The Lion and the Falconess

By Zachary Furr
1

Morality and essence was in short supply in this part of the world. Men fought battles, women cleaned wounds, children played in the streets. The poor lived in hovels to wretch out their lives with whatever work can be found. The middles lived in apartments that lined city streets, the shop owners and traders that made their living off the scraps of the rich. The rich own mansions that see the overview and house servants that line the walls to appear as decoration. Such are the lives of the people of Desola.
Naseem was a trader during his youth. He was a rare man. He cared more for gaining favor and stature rather than the pleasures of the world. No wife, no children, for such pleasures seemed to be a nuisance to him. Something to hold him back from becoming what he goes beyond the horizon. Such were the dreams of his youth, that time was gone now. He had risen far beyond his youth could ever have aspired to. He was now a prince among men, versed in law, war, swordsmanship, trade agreements, social politics, farming and livestock, and owned swaths of land. An adopted prince that his lord loved.
Now that he was a prince, his lord wished him to marry and grant him children that his lands may be further blessed. Finding a wife was a difficult process at his age. He was not without prospects though.
Any well to do young man could have his life laid out for him, have a marriage arranged for him. Have a future with a woman that came with a dowry arranged by her parents. 
Naseem was not a young man, but he still sought a wife. One with spirit, not broken or that would praise his every need, but a wife that would be there for him and only him. 
The parlor house was used to seeing fathers and mothers come to choose prospective brides for their sons, or to sell off their daughters for hopes that they would have a pleasant future. On occasion the wealthy merchant would come through and seek a second or third wife. 
Never before had the propirator seen a wealthy man come alone with only a sword at his side. He could tell instantly that Naseem was a man that had seen the terrors of war, but due to his bright red eyes he had also seen the beauty of God. He was not a man that desired blood, but he had split his fair share.
“Welcome! Welcome, young lord, to my house! What sort of pleasures can your humble servant grant unto you?” The proprietor said as he bowed his head to Naseem.
Naseem walked up to the courteous man and held out his hand for greeting. “I am Naseem, Prince of the eastern lands that touch the seas. I am here looking for my first wife. I was told by my lord Anoch that this is the finest establishment for finding a good wife.”
The proprietor took his hand and led him in. “I am humbled by Lord Anoch. Such a gracious man as I am often fond of saying. Please make yourself comfortable on the couch, I will have the finest wives made available for your viewing. Then you may have whomever you desire.” He signaled to one of the servants that a drink and food be made for Naseem.
“I do have a request for you though.” Naseem said before the proprietor took off.
“Yes? What sort of request do you have.” 
“Do not tell the girls who I am. They must not be at their prettiest for my status. I need to see what they are like if they are expecting a man with too many wives.”
“I shall endeavor to downplay your grace.” Then he went off to fetch what girls he had available.
The golden drink in the silver chalice was a sweet wine that was meant to clear the head and open the senses. The perfect drink for exposing the beauty of the women here. It seemed to be wasted on Naseem as he placed it back down and asked for some cool, clean water instead. He needed his mind to be clear and focused so that the right decision could be made.
The women were filed in quickly and eerily quiet. Their veils were dark and left a lot up to the imagination. They walked along the back wall and stood to face Naseem. The prince stood up and felt the tension in the room circulate. 
Though the prince had not taken a wife in his youth, his physique was not one to be ashamed of. For he was fit and ready for battle at a moment’s notice. For the sword that he wore was as much of a status symbol as a badge that the police might wear. The sword was ornate and jeweled. Such a property was reserved only for the princes of lord Anoch.
The girls straightened up as each saw the sword, for all people in these lands knew what the sword represented. A one in twelve chance that the man that wields it could be the lord one day. Such was the power of the symbol that armies would bow before it, that women would swoon to be near it, that enemies would pay a king’s ransom to use it for a day. That is the power that each prince had at his discretion. Each prince, natural or adopted, was taught wisdom before receiving their sword. 
Naseem approached the girls and before the first could slip off her veil to smile at him, he passed by her. He did this with the second, and the third and all the way down to the tenth one. He stopped at her. He stared into her eyes and felt a love that he only felt one other time. It was the same look that his lord gave him when he met him for the first time. Not a look of want or desire, but of defiance, of spirit, confusion and love. 
Her eyes were of a deep purple hue. One that is rare to see in all except the most exceptional queens. The eyes of a ruler that could discern the correct choice even if it seemed foolish at the time. Eyes of wisdom and blessed by the almighty God. This was the woman that he sought. The future with her was going to be a truly outstanding one.
“What is your name?” Naseem whispered as he grasped for her hand, not breaking eye contact.
She looked down and to the right, her cheeks flushed and she felt embarrassed at his penetrating stare. 
“Hannah.” She whispered back, she reached for his hand, and grasped it. “Hannah dimo del Falkon.” 
He pulled her hand up to his lips and ever so gently kissed it and said, “Will you come and be my wife?”
“My Lord, I am unworthy of your blessing upon me. I am the daughter of a huntsman and do not deserve the fair treatment that you offer.”
“Your heritage does not matter to me. I care for you.”
She lifted her veil with her free hand, and kissed his hand in the same manner that he had done hers. She was young and vibrant and unafraid, the beauty of her face could not be imagined by any but God.
“Then it is done!” He proclaimed with joy on his face. “You shall be mine, and I shall be yours.” 
Naseem undid a bag of coins that he had tied to his belt he lifted ten large gold coins and gave them to the proprietor. Two for him and eight for the girl’s family. Such a woman was that no amount of gold could have compared to her beauty.
Naseem led his new finance out and into the city street where he had left his servants, and together they started heading back to his lands where the land met the sea, far to the east.
2

The wedding day that happened was small and dedicated. Naseem did not want to scare Hannah too much with the glitz and glamor that he could have shown. Though it was a cause for celebration, Naseem was very humble about his life. He had power, but he concerned himself with his people and how he could make their lives better.
His Lord Anoch came, as well as six of his brothers. Though the wedding was small the feasting was not. For so many lords to be gathered in a single place was a feat rarely done. The people feasted and partied for their lord had finally taken a wife. They knew that their lives would be all the better when their lord was happy.
Five days and six nights of revelry. All to celebrate the newest princess. The lands that touched the sea had been planning this day for a year and a half. They had saved and waited because they knew that it would happen eventually. Wines were drunk and calves were roasted, games were played and songs were sung. No one could be seen without a smile for all were happy. 
Naseem could be seen, from time to time, sitting in his throne. He consulted with Lord Anoch and together they seemed like father and son. 
On the third day the actual ceremony took place. For the bride and the groom had not seen each other since they had arrived together. As soon as they arrived, three of the other princesses and Queen Valance took Hannah away to be prepped and readied for her marriage. Vows were exchanged. Drinks were drunk and a meal was shared. 
Throughout the time that the two were together for the rest of the party they hardly left the other’s side. 
Though at the end of it all, rest was needed. Quiet swept through the land. For the people slept, though now with joyful hearts. After half a day of peace, lord Anoch and all other guests and dignitaries left the sea to the peace that it needed. They headed back to their own homes, full of joy. 

The balcony of the main house dusted the afternoon light into the midst of the master bedroom. Naseem walked in to see his beautiful wife lounging on the couch. Her robes just barely covered her body, they were more akin to sheets from the bed than actual clothes. The sunlight enhanced her features to be even more beautiful.
He went to an autumn and poured some water into a basin and began to wash himself. His arms and chest were easy, but getting to the back was always a bit difficult. As he tried again and again he could not reach. Then he felt something incredibly soft and light reach out and take the washcloth from his hand, he relented and allowed it to happen. Hannah washed his back with a gentleness and grace that Naseem had not known of all his life. 
He stood up and offered the seat to her and she sat. Now it was her turn to get washed. He placed the basin at her feet and with a fresh cloth, he washed away the grime and dirt of the party. The celebration that took place was the first part of the rest of their lives. 
3

Life had been grander than Hannah had ever. When she had been sold off to become a wife, she had fully expected to become a concubine for some rich merchant who had three wives already. She had been passed by a few times before, the men did not like the look of her eyes. She had always been told that she had her father’s eyes. Piercing and cold, but she was not a cold person. Indeed, she often cared for her younger brothers while her mother was at market and her father was hunting. No, she understood how to care and love another. For her gaze warned many away, it was that same gaze that won her Naseem. She would have never had  believed that a prince would seek her for her eyes.
On her journey east she had learned much about the man that had chosen her. When his entourage stopped for water, he was always the last to drink. He made sure that all of his servants and their animals were well tended first before he had his fill. Each man and beast needed rest often, for the journey was long. Hannah could not believe that a prince had traveled so far just for her. 
At the end of the first week’s journey they had still not reached their goal.
Hannah approached Naseem on this night as he was relaxing with his men by the campfire. He had a smile on his face as though he was just enjoying his time.
“My lord, might I have a few moments of your time?” Hannah was a little frightened at the interaction because Naseem had kept his distance from her since the journey’s start.
Naseem stood up and grasped her hand ever so gently and led her away from the ears of his men, to the side of the tent. 
“Yes, my princess, what is it that you wish to know?” His calm was unnerving to her.
“Why did you come so far for me? I mean, wasn’t there a close place for you to find a wife?” She looked away from his gaze as she felt ashamed to be near him, let alone held by him.
“Child,” His words remained kind and gentle, but seemed more stern somehow. “There were many places that had prospective wives. Some I did not like their look, others had beautiful women, a few had extremely young women; those were not to my tastes. Honestly, my guard used to be a lot larger before I came to such depraved places. All those places had no women that exhibited such a trait that I truly longed for.”
“What trait is that?” Hannah asked in a whisper. 
He smiled in the fire light as he spoke. “It is the trait that you are exhibiting right now that I first loved you. For you might consider this journey another test to see if you are true to yourself. I have seen who you truly are and I wish to know more. Whether it be at rest in the night or through the harsh perils of the journey before us. Do you understand?”
“These ideas are still foreign to me, lord.”
“You will understand more in time. For now, try and get some rest for the journey continues tomorrow.” With that he kissed her hand and led her back to the inside of the tent. When she went back and closed the flap behind her. She heard the jeers of the guards around the campfire as he rejoined them. She smiled at this and prepared for sleep.
As the journey continued the next day, the caravan passed through a canyon. Naseem was at the head of the column like usual. He had said that a good leader should always be leading his men from the front, so that they would learn to follow him. They were going quite near a wall when Naseem exclaimed with joy at what he had seen. He rushed ahead and leapt from his horse and immediately began to climb the nearly sheer rock wall. Up and up he went and near the top he stopped at a ledge that had jutted out. There he stooped and picked something up with his left hand. Ever so gently he began to descend again, he only used his right hand to come down the wall as gingerly as he could. His left hand he kept close to his chest and as he came back down he got back on his horse and came back to the caravan. When he saw the wagon that held Hannah he made a direct line for it. He came alongside her and gave her what was in his left hand. The beautiful purple desert flower was unlike anything that Hannah had ever seen or heard of. She placed it in her hair and he smiled at her.
That night, in camp again, Naseem was the talk of his guardsmen. Never before had any of them seen their lord scale a cliff for a flower, for the flower was a rare sight as well. It was called the Majestic Aplomado, a beautiful purple with a sharp scent. According to some of the maids, the juices of the plant could be used as poison for a blade; deadly if it entered the bloodstream, but gentle to the skin. An odd plant all around.
Hannah once again asked to see Naseem. He led her around to the usual spot away from listening ears.
“So tell me more about yourself, my lord. For though your own people know you, I know little about you.”
He smiled at her, and gazed into those deep majestic eyes. “I am an adopted son of Lord Anoch, the true ruler of these lands. Everything from the eastern seas to the western mountains, is his domain. Me and my eleven brothers act as sovereigns over appointed lands that our father has given us. My sovereign is over the lands that touch the eastern seas.”
“So much. So whose land are we currently in?”
“My brother Phillip’s. He is also adopted and is preparing my land for our arrival tomorrow. I found you in brother Nathan’s land, close to the center and my father’s home.”
“Did your father adopt all his sons?”
“No. There are four that are his by blood, and they are no less than I. For all his sons are treated the same. Though some may resent him for it, they still bow their heads lest they be tossed out. Adopted or natural born.”
“So why did you risk your life for a flower this afternoon?” 
He stared at her a bit perplexed. “I did it for you. I have risked my life many more times  before today, for causes that didn’t make much sense at the time and yet after a while they made sense. This was the one time that I acted before I thought it out and it was wonderful.”
She stared at him, then with a tear in her eye, she kissed the back of his hand. “Just try not to do anything so foolish again.”
“As you say, my love. Now you need to get to bed, for the last bit of our journey is tomorrow and the sea is calling me home.” 
With that said he took her hand and escorted her back to the tent. She fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow and her dreams were filled with bliss.
4

One year after the wedding

They came in the night. Six of them, clad in black. They stole the beautiful sleep away from Hannah. They took her bliss and smashed it with a flower vase. Naseem had been dealing with some business in another part of the mansion. The business end of his life was one that she tried to take part in, but the long nights were not very easy these days. For the past five months Hannah could feel a new life growing within her. Her needs were well tended and her husband had remained always so close. 
Except tonight.
They came in through the balcony and stole her out in the same way. In and out with speed and precision with that of the most precious cargo. Hannah was wrapped in a burlap sack and taken away from her home.

Naseem had been in a meeting with an unsavory type of man that hailed from across the sea. His name was Tular. He sought his interests over his country’s, and only sought to expand his own wealth. He did this through means that disgusted Naseem, but he did well not to show it.
The two men were discussing the trades of iron and wood, the tools of man. Tular had a slight undertone that he condoned rougher use of men within his borders. When beasts were too expensive and the work required heavy labor to build his own ego. What a despicable creature, for he could not even be considered a man in Naseem’s eyes.
The negotiations went long into the night and ended with a foul mood, with Naseem feeling bitter toward Tular. The man used all of his resources to the ruin of his own people. His poor remained hungry, his wealth and that of his friends grew more than they could manage. Such a thing was unheard of in the realm of Anoch, where the majority was well cared for.

Tular left the mansion and was met outside the city walls by one of his saboteurs, one of those that had kidnapped the princess. He reported the success of their mission and kidnapped one of the wives of the prince. 
The guards at the city gates asked a great many questions dealing with the burlap sacks that Tular was taking with him through the gate. He said that they were the main commerce that he brought to try and convince the prince to trade with him. As he was declined, he was taking them back with him. The guards allowed him through with disgust on their faces. Tular did not care.
Tular and the saboteur went back to their hidden cabin that was settled deep in the forest in the north. There Tular had captured many women. Spouses and daughters of particularly wealthy men, men that he hoped could change the mind of the prince. He was truly a sick minded individual.

Unknown to Tular, the captain of the gate guard knew of his trade. The captain was a righteous man and sought to correct the mistake that Tular had committed. He sent a scouting party to follow Tular as silently as possible.

Naseem had some dueling practice with some of his guardsmen to cool off before he went to his bed chambers. He then felt hungry and got a bowl of fruit for a snack. Feeling more relaxed he headed up to his room. 
As he entered his room, he instantly felt that something was wrong. He withdrew his sword and held it aloft. He saw a broken flower vase on the floor, the Majestic lay saddened. He looked out on the balcony and saw many different footprints of varying sizes, and none of his wife’s. There was still a rope hook clawed into the balcony railing. 
Naseem called for his guard. In an almost instant four of his men were around him with their swords drawn. 
“Put your swords away, men! Sound the alarm and wake up the gates’ men! My wife is gone!” Naseem was mad, and he suspected Tular as the culprit. He made his way out into the stables and had his horse made ready. He grabbed a spear for riding, then with his king’s guard, he rode to the gate that Tular was making for when he left.
The captain stood at the ready, waiting for the prince and his guard.
“Captain! Tell me some news.”
“Lord, my scouts followed the men that left with burlap sacks. They headed north. Toward the great forests. I had my horse made ready to ride with you, lord. I would have slayed the creature that came through had I known of his heinous deed.” 
“Come then and ride with me and guide me to your scouts and redeem yourself. For my queen will not wait.” 
The captain mounted and the host that left the gate was a gross of a gross, with Prince Naseem in the lead and his red eyes burned hot.

Tular had Hannah stripped of her night gown and placed in a brown sack for a covering. Hannah was placed in a room with six other captives. These were the wives and daughters of other nobles. She came close to them, for all of them were crying and she needed to be strong for them. She was their queen after all.
After a time a man came in and picked her up and bound her hands with rope. She was taken out of the room and placed on a chair. In front of her was a table with a small plate of food set out for the rich man that set across from her.
“So you are a wife of that disgraceful prince?” The rich man sneered. “Tell me, what would it take for him to strike a bargain with me?”
Hannah’s eyes were strong and defiant. Her gaze seemingly pierced his very soul, as if she could see all the evil that he had done. She remained silent.
Tular struck her hard with a backhand across her face. “Didn’t he teach you to answer men when they questioned you? Don’t you know who your betters are?”
Her face hurt and she knew it would bruise. Tears welled, but none fell. Still, she remained quiet.
His fingers thumped on the wooden table. “Perhaps you are not the most valuable wife. Maybe we will go back and get another one of his wives. Maybe then he would be more compliant.” 
The words that she heard made her laugh a little, despite her pain. “You think that I am one of his wives? How foolish are you?” 
Tular felt like he was being mocked and he struck her again.
She coughed and yet her smile did not diminish. “Prince Naseem has only one wife.” She gasped. “And I am her. What makes you think that you will survive this night?” 
“We left a confused trail. He would find it very difficult to find us I think.”
One of his black clad guards came into the room. “Sire! I think we have been followed. The scouts that I sent out, have failed to check in from their patrols. I have awoken all the guards and we have fortified all of the places that we can. If you want to leave,  I suggest that you do so now.”
“I cannot return until I get the resources that we need. If need be, we must fight to get Naseem’s attention again.” Tular was unafraid. Hannah saw that the man did not understand his peril. 
“You wish to do business with my husband? Then perhaps you ought to know something about him first.” The two men stopped talking and looked at her wishing her to continue. “He searched for me for months to find me. He journeyed with me for weeks to get to know me. He gets me a rare flower that only grows at the edge of a canyon’s wall every week, that is what was in that flower vase that you smashed on my head. He is called the Anoch’s Lion. He is the strongest of the twelve princes. He is coming for me. Even if I were not here, he would come anyway, for slavery disgusts him so. You and your men should run because when he sees me, not even the bowels of hell will save you from his wrath.”
The two men stared at her but she seemed to go to sleep. 
“The girl is crazed.” Tular said. “Perhaps I knocked something loose when I struck her?”

The house became still . The outside was silent. A beast stood in the doorway. If Naseem had seemed mad when he left his city, his cup runneth over with wrath now. Upon hearing that this creature had struck his wife, his sense seemed to have disappeared. No chance for mercy, no error for grace, that time had passed with those words. 
Naseem drew out his sword and his eyes glowed red. The blade sang it’s glad song at the joy of being drawn. For the two men that stood before him had little time left on this plane of existence. The sound of the sword’s song, the black clad guard tried to withdraw his own blade, but fell too late. Tular turned and tried to speak, tried to flash his silver tongue, but too late again. His body fell and his head separated cleanly. He sheathed the sword once more and it went back to his side.
Naseem went quickly over to Hannah, cut her bonds and picked her up in his arms. He nudged her with his chin and she stirred once again and she smiled at him. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him full force on the mouth. As if a dam had been broken, she wept. 
Naseem carried her out of the cabin and sent in his guard to search the rest of the house. There they found the other women that had been kidnapped. All of them, he knew and all were taken at the same time his wife was. Death was the appropriate treatment for a man such as Tular, God in his wisdom would see justice done upon him. 
Naseem ordered that the bodies of their enemies be placed inside of the cabin and then ordered that the place be burned so that their evil would be made an example of.
Hannah and the other kidnapped women were escorted home with one hundred men. Only forty-four stayed with their lord. They cleansed the forest of any foulness that was related to Tular. 

Four months later

Under breath the city waited,
For Life was set to erupt,
The princess was in labor,
The Prince was by her side,
Such a day had been waited for with bated breath,

The Lord Anoch was there,
With Valence, his wife, 
Six of the twelve brothers,
And all of the their wives,
For a day such as today,
Is a good day.

After twelve hours a cry come from the balcony
“I have a Son!”
Such joy is in Naseem’s voice,
That it seems that he is crying,
For indeed he is,
Tears roll down his cheeks,

He cries,
His wife cries,
His family cries,
His people cry,
His son cries.
There is no sorrow, 
There is only joy.