Chương 6: LAST WORDS AND SUICIDE
Akira went into a frenzy when Thaggar bit down on the soft skin of her breast letting out moans and sighs. While the couple was enjoying themselves, the same couldn't be said for those who had to listen to their noises. Savvy in particular was close to tears. Sarika was happy that her son was fulfilling his duty as a husband but she still pitied Savvy who had been married to Thaggar for well over seven months. Before she understood that he needed to strengthen his position as king by numerous conquests but he could have spared her even one night. She could feel the pain Savvy felt after waiting for him to return only for him to announce that he had found a new wife.
Early the next morning, Thaggar got up to survey the area they had camped on. It was so dark when they stopped that he hadn't even noticed that they were beside a cliff.
"Good morning, your majesty."
Thaggar turned around and found Rai looking at him with a smile on her face. Thaggar smiled back, unsure of what to say to her as they hadn't had a proper conversation since he'd married her daughter.
"Good morning mother." He said at last,"It's still early, you can rest more."
"I rested enough yesterday. I wasn't the one driving the cart afterall." She replied matter of factly,"Though I did have to go to bed late because of the noise.
"Noise?" Thaggar asked trying to recall any strange noises from last night.
Almost immediately he remembered Akira's loud moans and his groans. He turned away in embarrassment and heard Rai chuckle.
"No one can truly rest after a wedding." She joked making him even more embarrassed but he still nodded.
"I'll bare that in mind." He managed to say while forcing a smile.
Rai nodded and suddenly became serious which confused Thaggar. She walked closer to the edge of the cliff and peeped down below to check how high they were.
"Good morning." Akira greeted startling Thaggar who had not heard her.
"Good morning, Akira." He greeted with a smile as he extended his hand for her to take.
Akira walked to him and let him plant a kiss on her forehead. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and looked back at Rai who was now looking at them but there was no warmth in her eyes.
"King Thaggar, take care of my Akira and ensure a bright future for your descendants. Also...." She paused for a moment then smiled,"Have Tak and Taki marry, they would look good together. That way he too can move on from that forsaken village."
"If it is what you wish mother." Thaggar responded with a smile,"Right Akira?"
Akira didn't answer and instead freed herself from his embrace. He let her go noticing the shift in her demeanor. There was fear in her eyes as she slowly approached her mother. He looked at Rai once more and noticed her feet were now too close to the cliffs edge.
"Mother please no....!" Akira cried.
He understood what she intended to do and run towards her but he was a breath too late.
"Mother NO!!"
Thaggar froze in his place with his hand still extended to reach out to Rai who wasn't standing there anymore. Akira's screams had woken everyone else and they were all wondering what was happening. Thaggar finally moved when he heard everyone screaming Akira's name and he saw her kneeling too close to the edge while Tak held onto her, tears in his own eyes that he refused to show.
Thaggar approached the siblings and embraced them both. That simple act seemed to break Tak as his tears finally fell, his gaze on his mother's mangled body at the bottom of the cliff upon some rocks. Their journey to the South was put on hold as they now had to retrieve Rai's body.
Thaggar's men used some strong rope to safely get to Rai and wrapped her remains in a mat. The tied it to the rope and those at the top pulled the remains up. Akira was still crying in Thaggar's arms while Tak was being comforted by Taki.
Once everyone was back up on the cliff, they started gathering rocks and buried Rai underneath. Akira had stopped crying and looked at her mother's grave with contempt.
"I promise you I won't end up as pathetic as you." Akira swore in a whisper that Thaggar heard.
She turned around and walked away and into the cart. Tak was the next one to leave and soon everyone prepared to depart. Rai's face as she stood smiling refused to leave Thaggar's mind and he was distracted throughout the journey. Akira hardly spoke or ate and she didn't cry either.
"You should eat something."
Akira shook her head as lay down on the mat to sleep. Thaggar turned her around and made her sit and even if she tried to resist, she was powerless.
"You promised to be better than your mother, didn't you? How is starving yourself any better than jumping off a cliff?" Thaggar asked seriously and he saw moisture form in her eyes,"I'm sure you wouldn't want Tak to have to gaze upon the body of another important woman, would you?"
"Why?" Akira asked weakly starting to sob,"She seemed happy...."
Thaggar hugged her and just listened to her grievances. Thaggar started to feed her when she quietened down and soon after she fell asleep. He stayed up for a while longer, contemplating on the events of the day and wondering what had led to Rai making such a decision. He was certain now that she wanted both her children to leave their village but he had no answers as to why. She seemed to have thought it through before taking her own life but why do it right in front of her daughter?
"Aren't you sleeping, Thaggar?"
Thaggar was startled by the voice and he knew it couldn't be Akira as she was fast asleep. He got up and out of the tent to see if his mother was perhaps outside but only the men keeping watch were awake and the voice he'd heard didn't fit any of them.
'Was it a ritual?'
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