The Spear - Littlefield

"Come," Daneba commanded and everyone on the platform followed her lead.

In single file we made our way off the back of the platform to a huge tent. The Turtle men held those that pushed and jeered in place as we entered. As the last of us passed under the flap the biggest Norha I have ever seen forced himself into the opening.

His muscles twitched, his huge chest heaved madly, his face glowered and his eyes burned as he looked at each of us one by one as if he were measuring who he would need to kill first.

He grunted a few angry words but made no move to enter the tent.

Slowly the Turtle men moved to stand between the intruder and myself, flexing their arms and shoulders. I clutched the spear as Eloise pressed closer to my back. I could feel her trembling.

"He is Grake… Tyro for the Norha," Bowen whispered suddenly by my side.

"Why is he here," Eloise asked before I could form a thought.

"For my protection," Tahki said.

Still holding the flap the monster lowered his head and spoke again, his voice held less anger this time.

"He asks your permission to watch over my safety," Tahki offered.

The thought that a Norha, any Norha, would have any level of concern beyond his own stomach stunned me but here the creature stood.

To my disappointment everyone was looking at me, expecting an answer. I shot a quick look toward Daneba for a clue as to what to say. She stared at me with an unflinching expression and my mind burned with indecision as the beast spoke again.

Everyone turned to look at him as he grappled with what he was trying to say. His fingers flexed impulsively as he held the flap open, his head still bent in respect, his voice however was filled with an unsettling level of intensity.

"He insists he be allowed to enter," Bowen said softly.

"So I gathered," I returned trying to stall for time to think.

In my hesitation the monster took a step inside, allowing the flap to close behind him and Eloise and I took a step backward in unison. No one moved, no one said a single thing as he slowly made his way across the floor, his head bowed but his eyes looked solely on me until he stood slightly behind Tahki.

"Now you've done it," Eloise whispered from behind me and with that everyone began talking at the same time forming a circle around me each pressing their point - whatever that was - I didn't understand a single word.

"Hold," Daneba shouted and the tent fell silent. All the Shaman gathered around her speaking amongst themselves. Each in turn shot a distasteful look in my direction. Their conversation grew hotter, more intense as it progressed until suddenly it stopped. Everyone now stared at me.

My attention was divided between them and the Norha that stood in the corner behind Tahki. I couldn't stop looking at him. He was huge, larger than most of the Norha I was familiar with. In turn, I was the sole focus of his attention. His eyes, set deep in his head, peered out from under a thick, hairy ledge of a brow. He looked at me the way a hungry dog watches his master's plate - waiting for an opportunity to pounce. His body rocked back and forth lightly as if he were readying himself.

The one called Pules suddenly wailed loudly, instantly crossed his arms and turned his back to me as did three more of the shaman.

"They say you should decide her fate but it will shape the fate of the kindred," Bowen whispered to me.

"Me? What the hell would I decide?" I groused.

"Do you see? He fears for himself not for the people. I say again he is not one of us," Pules shouted harshly.

"The law is the law. He is the Soul Barer - he holds the spear," Daneba returned.

"He holds the spear because he picked it up. He was not chosen," one of the other Shaman said sternly.

Daneba drew a deep breath before swinging her gaze toward me.

"Take it from him," she ordered, pointing at me.

My heart jumped with panic at her words.

Pules immediately stepped in front of me, grabbing the spear placing his hand just above mine.

I looked to Daneba as to what I should do.

As if reading my mind she lifted her chin and then said, "Let it go citizen."

Reluctantly I did as she asked and my hand swung loosely to my side as I stepped back.

Pules face shifted as he tried to conceal his euphoria and I wanted to punch it.

Slowly his face began to shift to one of disappointment. He began to strain with his efforts to lift it before attempting to swing it one way or the other. Trying to conceal it at first, he gave way and openly struggled to move the spear.

It stood where I left it as if it were rooted at the center of the world itself. He did everything possible to shift it but failed. It gladdened my heart more than I could say.

"Anyone else?" Daneba asked.

To my surprise each of the Shaman except Daneba herself stepped forward to try to move the spear from where it stood.

"Let me try. It belongs to the Norha now, just to be sure," Tahki said quickly.

A rush of whispers quickly spread around the room.

"Let him try," Pules said with a sneer, pointing at the Norha.

Again everyone looked to me and all I could do was shrug in response.

He moved quickly to stand in front of it, inspecting it up and down it's length before seeking Tahki's permission.

At the moment she nodded her approval he grabbed it - wrapping his huge hand around its diameter. The muscles in his arm flexed wildly trying to take possession of it. He grunted, strained and then wrapped another hand around it bending his knees in an effort to budge it - all to no avail. He struggled with it much longer than the others but eventually gave up stepping behind Tahki once more.

I stepped up to the spear and a small part of me was afraid it would not move for me as well. As I gripped it it tilted easily and I passed it from hand to hand for good measure as Pules looked on filling me with delight.

"It's settled then," Daneba said, drawing my attention to them again. "Shalic Littlefield will decide."

"I can't decide, I am not even sure what we're talking about," I groused.

"Who gets to kill Tahki, who is Shalic after you," Pules said and it set off another bout of arguing amongst the Shaman.

"I am innocent. I promise you Citizen I did not kill the Shalic. I was about to be the new Shalic... the spear was to be mine. Why would I kill him?"

"Who knows why you do anything?" I grumbled.

"Citizen, listen to me. Prove me innocent and I will give you the one thing you want," she coaxed.

"You have nothing I want. I hope they vote to kill you."

"Nothing? I have the one thing you have sought for the past two years. I will admit that the pleasure I felt knowing it was torturing you as well as the Jonda was exquisite but I've grown tired of it. Prove me innocent and I will give him to you," Tahki said a little to smugly for my comfort.

"Eon is alive?" Daneba pressed, stepping closer.

"More alive than dead," Tahki offered lightly. "Free me and he is yours."

Inamid began to scream and beat her chest.

"You can not trust her. She must be punished," Bowen whispered to me.

Tahki and the Norha voiced their position and the tent fell into chaos.

Daneba took control again barking an order to one of the Turtle men.

In his absence Daneba stepped in front of the Norha, inspecting him closely.

"Do you speak common?" She asked.

In a deep, slow, gruff voice he said "The words fall from my mouth like rotten fruit."

At that moment the Turtle man that dove outside the tent, reappeared, in his hand a small silver bowl.

Handing it to Daneba the other Shaman gathered around her. To my surprise and personal discomfort she took the knife that killed the Shalic and sliced the palm of her hand bleeding freely into the silver bowl. She passed the knife and bowl to the right and that Shaman did the same adding his blood as well. One by one each did the same until the bowl had made its way back to Daneba. She added some herbs, and small bones waving her hand slowly over it's contents. A whisper of smoke rose from the liquid and she passed it along again and again each in turn added a little something to the mix, saying a few words over the bowl until it reached Daneba once more.

"Drink this and you will understand all who speak and they you," she said.

Much to my relief she handed the bowl to Bowen. I can not tell you how happy that made me. She spoke to him for a moment and he lifted the bowl to his lips. He took the liquid into his mouth and then swirled it around, puffing his cheeks out washing it thoroughly around in his mouth for a moment. He nodded his head to signal his readiness.

Daneba suddenly grabbed the Norha pushing him to stand in front of Bowen, saying something I did not understand.

He looked immediately to Tahki and she nodded in return.

Much to my shock Bowen pulled the Norha's mouth open with both hands and then spit the contents from his mouth into the Norha's. A part of me was glad to see the brute treated in such a manner, thrilled to see it to be honest.

The creature took a few steps backward, turning to face me. He in turn swirled the liquid around and around and then the unthinkable. He grabbed me by my jaw forcing my mouth open placing his other hand on my head forcing it back and then spit the concoction into mine.

My first reaction was to spit it out but he anticipated my desire covering my mouth and nose under one enormous hand, suffocating me.

I panicked.

"Swallow it and he will let you go," Daneba said.

I fought for all I was worth but in the end complied. It was thick, bitter and tasted like nothing I would have ever put in my mouth in a thousand years and it burned like fire all the way down to my stomach.

"Water," I gasped, holding my throat, fearing the substance was eating its way through me.

"Not yet Citizen, but soon," Daneba words drifted to me.

I was about to pass out or die, in my currant predicament I couldn't tell which.