This story involves Gods but these are not the Gods of the Hindu pantheon but more similar to the God of the Greek pantheon who had various passions and flaws.
This is a story of sibling rivalry, hubris and love.
AREEVA
Thea came tearing into the house. The lanky nine year old was both breathless and panicked. She desperately needed her father’s reassurance. Thea ignored her mother who was busy preparing the vegetables for the evening meal.
“What’s the matter?” asked Eleena seeing the state of her child.
Thea stopped,stooped over resting her hands on her upper thighs, panting. She shook her head making it clear she had neither the patience nor enough breath in her to explain.
“Papa?” was all she could manage.
“He’s in the back working on his carvings.”
The girl acknowledged her mother’s reply with a raised hand and then headed through to the back yard where Danok, her father was making the artefacts he would later sell to generate a modest income.
Danok looked up from what he was doing when she appeared. He had already been alerted she was on her way from the brief overheard exchange between mother and daughter.
“What’s so urgent that you ran all the way here? And why do you look so worried?”
The girl was surprised that her father could tell all that even before she uttered a word.
“Kassi’s father told her the Gods are all dead. Is that true, Papa?”
“Yes,they’re all gone now.”
“But I thought the Gods were immortal.”
“By immortal I think people meant they live a very long time indeed unless of course they’re fatally injured, succumb to some form of celestial illness or die of old age.But they can’t be harmed by the likes of you or me. Only other celestial beings like the Demons or Fire-breathers can harm the Gods.”
“If they’re all dead Papa, why d’you still make carvings of them in wood and stone?”
“I make my carvings because people want to buy them.”
“But why would they do that if all the Gods are gone?”
“Old habits die hard, child. Worshipping the Gods comforts people when they face hardships.That’s just the way of things,” explained Danok. “Besides, some people by continuing to worship them are trying to hedge their bets that some of the Gods survived the tragedy that overtook them.”
“So the Gods did exist at one time?”
“Of course they did, child. They made our world and the people on it.”
“So what happened to them?”
“Areeva.”
“What’s that?”
“It’s not a what, but a who.”
“So who is Areeva?”
“She was a woman of great beauty.”
“So a beautiful and powerful Goddess destroyed all the other Gods in heaven?”
“No, she wasn’t a Goddess. She was a mortal woman.”
“That’s impossible. How could one mere mortal bring about the destruction of the Gods?”
“That’s along story, Thea. And I’ve a great dealof work to finish if I’m to complete my carvings in time for the weekly market in the town square.”
The girl was not happy about the manner in which her father had deflected a matter of such importance as the destruction of the Gods.
“Papa I think you’re pulling my leg.”
“Now why would you say that, Thea?”
“How can anyone know what happened to the Gods if there were no survivors left to tell the story of what happened?”
“That’s just it. The woman survived and told us what happened.”
“When was this? Surely she’s not still alive?”
“I have work to do, child.”
His daughter’s frustration at his calm non-responsive answer became evident with her exclamation of “Papa!”
Her father relented but only a little.
“Areeva passed away twenty generations ago.”
“Is that all you’re going to say? Aren’t you going to tell me the rest?”
“As I just said, I’ve work to complete before our evening meal.”
“Please,Papa,” pleaded the girl. “I need to know what happened. After all, we’re talking about the destruction of the very Gods themselves.”
“And they have been dead a long time child. I think the story can wait until tomorrow,”her father replied calmly.
“But Papa.”
Seeing her impatience he indulged his daughter a little more.
“Will you at least wait until after our evening meal?”
“But Papa!”
“You have to learn to compromise, child. If those in heaven had learned that skill, we’d still have the Gods to guide us.”
“Really?”
“Yes. Now,will you stop pestering me long enough for me to finish my work?”
“Yes, but only if you promise to tell me the whole story after our meal.”
“It’s a very long story, Thea.”
“Papa you’re not thinking of dragging out the story over several days, are you?”
“When have I ever done that?” her father asked without intending to laugh.
“Lots of times and it’s so unfair.”
Danok held up his hand to concede the point his daughter had made.
“Very well.I’ll try to get through the whole story before your bedtime. Now off you go. Go see if your mother needs any help.”
For Thea mealtime couldn’t come soon enough.
When the meal was over and the dishes had been washed and put away. Thea had ensconced herself between her father and mother, and was impatient to hear the story.
“So Papa,how did Areeva manage to destroy the mighty Gods?”
“Not so fast, child.”
“That’s right,” added Eleena. “Your father has to start at the beginning, not rush to the end part.”
“Where is the beginning, then?”
“Well, let me set the scene for you,” said Danok. “You need to know a little about what happened a short time before Areeva arrived on the scene.”
Thea’s father cleared his throat theatrically and began with a preamble about the Gods.
“Once long ago there were no humans, only Gods and other immortal beings. As an experiment and to exercise their artistic creativity, the Gods began a major undertaking:the creation of humanity. It was a long and arduous task. First they fashioned a suitable world of oceans, mountains and lowlands, green with trees and grasses. The oceans they filled with fish. They seeded the world with flowers and fruits of all colours and shapes. The land they populated with animals of all descriptions that crawled, ran on feet or flew. Only when this had been completed did they embark upon their most difficult of endeavours, the making of humankind.
By the time the Gods completed their gargantuan undertaking, they were exhausted. They were however pleased and proud of their work. Most were so preoccupied and enamoured with their new creation that they failed to notice the simmering jealousy of the Demon King Na’toth. That was why when the Demons decided to attack the Kingdom of the Gods, it came as a total surprise. The impact of the unprovoked attack was devastating in the extreme. While the Gods rallied and focussed onthe urgent task of defending their Kingdom, they abandoned their interest inhumanity.
The initial casualties among the Gods were widespread and dispiriting. Their Kingdom’s infrastructure was totally wrecked. Though shocked and disheartened by the sneak attack, the Gods marshalled their efforts enough to inflict serious losses on the Demon army. War raged for several centuries by human reckoning before the Demons were finally beaten back. It was during that prolonged war against the Demons, that some of humanity lost its faith and trust in the Gods.The Gods had been too preoccupied fighting the Demon army to answer humanity’s prayers.
Even when the war had been won, the Gods’ never recaptured their initial enthusiasm and interest in their creation. A sizeable number of the Gods had died defending their realm. The remaining number prioritised the urgent and necessary task of reconstructing the Kingdom. Some of them, to safeguard their Kingdom again stfuture attacks from enemies embarked upon the long journey to the Kingdom ofthe Fire-breathers with a view to forging an alliance. During that difficult period of uncertainty, a silent cold war was waged by the agents of the Demon Empire to destroy the Gods in ways other than direct confrontation.”
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Manoq and his brother Thanoq were twins but so different from each other that most in the Kingdom of the Gods found it difficult to believe they were related. Manoq was conscientious and hardworking while his sibling was unreliable and work-shy. Thanoq was happy to spend his days gambling, drinking and chasing any woman who caught his roving eye. While he loved his mother dearly, he was obstreperous to say the least. The war against the Demons had deprived the twins of their father Tibok who had kept Thanoq contained. Now that that the moderating influence of their father were gone, the younger twin’s morally questionable behaviour was given full expression. Frequently other fathers and brothers in the Kingdom complained to Manoq about Thanoq’s impropriety. However no amount of remonstration from Manoq or the intervention by their mother, Kalua modified her younger son’s behaviour.
For sometime now Kalua had pressed Thanoq to follow his brother’s example of taking a wife and settling down. It was time for him to shoulder his responsibilities as an adult in the Kingdom. Since their father had been killed in the war, Manoqhad been busy designing and supervising the reconstruction of the wrecked Kingdom. Manoq felt guilty that he had not devoted sufficient energy in assisting his mother in finding his brother a suitable bride. He had delegated that task largely to his wife Rea but now felt he needed to be more directly involved. The difficulties in completing the task were more numerous than he had anticipated. Not only were fathers reluctant to offer their daughters because of Thanoq’s reputation, but Thanoq himself was very reluctant to marry.He made any number of excuses to turn down the few offers of marriage that did come his way.
In his own mind Manoq was convinced that the pressure of acting as marriage broker was having an affect his wife Rea. This was the third time in as many weeks Rea had woken in the middle of the night screaming. Manoq put a comforting arm around his wife. She was trembling and looked panicked.
“It’s just a bad dream, Rea. You’re overwrought due to the pressure of finding a wife for my brother,” he reassured her.
“No husband.The difficulty of finding a wife for my brother-in-law is not related to the visions I see when I’m asleep.”
“Are you sure they are true visions and not just bad dreams?”
“Have you forgotten my maternal grandmother and mother were both soothsayers?”
That was not something her husband wanted to be reminded of.
“Do you have the same vision each time?”
“No but they all share the same theme. They all foretell the destruction of the Kingdom.”
Manoq doubted that such a thing could come to pass. No power was strong enough to destroy the Gods. Of that he was certain.
“But we’ve defeated the Demon King. Rea, there are no enemies capable of defeating the Kingdom of the Gods.”
“Husband,I’m not a military strategist so I can’t assess who is or isn’t capable of destroying our Kingdom. I can only tell you that the Kingdom will be destroyed. I see engulfing flames, buildings reduced to rubble and the ground littered with the bloodied bodies of men, women and children.”
Manoq tried to keep the worry from his face when he asked “Have any of your previous visions ever been wrong?”
“I wish I could tell you I’ve been wrong before” came the calm reply, “but I can’t.”
After that conversation neither of them slept well.
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“I did what you asked Older Brother. I’ve mended my ways. Not a drop of drink has passed my lips and I have steered clear of young women.”
“Well done,” Manoq told his brother.
“But a full year has passed since you and Mother began the task of finding me a bride. How much longer do I have to wait before the job is done?”
“Thanoq, Rea and our beloved mother have cast their nets far and wide across the Kingdom in the search for a suitable young woman for you to wed.”
“Is that your polite way of telling me that no father is prepared to give me his daughter’s hand in marriage?”
Even though he was discomforted by his brother’s question Manoq felt there was no need to hide the truth.
“What can I say, Brother? Your reputation precedes you.”
“But I’m no longer the person I was before. I’ve changed,” protested Thanoq.
“I know. Our family and those close to us are aware that you’re a reformed character, but there will be a time lag before others are equally convinced that you have truly changed.”
The less than optimistic expression on Manoq’s face prompted his brother to ask “How big a time lag?”
Manoq shrugged. There was no way he could be exact about such an indeterminate matter.
“I don’t know. I can only counsel you to be patient.”
“Am I so unlovable?” asked Thanoq slumping in his chair in self-pity.
Seeing his brother disheartened, Manoq felt the need to offer reassurance.
“Rea and Mother are trying their best. Thanoq, I promise you I will see you married before too long but you do need to be patient. I can’t conjure you up a bride out of thin air.”
Thanoq leaned back in his chair in disappointment. Manoq didn’t know what else to say to assuage his brother’s feelings of rejection. As he considered how he could politely bring their discussion to an end, he noticed a thoughtful look cross his younger brother’s face. Now what was he thinking or more likely scheming, Manoq wondered. When he saw his younger brother’s face break into a wry smile, he felt decidedly uneasy.
“Older Brother, since you can’t find me a suitable bride, why don’t you make me one?”
The question was so unexpected and preposterous that Manoq could only exclaim “What?”
“You and Father were involved in creating humans were you not?”
“Yes,” Manoq replied warily, uncertain as to exactly in which new direction their conversation was headed.
“Well, can’t you use your skills to create me my bride?”
Manoq felt unnerved and daunted by the question.
There had always between rivalries between the sons of Kalua. The younger sibling resented the success of his older brother, resented the fact his older brother had been their father’s favourite. That was why deep down Manoq was convinced his younger brother enjoyed seeing him in this state.
When Manoq replied he was careful and precise in what he said.
“I can’t create a female God to be your bride. That’s beyond the capabilities of anyone in the Kingdom. Another God can only be brought into existence through procreation.”
“But you do know how to create a human female, don’t you? After all, along with Father and a few others in the Kingdom, didn’t you create the humans that populate the planet they call Earth?”
“Yes, but all the humans we Gods created were mortal. And we unlike humans are immortal.”
“If I’m prepared to accept the fact that my wife-to-be would not live as long as I do and that she would be prone to injury, why should that trouble you, Brother?”
When Thanoq noticed his brother was less than enthusiastic about the suggestion he felt it necessary to prompt him.
“Well, will you help me or not?”
“What will Mother say?”
“Don’t youc oncern yourself with that. I’ll take care of Mother. Well? Are you willing tomake a bride for your younger brother or not?”
Manoq didn’t respond immediately. He couldn’t shake the feeling that he was being led into some form of trap. His first outward reaction was to sigh in weariness at his brother’s attempt at circumvention of the customs and traditions of the Kingdom.
“It’s not as simple as you seem to think,” commented Manoq, prevaricating in committing himself to the enterprise of creating a new human being.
“Of course it is,” insisted Thanoq more firmly than he intended. He didn’t want to be dissuaded from the idea by his strait-laced older sibling. He knew that his brother was the one with the requisite skill to create a mortal woman. However, when he saw the lack of enthusiasm in Manoq’s face, he felt irritated.
“I thought you wanted to see me married.”
“I do.”
“Then why are you so reluctant to do this for me?”
“It’s not that I’m reluctant, Brother.”
Some habits die hard and Thanoq couldn’t resist needling his older brother.
“Then what’s the problem? Are you worried that you might not be up to the task?”
“It’s not a matter of my skills, Brother. The matter is more complicated than you think.”
“And why is that?”
“Before I can begin the task of creating another human, I have to seek the permission of the Council of Elders.”
“Then that’s what we’ll do. I will personally petition the Council of Elders if necessary.”
“And what if the Council refuses?”
“Why should they? The Council approved the creation of the Earth and the creatures that inhabit it.”
“And now that that task has been completed, there is no further need to create any more humans. They have multiplied and their population has soared. You know perfectly well they will say there’s no need for any more humans.”
“Then what if I choose a woman from the planet below to be my wife?”
Manoq couldn’t decide whether his brother was deliberately being provocative or merely joking. Whatever the case, Manoq who had worked hard alongside others in the Kingdom to create humanity needed to draw a line in the sand.
“The Council will never permit you to do that. Those humans were not intended for that purpose and the Council would not want such an act on your part to become a precedent for others in the Kingdom to follow.”
Thanoq merely smiled at his brother’s assessment of the situation. He was too determined to be dissuaded by any objections his older brother raised.
“Given the difficulty I’m currently facing in finding a bride here in the Kingdom, and that you would only create a new human female to address my specific problem,the Council might be more sympathetic than you think.”
“Yes I agree those are the points we would make when we petition the Council of Elders.However, you fail to realise that no matter how sensible our arguments may sound to us, they might still refuse.”
“But why?”
“The Council might be averse to a God marrying a mortal.”
“Because it’s never happened before?”
“Yes there is that. However, not to be indelicate Brother, it’s might also be because you have earned a reputation and members of the Council are fully cognizant of your behaviour.”
“But I’ve changed,” Thanoq insisted angrily.
“It’s not me you have to convince of that Brother but the Council.”
“If that’s the case why do you sound so pessimistic? It’s as though you’ve already accepted that the Council of Elders will refuse our petition.”
“You misunderstand me, Thanoq. After all, I haven’t refused to make you your bride,or help to petition the Council, have I? Brother, I’m merely cautioning you about the difficulty of the task ahead.”
“Consider me suitably cautioned, Older Brother.”
Thanoq was far from convinced that his brother was on his side but felt it prudently to keep that to himself.
“Good. Tomorrow I’ll petition the Council to hear our case.”
“The sooner we get the process underway the sooner the Council will deliver its decision.”
The comment by his brother was correct even though Manoq knew his brother had neither the experience of dealing with the Council nor took any interest in its deliberations.
“The petition is simply to request the Council to provide an opportunity for our case to be heard. Depending upon other matters they are deliberating upon, the Elders will give us a date as to when we can argue our case.”
“How soon can we expect a hearing, do you think?” inquired Thanoq doing best to keep his enthusiasm in check.
“I don’t know. It could be soon if it is considered a matter of high priority, or we could be faced with a considerable wait if the matter is deemed less important.Of one thing I’m certain; we will not be able to rush the Council of Elders.”
“In that case Brother, I suggest you immediately set to using your artistic skills to fashioning me my bride-to-be while I prepare a draft of what we’re going to say to persuade the Council to rule in our favour.”
“And what about Mother?” asked Manoq still doubtful that Kalua their mother would approve of the idea of Thanoq marrying a mortal.
“Didn’t I ask you to leave her to me? Brother, matters will go smoother if you do your part and leave me to mine.”
“Fine. I’ll set to work fashioning the mortal. That will however take me some time if the job is to be done properly.”
“Take whatever time you need but just make sure she’s worthy of being my bride,” Thanoq commented with a salacious grin.
His brother tried not to take offence at the implication that he might not use his artistic skills to create the most perfectly beautiful woman he could.
“You Brother must keep in mind that she will remain merely a beautiful statue until I pronounce the sacred incantation. And that will be done only when the Council has ruled in our favour.”
Thanoq got up from his seat beaming with happiness. He put his arm round his older brother’s shoulder.
“You’ve no idea how happy and hopeful I feel about this whole idea. I’m indebted to you for helping me. I couldn’t ask for a better brother.”
While Thanoq’s feelings were genuine, his older brother had a lifetime of experiences that were inconsistent with what had been said.
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“Papa you can skip the part about the arguments put to the Council of Elders and go straight to the part where Areeva is brought to life.”
“The impatience of youth,” muttered Thea’s father under his breath. “Very well child, but you mustn’t assume the Council assented to the creation of the mortal bride for Lord Thanoq.”
“What?”
“You heard me.”
“But Lord Manoq told his brother he wouldn’t animate Areeva without the approval of the Council.”
“But he did.”
“Why did he change his mind? Did Lord Thanoq pressure him to go ahead regardless of the Council’s decision?”
“Will you let me tell the story the way it needs to be told or are you going to keep nagging me to skip parts of it?” said the girl’s father in a good humoured rebuke.
“Sorry Papa,but at this rate you’ll never finish the story before my bedtime.”
“Then you’ll just need to wait until tomorrow,” commented Eleena.
“But Mama.”
“Patience,my dear. If Lord Thanoq had learned some patience and waited until his mother and sister-in-law found him a bride, the Gods would still be with us today,”lectured her mother not wanting to waste an opportune teaching point.
Noticing his daughter looked suitably contrite, Danok continued with his story.
“Well, all the warning signs were there but nevertheless Lord Manoq went ahead and animated Areeva.”
“What warning signs, Papa?”
“There was the refusal by the Council to give consent for Lord Manoq to go ahead, but there were other signs too.”
At this point he looked at Thea’s mother and gave her an imperceptible nod to her to continue the story. After all, Eleena because of her family history knew the story better than anyone.
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Rea, the wife of Manoq was concerned that for the last ten days since the Council had refused to agree to the creation of a mortal bride for her brother-in-law Lord Thanoq,her husband had still continued to work late into the night on his artistic endeavour. After devoting a good part of the day on his work in designing and supervising the reconstruction of the Kingdom, he would then work late into the night on his private project. Frequently he missed their meals together. Since he often went without meals she rarely saw him. That and the fact that he frequently came to bed when she was already fast asleep meant she had few opportunities to speak to him. Not only were they in danger of becoming stranger to one another,she missed his company. On the rare occasion when she did manage to catch a glimpse of him she couldn’t fail to notice the exhaustion from overwork written clearly on his face. There was so much she wanted to share with him besides her concern for his welfare. If she had the opportunity to talk to her husband as other wives did she would have shared with him the fact that her visions of late had become more frequent and graphic. It was becoming increasingly difficult for her to shake off her feelings of fear and dread. She was concerned not only for her own future but that of the entire Kingdom. Rea was loathe to raise with her husband the matter of why he continued to work on his personal project despite the Council’s ruling. She felt all matters other than her visions of the imminent destruction of the Kingdom were trivial. She felt it important for her to share her disturbing visions with Manoq. The matter weighed so heavily upon her that Rea that she felt it necessary to visit her husband no matter how busy he was or how much he protested the interruption.
When Rea entered her husband’s workshop, she saw Manoq resting in a chair with a contemplative expression on his handsome face. She had not been jesting entirely when she told him that she had married him for his looks. Manoq was so engrossed in thought that he didn’t notice her enter. She smiled to herself, bathed in the love she felt for him. While she knew he had important duties to perform in the Kingdom, as a wife she often wished he spent more time with her. She was lonely for his company, especially of late.
She was pleased with herself that she had decided to share their meal together by personally bringing the food to his workplace on a tray, a duty normally delegated to one of the maids. As Rea advanced towards her husband, the gentle tinkle of her gold anklets disturbed his reverie.
“Rea, what brings you here?” Manoq asked smiling, pleased to see his wife.
“I brought you your meal,” she explained with a broad smile that spoke volumes about how happy she was to be in his company.
“You didn’t need to go to the trouble. You could have sent one of the maids.”
“I needed to reassure myself that I still have a husband,” she commented with a smile that took the edge off the implied criticism.
“I’m sorry Rea that I’ve given you cause to worry about such a thing,” he answered genuinely apologetic for lapses in his spousal responsibilities.
“No matter.We’re together now. We can talk while we eat.”
“Of course, but before we eat would you like to view my masterpiece?”
Since he was beaming with barely contained pride, Rea found it difficult to refuse him.
“I didn’t realise you had finished it.”
He moved out of his chair went over to the long workbench on which a prostrate figure lay hidden under a white dust sheet. Looking over his shoulder he beckoned Rea to join him.
“I finished barely an hour ago,” he explained excitedly.
“And what have you been doing since then?” his wife asked distractedly as she looked around for somewhere to place the tray of food she was carrying.
Rea became a little distracted and agitated because couldn’t find a suitable spot to set down the tray.
“I was taking a breath and just reflecting how she’s the most beautiful thing I have ever created.”
Hearing her husband say such a thing caught her attention once more.
“Is she more beautiful than me?” Rea teased.
“Her beauty is certainly on a par with yours and many of the other women in the Kingdom.”
Rea’s face fell at Manoq’s answer. She felt hurt by his insensitivity but he was so enamoured with his new creation that he failed to notice her reaction.
“Come have a look,” he urged.
With a flourish he then pulled back the dust sheet revealing the detailed form of the inanimate woman lying on the workbench. He stared in adoration at his finest sculpture.
On seeing the inanimate form on the workbench Rea gasped in shock and her hands flew instinctively to her face. The tray fell from her grasp, landing on the stone floor with a loud clatter. The food now made a colourful mess on the floor.
Manoq turned round at the unexpected noise to see the horrified expression on his wife’s face.
“Don’t worry Rea. One of the maids will clean up the mess and bring us some more food.”
Rea shook her head to indicate that the fallen tray was not the issue.
“Is that her?” she asked in disbelief, hoping against hope he might say no.
“Yes, that’s Areeva.”
There was alarm in her voice when she asked “You’ve actually named her?”
“Why not?” Manoq wore a cheerful expression. “Well, what you think of her?” he asked completely oblivious to her initial reaction to Areeva.
Rea continued to look on with horror.
”Isn’t she beautiful?”
“Destroy her!”
“What?”
“Manoq, I beg of you, destroy her before it’s too late,” pleaded his wife.
“Why would I destroy her? And what do you mean by ‘before it’s too late’? You’re not making any sense, Rea.”
“If you don’t destroy her immediately all of us will pay a heavy price.”
It was obvious from what he said next that Manoq had misunderstood Rea and projected onto her completely erroneous feelings.
“I’m not prepared to destroy my finest creation because of your jealousy.”
“”Husband,”she said for emphasis, “it’s not a matter of jealousy. It’s about the Kingdom’s very survival. Your Areeva will destroy the entire Kingdom if something is not done immediately.”
Rea’s statement might have been earnest but it baffled him.
“How can shed estroy the Kingdom?”
“I don’t know!”
It was the truth but the frustration of not knowing made her angry.
“You’re not making much sense, Rea.”
“For weeks and months you’ve been so engrossed in your work that we’ve had no time totalk. If we had I would have told you that my visions have become more frequent, vivid and detailed.”
“But what has any of that got to do with Areeva?”
“Manoq, she’s the face I’ve been seeing lately in my visions. I’m warning you now that she will bring about the downfall of the entire Kingdom.”
“You must be mistaken, Rea. We defeated the Demon Kingdom so how can a mere human mortal threat us?”
“I don’t know the details. If I did I would tell you. Lately in my visions that woman’s face keeps appearing,” said Rea pointing an accusing finger figure at the workbench.
“Are you sure you’re not mistaken?”
“I’m certain it’s her!” she snapped at him. “It’s her in my visions. She’s the only face out of place in the Kingdom.”
“Rea, she’s no threat to anyone,” Manoq insisted. “She’s just a lump of clay at the moment. She’s not even alive.”
“But you’ve continued to work on her despite the Council’s ruling. Why would you do that?”
“Have you forgotten what I am? What kind of artist would I be if I did not see my task completed?
“Your time would have been more usefully spent looking for a bride for your brother instead of this self-indulgence of yours. Other than your duties in the Kingdom you have responsibilities as a husband too.”
“Yes that is true Rea and I apologise for neglecting them but you also know me well enough to know that once I begin a task I never stop until it is completed satisfactorily.Would it not be inconsistent with my nature to stop my work before I had finished what I had set out to do?”
“Yes, and now that you have seen the final outcome of your endeavour, for the sake of the Kingdom, please destroy that thing on the table.”
“All in good time Rea. All in good time.”
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“Papa what I don’t understand is this. Why, despite his wife’s dire warning on account of her visions, did Lord Manoq bring Areeva to life? Also he must have known that the Council of Elders would take action against him for disobeying their ruling.”
“Maybe you should ask your mother. After all she’s has an opinion on the matter too.”
“I will ask Mama but first I want to know your opinion.”
“Some people think it was because he had promised his brother a wife while others insist that he had invested too much in the project that he couldn’t bear to abandon it before he brought Areeva to life. It’s a bit like you not liking a story unfinished. You always insist on knowing the ending.”
Thea looked towards her mother Eleena for her answer.
“Mamma, what d’you think the reason was for his action?”
“Hubris.”
“What’s that mean?”
“Excessive self confidence in his powers as a God made him ignore the dangers prophesised by his wife.”
Danok smiled at his wife’s reply because she had always said to him that those were secondary considerations.
“That’s not what you told me,” complained Danok good-humouredly.
Thea’s curiosity was roused. “What did you tell Papa, Mamma?”
“Well, I think Lord Manoq fell in love with his creation and that’s why he brought her to life.”
“Well that wasn’t very sensible,” said Thea judgmentally.
“Love is not sensible,” was her mother’s rejoinder.
“But wasn’t that totally unreasonable of Lord Manoq? After all, Areeva was due to marry his brother.”
“Love is not reasonable, child. If it was, I wouldn’t have married your mother,” Danok intervened to explain.
“I don’t think we should go into that right now,” advised Eleena knowing her husband well enough to give him a warning look. “Why don’t go on with the story? I’m sure Thea wants to know the rest.”
“I will, but I just wanted to say that one day Thea, you will come to understand just how irresistible a force love can be. Now where were we in the story?”
“Lord Manoq brought Areeva to life despite his wife’s warnings and the ruling by the Council of Elders,” said Thea.
“Yes. And Lord Manoq’s wife had a thing or two to say about that.”
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After much consideration, Manoq had decided to wave caution to the wind. He now stood over the lifeless body of Areeva and invoked the sacred incantation a few of the Gods of the Kingdom had been gifted with – the power to breathe life into a sculpted figure. When the sacred spell had been cast, he laid his hand on the forehead of his creation. His spiritual energy flowed into Areeva and before his very eyes her skin and hair took on the hallmarks of life. Momentarily drained he withdrew a few steps and waited for the mortal to open her eyes.
As if a heavy fog had lifted from her mind, Areeva drew her first breath, slowly becoming conscious of her body, its dimensions and potential. When she finally opened her eyes a handsome kind face that radiated pride and authority swam into view. The man has a high forehead, and he supported russet hair that was long and worn loose. His eyes were emerald green and captivating. Even though the face was unfamiliar she felt calm and safe in its presence.
“Who are you?” she asked as she sat up on the bench where she had been lying.
“I am Manoq.”
She noted the voice was resonant but reassuring. The name was unfamiliar to her. For a moment a brief panic gripped her because try as she might she could not recall her own name. What happened to me, she wondered. Had I been injured?
“How do you feel, Areeva,” the stranger asked her.
“Areeva – is that my name?”
“Yes.”
Feeling reassured, she glanced around her and realised she had no recollection as how she had come to be there or why.
“What is this place?”
“This is my home and you are my guest.”
“I don’t know how I came to be here and I have no memory of anything prior to opening my eyes. What happened to me?”
Manoq reached out and cupped the soft skin on her left cheek reassuringly. He was almost in awe of her radiance and beauty. Just looking at the person he had created made him weak at the knees. He could not have been happier in his decision to animate the person that resided inside the sculpture he had laboured over for months.
“The answer to your question is a long one. There is much for you to learn, Areeva.”
“I am willing to learn if you are prepared to teach me.”
“Good. Now that’s settled, let us begin with the important codes of conduct that prevail in this realm. After that we will have some food and refreshments before we proceed any further.”
“How long am I to be your guest?”
“As long as it takes to complete your education. The house servants will be yours to command but according to customs, you cannot leave without the consent of your host.”
Even though she should have felt trapped on hearing what Manoq had said, for some inexplicable reason she felt safe instead. In fact something inside her wished he would never leave her presence. She knew also that she would never willingly leave his side. As a new human being with no prior experience she had no understanding that she was falling in love with the man before her.
Gazing at Areeva Manoq could not help himself considering some of the ways he could prolong her stay and keep her from Thanoq. His younger brother did not deserve someone as beautiful as Areeva.
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The house servant’s voice quavered when he said, “Mistress, you cannot enter.”
He was standing at the entrance to the room physically blocking the way.
When Rea did not react, the man repeated what he had been told to say to anyone who tried to enter the work room.
“Step aside,” she commanded.
The house servant was visibly shaken by the order but he continued to bar the doorway.
Rea just stared at the man feeling it unnecessary to repeat herself. The man visibly withered under her penetrating glare, mumbled an apology and then stepped aside to let her pass.
As she set foot in the room, she said firmly and loudly, “You can leave now. I will deal with you later.”
The commotion reached Areeva’s ears, and she headed to the source of the voices.When she say the tall elegantly dressed woman with rust red hair and caramel skin enter the room she was struck by the dignity and self-confidence with which the newcomer carried herself. It was obvious that this stranger was no ordinary individual but a person of rank and nobility.
When Areeva was still several strides from the unknown woman, she said “You are not permitted here.”
Rea ignored what had been said and continued walking, drawing closer and closer to Areeva.
“I said you are not permitted in here.”
When Rea was standing one stride from Areeva she stopped, looked directly into the human’s eyes and asked “Who are you to forbid where I go?”
Areeva had not expected to be challenged which explained why she felt flustered by the question.
“Manoq said no one but the servants were permitted to enter here.”
“That would be Lord Manoq to you, mortal,” Rea corrected, her tone dripping with disdain.
The comment unnerved the human. She felt out of her depth and had no idea who the visitor with the ice blue eyes was.
“Well, Lord Manoq made clear that I was to have no visitors except him. You must leave,”said Areeva and then as if an after-thought added the word ‘madam’ to be polite.
While listening to the woman, Rea eyed her up and down, comparing her to what she had looked like in her lifeless form. There no question that the mortal with her midnight black hair, high cheekbones, hazel eyes and cherry lips was beautiful by any measure used by mortals or immortals.
“The correct way to address me mortal, is Lady Rea. And I go where I please in my house.”
“But I thought this was Lord Manoq’s house,” explained Areeva stumbling over the title of her protector.
“The house is mine by virtue of the fact that Lord Manoq is my husband.”
The shock of that piece of information drained the colour from Areeva’s cheeks. She felt off balance and her voice faltered.
“Your husband?
“Yes. What other things did my Lord Manoq forget to mention, mortal?”
Despite being at a disadvantage Areeva was piqued at being referred to as mortal repeatedly.
“My name is Areeva. Why do you insist on calling me mortal?”
Rea could have destroyed the human where she stood. A mere wave of the hand would have sufficed. No one in the Kingdom would have blamed her for such an act, especially if as soothsayer she let it be known to the authorities that the human presented a danger to the Kingdom’s future. Even her husband would have been unable to question her right as a wife to snuff out the interloper in her home. However that was unnecessary. Rea had already alerted Lord Thanoq, her brother-in-law that Lord Manoq had reified his mortal bride-to-be.
“Did my husband neglect to inform you that you are in the Kingdom of the Gods? Or that we are immortal and you are a mere mortal created by us? Did Lord Manoq tell you that you were created for the specific purpose of being my brother-in-law’s wife?”
The truth struck Areeva like a physical blow to her midriff. Not only did she have difficulty catching her breath, she also felt nauseous. The room swam before her eyes. She would have fallen over had the strange and haughty woman not intervened to buttress her.
“I didn’t know,” was all that Areeva could say. “No one told me anything.”
“Well now you do know. Your future husband Lord Thanoq will be here presently.”
“Am I to marry this Lord Thanoq even though I have never even met him?”
“Yes. That was the express purpose for which you were created by my husband. Did you really think otherwise?”
Panic gripped Areeva. Her hand went to her chest when she felt her breathing was laboured. The whole situation is a bad dream, she kept telling herself so that the panic might diminish.
“But I don’t want to marry Lord Thanoq. I don’t love him. In fact I don’t even know who he is.”
“What has that to do with anything? The only reason you were brought to life was to be Lord Thanoq’s consort. You serve no other purpose, mortal. Besides, you should be proud that an immortal God has deigned to have you as his companion.”
“I won’t marry him!” Areeva insisted sounding more vociferous than she had intended.
Before Rea could reply, both of them heard loud footsteps approaching. Lord Thanoq’s tall muscled form strode into the room. He appeared excited and eager in equal measure. The anger he had felt earlier against his brother has been dissipated by the beauty of the woman who stood next to his sister-in-law.
Rea smiled at the mortal and said, “Now you have a chance to discuss the matter of marriage with Lord Thanoq himself. I will take my leave so as to afford both of some privacy.”
(END OF PART 1)
Part 2 to follow.
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