Of Sinners & Saints

MARI (EDITED)

She remembered tales Dim had told her about the dangers in the Ishtarian Empire. Seasonal's pitted themselves against one another for entertainment and wagers were made by spectators. Death was the winner, each time. With this knowledge, Mari wisely kept her head down and only spoke to those who had trustworthy eyes, but these people were few and far between.

She wasn't even in Verkudul an hour when she witnessed something wholly horrific. She saw an innocent looking child, barely ten and shabbily dressed. This child produced a knife and stabbed a member of the armed forces in his crotch repeatedly. The unfortunate soldier understandably screamed and dropped to the floor as blood oozed out from where he had been maimed. Mari was horrified when the child was shot in the head, but this horrific act was sort of justified. This incident only cemented her negative opinion of the foreign land she was in. This place is backward and well and truly twisted.

Mari continuously thought about Ezra. She was of the faith, like her loving parents before her, she had faith that Ezra was alive and well, that was enough to keep her moving onward.

Mari had wandered into the grand bazaar, Talamh's oldest and largest covered market. The walkways were thin and with so many people shuffling along slowly she felt like she had stood in the same spot for hours. She was walking into shadows and then a brief light could be seen from above. Vendors were selling all sorts, lanterns and lights, decorative crockery, antiques, jewellery, artwork, games, musical instruments, hookah pipes, sweets, trinkets and gifts and anything and everything in-between. It was noisy as vendors were calling out their wares and what was on sale. Mari felt so claustrophobic, at one point she lost her breath and rested her hands on her knees, but she could not rest or stand idle. People were pushing one way and the other. It was a free for all movement.

Mari noticed that there were far more men than women around. In the Ishtarian Empire, a woman's life was controlled by a man from birth until death. Every woman must have a male guardian, normally a father or husband, but in some cases a brother or even a son, who has the power to make a range of critical decisions on her behalf. Women have fought for their rights but Sultan Ramzeez ignored the outcry and said: "the law is the law." Mari had to be vigilant, she was with no man, she stuck out like a sore thumb, and many eyes gazed at her, unfriendly eyes at that.

She took out a photo of Ezra at every possible opportunity and asked. "Have you seen her?" Pointing to the photo.

"No." was the only response she received repeatedly. She could not mask her disappointment. Her eyes were watery every time she heard the word "no" it was like someone had pierced her heart with an icy dirk. Her whole mien spoke of a woman who had given up she slumped her shoulders her pate low, but she found the strength within to raise her chin. I will find answers If I ever find the strip club. She vowed to stay resolute.

Eventually, after walking around aimlessly, she spotted a coffee shop appealing to tourists and thought it would be a good place to ask someone a few questions. Perhaps put her on the right track. Venturing in, Mari ordered a Frappuccino and took the photo of Ezra out from her pocket and again asked, "have you seen this girl?" Her voice a bit brittle as she had asked this so many times already.

"No," the server replied. She had a soft smile and a kind gleam was in her choclate brown eye.

"Do you know the way to Regina Revue?" Mari asked a follow-up question. She even showed the barista the match-box.

"Ah yes," the barista said. She was doing many things at once. Helping Mati, get her order and tending to other customers and their queries. "Red light," the female barista kindly informed her meaning the red-light district. Mari listened to the barista as the svelte lady with glowing skin gave clear concise directions to the red-light district. Mari was closer to her destination, she knew where she was going now, sort off. She paid an inflated price for her beverage, but she cared not.