11Asnash's Village
"Are you a demon?"
How could they know? Did they get word from another village perhaps...but all the other villages are...no were isolated.
"What? A demon? Of course not," Dara feels her throat tighten as she says this. Or perhaps they always ask this...At least I didn't lie. I'm human not demon, regardless of my powers.
"Do you believe in the one true god Asnash?"
"Well...um...ever since I was privileged enough to hear the teachings of Asnash," she curses herself mentally. She replied too tentatively. She may be killed for answering wrong, but then she could also be killed for not sounding sure of herself. Please don't hear that hesitation, don't see my fear. I must answer right, or they may try to kill me. She hastens to correct this potentially deadly error, "I do indeed believe in the one true god Asnash." Or at least, until I'm forced away and find another village, then I'll believe in their *true* God, whatever that's suppose to mean.
The throng of village men, and their spears, part to reveal a young woman. She is in many ways just like the other leaders Dara has met, but none had ever seemed so perfect. She is obviously beautiful, defying the customary views of elegance.
"Why are you here?" her voice is firm, sure, and steady.
"I have come to seek a permanent home in this village," Dara speaks quietly, feigning deep respect. Can I possibly stay here? In a place where the first thing they ask me is whether or not I'm a demon?
"Tell me child, do you mean to threaten any member of this great and powerful village?"
"Of course not, I'd never threaten anyone knowingly." At least not till faced with my death I don't.
"And you understand what Asnash DOES to liars?"
"Of course, he punishes them..." I wonder how they *think* their god punishes liars in this village? I wonder if there is a God, if there were wouldn't everyone believe in that one God?
The Lady nods and begins to scold the men in a language unknown to Dara. As the men obediently follow the lady away from Dara, people begin to emerge from their homes. Some boys, about ten or eleven years old, follow their fathers back to the fields. The fields are simply outside a wall the height of a person, containing only two gates around the perimeter. All the women recommence their work as the children peer at Dara with sheer curiosity mixed with a little fear. She has grown used to this, for it seems to her that children know instinctively how very different she is.
Where should I go now? Dara smiles as the children approach her and prepares herself to respond to any of the possible requests or demands that the children may make of her.
"Do you have anything to give us?"
"Who are you?"
"Can you tell us a story?"
She knows better than to answer the last two. Never tell them what or who you are and never tell a story, till you are sure of the villages religious beliefs.
"I think I have a better idea, why don't you tell me a story?" It's the easiest way to understand a culture, through the children. She smiles as she gets many different versions of many different stories, all though centered around Asnash.
Eventually, all the children must go do their chores. Dara takes this time to talk to some adults. During the time she spent with the children she was able to pick up basic customary greetings and body language.
"May you walk with Asnash," Dara tilts her head downward and then looks cautiously at the woman's face. Please, let this greeting be correct. The woman does the same. "By what name did your mother give you?"
"She gave my life the name, Crystal." The woman was a young mother that seemed in the upper class. "And by what name did your mother give you?"
"She gave me the name Dara," Dara gulps, she had vowed to never change her name but she had. In doing so she lost the only thing her mother gave her and helped hide the strangeness that seemed to surround her. I wish I knew why she gave me that name, I wish she never died. Perhaps if she lived for more than a couple minutes after my birth, things would be different. I may even have a home...
The woman's face shows some fascination. If she thinks that's amazing she should know my real name...but she never will. I can't trust anyone with that much information, it would make them suspicious of me. Once she poisoned some attackers of a village she made her home in. The same villagers she saved, drove her out the first time a sickness struck the rather primitive town. This time, she promised herself, they won't find out about my powers, I will control them...
"Crystal, do you know of anything I could do here, some kind of job?"
"I wouldn't know, after all I don't even know what you can do."
"I've learned some healing, farming, and sewing. I'm a fast learner..." Amazing what you can learn to survive...
Dara looks at Crystal with large, pleading eyes. It had worked every time so far...though she should, perhaps, try something different.
"Well, I'm sure sewing and farming can be useful, but The Lady Cara does all healing and religious services here. I'm sure you met her. You'd not be here if she didn't approve of you." Where would I be? Dead or who knows where searching for at least a temporary home?
"Oh, yes. I'm glad that this village has no need for my poor healing skills. I have traveled many places and have found a little knowledge in the arts of healing to be somewhat helpful but that is all." I learned as a beginner apprentice to a head leader at a village that
"Perhaps Ama's family will have enough work for another person. You would of course have to get the permission of his wife, my cousin, The Lady Cara. Even so, you can stay with my family tonight but after that you must ask Cressa for shelter or find some other work."
"Your cousin is The Lady Cara?"
"Of course, did you not notice our names. We are family."
"Oh of course, I forgot for a second, I hope you will forgive me. I thank you for your hospitality to a stranger, may you walk with Asnash in the after."
Later Dara discovers that the first first letter of a persons name represented rank and family. The letter is "passed" down from ones mother at birth. The second letter loosely represents your rank within the family.
Hope you are all keeping up, I should "develop" the story better, but I'll never get around to doing anything more to this chapter. PLEASE Review, constructive criticism is wanted.