Saba’s farewell was not loud, for wise cities do not raise their voices when bidding farewell to those who saved them.
No drums were beaten.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4s0bcb4pAF
No banners were raised.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ9Xh9WVM2b
No procession was arranged to celebrate a victory written in blood and decision.
A deep silence prevailed38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1aoyzlM3lm
not the silence of emptiness,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ9hqzmbM1HO
but the silence of respect.
As though all of Saba understood that some men are not honored with speeches,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8FSCAUClNU
but are left to walk the roads they chose for themselves.
In the throne hall,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAZzBI94o7H
Aram stood before the king.
There was no throne and ruler between them,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrTABWytGih
no victor and defeated38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSE8adYmS3g
only two men who understood what it meant to choose38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ99KuLpBMGq
and then pay the full price.
The king spoke,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsd56S5Vkkp
his eyes moving between Aram’s face38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡk2DnE9R3TK
and the sealed child in his daughter’s arms:
“You saved Saba …38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZVkRJO5C0b
yet you did not ask for it.”
Aram replied with a calm not born of wisdom,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYDddbfiQCm
but of loss:
“I did not come to rule it,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4UVDXwoIuw
but to return it to those who deserve it.”
The king stepped closer38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdZaVMUGBC0
and placed his hand on Aram’s shoulder38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡMDw1rqwvpU
not as a king granting a promise,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5hdKrNVlRE
but as a father who knew the weight of what had been said.
“The gates of Saba will remain open to you,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlw79FTQFwk
to you and to all who bear your name.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIgKgMQLxIA
And if the balance is ever needed again…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡf7M1CZNa3t
we will know where to find it.”
Aram nodded without words.
Then he cast his gaze upon the city one last time.
He did not see the high walls,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpX0usLLHDB
nor the towers,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBDZORdcHxW
nor the sigils carved into stone.
He saw only faces38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPRdDBQn0es
faces to which calm had returned38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD8nsYM1lub
after learning the true meaning of fear.
38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKQqLjOhT5C
Those who walked with Aram parted38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlPHYSx0QYE
as roads do after a decisive crossroads.
No hostility.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡywRWZ45LKK
No regret.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡL3isxb1Jey
No need for long words of farewell.
Seham remained in Saba.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBftHTQK8AU
She asked for no title,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFwG5ptV72D
no rank.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡRhDE6YXwtC
She became its inner shadow38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjuxpVWZiO1
the eye that sees danger before it is seen.
Nehram returned to the Valley of Fire,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ77uqu2d7Tv
standing upon the boundary between two worlds,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡs2PfZ6iDMw
guardian of a covenant that was broken…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ7ExENmFzKg
and then restored.
Karem headed north,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfSLMB7JN8R
where stories always begin38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡH4wcTb1RE6
from a small lack38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfLk7wcFj6Z
that grows into a great fire.
Solan followed the winds,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡcEzAouPmRI
with his falcon Bariq above him,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0S3lmjwC6d
circling mountains not yet named,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡc5MNW4s2k2
still waiting for those who understand their language.
Argus returned to the desert,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6EFzCCCdLy
to the sand that never betrays38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJERJTYureP
those who know how to read its traces.
Najjar remained near the king,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡtTW8nYylCG
never standing in the light,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡafKL5VEwdu
yet never sleeping38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzU9DRDznW8
his wisdom mending what could not be spoken.
As for Marana and Riman,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1kLgx9wl7X
they chose Saba.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡToZDcufgeb
A safe city for a child38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdF9dikCaI6
who had seen more blood38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡYHMTpX1Otz
than any child ever should.
38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡeYPi32an5C
Aram’s Path
As for Aram…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpnkoqigYV3
when he departed,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn5xuOuzo9U
he carried no sword,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOX6HcQYjy3
no banner,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTjbLRNXa0P
no mark of triumph to be displayed.
He carried his son.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxUrveZfeI9
He carried his wife.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEibcns0Unx
And he carried the memory of a long road38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpFWjMqil1v
he did not choose38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCaa1i0a2tG
yet walked to its end.
Those who accompanied him did so38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡiqLV2XFCWS
not by command,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡIPdauDtTXZ
nor by written oath,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡEeTT5XmymK
but by a silent faith38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡN324qglBM4
that some roads38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsFAaqKiFLQ
are only walked with those worthy of trust.
They walked together toward the horizon,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAWHflFKdpW
where it was unknown whether what awaited them was an ending…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8NLsSk9xk0
or another beginning.
38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVe9CgSudyr
Tyranny faded as night fades38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuwumUdlH8p
not by a single blow,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLDPqCI1ELt
but when it realizes38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡu8H43mcUu9
it no longer has a place to stand.
A new dawn rose,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmBUOb9Mv5H
not promising perfection,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWyoJJBOHYn
nor absolute peace,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQPQDNchJHA
but promising justice
and that was enough.
As for the story,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡg0TOr87WuU
it did not end.
It simply…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡoUG20xmZrV
chose to fall silent for a while.
38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡK17Vh0FdTZ
In the days that followed,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLozaUs8COB
whispers spread through markets and caravans:
That Ronen had been seen in the west,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZTPc1EDGNb
near borders ruled by no king38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUm9Ew6O6FP
and bound by no covenant.
They said he walked alone,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡihLWN3nzpH
his face pale,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKxniwK107v
his eyes never looking back
as though Saba had cast him out,38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZ3515kNhBG
as though the shadow he had lived within38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ4YVBz1nFcD
had grown too heavy to bear.
He was not captured.38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzcL2ggsri1
He was not killed.
But no one…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5jBQXI2xEf
ever saw him again.
And that…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxR6rDJlQ2O
was enough.
- The story ended…38Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡysYDM1hFyk
and its echo remained.
and then Add to home screen.