Lost and Alone

I should have found her sooner. Hunger creates monsters, especially in the dead of winter. She screamed my name, I was bogged down against three other invaders attempting to burn the village and kill its people.

“Taupek. Please forgive me.”

She screamed for her husband as a man gripped at her wrist, it felt like iron clamping hard over her skin. “Sahale!” A cacophony of voices, roaring fires and clashing steel drowning out her pleas.

Rope was soon tied over her arms, her legs bound with cloth before she was slung over the back of the man's horse.

Cursing his actions she attempted to wriggle free as he sped off into the dark forest. The horrors of her village deafening against the snow as he rode further away to be swallowed by the darkness. “Sahale!” She called out again before a hard hit from the hilt of a sword blackened her vision.

When she awoke she was in the snow, her fingers had gone numb and she felt as if water had frozen against her hair. Sharp pain stabbed against her skull as she stood, attempting to take in her surroundings before realizing she had been stripped of her clothing. And reclothed in thin fabric that appeared to be a plain dress.

Her stomach rolled as she looked about the small encampment. How long had she been here? A blanket was placed over her to stave off the cold. But her stomach growled furiously, her mouth was dry beyond reason. Scooping up handfuls of snow she ate it to moisten her mouth. Bringing the blanket tight around her she looked around the encampment. There were few people here, mostly women with a few men sitting in warm clothing near a fire. Approaching a woman she gently put her hand to the other's shoulder. “Hello?” She spoke but was met with a simple shush noise. Aghast she took her hand from the woman's shoulder. “What are all of these women doing here? Answer me.” She demanded.

“Be silent child.” The woman spoke harshly. “Lest you receive punishment from the caretakers.”

Taupek was unsure how to respond as she looked to the men near the fire. The women here didn’t have warmth, none had shoes, three were no longer moving, but their bodies remained sitting upright with hopeless expressions.

Glaring to the men by the fire she turned from the woman and approached the men. “What are we doing here? Why have you captured us? For your own sick pleasure?” Her voice filled with anger.

“My my, you’ve got spirit. Not meek in the least. Especially after being out for nearly four days.” One of the men chuckled. Lifting one hand from his parka he picked up a stick and threw it onto the fire. “What is your name?” He asked.

“None of your business.” She snapped.

“Then do you know a woman by the name of Taupek?”

Taupek was surprised to hear him asking for her. Regaining her composure she shook her head. “What would you want with her?”

“You see, a man by the name of Sahale. Not his true name of course fled our city you see. We tracked him down to your village, we found out he married a young woman named Taupek.”

“What do you want with Sahale?” She interrupted.

“We are protecting this realm. He’s a demon of sorts, searching for a soul he lost centuries ago. A dragon's heart truly covets what it loves. And our oracle has tracked down the soul he is trying so hard to find, and it just so happens. It’s attached to you. Taupek.” The man grinned, peering up at the woman from underneath his hood. “A demon has no rights to walk the soil of man. We have been searching for you, but we thought. Perhaps. We could cleanse this soil of which he has tainted. No matter how white all of this snow is, it cannot hide the blackness of the demon Sahale.”

“You have no right to uproot all of these people.” Taupek glared. “Sahale is no demon. He’s a good man that has fought to protect us.”

The man stood from his spot, the others simply moving their heads to look at the woman. Removing his hood he glared at the woman. “Then you know nothing, he has pulled a shadow over your eyes!” He argued, reaching his hands out to grasp Taupek’s face. With surprising strength he wrestled her down into the snow, Taupek struggling to fight back and pull his arms away from her.

“Then again, you are a soul he has been keeping alive in this realm. Isn’t that right witch? He simply brought back his priestess. Well I will not allow that to happen! This land is holy! And I refuse to allow you to taint it further!” He yelled, pinning her down into the snow he brought his thumbs over her eyes. And pressed as hard as he could.

The other men stood from their seats beside the fire, a simple wave of their hands and soldiers emerged from the forest line. Swords unsheathing as they began to cut down every woman they had captured.

Taupek's screams echoed into the forest, the searing pain in her eyes remained even as the man removed himself from her and cleaned his bloodied hands in the snow beside her. “Leave her to freeze out here, the witch deserves no less.” He spoke, motioning for the small group to move out into the forest. The sound of horses and heavy men growing quiet as they left, leaving Taupek to collapse into the snow and slip into unconsciousness.

Once she awoke, opening her eyes did little. Darkness was all that greeted her and a searing pain where her eyes used to be was all she felt. Her limbs shook with frostbite, reaching frozen fingers to her face she felt the crystalized blood flake away like frost. Her fingers were unfeeling, the only reason she knew they were still there was the feeling left in her face. The blanket was gone. She had been left to die.

Beginning to breathe heavily she gritted her teeth, stumbling from the snow and onto her feet she moved her head to try and listen for any signs of life around her. “Is anyone still there?” She called, but with no answer and only the smell of the cold wind. She hoped they had simply been transported, but she knew she stood in their blood as well as her own.

Sahale was not at fault, demons were not real. Unless the hearts of evil men such as those she had encountered were to be suspect. Listening for anything around her she turned her head, the forest was quiet, she was hopelessly lost. But perhaps she could still survive.

Standing completely still she could hear a small creek nearby, water flowing effortlessly over the rocks. They had left the fire, the crackling of the sticks still bending to the fire. Carefully stepping towards the sound she felt a slight warmth at her knees, bending down she put her knees to the dirt. Embers burned her flesh as she did so, though she was uncaring as she hovered her hands over it.

“I have to try and get home.” She said aloud. “Creators… I don’t know what to do. Sahale has been good to me. He has been good to my people. Help him find my body in the snow if I shall succumb, I only ask that I see him one more time…” She prayed. She wasn’t optimistic of her chances, injured, frostbitten, miles away from home and blind to her surroundings.

Feeling slight warmth in her extremities she stood up away from the fire. Placing her hands to her chest, she gazed out into the darkness. She reached for the connection to her family, to her ancestors, to Sahale…

Taking a step forward, she followed a shallow pull at her being. Almost as if she were following a stone pathway.

A few hours had passed, she had lost feeling in her left arm, her legs were in danger of crippling beneath her. The pathway seemed to go on forever, she could feel her body failing. Her stomach felt as if it were eating itself, she felt pieces fall from her hand and scratch at the flesh of her legs. She could only assume her own fingernails.

Tears formed in the sockets of her eyes, pooling until it overflowed onto her face. “Sahale!” She screamed into the silence. She continued to scream his name until she could no longer stand, her legs buckled under her. Her mind began to slip, warmth was all her mind could think. Warmth, food, shelter, she felt her soul slipping away with every attempted movement.

“Taupek?” A man's voice called into the forest. Taupek perked up, looking up and ahead of her. Another person, another person that could provide warmth. She could wait no longer, she couldn’t stand the pain any longer.

Crippled by the frostbite she struggled to stand, hobbling as fast as she could through the snow towards the calling voice. The creators had blessed her! She would finally be home!

“Taupek!” The voice called again.

“I’m here.” She spoke, though it came out as no more than a whisper.

“There you are.” The male voice deepened, claws reached to her face and cupped her head.

Screams invaded Taupek’s mind, wrenching away as she gripped at her skull. Her own screams echoing into the forest as she fought against her own mind. Her heart almost seemed to drop, tears poured from the sockets of her eyes.

‘The pain can subside.’ She heard. ‘Simply let me in.’

Sahale had been looking for days since Taupek had disappeared. He had hoped she hadn’t died at the hands of those men that had captured her. She was strong, she must have escaped. She was just hiding in the forest. He was sure of it.

“Taupek!” He yelled into the forest, clutching his parka closer to his body. He had lost track of time, how long had he truly been out here?

“Sahale?” Taupek called. Sahale looked into the forest where he had heard the voice, she was alive!

“Taupek! It’s me! Come towards my voice!” He rejoiced, running towards her voice.

“Sahale… You’ve finally found me.” Taupek spoke, the sockets of her eyes staring empty at him as he approached.

He stood before her, her body appeared emaciated, her left hand was black and stuck in a creased position. Her eyes were gone and blood stiffened her hair.

“No…” He whispered, taking a step away from the woman. Her soul was no longer there, this was a husk of the woman he once knew. “I… I failed you… Taupek.” He stiffened his jaw. Taking a deep breath he watched as she took broken steps towards him, falling facefirst into the snow.

“Sahale!” She screamed in desperation. Clawing at the snow with her right hand to propel herself towards him, drool dripping out of her mouth.

“I will find you in the next life. I love you Taupek. I always will.” Sahale spoke coldly, taking a dagger from a sheath on his ankle, he sliced the woman's throat. Slowly Taupek lost her strength, her mind quieted, and she fell silent.

Sahale erected a grave for her, carved her name into the tree she was buried beside. What kind of curse was this? Where he had to watch her death over and over. Perhaps this next one. She would finally have some peace at his side.