A Warrior's Redemption

  *****

  I came awake to the feeling of being completely drained of any ability to do absolutely anything. I managed to turn my head slightly to the right and I caught sight of a slight movement in that direction. My eyes focused and met the beady sinister eyes of a swamp viper about to strike me.

  So help me, I couldn’t so much as muster a whimper to call out for help, let alone move away from the snake. The snake was poised to strike when a large hoof came out of nowhere and repeatedly came down upon the snake, crushing it into the ground.

  I looked up to see Flin towering over me, blowing through his nostrils loudly. Managing a rough whisper I said, “Thanks buddy, I appreciate that! I’ve more than had my share of poison lately.”

  Just then the girl came from somewhere with a cup of water in her hand. Her eyes widened when she saw the trampled snake, but she didn’t hesitate in bringing the cup to my parched lips.

  She helped me raise my head and I drank the water slowly. After it was empty I let my head fall back down to the ground.

  “Do you have a name?” I asked.

  The little girl who sat down beside me on her knees replied, “Zarsha.”

  “That’s a very pretty name for such a pretty little girl.” I said.

  Zarsha beamed at the praise I had given her and I reached out my hand and covered her little one, “Thank you for saving my life Zarsha. When I’m better, I’ll take good care of you like you’ve already done for me. I promise.”

  The next day I pulled myself into the saddle. I paused a moment while the stars faded from my eyes and then I reached my hand down for Zarsha to grasp. I pulled her up in front of me and we were off.

  I needed more rest, but I wanted to get away from this place before its accursed residents found us and I wanted to just get free of this forest in general. I had to find the book and destroy it at all costs.

  I thought it was a safe guess that John wouldn’t head back towards the Valley Lands, which is why I headed that way, suspecting that would be John’s way of trying to elude me.

  This wasn’t the first time I had hunted someone and my gut instinct said that this was the most likely strategy for success.

  We stopped as the shadows grew darker in the forest and I let Zarsha to the ground first and then I half fell down to the ground beside her. I sat down on a rock for a long moment as my head was pounding like somebody was trying to get out of it with a very large hammer.

  I needed to set up camp. I raised my head and prepared to get up, when I saw that it was already being taken care of. Zarsha was already blowing some simmering embers into a lively little fire, to which she added steadily sticks until she had a nice fire going. I watched in open admiration of the little girl’s skills, the pain in my head easing a little as I watched her.

  “Who taught you all of this?” I asked, gesturing to the fire and my shoulder wound.

  “My mother,” she said simply, without looking up.

  I asked my next question very carefully, already sensing what her answer would be, “Where is she now?”

  She was quiet for a moment and then answered softly, “She’s dead.” She looked over at me and added, “You killed her.”

  I nodded as my hunch was confirmed. It had been Zarsha’s dark colored skin and grace, even as a girl, that had reminded me of the woman called Kana that I had killed.

  “I’m sorry Zarsha! I’m sorry that I’ve caused you pain, but I had to do what I did. Do you understand that?”

  She nodded and said, “She taught me much, but she was bad. She caused much suffering and she was a she devil. Manta says you are a good man and I think so too. I will serve you now.”

  My heart cringed at the realization that a precious little girl could have such a grown up perspective concerning her own mother. I didn’t ask about her father as he was likely only one more of a long line of victims her mother had incurred.

  “Zarsha, I don’t need any more servants, but I would like, actually like isn’t a strong enough word, I would love to take over the role of a parent and guardian for you and raise you as my own. What do you think about that?”

  She looked up at me with her big brown eyes, which I saw were wet from unshed tears, and gave me a tremulous smile, “I would like that very much!”

  And then her little body slammed into me as she hugged me fiercely. I held her tenderly to me as she broke down and sobbed her heart out against my chest. Not how I had planned on becoming a parent, but anything that felt this right was the right thing to do.

  “God help me protect and care for this little girl like a father should!” I whispered softly against her hair, hoping that I was man enough for the task ahead of me, of raising this little girl right and replacing what she had lost or had never had, as best as I could.