The First Dance of Rapsamash
Chapter 11.

The smell of burning hung in the air. Gray plumes of smoke rose into the sky from the direction of the palace. Having concealed and secured Suiravka at her waist, Rapsamash grabbed Arti’s hand, who was barely keeping up with her. The girl ran with all her might, trying to hold back the tears welling up in her eyes. Why, why did they leave Mama? Why didn’t they take her with them?! They could have. They could have!

Cries and the sound of weapons echoed somewhere in the distance. The townspeople tried to get away or hide in their homes, and the streets around the mines were deserted. Only lifeless bodies of guards and a few of their congeners remained lying at the entrance. At the sight of them, Arti closed her eyes and sobbed. Isar, Wurvik, Nuri... She couldn’t recognize four others. Escaping had not been easy...

The metal door leading to the passages to the mines and their barracks had been torn off its hinges. Were the potions of the wise woman really that powerful? If so, why did they leave Mama? Inside, several bodies of guards, some without armor, lay on the ground. Raps and Arti bypassed them, maintaining their pace, and ran straight through the tunnels to their hovel. At some point, Raps thought she saw something flicker in the darkness of one of the corridors adjoining the main tunnel, but she didn’t worry about it now. They needed to save Mama! They had to get her out! Arti was breathing heavily, while Rapsamash practically dragged her sister by the hand.

The open door of the hovel revealed the dim light of a candle inside. It was as if they hadn’t run anywhere, as if all the chaos outside didn’t exist. Everything was so familiar, so quiet. Raps had been away for only a few hours, but for some reason, it felt like she hadn’t been here for days.

And on the bed, covered with a patched old blanket, she lay just as before.

— Mama!

— Rapsi? Arti?! — Taken by surprise, Mama flinched and coughed.

— Mama! Mama! — Both girls rushed to her, embracing her tightly.

— My girls! What are you doing here? — Mama hugged them back, — Rapsi... Rapsi, you made it! You survived, my clever girl!

A sad smile appeared on her face, and tears welled up in her eyes.

— Mama, quickly, lean on me. We need to get out of here!

— Rapsi! How... How are the others? Did they make it? Are they... Are they alright?

— Yes, they’re fine. They’re heading to the tunnels. Let’s go, we’ll catch up with them, and then they’ll help us! I won’t forgive them for leaving you!

— Rapsi, my dear, — Mama kissed her forehead, — I... I can’t go anywhere.

— Why? Why? I... I’ll get you out! Arti... Arti will help me! Arti, come on, help me lift Mama!

— I... I chose to stay, — each breath was difficult and painful for Mama, — Rapsi, don’t blame the others. Ittira gave me a herb, a medicine to... to make me sleep.

— What? Why? What for?! Mama! — Rapsamash could no longer hold back her tears. — Mama! Mama! Why did you do this?

— Forgive me, Rapsi, but... I couldn’t become a burden to them, — Mama embraced them and Arti again with all her strength, — I’m so glad you’re alive. I’m so glad... But promise me... promise me that you’ll catch up with the others and escape. Do you hear me? You... you must get out!

— No. No! You’re coming with us! Mama! — her voice broke into a cry, a lump in her throat making it hard to breathe, but Rapsamash clung to her mother’s shirt, struggling to lift her from the bed.

— Leave me, Rapsi, Arti... The medicine... It won’t be long now...

— Mama...

— It’s all right, my girl... everything will be all right.

— We won’t leave without you...

— No, you must go, you must break free, fight... Keep going...

— Don’t... don’t you want to come with us? Don’t you want to?

— I do, Rapsi, I want to... But I want even more... for you to be free...

— Don’t you want... don’t you want to see the sun again?

— My sun... My sun is right in front of me now. And my moon... too, — with each breath, her mother’s voice grew softer, — Take care of each other... my girls, I beg you...

— Mama!

— Don’t cry, don’t... cry! We will be free now. Free! Just... get out of here... Get out, okay? Promise me you’ll get out?

— We’ll take you with us! Come on! Raise yourself a little! We’ll carry you! Just... Just a little! Please, Mama!

— Promise me... promise me you’ll escape! — her strength was fading, she could no longer hold them.

— We’ll all make it out together! You, me, Arti! Right, Arti? Arti, please help!

— Rapsi... Take care of her... okay? Make it to the city... by the bay. There... Freedom.

— Mama, save your strength! Come on, Arti, just a little more! Lift her!

— I’m so glad, Rapsi... So glad you... came...

Her eyes closed, but with her last bit of strength, she tried to look at her daughters. One last time.

— Promise me... Promise... Take care... of each other...

— I... I promise, Mama. I promise, do you hear me? Mama!

— I promise too! I promise too! Mama, mommy!

She smiled. Her hands weakly dropped down onto the patched blanket.

— Why... why so? Mama...

Raps didn’t want to let go, didn’t want to believe, didn’t want to leave. Arti, sobbing loudly, tried to either embrace or wedge off the lifeless body of their mother. Tears blurred the vision. What now? What comes next? What’s the point, if...

The candle’s flame suddenly flickered, and from behind, near the entrance to the hovel, came some rustling sounds. Rapsamash barely had time to turn around when suddenly a strong hand pushed her away from the bed. Crashing back into the wooden bulkhead, the girl lost all the air from her lungs, still not understanding what was happening. Arti let out a loud scream.

— You flea-ridden scoundrels! Decided to come back to your den?!

A rough, slightly bass voice... Kavir!

— Your damn pack forgot to bring your mommy along, huh? — the overseer grabbed Rapsamash’s hand as she tried to catch her breath and yanked her forcefully to the side.

The pain caused her vision to blur even more, and instead of a scream, only a wheeze escaped her throat. Suiravka! With her free hand, she reached for her belt to draw her blade.

— But I didn’t forget! I came back!

Noticing her movement, Kavir struck her hand with force, knocking the needle away, looming over her, pressing down with his weight.

— Do you think they’ll let them go?

He swung his fist and struck her directly in the face. The powerful blow made her head snap to the side, something in her neck crunching, but that moment was enough to catch a glimpse of the glinting blue runes on the fallen needle nearby. It wasn’t far, not far at all, but...

— Do you think they won’t kill them all?!

Another blow. The taste of blood was strong in her mouth. It hindered her breathing. Need to reach out... Just a little closer...

— They’ll feed them to the dogs!

A blow. Her arm refused to move. Her left eye filled with blood. Come on... It’s so close...

— Like pigs!

Something hard in her mouth. A tooth? Don’t sleep. Don’t sleep! Reach out... Just a little more...

— They’ll make them rot alive!

The punches rained down on her as if they were hammers. She won’t last...

— They’ll kill them!

Forgive me, Mama... Forgive me, Arti...

— They’ll kill them all! Them... You damn mutt!

A sharp screech pulled Raps out of the encroaching darkness. With one eye half-closed, she noticed her sister sinking her teeth into Kavir’s hand. In an attempt to free himself, he grabbed her and threw her aside, accidentally knocking over the candle. Arti collapsed onto the floor.

— Damn mutts!

Kavir turned back to Raps. The expression of hatred on his face suddenly turned to surprise, and then pain. He reached for his right side, feeling the fresh wound. Raps tightened her grip on Suiravka, trying to either push the overseer off her or impale him through with the lengthening, blood-soaked spike. He grabbed at it, trying to pull it out, but the blade continued to lengthen. The girl mentally commanded the spike to change its direction, and a wild cry of pain escaped Kavir’s mouth. He grabbed his chest with one hand while the other continued to try and pull the blade-spike out of his side. With the help of Suiravka, Raps began to push him off. The overseer, giving up on freeing himself from the impaled weapon, reached out towards Rapsamash with both hands. Dark red blood trickled from the corners of his mouth and between his clenched teeth. He couldn’t reach her. He was dying. Slowly, agonizingly. Roaring with hatred, eyes bloodshot, he still tried to harm her. Raps looked at Arti, lying motionless nearby. Her sister was stirring, attempting to get up. The flames from the fallen candle had caught the bed curtain, and the room was now illuminated by the flickering light of fire. Mama...

The girl, baring her teeth, sharply pulled out the blade and, turning it into a dagger, with a roar plunged it right into the chest of Kavir, distraught with pain. He lowered his hands, falling backward. His nearly bulging eyes stared into emptiness. Leaping onto the sprawled body of the overseer, Rapsamash, screaming furiously, stabbed him with the dagger again. And again! Hot blood sprayed onto her face, mingling with her own. More! The room was becoming brighter as she cast a colossal shadow that seemed to assist her in thrusting the dagger into the tormented body. More! Her vision returned, and she opened her eyes wide. More!!

— R-Raps!

Breathing heavily, the girl froze, once again poised to strike with the blade raised above her head. Arti! Mama! Only now did she feel the heat. The fire quickly spread from one tattered cloth to another, devouring a part of her mother’s bed. Standing on shaky legs, feeling as if they were filled with cotton, Rapsamash staggered forward to help her sister. Arti, for some reason, couldn’t stand up.

— Come on, Arti, — Raps spat blood and a few fangs, assisting her sister to stand up.

Arti whimpered in pain but forced herself to remain upright. She embraced Rapsamash and turned around, sobbing. The thin blanket was already engulfed in flames, and there wasn’t much time left before it...

— We need to go, — the voice returned, it was already becoming difficult to breathe in the hovel quickly filling with smoke, — Don’t look, Arti, don’t look.

Raps closed her sister’s eyes and led her towards the exit. Tears welled up once again. Forgive me, Mama...