Yara dropped to her knees, breathing hard, eyes wide as she gulped for air.
Phinehas upon seeing Yara receive the blow from Eki clenched his fist, then loosened it and rushed towards Eki who turned to him with a grin.
In a few seconds, Phinehas had seized Eki's right wrist in a crushing grip. With a sharp twist, he forced Eki to bend toward his own right knee, teeth gritted against the strain.
In one swift motion, Phinehas brought his left palm down hard on the side of Eki's neck further weakening him.
Eki lunged for his sword after a few seconds but Phinehas on seeing his hand moved to the back yanked it from its sheath and tossed it to the ground beside Yara.
Recovering quickly, Eki twisted his wrist free but Phinehas quickly grabbed the wrist again forcing Eki to stagger on one side.
After struggling to get out of Phinehas' grip, Eki caught Phinehas's left hand with his own, pressing down hard. Phinehas released Eki's right hand and pivoted away, narrowly avoiding a strike aimed at his chest.
Phinehas's left hand slipped free after he retwisted Eki's hand, sending Eki stumbling backward. Eki's fingers lifted to his temple, his heartbeat was quickening. A low humming filled his head, and his breath came heavy and ragged.
His vision blurred. He blinked rapidly and Yara was suddenly in front of him. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Phinehas behind.
"You Have used a drug on me?" Eki rasped, sweat beading on his brow.
"We try not to waste too much physical energy," Yara replied coolly, locking her gaze with his.
In a flash, she drove her palm into Eki's chest. The blow sent him staggering several meters, yet he kept his footing. His eyes dropped to the sword lying on the ground. He snatched it up and charged but his vision was still blurry and a burning sensation went through his body.
Yara took her footing, counted his steps as he charged closer and drew a dagger from behind her dress and sprinted forward with her eyes fixed on him. At the last moment, she ducked under his swinging blade.
Her hand shot out, catching his right hand wrist. She twisted it once, then again until the sword had dropped from his grip. In a fluid motion, she spun behind him one more time and flipped the dagger to holding the handle towards Eki and struck the back of his head with it.
Eki collapsed and Yara stepped forward ready to beat him more, but a verse flashed across her mind.
Anger is the death of many but Self control builds many walls.
She froze, then stepped back, eyes were still fixed on Eki. She Slid her dagger into its sheath, she stood as Phinehas joined her side.
"Let's get out of here," He darted his eyes around and pulled her hand prompting her to begin running.
The moonlight was fading quickly that hour. Halfway to Yara's home, Phinehas veered off, sprinting down another path to his own house. There was no need to say good night to each other.
After a few minutes, Yara had arrived at her house gate. She paused, sighed out, wiped her forehead and clutched on her dress and shook it a few times to ward off any scent of sweat.
On getting inside to the house, Yara found Zera in the sitting room. She had expected Zera would be in her bedroom. Startled by Zera's figure seating in the sitting room, Yara composed herself and greeted her avoiding eye contact.
"You are late again." Zera tilted her head with a smile.
"I helped our neighbors at the shop to close.
She wasn't feeling well."Yara glanced at Zera briefly before returning her gaze to the floor.
"That is good. I hear you are seeing someone worthy of marriage," Zera smiled and straightened her back.
"That is not true, Mother," Yara replied, eyes lowered, hands folded neatly in front of her.
"It's not a bad thing, as long as you love each other." Zera's smile widened.
"Come here." Zera's hand reached out to package that rested on the side stool beside her chair.
Yara stepped closer. Zera removed the wrapping and handed Yara a neatly folded cloth.
"I bought this dress for you. Wear it any day you like. I see that you have grown so much."
Yara's face lit with joy as she received the gift and thanked Zera. The fabric was smooth yet thick, rich beneath her fingertips.
"I need to rest now," Zera stood up and wished Yara a good night before walking away.
"Good night, Mom. Thank you so much." Yara rubbed the cloth again, her smile widening.
In Zera's room, Walda massaged her shoulders as they chatted over the day's activities.
"I think they will get along. " Walda paused and sat beside Zera.
"Such a dress is rare to find."Her eyes met with Zera.
"There was no other girl in the house to have it and anyways they have not seen each other for some time now." Zera replied with a small laugh. The two women giggled.
Yara moved through the corridor having blown out the lanterns in the sitting room. When she touched her doorknob, the door swung open.
A soft snore came from the corner of her room. Yara's brows furrowed. A sour, milky smell clung to the air. She glided across the floor intending to reach her bed stand for a lantern but instead she stepped on something small. Picking it up, she felt the shape in her hands.
"A baby's shoe?" she thought to her as the sour milky smell wafted through her nose.
She reached for a matchbox on the nearby shelf, lit the lantern, and turned toward the voice that came from the corner.
"Oh, Yara you're back."
"Be careful," the voice added. "Your sisters are sleeping on the floor."
Yara's jaw and nose tightened. "Why did they put them in my room?" Yara thought as she set the lantern on the bedside table and walked closer to the corner.
"Hi, Mom. I didn't recognize you sooner. What a surprise. How are you?" Yara asked as she kneeled down to extend a handshake as per the cultural norm.
"Fine. We're too sleepy. See you tomorrow," Asha said, extending her hand briefly before tucking the two girls in who lay next to her.
Yara walked back to her bedside with a frown lingering on her face. She slipped the new dress under her bed and blew out the light. The sour smell lingered in the dark.