Layla

Things couldn't have been worse if you asked me, the Lica family simply said there was no more deal, and my father wasn't exactly the person you could say no to so easily, the tribe has always been based on strength above all or almost everything.

By the time we reached dawn, as everyone outside the tribe knew it, the answer came to our captive: 12 warriors were dead, and half of the rest were wounded without treatment from our Shaman. Life was not expected for many of them, especially since others are still bleeding to this day.

Given the things that happened, I already saw that I would have to go hunting again. It wouldn't be the first time they tried to send me into a battle that I would lose and return asking for food. No one in the tribe tolerated me if I'm honest, but that didn't change the fact that after my first day of going out and not hunting anything, I got a little hungry when the rain came.

Shortly after my stomach growled, I tried to sleep, but the noise of the conversation that came in caught my attention and after a while of sitting down to concentrate on what they were talking about, I heard that they were making a deal based on two boxes of food, the size of my father, enough for the tribe before the second moon passes and if it was rationed for the hand, the displeasure came, when they entered and just seeing the boy, I knew that things would not improve much for me.

“Miss Layla, you must wake up, it’s time for us to leave,” Abadon said.

Notice how he started carrying the books and some of the food, which were the heaviest things, and I couldn't understand why I carried the heaviest things even though they were my belongings.

My arrival at the Sunken tribe was no surprise, I knew from the little I heard that they were on good terms, but my surprise was seeing how they were dismantling everything to leave, their tribe had always been sensible, to the extent that we could be and their withdrawal made me doubt whether my father made the right decision, it wouldn't be the first time he's made a mistake, but I had no doubt that things could get worse for me, with slight glimmers of calm that I would appreciate.

“Incredible, this is their kingdom.” I gazed at the city that barely surpassed my tribe, but at the same time, seeing warriors inside, I wondered if I had been tricked. “It looks prosperous.”

“This isn't Lasha, this is Sol Outpost,” he said with a hint of mirth. “Think of this as a little bit of the tribe, settled far away for safety.” He handed the belongings to a pair of muscular warriors. “Think of this place as the warriors at the entrance to their tribe.”

“I see,” I replied, distracted by my surroundings.

I couldn't tell if he was bragging or just exaggerating, but my time with that tribe was fascinating. Seeing people fighting in spaces visible to everyone, how supplies were limited, and the large houses high up, which they seemed to climb with arches, made me doubt their usefulness if someone knocked them down.

But as it had happened, from the moment we shared food the night before, they had known how to silence my mouth with genuine patience and knowledge that I did not have, the emotion of seeing something beyond my tribe and the forest itself I supposed, but when I contemplated the walls, as high as the mountains made me doubt if my tribe, did well in not submitting to rituals ago, as the Lica house asked.

Inside it was even more incredible, houses in piles, like trees, one after another or half scattered and it was not until we got deeper that I saw the ones that were as big as our tribal chief's and even bigger, up to three stories high and when I got to the sun house, I felt insignificant,

“Incredible.” I looked at the house as people dressed in white and yellow came by to collect our things. Afterwards, I found it awkward to grab my things and tried to reach for them before they picked them up, but a hand reached out for me, pulling me inside at the same time.

“Come on, I’ll show you the family library.”

“What’s a library?” I asked, giving my things a preemptive glance before looking straight ahead, to avoid falling over from the sudden jerk.

"You'll see, I'm sure you'll like it." I mentioned what felt like the first time he smiled genuinely, and I resisted the urge to go back.

Only when I arrived did I feel like I was stupid for not hurrying when I took him there, so many books only caught my attention, I ran to grab the first one in sight, there were so many words and much more that I could read.

The only thing I remember after seeing so many books was that I hurriedly went to one side to read, and except for the arrival of the boy with a sandwich, as I call him, I didn't pay attention to anything else, while sleep overcame me, I just felt the cold around me.

“Is it already that late?”

I realized late that I didn't know the place, while someone arrived and I felt happy for not being alone in that place and I noticed how he was carrying some large skins and what seemed like some kind of strange stick with spikes on one side and I seriously considered preparing myself for a relatively painful beating, for having stayed there the whole time and not having done anything else.

“Hey, she’s still awake.” I look, as gently as ever.

“What’s that for?” He pointed to what he was holding.

“This is to cover her at night, the place is cold and this is for her hair.”

"Hair?".

“This thing we have in our heads.”

“I know what it is, alone.” I sighed, aware that this could be some kind of family tradition, and as a guest, I should probably receive the same treatment, not to mention permission to return to the library. “How much do you need?”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand, but since you’re awake, come with me to rest. It’s more comfortable in bed.”

"Sure." I regretfully put down the book. I'd barely gotten halfway through the herbal products and had many questions, but if I could go back, I had to get the answers after delivering the hair they needed. "How often can I come back, if I may ask?" I was already seeing the impossibility of simply returning.

“You're always welcome to come, but your health is important to me, so there will be minor restrictions on your return, nothing more.”

“Thank you.” I didn’t understand much, but I knew he’d be back, and that was enough.

The arrival to the room was uncomfortable to say the least, seeing how the path was long, and the most I had been allowed to do was walk, and when we arrived I saw a maid, the white and yellow dress stood out again and I went inside, while I noticed the hot water.

“Young man, I was hoping it would take a little longer while the water cooled.”

“I’ll leave it to my fiancée to wait outside.”

“You could join me in the bathroom if you like.”

He shook his head. "Important matters call me. As you know, the head of the family is no longer present, and I must speak with the lady of the house." He bowed slightly before leaving.

“This, why am I here?”

“Let’s take a bath, like the young man asked, don’t worry, it will be fine for tonight.”

"I guess".

I didn't understand much, while we proceeded with the bath, the hot water, and the wet cloth that cooled quickly, were a pleasant treatment and for a moment I thought about staying there longer, but as I cleaned myself I felt strange that someone else was helping me and more so as I also helped with his back and the new clothes, they were a little tighter than the skins I usually used to cover myself, but at the same time I was grateful to have something new and clean, and I left, heading to the right hallway, as the maid told me, to my surprise there was Abaddon.