SINISTER TALES PT2

PART TWO

INTELLIGENCE

There were only two horses left. Kayla and Chloepatra were on one. The other carried a heap of supplies. The others were walking.

The passage way gave way to open sky. A hundred yards away can be seen the edge of the cliff… the party stopped in their tracks to the shock of the view.

“Do you guys see what I see?” Said Kayla.

“A big ass river and fields of green trees?” Answered Zooboy. Kayla look at him because they were both thinking the same thing.

“What is that in the far distance… a town?” Inquired Rich.

“Yeah,” Said Chloe, “It doesn’t look like a big one from here… maybe a hundred houses or so.”

Zooboy had walked to the very edge of the cliff – “No… it’s a straight up vertical fall.”

Rich had joined him – “Yeah… there’s no way we can get an army of men down… unless you take what looks like the long way.”

Rich pointed towards the left of the mountain side, where there appeared to be a long, twisty path.

“Send Frata…” Kayla whispered to Chloe.

“Frata… go down there and spy on them… bring back intelligence… punch one of them in the face and knock him out so you can take his clothes and dress like them.” Chloe ordered.

“Ok,” Frata says, “I’ll be back.”

Zooboy gave a whistle from above somewhere, and the party looked up. – “It’s a cave… make camp?”

Rich, Chloe, and Kayla climb up to join Zooboy to check out the cave.

“This must be where that contingent were staying.” Rich said.

“Where is brother Frata going?” Asked Zooboy.

“Chloe sent him to gather intelligence.” Kayla answered, as she looked in the cave.

Zooboy snickered – “Frata? Chloe…” he looked at Chloe in disbelief.

“What?” She said, at the mouth of the cave, “There’s only a few hundred houses, he’ll be safe.”

“Right… that’s not what I’m worried about… what sort of intelligence will Frata be bringing back?” Zooboy looks at Chloe with his left eyebrow raise… she feels him a bit.

And looks at Rich.

“I’m going… I’m going…” Says Rich.

“I’ll come too…” Zooboy says, “You girls gunna be ok?”

“Yeah,” the girls said together.

“And guy…” Interjected Critter.

“Well,” says Kayla, “Guess it’s just us girls, huh?”

“And guy… I’m here too.” Says Critter.

The girls look at each other holding back their snickers.

“Well… guess it’s just us girls huh?” Repeats Kayla.

“Alright…” Critter had one hand on his hip, and the other shaking his pointing finger, “I am getting sick and tired of being treated like this. I’ve had it!”

“Oh, boo hoo, go draw something!” Chloe said, taunting Critter.

“Ok, who the hell do you think you are ‘miss Prima Donna’,” Critter bitches, “I was here in the beginning with Longshanks. I put this shit together with him, way before you were born. Then you just come along out of nowhere one fucking day and think you run this shit.”

“What shit Critter?” Replies Chloe, “Your ‘Aryanopolis?!’ Your Crayola drawlings? Your singing?!”

“There is a place at the very heart and core of Aryanopolis for the shit I added!”

“There is no Aryanopolis!” Chloe yells, “It’s gone! What’s left of it huh? A rag tag band of wandering men? It’s your fault… you and your generation, Critter!”

“Oh please… miss ‘pretty little I just came out of nowhere princess’… do tell how me and my generation cause the down fall of Aryanopolis.”

“Chloe, stop it… Critter, go outside and take a break or something.” Said Kayla.

“You know what, fuck you guys…” Critter storms out of the cave.

“Whatever!” Added Chloe.

“Chloe…” Said Kayla irritated.

CRYING ARTIST

Kayla and Chloe just sat there not talking for a while next to each other. Chloe has her arms crossed over her chest and is staring pensively at the dusty walls of the cave.

She looks at Kayla for some feedback or something.

“Maybe you should go talk to him. You prolly hurt his feelings.” Kayla suggested.

She sighs… “Yeah… guess so.”

Chloe wanders outside to look for Critter. Knowing him, she figures he behind a rock somewhere tracing things on the dirt.

She walks a bit and follows the sound of sniffling coming from behind a big boulder a hundred yards from the cave by the horses. She sees him sadly sitting by himself… tracing things on the dirt. Her gaze falls to her uggs as she begins to feel bad… kicking the pebbles. With a deep breath she walks towards Critter… then sits next to him, facing him, watching him wipe his tears and snotty nose.

“I’m sorry for going off on you back there… I didn’t mean any of it… I was just being mean out of frustration.” She said.

“It’s not fair, “ He sniffles, “Some of us have an appreciation for the finer things in life, not just to run around like a lunatic and kill people. Longshanks can leave the kingdom for a while to another and he’s a hero… but when I leave I’m a traitor and my face is erased out of the kingdom’s records. I put my heart and soul into Aryanopolis, just like Longshanks did. Nobody appreciates what I did.”

“I do Beasty…” She says, “I think Aryanopolis lost it’s spirit when you left. Art is the language of the spirit, that evokes a primordial essence in us. Without art, music, poetry, and dreams… there is only an empty shell, that will soon whither. We’re born dreaming… and we spend half our causal existence asleep and dreaming.”

“How can you contradict yourself in such a way Chloe? How can you condemn me for ruining Aryanopolis in one breath, and say that I was it’s spirit in the next?”

“Because we all must learn things the hard way… the way of Wyrd… even kingdoms as a collective… and we must allow such things to play out. Longshanks and you, were like the brain and heart of Aryanopolis… the Intelligence and the Emotions… in conflict. In the beginning the intellect always wins. Aryanopolis intellectually desired a powerful militia long ago, to fight the Magian or whatever/whoever they saw as the Enemy. Words, and intellectual lectures never have the power to excite the human spirit to inspire it to achieve greatness or growth. It’s the spirit… the breath… the imagination… the emotion that sets passion on fire. Like resonates with like. You’re a gifted and wonderful person… it’s just that your timing was not right.”

“Then why not tell them… the others? If you feel this way, why continue to condemn me publicly?

Chloe gets up and brushes the dirt from her ass. She looks forward expressionless for a moment… “Because, the Longmen believe Aryanopolis belonged to Longshanks and not you. Because he used you for what he needed from you. Because I see no place in what is to become of us… for you… collectively. My private sentiments, are irrelevant to the collective. Because your generation ruined Aryanopolis.”

“How so Chloe… How did I and my generation ruin the kingdom that once was?”

“Because time changes and people evolve. You and your generation represented the politics of a bygone aeon which refused to change to entice the emotions and passions of the emerging generation of people and what is relevant to them. Because you and your generation put what YOU and your bygone aeonic political wants, before my needs, and my new generation’s needs and hopes. You and your generation itself caused the fall of Aryanopolis. It is the weaving of Wyrd… that the old must perish… to give life to a newer and better form. Some of use learn from our mistakes… some of us learn from the mistakes of others. What new form is to come… will be balanced. Good bye Critter.”

“Good Bye?”

From the small of her back she pulls out her Obsidian Blade… holding it firmly in her right hand. She lunges forward swiftly and penetrates his neck… forcing herself on top of him, and drawing the blade across his throat and left jugular vein… and when his blood began to gush out she twisted the blade in his neck until it cracked… lodged inside him. She kicks his convulsing body off of herself which had found itself on top of her, as he was struggling to fight. Having loosened herself from his corpse’s grip she stands back… covered in blood… watching him choke in his own blood.

Chloe walks slowly back to Kayla in the cave… and finds Kayla laying on a slab of stone taking a cat nap. She bites her nail, not knowing how Kayla would react after learning that she had killed Longshanks number two.

Kayla opens her eyes hearing Chloe beside her, shocked to see her drenched in blood.

“OMG Chloe! Are you ok! Is that your blood!? Shit!”

“I’m fine… I accidentally killed Critter. Help me throw his body over the cliff?”

“That’s Longshanks best friend ever! Great, you killed his camels and his best friend! You’re on a roll today.”

“I know… I know. Just tell him Critter fell of a cliff.”

“Come on.” She grabs Chloe’s arm.

They each grab one of Critter’s wrists and drag him over to the ledge to throw him over.

“Chloe… there is a pool of blood over there.”

“I know, just… just kill one of the horses there… and eat it… tell them we got hungry or something.”

They both get on their asses and using their feet kick Critter off the edge of the cliff… then carefully get on their tummies to peek over the edge to see. The body had fallen straight down about 300 feet, and landed in some trees. They look at each other.

“Horse huh?” Said Kayla.

“I can’t wash myself.”

“Come on.”

“Ok, you ride the horse to the bloody spot, and I’ll shoot it with one of Rich’s arrows.”

“Not with me on it!”

BRIEFING

Frata the Barbarian had returned. He ran into the cave. The sun was setting.

“Fucking shit! Santa Lucia! You bloody! What happened? Where I kill him! Shit fuck!”

“Oh hi Frata.” Said Chloe.

“No… no… we’re fine Frata. We just got hungry and ate one of the horses.”

“Did you want some?” Chloe holds a piece of the horse up towards Frata.

“No thank you my lovely sister. Are you sure you ok.”

“Yes, of course, we just got hungry and killed one of the horses… and Critter fell off the cliff.” Chloe assures.

“Oh yeah… Critter fell of the cliff. The other two went to follow you to see if you were safe.”

“Right… anyways, what did you see… sit!” Chloe said, grabbing his arm.

“Oh, many young bambini.”

“Many girls… yeah?” Said Kayla.

“Oh yeah… 16… 15… 14… many.”

“Wow! That’s perfetto for you! Good job! What about for the other Longmen… the other men in our Clan… you know, the ones that prefer them slightly older.” Asked Chloe.

“Oh yeah, for them, many old ladies too. Hairy old ladies. Look like Scottish men.”

“Holy shit that’s ugly Frata.” Kayla exclaimed.

The three of them laugh. Althoe Chloepatra’s laugh was more a laugh of relief.

“Ya, that is ugly LOL…” Says Frata.

“Anyways, did you see anything else… like if they had an army, what kind of weapons, who their leader is… you know, other things.” Kayla inquired.

“Oh, piece of shit village… but nice young girls. We take it no?”

“Absolutely we’ll take it. They have a big river to fish in, and fertile land to farm with.” Said Chloe.

“Yeah… let’s wait for Rich and Zooboy to return and see what they saw… then we’ll go tell Longshanks the great news!”

“Oh… Frata… can you do us a favor?” Asked Chloe.

“Anyting, just ask.”

“When the other two come back can you tell them some Armenian came and killed Critter and pushed him off the cliff, then you killed the Armenian and pushed him off the cliff?”

“Ok, sure. I do, like you ask.”

“Great… thanks Frata ” Said Chloe, with a nice smile.

“Give us a hug… we miss you.” Added Kayla.

The three of them decided to take a short cat nap as they waited for what remained of the scout party.

Red Rich and Zoophilip the Berserk entered the dark cave with a potato sack of things… or whatever kind of bags they had in those times, waking the trio from their cat nap with their ass slapping buddy talk.

“Damn it gets dark in here at night, thank god we have a torch.” Says Rich.

“Totally… boy, am I tired, I’ma sleep like a corpse tonight.”

“We brought cheese and bread, amongst other things… holy shit! You two are covered in blood!” Screamed Rich.

“Oh, the Dark Princess and the Merciless One is not hungry, they ate one of the horse, and an Armenian pushed Critter off a cliff and I pushed him off a cliff.” Informs Frata.

“Oh but it’s been a while… we’ll take the cheese and bread!” Says Kayla.

“What, a horse… Critter dead!” Zooboy said.

“Shit happens dude?” Said Chloe.

“No! Not my boy Critter! That was Longshanks’ best friend! You let Longshanks’ best friend die! I can’t believe he’s dead. Marc Anthony’s gunna kill somebody!” Says Zooboy.

“Not me…” said Chloe.

“A horse,” Says Rich, “You mean one of our last two horses… you slaughtered a horse LOL?”

“I know huh? LOL” Kayla says, joining in on the humor.

“That’s gunna be an idiomatic expression of some sort in the future.” Said Kayla.

Zooboy passes around the cheese and break the bread – “Anyways children. There’s no more than 200 people in the piece of shit village. More women than men, which is good. The men have multiple wives. Army is almost nonexistent…”

“About 50 armed men… crude bows and arrows…” Rich added.

“Right… BUT it’s controlled by the ZOG. They pay taxes to a Zionist city-state about 50 miles down the river.”

“Have you seen the Zionist city-state?” Asked Kayla.

“No, too far.” Rich said, with his mouth full of bread.

“Is it worth it, that’s the question.” States Zooboy.

“Yeah,” Says Rich, “We can take out this village, but will have to deal with the Zionists up the river later.”

“Frata, what did you discover?” Zooboy asks.

“Same thing you guys did…” Kayla says, speaking for Frata.

Zooboy bites into his last piece of bread – “I bet he did. I’m off to bed. Keep it down. Somebody’s gunna get it tomorrow.”

Chloe back hands Zooboy on his shoulder – “I’m not getting shit.”

“I’m off to bed to.” Said Frata the Barbarian.

“Goon Night, Frata.” The three said.

“Cigarette?” Said Rich.

Kayla gets up – “Hell yeah, I’ve been dying for one.”

“I’ll just hang out for some fresh air.” Chloe blurted.

“Where did you get this at?” Asked Kayla.

“They grow Indian tobacco down there and corn. I snatched some and wrapped it in corn husk… no filter… think I’ll call them Camels.” Rich says as he exhales his drag, passing it to Kayla.

She takes a drag… “Goes down easy… like Brandy Alexander…”

“What song is that?” Asks Rich?

“Feist.” Chloe answers.

“Oh Feist! What did Frata report anyways?”

“Usual… girls… young ones.” Says Chloe.

“Is that legal here?” Kayla ponders out loud.

“Not where I’m from… but seeing as our civilization has fallen – what the hell. Isn’t my cup of tea personally, but we love him the same.” Said Rich.

“True dat homie… true dat.” Kayla said, as she takes a drag.

“I can’t wait to get home and take a whore bath for reals.” Chloe said randomly.

“No shit, you homies are covered in blood.” Says Rich, “What really happened?”

“I sort of killed him. I shanked him in the neck… and asked Kayla to help me toss him over the edge. Frata was covering for us.”

“That’s Anthony Longshanks homie… what do we do if he retaliates?”

Kayla takes a drag. She gives Rich a look… and exhales the smoke into the crisp autumn air… Nothing has to be ever be said, between the Acception.

THE TELLING

With only one horse left the party walks back to the temporary settlement where their kinsmen are camped out, waiting for their return for information.

Chloe has been quite during the return trip. She is quite when she thinks to much, perhaps worried what Longshanks will do when he learns about the loss of his livestock and best friend.

The tribesmen give them a weird look as they see the party return with only one horse, and bloody… they move out of the way, since everybody knows they are in The Pack.

“Well, see ya Chloe.” Says Zoophilip, as they approach the Tent of Marc Anthony Longshanks. The Vizier El Darko Loco comes out, as he was awaiting their return.

Chloe looks back at Kayla to see if she will follow her in.

“They like you more…” Says Kayla.

Kayla look at Rich and Frata. The boys rise an inconspicuous sign in the air, and half of the crowd of Longmen step forward with their swords and bows at the ready… giving Chloe a little comfort.

“Welcome back… you made the return safely I see, with some losses?” Said El Darko Loco, as he guides her into the Tent of the Great Sinister One.

“Thank You generalissimo, it was perilous.”

“Ah… Chloe… dear god, you’re all bloody, are you hurt or maimed?” Inquired Longshanks.

“No sir, I’m fine… we’ve had some tragic losses thoe…”

“Oh… sit… tell me about it.”

Longshanks was a bearded fellow. He was smoking tobacco out of his corn cob pipe – “Tobacco Chloe?” He offered.

“Oh, no thank you. I don’t smoke. We lost all but one horse?”

“All my camels? On a 20 mile journey?”

“It was perilously dangerous. There is a pass way thru the mountains controlled by a tribe of Armenians-Jews.”

Longshanks and El Darko look at each other and say together – “The ZOG!.”

“Yes sir. We were ambushed as we were passing thru the passages way. They were throwing rocks at us…”

“As usual.” El Darko quickly interjected.

“Uhm.” Hummed Longshanks in agreement.

“We returned fire, but were out numbered. The Beast Master then began to sing…”

“As usual.” El Darko quickly interjected.

“Uhm.” Hummed Longshanks in agreement.

“The Beast Master had hit a freakish high harmonics that it dislodged many of the large boulders above…”

“He tends to do that.” States El Darko.

“Uhm.” Hummed Longshanks in agreement.

“So anyways, the boulders tumbled down and magically killed the enemy contingent, but came down and squashed most of the live stock, we barely escaped with our lives.”

“Dear god… camels and all?” Asked Longshanks, as he smokes out of his pipe, stroking his beard.

“Yes sir, camels and all. Two horses were left. We made it to the other side, and discovered a small village of 200 or so inhabitants. They live beside a large river and fertile green lands. Only 50 armed soldiers, and mostly women folk. They are farmers, and pay taxes to a larger Zionist city-state 50 miles down the river.”

“Hmm…” Longshanks smokes his pipe and strokes his beard looking into their air in deep thought… “I say El Darko, have we enough men to take the village?”

“Yes sir, more than enough. I’m worried about the Zionist city-state.” Answers El Darko.

“Indeed. Do you have any intelligence on this city-state my dear?” Asked Longshanks.

“No sir, it was too far to walk with what little supplies we had.”

“Yes, I see… is it worth a battle? Our numbers are dwindling as it is.” Ponders Longshanks.

“Do we have a choice sir? If they are 50 miles away from said village, they are only 70 miles from us… only a quarter days journey on horse.” Informs El Darko.

Longshanks nods as he puffs his pipe – “Yes, yes… damned if you do… damned if you don’t.”

“I have an idea sir. Since the Zionist city-state is located on the river, it means they are depended on its water supply…”

Longshanks takes his pipe out his mouth to concentrate, and leans a bit closer – “Go on…”

“If we force all the men and women to re-irrigate the river, to make it flow in a different direction… they will lose their water supply, and thus their farms and livestock will die. Without water and food, they cannot support an army. We can relocate the village, as we settle the land, over near the tall cliff; where we can station soldiers, to keep us safe. The cliff is about 300 feet high, and the whole area can be seen from it… giving us the higher ground at all times.”

“Brilliant!” Exclaims Longshanks. – “El Darko my friend, do we have the man power to “re-irrigate” a river.”

“We do sir, if the river is within a reasonable width.”

“The river is only about 6 meters wide, but deep. Althoe, from the cliff I did see a natural depression to the right of the land where we can direct the flow to make a lake or reservoir, or something.”

“Then it is quite possible sir to redirect the river as the Dark Princess said.”

“Excellent then. You must want a bath Chloe… go, and touch base with El Darko for whatever the morrow. We leave en mass as soon as the Vizier believes we are ready.”

“Thank you sir. I do need a bath.” She says, as she walks backwards to the Tent opening and turns around to exit.

“Oh, and Chloe…” Longshanks adds.

She can see Rich and Frata and her loyalist faction on the ready… but her heart felt like flying out of her throat because she knew what he was going to ask. She reluctantly turns around to face Longshanks and El Darko Loco.

“Yes sir?”

“How is the Beast Master… safe I assume?”

She was careful not to twirl her fingers or let out a sign of low confidence and unsureness – “He’s dead sir.”

“Dead?” Both of the men said together… staring at her.

“I killed him sir.”

“Killed him?” They both said together.

“Dear god… my best friend ever… dead.” Said Longshanks.

“I’m sorry. We got into an argument and I felt like he was no longer needed… like he was a ball and chain to us. So I cut his throat open.”

“Who will write for us… inspire us. He was our Tribes greatest scribe. Have you read some of the sinister stories some of our other Clansmen put out!?”

“Tedium is the word sir.” Said El Darko.

“Yes, indeed… why I barely can make sense of some of them myself… no plot, no excitement. No fresh presencing of the Dark in new ways… you’ve killed our essence.”

“Concider Kayla the Merciless your new best friend sir. She can write better.” Suggested Chloe to Longshanks himself.

El Darko nods in agreement, and shrugs at Longshanks – “She is good sir… and of the emerging generation. If anyone knows the new aeon, its her generation. That is if we desire to be relevant in the new aeon and its people… sir…”

“You will pass on one day sir, as we all do. If you desire a future empire sir… for the progression of the individual human and our human civilization… and not for your own profiteering… then you must let it go and give it to the future. I and my generation are that future… and what children we will have.” Adds Chloe.

Anthony Longshanks claps his hands over his lips and stares ponderously at Chloepatra for a long time… “In time… my Dark Princess… in it’s season… go take your bath… we celebrate tonight.”

Kayla 352