Chapter 9 - Proposal
“What is my life...without your love? Tell me, who am I...without you?”
- What is Life, George Harrison
“Kani! Move!” cried Amethyst, jumping out of the way. He warned her not a moment too soon. As she jumped to the side, a loud bang erupted and a bullet whizzed close by her. “Quick! Back to Thyatira!” Kani and Amethyst took to the air and flew full-tilt back in the direction of Thyatira.
Several miles later, they were back at the Royal House, breathing heavily from flying so quickly. Kani seemed stunned. He led her to her chamber. They had to go through Saria's chamber first, though. As they entered the chamber, Saria looked up from her book. She saw the dazed look on Kani's face, and the worried look on Amethyst's.
“What happened, Amethyst?” asked Saria, jumping to her feet.
“Those boys were at it again with the gun.” replied Amethyst. “It was a close call. The bullet whizzed by Kani. If I hadn't warned her...”
“Not again! Gah, these cruel humans are getting on my nerves. They must be stopped.”
“Agreed. But first, let's get Kani to her bed.” said Amethyst. He and Saria led her into her chamber, and led her over to her bed. She sat down, still dazed.
“Kani?” asked Saria. “Are you alright?”
“I...I could've have been killed.” she said weakly.
“But you weren't. They didn't get you.”
“But...it was so close. I could have sworn I saw the Black Crane of Uré standing before me.”
“Don't say that, Kani! You're scaring me!” said Saria. “Besides, you are still alive. Amethyst saved you.” she looked at Amethyst. “Thank you. I don't know what I would've done if I lost Kani. She is my dearest friend.”
“It's no problem. Besides, my heart would've broken if something happened to Kani.” replied Amethyst. Kani looked up, the stunned look leaving her face.
“You mean that, Amethyst?” asked Kani, a smile forming on her face.
“Yes, Kani, I do.” he said, looking deeply into her eyes. Amethyst sat down next to Kani.“You needn't worry any longer about these cruel humans who tried to shoot at you. I'll protect you. I'll stay by your side.” Kani smiled at his words, for they warmed her heart. She lay her head on his breast.
“Amethyst...you know what it is you are saying, right?” asked Saria.
“Huh? Of course I know what I'm saying.” he replied.
“Do you? You've basically proposed to Kani.” said Saria. Amethyst opened his mouth to speak, but he was speechless. He did not realized that his words counted as a proposal. It makes sense, though...I promised to stay with her...to be by her side. He turned to Kani. She looked up at him.
“Amethyst, you really want to be with me?” she asked. Please say yes, Amethyst, she thought hopefully.
“Uh...uh...” he began, stammering. He looked away, nervous. It all seemed quite sudden. He and Kani were just beginning to get to know each other, and he had gone and suggested marriage, if in an indirect way. Sure, it may feel sudden, but you do have strong feelings for her. Maybe those feelings mean that you want to be with her. Come on, you fool, say yes! He turned back to her, again looking deeply into her eyes. He took her wing in his.
“Kani...will you...will you be my mate?” he asked, swallowing the lump in his throat. “I know we've barely gotten to know each other but...”
“Oh, Amethyst! That doesn't matter. Rin Ira Shay. When I'm with you, everything feels so right. You and I are meant to be, Amethyst. Yes...I will be your mate.” she replied. Yes! He and I are one! A tear of joy rolled down her beak.
“Oh, Kani!” Amethyst cried happily, wrapping his wings around her in an embrace. “You are right! I too believe we are meant for each other.” He wiped away the tear from her eye and nuzzled her affectionately. Saria stood there quietly, not wanting to interrupt this wonderful moment. As she looked at them and the way they acted with each other, she too agreed. They are meant for each other, she thought. The next few minutes, Amethyst and Kani sat together quietly, lovingly. They didn't say anything...they didn't need to.
“I hate to interrupt this beautiful mood,” Saria said at last, “but we must think of a way to stop those boys.”
“Oh...yes, Queen Saria.” Amethyst said. He sat silently, deep in thought. Then he looked back up at Saria. “Well, I know that they always come around about...say...roughly 10 after 3.”
“10 after 3? What does that mean?” she asked.
“Well...how do cranes tell time? Don't you have hours and minutes?”
“No...not really. I do not know these 'hours' and 'minutes' that you speak of.”
“Hours and minutes are intervals of time. An hour is 60 minutes. And a minute is 60 seconds...60 moments.”
“Hmm...well our time is not that precise. Our day is split up into 4 times: Rae, which begins when the sun rises; Helo, which begins when the sun is highest in the sky; Lora, which begins when the sun is the middle of the sky; and Uré, which begins when the sun sets and ends when the sun begins to rise again.”
“Then...it would be...halfway between Helo and Lora, thereabouts.” replied Amethyst. “The three of them hide in the trees and foliage just at the edge of the marsh. They only have one gun, which is good. It would be bad if they had three. Sahib is usually the one who shoots it, since he is the leader, but I guess that the other two probably get a turn now and then.”
“Alright...this is good to know. What do you suggest we do?” asked Saria.
“Hmm...I think we should ambush them. We'll get there earlier than them, and hide ourselves in the trees around the spot where they usually stand. Then, when they get already to hunt, we'll have a crane fly out and take the gun from them. They'll probably be so surprised that it will be easy to take it from their hands. Then, once we have taken their gun, we'll all fly out and surround them. Then, we shall confront them, arrest them, and bring them back here.”
“You know, Amethyst...” said Queen Saria, “...that sounds like it might just work. I think we should try this plan of yours. But when do we do it?”
“Well, it has to be a day during the week...er...set, and not on the weekend. Today is Friday, so we'll have to wait three days until Monday, when the weekend is over. I'm certain that they'll be back on that day.”
“Excellent. I trust your judgment, Amethyst, for you know more about this than I or the other cranes. Besides, you are honest and trustworthy. You have much kora. And you will have even more once we get them, because I am certain your plan will work.”
“Thank you, Queen Saria.” He replied.
“Now, I shall leave you two alone.” said Saria, getting up from her seat. She turned to leave. Amethyst and Kani watched her go. She stopped, and looked over her shoulder. With a wry grin, she spoke once more. “You'll obviously want a bigger nest...one built for two.” With that, she retreated into her chamber. Amethyst turned to Kani. She looked at him.
“Kani...what was that you said earlier?”
“Hmm?”
“Those three words that you said...'Rin Ira Shay'.”
“Oh, you don't know? It means 'I Love You'.”
“Well then...Rin Ira Shay, Kani.”
“Rin Ira Shay, Amethyst.”
* * *
Monday, 3:12 P.M., in the marsh...
“Remember...be quiet. On Friday we nearly got caught by that stupid conservation officer.” said Sahib in a hushed voice.
“Maybe today you'll manage to actually hit a crane, Sahib.” Lahiru said jokingly.
“Ugh. Don't remind me. I can't believe that crane heard us. Most of the time, they have no idea.”
“Maybe they're getting wise to us?” asked Aryan.
“Maybe...I hope not.” said Sahib. The three of them walked slowly and carefully to the edge of the forest. They looked out into the marsh. No cranes were seen.
“Hmm...it looks pretty quiet.” whispered Lahiru. “I wonder why there isn't at least one there.”
“Yes...very odd. No matter. One will show up soon.” Sahib pulled out some shells from his pocket, and he opened the barrel of his shotgun. He put the two shells into the barrel, and locked it back into place. He looked at the gun admiringly. “What a wonderful, simple thing this is.” Aryan and Lahiru were silent, staring out at the marsh, looking for some cranes. He raised it up, holding it in front of him, letting the scattered light that filtered through the trees gleam on the surface of the barrel. All of a sudden, the gun was ripped out of his hands. He saw a white flash disappear into the trees.
“What was that, Sahib?” asked Aryan, turning to look at him. “Hey, where's the shotgun?”
“It...it's gone. It was just taken from me.” he said in disbelief. He pointed to where the white flash had disappeared. “I think...I think a crane just took it.”
“That's crazy.” said Lahiru. “Cranes aren't that smart. That couldn't be.”
“Oh, couldn't it?” a voice said from the trees. Sahib, Aryan and Lahiru jumped, startled. All of a sudden, they were surrounded by many, many cranes. Three cranes walked towards them.
“Wha...what's going on?” said Sahib.
“How good to see you again, boys.” said one of the cranes.
“Wait...you can talk?” asked Aryan, falling backwards in surprise.
“That voice...” began Sahib. “Why does it sound so...so familiar?”
“Because, Sahib...It is I, Amethyst.” Amethyst said.
“Crane? You joined the cranes? Holy crap...” said Sahib.
“Just call me Amethyst. I don't go by that last name anymore. Actually, I do not yet have a crane last name. But, that is not important right now. You three are under arrest.”
“Arrest? We're being arrested by cranes?” said Lahiru.
“Yes. You three are guilty of murdering innocent cranes...you have slain many. And for what? A cheap thrill. All it costs you is a few shotgun shells. But for us, we lose a brother, friend, parent, child...You have caused much heartache. Now, this must end.”
“Uh...you see...” began Sahib nervously.
“Save it, Sahib.” said Amethyst, raising his wing to silence him. “I'm not sure what the Queen will do with you three. Pray that she has mercy on you. Now, come with us.”
“No! I'm not going anywhere!” shouted Sahib. Suddenly, in the distance, he heard the sound of someone running through the forest, shouting.
“Would you rather deal with us, or that conservation officer?” asked Amethyst.
“Alright, alright. We'll go with you. Just get us out of here, quick!” cried Sahib. The cranes led them out into the open. They spread their wings, grabbed onto the three boys, and then carried them back to Thyatira.
* * *
Queen Saria looked contemptibly at the three boys before her. Sahib, Aryan, and Lahiru stood there quietly, hanging their heads, not wanting to look at her.
“So...you three are the ones responsible for the deaths of many cranes...Do you deny it?”
“No...no we do not.” said Sahib. “It's true...we have been killing cranes...for fun.”
“I don't understand it.” sighed Saria. “What is so fun about hurting something...or someone...else?”
“Well, your highness...” began Lahiru. “...I guess we didn't really feel very secure with ourselves. We had to find someone or something we could bully so that we could feel better.”
“So...you killed these cranes just so that you could feel good about yourselves?” Saria asked. She shook her head in disbelief.
“What...what are you going to do with us?” asked Aryan.
“I tell you, three, I find it quite tempting to kill you in recompense for these deaths.” Sahib, Lahiru and Aryan looked at her, wide-eyed and scared. “But...that is just how we all feel because of the pain you put us through. However, no crane has ever killed a human. It is not in our nature to do so. Also, if we killed you, we would be sinking to your level. I do not want to have your blood on my hands.” The three boys breathed a sigh of relief.
“Amethyst...come here, please.” said Saria. Amethyst, who had been standing quietly at the back, stepped forward.
“Yes, my queen?”
“You have done me proud. Your plan was simple, yet effective. We now have the killers in our midst, under our control. For that, I thank you. Without you, I think we may never have stopped their massacre on our people.” Saria bowed to Amethyst, and Amethyst was very much surprised.
“Queen Saria...” he said, bewildered.
“Now, before I put sentencing on these three, there is something I want to do. You have no crane surname, since you have no crane ancestors. Therefore, I think one shall be given to you. Will you accept the name I offer?”
“Yes, I shall. What is it?”
“Your name shall henceforth be known as Amethyst Karan.”
“Karan? That's a good name.” acknowledged Amethyst.
“Yes...'Karan' means 'Set Free'. You have been set free from your human body, and you have become one of us. Also, you have set us free from the terror and murder of these three. Thank you.” Amethyst bowed to Saria, and then he stepped back and joined the other cranes that were gathered there.
“Now...” said Saria, turning back to the three, “What to do with you...You owe many lives. Your debt is great, far greater than any amount of human gold. I think...I think you too shall become cranes. You will become cranes, and you shall do good for other cranes. You shall give without receiving, you shall lend a hand to all. You will no longer be murderers, nor will you have hatred in your hearts. I want you to take the badness that is in you, and cast it away from you. You shall be slaves to others forevermore.”
“Thank you, oh queen, for having mercy on us.” said Aryan, with a bow. Sahib and Lahiru bowed too, glad that they weren't going to be killed.
“Kani...bring me the cranefruit.” said Saria. Kani disappeared for a few minutes. She returned, carrying three cranefruits. She walked up to the boys and gave one to each of them. They looked quizzically at the fruit.
“Go ahead, you three. Eat up.” said Saria, urging them to eat the fruit. “Soon, you will be free.”
END OF PART ONE |
Submission Name: Story of Amethyst, Ch. 9
