The Cursed Insignia

Chapter 8: A Family Affair

Chapter 8 – A Family Affair

“Priestess Aries, should we capture her now?” A man with a missing front tooth who smells like stale beer asked the priestess in front of me. Considering that I was still a few metres away from them, I can only imagine what he would smell like up close. Lena had passed out and was sleeping peacefully with her head on my lap. Her face was still concealed underneath the hood of her cloak.

The men were dressed like ordinary civilians, with weapons strapped on the belt of their pants. Nobody would be able to spot them as guards in the crowd. Some were good-looking, some were ordinary-looking, and some of them looked like men who would go as low as to drugging women just to get laid.

“You have no right to address me by my name, guard number three.” She snapped back at the man who had politely asked her. I have a feeling that me and this snobbish priestess will never get along. Not that I ever have the intention to find out though. She cannot even address people by their given names. And she calls them numbers? How bloody rude is that. Never mind that he is only a guard, who I might add, looks like a lecher. He still is human, after all.

“Wait, I have to check if she indeed bears the cursed insignia.” She added rudely. With that, she clapped her hands together in the air. She started yelling hysterically while she danced around like a crazy woman.

I tried stifling my laughter. But I couldn’t help it; I just had to laugh out loud. I know that my move was considered foolish, suicidal even, now that it was just me against them. But her way of channelling her priestess powers was just plain retarded. Totally not cool. I was glad that Lena could channel her powers without looking like an imbecile in the process.

“How dare you disrespect the priestess? You have no such right, you lowly cursed woman.” The man who smelled rotten snarled at me. Weirdly, instead of cowering in fear, I laughed even harder. He stomped over to where I sat and raised his hand, an action that he was about to hit me. But someone had interrupted and reached out in time to stop him from doing so.

My amusement was cut short when I saw who had come running to my rescue, although quite frankly, I didn’t need it. It was Jonah, otherwise known as the deceitful bastard. He looked at me apologetically. Never in my life did I want to claw out a handsome man’s face, as much as I want to do now.

“Where have you been, my Jonah?” Aries asked in a sweet tone, a great contrast to the way she shunned the other guard earlier on. She began rubbing her head on Jonah’s muscular arms. Jonah was trying to push her away, but greatly failing at it. Maybe he didn’t want to hurt the priestess’s feelings?

“I went to look for Prince Hedeon.” Jonah replied curtly. Out of nowhere, Aries began coughing out blood. Jonah was suddenly worried, rubbing the priestess’s back as crimson blood continued to surge out of her mouth seamlessly. She looked as if she was going to die of losing too much blood. Somehow, a small part of me began to pity her, for I have a gut feeling that she was going to die soon.

I felt an unfamiliar pricking pain on my chest as I watched Jonah caressing her back. The intimacy of the action made me want snap off the snob priestess’s head to quicken her death. Realisation dawned upon me, taking me by surprise once again. I am starting to believe that the glitch in my brain somewhere had somehow transformed to a large crack. Lock me up in an asylum. I was freaking jealous. Fearing that the people would notice my envy, I began bargaining with the devil.   

“I would like to tell you people that I bear no such curse. Nor have I heard of such a curse.” I denied outright. I’ve been told that denial works sometimes. So, I do not see why I shouldn’t try it now. For all I know, I might get a free pass from the harem with my denial. Though I doubt it will happen. I’m willing to make use of all the tricks I have up my sleeve. “I think that this is an unfortunate case of mistaken identity. One that I hope would be resolved immediately as it brings nothing to me but inconvenience.” I added in a convincing tone.

“Guard number one, I order you to check her. The cursed insignia is at the corner of her left thigh.” Aries began, with a triumphant smile playing on her lips. When I saw who ‘guard number one’ was, I knew the reason for her wicked smile. She was going to  make me pay for laughing and insulting her earlier on.

The guard who was walking over to me was obese, with no visible teeth as he gave me a lecherous smile. He was rubbing his hands together in excitement as he undressed me with his eyes. This man was going to feel me up. I just gagged, on the verge of vomiting.

I began to stand up on my feet, but decided that it wasn’t a good idea if I left Lena in a vulnerable state on the ground. I didn’t want my best friend to be harmed because of me. Neither did I want that kind of man to touch me where only my future husband should touch. I was stuck in a dilemma. I cannot run away with an unconscious woman slumped against my back. I will only get caught. And leaving Lena behind was definitely out of the question. I have to choose between the life of my best friend or preserving myself for my future husband.

In the end, the life of my best friend weighed in more. Even if she is suicidal, I really cannot stand to see her harmed. Therefore, I just sat myself back down obediently. And when ‘guard number one’ indeed finds, or in this case, feels the evidence, I will officially be deemed ‘cursed’. Think, Nuskha. Think of a way to save yourself.

When the guard was finally pushing me down on the ground, I caught a glimpse of Jonah, who looked like he was going to tackle the guard on top of me. But he was hesitating, and Aries was pulling him back as if sensing his intention. The rough hand of the guard was already trailing my legs. When I was about to knee him in the nuts myself, I caught movement from one of the branches of the large oak tree from my peripheral vision. I heard the loud snapping of a bowstring being pulled and released, and then an arrow came from above the tree, aiming straight for the disgusting pervert’s head. I saw the arrow pierce through his scalp, and jutted out of his chin. It was a perfectly accurate aim. I know that it was my mother’s doing.

Immediately, I jumped into action and bucked the heavy man off me. I ran straight for the stupefied Aries and Jonah, projecting the blades of my weapon along the way. Should I kill the barbaric female dog or the trickster bastard first? I opted for the latter. He played me right into the trap that had led me to this situation. And I should eliminate him before he becomes my weakness too. The sight of him alone was causing my heartstrings to go haywire. Before it gets any worse, he should die first.

The blade of my weapon was already close to securing Jonah’s demise when Aries shrieked. “If you kill him, one of your parents die, you lowly cursed!” I snapped my head to where she stood, she was shaking in fury.

Weirdly, Jonah was neither surprised of what my ‘harmless gauntlets’ could actually do, nor was he fazed of the fact that he could have died by my hands. He was more worried of Aries, who was literally vibrating. I felt another pang, damn it. I dropped my hands to the side when it finally registered in me what she had meant about one of my parents dying.

Helga was floating mid-air, with the string of her bow pulled back, cradling an arrow, aiming straight for Vasilio who had been sword fighting with one of the guards. I was too preoccupied to notice that my father had made his entrance. Helga was cursing loudly as she struggled for the arrow to remain where it was. A wrong flex of the muscle would kill the very man she loves.

Slowly, my father began floating as Aries raised her hands in the air, and she began dancing her retarded dance once again. The arrow on Helga’s weapon was still aimed at him. I gotta admit, that was a bloody smart move.

“Release my parents. Take me.” I finally whispered in defeat when I realised that I’ve lost all hope. With my words of surrender, Helga and Vasilio plummeted to the ground as Aries ended her dance. She turned to me with a victorious smile on her face that stretched from ear to ear. One day. I swear one day, I will find a way to permanently abolish that annoying smile off her face.