The Delta's Daughter Chapter 220

13 YEARS AGO

HUNJI

I had been left for dead.  Unceremoniously dumped in the middle of the Selselon Desert, far from the kingdom of Eririat. Visions of Rostam holding my sister Sonia as she collapsed and cried when I was sentenced, flitted through my barely conscious mind.

I no longer felt Ruda. He had been called back to the moon Goddess. I was so close to death I could smell my own rotting flesh.

Six months later and my body was still healing. I walked on shaky legs with the aid of canes. My arms were still wrapped and fighting the rot that had settled into the bones.

“You are doing well Kian,” Mahati said, a girl who was studying here at the sanctuary to become a healer. She was my physical healer. When I wasn’t with her, I was carted off to the great hall where books upon books lined the walls and then some. “Have you read anything interesting lately?” she asked me.

“No.” I gritted through my teeth, taking another painful step.

“Oh well maybe I can come read to you later, I am reading a fantastic book on the history of this shrine.

I grunted in pain and anger. “No. I’m done for the day.” I didn’t want any friends, nor did I need a woman befriending me. She wasn’t my mate. I loathed contact with other people and hated talking to anyone. They didn’t get it; I didn’t want to be here. I didn’t want to be alive. They should have left me to die.

***FLASHBACK***

“Heyaw! Heyaw! Get away you mangy mutts!” A voice yelled, chasing away the wilds that were feasting on my flesh.

I no longer felt anything and could only silently cry out for death to claim me.

“Is he alive?”

“Barely.” I heard a woman sigh “Chakor, get him in the cart. There is life left in him.”

“But your holiness, would it not be best to put him out of his misery?”

I had to be dreaming, this was a mirage. Instead of my life flashing before my eyes, my subconscious was creating hope. Creating a better place for me to go when the reality was the wilds were still tearing away at me. Slowly consuming my rotting corpse.

I knew my body was being moved, but I couldn’t feel it. It seemed like I was floating and welcomed the cool feel of liquid being poured over my cracked and blistered lips. The moisture was the only thing I felt. How long I floated for, I do not know. But I knew the next time I opened my eyes I would be in hell. To pay for my crimes.

***END FLASHBACK***

I woke up gasping for breath, the same nightmare plaguing my dreams once again. Asena told me how she had found me on her way back to the sanctuary. The gods had told her to take a different way that day through a vision and that’s how she found me. Bloodied, broken, and opened with wild dogs feasting on me. One step away from my soul leaving this realm for good.

I had slept for weeks while they administered medicines and compounds to my body. Injecting me with vitamins to sustain my life source because I couldn’t swallow to eat, nor would I wake up.

When I did wake, I woke with an anger so deep and full of hurt. The first thing I had done was call out for my wolf. But I had none. Ruda was gone. A space in my mind left blank and empty. My wolf had died. I had failed him; I had lost a part of me – a part of my soul.  

“You lived for a reason Kian, do not give up now!” Asena would tell me every time my frustrations grew. Every time my legs gave way, or I couldn’t hold a fork. “You must work hard; you have been given another chance.”

“What good am I without my wolf or the use of my legs!” I would shout, “Why didn’t you leave me to die? Put me out of my misery as Chakor suggested!”

Over time, on the outside, my anger lessened with Asena’s help and guidance. But the deep-rooted hate of betrayal weighed heavy on my conscience, and I found myself willing to help myself, to push forward. What drove me? It was the thought of returning to Eririat and killing Farid. I had held onto vengeance and the thought of taking revenge drove me to do better, to be better, I may not have had my wolf, but I could still kill him or die trying.

For weeks I had fallen into the routine of Physical therapy, mental therapy, and studying. I was fed, clothed, and taken care of when I could not help myself. I was truly grateful for their kindness, though, all I could think about was, it was probably better if they had let me die. Because I knew once I could walk without the aid of canes – and make no mistake I would – I would return to Eririat and seek my revenge.

I lay back on my bed, letting my eyes drift close blocking out the dream that had woken me in the first place. The door to my room opened, and I opened my eyes to see Mahati come in carrying a small lantern to light her way.

“What are you doing here?” I asked her confused, sitting up slightly.

She placed the lamp on the small table next to my bed and undid the sash of her robe, letting the flimsy material fall off her shoulders and drop to pool by her feet. I gulped as I took in her delectable smooth brown skin. Her honey-colored eyes swirled with flecks of gold as they trained themselves on mine.

“Mahati…”

“Shh,” She cut me off “Just go with it, I have seen the way you look at me.” Her pert breasts were so close to my face that when I let out a breath her dark nipples pebbled. My cock twitched from beneath the sheets, and I felt myself come alive. Up until this point I wasn’t even sure if I could still function like a man.

Pulling back the thin blanket, Mahati reached inside my bottoms, her hand wrapping around my ever-hardening shaft. I hissed at the contact, my eyes rolling back into my skull – The feeling sooo good.

Without words between us, she stroked me before pulling my bottoms down past my hips and below my ass. Like a sultry snake, she slithered over me until she straddled me. My cock was hard as a rock and her palm sliding up and down was a feeling, I never thought I would experience again.

“Holy shit” I gasped when I felt myself enter her tight channel. My hands automatically came up to grab her hips as she slid down my length. “Don’t move,” I grunted, wanting to blow my load right there and then. If she moved it would be over in seconds.

Her body stilled and when she felt my grip loosen, she began to rock back and forth on me. Moaning at how good I felt. “Kian…” She breathed out “Does it feel good? Do I feel good wrapped around you?”

“Yes,” I replied, my breathing becoming more labored as she lifted her hips and began to ride me. “Fuck, it feels good.”

“This is all a man needs to be able to do, to feel whole.” She whispered between her moans as she rode me hard and fast. “Do you feel whole?”

“Yes!” I almost yelled when her pussy clenched my cock like a vice. She threw her head back, rolled her hips, and screamed out her orgasm. Maybe that was all I needed – to know I still functioned down there. Because the next thing I knew, I had her flipped over on her hands and knees – driving into her deep and hard.

The sound of our slapping skin resonated through the small room and her groans became wails as she neared her climax again. I rutted into her hard, my vision becoming blurry as took out every frustration I had on her. Pounding into her so hard her arms collapsed underneath her. “Goddess!” I called out in my moment of bliss as I thrust into her once more and let go – my cock throbbing inside her as I spilled out months upon months of frustration and anger. Collapsing to the side once I was spent.

Five minutes later, Mahati stood from the bed, still heavily breathing, and pulled on her robe. “Not bad for a man who lost his wolf,” she smirked “I will see you tomorrow at PT – without the canes.”

She left me there stunned and disoriented. Was that what that was, her idea of physical therapy?

The next day I woke feeling like a man again. The hate and despise were still there but tempered down. Mahati mentioned nothing about that night and neither did I in the weeks that followed. I carried on with my therapy and read the books Asena sent to me. It had been weeks since I had last seen Asena.

It was late one night when she knocked on my door.

“Come in.” I called out hearing the three soft knocks “Asena,” I sat up on my bed. My canes were still propped up beside my bed where they stayed since that night Mahati came to me. And on me. Twice. That would be the last time I had sex, but I didn’t know it then. Not until later.

“Kian,” she said looking at me with pity in her emerald eyes. “I have come to you tonight with a choice.” She sighed out heavily and folded her hands in front of her. “You are healed now and should return to the world as the man you are.”

I felt my gut clench. Yes, I wanted to go back to Eririat and take Farid’s life, to snuff it out like he did – tried to do to me. Yet something felt wrong with that thought and it saddened me that my time had ended here. I understood why they called it a sanctuary.  That is exactly what it had been for me. A place where I didn’t have to deal with my misfortunes. I could hide from it all here. From them.

“The goddess has given me a vision and wants to offer you a deal.”

“Go on…” I encouraged her, anxious to know what deal the goddess could offer a nobody like me. I had fallen from her graces, committed an act against her very nature yet here Asena says she wants to offer me a deal.

“It is not my deal to offer, it is my duty to guide you to the goddess and be a voice for her. Will you come and listen?”

Did I have a choice? I didn’t think I did. Who in their right mind would turn down an audience with the moon goddess herself? “Why has the moon goddess chosen to speak with me? I have done nothing but shame her.”

Asena chuckled, her emerald eyes glowing “I’m Sorry, I should have specified, I asked her to give you a chance when you called out her name in prayer.”

I searched my memories for when I said her name in prayer. I had not uttered her name since the day I was sentenced. Then I realized when the memory filtered into my head, calling out her name when I released my seed into Mahati. Did I call to her? I didn’t mean to, I thought it was just a word I had let out in the throes of passion. Apparently not. She had heard me and was willing to answer.

“Ok,” I nodded “I will listen.”

“Good. No need to dress, you are fine as you are.”

“Oh, we’re doing this now?” I raised my eyebrows in question.

“Yes, right now, so come along you are wasting time.” Asena turned from me and opened the door, holding out her arm in a gesture to get up and walk out the door. I scrambled up from the bed, wincing at the slight pain that still radiated in my legs and up my back. Knowing I would never be fully healed.

I followed Asena through the wide halls of the sanctuary, past the statues that lined the walls. I followed her until we came to the great prayer room where several priests sat in silence praying to their gods. We walked along the edges and to the back of the room where a small door lay. Asena took out a key and led me through to a dimly lit and narrow corridor. I had never been here before and didn’t know this part of the sanctuary existed.

“Watch your step,” Asena said as we came to a stone spiral staircase that wound down. Lower and lower we walked, I held onto the wall as my legs shook. Finally, they ended and opened to a large underground stone room, lit only by the light of torches. She took me deeper into the cave-like room until we came to an offshoot of it. This room shimmered and shone from the glistening water that nestled into the formed rocks, creating a magnificent and ethereal-looking pool.

Ladies in white robes like Asena’s stood beside the body of water with clothes and oils. They bowed as Asena passed them. I had never seen these women, not once in all my time here.

Asena wasted no time stepping into the pool “Come, join me Kian.” She encouraged.

Hesitantly, I stepped forth my toes dipping into the water. I expected it to be cold, not warm like a bath. I walked to the middle of the pool where Asena was waiting for me. The warmth of the water soothed my aching body upon contact. A feeling of weightlessness engulfed me, lifting all my concerns and problems from my very being. It was – otherworldly, euphoric like I was floating in another plane of existence.

“Clear your mind child and feel the presence of the goddess.”

I listened, closing my eyes and clearing my mind. The other women began to chant something incoherent. Then Asena began to speak. Her voice – was soft and melodic. The feeling of warm water bathed my forehead as it poured over me while she spoke.

“She is the light in our darkness,

She is the beat of our hearts,

She is the air we breathe,

Through her, we prosper,

Through her, we work,

Come forth mother of the moon and receive your child.”

My body tingled and my head buzzed. Behind my closed lids, my eyes opened, and I found myself in an open field. “My child,” a melodic voice called to me.  I spun around to find a woman with hair as white as snow and eyes a cosmic purple. Her dark slick skin was like the night that hung the moon. She was old, but her beauty was uncontested. 

“Moon Goddess!” I said in awe of the older beauty before me.

“No, my child. I am not she.” I looked at her with confusion, I thought it was the moon goddess I was going to meet. If she was not her, then who is she? “She did grant me a favor though, and that favor was to speak with you and by extension offer you a deal.”

I was so muddled “Then who are you?” I did not mean to sound ignorant or my words harsh, but I felt like I had been tricked.

“Who I am, does not matter…” She must have read the look of skepticism on my face because to me it did matter, I would never make a deal with a devil and right now I didn’t know who she was. “This is why I like you.” She chuckled pointing and waving her finger at me. “You are rare, child.”

“What is the deal you wish to offer me?”

“Straight to the point, a good quality. You may leave here the man you are right now and live a full life or,” and she smiled “The moon goddess has granted me to offer you back your wolf.” Just then the silhouette of a wolf emerged from thin air. I recognized it at once to be my wolf, Ruda.

“Ruda!” I gasped, the emptiness in my heart and soul feeling filled just at the sight of him. “With what conditions?” She had my attention and my desire to have my wolf back trumped everything else. 

“Your wolf will return to you under two conditions. The first is you must find the chosen one for me and when you find her you will protect her.”

“And the second?”

“The second is a request from the moon goddess herself. You must serve her and take an oath to be a disciple of her children.”

I mulled it over while keeping my eyes on my wolf. My wolf to serve the moon goddess and to find a chosen child and protect them. It didn’t seem that bad of an offer. With my wolf, I could better conduct my revenge.

“I feel your choice has already been made?” The woman said, her violet eyes glowing and swirling.

“I feel there is a catch, something I am missing.” I wanted to take the deal and take my wolf, but I would not be so rash. Not thinking before I act is what got me here, to begin with.

“No catch… really, again you must swear a promise to find the chosen child, a descendant of mine, and protect her. Then swear an oath to serve the moon goddess as one of her disciples. That is all we ask. Know though, that because of your crimes you will never be given another fated mate. This is your penance; your atonement will be to serve.”

I found myself nodding to her, an unvocalized answer.

“Then go forth child and serve your purpose.”

My purpose, I echoed her words in my head. The buzzing in my head and wavering of my body returned. Before the scene around me turned black, I heard her mummer, her words but a flutter in my conscious. “Ashe… is my name”

When my eyes fully opened, I found myself submerged under the warm water, hands held me down and when I began to flail my arms and grasp, I was pulled up – gasping for air.

“Welcome back,” Asena said.

She led me from the pool and the women unclothed me, drying me and then covering me with a deep red robe over my shoulders. Asena took the oil from the hands of one of the women and began marking my head and body. “You have been reborn in the eyes of the moon goddess; your wolf has been restored to you. Kian no longer exists; you will walk the earth under the name she has given you. You are ambition and strength. You are reliability and determination. You are protection – Rise Hunji and fulfill the destiny you have chosen.”

‘Our purpose. Together always.’ The swell in my heart from hearing my wolf was overwhelming. The aches in my body - gone. I stood up straighter and more confident.

“With the marking of the blessed oil, you swear an oath to serve the goddess, mother to us all. Hunji, you have sworn to carry out the work of the goddess as she sees fit. To go forth in celibacy and kindness, to take no life unless in defense, to seek out and help those who need it.”

I heard the words; they just didn’t register until much later. Until my training began.