The Exiled Gem

Let's Reunite

It was complete darkness outside, by the time they had set out on their five kilometer long journey. Diana had spent some time with her terrorist-men. She'd asked a man to nurse Alexandra's wounds, so now, there was bandage on her head, another on her cheek with some thick herbal paste beneath it that made her cheek burn horribly and other small bruises were all looked after.

'I'm-' Alexandra said, when she considered it safe enough to talk, 'Not Emma. I'm Mabel- like you're not Celyn. You're Diana,'

Diana didn't reply. She seemed lost in thought.

'How - how did you end up their - leader?' Alexandra then asked, limping by Diana, 'They didn't - kill you?'

'They would have,' Diana said finally, her eyes were glassy - expressionless, 'I passed through the same thing as you. I killed sixty five men. Fifty armed. Then, the man I killed today - their leader - he was Jason - their head for the past fifty one years, I dueled him. Dagger to dagger. I won.'

'You ... won,' Alexandra said, 'And then?'

'He offered me a place as his partner,' Diana said, 'I became one of them.'

Alexandra didn't reply, with all her mixed feelings, she wasn't sure she could. She couldn't imagine what sort of life Diana had led for so many years. She was ... what? Thirty five, now? Yes. For the past nineteen years ... what all she could have done. What all might have happened. Alexandra had thought her life was difficult. If it was, then Diana's life had been hell.

'I wouldn't like to talk of it. These men, the terrorists? I've asked them to return to Vedessa and join the army- in small groups, so that they raise no suspicion. They will. They have been brought up like that - all of them were abducted when they were really young. They are hammered to never disobey the leader. They will obey even if I ask them to fall on their swords. I don't care anymore. All these years, the only thing that has kept me alive - stopped me from becoming like Jason, was Mark's memory. He always used to say he'd end the terrorism. The shine in his eyes, the - the way he spoke everything in one breath-' Diana's lower lip quivered. Alexandra put a hand on her shoulder, 

'We could sit down for a while,' Alexandra suggested, as gently as she could.

'Ye-s,' Diana said, sitting down on the pavement, and looking down, 'I was - I was so alone without him-' She said, taking in a deep breath, Alexandra could dimly see shining tears on her cheeks, Diana put her dagger down and pulled of her left boot, massaging her sole, 'I didn't know whether I had succeeded in saving him or - not. I was such a bad sister, I was always abusing him. Or were we fighting? I wouldn't know, he just never won - didn't cry either, though came close to it several times. Mabel,' she said, holding her hand in both of her own, 'I have never seen Mark cry! And he hasn't seen me do it either!'

She was not crying anymore, she was laughing.

'I have,' Alexandra smiled. 'But you are luckier. He looks rather bad at it.' She assured. 'And Diana,' Alexandra added, finally finding her own voice. 'You are the strongest woman I've ever met. And Mark's your brother. Once he has said something, he does it. You've had so much pain. But even the darkest nights end in dawn - this is the dawn. Don't let the past haunt you. Those days were tough, but you were tougher. See, they are over, and you can watch the beautiful Sun rise now. Look,' Alexandra said, pointing to their House, 'That's where the Sun is - that's where our Brother is. Come on,' She said, standing up, 'He's a bit hurt, but after seeing you nothing's going to hurt him anymore.'

'Hurt?' Diana asked, 'How?!'

Alexandra recounted the previous night's incident... when she was done, Diana looked at the Blue Lily pendant in her hand, 'This,' she said, 'belongs to you, Mabel.' And before Alexandra could protest, she put it around her neck,