Thread: My name, is Shiri - Part 1

My name, is Shiri. I am vho I am. Moonlight reflection sliced shadow from my eyes, as my pair of silver-bladed yatagans made the jasmin-scented air around me sing. A twin-stab backward. A right handed upper-crosscut. A foresweep, folowed by a left handed high parry. A sidestep, a left handed lower-crosscut, folowed by a full split-traverse to the left. A high-feint vith a right side half-pivot, a right handed side-stab. A full pivot in a half-crouch, folowed by a crescent moon high-kick. A low-crouch vith a twin-stab forvard. For a moment frozen in time, I kept the posture, some of my hair swept acros my face, finished vith the kata, my gaze unblinking on a center spot betwen the rock-steady tips of my blades, my focus on controling my breathing. Vith a flick of my wrists, I reversed the blades in my hands, and let them slide on their own momentum into their sheaths at my hips, not touching the silk white blouse I vas wearing. I sighed, mentaly shaking my head in anoyance. My labored breathing vas not returning to normal as fluidly as vas required for the form. I have failed. Failed to keep expectations from hindering my instinct. Failed to fully detach myself from the trapings of my body during the kata. I have failed. But as alvays, failure only fueled my determination. Princess Shiri? a deep male voice came at me, as I valked tovard a fountain in the center of the palace courtyard, to wash my face. I did not turn my head, before I vas done, leting him wait. Only then did I face the pair of large, armor-clad janissaries, stil not speaking, only waiting expectantly. Your father demands your presence. the other said vith barely suficient formality, measuring me hungrily, like a piece of meat. His lustful stare stayed the same, as he vatched the stuningly beautiful, shapely, athletic young woman aproach, her walk as graceful as her figure was bountiful, under the thin silk garments of her white blouse and brown pants. As she passed betwen them, he started to reach out his hand to 'accidently' brush against her flank. She stoped in her tracks, her eyes, deep and black as night, pinning him vith a gaze so cold, that color left his face behind his mustache, his hand dropping to his side, as he bowed sligtly. I walked-on. My name, is Shiri. No man shall touch me, save the one my heart belongs to, under pain of death. I valked thru the wide archway, the intoxicating scent of cinnamon inscense asaulting me, as I valked tovard the ornate, high-backed throne at the far end of the expansive throne room, vhere my father, the Sultan, sat atentively, watching me closely. My brother stood beside the throne. Aproaching vithin 5 meters of the chair, I dropped to one knee. Vhat is your vish, my father? I spoke emotionlesly. His wizened face behind a steel-gray beard scovled at me in disaproval, his head vith a high turban tipping tovard me in menace, his eyes on my weapons. Again, you shirk your responsibilitys, my daughter! Again, you forget your place as a woman, the way Allah decreed. Again, you act against our faith, and MY vishes! Again you dishonor your status. I had to vork hard to supress the urge to roll my eyes, since that had become a very familiar refrain from him, over the years. But he stopped punishing me for it, ever since it become clear even to him, that punishments, as severe as they were, only made me stronger in body each time... and strengthened my resolve, as wel. However, soon you are to learn your place. The day has come. Your husband is coming to claim you, by tomorow. he added decisively, lifting a roled-up piece of parchment he had in his hand. My heart froze at that. No... not the moment I have been dreading for 7 years! Not since I vas first promised to my husband, at the age of 10, in an arranged mariage. Father... I started, desperation creping into my voice... Silence! I have spoken. Son, take your sister and make certain she is prepared to meet her husband, in one hour. he barked, as my brother aproached, a microscopic smirk on his face. Once he stood before me, he slapped me, his smirk becoming a open sneer. No more games for you, litle sister! Time to embrace reality. I didnt let out a sound, before I returned his slap at him, leaning into it twice as hard, as he stumbled 2 steps back. His face twisted in anger, his cheek burning crimson, as he lifted his hand to hit me again... ENOGH! my father's voice came from behind, stopping him. Eyes burning, he grinded his teeth inaudibly, then motioned me forvard. But at least I cured him of that sneer. There vas no choice. As I walked, my eyes filed vith tears. I HATED that man vho was to be my husband. The one time I vas introduced to him was enogh for me to see vhat kind of a overbearing, domineering, ego-driven swine he vas. I hated my fate. But there vas no choice. My name, is Shiri. I do vhat I must. The elaborately-adorned carriage stoped on the valkway before the palace, a quartet of black pure-breed horses vhining softly. An atendant valked tovard the side doors, opening them. He steped-out, a tall, strong, mid-30's statuesque man in a Pasha's ceremonial uniform, a gold-handled scimitar at his side. He held him-self proudly, a arogant look on his face under the neatly trimed black beard, his cold brown eyes imediately falling onto the slender, shapely yet wired, late teenage girl vith a delicate but striking face, in a elaborate dress, standing nearby, betwen a pair of guards. He smiled in satisfaction, his eyes swaloving her. Then he valked tovard the Sultan. I just stood there, gazing blankly at a imaginary spot on the carriage. I didnt seem to hear the vords spoken. Not my new husband's boasts to my father about his 'integrity', not my father's asurances to him about my 'good breeding'. The two of them talked, for vhat seemed like dozen minutes. And I just stood there. I didnt resist vhen he aproached me at last, grabing me behind the vaist and kissing me in the mouth, vhich I did not reciprocate. I didnt reply vhen he told me ominusly, how I wuld 'learn to respect and honor him'. I didnt look back at my father or brother vhen I vas lead into the carriage. I did look at my mother, looking so beautiful in the morning sunlight, tears streaking from her eyes as she cried silent good-bye to me. I tryed to smile at her. But I culd not. Our eyes just locked together as the carriage started-off. I loved my mother. But I culd not forgive her how she did not fight harder for me. She acepted her fate... and mine... long ago. I culd not forgive her, for how weak she vas. My name, is Shiri. And I wuld die before submiting like that. We arrived at my husband's palace before night-fall. Prepare me dinner. I shal retire for the evening. Then join me in my chambers. I will have you this night, my wife. he comanded me, once ve were in the lobby. I did not reply, just staring hard at him. He aproached, shaking me roghly. Did you hear vhat I said?! he yelled in my face. Yes. I replyed coldly, not so much as flinching, locking gazes vith him. Then obey me! Your father may have tolerated this behavior, but I wil not. You wil respect me as a wife must respect her husband! Or I wil make you do it. Am I understod?! he snarled. I just nodded, expresionless. I culd not bring myself to call him 'husband'. I wuld not accept it. I loved only one man, a blacksmith's son, back at my father's city, ever since childhood and I first met him. I used to sneak-out of the palace to meet him in secret places, since my father made it clear he diaproved of any such relationship, betwen his daughter and a common boy like that. Our love for each-other blossomed over the years, ve pledged to each-other ve wuld never let anything get betwen us. Until now. My eyes filed with tears again,at the thoght. Good. I vant to hear you say it. I vas snaped-back from it by his voice. Understod. I managed, not displaying any emotion still. Understood VHAT?! he shook me again, slapping me. Undersood, my husband. I said, the last vord hurting my throat. Again, I endured the slap vithout a sound. But I didnt return it this time, stil being under the impresion of my sad, fatalistic thoghts. I vasnt in the right mindset. And this man, this authoritative, striking, confident warrior and leader, vas not my idiot brother, or the mindless palace guards. Despite my best eforts, I vas sligtly intimidated by him. Then do vhat I said. he growled, before shoving me avay. You wil learn your place, girl, I promise you that. he aded imperiusly over his sholder. Saying nothing, I left for the kitchen. My sorow, and slight fear, started to turn to rage. Slovly but steadily. Two hours later... The twilight turned into night, and I hesitated before entering his chambers. I considered trying to run avay, steal a horse from the palace stable, but vithout a weapon, facing armed guards, I wuld not have a chance. Opening the doors, I valked in. He stood there, in a night-coat, half-unsashed, revealing his strong, muscular chest. Despite it all, the sight of him like that did stir something besides rage in me. I culdn not help but like vhat I saw, even if it vas litle more then instinct. Come here. he comanded. I did so, keeping unblinking eye contact. He grabed me again around the vaist, his other hand sliding roghly acros my breasts, tearing-open my dress. This snaped me out of it again... No man shall touch me, save the one my heart belongs to... NO! I snaped, slapping him this time, and shoving him back to stumble against the bed. You dare?! he held his cheek, his outraged grovl filed the room, as he came forvard again and backhanded me, throving me onto the bed vith a yelp of pain and a bruise. I kicked at him, aiming for his crotch. But he endured it vith only a grunt of pain, as he came forvard, landing on-top of me and pining my arms down. You're MINE! he yeled, starting to rip-off my dress. I tryed to fight him, despite his bulk pining me down, as I spat in his face... NO! I have my beloved! You wil NEVER have me... I screamed in defiance. He backhanded me again at that, but in doing so, he lifted that hand from my right arm, giving me room to move. I endured the blov, though it vas hard enogh to daze me sligtly, before I snaped my right arm forvard, fist clenched, catching him in the nose, then griping him by the neck to hold him back. He roared, blood poring from his nose, before he overpovered my grip vith brute strength, as he pined me down again. He laughed. Oh... you mean that filthy blacksmith boy your father told me about? Didnt he tell you? his voice almost conversational, before he licked me acros the neck. Vhat? How do you knov? You know NOTHING! I screamed, having a very bad feeling... Oh but I do, my dear girl... I supose your father let it slip his mind. He had that litle vretch arested a week ago, since he anticipated your litle infatuation vith him might cloud the isue. He is in a dungeon, avaiting his apointment vith the executoner, vhich in fact, wuld be tomorow. So yes, you ARE mine. he grinned, enjoying himself. Staring at him at that, speechles, disbeliving, something in me... snaped. My anger and loathing turned to white-hot murderous fury. ...under pain of death. I vent berserk. Screaming incoherently, starting to trash under him, I snugled-in, my teeth going for his jugular. I bit into his flesh, HARD, vorrying-of like a wild beast. He screamed in pain, desperatly grabing for my face and neck to shove me back dovn. He suceded... only helping me tear-off a part of his throat, riping-open his vindpipe and tearing apart his carotid artery. His eyes glazed as he groped for his neck, gurgling, desperatly trying to arest the tide of blood gushing out. Vasting no time, I shoved vith all my strength, throving him off me to land on the floor next to the bed. I scrambled to my feet on the other side of it, his blood pouring from my mouth, as I spoted his scimitar nearby, resting against a nightstand. I drawn the weapon, steping-over to the other side of the bed, above him. He stil gurgled, blood staining his night-coat, as he looked up at me vith a imploring look in his eyes. Wasted on me. Steping vith one foot on his torso, I swinged the svord vith both hands, all my strength, beheading him cleanly, his head roling a half-meter over, to rest against the vall. As I turned tovard the bedroom's exit, a guard burst into the room, scimitar in hand, clearly having herd the commotion. He stoped short, as his gaze fel upon me, momentarily stunned by the bloody scene. I didnt give him time to recover, steping in and svinging my own scimitar at his guard, again vith both hand, the force of it knocking his weapon aside. Before he culd bring it back to guard-posture, I stabed it low, into his crotch, under the scalemail torso-armor. He colapsed vith a scream to his knees, as I foloved-thru vith a overhead at his helmeted head. The first blow stuned him, helmet protecting him, but it did snap his head sidevays a litle. I swinged again, and the second blow cut deep into his neck down-vard tovard his torso, killing him. I vas lucky. The scimitar vas too heavy and bulky for me to use properly, and the fact the guard vas suprised worked in my favor, else it wuld have ended diferently. But I spoted a yatagan in a scabard at the guard's other hip, his backup blade, a standard for all soldiers. I unsashed it, and fastened it to my own belt. I looked around for my late... husband's... ceremonial uniform, knowing he wuld have one as wel. I found it, in his vardrobe, his own yatagan stil fastened to it. I did the same, sashing that scabard to my other hip. Armed, I left the bedroom, running lightly dovn the long coridor tovard the stairwel, my bare feet making no noise, my late husband's blood stil driping from my mouth onto my torn-open dress, and across my half-exposed breasts. I didnt notice. I didnt care. I culd hear more guards scrambling up the main stair-wel, so I bypased it, looking for another vay down, closest to the east wall, vhere the stables were. I had until tomorrow. There wuld be no mercy. For anyone vho tryed to stop me. I wuld backtrack to my father's city, and I wuld rescue my beloved, no mater the cost. My father, he wuld die for this betrayal. I wuld do this, I pledged to my-self, or I wuld die trying. My name, is Shiri. My love is as eternal, as my vengeance wil be pure. To be continued.......