Flashback chapter.

Chapter 17 – The Bride and The daughter

...Many years ago...

10 year old Aisha was sitting in the kitchen eating a mango when her father called for her. She looked up in worry at the sound of his voice, knowing that whatever he wanted would be unpleasant for her .

"Your father is calling," the housekeeper reminded her. Aisha nodded quietly, finished her milk in one swift movement; stood up, put her earings on, straightened her skirt and went to the main room where her father was.

To Aisha's surprise her father wasn't alone. Next to him was a girl. She looked feral and poor; she wasn't even wearing any earings. She was wearing a grey simple dress which was slightly too short as if she had grown out and she was thin as if she had never had enough food. She had a rope tied around her wrist that Aisha's father was holding.

"Aisha," her father said and beckoned her to move closer, "this is Naishe. She is going to be my wife and your new mother."

"My new... mother?" Aisha repeated questioningly. The girl standing next to her father looked annoyed and scared at the same time; Aisha was a child but realised that this Naishe would never be anyone's mother.

"Yes," Luis replied impatiently, "but my new bride is... in need of a bath and some new clothes. I was thinking you could help her pick out something appropriate, yes? You're free to take something out of your mother's wardrobe."

"But father!" Aisha wanted to complain, "not mother's..." but Luis silenced her by just lifting his hand.

"No complaints, here," he tossed her the rope, "if she causes trouble, call for one of the guards." Then Luis turned around and left; leaving an uncomfortable Aisha and a pissed-off future pirate.

Aisha turned to the other girl, wondering what to do.

"You can use the bath in my room," she said but Naishe just replied with a roll of her eyes, "don't run away, okay? My father can get very angry." Aisha continued as she went forward and removed the rope from the other girl's wrist. Her wrist was so thin.

"When you have taken a bath," Aisha said quietly, "you can have some food; you look hungry."

"Whatever you say," Naishe replied without emotion.

"Umm..." Aisha didn't know what to do, "this way." And to the girl's relief, Naishe followed her up the stairs.

The bath was soon prepared and Aisha helped Naishe out of her dress and into the bath. Naishe was so thin her ribs were showing and even though she was at least fourteen years of age, her body was more girl than woman.

"It smells nice," Naishe suddenly said as she sank into the water.

…

Naishe's mind was racing. She was scared at what her new life would entail, she was furious at her mother for selling her and she felt intense hatred for the man who had bought her and the stupid daughter of his. But the bath was nice and calmed her agitaded heart. When the girl handed her a towel she took it without complaint; and she also accepted the blue dress that Aisha gave her. Once Naishe was dressed, Aisha asked her if she was hungry.

"Of course," Naishe replied, "in a house like this you must be rolling in bread and..."

"Mango," Aisha piped up before she could stop herself.

The other girl looked at her with disdain.

"Mango?"

"Yes, mango," Aisha replied, "my father bought a whole barrell of them yesterday. I love mangos. Do you have any favourite fruits?"

"Whisky," Naishe replied, "trying to make friends, little girl? Don't bother."

Naishe felt silly when she was actually served whisky later, sitting at a table in the kitchen with Aisha. She had been joking, never actually tried the substance before. Oh well, she thought to herself, might as well try it. It tasted horrendous, she found as she swallowed the bitter liquid. To her joy, however, she found the liquid warming her stomach; making her feel better, safer. Aisha was sitting next to her, eating a mango with little sounds of joy and satisfaction. Naishe suddenly felt sorry for the girl, it wasn't her fault who her father was.

"You should be careful you know," Aisha looked up, surprised that Naishe was talking with her, "you have been eating too much mango, your eyes have the same colour as the flesh. If you eat more you might turn into one."

…6 years later...

"There you are," Naishe said to her friend when finally finding her out on the field, sitting behind a big rock that was shielding her from the wind. Aisha looked up and quickly hid her notebook and quill.

"What are you writing?" Naishe continued and reached out to grab the girl's notebook, "hey, we don't keep secrets do we?"

Aisha stood up and started running and shrieking.

"Haha," she called, "catch me if you can!"

But Naishe was both stronger and faster and soon caught her, the both of them tumbling in the grass.

"No!" Aisha called as Naishe grabbed her notebook and opened it, still holding one hand to Aisha's chest and keeping her down.

"When I see you, my heart shines... Aisha! Is this... love poetry?"

"Don't tease me, okay? I just felt like writing."

Naishe continued chuckling but no longer in a cruel way; she laid back in the grass and handed the book back to the other girl.

"It's good to be writing, sweet thing," soon to be pirate yawned.

"Well, I'm not very good at it," Aisha answered and laid back in the grass too, looking up in the sky.

"You could be worse," Naishe said but then added in a teasing tone, "I can help. When I think of you I melt like a fat man in hot weather."

"Naishe!"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to bring your father into this," that earned her a slap on the arm.

"How about this," Aisha said, "when I see you I loose my appetite."

"Your smile reminds me of darkspawn!"

"The sight of you turns my stomach."

"Your nosehair is like silk."

"Haha, stop it," Aisha eventually exclaimed, " you will make me swear of writing for all eternity."

"Don't say that sweet thing," Naishe said softly and turned her head at her friend. Aisha was looking happy but then worry filled her face.

"Father says it is time for me to marry soon."

Naishe rolled to her side and grabbed Aisha's hand.

"I'll try to talk with him," she said even though her stomach turned at the thought but she had to for Aisha. She remembered her own wedding night; the remembered the pain and the humiliation. Naishe had known instinctively that that's not all there was to sex and she had several times with different people had that thought confirmed. The thought that sweet, innocent Aisha would have to go through something like that caused Naishe's heart to ache.

…

Isabela was awoken by a soft kiss on her lips, accompanied by the smell of booze and a nervous giggle. She opened her eyes and were met with the sight of Aisha, her hair messy and wearing only her nightdress.

"Aisha, what..." but she was silenced by a clumsy push of Aisha's lips on her.

"Shh," Aisha said, "please, just... teach me... Naishe, please teach me."

Naishe sat up and pulled the girl next to her on the bed.

"Be quiet you goose," she whispered, "you don't want your father to find you drunk in his wife's bedroom. What is wrong?"

"I don't..." Aisha started crying, "Before I marry, I want you to teach me."

"Teach you what?" Naishe asked but she feared she already knew.

"Teach me to kiss and to touch," Aisha's said, her voice suddenly clearer, "I'm not stupid, I know that you have been with more people than my father, I know you know how to..." she didn't continue because Naishe understood.

"I can't just..."

"Naishe," Aisha begged, "I... I don't want to be sold into marriage without knowing your touch." Then she looked down, wondering how much of a fool she had made of herself. She was scared of her future wedding-night and she would like to be a bit prepared, that was all true but more than anything she wanted to know what Naishe was like. She wanted to wrap herself in her love, and know her kisses and her touch.

"Sweet heart," it was Naishe's voice but Aisha didn't dare to look up. Her breathing was strained and her heart was beating its way up to her head; her face was burning. This was a stupid idea. Then Naishe grabbed her chin, jacked it upwards and kissed her. Naishe wanted to make her happy again, so she gave the only thing she knew how to give.