The Keep

Series includes violence and sex and is not recommended for young readers

He hadn’t seen her since their last night together when she came and went without hardly a word. He went to visit her several times, but was refused a meeting by her parents.

Some months had passed and now here he stood, in the centre of town, eyes glued to her again. Her belly was swollen and large, obviously pregnant. Even out in his hermitage word spread that Chu’la was bragging of carrying Jumwa’s son. Nobody, as of yet, had commented on Jumwa’s reaction. As of yet, he had given none.

He never imagined his heart could sink so low as this. He had lost it all, and he had so little in the first place. Every day from then on passed in agony unlike he had ever experienced, until he could take it no longer. He thought of killing himself and ending it all. He swore he could never do that on the lonely dark nights he was forbidden from sleeping inside the hut his own mother made. Now… it was all he could think of. Except one last thing.

When he crept towards her hut that night, he knew her parents were gone to the celebration, leaving her behind because of her pregnant condition. So it didn’t surprise him when he heard a sound from inside, though when it was followed by a louder thud he grew concerned and lunged at the opening, pulling aside the hide that hid the inside.

His eyes first expressed pain, and then anger, to new startling heights. Over top of Chu’la knelt him. Jumwa. But it took a mere second more to realize it was a bloody stone he held in his hand above her prostrate body.

Beyond that, there was no delay. He sprung upon the body of Jumwa, and unleashed upon him all the strength and fury of a lifetime. He knocked the stone from the larger trolls grasp immediately, and then pressed him into the dirt.

Though Jumwa had the strength and skill to outdo him easily, the surprised and fury of his opponent overwhelmed him, and before any time to twist and push the attacker off of him could be had, the wimp lifted the stone up and brought it to bare against the back of Jumwa’s head with a dull thud.

Stunned, Jumwa could do little more than flail before another blow hit the back of his head. Before he could finish the job however, Chu’la opened her eyes and screamed “Ju vile beast! Get off’a Jumwa!”

After everything, how could she?

~~

The job had gone wrong. So wrong. Jumwa had just killed a guard who came by their rendezvous and that act would not be forgiven if they were caught.

Anjasa comes racing out of the tunnel into the ruined half of Silvermoon, a bundle wrapped beneath her arm. “Let’s get de fel out of here!”

Pretty soon the entire Silvermoon city guard would be on the look out for them, and escape would be near impossible, and their days of setting food near any elven lands would be at an end, to say the least. If their identities were found out, the Tribe would be in a great deal of hurt, and their leadership of it in jeopardy.

Mounting their raptors together, the pair take off as fast the beasts could carry them. However the trumpets sounding behind them indicated that they only had so much time and it ticked away regardless of their speed.

Anjasa looks behind them and furrows her brow. Quickly she called out to Jumwa, “Go on! Take de gold and run!” As soon as he turns and seems to register his understanding, she tosses the small chest from beneath her arm to him, her raptor slowing.

A look of consternation sweeps over Jumwa’s face as he looks back at the shrinking Anjasa. She calls out, “I’ll slow dem down!”

He slows down with her and their raptors turned to the side. As he eyes her over his mind naturally turns to the prospect that she’d turn him in; sacrifice him for herself. Before he could think over the situation any further, the decision was made for him. It was too late. She was dismounting and the pursuers were close behind. He either killed her there or ran.

He runs. And if he had looked back he might’ve caught a brief glimpse of the red and gold armoured guards striking her to the ground. With the death of the guard by the robber evident, they would take no pity on a suspect.