraisal, he brought the sword back down to his side.

‘It’s a truly splendid sword father: why are you giving it to me?’

‘I do not know where you will go, or how far you will venture Luxor, but I know that of you are to make it out there alone; you will need a sword of this quality.’

‘Thank you father,’ Luxor said, with real gratitude and appreciation.

In that moment, Luxor forgot that his father was turning him away and that he had bowed to the villagers demand and was exiling him – his eldest son. In that moment, he appreciated the thought, the gesture and the splendour of the sword that his father had given him.

‘It is the least I can do,’ his father replied.

‘Yes, it is,’ Luxor said acidly, remembering all too suddenly what his father had done – was doing.