Read The Forgotten Tale Of Larsa for Free Online Page B

a soldier is an unenviable one.’
    ‘I understand.’ He smiled as he peeled an orange then graciously offered it to her. Larsa thanked him for the offer, but she couldn’t bring herself to eat.
    ‘There’s no greater torture on earth,’ he said, ‘than absence from one’s homeland – always wandering, searching for something you can’t find. I’ve felt this many times; every soldier has.’
    ‘How do they cope with it?’ Larsa was holding onto the golden pendant of Ishtar. Its eight-pointed star had astronomical significance, mirroring the heavens above them. Its soft metallic sheen stood out against the roughness of the wasteland like the spines on a cactus. She had hoped to find some comfort in its presence, but all it did was remind her of the homeland she had left behind.
    ‘Every man has a purpose in life. Remembering that purpose always gives a soldier strength in times like this; even when the world is against you, there is always a reason to stand up and keep fighting.’
    ‘What’s your reason to keep fighting?’
    ‘Mine is just a simple dream.’
    ‘There’s beauty in simplicity. What is it?’
    He offered her a slice of orange, which Larsa took this time, not wishing to appear ungrateful.
    ‘I want to care for my wife, to make love to her each night, and watch our infant grow taller than me. They are all that matters in my life; I’d sacrifice everything for them. They’re the reason I keep fighting – to know that they’re safe and happy.’
    ‘That’s a noble dream, one many would envy. Do you have a son or a daughter?’
    ‘A son, only three months,’ he smiled. His voice was full of unrestrained fatherly love; he had just parted from his newborn and already missed his cries so much.
    ‘May the gods grant you a long life so you can watch your son grow tall and your wife grow old.’
    ‘I’d rather watch my child grow tall and my wife remain young,’ laughed the commander. A smile broke across the princess’s face; she understood the importance of a father in a child’s life. Whenever her father, King Alous, had journeyed away, he would always return home with a gift representing the land he had visited, and he would sit for hours with her, talking about what he had learnt, and why he had brought her back that special gift. Such intellect and wisdom as she possessed came from him. Oh, Father, if it weren’t for you I would have become as lonely as this moon and as empty as this land …
    ‘Will you not tell me what you live for?’ the soldier asked.
    ‘My dream is no different from yours. I live to love another.’
    Her heart felt heavy for Marmicus; war had made the desert his second home, as well as his battleground. The world demanded so much from him; she only realised that now, not knowing the extent of his invisible wounds. This journey had offered her a small glimpse into his reality, and now she regretted arguing with him about petty things. If only she could go back and be the understanding wife he needed. A life by the sword is cold as its touch …
    ‘The Gallant Warrior loves you dearly, Your Highness,’ said the soldier, sensitive to the princess’s meaning. ‘Some say that it’s because of his love for you that our kingdom has survived these troubled times. He fights to protect you – every soldier who has served alongside him understands this well.’
    ‘You’re mistaken; Marmicus fights to protect the people – they’re all that matter to him. If anything should ever befall me, he’ll remain loyal to the people and will never cast aside his duty.’
    She gazed at the soldier who sat opposite her; his words were touching, but she knew the depths of her husband’s love for his homeland: nothing in all the world would change it.
    ‘Only a woman as modest as this moon would think that. Your people know his love for you, and I believe one day you will learn it too.’
    He rose from the golden sand, stretching his hand out towards her. ‘Come now, you