The Journey of Mee’Na – Chapter One

Posted on | June 15, 2006 | No Comments

With her back to the wall and miles of sand in front of her, Mee’na silently wept at her fate. The city within the fortress wall, known to all as Kasana, had been burnt to the ground and all its inhabitants she assumed had either been slaughtered or taken for slaves.

The only reason she had been spared to that same fate was due to happenstance; she has been sent on a fool’s errand – a wild goose chase. A friend had dared her to go to the partially dried well located half a days walk to the east to pick the mystical Ariminta flower and return before dusk. If she accomplished her task, Ja’man would take over her chores for an entire day.

The walk to and from the well had gone without incident, but had been extremely boring. Mee’na had taken a leather bladder of water, a half loaf of bread and a few pieces of Catha fruit. She had wrapped her head in a peasants veil and worn her sturdiest sandals. She’d passed the time on her solitary walk by making up rhymes for the people in her small hold — her foster family. As she had approached the city on her return, she’d noticed the plumes of acrid, black smoke rising from within the city walls and she had ran the rest of the way back — only to find everything in ruins.

Her city was once peaceful and self-contained, with only a few travelers coming and going over every few months, so she had questioned why anyone would want to ruin such a fine settlement.

Mee’na had searched the entire city looking for any surviver, with her now sooty veil wrapped loosely around her face to help filter out the smoke and ash. In each hold that still stood even partially, bodies were found dead and animals butchered. The remaining buildings were just char and flickering flames of fire. The hold she had resided in had been partially burned and inside, her friend Ja’man, had been found with a sword wound through his chest, along with his father, Ne’man and sister, Jel’man. They had been her only family after she had been found fourteen years ago, wandering lost in the desert at the age of five.

Unable to remain in the hold any longer, Mee’na had vacated the city, taking with her a sack of clothes, some dried meat, some more Catha fruit, a full loaf of unleavened bread and a refilled bladder of water; all that she felt she could carry any great distance.

Mee’na had heard tales of a far away city to the north, one that was seven days journey by foot. That route would take her further inland towards the mountains, with her only alternative to just randomly pick a direction and hope to stumble upon another settlement before her supplies ran out.

She imagined what the city of the tales would be like, in the hopes of staving off the desolation she felt in her soul. She would daydream of anything to keep the horrible images of her surrogate family lying dead on the floor from her mind.

From the snatches of stories told by the random visitors to the city, the mountain city of Betrasa was mystical and magical, nestled in the valley with mists perpetually surrounding it. It only appeared to travelers during the day when the sun burned away some of the mist and then seemed to vanish again when the sun set.

Mee’na had slept the last of the few hours before twilight had come and decided she would travel by night when it was coolest and conserve her strength for midday, since the days were now longer and would continue to get warmer yet.

When she had awoke, she had felt the tears on her face; she had continued to weep even as she slept. Mee’na had scrubbed her eyes and face to wipe the tears away and then steeled herself for the long journey ahead.

With her hand, she touched the city wall in parting and set forth, never once looking back.

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