#pmann

Story of Mau & Manny

Written by

AJ Dunn

Mau sat shivering in the cold. The rain poured down on her as the night seemed to go on and on. Dark clouds poured rain in thick heavy drops. Her stomach ached from hunger, as she hadn't had a real meal in days. Not since her half-brother cast her out of Marida. A very peculiar turn of events had landed her stranded in a forest far from her home. She was lost and alone as she sat and cried. This all happened just days ago.

In the capital city of Marida, Shytah and his wife Buhimmish sat as elders to the Gods in a temple as old as time. Shytah had one son from a previous wife and his name was Shefertem. Whhen Shefertem was nut a young boy, Shytah took Buhimish as his and she bore him a daughter. Mau had long thick black hair, and tan colored skin. When she cried, every cat in the village came to comfort her. Her dark eyes like onyx gems gleamed with joy at every wondrous sight she seen. Life seemed to dance around her and her parents doted upon her every blessing the Gods would grant them. Shefertem was very jealous growing up with her getting all of the attention from everyone.

By the time Mau was in her 16th year, she had explored every hall in the great temple, and knew all the stories written in hieroglyphs on the walls. Stories depicting a time of great prosperity in a far off region of Myrnah that was once known as the great Gardens. Now desolate and barren, the land is known as the Badlands or Ontura's Dessert. A war once broke out there after a woman was scorned and left by her love. She wrought her revenge and was damned by the Gods to live an eternity in her own Dessert. Buhimmish would tell Mau, to never allow her scorn to burn her up like the rage that caused Ontura's downfall.

"Bring peace where you walk my child." She would say. "For love will endure all things." Then she would sing her to sleep with twinkling lights dancing overhead. "Not all stories end with a happy tune." She'd say, "Some start with one." Mau's life certainly started with a happy tune. She barely knew life outside of the temple and even in the city she'd see the people, but rarely mingled with any other than those brought in to cater to her needs. She would see others but was not allowed to partake of their lives. The stable folks would saddle a horse for her, but she wasn't allowed to play with their son. Even though the boy whose name she never knew would watch her with his dark longing eyes while his father taught her how to ride.

Mau would bore easily, the lack of children her age to mingle with was stupefying. She watched the stable boy from her room as he brushed the horses. Sometimes he would climb a tree unaware of her watching him. She saw him one day plucking apples from the Temple trees. A look of fear crossed his face when he realized he had been seen. Mau placed one finger over her lips. The boy smiled at her. The very next day she found a rose placed on her balcony where she would sit.

Mau found herself getting lost in the halls of the temple one day. She decided to step outside of the bounds her parents had always set for her. Watching the stable boy do something he knew to be wrong, didn't seem to be harmful. She slipped down a corridor she had never been. A place that was dark with sandstone walls and steps going down a long narrow stairway. She lit a torch once she was far enough down she didn't think anyone would spot her. At the bottom of the steps was a circular room with hieroglyphs she had never seen before. Stories and images seemed to dance on the walls with jewels carved into the sandstone walls. Shapes of creatures she had never seen before. Three great lights danced in the sky unlike the two suns that hung there now. The red sun which shines in the day, and a blue sun at night. This made the sky purple and it was never dark. The light of the blue sun made it darker than the day, but not as dark as the images depicted on the wall. A bright yellow sun shone over a garden full of purple flowers. A Dimmer blue light shone over a darkened land where all you could see was silhouettes of the structures. Mau sat before these images for hours before she heard someone coming down the corridor. Mau quickly plunged her torch into a barrel of water that always sits below every torch. She quickly hid in the corner. There were several closed doors but Mau had not dared to venture beyond them. But as the light of someone else' torch brighten with every step Mau pushed hard on the nearest door and flung herself inside closing it gently behind her.

She heard a door open up outside her door. Then she heard voices.

"When do you want it done?" A man asked with a shaky voice.

"Soon." She heard Shefertem speak. "Her 18th year is upon her, and I fear what that will bring to my birthright." Mau began to question what her brother was talking about. She was only 16 years, 17 in a few days, and how would her 18th threaten his birthright, he was the elder child. Mau heard a mouse scurry across the floor kicking up dust as it flew past her. Mau sneezed then suddenly covered her mouth hoping no one had noticed. The voices stopped. "You may have your chance sooner than later." Shefertem said. Footsteps came closer then the door to the room Mau was hiding in opened. The light from Shefertems torch brightened the room so that Mau could see that what she was sitting in was a shrine to the Goddess Glorah. Images of her white tigress face and paws, her tail dancing about behind her. A gentle white gown with slits up to the hips on both side showing a very feminine and fierce woman. A voss of purple flowers painted along the side sat on an ivory pedestal.

"You are making this too easy little sister." Shefertem smirked.

"You get the throne Shef." Mau stammered. "Your older than me and you get the throne not me. You'll be 18 this year."

"Your wrong Mau." Shefertem squatted right in front of her holding the torch above her head. "They've lied to you for almost 18 years. She is not your mother, she's mine!" Shefertem reached out with his left hand striking her across the face. Mau could see the shadowy figure in the doorway cringe at the sound from the corner of her eyes. Her face turned away from Shefertem as tears began to escape down her cheek kissing her burning face. Mau had never been struck before. "How is that Mau? How do you like to feel pain? You have caused me so much pain for so many years." Shefertem stood up turning to the shadow in the doorway. "Well, here's your chance. I want her dead and gone."

"Wh...what shall I do with the body sir?" the man gulped

"Your a spell caster are you not?" Shefertem smirked. "I have a pest problem, get rid of it for me." The words came out cold and unfamiliar as Shefertem stepped passed the man and left the room. Mau looked up to see the man standing in the light of another torch that had been place on the sconce in the round room. The man turned and watched Shefertem leave then turned back to Mau. Fear ran through her veins hot and she began to sweat. Yet she shivered as if the heat was so deep in her body it could not warm her skin. Mau coward in the corner. He stepped into the chamber closing the door behind him blocking out the light. He began to chant words she had never heard. Suddenly light blossomed so bright she couldn't see anything. She turned over to her knees and hands and tried to crawl away from the man but there was nowhere to go. So she curled up in a ball underneath the picture of Glorah. She began to say the prayer her mother told her to say if she was ever in grave danger like this.

"Oh Glorah mother of thy own, around me cast your warmth and love protect me from the darkness and keep me safe from harm." Mau chanted it over and over until she began to feel dizzy and sleepy. She forgot what she had been chanting the prayer for and fell asleep. It was just a dream.

Mau woke to darkness. She couldn't remember anything. She tried to look around but the room was without any light. Mau had never felt so cold and alone. The floor was hard. She struggled to come to grips with what had happened. She couldn't see or hear anything and she had no idea how long she had been asleep. Mau just layed there. Her head was still swimming and she felt very heavy. She could hear footsteps coming down the stairs and a faint sound of voices. Shefertem was coming back with the spell caster. The door opened and only the spell caster stepped in. He was carrying a bag in his hand. Mau closed her eyes until only a slit remained of view. She hoped he would think her dead or asleep and leave her alone. He reached down and nudged her with his hand. He then began to run his hand along her back. Mau was confused by this sensation. She couldn't feel his hand on her skin, but also she couldn't feel the clothes she had been wearing.

Mau looked up at him but he simply placed his finger over his lips then nudged her head back to the floor. Mau closed her eyes again.

"It worked. Hand me her clothes there on the floor and I'll take your pest to be disposed of." the man said turning to Shefertem. Mau could barely see Shefertem hand him the dress she had been wearing. Fear of herself lying there naked on the floor, and how did her clothes get taken off. Mau's heart began to race. What did he do to me. The man stuffed her clothes into the bag then slid the bag under her backside and slid it up over her body. It felt awkward as she could feel her knees against her belly but her feet weren't by her butt. Her hands were under her face. Mau began to acclimate herself with her own position for the first time as she slid inside the bag and was lifted from the ground. It wasn't a very big bag, and she was lifted with much ease.

"You assure me she is dead?" Shefertem asked