Page 3 of Sumanika

The fire licked my hair tail.

Everything turned into chaos. People started running. Finally, there were screams other than mine, pumping breaths to my failing life.

“Help! Please!” the remains of my strength struggled once more.

My gaze met a young man’s allure, charged with the naked sword in his hand. A few soldiers in dark red clothes approached, untied me, and pulled me down, immediately brushing my burning hair tail with their bare hands.

“Are you all right?” one of them asked.

My knees faltered as I stepped away from the pyre, falling and breaking into tears. Bending forward, pressing my forehead into the ground, I let it all out.

Behind, a protest surged between the tribe and soldiers.

“You cannot do this. It is a sin. She needs to die.”

“Do not do this,”

“Do not free her. It’s a bad omen,”

“She is his wife... Stop!”

Among all the voices, I recognized a familiar tone laced with authority and frustration.“Are you all out of your minds? That’s not allowed in Suryagarh,”

Pulling me up by the wrist, he put his arm around me. The immediate comfort made me lifeless.

A crowd emerged from the trees, brandishing sharp blades. He lifted his sword high into the air as well.

With my tear-filled eyes, I couldn’t stop gazing at his sweaty face, speckled with dirt, and his wavy-curly hair dancing over his forehead. A faint scar adorned his cheek, and his mere warning was enough to send a shiver down my spine.

“Don’t you dare come any closer, you bastards!”

I buried my face in his chest out of fear.“Help, please!” my inaudible voice emerged slowly as I heard the distant sounds of people screaming.

“This is not your Suryagarh and not your business. Put her back on the pyre, or you will all be lying over one by the end of the day.” One of them said.

From the corner of my eye, I noticed hundreds from our tribe standing up for their ritual, outnumbering a few of us.

“This woman is from Suryagarh, and this cannot happen to her!” he stood firm on his grounds, never stepping back.

“Leave me. They will kill you, too,” I murmured, clenching my fist on his chest before he looked at me.

“Are you out of your mind?” he shouted, shaking me to the core.

I burst into tears.

What was happening because of me?

People carrying swords and sickles ran toward us. The clash between them and Suryagarh’s soldiers pierced my spine. Smoke, screams, and blood filled the air.

He pulled me backward and ordered,“You stand here,” gently leaving my hand.

I fell to the ground.

“You must go back, Kunwarsa; your wedding is in six months. Please don’t do this for me. I’m just a maid,” I babbled.

He stood before me, hiding me, gripping the sword. I pulled my knees closer to my chest, breaking into the sobs, my face down.

Swords’clash intensified.

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