Alois
Outcast
-
Kara is a good girl, given
to politeness first of all and rarely seen without her veil unless
she is sleeping or sick. It does not change the fact that she is an
outcast, but it is nice to think that some good-hearted young man
from another tribe will take her into his tent and remove her from
this pointless life. It does not seem too far of a future to hope
for, as Kara is charming and pretty even though when she comes up to
Halef Seif with a question in her eyes he can see the bones of her
wrist sticking out, knobby like a young foal's legs.
"Halef Seif," she says respectfully, completely aware of her place in the tribe as opposed to his, the headman's. Halef turns to face her completely, sand shifting noisily and dryly under his feet.
"Yes, Kara."
The young woman turns and directs his gaze to a figure on a horse with her slender, bony hand fine-tuning his gaze. "That stranger has just asked if she could see you, but I do not know who she is," Kara tells him, curious. The figure is dressed in the dark clothing of a northerner, but there is something quite Bazhir-like in the way she dismounts the tired mare. Calmly, if not gracefully, like walking lightly on soft sand.
"I will go to her immediately, Kara," he says, showing his gratefulness with a clear smile. "Thank you."
"Halef Seif?" Kourrem, who is in the same unfortunate situation as her older companion, comes running and seems out of breath. "Who is the lady that acts like a Bazhir and comes to see you?"
"Kourrem!" Kara chides her with dismay. "You must show respect for the headman!"
"She is an old friend," Halef tells them, unperturbed by the slight breach of conduct. Then, as an afterthought, "Will you two go to my tent and set out refreshments for the both of us? She will be thirsty after such a long ride."
"Of course, headman," Kara says demurely, taking Kourrem and dragging her firmly to his tent. There is probably a lecture waiting to escape from her lips and Halef smiles slightly as he walks to the newcomer.
-
"Hello, Halef Seif." This voice is very familiar to Halef; he is very glad to hear it again.
"Zipporah!" he says in relief. "Are you well?"
"Yes." The woman folds her hands quietly as Ishak takes her horse for her. Ishak is close to being an outcast, but not quite in the same place as the girls. "I am very well now that I have seen you again."
As they begin walking, Halef notices the deep cowl that obscures Zipporah's face and hair more completely than any veil ever could. He knows why she does this and it is sensible, though a small part of him (a very small part of him) is wondering how heavy it must be in the heat of the desert sun, blazing now in afternoon. If no one sees her face, veil or no, who could say she was being immodest?
Then Ishak comes running again. "Will you need me for anything else, Halef Seif?"
"No," Halef tells him. "You may return to the tent of your grandfather, Ishak."
At that, the boy walks as slowly as possible, kicking at the dust here and there. Zipporah, hooded as she is, watches him and only the slightest tilt of her head betrays the motion. But as any proper Bazhir woman would do, she says nothing, because Halef has not spoken first.
-
There is the sound of cool water being poured into clean cups. Zipporah refuses to drink wine, and out of politeness Halef Seif abstains as well while she is here. Kara and Kourrem watch in curiosity and silence until Zipporah turns to them and asks gently, "Would you like to eat with us, my daughters?"
"No, no thank you," Kara demurs, sounding a little bit embarrassed.
"We would like to," Kourrem corrects loudly; "But we have already eaten." Both of the adults smile as Kara looks completely appalled.
"Very well then," Halef Seif speaks. "Kara, Kourrem, you may go. I am sure you will find something to do."
As they leave, Zipporah's face changes slowly from the mask of mild amusement to deep pity. "There is fire within them, Halef. Both of the girls."
"Yes."
"Why do they stay?" There is no accusation in her words at all, but Halef feels that he must explain as thoroughly as possible. (There is no blame on his chest, so why is he feeling this way?)
"Akhnan Ibn Nazzir is the shaman now. He will not teach even Ishak; and he says we must cast all three of them out into the desert so they may die a clean death."
"Oh, no!" Zipporah's hand moves up to her mouth in shock. That is completely a foreign gesture, but not unfamiliar; the headman knows that women in the north do this with the lack of a veil to hinder them.
Veil... Halef Seif remembers and reminds her, "You may remove your hood, Zipporah."
Zipporah hesitates, then slowly drags her hood back. Her long, dark hair is messy and she smooths it back self-consciously before looking down at her lap. "But they may not simply leave, as I did?" she questions gently. "You know I am there, in Alois. I would teach them."
"They may not leave. Akhnan Ibn Nazzir will not let me give them provisions or protection for the journey, as little as they may be."
"So they remain here as outcasts instead."
"They do; until the Balance moves for them." Halef takes the rest of his water in heavily and does not feel like touching the food the girls have set out for him. Zipporah does not lift her eyes.
"Those poor dears," she says softly. "Those poor, poor dears."