His Hand In The Shadows

Chapter 6: The Love We Lost

There were not many captains that hailed from Belcrest so teachers made great use of the opportunity to have their own captain visit the pre-cad and imprint positive expectations on the young and impressionable. To inspire even a few to look at their term as an accomplishment rather than a chore. Ayla went to classes like all the rest back then. She watched as her father recited his days in the military.

It was a proud feeling for the Nkri family to have their head of house as the only ex-captain in the village. He had left the military due to his diminishing health but his slowed pace did not stop his day to day in the village. He continued to train children in the forest. He cooked dinner during the week and nagged his daughters on the weekends. He conversed with his neighbors that he knew from his days in the military and he took turns working at the pottery stall in the village square with his wife. Working at the stall took the most time from his day and it took his life.

Reina made her way to the stall near midnight when her husband was late arriving home. He normally stayed a while when his body grew too painful to walk back alone, carrying the materials back to the house. She had told him many times to bring Kai with him. Kai was only twelve, but the extra help would be good. Her husband refused and insisted that Kai and Ayla could help on the weekends, but the weekdays were reserved for study so they too could get accepted for Orhem Academy's subsidy.

"What I told you?" Reina asked. "Kai and Ayla sit on the porch watching stars." Broken crockery lay on the ground before the stall.

A frail voice reached from beyond the darkness. "Reina."

Coldness ran over her body as she turned to the stall. She walked around the front, entering through the side. He was bleeding. There was blood on the ground. On the tools. On the ceramics. Shaking, she pulled a towel from the counter and knelt down next to him. She hesitated before putting the cloth to his face. She dabbed it with delicacy. Her hands clasped against his stomach over the wound, the blood poured out like water from a pipe.

His hand rose from his side holding hers. It was red. Too much so that the cloth could not clean it all. "What should I do?" she asked him with angst. Her voice rattled. "I don't know what to do."

"Do nothing now. Just stay." His words were faint. Softer than the rolling thunder she was used to in their house.

Reina looked around the shop as her head swelled with thoughts. "The doctor. I'll get him."

"If you leave... I'll not be here when you're back."

She whipped her head around. With tears in her eyes she asked him, "Where... will you be?" Her entire body shook as she waited for him to form words.

"Dead then."

Her bloody hands held his face. Her tears fell to his cheek. "You can't die. You came back to me just now..." She brushed his hair from his face and the dark curls fell back over his forehead as she brushed them back again. "We haven't lived yet. How'll you die when we haven't lived?"

His face was growing pale, dragged with exhaustion. He couldn't form a smile but she could tell he was trying.

She forced herself to her feet and he held her hand. "The doctor... I'll run."

"Don't leave." His green eyes fought to stay open. The light they normally had was growing dim.

She sat. "What happened?"

"A man. He's gone."

"I don't know what to do... how to live without you." She tapped his hand. "Did you hear me? If you say nothing I'll leave for the doctor. If you don't... I will leave." Choking on her words, she touched his face. He was still looking at her but he was not seeing her. Pulling his forehead back she peered into his sunken eyes. "I didn't leave," she told him. "I'm still here with you. Tell me what to do."