After iXi had confessed her love to Dannae but she ran away before the shocked Nolthrir responded. This was the day before Dannae responded and the rest almost never happened. Back home, revolution had changed all that iXi had known.
The cool air felt good as it gently blew past the wooden bins full of various fruits and vegetables in the market place. Flags, of all colors, gently flapped and the tarps over head shaded the goods for sale. iXi squeezed gently on a large avacado to see if it was ready to eat for lunch, when she noticed the light gleam off of the gold ring she had just purchased, hoping to one day give it to the love of her heart. She pondered a moment about whether or not a woman with webbed fingers could wear this ring...how did she ever become such a dreamer? ... but then, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed someone glancing her way. With out reacting, she continued with what she was doing, as if she had not noticed, but, inadvertently maganged to pass her gaze across that person. It was a demorian male in typical peasant clothes, apparently looking over some melons. Yet upon closer inspection, she noticed the shoes were refined leather.
Feeling cautious, she acted very uninterested in the man, and made her way in the other direction, when she noticed, yet another similar one at the end of the aisle. She knew from her own past that teams of two were all that was needed to stalk and overcome any unsuspecting victom. Not knowing if this had anything to do with her, did not matter, but she did know, however, that something was up, and it was time to leave.
She casually walked down the aisle and past the demorian she was facing and gave an innocent smile as she inspected his face. His eyes gave him away... he recognized her. With out reacting, she managed to look over some apples just around the end of the aisle, and slipping off her golden ring. Making it look as much as she could like an accident, the ring fell out ahead of her onto the stone floor of the Hydlaa street, and it rolled.
"Ahh no!" , she exclaimed as she innocently chased after it, and picking it up as it came to the corner of a building, she vanished beyond view of the mysterious demorians. She was not going to wait around for them either. Taking off in a dead run, she made her way around the first turn, ..... only to run face to face with two more male demorians and one female.
iXi came to a complete stop in total surprise. The red haired woman was dressed in red an black fine silk dress, with cream colored lace and high collar that framed her face like royalty. She extended two black , silk covered arms and hands saying:
"Debonara... how I have missed you !"
"DRAKKU?"
The refined demorian smiled and answered, " My... look what has become of poor iXi.... you are dressed like a pauper... I imagine you must miss all your finery." She lifted her long flowing skirt to show shiney boots and layers of petticoats.
iXi was stunned.
"What are you doing here?, she stammered.
Drakku smiled again as her guards stood by her.
"I am here to make you an offer, dear, lost Debonara."
"YOU don't get to call me that name anymore.... ever.", answered iXi firmly, while eyeing the personal guards. " Only people close to me may use that name."
Drakku faked offense.
"Oh, you wound me.... have you forgotten when you used to come to my chambers?"
"I clearly remember how desperate I was..." iXi answered, "... just to have some one warm that did not have a 2 day beard and smell like wine. I was so lost then, even you were better than nothing."
"Temple whore is what I would call it.", Drakku answered with a smile. " That first night you came to me... you had nothing on at all."
iXi's face pained at the memory, "Molested by that fat friar Jestin. I just could not be alone that night. I was dying in side!"
" Well he's dead now, so feel better,.... Debonara", Drakku quipped , repeating the name to hurt iXi with even more memories.
iXi closed her mind to the pain and changed the subject... "So, tell me... who was left standing when the blood stopped flowing?", iXi asked thinking about events and rebellion back home.
"You rememeber that little worm, Efrek ?", Drakku answered, "Well after the warlords all killed each other... he was left standing. In fact... Debonara... that is why I am here... Efrek thinks you can be of value to us... those who followed the ideas of your father, need to be brought in to the mainstream with us. You have the dedication, the charisma and are just wild enough to do it. You have your father's name.
Just think ..... you live in the castle again.. only.. not as Highfather's whore, but as a Lady of power and influence... luxury... clothes... baths... even servants...."
iXi blurted out," I have renounced Dakkru and grounded my life in Xiosia and her love! "
Silence fell as the two women stared at each other. Drakku leaned her head to the side and squinted her eyes. She spoke first.
"iXi Veno... Xiosia...... are we talking about the same iXi that hung a farmer upside down in his well for a day until he converted to serve Dakkru? ... The same iXi, who herded sixteen cattle into a rancher's house while he was away.... locking them in, because the rancher was late on his taxes? The same iXi, who burned barns, left slaughtered pigs on porches, had relations with every member of the Supreme Cult several times, who started drinking sacrificial wine before learning to spell , ... "
"ENOUGH!", yelled iXi covering her ears with her hands.
"Oh and I am not even half way through the list of wonderful imaginative things you did for the faith, How many did you kill? How many did you maim? .... and who was it that took my innocence.... Debonara ?"
"I have confessed all those sins to Xiosia.", iXi answered in a quiet tone.
"NO not sins....", Drakku snapped back, " Service and dedication to your faith and state. Believe this... I once admired you for it."
iXi had no answer. Drakku was thinking about how a person like iXi could ever come to this pitiful state of mind. Then it hit her.
"Xiosia... hmmmmm.... the same thing that got the last Highfather..... oh... oh.... oh no.... do NOT tell me.... you are with that same preistess he was!"
"No, I am not.", answered iXi honestly.
"What a strange look you have on your face, iXi Veno..... I have never seen that look on you before... did you kiss her?"
"Not even once."
"Sleep with her?"
"No."
"Feel her body upon you?"
"NOTHING has ever happened.", yelled back iXi.
"She's a Dammned Blue Gi...", shouted back Drakku, just as iXi's hand smashed across her face, sending her to the ground.
The two guards instantly had knives at iXi's throat and belly, but Drakku actually began to laugh as she stood back up , rubbing her red, swelling face.
"Oh, it is obvious now.... you LOVE her....iXi, don't be a fool! There is nothing for you here... and back home... a real life awaits you.... forsake all you have here in this place and come home. Come back now. Efrek will choose a good man for you for children, and as it always was, you can still love anyone else you want.
iXi's eyes filled with tears and she started to shake.
"Look at you..... lost... alone.... grasping at desperate straws to find meaning in this empty life you lead here.... Forget it.... leave it... Come back to us, now. We can't wait forever."
With that, Drakku snapped her fingers and two more guards came up from behind iXi, and Drakku and her personal guard departed down the alley.
iXi stood shaking in the empty street. What had she forsaken for the love of someone who had not responded to it? Had she lost her mind?
