Nadeem the Gnoll 2 (complete)

Warning! Features a birthing scene!

    “Do I have to stay here?” Eliza’s voice is weak as I pack my things.

    I close the chest and sigh, turning to look at her sitting on the bed. “Mythri promised she would look after you. You won’t be lonely.”

    “It’s not that,” she says as she lifts her head slightly. “I’m worried about you.” She turns her head towards me. “Demir wants you to take over Culuweth, and you could be in danger. I want to be there with you.”

    I go over to her and kneel before you, placing my hand on her cheek .”That is exactly why I don’t want you there,” I whisper. “If my life is in danger, then for sure your life is.”

    Tears run down her cheek. “I don't want to imagine you hurting and suffering alone,” she whimpers.

    I take her in my arms, and she holds me tightly. “I’ll be safe, I promise. Just for you. Demir is leaving his men with me. I promise I’ll take care.”

    Eliza slips away from me and opens up her blouse. “Before you go,” she whispers. “One last time?”

    I smile at her and kiss her. I trail my lips down her neck and fall with her back into bed. I cannot express how much I love her. If anything were to happen to her, I would die. Being apart from her is going to be bad enough, but I can’t risk the life of the person I love most in this world.

    I meet with the others late, and we leave Rakshasa Country for the harbor. “Where’s Chiyo?” I ask.

    Amit points up. “She’s fetching Addor. She’ll meet us at the strait.”

    “Is there enough room for him on the ship?” I gasp.

    “I’ve made sure to have the deck cleared and prepared for him,” Demir replies. “It’ll be a tight fit for him, but he’ll be able to stretch his wings whenever he needs to.”

    We first have to travel across the strait where we will change ships and pick up some of Demir’s men as well as the boats with his military. Once there, I meet the Bailin, the uncle of Demir’s wife who will be helping me in Culuweth. Amit has also allowed me to pick some of his soldiers to be my guards while I stay in Culuweth.

    After we leave the strait, I’m starting to feel the surmounting pressure. I know in my heart what I’m doing is right, but I feel guilt and pain. I am attacking my own people, my home, my family. I may be a traitor, but I still love Culuweth. What I am doing is for the best of the country and the people, but I hate the thought of bringing a war to its shores.

    “Why are you crying?”

    I gasp and look up, seeing Chiyo standing in my doorway.

    I wipe my face and sniffle. “Oh, Chiyo,” I rub my eyes, but the tears won’t stop.

    Chiyo walks into my room and sits down. “It’s ok, cry.” She replies. “After all, you’re becoming as close to a king as you can get.”

    “What?” I scoff.

    She tilts her head. “Come on now,” she murmurs. “You can be honest. This is why you ran to Amit isn’t it?”

    I stare at her. “No! It never even occurred to me that-”

    “Excuse me if I sound rude,” she says. “I intend to protect the interests of my family. I’m part of this fight now, this war of jewels or whatever they call it, I just want to make sure we’re fighting for something.”

    I huff and glare at her. “I came to Amit out of fear,” I tell her. “I know Bethsabe, and I know what she’s capable of. I came to Amit to stop senseless bloodshed.”

    Chiyo touches her cheek where the cuts are still healing. “I’m sure you heard the story, about Mythri and me,” she starts. “Our parents were traveling home when they were attacked by Gnoll slavers. My father died trying to get Mythri to safety, and my mother found Bastat.” She looks at me with those haunting eyes of hers. Where Mythri is filled with wisdom and peace, Chiyo has eyes that are steeled and vigilant.

    “I understand,” I reply. “You don’t trust me. You don’t trust any Gnoll.”

    “I don’t want my sister’s trust broken,” Chiyo’s voice is low. “Seeing a Gnoll at her court was jarring. Seeing you on the battlefield made me wonder.” She then sighs and looks at her hands. “And then Kalidas told me what happened.” Her eyes look back at me. “In my mind, I could have sworn it was Kalidas who carried me from the battle. But it was you. You commanded the Rakshasa with Kalidas while you carried me to safety.”

    “You’re a hero,” I reply. “It was my honor. You helped save my Eliza.”

    “The blind girl,” Chiyo nods. “She is sweet.” She then stands up. “I have no choice but to trust you,” she replies. “They say a tiger can’t change its stripes.”

    “Thank goodness I’m not a tiger,” I try to laugh.

    Chiyo smirks. “Your tears,” she murmurs. “What causes them?”

    “Conflict,” I whisper. “I want to do what is right, but I am afraid of what will become of Culuweth.”

    “Then perhaps you will be a good leader. Try and sleep,” she says as she heads back out the door.

    I am not sure if I earned Chiyo’s trust them or not, all I know is that if she feels that way, then there could be others who feel the same.

    During the journey, I spend time with Demir and his men. Bailin is a brilliant man, and I’m pleased to find we get along. 

    “Tell me, who on Bethsabe’s court do you think is worth keeping around? At least ones that will see eye to eye with the cause,” Bailin asks me.

    “I’m not certain,” I reply. “A lot of them are being held there against their will. I’m not sure any would want to stay.”

    Bailin sighs. “So no one at all?”

    “Maybe,” I murmur. “The queen’s husband, Esdras, his sister serves on the inner circle. Ismay, she has hated Bethsabe for as long as Esdras has been married to her. But Bethsabe keeps her around because of her own wealth and properties. Ismay’s loyal to Culuweth as I am. I used to talk to her about my frustrations with the position I was in. She is very much in the same league as me.”

    “But will she stay if we have to kill her brother?” Bailin asks.

    “Please,” I gasp. “Esdras is a dear friend. If there is anyway, we can spare him-”

    Bailin holds his hand up. “That will be up to you,” he then smiles. “If you see fit to keep him alive, then we will try.” He then looks at the maps. “You said this Ismay has properties?”

    “She’s a savvy businesswoman,” I reply. “Sharp as a tack and twice as hard. She owns the lumbermill in Culuweth as well the shipyard.”

    “Really?” Bailin asks. “She has a monopoly, you’d say?”

    I nod in agreement. “I told you, Bethsabe likes ruthless people. No one is more in on the game than Ismay. She started buying property when he brother became betrothed.” 

    When we get close to Culuweth,, we send Chiyo and Addor out first. Hours later, we land on the beaches of Culuweth and are met by the forces of Bethsabe’s military. We storm the beach, soldiers from all corners of the Ruby Empire emerging from the ships. Bethsabe’s people are overwhelmed. Most retreat at the sight, but there is still a massacre on the sand. 

    The white sand has turned pink with the stain of so much blood, and my stomach churns as we walk across it. 

    “No doubt she’ll have her castle and city more protected,” Demir muses as he cleans off his sword.

    Amit growls, and I see he has sustained a wound on his arm. “Those who ran away probably retreated to return and protect the city.”

    The beach is frightening cold, and our breath comes out in thick white clouds. I can smell smoke and the distinctive scent of dragon’s fire.

    “I feel horrible asking Chiyo to do what she’s doing now,” Demir sighs.

    I look up at him. “Do what?” I gasp.

    Demir is quiet, but he doesn’t look away from me.

    I step back and snarl. “Do what?” I nearly roar.

    Amit reaches out and grabs my arm. “Calm yourself, Nadeem,” he whispers warningly. I wrench from his grasp and curl my lip up at Demir, showing him my teeth. “What have you asked Chiyo to do?”

    “Scorch the land,” Demir replies cooly. “We’re going to make the civilians dependent on us after you take over. They’ll have no reason but to trust us.”

    I only see red. I am filled with rage. “You could kill them!” Amit grabs me and his blood stains my robes.

    “I am fully aware of that,” Demir responds. “I plan on taking responsibility for my actions. Do not worry. My first act will be to provide rations to the people and assist with bringing their land back.” He starts to walk up the beach. “Come now, we have much more important work at hand.”

    The siege on the city is fully underway. Chiyo and Addor have scorched the earth and used the dragon’s fire to keep Bethsabe’s troops at bay. We quickly walk into the city and through the gates of the palace. 

    The palace has always wreaked of blood and death, ever since Bethsabe took over. But now, you could see it. Dead guards and soldiers lined the halls as we walked through. I can’t help but shed tears. These were men I knew, men I had trained alongside and commanded. 

    The doors to the throne room are wide open, and I am not prepared for the sight I see before me. Esdras is on the ground, crying hard and loudly. In his arms, he holds Bethsabe who is dead and bleeding.

    I race towards him. “Brother,” I whisper urgently at him. “What is this?”

    Esdras lifts his head. “I couldn’t let her die by their hands,” he chokes. “I couldn’t let her be held by them either.” He looks at me. “I put her out of her misery.” He grabs my shirt with his bloody fist. “I love her still!”

    I shiver, feeling his pain and love. “I understand, brother,” I whisper. I take his hand and mine. “You did what she needed.”

    “What do you command, my lord?” Demir asks you. 

    “Take him captive,” I whisper. “But do not harm him.” I look at Bethsabe’s corpse. She looks at peace, for the first time in her life. “We will hide Bethsabe’s body. For all that the public knows, she is captive.”

    “No!” Esdras screams. “She deserves a proper burial! You owe her that much!” He shakes me hard. “You owe her! You owe her!”

    I put my hands on his face. “I know what I owe!” I howl at him. I then stand up as his grip loosens from my shirt. “Take him, prisoner,” I mutter. “And take Bethsabe to the ship,” I say. “Let no one see her.”

    Esdras screams and howls as they take him and I go to the window. 

    “My lord,” Demir murmurs. “You are now master of Culuweth. What is it you decree?”

    I am numb to his words, but I still give my orders. Over the next few days, we weed out the loyalists of Bethsabe we can find. I am able to create my own council with the help of Bailin and Ismay, who joins our ranks freely as long as we keep Esdras alive.

    Amit and Demir stay to see me through the difficult period. Demir keeps to his word, bringing in ships worth of crops for the civilians of Culuweth. 

    “To be honest,” Ismay tells me, “Bethsabe’s crops weren’t even for the people.” She smirks and chuckles to herself. “She had them growing supplies for her colonization efforts.” She turns and looks at me. “Destroying those crops and providing for the people was a brilliant move. You’ve already gained their trust but taking care of them first.”

    “But,” I shake my head, “I didn’t-” I glance back at Demir and Amit who are going over edicts and proclamations that have been written up. I now realize what Demir’s real actions were.

    Suddenly the doors burst open, and Chiyo comes walking in, dragging a Gnoll by his throat. “Nadeem!” She shouts at me and tosses the man at my feet. “I have a request!”

    The man chokes and heaves. He looks bloody and beaten, and he scrambles to try to get to his feet, but Chiyo kicks him.

    I stand up and push Chiyo away from him. “What is the meaning of this?” I gasp.

    I look down, recognizing the man as General Wulsi, one of the oldest members of Bethsabe’s inner circle. Chiyo had returned from the Rakshasa Empire with urgent news for us. An assassin had been hired to kill Mythri and the children, and Wulsi was to blame. He’s heaving and spitting blood, who knows what Chiyo did to him before she brought him to me. Chiyo had been upset when she brought the news, but now, she was angry and clinging to her reason.

    She points at the Gnoll. “This is the man who killed my family!” She seethes. “I recognize him from my nightmares!” She snarls. “He continues to hunt my family like animals! I want justice!”

    I push her back again and glare down at Wulsi. “I think your sister deserves some retribution as well,” I tell her. “Take him back to Rakshasa Country as your prisoner, like you originally planned. You can decide his fate there.”

    “You are lucky,” Demir snarls as he rises from the shadows. “Bethsabe tried to makes grabs at the children before. But why Mythri this time?”

    Wulsi lifts his bloodied head and grins. “Us Gnolls do not like deities, especially when they’re living.”

    I hold Chiyo back as she tries to rip through me to tear Wulsi asunder. “We need him alive!” I warn her. 

    “He threatened my family! Again!” Chiyo roars. “I’ll see him dead!” She ripped from behind as Demir picks her up off the ground.

    “I do adore your fire, my champion,” he tells her. “But you need to stay calm in these matters. Thank the gods Amit wasn’t here to hear this.” He steps over to Wulsi and kicks him, knocking out a few teeth along with his consciousness. 

    “I showed mercy, and that was with my adoration for Mythri.” He sets Chiyo down and sighs. “Take him prisoner, my champion,” he tells her. “I’ll send you and Amit home right away.”

    I go to Chiyo and place my hand on her, but she wrenches it away. “Get all the information you can from him,” I whisper to her. “Find out who he has been colluding with, and I will see them all hanged on the gallows in your name.”

    “Why would you do that?” She growls.

    “Because I am loyal to my country and my people and that now extends to the Rakshasa and your family,” I tell her. 

    He wipes the blood from her nose and sniffles. “Thank you,” she whispers.

    Chiyo and Amit return home that evening, leaving on a boat directly headed to the shores of Rakshasa country with Wulsi as their prisoner. Some weeks later, I receive word from them on what has happened. Wulsi was put on trial before Mythri. Before he was sentenced her confessed the names of his conspirators, who I eagerly dealt with. Wulsi was hanged for his crimes.

    Then, I see a letter sealed with the one sent from Amit. It is written by Mythri and dictated by my Eliza. I open it in a hurry, excited to hear word from her.

    “My love, I so wish you were here so I could tell you in person, but I have wonderful news to share with you. You’re going to be a father.”

    I have not felt such joy since I married Eliza. I had gone through so much grief and agony these past few months that this bliss is overwhelming. My tears fall on the letter, streaking the words.

    “I so want to join you in Culuweth and have the baby there, but I am warned that in my condition it isn’t safe for me to travel. I must admit, I am scared, but I am happy. I don’t know what to do with myself without you.”

    I am a wreck. I so want to be with my Eliza, but I don’t know how. She cannot travel, and I can’t leave Culuweth.

    One day, Addor returns, flying in and landing on the shores. I go to meet him and on the way run into Chiyo. “What is wrong?” I gasp, expecting something has happened.

    “I’ve come to fetch you,” she says. “The travel on dragon’s back isn’t long.”

    I furrow my brow. “Travel?” I ask.

    Chiyo grins. “She’s going to give birth any day now, don’t you want to be there?”

    I hug Chiyo tight, and after leaving orders with Bailin and Ismay, I leave with Chiyo and Addor to go to Eliza.

    When we return, I am rushed to Eliza’s room. Inside she is screaming and crying in pain as the nurses tend to her.

    “Nadeem!” She cries.

    “I’m here, my love,” I take her hand from a nurse. “I’m here.”

    She smiles at me. “The little one-” she whimpers.

    I kiss her forehead and pet away her damp hair. She screams and cries as the nurses urge her to push. There is so much blood on the bed, and Eliza is exerting so much effort. I am filled with terror. I cannot lose her, not like this.

    I then hear it, and the world goes silent. I listen to the powerful screams of the baby.

    “Here she is,” a nurse coos.

    “She?” I gasp.

    Eliza sniffles and giggles. “How does she look? Does she look like her father?”

    The nurse washes and bundles the baby up and lays her in Eliza’s arms. She’s a Gnoll, but she’s pure white all over, and when she opens her eyes, they’re strikingly pink.

    Eliza’s starting to cry. “What does she look like?” She commands me. “I can’t see her! You have to tell me!”

    “She’s beautiful,” I coax her. “She’s white like snow.”

    Eliza chokes. “What?”

    “She’s beautiful like you, but she’s a Gnoll like me,” I tell her. “And she’s all pink and white.”

    “Is that normal?” Eliza sounds panicked.

    “No,” I chuckle. “But she’s perfect.”

    Eliza touches the baby’s face and kisses her all over. The baby whimpers and cries, sounding angrier than anything.

    We name her Emeline, once Eliza calms and recovers we settle on the name. She’s beautiful and looks like a little doll. She grows fat and chubby as she nurses on her mother, and she’s quiet and calm.

    “Do you have to go back?” Eliza whimpers.

    “I do,” I whisper. “Believe me, I don’t want to leave you. But I have to do what’s right.”

    “She is your princess, and you dare leave her?” Eliza scoffs she then sniffles. “I can’t see how beautiful she is,” she cries. “How will I know if you can’t tell me?”

    “Because you have Mythri and the nurses,” I assure her. “And you know how beautiful she is without looking.” I kiss her lovingly. “When you’re well enough you can join me in Culuweth.”

    Emeline starts to fuss, and I pick her up from the bassinet and hold her close. As I look at her, I know that everything I do now will be for her.