Part X
If a man were to be judged by his material possessions, then Nabil believed he would be considered a pauper since he didn't own very much. His foster parents had been poor and what few treasured mementos he did have from his childhood were kept back at his tribe in a small wooden box.
Nabil felt that his personal wealth stemmed from his choice of friends and associates, and that his riches lay within their loyalty and support. To him, no amount of gold could ever compare to the deep bonds of friendship that flourished within the warrior sect.
Inspired by the brotherhood of warriors, Nabil had stopped at his quarters prior to visiting Reyhan and decided to give his half brother a small gift. He hoped that Reyhan would appreciate the gesture and understand the significance behind it - Nabil would make the public claim tonight that he accepted Reyhan as blood.
The present came from Nabil's cache of weapons; a three pronged dagger that was part of a set given to him from his tribe's weapons master. It was perfectly balanced and weighted, the blade lovingly honed to razor sharpness.
Nabil hoped the act of giving it to Reyhan would denote the growing bond between them and ultimately it would be used in performing the blood brother rites.
Nabil left his quarters with the dagger securely wrapped in a soft cloth pouch and headed towards the blacksmith shops with the intention of doing one minor alteration. He would ask the blacksmith to brand the family crest of both brothers and meld the symbols into one on the handle.
~*~
Talib, Zaki, and Solman had managed to leave the citadel without being seen by the Hunud and although they thought that occurrence odd, they didn't question their good fortune. They spent the remainder of the morning riding from village to village, gleaning as much information as they could pertinent to their quest.
Talib relished the chance to exercise his powers of deduction and research; he was in his element and thrived on the challenge. He was methodical and his questions were direct and concise, leaving no room for speculation or conjuncture.
By noon, the three disguised warriors rode into a remote village located near the town of Amra, acting upon information given to them at the last settlement. The person they had spoken to told them about a witness to the Rwalla's murder who was hiding in fear of retribution.
As the horses trotted down the main thoroughfare, Talib softly remarked to the others that it seemed odd that activity within the village was almost nonexistent. As his alert gaze swept across the dilapidated and crumbling homes, more than once he saw someone dart behind a wall or scurry away from sight.
The sensation of being watched was felt by all and despite the lack of formal greeting from the town's people for the dust covered travelers, the warriors stopped their horses in front of the last home.
Talib was tying his horse's reins to the railing when suddenly a small, frail, and shriveled up old woman hurried from her hiding place within the doorframe. She waved her thin arms in the air and cackled with agitation as she advanced on the warrior, her ire directed at them all.
"Go away, we have no use for the likes of ye here," she crowed and pointed one gnarled finger at Talib. "You and your holy kind have all but forgotten us…ye shame the title of Guardians of the Desert."
"Old woman, we mean no harm and come here seeking information." Talib gestured to Zaki and Solman who had yet to dismount. "We are but poor tired travelers…"
The woman's laugher came out as a short bark as she wagged one finger at Talib in silent admonishment for his lie. She pointed to his tattoos that his face covering had failed to conceal as her merriment turned into a long raspy cough.
"You are…Medjai," she said between gasps of breath.
"Easy, honored elder." Solman suddenly appeared by her side and slid a strong arm around her thin waist. He gently moved her to a small bench situated by the front door. "Do you wish for some water?"
Placated by Solman's gentle attention, she boldly pulled down his covering as well, pleased when his sacred marks were revealed. "You're a…big one, aren't you?" she rasped and started coughing again.
Talib patiently waited until the woman was settled on her chair, and thought she looked very much like a queen holding court with three suitors. He shook his head over the absurdity of it all. Yet he impulsively decided to bestow a gift upon her, wondering if his actions would loosen her tongue. He reached into his belt pouch and pulled out a few dates, handing them to her.
"We are here looking for a man who is believed to have once been a Rwalla-Hunud and…" Talib paused and glanced at Zaki, wondering how much he should reveal.
"Be at ease, good warriors. I am not so old or my eyesight so dim that I cannot see what transpires between all of you. In the past we have learned to mistrust strangers who come in disguise and use the ruse of friendship in order to plunder our village." The old woman took another long swallow from Solman's water pouch and wiped her mouth on the back of her sleeve, her eyes shrewdly assessing each warrior.
"We hide our identities in fear of an attack by the enemy, honored elder," Zaki explained and stood next to Talib.
"A wise decision considering I have what you seek," the woman said and leaned back in the chair, a satisfied look on her weathered face.
"You know why we are here?" Talib asked.
"I know many things, especially when gossip travels like the wind and is faster than those on horseback. I have given shelter to this witness that you speak of and, against my better wishes, he wants to come forth and speak with you."
Talib and Zaki glanced at one another in surprise. "Is this witness here now?" he asked.
"His alliance to the Hunud has been swayed?" Zaki wondered. "Can he be trusted?"
"You will have to decide amongst yourselves if I am trustworthy or not." A man suddenly emerged from the shadows and boldly approached the warriors. He was a tall, gangly youth with the whisper of whiskers barely gracing his jaw line. His appearance looked harried and gaunt; shadows from his past darkened his eyes. "As for any alliance to my people, that was washed away when they willingly surrendered to the madness that has prevailed and poisoned them. They have turned into a nation of warmongers, eager to destroy for the sake of a lie and petty politics."
With Solman's aid, the old woman stood up and gestured for all of them to go inside. "It is safer to speak of these things away from the very ears of those who have fed me this day's gossip," she said as she herded them through the door. She paused on the threshold, satisfied that all was going according to her will and stepped inside, missing the small figure of a boy creeping towards one of her opened windows.
~*~
"Tabari-Yervant was killed by a Rwalla, and I saw the cruel deed with my own eyes," Uthmann-Dunoud stated softly. He stared dejectedly at his folded hands that rested on the small table the warriors had gathered around, refusing to let the intense gazes of the Medjai intimidate him. The burden of his guilt was far more pressing. Although the warriors seemed silent and impassive, he sincerely hoped that they would not judge him until all the facts had been presented.
"Tell us what happened," Talib coaxed.
Uthmann-Dunoud nodded and slowly, he spoke of when Reyhan, Drevick and Tabari-Yervant had met, supposedly to bid farewell to their friendship; their continued association was too much of a risk. "Tizemet-Bahac had found out about Tabari's meeting and thought it was the perfect opportunity to gain power by killing the Medjai and Tuareg. The leaders gave permission to Tizemet to gather a small war party, organizing and orchestrating the ambush with deadly precision. We attacked them without warning and the battle was over in moments."
~*~
"It is a fine gift and the blacksmith has done an exceptional job with the design." Ardeth balanced the dagger on his fingertips and peered down the edge, silently appreciating the skill and craftsmanship of the weapon. He glanced at Kedar, knowing that his actions were seen as a deliberate stall tactic on his part and reluctantly he handed the dagger back to Nabil.
"When were you going to give it to Reyhan?" Kedar inquired.
"I was on my way to the healer's when I received the message that you wished to see me," Nabil replied and glanced apprehensively at both warriors. Since his arrival, both men had been acting strangely and seemed hesitant to approach whatever subject that needed to be addressed. "I am going to petition the Elders later this afternoon with my intentions of announcing that I accept Reyhan as my…"
"The Elders are sequestered in a meeting and are not to be disturbed," Ardeth quickly informed Nabil. He took a deep breath for fortification and then continued, "There is another matter we must address, ya ukh and it has to do with Reyhan's future here in the kingdom."
"I would wager that the Elders will not be prepared for you accepting Reyhan as blood," Kedar muttered, hating the political maneuvering that had placed Ardeth and Nabil on opposing sides of an issue.
"Whether the Elders are prepared or not is of no consequence. I will accept Reyhan as my brother and will make the proclamation tonight, with or without their blessing," Nabil declared.
Ardeth placed a friendly hand on Nabil's shoulder. "Ya sahib, there is something I must tell you," he began softly.
~*~
Reyhan's slumber was shattered near noon when the constant throbbing in his shoulder flared up with a breath stealing intensity. It shredded through the once comforting and safe realm of sleep with frightening ease. He grimaced and reached up to touch it, the first tendrils of unease settling in his mind. Jarille had estimated that the wound should have been healing and yet despite his best efforts, it was getting worse with each passing hour.
Reyhan's gaze swept through the room looking for Muhjah-Aji but she was absent, most likely having returned to her dining hall duties. Temporarily left alone, he felt the overwhelming urge to leave the citadel before he endangered those around him and, foolishly, he crawled off the pallet. He stood up on trembling legs and took several deep breaths to strengthen himself, eventually taking a few tentative steps. The world tilted viciously for a few moments and Reyhan had to wait until the spell passed.
He shuffled past the rows of empty pallets, waved off the friendly inquiries of the other healers, and had managed to arrive at the door. When Jarille stopped him, asking him a multitude of questions, it drained Reyhan of his strength and concentration. He faltered and almost panicked, believing he would never be able to convince the astute healer that he merely desired some exercise.
Waves of agony rolled down from his shoulder and crashed over him; he no longer felt his hand or fingers. Dark spots danced before his eyes but Reyhan had convinced Jarille that he was all right. Triumphantly he pushed the door open but abruptly stopped when he came face to face with an astonished Muhjah-Aji.
"What in the name of all that is holy are you doing now?" she asked, clearly displeased by Reyhan's sudden burst of mobility.
~*~
"When the dust had settled Tabari-Yervant was lying in a pool of blood on the ground, a knife buried to the hilt in his stomach," Uthmann-Dunoud said, his eyes distant and clouded as the memories washed over him. "Despite the intricate symbols on the handle proclaiming it to be Tizemet-Bahac's, blame was placed on the Medjai and he was taken prisoner."
"We know that the Tuareg had escaped and as soon as he reached the safety of his own people, he began to campaign for aid in getting Reyhan released. But what was the motive for Tizemet-Bahac to kill Tabari-Yervant?" Talib asked the witness.
Uthmann-Dunoud sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, suddenly weary as he tried to control the tremors in his hands. His people would hunt him down for this traitorous act and kill him. But it was better to die and face judgment with a clean conscience than as a participant in the murder of an innocent man. "Tizemet-Bahac had killed the son of a powerful and influential war chieftess, and by doing so had furthered her own position within the ranks. Of course, Damya-Ultafa demanded retribution for the death of her son and Reyhan was…"
"War chieftess? Tizemet-Bahac is a woman?" Zaki asked incredulously.
Uthmann-Dunoud nodded. "Surely you know that the Rwalla-Hunud has evolved into a matriarchal society; the women are our rulers and have been so for hundreds of years. We men are sub-citizens, obeying their every dictate and acting as helpers or slaves when the circumstances demand it. Although Reyhan was held prisoner by a group of men, it was Tizemet-Bahac who ordered his interrogation and punishment."
Uthmann-Dunoud leaned forward, his voice lowered as he revealed, "The Rwalla has planned their revenge against the Medjai for a very long time and have implanted a spy to live within the infamous citadel gates. She is a helper in one of the kitchens I believe."
"What is her name?" Talib demanded angrily and stood up from the table. His mind reeled with Uthmann-Dunoud's revelations and the fact that the danger that had threatened the Medjai from outside the citadel was now inside its very walls.
~*~
A/N – should I run and hide for leaving a cliffie? [eg] How many of you saw that coming? Hmmmm? Thanks so much for the reviews, they are greatly appreciated and keep the fires of inspiration burning brightly.
On to the shout-outs:
Dreamy – Oh dear, did I just give you more to worry about? And your right, Nabil will be a force to be reckoned with and I, for one, wouldn't want to be in Ardeth's place. Thanks for reviewing. ;-)
Karri – Ah your words are too kind and I have to confess, exploring Ardeth's insecurities [although he doesn't have many..lol] has been quite fun and interesting. I'm so pleased you're enjoying my version of Ardeth who comes across more as a man than warrior. Don't get me wrong, however, the 'warrior Ardeth' will show up in the following chapters. And we all know we don't want to mess with 'warrior Ardeth.' Thanks for the feedback!
The Kidd mdd – Day by day and ain't you a sweetheart for emailing Ladybug. Just to let you know your whisper/email made her muse perk up and while I can't promise if she'll be submitting anything soon, at least she's thinking about more Medjai Chronicles. And that's a good thing. In answer to your question, "Will Ardeth really be able to hand over Nabil's half brother?" let me throw it back at you? If you were queen of the Medjai [oh happy day…lol] what would you do to save thousands of lives? And no, it isn't easy being king…you can hug Ardeth if you wish. Lol ;-)
SerenaFehr – Enemies now allies, coming together to save one, I'm glad you like the twist on things. But in the end, will Drevick and Reyhan still be friends, if they survive this little adventure? Thanks for the feedback and of course, all your help. ;-)