Episode 5

~RIKAS~

“So… Now you know my secret”

“Who are you?”

“My secret”

Her gaze turned blank before she began to stutter inaudibly “Are you… Are you… Perhaps, is your name anything close to Rikas? Are you the son of the great Arakis and Hira?”

And after I heard that, I could guess in my mind that she was the Clara I was told to rescue together with my brother Rotip. But how could she know my name while Hemon clearly told me that Rotip and Clara were captured before I was born? And why does she look too young to be older than I?

My rags began to fall off from me one by one as the spell broke off to reveal my bare half breed skin. I was shining with streaks of the candle lights as everything fell off along with the ropes she had tied me with. Everything! Including my underwear which I wore because I couldn’t let Garius rags to give me some nasty germs downtown. “Downtown”; another word which I learned from the Humans.

“Look away!” I yelled

“Oh sorry! I’m so sorry” She uttered with a hint of embarrassment in her tone.

I grabbed a piece of rag and quickly covered my manhood “Get me some clothes would you?”

“Ahh… Sure” She said.

She threw her hands on a woven stick basket beside her and dug out some neat and nice looking clothes while I watched.

Yes! Yes! Throw them here, woman!

She was kneeling down with her back facing me while she searched more harder and I was beginning to wonder what more she could be looking for. Maybe some better clothes because I am the son of Arakis!

But my cheerful spirit instantly died off after I felt the pieces of rags falling off from my face. She had thrown them into my face!

From rags to rags always!

“I can’t wear this,” I complained. “You know who I am”

“Well you can walk around in your prided nakedness then” She mocked angrily.

Why is she being harsh?

“No. Clara please. I am not bragging or anything. How can I brag when I am the most stupid half

breed son of my Father?” I coaxed her.

Another round of clothes came falling off from my chest before I could realize it. I picked them up and roughly took a few glances. Nice pair. Now this will perfectly fit my physique.

“Are you done or not?”

“No. Just a minute” I said. “Okay I'm done!”

She swiftly turned her body to look at me and we instantly glued our eyes on each other. I could feel my stomach stinging, but I was not sure if it was hunger pangs or not. All I knew was that she made me felt very nervous.

“Why are you here Rikas?” She called out my name like she had known me for years.

“To find my brother Rotip, and a woman called Clara who just turned out to be you”

She sighed and dropped her eyes down to the rocks in a mysteriously silent and rather odd manner “Are they the only two people you came here to look for?”

“Yes, but how did you know me? Where is my brother? Do you have any idea where he is?”

“He died a long time ago” Her brutal reply came.

My head loosened its nuts when I heard it. “What do you mean he died?”

“No one came to find us when we were captured”

“How? How did it happened?” I held unto my fist like I was going to hit someone.

Thoughts ravaged the brain cells in my head while I waited for her to reply. Clara did not answer the question in time, and with the way she answered me, something felt suspicious like there was something more she was hiding. She only said “He died in the dungeon” without conveying any deep emotion like humans usually do.

~SOFIA~

He was not as giant as Rotip, but taller and bigger than most human males. He had the same green eyes and purple lips like that of Rotip, but his features were different and a little less appealing to me. He had blonde, rough hair scattered across his face, but it was very short in comparison to Rotip’s waist length long and luscious black hair that makes me hate my own brown hair. I personally use to take care of Rotip’s hair more than I do take care of my hair because I loved feeling the rare texture of a Martian Hair.

A vague sadness settled on his face after I had lied to him that Rotip had died. I was not expecting him to be so angry about hearing the news of his step brother’s death. I didn’t know he would care much. He kept looking at me like an angry big bunny.

“So now, what are you planning to do?” I broke the silence.

“Kill the Brakoon and her top generals before I take you back to the caves” He made his motives simple, and for a moment, I realized he does not know anything about the Brakoon.

“Okay so what if I don’t want to go back to the cave?”

“I may force you” He dwell on his anger

“You are still much younger than I. Do you think you can do that?”

“I am not kidding Clara. You can't continue to live here. This is not your home”

“I’d say the same if it were twenty five years ago”

“What happened has happened. We cannot go back in time to change that. Now it's time for you to think carefully and go with the best choice”

“I am a grown up. Why do you even care? Just go with your silly mission of killing the Brakoon”

“Don’t call my mission silly. And I am not responsible for your hardships so stop provoking me. I wasn’t even born when you were captured”

“Exactly! And that is why you have no right to meddle in my affairs. You are just a boy!”

“Its obvious I am a fully grown man now. But you are just a stupid bitch! A rude woman who does not have any respect for her guest” He used the swear words on me. I was completely sure that he was a reckless rookie with loose tongues unlike Rotip who tends to be timid, reserved and barely talks about anything, unless I initiate a topic and drag him into a conversation. It could be easy to say that Rotip had gone through harsh punishments and brutal torture so its natural for him to become like that but not when I have known him for my whole life. He and Clara raised me and Clara told me that he had always been like that. Mysterious and moody. But his step brother was drastically different.

“Really? Well, get out of my home Mr macho

dude. Go find your own place to crash and stop ogling at this stupid bitch’s chest for fuck sake” I retorted back angrily with the best swear word I learned.