Absolute Chaos

Otamia, Earth

Blackness swum, moving amidst calm waves of crystal blue, Amaunet floated in the black void that surrounded her, she liked it here, there was nothing, only darkness and peace, she felt safe, familiar and warm, although this serenity did not last long.

An agonising pain drilled into her core, hot embers exploded amongst the nothing, splintering her mind to sheer dust.

Her eyes snapped open, instantly scrambling from the soft bedding beneath her and slammed hard up against a rocky cave wall.

Each iris filled to dark oceans and pooled with an all knowing fear, she did not understand where she was or how she got there for that matter.

A tall, bronzed skinned, beautiful man knelt next to a bed made from reeds, furs, feathers and other soft grasses. He had a large pottery bowl of water on the floor near his knees and a flax cloth sitting in the clear liquid. Many blood soaked rags sat beside the bowl and a pile of torn linen.

“As Salaam Alykum, It’s alright...I’m not going to hurt you.” His voice was deep and calm, he held his large hands out towards her, looking directly into her dark icy eyes.

“My name is Raijen, you were hurt from your fall so I brought you to my home.” The stranger simply stated.

At first she did not understand his language, however she knew so many different tongues from all over the cosmos she was able to piece together his words quiet easily, getting the gist of what he was saying. She didn’t know his exact dialect however she managed to form words in reply close enough.

In just a split second Amaunet scanned her strange surrounding, she noted she was inside a warm domed cave carved out of a mountainside. There was a little opening that acted as a window to her left and from what she could see, she was surly up pretty high.

A bed sat against the left of the caves wall, a square cut stone which acted as a table sat beside it. A few pottery mugs sat upon it and a wax filled cup sat alight on a small table to her right, casting dull shadows across the spacious room.

In the far corner by the window sat a small fire place, it was cut into the hard stone of the cavern. Furs had been thrown onto the rock floor at the foot of the reed bed and leather looking skins and flax linen wraps hung over a cut tree stump in the opposite corner to the fire place.

“Where...where am I?.” Shocked at how her voice shook, stumbling over these few simple words.

Raijen stood, walking cautiously towards her, holding out a flax linen sheet and replied.

“Your in Otamia,....land of Araphel....our King”.

All Amaunet wanted to do was sink into the smooth cool stone as the stranger now approached, although she was already pressed hard up against the caves far wall.

Standing tall she faced Raijen her wings rapidly unfolding from her sides forming a huge arc, their great width hitting the domed ceiling as she stretched them before the stranger.

“Please.... do not come any closer.....I do not understand....I....” She warned him, nonetheless the man called Raijen didn’t listen, he held out his large hands, sensing he was kind, nevertheless fearing him beyond measure.

“Do not be afraid.....I want to help you.” Gazing upon her with awe, pleading with his large almond eyes, he added,

“What is your name?,” waiting patiently for her reply.

“My name....?” She cleared her throat before continuing, “My name....my name is Amaunet..,...I’m not sure where Otamia is? I do not understand how I am here,... how did I get here?.” Pushing the tremor that floated from her lips deeper into her soul.

“You fell from the stars,....my friends and I saw you as we kept guard of our lands. We came to your aid...., you are hurt,....you have a huge open wound on your side, your.......wings and your back are injured.” The stranger hurried throughout his speech, again holding the sheet towards her, she had not noticed her nudity, only a crude blood soaked bandage was wrapped around her rib cage. She quickly snatched the material from Raijen and held it over her ashen flesh.

Amaunet looked into Raijen’s light eyes, whispering, “Is Otamia on Azure-Alkun?.” Watching him carefully, trying to ignore the confusion that tiptoed upon him, puzzled by her question.

“Where is Azure-Alkun?.” Raijen whispered.

Amaunet could tell he didn’t have a clue, her heart sinking with the realisation.

“Azure-Alkun is our planet....what side of the planet is Otamia on?.” She had never heard of Otamia and wasn’t even sure if it was a real place.

“I’m sorry... Amaunet, I do not understand,..Otamia is here..on Earth.” Raijen’s words chilling her to the bone.

Dark shadows swept over her soul, the world before her spun, Amaunet may not have known where Otamia lay, however she knew exactly where the planet Earth was located. She now understood she was a very, very long way from home, nowhere even near her own galaxy, quickly calculating the distance in her mind, it been some 88,692 light years from Azure-Alkun.

Staring at the floor, Amaunet did not speak for some time, lost in a flow of frantic, chaotic thoughts.

Raijen jumped, suddenly and quite abruptly as the winged beauty shot her head up towards him. Now that Amaunet knew where she was, she was very aware of her wings. It was forbidden for any of the Divine to expose their wings to a human, she would need to make him understand not to speak of them again.

The familiar searing pain rippled throughout Amaunet and she willed her wings away.

The huge arc of grey feathers above appeared to fold into nothing, dissolving into her back, cracking through her slight bones.

Amaunet now stood before Raijen as a human, a woman, it was as if her wings had never even been there.

***

Standing now in silence, Amaunet didn’t know what to do, she could not recall or comprehend how she came to the planet Earth. The last thing she remembered was falling into a dreamless sleep atop one of the massive vipen trees in the twilight of Azure-Alkun.

Azure-Alkun was her home planet, it was the planet were all the Divine dwelt, her beautiful blue-cosmos.

Everything since then had parted from her mind, she had no idea how or why she had come to be on the strange planet Earth.

Taking a small step toward Raijen, needing desperately to search his soul, she would only skim the surface of his essence, to delve any deeper would be dangerous and unkind.

Holding out her small hand toward him, Raijen’s eyes immediately softened, letting her smooth skin melt into his and her guilt flood both their souls.

The immediate yet familiar jolt of pain shot from her core, rocking Raijen backwards, the sheer ferocity smashing the air from his lungs, Amaunet knew he was feeling great pain, nonetheless she still probed deep into his core, clawing at his purity.

She squeezed his hand tighter.....

Dark shadows pooled inside Amaunet’s icy irises and danced amid her pure fear, drilling deeper into Raijen’s soul, a little unnerved that he held her cold stare, as almost no other creature had ever dared.

Her shame overflowed and flooded to the surface and she rapidly swum back to the shallows inside Raijen’s mind.

Normally Amaunet would never do anything so reckless and cruel without preparing the hand she held first, nevertheless this situation was different, she tried and failed miserably to justify it in her own mind.

Every fibre inside her needed to know this man was not going to hurt her or worse lock her away. She knew what other creatures and beings did not understand scared them and the easiest thing to do was always these cruelest. She had to be sure she was safe, then figure out what to do next.

Raijen’s warmth flooded her, she could feel his strong heartbeat and knew it was pure. His sadness and love flowed throughout her, his great pain and suffering, his disgust and his fears. She wanted to push her darkness further into his soul, yet knew it would probably kill him. This power was only to be used as a means of prosecution, only used to delve deep into the mind of a corrupt spirit where it may be judged before Chaos herself.

Amaunet had now broken two of their sacred laws, the first been to never expose her wings anywhere but on Azure-Alkun amongst her own kin, the second, she had skimmed over this innocent mans soul, searching him just enough to see his purity, without any just cause.

Cool ripples skated upon Amaunet’s flesh, letting go of Raijen’s hands as if stung, watching him intently, his hands fell to his sides, his brawn crumbling to the floor.

Tears stained each of his cheeks, spilling softly from his warm brown eyes.

Raijen soul was pure, although tainted with sadness, he was a good human being and now knew he would not harm her.

The darkness amidst Amaunet’s frozen eyes melted to a milder blue. Moving to Raijen’s side, her whole demeanour softened and she sat down on the furs in front of him, placing both her hands on his. She was surprised he didn’t pull away after what she just made him endure, he held his hands firmly in place, this time feeling no pain. Their fingers entwined, his amber irises burning embers amid her deep oceans, searching for something he was yet to discover.

“I am so sorry Raijen, I should have prepared you,...I was just so scared...it’s hard to explain.” Guilt filled her essence, she should have at the very least asked his permission to trespass all over his soul.

“I don’t understand what just happened, but I could feel your fear of me,...it tore at my soul,....although I know that you had to do what you did,...I’m alright Amaunet.”

As Raijen said her name, she felt a welcoming warm chill ripple throughout her, the warmth was welcome, it filled her with love, however the chill was a warning, a warning not to hurt this pure man, not to involve him with her kind.

Amaunet bowed her head, gripping Raijen’s hands a little tighter before reluctantly letting go. She abruptly stood and limped to the caves doors, opening them into the crisp night, hearing Raijen struggle to his feet behind her.

“Please, tell me Amaunet,...who are you?...what are you?,......are you an Angel.?” Raijen kept his voice low whilst they peered out into the darkness.

“Raijen...I...it is hard to explain, I can at least tell you,..... I am NO Angel.” Deeply sighing, Amaunet slowly turned towards him, knowing she could trust him.

“In time I promise I will explain who I am Raijen” These gentle words tiptoed from her lips.

Amaunet adjusted her wrap, she was covered in blood, sweat and dirt, her long flaxen hair tangled wildly down her back.

“Is there anywhere I can bathe?.” Overwhelmed all of a sudden with the desperate need to be clean.

Raijen bowed towards her and gathered a wrap and soap made from scented animal oils.

“Of course Amaunet,....please, I will show you....we must stick to the shadows, all of Otamia is still sleeping. Will you be alright to walk with your injuries?. The wound on your side is very deep.” Compassion burned within Raijen’s eyes, his love shot into her spirit, entwining with her core and her soul, this unknown heat frightening her beyond comprehension.

Amaunet tried to clear her mind before she spoke, pushing these emotions deep into her core.

“My injuries will heal quite fast Raijen, I can already feel my flesh knitting back together, I will be fine.” Slowly she moved towards him, trying not to limp as he led her out into the darkness, out into the dark unknown.

***

The cool desert night was a refreshing relief from Raijen’s heated cave. They were high up on a mountainside, Amaunet could see there were a few other caves cut out of the hard rock walls around them.

Looking down the hill, she could see a stone paved path weaving in between thousands of smaller homes. These homes were not cut into the rock, they were free standing little domed mud huts.

Darkness embodied the crisp air and claimed these small hours as her own. Amaunet’s vision was perfect, the night glowed like a beacon, obscuring her true fears and thoughts.

They moved swiftly, she followed Raijen step for step, staying close behind him, sticking to the shadows until they reached the bottom of the hillside and walked out into a vast open plain.

All the ruminants were asleep, only a few stirred as they silently skirted past them, the ruckus of Amaunet’s arrival now a distant memory to the many different herds.

To her right, vast crops of wheat, flax, and fig grew in abundance near the mighty Nile. Pomegranates and scatterings of date palms graced the thick open grasslands. They stayed low in the tall grass, stopping up against each tall tree until they came upon the much bigger mountain on the other side of the plains.

Raijen snatched Amaunet’s hand and led her up the lower rocky slopes until they reached the mountains cool springs. The clear cold water flowed through the rigid rock, whilst small pools graced the cool stones.

They approached one of these pools, Raijen halting her in stride and pointed towards the two figures sitting crossed legged next to one another.

“These are my two friends, they were with me when you fell from the stars,...please stay here Amaunet.... just for a moment .” Raijen quietly approached his friends, she could hear their hushed voices whispering into the blackness beyond.

“As Salaam Alykum Lykus, Maia... Is everything alright now?.” She could just hear Raijen, believing he sounded tense.

“And peace be with you too my friend,..Yes Raijen, Maia is fine now, she understands.” Like usual, Lykus was the one to calm her down, Maia had a quick hot temper and a fiery tongue at times.

“I am sorry Raijen.... of course I will not tell your father, I could only imagine what he would do!.” Looking down at the ground, Maia fidgeted with a long water reed, tying knots in it over and over as she spoke.

Both Lykus and Maia gasped in unison, Amaunet moved out from the shadows and stood shimmering under the faded moonlight, her irises swirling to blue darkness, her ashen skin radiating a soft silver glow.

Maia stood abruptly, blurting, “What are you?, where did your wings go?.” Her bronze flesh flashing under the sleek starlight, her head snapping towards Raijen, dark eyes accusing him of an unknown crime.

“Did you cut them off?.” Maia’s voice rose with the accusation.

Raijen frowned, glaring at her, his voice rising back viciously.

“Of course not!, are you insane!?,...I am nothing like my father!.” Growling at her through gritted teeth, furious that Maia had even thought that of him. He stared her down, one minute he was worried she would tell Araphel of Amaunet, the next she was fiercely protecting her.

Amaunet walked to where Maia was standing, she spoke then, her voice husky and low.

“Hello Maia, my name is Amaunet.” She simply stated and turned towards Lykus. “And hello Lykus, it is nice to meet you both.”

Raijen could see the conflicting emotions roll over Maia’s face, he could see her wonder and compassion, yet her jealousy cracked to the surface and consumed her core. Her dark irises swirled into a murky green as the envy crept before them.

Maia was sleek, dark and gorgeous, however Amaunet was simply stunning. None of them had ever witnessed such exotic perfection before in any living creature.

She was nothing like the people of Otamia, her hair was the colour of dry straw, her skin so pale in comparison to theirs. Raijen had only seen blue eyes on newborn babies before he saw Amaunet’s, however the babes eyes would always change to a various shades of brown well before they could walk.

Amaunet’s eyes were shaped like large almonds and swelled with colours of the deepest darkest blue, they sparkled like cut sapphires and drilled into his soul, constantly asking an unknown question, searching for an invisible answer.

“Hello...Amaunet,...what are you?.” Maia was straight at it again, having just turned nineteen she still hadn’t acquired a gracious bone in her body.

Amaunet graciously smiled, his heart leapt with the splendour that radiated from this simple gesture, his jaw actually dropping open before quickly closing it again.

“Maia, it is hard to explain...I am... I’m not sure how to.....”, Maia cut her off before she could finish.

“An Angel?, did the Gods send you?.” Raijen watched Amaunet’s face change, he already knew she was lying, she had already told him at least this much.

“Yes Maia,...I am an Angel, I was injured somehow and fell to your lands.” She slowly replied.

“I knew you were a fallen Angel,...so where did your wings go?.... if Raijen did not cut them from you?.” Maia shot him a quick angry look, he now felt like strangling her.

“My wings are usually unseen, I can fold them back inside myself.......Please Maia, could you show me which pool I should bathe in?.”

Amaunet changed the subject. Maia wasn’t sure what to do or say, she just nodded, snatched the flax linen wrap and soap from his arms and led her to a pool further down the springs, away from the two men’s prying eyes.

***

Raijen began to pace now that the two women were out of sight.

“Lykus, I don’t know what to do, my father will be home in three sunrises, Amaunet may be able to hide her wings, but not her fair hair and skin. I do not know what he will do if he sees her, we must keep this between the three of us until we can figure this out.” Still pacing, Raijen continued to speak with his closest friend.

“And Maia?, I do not know with her, she worries me Lykus. I know you are quite fond of her, however I fear she will say something to the wrong person, she is very...erratic at times my friend.” He worried that Maia would betray them, her fear of Araphel so great that she may inform him of Amaunet if pressured.

Lykus was somewhere else, staring intently towards the black orb above, it was as if he didn’t hear him at first, then spoke with soft wonder in his tone.

“So she is an Angel....I knew it!....Raijen,... this is amazing!.” His eyes widened with awe.

“Lykus,...did you not hear me?.” frustration seeped from Raijen.

“Sorry Raijen,...I agree,..Araphel is too unpredictable, I will try and think of something as well.”

***

The two men now settled onto a large rock near one of the deeper pools, looking up into the darkness beyond.

“Lykus....Amaunet cannot remember why or how she fell to Earth. I don’t know how I know, but I believe she was sent to us for a reason.” Raijen knew Amaunet was lying when she told Maia she was an Angel, however he did not know what else she could be. He would ask her when they were safely back in his cave.

“She’s a real life Angel Raijen!, she must have been sent to help us!.....And by the Gods,...she is the loveliest thing I have ever seen!.” The awe was evident within Lykus, it poured from his very essence.

Ignoring his feelings towards Amaunet until now, the closeness he felt to her was alarming him to the core. Raijen had only found her a short time before, nonetheless these strange feelings were tugging at his heart, his mind and his soul.

A cold pang of unfounded jealousy crept inside, Raijen was about to say something he would have regretted to his closest friend, when both Amaunet and Maia came back out from the shadows.

***

No words were spoken whilst the four friends slowly walked back towards Otamia.

Maia and Lykus said their goodbyes and goodnights as they now entered the back gates of the city.

***

Once they were back in the safety of Raijen’s cave, Amaunet sat crossed legged on the soft fur on his bed. They still had not spoken, he moved to the fireplace, boiled some water and prepared hot spiced tea in complete silence. He cut some bread, cheese, pomegranate and figs, placing it all on a wooden plate, sitting it next to her. He dared to sit with the magnificent being, crossing his legs and facing her as she looked at the plate of foods.

The sweet silence was now broken and pure honey swum from her lips.

“Thank you Raijen,..I am not familiar with these foods, although they look delicious.”

Raijen smiled, watching her pop a little bead of pomegranate between her teeth, its red juices running over her proud, small chin.

Wiping the sweet juice on her forearm, she now closed her eyes and placed another seed between her perfect white teeth, closing her mouth this time, letting the flavours run down her throat instead of her pale skin, smiling towards him.

The fascination was written all over his flesh, watching her taste each new food and sip on her hot spiced tea left Raijen speechless, he had forgotten all about his own tea, finding it near cold as he now drank it.

Clearing his throat, Raijen now spoke,

“Amaunet, I must tell you of Araphel, he is the ruler of our lands and alas, he is my father and a very cruel man. I hope you do not think I am like him, because I am not!. He will be home in three sunrises from now, I do not think he should see you, I do not want him to hurt you.”

The intense blue inside Amaunet’s irises flowed like a deep ocean, piercing into his soul. Raijen was ashamed of the stirring between his thighs, trying desperately to ignore it. He found the more she stared at him, the harder it became, shifting uncomfortably next to her, hoping she didn’t realise his embarrassment.

“I have already searched your spirit, you are a good man Raijen, the crimes of a father are generally not of his child’s.” Although he knew her words to be true, he still needed to tell Amaunet of his fathers cruel ways, now speaking in depth of all his evils, needing to confess Otamia’s cruel fate to this heavenly being.

After a time, the conversation shifted to Maia and Lykus, not wanting to hear any more of Araphel’s putrid sins.

“I do not know if your friends will keep their word, Maia does not like me, although I feel her goodness, I feel her pain, yet Lykus... I do not know.” Her eyes held Raijen’s, unable to handle their intensity, abruptly looking away as he replied.

“I worry about Maia, but Lykus is my dearest friend, he would never betray me.” Raijen was sure of his friends loyalty, he just hoped Maia would not spill the beans.

Raijen then dared to asked, “I know you are not an Angel Amaunet, but if your not an Angel, then what are you?.”

Amaunet finally moved her gaze from his, looked down at the bed and sighed.

“Do you think Lykus and Maia really believed what I said, before at the mountains springs?... Though It is a lie, it is the easiest explanation for now.” Amaunet first asked him.

“I know my friends Amaunet, I am certain they believe you are an Angel.” Amaunet could tell he was about to say more, however she quickly cut him off short.

“...It is hard to explain, I do not know if I should tell you my exact origins, I do not want you to fear or revere me.” Looking up from his bed, she held his blazing stare, Raijen’s fiery irises searching hers.

“Whatever you tell me Amaunet will not change how I feel in this very moment and whatever you choose to confide in me will always stay with me, that I can promise you, I am always true to my word.” He knew they were only words to her, yet he was loyal and true, he would never betray his word, no matter the repercussions.

Gently clearing her throat, Amaunet softly began.

“Raijen....I am the second primordial Goddess of Chaos. I am the Goddess of Obscurity, a Goddess of Chaos’s many Divine.......My purpose is hard to explain. I do not understand how I came to be on Earth, I cannot fathom why I was ripped from my home. Azure-Alkun is the planet on which I dwell, the very first planet created by Chaos, it is many light years from Earth. This is the planet where all the Divine live. Azure-Alkun is the land of the Blue Cosmos and it is my home.”

Raijen had no idea who or what Chaos was or what even light years meant, however he knew Amaunet was a long way from her planet and she was a real life Goddess. He was unaware until now that there were any other deities, other than Temu, the one God that all of Otamia worshipped, their sun God.

“Your a Goddess?.” These three words left Raijen’s lips in a whispered flurry.

“Please Raijen, just look at me as human, I do not wish for anything more.” Amaunet sighed.

Raijen checked himself and bowed. “Of course Amaunet, please you must explain more.”

“I will in time Raijen, but for now, can I rest?, after all, it is nearly dawn.”

Raijen hadn’t realised the sun was only hours from Otamia, he was ashamed he hadn’t already offered her his bed.

“I am so sorry Amaunet, please take my bed.” He went to stand, however her hand went to his, giving him pause.

“You can lay beside me Raijen, this is your bed and there’s plenty of room.”

Raijen nodded, he didn’t know what to say or do, laying next to a woman he had just met was beyond him, however maybe it was what you did on her world.

Grabbing a clean flax linen cloth to act as a sheet, Amaunet helped shake out the linen, then moved her sleek body underneath the cool cotton, wriggling off her wrap beneath the sheet, knowing she was near naked, his groin complaining at the thought.

Amaunet gently rolled on her side away from him and gently whispered.

“It is okay Raijen, please just rest.”

He lay frozen, burning next to her silky flesh under the cool linen, his body almost touching the Goddess, although not quite.

They lay in silence for some time, Raijen thought she was sleeping, however she softly spoke, rolling towards him.

“I am sorry if I make you uncomfortable, I can feel it pouring from your core, I can sleep on the floor.” Amaunet went to move, yet he gently held her arm.

“I’m the one who should apologise, having you naked...next to me is...very hard..to say to the least. Your a stunning woman...I mean a stunning Goddess.” Raijen thought he’d just be honest with her.

“Please don’t refer to me as a Goddess, I am very human right now. I didn’t realise this would make you uncomfortable, this is just how I sleep.” The sweet Goddess whispered to him in the darkness.

“Amaunet, I will not have a woman sleep on the floor, please just rest, sleep if you can.” Raijen climbed from his bed, standing with his back to her, quickly adjusted his wrap and grabbed another sheet, laying it on the large fur rug near the foot of his bed. Climbing upon it, closing his eyes, knowing that sleep probably wouldn’t come, yet it did.

***

The early sunlight had pushed its way over the sleek black Nile, forcing the darkness back into dust.

Both Raijen and Amaunet managed some light sleep for a few hours before there was a quiet knock on the door.

The extraordinary Goddess flew from Raijen’s bed, wrapping the flax around her and hid in a small alcove where he kept his food and mead.

The knocking came again, louder this time. Opening it just a crack, Raijen spied Maia standing in the shadows of the dull morning light. He quickly looked beyond her, there was no one in sight, yet all of Otamia would soon be waking.

Quickly Raijen ushered her inside, noticing her long black hair was wind blown about her face, her large brown eyes darted fearfully from side to side, breathing fast as if she’d been running. Maia looked nervously around his cave before rapidly speaking.

“Araphel is on his way back,.... I do not understand why he has come back so soon..... You have to hide the Angel..” Maia managed to breathe a little easier after she spoke these words.

She quickly scanned Raijen’s cave. “I have also had word there are strangers near our lands. Rakim and Kaiya are keeping an eye on them, I will bring you more word when they return.......Is she still here Raijen?.”

Raijen had known Maia since she was born, he had almost turned six years at her birth. He remembers it well enough, there were many whispers the night Maia’s mother, a young slave girl, squeezed Maia into the world. She died as she first held Maia in her arms, the elders could not stop the poor girls bleeding.

He remembered hearing her little cries as she came to meet all of Otamia, Raijen was told to wait outside the mud hut by Theda, whom was his guardian. He was confused at the time, not understanding why the elders were been so secretive about her birth, he knew there was something strange surrounding it, although having no idea what.

Maia was raised along side Raijen and Lykus by Theda. The children of Otamia were taken care of by the slaves that were hand picked by Araphel, they were usually older women, women who’d already had their children many years before.

Theda was a stern, yet fair woman, she did not tolerate laziness, defiance or lies. Even though it had never been discussed, Raijen believed Theda respected his fathers ways, even though she had always showed indifference. He had never once heard her complain, Theda had always obeyed Araphel and Araphel always seemed to trust her. He believed she was more than just a slave picked to be his guardian, he knew she was someone important to his father, however he did not know whom.

Maia was trained from a young age as a warrior in his fathers army and although she had barely turned nineteen, she put more than half the men in Otamia to shame with her sheer ferocity. She had not just a quick witted mind, but a temper to match as well, a heart made of gold, yet was stubborn and sometimes embarrassingly direct.

***

Amaunet moved from the shadows, quickly greeting Maia.

“Hello Maia, I’m still here. You say there are strangers on your lands?.” She sounded concerned, her irises turning to a frozen hazy lake, piercing Maia soul.

“Yes Amaunet, two of our friends, Rakim and Kaiya saw them walking over the dunes on the northernmost side of our boarders, they are keeping watch as we speak.... Do you know who these strangers are?.”

Frowning, Amaunet’s eyes melted back to a dark flowing rivers.

“I’m not sure,..I can not recall how I came to be here, although I feel like I should know who they are. Do many strangers usually trespass on your lands Maia.?” The confusion was evident, it swelled inside her, there was something not quite right with what Maia was telling them.

“We don’t usually have a problem with trespassers, Araphel is well known all over the red sands and feared by most.”

Maia turned to Raijen “And your father, why has he returned so soon?.”

Raijen shook his head, Araphel had only been gone for a day and night. He was headed South down the Nile to ‘visit’ the small villages along the huge rivers fertile banks. He said he’d be away for at least four sunrises, he had never came back to Otamia this early before.

“I do not know Maia, I will meet him at the gates and see what news he has. Meanwhile could you see if there’s any more word of these strangers on the boarders?” Raijen was worried, everything Maia had told them didn’t sit right in his gut.

Turning, he faced the stunning Goddess, “Amaunet, please stay hidden while I go and meet with my father, I will return as soon as I can.”

Both Raijen and Maia headed out the caves doors and into the grey morning dusk.