Short Stories

All for the Love of My Brother

I awoke with a hand over my mouth. I knew not to scream. It had become instinct. I could not draw attention; none would help me if I were in trouble. Another hand wrapped around my stomach, and I was lifted to my feet. He dragged me from the tent as silently as a snake. He led me around in the dark. I had no way of knowing where we were going. I held on to him as a sign of hope. If he were to kill me, so be it, as long as I was escaping the world I had come from.

I felt a chill as the wind howled around us. We were out of the tents now, out in the open. I could see the stars shining in the sky. I looked by the starlight into his face. His hair and eyes were dark. His skin was the same tan color as mine. His expression was cold and focused. He looked young. He could not have been older than nineteen. He wore a lightweight robe that seemed to be open in the middle, and cloth pants of the same color. He silently urged me forward and we ran towards the village a little ways away.

He pet his finger over my mouth as we snuck into the small city. He led me through alleys and over trenches and small huts until we reached a solitary opening between two huts. He then let go of my hand and looked me in the eye. I could no longer see his expression because of the shadows. He sat down on the ground and I followed suit. He seemed to be waiting for me to speak. I was curious, so I spoke, despite the informality.

"Who are you?" I was still unsure of whether he wanted to help or harm me, though I was leaning towards the former.

"My name is Salvador. I am from this village, the City of Tears. They say it was named for its tall structures, but most of those are gone now. The emperor's soldiers burned them down when some refused to pay taxes. My mother and father were killed at that time. I was eight."

"I'm sorry you went through that. I too am an orphan. My parents died of a fever when I was very young, and my brother raised me on the streets for a while. The emperor had me taken from him a few years ago though, and I was made to live in the palace as a wife for him. I refused to do as he asked and I was beaten and given to a poor man in exchange for some information he had for the emperor. Since then I have been sold or given away many times, and run away a few. I try to never let them touch me. They don't deserve it."

Salvador nodded. "You're right. They do not. Your brother would not have let them hurt you."

"No, he would not have. I wish I knew where he was now."

Salvador stood up. "Come. Let's find you a bed for the night." He went to the nearest hut and revealed a small flap that was a door into a secluded corner of the hut. I followed him inside and found that it was full of blankets. I laid down on the soft bedding and was asleep within seconds.

The morning light seeped through the flap and I could see his sleeping face. He was angelic in his features, and seldom made a movement, even in sleep. His right hand was clutching the flap, waiting to pounce if it were moved. His left hand was on his exposed stomach, and I could see the muscle now. It was clear he could have carried me here without any help had he needed to. His stature was not very big, but it was sturdy. I shifted to my side and looked at the top of his eyes. His face was etched with lines of hard concentration and sorrow. I pitied him. He slowly blinked open his eyes as he felt my breath over his face. He did not react to my presence at all, he simply stared. After a solid moment, he sat up and lifted the flap. He glanced around, then dropped the flap and looked back at me.

"They will be looking for you. Will you promise to stay here while I find food?"

I promised. He nodded and left the small structure.

He came back with a loaf of bread and a small canteen of water. I savored each bite, yet my mouth yearned for a different taste. His lips were thin and as smooth as butter. I wished to slide my fingers across them and memorize the feeling. He made sure I had plenty to eat, and insisted on my being comfortable and unafraid of my pursuers. I smiled easily and assured him that I could not be more comfortable or less afraid.

"Perdita, I have not told you how I came to find you. It was your brother who led me to you. He has been searching for you since you were first taken away, and he had heard you were near. I chose to join him as he searched the town for you. We found you very quickly, but we could not get to you at that time of day. Your brother was persistent however, and though I warned him not to, he tried to go after you there. He screamed out to you and at your captors, making quite a scene. You were exhausted and unaware of your surroundings, so you did not understand him. When I saw the soldiers coming, I ran away. It would not do for us both to be caught while you were still captured. I watched from behind a hut as they beat him. It was... frightful. They left him in the street. He could not be saved. Please do not hate me for telling you this, or for not helping him. You must know, I did what I thought was best."

I was speechless. I could not even cry. It had been three years since I had seen my brother, yet I still loved him with all of my heart. Salvador had been his companion. I knew he would not hurt me, for he had helped me out of love for his friend. I reached out and hugged him with the love of a sister, hugging my lost brother through him. He held me close and let his tears fall freely.

The next morning, they found us. I watched as they whipped him and threw rocks at his head. I could not cry; I could only watch in horror. He died on the streets of the city, next to the remains of the higher huts of his parents. I was blindfolded once again, and taken away from the only person to have ever shown me love. I would not cry. I would continue to do as before, never letting them hurt me, all for the love of my brother.