Part XVIIII
Eight horses appeared in the opening, and trotted down through the pathway that suddenly appeared in the enraged throng of Rwalla-Hunud. Howls of indignation rose in the air and the enemy, their war spears leveled with the ground, closed ranks once the riders had passed through. It appeared that more than one would die this night.
Markunda-Tagwizult stood up and silenced her warriors with a flick of her hand, her brow furrowing with confusion at the untimely interruption. Curious, she stepped forward regardless of the whispered warnings from her officers and stared down at what appeared to be the leader of the riders. One eyebrow arched up in mild surprise when his hands gave the ancient sign for peace. Despite her warriors' growls of disapproval, she decided to grant the unexpected visitors an audience, silently commanding that they be allowed to approach the platform.
"This is an outrage," Tizemet-Bahac fumed. "Their presence here goes against the code of the Hunud and I demand..."
Markunda-Tagwizult almost smiled when she heard the warrior effectively silenced by a blow to her midsection from a superior. "Silence, young one. Watch and learn before you act," she hissed, her black gaze darting from man to man. What tribe were they from? Why were they here and most importantly, did they all harbor a wish to die?
"As always, you are most wise, my queen," Tizemet-Bahac murmured.
Markunda-Tagwizult ignored the warrior's simpering and turned her attention back to the puzzle that had just been abruptly presented. She returned the sign for peace and added an additional signal, smiling when her warriors crowded closer.
"Who are you?" she called out to the riders.
"Peace be upon you, Queen of the Rwalla-Hunud," the leader called back. "Ana ismee Commander Nabil al Fa'ud, Tribe of the Fifth. I have come for one of my own, and I demand the release of the warrior Reyhan Abbasi. He is innocent of any charges."
Markunda-Tagwizult had to wait for the wild yelling from the crowd to die down before she could reply. The audacity of the warrior had impressed her and for a few more moments, she would let them live. "You are either very courageous or dim-witted to have come into my stronghold, Medjai, without an army of your own to protect you. As the lives of you and your men hang in the balance, convince me why I should comply with your demands."
"Was he supposed to reveal our identities so soon?" Haytham muttered to Zaki and was immediately hushed.
"Has the Rwalla-Hunud degenerated to the point where killing an innocent man has become sport?" Nabil asked as he pulled down his face covering, proudly displaying his sacred marks.
A long hiss of hatred spiraled through the crowd and again, Markunda- Tagwizult signaled for silence. "Your warrior killed a Hunud, and I have a witness who saw the whole thing," she stated and gestured to Tizemet-Bahac.
"Then we are at a stalemate, for I too have a witness who saw what happened to Tabari-Yervant. And I believe that his claim is vastly different from what you have been led to believe, oh mighty queen," Nabil replied.
A sudden commotion came from behind Markunda-Tagwizult and she wasn't surprised to find Damya-Ultafa standing beside her. "There is a new witness? Someone else who saw my son die?" she asked.
"There is no one else..." Tizemet-Bahac snarled. She started to say more but her companion silenced her with a shake of her head.
Markunda-Tagwizult glanced back at the warrior and her eyes narrowed in thought. She turned back to the commander and warily watched as her warriors continued to grow restless; to deny the killing made them restless and edgy. "Where is your so-called witness, Medjai? Can he give undisputable proof and manage to restrain my warriors from demanding Abbasi's death?"
Ardeth almost smiled as he looked at Nabil; he turned in his saddle and motioned for the last rider to come forward.
"Aiwa," Nabil replied confidently.
"The word of another Medjai holds no weight here!" someone from the platform shouted.
"He is not Medjai," Ardeth stated with a triumphant smile.
Nabil watched the queen's face as the rider removed his turban and covering; the haggard but defiant face of Uthmann-Dunoud was finally revealed.
"My queen," he said and respectfully bowed his head.
Markunda-Tagwizult sucked in a deep breath, and tried to regain her composure. The man who stood before her came from a respected family within the community, his years of service and devotion to the Hunud commendable. The validity of Tizemet-Bahac's report was now in jeopardy, but selfishly, Markunda-Tagwizult could only think of her own thwarted ambitions.
"Tell me what you saw," the queen demanded as she bent down to listen to Uthmann-Dunoud's tale.
Tizemet-Bahac chafed against the restraining arms of her friends and twisted free of their grasp. Enraged that her queen would debase herself to listen to a lowly man, she hurried over to the edge of the platform, her hand resting on the handle of her dagger concealed beneath her breastplate.
"All lies! Stories conjured up by this weak specimen of a man who wishes to sabotage your sovereignty, my queen." Tizemet-Bahac jabbed a finger in the direction of the Medjai and the traitor. "He seeks to undermine your position and once again assert men as the primary..."
"Silence!" Markunda-Tagwizult thundered and backhanded Tizemet-Bahac across the face. She ignored the stammered apology of the chastised warrior and brushed off her subordinates who clamored at her side. She stared down at the informant, and then looked up, her gaze sweeping across the temporarily subdued crowd. She could tell they were barely holding themselves in check; their restraint was slowly being shredded. The bare threads of it were all that remained and the only thing keeping the unexpected visitors alive.
"Are you loyal to me?" she asked as she turned back to Uthmann-Dunoud. "Can you give me proof, so that I can appease my captains?"
Uthmann-Dunoud nodded and opened his robes, carefully producing a dagger that he withdrew from its deep folds. He was aware that his actions could be perceived as a threat and wasn't surprised at the low growl of warning that rippled through the mob.
"You know my family, Majesty, and of the long years we have faithfully served you. You know I speak only the truth, just as you know the owner of this dagger," he said.
Markunda-Tagwizult uttered a curse and reached for the dagger along with Damya-Ultafa. She released her hold and stepped back, watching the other woman hold the weapon aloft; the flames of the fires caught the blade and made it wink evilly in the light.
"This cannot be," Damya-Ultafa whispered hoarsely. Her horrified gaze darted from the weapon back to the owner as comprehension slowly infiltrated her mind. "No warrior leaves their weapon behind in the body of an enemy. My son was not a threat...he was..."
"Impure," Tizemet-Bahac arrogantly stated and confronted the elder warrior. The chance to rectify her actions was at hand, and it was time to risk everything she and her companions had worked so hard for. She needed to prove to her queen that her motives were for the greater good, and not her personal gain. "That is my dagger, and I gladly admit it. Just as I willingly state for the record that I have started something others have dared not consider – the purging of our race. Tabari-Yervant was a product of weak blood; kill the offspring and the mother who birthed it!"
She paused in her tirade and raised a fist into the air, rallying her supporters. They emerged from the back of the crowd and stood behind Tizemet-Bahac, believing that their show of solidarity would gain additional support. Heartened by the display, she turned back to her queen, and felt supremely confident that the dawn would bring change to the hierarchy. "He should have never accepted the friendship of a Tuareg and Medjai; he should have killed them. We need to rid our nation of those who harbor such foolish notions; we must cleanse ourselves before we can take our rightful place within the hierarchy of the desert. We need..."
Tizemet-Bahac's eyes suddenly widened in surprise as blood started to seep from her mouth. She looked down at the barbed tip of a war spear protruding from her chest and she coughed, raising one trembling hand to touch the tip. It was jerked free and she crumpled to the ground with a small sigh, staring up with sightless eyes at the face of her killer.
"I need you to be silent!" Damya-Ultafa snarled and lowered the bloody tip of the spear.
Chaos erupted on the platform as other Hunud dragged Damya-Ultafa away from the queen, while her private guards sought to protect her from any more unexpected attacks. Markunda-Tagwizult allowed herself to be led away from the Medjai but she stopped after a few feet, eager to see the culmination of the evening.
"Get Reyhan!" Ardeth shouted to Nabil as he pulled his weapon free; the Hunud rushed forward with an angry roar.
Nabil urged his skittish horse over to the cross, and tried to control the nervous animal as he watched Muhjah-Aji spin around and start sawing on the ropes. His horse balked for a moment and reared back on its hind legs.
She glanced around the arena and then turned back to the task at hand; there was so little time. But she had made a promise and would do everything in her power to keep it.
Muhjah-Aji was going to save Reyhan...or die trying.
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"What do you see?" Sharif asked. The mixed regiments of Medjai and Tuareg stood poised at the end of the Hunud stronghold, and had been reluctant observers to the events that had transpired over the past hour.
"I see all hell breaking loose," Yousef exclaimed as he leaned forward in the saddle, adjusting the ancient telescope that had been confiscated from unsuspecting travelers several months ago. He lowered it and looked apologetically at Sharif and Makin. "It does not look good; however the element of surprise is our advantage."
"Tell the warriors to hold their positions until we gave the command," Sharif ordered a nearby warrior. "We will sweep down from the side and surprise the Hunud, cutting them off from the chase. I pray to Allah that we are in time."
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a/n – okay so I admit it, I am evil and have a reputation to live up too...thus it would appear that I've gone and left another cliffie. I'm bad. Plus I'm listening to the first LOTR cd when the Wraith's appear...Heh heh On to the shout-outs:
Karri – got your email, will respond and totally understand. Thanks! ;-) And yes, eeviill eeevilll cliffie from the evil one. Lol
Dawn369 – glad you liked this chapter, now tell me are you ready for the ride? IE Ardeth et al fleeing the Hunud? And just when I think I have Berin figured out, he goes and does something like taking care of Drevick...darn noble warrior. Lol Thanks for reading! ;-)
Nakhti – I have a chant for you but oddly enough, it's a composition of Elvish and Arabic, something I conjured up for a pending story. It calls for a wraith, much like the one's on LOTR. Mmmmm, maybe I shouldn't give it out. Hee hee And no, I'm not Hunud but you may think of something else to call me when I write a follow-up story to this called, "Shadows and Light." Ardeth's life is in danger from a most unlikely assassin and no, it's not the Hunud coming for revenge. Lol I see you've updated HN....bounces OooOoOOo...I shall go read and review as soon as I can.
Dreamy – ask and ye shall receive. Thanks for reading. [waves]
The kidd Mdd – aaah, scarabs all gone now, since I used "Scarab-Be-Gone" lol Berin is the bomb but I hope you'll still think kindly of me when..erm, never mind. The Hunud are some seriously twisted sisters and the fate of Reyhan's shoulder hangs in the balance, like his life. Guess you'll have to keep reading to see what happens, eh? [eg] Thanks for reading!
Ladybug1 – I'm glad you like the boys interaction, and how they relieved the tension. That carried over to the challenge you did, and I had to add on...I just had too! Lol I'm also quite pleased that your happy with Kedar et al...and perhaps after this story ends, I'll send them on a nice relaxing vacation. [eyes sequel to SOT]...um maybe not. lol