[Complete] Eroh has reached his seventeenth spring and has finally become a man. With manhood comes a gift: marriage to the woman he loves. But when a strange new woman from another world enters his life, he is stuck with the decision to honor his...
Oops! This image does not follow our content guidelines. To continue publishing, please remove it or upload a different image.
Mirr Martuss was the one who found me. I was thankful he did not know the truth. I failed. I didn't have the heart to kill the boy. But she would've ... my sister.
I lay upon my bed recovering from the several bug bites riddling my flesh, the scratches on my face, and the many blisters on my toes and feet. I'd never walked so much in my life. My body was not used to it. My legs not strong enough, nor my lungs. I was lucky to be alive.
Father asked what happened. I told him another lie. All I seemed to do was tell him lies. "I was outside the fort when I got lost and couldn't find my way back." He didn't pry any further. He took my words for the truth, embracing more me. And I wept into his arms, knowing I failed him - my people - and poor Aqule.
I was resting when I got the knock at the door. Not the loving knock of my father, or the mysterious knock of my uncle Malos, but a serious knock that only came with bad news. It was too early in the day and I was in no mood for a lecture.
"Marina." A voice rang strong and proud. "It is I, Mirr Martuss. I've come with a gift."
"A gift?" My mind raced with what it could be. Hopefully something that could get rid of the itch on my inner thigh. I pulled the covers close to my chin, put on my sick face, and said, "come in!"
My door squeaked open. Mirr Martuss stood at the doorway long enough for me to look upon his dark blue, fish-scaled armor and eyes that were blue and cold as ice. I shivered, knowing I would not like this gift.
"On second thought, maybe you could come back when I am feeling better-"
My words were lost when I saw him raise the necklace. Each sapphire glowing blue as the ocean on a hot summer day. How did he manage to get it? Did he go to the Landwalkers village and retrieve it? No ... There was only one explanation. Somebody brought it here. "Eroh," I whispered.
"We need to talk."
"Please," I shook my head as tears drained down my cheeks. "Don't tell father ..."
Mirr Martuss lowered his head. "I must. I don't keep secrets from him ... but what I will tell you is that this was brought by a Landwalker ... a boy."
My heart pained, and I grabbed my chest. "Did you ... did you kill him?"
"Not yet ..."
The pain passed, and I could catch my breath. It must be me who kills the boy. I thought. But that thought came and went. It relieved me he was not dead. But why? He killed my sister. Why did I care about some killer? Some LandWalker? Some ... some ... boy? I felt like a fish had smacked me, and I was dizzy. I clutched the bed, steadying myself. He was only a boy ... Marina would be strong. I must be strong.
"I can explain to you what happened, but you must promise not to tell father."
Mirr Martuss took a step inside and closed the door, looking at me with suspicion in his eyes. "I can't do that."
