Crown of Flame

Ikinya's Folly

"Is this her? Is this the woman that my men have so feared to bring to me?" He said in an amused roar. His men were seasoned, trained, battle-proven soldiers who were taught from childhood to not fear death. War had been their mother's milk, their bedtime stories, and their very lifeblood, yet suddenly his troops were stricken with fear, and of a woman no less!

"This is SHE, Great Ikinya. We beg of you, tread lightly with this woman!" A soldier said approaching with the woman in tow. The soldier, towering over the woman, escorted her forth with such fear and trembling one would think she, and not he, had dealt death to many. She walked forward seeming to dwarf the two great mountains to each side of the grassy valley with her presence. Even the deep lush mountain forests seemed to fade into the background as this woman drew near the great Ikinya.

Ikinya watched closely as the woman approached. She was pleasurable to watch, to be certain. Her long skirt, dyed purple, rustled the long grass at her bare feet. The blue wrap slung over her right shoulder covered her full breasts but left the rest of her athletic torso open to view. A long, thick and ornately patterned braid traveled far down her sculpted shoulders and poised back. She met his hard glare with a stone glare of her own, made of gleaming copper. This woman, despite his raid on her land, seemed unyielding to fear.

The wind blew just slightly, rustling the tall grass around Inkinya's sandaled feet. He pulled his shoulders back and thrust his long spear into the rich, dark soil of the grassland. The thunk of the light blade earth seemed to bounce across the plain and against the high walls of the dark, opposing mountains. It was as if her presence put a hush on the entire surrounding world. The woman who oddly frightened Ikenya's men did not seem bothered by the oppressing sun baring down on her bare shoulders, so Ikinya too ignored its heavy, burning glare that withered the tips of the tall grass into a paisley yellow.

"Tell me, woman, why is it that in the short time it has taken my men to find you, that they have come to fear you so?"

"My name is not woman, boy, it is Teleza, and I will ask the questions now." The woman spoke her harsh words with great calm. Her voice was rich and thick, like fresh honey. It oozed over his large frame, slowing him to a verbal halt. It is fitting that a woman whose skin was the color of the rich, brown Earth would have the voice of honey, he thought.

"Why is it you have come here? Were you not taught that this land is forbidden to your people and the Baharini?" Her voice was calm as if she perceived no threat from this man or his horde of raiders. Of course, he was taught that this land was forbidden, but that was in times of old. He now led his people, and this land would provide the best route to ambush and finally take over the land of the Baharini. His people, the Ziwa, wanted access to the ocean port that the Baharini had created. It provided for more opportunity for trade than that of their great lake.

He fought the urge to swipe his finger through his hair, braided tightly to his scalp. He would not appear nervous to this woman, his soldiers, or her people who were watching anxiously from their doors. Ikinya hated common village people, they were always afraid. He was of average height for his people, even slightly smaller. He had the thin athletic build of a hunter. His appearance should not have caused fear, but somehow he always did, wherever he went.

"I have come here to create passage for my people into the land of the Baharini. It has been denied us for generations, and now I am here to lay claim to this land." His voice was strong and confident, much like the man himself. He had fought in many battles in his lifetime and had come to trust in his own will. He had never been bested in battle, not since being a small child in training. Today, these humble villagers and this woman would not scar his record.

"How, boy, do you intend to do that? Do you imagine that you can take this passage by force?" Rather unexpectedly, the woman smiled as if amused by the prospect. These people guarded the narrow valley between the shadows of two large mountain ranges that led from the river plains to the ocean plains. They had for generations untold. Never had they been contested and not been victorious. Looking around the humble village, Ikinya wondered how that was. These people were humble, at best. They were not warriors. Most were descendants of refugees from the original Ziwa – Baharini wars that had lasted many years, a long, long time ago.

"I already have, woman, did you not notice?" Ikinya laughed full and from his loins. This woman, surrounded by armed warriors questioned his ability to conquer her meager people? Insulting!

Tereza was not laughing; neither was she smiling any longer. She waited silently for this leader of men to stop his laughing and looked deeply into the dark pools of his eyes.

"How is it you assume these people have been conquered, great warrior?" She asked with her soothing honey voice.

" I have laid waste to your husband and king. I must admit that is was surprisingly easy to ambush the king so feared by my people. I imagine those before him were far more fearsome and worthy of the great tales."

Tereza glared but did not look surprised. She pressed her small hand to her heart and her shimmering copper eyes shut tight. For a moment, Ikinya regrets causing this beautiful woman pain, but he'd caused many beautiful women pain in his lifetime by doing away with their husbands. Why should she be different?

"Yes, this land yet drinks his blood, and not far from where we stand," Teleza spoke as if to herself, before opening her eyes again. "True to your name Ikinya, you have taken a step, but this step was too far." Her voice was low and foreboding. She spoke of his name and its meaning of 'a small step'. Ikinya wondered how she'd known either. "Now you will learn why your people fear this passage and fear these mountains."

Ikinya did not know what it was the woman threatened, but knowledge was not necessary to process the truest, deepest of fears. The very shadows of the mountain passage were darkening and spreading further out, though the sun had scarcely moved. They crawled across the planes with a life all their own. No, not their own, but of this woman, this Teleza of the valley. The villagers were breaking free of his men and running for cover in their homes. Something was happening so far beyond his comprehension that Ikenya feared more than death.

"What mischief do you speak of, woman? What evil is this?" Before the words could completely fall from his lips, Ikinya was surrounded by the sounds of screaming. The shadows had crept up and surrounded them. The darkness slid up to his men, and one by one, wrapped itself around muscled calves and thick ankles to drag men screaming across the grasslands and into the shadows of the mountain forests. Fear gripped his heart, true fear, something he had not known for a very long time. This was not warfare as he knew it; this was something dark, twisted, and completely unearthly.

"What are you?" Ikinya asked, for the first time realizing his folly in ignoring the tales of his ancestors. The woman slowly opened her eyes to reveal gaping darkness in them both.

"I am the beginningof the end. I am she who cannot be caged. I am the mover of the Earth and thereason men fear the dark. I am the Queen of the Deep."