Mara - The Lady Grief (Completed)

35 Oath of the Basru

2650 B.C.E., Tombs of the Forgotten in the Desert

Winter, Month of Tebetu, One Year and Ten Months after Mara's Rebirth

Mara

What is the most bizarre occurrence of the past two years?

I pace back and forth in front of the tomb of Arim the First. Was that the most terrible thing? I can still remember the sound of the spike being driven through his still-soft flesh. The feeling of his body collapsing under the blows. The smell of all of the oils and preservatives used to keep his body from rotting until he could be entombed.

I march to the entrance of the tomb and stare into the tomb. Pieces of him still litter the floor of the tomb. Limbs, torso, his head in the corner. He's nothing but a dried-out husk. "He was embalmed. Shouldn't he still be... fleshy?"

I did that

I sigh and silently thank my father for that favor. He's been quiet for awhile. I think he's avoiding me.

Because of the male stalking my every move with his grey eyes. He is polishing a sharpened blade in his hands, but his eyes aren't on his work.

"Hearing the death god speak to me... hmm, that's odd... but I can't honestly say it's at the top of the list. It feels natural for you to be my father." Maybe because I never really knew my own real father

I am your father

"Yes, I know. I know." I roll my eyes dismissively. Semantics. Nateos is the only father I've known.

"My gargoyles!" I say. They're strange... it's strange to have them and they're strange little beasties!

"Those are gargoyles?" Thane muses. "I thought they were goblins." He stops staring at me to glance at the Mishu.

Mishu hisses at him, flashing his pointed fangs and gathering the treasures he stole from the returned dead warriors more tightly to him. A small bronze canteen pops out and he swipes it back into the pile with the end of his tail.

Goblins?

He's the smart one?

I frown, waving off both males. Neither of whom are helping me right now.

"Then there's Tafia and Sera and their bond. I can cut through those, that's different."

Thane's eyebrows quirk upward. "You can?" He shifts away from me warily. The blade flashes in his hands as he turns and polishes it. Flash, flash, so quickly...

I scoff at him. "I can't see our bond so I can't cut it. I only had that ability for awhile. I thought that Love had given me the gift, but now I wonder if it was my father."

"I did cut the animal spirit of that one soldier," I say thoughtfully. "If I stab you over and over then maybe something will happen." I narrow my eyes at Thane.

He grins, surprising me.

"What?!"

"You cry tears of acid," he says to me. A completely unasked for addition to my list, in my opinion.

I stop pacing to stare at him, feeling offended. "This is my list!"

"Sorry," he murmurs, looking abashed, but those grey eyes are twinkling.

My chest catches. Thelios would look at me like that. Mischievousness and affection.

"You are the Lady Grief, Princess. That's special, no?" Thane hurries to ask.