More Tales of the Southern Kingdoms (One Volume Edition)

by Barbara G. Tarn

  At least, being alone with the servants, he didn't have well-meaning young ladies trying to console him. And the coast was cooler than inland Agharek. And there were less memories of Zoya around, since he hadn't been to the beach mansion with her.

  A legacy from his father, he had spent the hotter months of his childhood there with his siblings – Nadirah, Kashaf and Jarita – and his parents, but hadn't gone back since his wedding day. Zoya was a city woman and she didn't like walking on the sand.

  She had been the most beautiful woman of Agharek, in Harithik's opinion. Her curly black hair flew around her when she danced – and they both loved dancing. They had met at a celebration where people danced in the streets. They had continued to dance in the palaces of Agharek and at their wedding banquet. They wanted to dance through life together – but then something had gone wrong with her latest pregnancy and the midwives couldn't save her or the baby.

  Thus here he was, alone with two boys, and all the light had gone out from his life. Her bronze complexion would never ever create contrast against his pale skin. Her voluptuous body would never ever nestle against his at night.

  Of course he'd find another woman eventually, but right now he only wanted to curl up and cry. Maybe on the beach itself and wait for the tide to take him away.

  He owed it to Radhwan and Ramjee to stay alive, though. His boys still needed a father. The loss of their mother was already affecting them. He should gather himself and go back to Agharek, or at least bring them here. He was starting to miss them. Maybe with them he'd be able to cope with the loss – away from the capital.

  He saw dolphins jumping out of water. The boys would love to watch them and maybe get to play with them. He had played with dolphins in his childhood. Some of them even took human form – their appearance even paler than his – and called themselves Waiora, but he could never tell from the sea mammal form if it was a dolphin-dolphin or a Waiora in dolphin form.

  Yes, he should definitely go and pick the boys up from Agharek. They would enjoy the change of scenery, the freedom of open air life and the sun giving them a hue closer to their mother's.

  He had been happy at the beach mansion, they could be happy too, even without her. He'd keep them out of the tropical forest that almost reached the sea like his father had done with him, of course. The jungle was dangerous and they were too young to go on their first hunt, but they could play on the beach and explore the surroundings and...

  It must be very hot in Agharek right now. Even though there were no other children of their status around at the mansion, Harithik thought he could busy himself with his sons. Maybe he'd feel less lonely, even at night, especially if he allowed them in his empty bed.

  Although Radhwan was already ten and Ramjee seven. There had been two little girls, but they didn't survive infancy. And then there had been the boy who had taken Zoya's life...

  The mansion was in sight, a white building with flat roofs and small windows covered with curtains to keep the heat out of the house. The luxuriant forest loomed beyond the building and sometimes seemed to want to engulf the house.

  Harithik walked faster to reach the shade of his walls and organize the trip to Agharek to get the children.

  ***

  Olayinka stared at the waves and wondered what to do. There was no going back. She had reached the coast of her father's empire and now she must find a way to get away from it. The King Dragon of Azhar Aswad had united all the tribes of Nera under him, founding the first Black Empire. Which meant she must leave the country by sea if she wanted to get away from him, and the husband he had chosen for her.

  She may be an unruly princess, like her father had screamed at her, but she wasn't going to let him dictate her life. She still couldn't believe the new racial laws her father had introduced. After unifying under his rule all the tribes of Nera against the "white pest", the newly crowned emperor had expelled all the white-skinned merchants. Whoever didn't leave fast enough was arrested and taken into slavery.

  Some had run away, some had tried to come back with armies of their original kingdoms, but the fleets couldn't penetrate Nera and were quickly bounced back to where they had come from.

  The black rulers became harsher with their white slaves. There were plenty at the palace of Azhar Aswad, although all the nobles or ambassadors of foreign countries were gone.

  Olayinka had grown up in a small but powerful kingdom open to trade, and suddenly had found herself in a closed and bigoted empire. She had never been meek like her sister Urenna and she had always considered all humans equals, no matter the color of their skin. Her friends had great variety of complexions, from her own sepia to ochre and tawny. She had never looked down with contempt on anyone, unless the person showed lack of respect for life.

  And then she had fallen in love. His kisses were sweet, his eyes the color of the sky, his hair like gold. He'd come from the Kaden Kingdom of Paadre, a fair-skinned merchant's son who had been allowed at the court until the new laws passed. They had met in the palace gardens and fallen into each other's arms. She was twenty-three and head over heels for him.

  And then her father had become emperor and expelled all the white people from the city and the lands... Roger had stayed, saying, "Better stay as a slave than not see you ever again." He had been stripped of his belongings and sent to the kitchens, supposedly never showing his face in the great hall ever again.

  But he was still at the palace. They had kept seeing each other in secret. He made love to her as often as he could – and then she found herself pregnant. Being unmarried, her father screamed at her and almost disowned her.

  Olayinka's mistake had been to try to save the ones who had stayed behind for various reasons. To her father's dismay, she had become the protector of the white people. She'd been fighting for them for almost two years, refusing to marry other black lords to strengthen her father's power.

  And when she gave birth to a baby with a fawn coloring, her father's fury was unstoppable. He killed the baby and forced her to tell him who the father was. And then he killed Roger under her eyes and told her she'd have to marry Demissie, the destroyer, also known as Abrafo, the executioner...

  The anger and sorrow of losing her baby and her man had pushed her over the edge. She wasn't going to obey. She wasn't going to marry a violent black man who would "tame" her, in her father's words. She left under the moonlight, wearing only her clothes and her jewelry.

  Her breasts were lactating as if her baby boy was still with her. She pumped out some of the milk by hand and placed washed, raw and cold cabbage leaves inside her bra to reduce milk production, as suggested by her midwife. She still wished her baby would unburden her body in a more natural way.

  She had walked along the river up to the coast, but now she was at loss about what to do. No foreign ships were approaching Nera's coast anymore.

  How could she leave her father's empire before his warriors caught up with her and took her back to Azhar Aswad? She already had to hide as mounted men passed back and forth on the river shore, obviously looking for her.

  Olayinka sighed and looked around the golden sandy expanse. It was almost sunset. She must find a place to rest and then decide which way to keep walking in the hope of finding a way off her father's empire.

  ***

  The hustle and bustle of Agharek grated on Harithik's nerves as soon as he got off the ship. He told the captain and crew that he'd be back almost immediately, so they waited for him onboard, barely refurbishing the ship for the journey back to the sea.

  Agharek was on a river shore and Harithik's home was blissfully close to the fluvial port, unlike the royal palace. Being a big white palace, he had shared it with his siblings, therefore the children were still there with his sister.

  The doorkeeper beamed at the sight of him, and said Radhwan and Ramjee had missed him.

  "Will you stay, my lord?" he asked, hopeful.

  "No, I'm taking them to the beach house," he answered heading for the ma
rble staircase that led to the upper floor and the private apartments.

  Jarita had moved to her husband's house, but Nadirah had divorced her unfaithful and violent husband, therefore she had gone back to her family house with her three children. Kashaf and his wife Saira had their own apartment and so had Harithik. The children all slept in a nursery up to ten years old, so he'd have to take Radhwan away soon anyway, to give him his own room.

  The boys were overjoyed to see him and rushed to hug him. Nadirah was in the room and she smiled at him, cuddling her smallest, little Haleem who was falling asleep. She had the same gray-green eyes and pale complexion that he had, and she had braided her brown hair with coral beads.

  "I don't want to stay here," Harithik told her. "I'm taking them to the beach house down on the coast."

  Nadirah stared puzzled at him. "Would you mind some company?" she asked.

  She was divorced, he was a widower. Maybe they could raise their children together on the ocean shores.

  "How long would it take you to pack?" he replied with a half-smile.

  "Not long." She grinned and put down sleeping Haleem.

  Two hours later the siblings with five children in tow went back to the ship waiting for Harithik. Radhwan and Ramjee were very excited at the thought of seeing the house on the beach they had heard so much about from their father and aunt. Their happy chatter kept Harithik's mind busy and he exchanged tired smiles with his sister every now and then.

  She must be sick of Agharek too. Her divorce had been a big scandal a year earlier, since her father had married her to a rich and powerful lord. Except Hadir de Sayek had proved himself unworthy, especially as soon as his father-in-law had died.

  Opium made him unstable and often violent towards his wife and children, and Nadirah had requested a divorce at the temple of Zindagi, the Goddess of Life, on the grounds that he threatened the life of his own family. The priests of Zindagi had granted the divorce, but Hadir and his relatives had made quite a fuss, even though Nadirah was first cousin to King Kunal.

  Both Nadirah and Harithik felt they badly needed a break from the city and its intrigues, albeit for different reasons. Both were happy to go back to happier memories of their childhood and pass on to their children the love for the mansion on the beach, with its garden and palm trees and the quiet of a secluded place.

  Harithik still went for long walks along the sandy expanse, but when he got home, his sons kept him busy with their questions and discoveries. They often played in the waves all together – with their cousins and aunt – and sometimes the dolphins approached them to join the fun.

  "Time will heal us," Nadirah said one night as she watched the starry sky from the inner garden with her brother. "Maybe one day we'll marry again."

  "You had an arranged marriage," Harithik replied mournfully. "I was madly in love. I lost her too early."

  "I miss Zoya too, Harithik. She was my favorite sister-in-law, always so smiling and cheerful... She brought light into my darkness!"

  Harithik sighed. "Sometimes I fear the sun will never rise again..."

  "It will rise again, my dear brother. Have faith. Zindagi will bring you a new life with a new woman soon."

  "She didn't really bring you a new man," Harithik said. Zindagi had brought a new life to his sister, but she hadn't saved his Zoya. He wasn't very happy with the goddess at the moment.

  Nadirah leaned towards him. "Harithik, dear, women are more independent than you think," she whispered with an impish smile. "I don't need another man to mess up my life. That's why Zindagi hasn't sent anyone. I don't want anyone. But you obviously need someone, so ask Zindagi to send you someone."

  "She hasn't really listened to my prayers before," Harithik grumbled with a lump in his throat.

  "Women die in childbirth every day." Nadirah sighed. "I'm sure Zindagi mourns each and every one of them. Don't blame her for Zoya's passing, though. She's not always the strongest of our gods."

  Harithik frowned but nodded. Nadirah was right. He should stop mourning and ask Zindagi to send him a new mother for his children. The boys and himself badly needed a female figure by their side.

  ***

  Olayinka awoke with the sound of birds. She had found a thicket and laid down by a hibiscus shrub. The sun was high and she stretched her limbs before going to look for food. She found coconuts that would be enough for now.

  She had eaten only fruit since she'd run away from Azhar Aswad. She needed to change her diet, but didn't dare approach the few villages she'd seen on the way, just in case they reported her to the emperor.

  One week out in the wild on her own was taking its toll on her. She leaned to drink from a pond of freshwater, then headed back for the beach, following it towards the north. From the few maps Roger had shown her, the closest coast was further north, the continent of Varia, the kingdom of Akkora.

  Olayinka had helped an Akkoran merchant to escape slavery and he also had mentioned that the Akkoran southernmost coast wasn't too far from Nera – although swimming probably wasn't a good idea. But maybe a ship of Akkorans might pass by and take her onboard.

  Since there was less shade on the coast, Olayinka decided to start walking at night and sleep during the day, in the hottest hours. She'd find a thicket or rocks that protected her from the scorching sun and resume walking when the sun was setting behind the mountains of Nera. She liked how it rose from the sea in the east and vanished behind the highest peaks in the west.

  She didn't have any weapons except a dagger tied to her thigh and hidden under her long and colorful gown, but she eventually manufactured a bamboo lance and tried to catch some fish either in small bays or in freshwater ponds to vary her diet of fruit. Finding dry wood to light a fire wasn't too hard, so she could cook the fish before eating it.

  Another seven days went by and she reached the outskirts of Husayn, the town where Urenna had married. Olayinka hesitated before heading for the stone building where her sister lived. She hadn't seen her in five years, since Urenna got married, and wasn't sure whose side she'd be on. But she was tired and wanted to eat and sleep properly, if only for a night, so she decided to knock on Urenna's husband's door.

  The white servant who opened the door had come from the palace of Azhar Aswad and his eyes widened in surprise.

  "Hello, Nicholas, I'm here to see my sister, if possible in secret," she said.

  He gulped and nodded, letting her in and taking her to the servants' quarters. She found others that she knew and some new slaves, but all had heard of what she had done for the white people when her father had taken power.

  Nicholas came back with Urenna who frowned at her.

  "Olayinka! What have you done this time?"

  "Hello, Urenna, I'm asking only for food and a bed for tonight, then I'll be out of your house and your life forever," she answered, staring at her sister. They had the same luscious lips and broad noses, the same sepia skin and gossamer hair, although Olayinka kept it in a box braided and beaded hairstyle while Urenna had it in long twist braids with side cornrows decorated with pearls and corals.

  "You ran away from Azhar Aswad?" Urenna asked, incredulous. "Why?"

  "Because Father killed Roger and wanted me to marry Demissie."

  "The Abrafo?" Urenna shook her head and sighed. "Sounds like a punishing marriage for you."

  "It is. I dared breed with a white-skinned slave, Demissie is supposed to tame me," Olayinka answered with scorn.

  "Oh, little sister, you're always in trouble!" Still, Urenna hugged her. "Nicholas and the others will take care of you. I will not tell my husband that I saw you. Make sure you leave as soon as possible. You know how much he respects our father, and he probably knows the emperor wants you back."

  "Thank you, Urenna." Olayinka squeezed her, then let her go. "Are you happy?"

  Urenna caressed her braids, looking sad now.

  "Olayinka, we're princesses, we're not supposed to be happy. We're supposed to do our father's bidding."


  "You will always be Father's Pride," Olayinka replied. "And I'll always be the one who Brings Salvation. In this case to myself. I don't want to die in the arms of a violent man."

  "Where will you go?" Urenna asked, worried.

  "Towards the north. Sooner or later I'll be close enough to the Akkoran coast to find passage away from Nera..."

  ***

  Harithik had made a tent with bedsheets inside his bedroom, with plush cushions on the floor. The boys loved to imagine they were nomads and that they had planted their tent in the middle of a desert. They could have done it in the garden, but it felt safer – and cooler – inside the house.

  Radhwan and Ramjee had fallen asleep after lunch and Harithik liked watching them sleep. Radhwan looked like him but had his mother's bronze skin, while Ramjee had his mother's long eyelashes and sweet smile. Zoya had left something of herself in both of them, and Harithik was starting to fear he'd lose the boys as well.

  Nadirah put in her head and smiled. She signaled to him that he follow her and they went to sit in the garden, under the shadows of tamarisks and fig trees.

  "Mine are asleep too," she said as a servant brought them fresh fruit juices. "I've been thinking we should take them to see the ruins of the old city, you know, like our parents took us every now and then."

  "When they ran out of things for us to do." Harithik smiled. "It's a day trip and might keep them busy for longer. They're getting used to being here, and they're almost done with exploring the house, so... I guess we could do that."

  "And there's the market in Akulina as well. That's also a day trip." Nadirah pondered. "We're not really known in Akulina, so nobody will bother us."

  "They might think we're husband and wife instead of brother and sister," Harithik said. "Yes, we could go to Akulina as well. Tell me it's not just to visit the temple of Zindagi there, though..."

  "We could buy something to make a little altar here," Nadirah replied, amused. "I still think you should pray to her..."