James Hackett

Perfumes this time.
Sensuous.
A sliver of scent with a pound of impact.
Here we go again.
Now I had an idea of why and instinctively knew where. She was in the room with me watching and waiting.
To be honest I didn’t give a fuck. This journey or whatever the hell it was, was not by my choice, it was thrust upon me without my consent or even knowledge of what was going on or what was to come.
No one asked what I wanted nor did they give me a choice.

“You can stay in bed if you wish I will send my helpers in to see to your needs.”

Layla stayed on her side turned away from the woman behind her. She was tired, her insides felt worn and her muscles ached. The dryness in her throat worked against the surfacing curiosity and kept her silent.

“The pain you feel will never leave you. You must learn to see it for what it is and use it.”

I heard her clothes shift and the curtain that separated the room from others whisper around her, then her voice reached out to me “While you are here, you shall be called Abebech, for you are only now beginning to bloom like a flower.”

The silence left in her wake was for once filled with peace, covering me and trying to offer solace to my turbulent insides.

Sigh.

She wanted to help me. Her words about the pain never leaving hit me hard, because somewhere deep inside I had always hoped relief would come, of course I thought for a long time it would be in my own demise but now who knew.

Abebech, she called me, the image of a flower curled up tight floated around my head. Growing up I had seen enough flowers to know it was a slow process, each petal unfurling with effort and time, is that what was taking place here. These journeys these lessons and probably gifts. “Was she being literal or just using pretty words to make me feel better?”

“Our Mistress never uses words to relay anything but the truth.”

Layla turned to see a short squat man of indeterminable age and the smoothest cocoa coloured skin she had ever seen.

“You are a slave. Born into it. Your family sold you, too many mouths to feed so you were sent away. You’re her…holy shit…she uses you as a sex…because of your…whoa!”

“You are also blessed with the gift of Iyin Hasad.”

“Is that what you call it? Eyes of Intuition? It is kind of creepy to look at someone and see all of that about them.

“I do not know what you mean by ….creepy… but you should be grateful to the gods for this gift. It has served our Abrinet Adanech and all of us, her people, very well.”

“Well I can see you serve her very well.”

With a smile and a bow the slave acknowledged Layla’s statement; in an instant he was naked before with his feet apart and his hands behind his back, waiting.

“Uh huh…as generous an offer that is and believe me it is, I refuse to be ahhh served by someone who plots the death of his mistress. “

“She would die in pleasure. It is more than many of us can ever hope for.”

“As natural a cause as you can get.”

The puzzled look on the slave’s face told Layla that sarcasm was not his forte, in fact she was wondering what kind of idiot plans the death of someone who can see and read all of his thoughts. She knew he posed no immediate danger to her and realized that this was all part of the experience. Enemies closer than friends or something along those lines. Amazingly enough the well hung miniature stud displayed before her did not make her think of sex at all, she only thought of the power struggle between the slave and his mistress and the lesson of it. Here was a man who had only to work with, in and around pleasure to earn his keep, yet he hated it. Hated it so much, he wanted to kill the person who provided all of his needs and wants. He wanted for nothing and paid his way with his body and not in a demeaning way as he also enjoyed the encounters but it was not his chosen path.

If the life you live is not the life you choose, it will always be a life you hate and one filled with pain.

“Put your clothing back on.”

When he complied Layla purposely looked deeper into his soul and saw what she had only glimpsed before.

“Go find me a stool the same distance from the floor as you are and place it in the center of the courtyard and do it right now.”

Either he was accustomed to orders or he instinctively knew better than to go against her.

Stretching her body, thoughts swarmed her head. This phase was fairly weird but the information came a lot faster, maybe her learning curve was getting better or her brain was beginning to accept her new reality as fact. The idea of choosing your own path occupied her as she left the bed and made her way on her hand outside and eventually to the courtyard.

By the time she got there it was deserted save for the stool, climbing up she balanced herself and waited awhile. Eyes were on her but the right ones had not spotted her as of yet.

Unlike her time with Enos she wasn’t going to be taught, here she had to accept and act, the acting part being purely her choice. For the first time she realized she had a choice. She maybe on the journeys but participating when she arrived was up to her, refusing training from Enos was an option, it just never occurred to her. Layla’s instincts were to learn and grow from these sojourns into the bloodline she descended from. Absorbing and growing from your surroundings was a choice, one she was making without thinking twice about it.

Layla’s eyes twitched and she scanned the ground surrounding her. The dirt was moving. Pretty sure no one else would be able to see that she looked around for more clues. Front right and back left, little shifts in the dirt particles, so now she knew where to expect them from.

As the movement became more pronounced she guestimated exact time of arrival and was dead on.

“That is kind of cool”, she smirked to herself, now to the fun part.

The soldiers came towards her and began encircling with their spears and swords drawn. Apparently none of them thought they needed shields against a lame woman, their arrogance so obvious even regular eyes could see it. Glancing through the small battalion she picked up on weaknesses and old injuries that she had no problem exploiting. Focusing on the largest man of the group she peered into his soul and taunted him with his most treasured secret.

“That ewe deserved better than you.”

As disbelief and rage propelled him forward Layla dangled her legs and slightly leaned into a crouch position, she would need to disarm him and dispose of him quickly, because these soldiers weren’t the real focus of this day.

After she relieved the sheep lover of his weapons and life, the remaining soldiers attacked and found themselves outwitted and losing essential life blood faster than their brains could process. Using deadly cuts and pin point accuracy Lalya disabled the men till they littered the floor around her and the metallic scent of fresh blood engulfed her senses.

Still holding the first soldier’s weapons pleasure and anticipation coursed through her, a sadistic smile played upon her lips. She was enjoying this and would worry about what that meant later.

“Those were some of my best men.”
”Maybe you need a new definition of best.”

“I said some not all.”

The arrow came at her blind spot and with a flick of the sword she held it was sliced and fell harmlessly on a body.

Two more spears and at least half a dozen more arrows met the same fate while Layla remained steady, calm and smiling.

It was a helluva a scene. The woman on the stool surrounded by the death and destruction she created. The mud-brown dirt in the courtyard sported pools of blood and body bits like pieces of trash on a river plain after a heavy flood. Neither the stool nor the woman on it had moved since the first blow was struck and it was obvious none of the blood on her came from her.

“I know your cohorts have dealt her the blow that will kill her and even now she waits for me to come so she can pass out of this life.”

“Then why waste precious time here, go say your goodbyes. You have my word I will not stop you.”

“You couldn’t stop me you mean.”
With a harsh grimace the treasonous captain stared Layla down itching to end her life but smart enough to know he was no match for her skill.

“What are you waiting for, GO!”

“There is no victory for you this day. This will be the day of Abrinet Adanech most significant act as the Queen of her lands. She has cleansed her household of the snakes that has dwelled within from the time of her Grandfather’s birth. On this day her people will finally be free to rule themselves and choose their own paths. The monarchy of Ethiopia dies today and the people she so loved will no longer have an ill-advised ruler telling them what is best for them. From this day they choose for themselves.”

The twisted visage of the captain only increased Layla’s joy. Her words confirmed that it was not as he thought, that Abrinet Adanech had lost her powers, but instead had used them and him to create a new order in the lands she governed. His work was part of her plot.

“AAAGGHHRRRRRRR!!!!”

“Don’t be too alarmed captain, it is my destiny to ensure you do not live to see any of this come through.”

In the blink of his eyes the spear and sword pierced the neck and torso of the power driven man, his blood spurting wildly while he gurgled and grabbed at the handle protruding from his throat. The fool didn’t even realize he was already dead.

As his body fell backwards his eyes followed his killer as she crossed the courtyard heading to her ancestor who awaited the news that would carry her in peace elsewhere.

“You know you don’t have to carry me inside, the path is covered I can make my own way in.”

“Indulge me.”

“Fine, but there is no need for you to have to lift someone my size around, I know you are more accustomed to girls who think eating low fat salad dressing is carbo loading”

“When have I ever said th…” Doc stopped his speech mid word when he saw Layla barely covering up her smirk and instead gave her a semi toss in the air.

“Care to be thrown higher?”

Laughter erupted from her throat. “Well excuse me, my apologies Doc. I guess you exercise more than your brain and mouth.”

Twisting in his arms slightly, she disengaged the security and opened the door, turning back towards him her brown eyes locked with his and she gave him a crooked considerate smile.

Cocking his eyebrow in query he pulled back a bit and asked. “Yesss?”

“You are not ugly.”

“Really? Should I take that comment to mean you are now complimenting me?”

“Be serious, I told you I was sending people to hell not causing it to freeze over” The flippant remark was in her usual style but she didn’t say it with the feeling he was used to from her.

That’s because Layla felt weird. He wasn’t ugly. Since when did she ever notice that about him? For 7 years she sat opposite him not caring or observing his eyes or his brownish red hair, or the jagged scar that crossed his left eyebrow giving it a slightly droopy look.

Twitchy.

Her skin was now feeling twitchy. She really needed him to put her down. At once.

Right now, this very instant before she noticed something else about him.

Walking pass the door he closed it his heel, never breaking stride he took her down the entry way then turned left at her direction into a sitting room. His gaze filtered around the room taking in the personality of it until the plush purple monstrosity of a couch that was the centerpiece of the room, caught his glance.

Focusing on the room Layla took in the colors that engaged and seduced her senses, shades of lilac and silver, steadied with glossy black endpoints. The walls were lavender with silver window frames dotted around the room. Family pictures were spread haphazardly throughout all encased in glossy antique black frames. The central focus on the walls though was a water color done of a small country village that made you think of fresh cream and happy plump children.

The furniture of the room was an eclectic mix of comfy but modern furniture in multiple shades of purple which were littered with cushions done in silver with black tassels. He crossed the room and laid her on the purple people eater of a couch.

“Are you ok, you look flushed?” Andrew pressed his fingers against her forehead clinically accessing her. Her pulse had increased, her pupils dilated and her skin was covered in a light film of sweat. She stared at him wondering why she suddenly felt so hot and so twisted inside when Doc touched her.

“I do feel different, but I am not sure why.” Something began to churn in the pit of her stomach and the more she looked at Doc the more she liked the feeling.

“Well given all that is going on, I guess your body is reacting. You should lie back and let me get you some water and an ice pack.”

“NO! Don’t leave just yet…just stay next to me for a bit…please?”

Her hands grabbed his arm and pulled him closer, the emotions seemed to come out of nowhere.

“It’s always all or nothing with you isn’t it? For years you shut me out, never ask for a thing, try to get rid of me in a thousand very imaginative ways. Now you’re calling me to come pick you up, telling me about these journeys you think you have been on and telling me not to leave you. Do you mean into the kitchen or something else Layla. What is all of this, what is going on with you? Tell me. You know I will help. You know the effect you have on me don’t you? Is this some new kind of way to torture me? This story, these things you say you experienced, what am I supposed to think? I’m a doctor, I was your doctor, do you understand how this sounds?”

“How does it feel though?”

“You have a lot of faith in me.”

“I have a lot of faith in my gift and you are of me, how wrong about you could I be?”

“Sensible answer.”

“Do you understand what took place?”

“I think I do…but should you really be taking these last few moments to talk to me?”

“It is part of the whole, so please tell me what you saw.”

Layla got off her hand and sat more comfortably on the floor in front of the Queen.

“I saw pain, corruption and greed in your slave. In his soul I saw a system that was slowly killing its people over years of unrighteous rule. Kings allowing enslavement of their own people so that tithes could be paid and their own rich standard of living maintained. Your birth brought hope of change. It was prophesied to be a time of peace and justice.”

“May history record it as such.”

“It will. You knew that the only way for your people to be free was to end the monarchy in disarray and send your children to countries where they would not be remembered as royals after you passed on. None of them carry the gift and the old ways would have returned to Ethiopia once more with your children as leaders, all the royal advisors are corrupt. They also hate you and helped to plot your demise.”

Layla suddenly rocked back with laughter enjoying the mind games this wily Queen had played on those whose self-importance had led them blindly into a trap, she herself had enclosed upon them.

“When you showed up my advisors got nervous and wanted to call off the plan. Your arrival was proof that I was still blessed with Iyin Hasad, after all how could I teach you unless I still had it.”

“Your captain of the guards didn’t care though. He wanted the status and the life they promised him, so he killed them and set out to kill you and me. He and your uhm concubine were in league together.”

On a wheeze the queen chuckled, “His mistake.”

“Your time has come.”

“Yes as has yours. Thank you for bringing me and my people to peace. Don’t fear your path, even though it is filled with death, follow it as I have mine. No longer Abebech, but now Abrinet Hasad, she who emanates light and intuition, and when you fulfill your duties you will become the Abrinet Adanech.”

“You enjoyed killing those soldiers. The death you caused tonight and before, it brought you joy. How exactly do you think I feel?”

“When you went against the grain of your life and became a doctor. How did you feel? When you left New York and came to Trinidad, how did it make you feel? It is gruesome and it is unnerving but this is what I was born to do. I will not ask for redemption for choosing to accept who I am.”

“This isn’t …”

“Stop. Just leave Andrew. I told you the truth and you do not want to believe me. Fine. I am home and I know my path now. You can leave.”

“Shutting me out again? I wish I could be surprised.”

“You should be. This time you are the one with the closed mind not me.”

“Layla, this is impossible and sadistic. And now you have managed to find the one way to suck me back into your life. This is not done nor is this discussion over.”

Staring at his retreating back Layla felt twitchy again.

She could see he was not done, what she couldn’t see was how she was going to handle him, because he was the one person she couldn’t use Iyin Hasad on.

“Crap.”