Part XIII
Suleyman-Tansu jabbed the tip of her spear deep into the earth and leaned back in the saddle, inordinately pleased that all was going according to plan. She waited for the messengers to report regarding the three different patrols that were in the desert, one of which she knew had engaged the Medjai.
Confident that success would be theirs, she anticipated sending a message to her queen very soon informing her that the latest phase of their pending domination of the desert was almost complete.
Victory would soon be in their grasp.
"Divide and conquer, scatter and confuse," she mused. "In the end the Medjai will be our slaves."
Her sister warriors positioned around her nodded and sighed their agreement as one, their soulless eyes gleaming from battle lust.
Sensing its rider's mood, Suleyman-Tansu's horse bobbed its head as great bursts of air blasted from its nostrils. The black horse eagerly pawed the ground in anticipation of the coming battles, its withers trembling. The horse danced on its back legs, pulling at the bit but Suleyman-Tansu controlled the animal with ease. She was tempted to cave into impetuous desire and give her steed free rein but a messenger arrived and she eagerly waited for the news.
Minutes later, she pulled her spear from the sand and jabbed it into the air. "We have the murderer," she shouted and the battle cries of her sister warriors shattered the peaceful afternoon into fragments. "The Medjai shall die this night!"
War yells and whoops rolled over the desert and the riders pounded the bases of their spears in unison in anticipation of the coming night.
Minutes later another group of Hunud joined Suleyman-Tansu's group and she wheeled her horse around to greet the captain of the squad. "What news do you bring, my sister? Has the commander been taken prisoner or better yet, is he dead?"
Guraya-Hennu pulled her lathered mount to an abrupt stop and averted her eyes, uncertain how to explain that she had failed. She took a deep breath, very aware that she was being closely scrutinized, and quickly related the details of the battle.
Suleyman-Tansu brought the tip of her spear near her knee and regarded the captain with narrowed eyes. "You are uncertain if the commander still lives but you say his second in command has been killed?"
Guraya-Hennu warily noted the action as she signaled for another warrior to come forth. "Dasin-Takama saw the commander awake and talking to his men. She also reports that the second in command has been mortally wounded but...we do not know if he still lives or not. The Medjai are in league with the Tuareg and we were caught unprepared."
Suleyman-Tansu's dark gaze slashed to Dasin-Takama. "Are you saying you failed in killing this commander's subordinate?" she asked in a deceptively soft tone of voice.
Dasin-Takama bravely faced her superior. "He showed great courage in the face of death and I hesitated to strike the final blow. Then his rescuers arrived and we thought it best to flee rather and report..."
Whispered exclamations of disbelief swept over the Hunud but Suleyman-Tansu silenced them with an arrogant wave of her hand. She turned back to Dasin- Takama. "Have you forgotten your oath?"
"No mercy...no mercy...no mercy" the soft whispers turned into a low chant that grew and swelled in volume with each passing moment. The code of conduct amongst the bloodthirsty Rwalla-Hunud did not tolerate compassion or admiration of bravery; any deviation was not acceptable.
Dasin-Takama met her superior's cold gaze with false bravado. "I have not forgotten."
Suddenly Suleyman-Tansu hurled her spear and it impaled Dasin-Takama through the chest, toppling the rider from her horse. She landed on the ground and one hand slid down the bloody shaft of the spear as a soft sigh escaped from her lips. Moments later her sightless eyes stared up and beyond as wild cheering erupted. Driven mad by blood lust, they cruelly celebrated the death of one of their own as they hammered their spears against the earth. It sounded like muffled thunder.
As the cheers died down, Guraya-Hennu walked her horse over to the dead woman and turned back to her captain, a slight frown on her face. "Dasin- Takama was a good warrior. In the coming battle that we will wage, we could have used her skill and expertise."
A cruel smiled carved Suleyman-Tansu's lips. She nudged her horse over to the body and yanked her spear out as flecks of blood marred the once pristine sand. "Are you questioning my actions?" she asked softly.
"No," Guraya-Hennu bowed her head in what she hoped would be interpreted as submission.
Suleyman-Tansu was pleased by the other woman's actions and in her boldness, a plan formulated in her mind. "Come my sisters, join me in the hunt and by nightfall we shall feast on the hearts of our dead enemies. This group of Medjai is crippled, and we can easily catch up to them and destroy them. We shall send their rotting corpses back to the infamous Chieftain Bay as a token of our gratitude. After all, he has so graciously provided us with a commander and sub-commander as trophies for our queen."
The Hunud warriors roared in approval and as one, their horses surged forward, flooding across the desert plains like a black wave of evil. They headed towards the Tuareg encampment, and none spared a glance back at the body of the fallen Dasin-Takama except for Guraya-Hennu.
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"Where is Reyhan?" Nabil asked Jarille as he stood at the foot of the empty pallet. A strange feeling warned him that something was wrong, fueling his concern and making him even more anxious to see his brother. He tried to override his feelings of foreboding but found it only made him more impatient.
"Reyhan was taken by Muhjah-Aji for a walk several hours ago," Jarille replied. "I had asked Reyhan to see me once they returned so I could examine his shoulder wound. It is not healing properly and I fear I may have to resort to more aggressive measures in his treatment."
"Then why did you let them go?" Nabil demanded and shoved a hand through his hair in frustration. "Did you even think to send someone out to look for them?"
Jarille bristled slightly at the subtle insinuation in Nabil's tone of voice. "Your brother was quite adamant in his desire for exercise, and I saw no harm in granting his request. Muhjah-Aji is a trusted aide and will bring Reyhan back in a timely manner."
"But what do we know of this woman, Muhjah-Aji, who tends to him?"
"Timely manner?" Nabil repeated incredulously as the panic that had seized his heart continued to grow. Reyhan had been missing for hours...very little was known about his caregiver...and the Hunud waited like vultures outside the city, circling over their prey.
"Pardon the intrusion, Jarille but there is a vial missing from shelves," a helper spoke up. "We did an inventory as you had suggested and discovered it was gone."
Jarille thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "Now that is indeed strange, for I know all the vials were accounted for prior to Muhjah-Aji..."
Nabil didn't want to hear the rest of Jarille's ruminations, and ran from the building as if a thousand mummies were chasing him. He was afraid to confirm the dread that spiraled through him, unwilling to acknowledge the horrifying conclusion that Reyhan was missing.
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It was easy enough for Muhjah-Aji to ignore the pastel beauty of the evening sky as the wagon continued its westward trek towards the Hunud encampment. It was simple to avert her eyes and miss seeing the brilliant colors of orange, pink, blue and haunting gray as she continued to convince herself that she had done well in performing her task.
She had little difficulty in changing into her armor during the ride, and seeing the crimson stain of the red hand on the breastplate with its diagonal slash of gold through the middle reminded her of her skill as an assassin. By midnight, when the moon was at its fullest, two more slashes would be added, signifying her success.
So why did this particular assignment bother her? She had grown used to her queen's mercurial mood swings, and never questioned the motive behind the release of the Medjai only to capture him again. Markunda-Tagwizult loved to exercise her power as a constant reminder to those beneath her, and took great delight in sending out her leagues of assassins to do her bidding.
Why did her gaze wander back to stare at the motionless burlap sack as memories of the time spent with the warrior encased therein teased her with a warmth that flooded her troubled heart?
"It does not matter," Muhjah-Aji muttered and shifted in the seat, folding her arms across her chest.
"You are silent this evening. Does your success not please you?" Igmi Ben- Bella casually remarked and glanced speculatively at Muhjah-Aji. He tightened his grip on the reins as the wagon traveled over a small patch of rocky terrain, contemplating his years of service to the Rwalla-Hunud.
It seemed a shame that the gold coin, paid to him for his services, spent just as easily as if it came from another client. If not for his responsibilities as his family's provider, and his fatherly affection for Muhjah-Aji, he would never approach the Hunud for work again.
"Just drive the wagon and leave me to my thoughts," Muhjah-Aji snapped.
Igmi was undaunted by Muhjah-Aji's surliness and continued. "You know what will happen to him once we arrive? They will give him to the priestesses who will certainly torture him first, aggravating his wound and undoubtedly adding new ones. And when the moon is at its fullest, the queen will call upon you to slit his throat and offer his blood to the gods. You should be honored to have been chosen to perform this ritual."
"I already know what will happen, I have seen this performed before," Muhjah-Aji informed him, inwardly horrified as the images of Reyhan dying came to mind. "Nothing is different."
"Everything is different," Igmi argued, aware of Muhjah-Aji's stay in the Medjai city. "With this assignment you came to know your prey, he has a name, he is a person with a life and has honor as a warrior. I wonder how this additional knowledge will affect the steadiness of your hand tonight."
"I am bringing a killer to justice, as dictated by my queen. My hand will not waver nor will I falter in my duty so please end this absurd conversation, and just drive the wagon." Muhjah-Aji thought it strange that she didn't sound very unconvincing.
"As you wish," Igmi conceded with a sigh. Impulsively he decided to linger at the Hunud encampment tonight, giving into the nagging suspicion that Muhjah-Aji was going to need him.
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Talib, Zaki, Solman and Uthmann-Dunoud raced through the gleaming hallways of the castle in search of Ardeth, determined to be granted an audience with him despite the late hour.
Abdul-Hafiz tried to stop the warriors when they appeared outside of Ardeth's private suite but no amount of cajoling or coaxing could dissuade them. "At least have the decency to change your robes before you present yourselves to your chieftain," he pleaded. His nose wrinkled in distaste when he caught the pungent aroma of the strange young man standing near Talib.
"Time is our enemy at the moment, Counselor, and we must speak to Ardeth at once. The news we bring could end this war," Talib stated.
"Nabil will no longer be alone, and his brother would be free." Solman interjected, certain that his opinion would sway Abdul-Hafiz into helping them.
"Aiwa but..." Abdul-Hafiz took a step away from the stranger and curbed the desire to hide his face in the sleeve of his robe. "Ardeth has left explicit orders not to be disturbed..."
The double doors to the suite suddenly swung open with such force that they bounced against the wall. Ardeth stood in the threshold, dressed in his warrior attire and looking like the dark angel of death. The expression on his face gave little indication to his mood but his eyes blazed with the fires of anger and frustration; the disagreement with Nabil was still fresh in his mind.
"I no longer wish to rest but am most anxious to hear what Talib has to say," he almost growled and stood to one side, gesturing for the warriors to enter his chambers.
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A/N – Thanks for the reviews but if you think some warriors are safe...guess again. I told you the ride would get bumpy. [eg] I won't give away too much but after reading this, does anyone want to see Suleyman-Tansu get her comeuppance? ;-)
Shout-outs:
Karri – Painful and rude but I thank ye for the compliment. Thanks for reading and reviewing. [big smile]
Dawn369 – Jericho is weak indeed but hopefully he'll get some medical treatment soon. As for Muhjah, I believe her love for Reyhan will eventually make her come to her senses...I hope. Thanks for reading!
SerenaFehr – When Reyhan wakes up, will his hatred for Muhjah outweigh his love for her? Reyhan is a lot like Nabi – they remember those that hurt them for a very long time. I guess we'll have to see...
TheDreamyOne – Thanks for the review and judging by the comments, Muhjah's betrayal doesn't sit well with everyone. Nabil will do anything to save Reyhan and what he'll do could be considered suicidal.
The Kidd Mdd – For you to feel that strongly about Muhjah...I thank you for the kind words. I'm glad she was able to get under your nails, thus the chipped polish. LOL Dharr's fate hangs in the balance, and as for the picture...well I wish I could find one that fits him. I picture him to be long and lean, with this long curly hair [that he hates by the way and wishes he had straight hair. ;-)] and sherry colored eyes. Dharr's a sweety so don't worry about his fate...oh and a good thing you love rollercoaster rides. Ha!
Desperate- Ahhhh, I hope you know I was joking around in my response to your review. But I am quite serious about you contacting me...I've often said that my inspiration comes from reviews or emails. Perhaps my "The Other Side" muse would like to hear some of your idea's. ;-)
LadyBug1 – Don't dance too much, you know me, I have my evil reputation to live up to. And at this point, no one likes Muhjah-Aji...lol! Thanks for reading.