10 Chapter 9 – Elza – Iteration 1 (2/2)
”Yes. I give up Dalana forever and you let me have this woman.”
”Do you trick me, Hess?”
”I give up Dalana. I promise.”
”Take the ugly one, then! You are a stupid one, coward!”
Hess squatted and transferred Elza onto his shoulders in a rapid movement. They were away from the brutes in twenty steps. Hess paused to tell Dalana she had to go see Kallig, which sent the beauty into a panic. Elza rode passively on his shoulder until they reached his rock, where Hess dropped her to the ground.
She took a moment to compose herself. ”I told you not to interfere.”
”You're lucky I don't follow your orders.”
”You ruined my observations.”
”You're welcome.”
”This isn't a game! I have a sacred duty!”
Hess pointed to the gruesome scene. ”I will let the Creator know all He needs to about what happens here. Those men don't have to touch you.”
”I could have endured it without your interference.”
Hess spun to face her. ”Stop it! I don't care what you can or can't endure! The purpose of an Observer is not to endure torments. You think my participation interferes with my observations, but what value does the viewpoint of a victim hold for the Creator?”
”You are a horrible Observer.”
”Stop talking to me, woman.”
”I don't follow the orders of a coward.”
”In this tribe, a woman obeys her man.”
”You are not my man.”
”I just traded Dalana for you. The least you can do is shut your mouth.”
Elza glared at him. ”I don't like you.”
”I never asked you to like me. I just want you to stop making noise.”
”You are going to regret interfering.”
Hess stood up. ”I hope you're quiet when you eat.”
”Where are you going?” She scrambled to his side before he made five paces.
”Someone was interfering with my observations on the rock, so I'm done watching for the night. I'm going to eat and sleep and pretend you're not beside me.”
Elza ignored the screams as she shadowed him to the cooking fires. ”I really don't like you.”
”I miss Dalana already.”