More Tales of the Southern Kingdoms (One Volume Edition)

by Barbara G. Tarn

  "I don't need a temple to pray," he retorted. "So, where to first? Akulina or the ruins?"

  ***

  Sleeping in a real bed didn't make her rest better. Olayinka awoke after bad dreams and restless sleep, but determined to keep going. Nicholas gave her a note from her sister in the kitchen while she had sage tea, to decrease her milk production, and flatbreads. Urenna had booked her a camel in a caravan going north. The caravan leader only knew he should drop her on the coast where a ship would take her to her father – of course there would be no ship at the drop point, but at least Olayinka could travel safely for a while.

  Olayinka scribbled a thank you note and went looking for the caravan that was gathering outside the walls of Husayn near the northern gate. She climbed on her camel and let it do the walking. At least at night she slept in a tent and didn't have trouble finding food.

  Seven days later the caravan dropped her on another beach and she gave the ebony-skinned leader one of her golden bangles in payment. She told him there was no need for him to wait for her father's ship, and shooed him on his way.

  He seemed reluctant to leave until someone spotted a sail approaching from the south. At that point the caravan resumed its journey. Olayinka frowned at the sight. Had Urenna betrayed her? Was it just another merchant ship?

  She decided to hide, just in case. She looked around and saw a rocky hill, an oasis further inland, and a couple of houses that looked empty. If the ship was really looking for her, they'd land and look for her in the most obvious places.

  She headed for the rocky hill and avoided any human construction. She hoped to get to the oasis for the night but for now, she'd rather hide. On the other side of the hill she found an opening between two rocks that offered some shade and sat there, waiting.

  She heard voices and people calling each other. It was indeed her father's ship and guards had disembarked to look for her. Nobody headed her way, though, and soon everything was quiet again except for the wind and the rolling waves.

  She left her hiding spot that was now in the sun and headed for the oasis, keeping an eye on the coast. The ship was no longer in sight. By late afternoon she saw it cruise back south slowly, and ducked behind rocks so they wouldn't see her from the deck.

  By nightfall she had left the oasis behind and hadn't run into the caravan camp yet. She slept on the beach, lolled by the waves song, out of reach of the tide. The sand was golden around her and it welcomed her body like a bed.

  When she awoke, a couple of very pale beings sat on the sand next to her. They wore tunics of a nacreous fabric – long for the woman, short for the man – and had no body hair. Brown hair and similar faces, their bright blue eyes stared at her.

  She sat, startled, and they smiled. They didn't look completely human.

  "Hello," the woman said. "Are you hiding from your own people?"

  "Yes... who are you?" Olayinka asked, feeling her heart beat faster. She had heard legends... could it be?

  "We are Waiora, Water's people," the man answered. "Our cousins from the river had told us there were troubles in Azhar Aswad. Aren't you Princess Olayinka?"

  "I am." She marveled at their knowledge. She was barely aware of the Water people and they knew everything about her. "I'm trying to get away from my father's empire."

  "No white men's ship will approach this coast," the woman said. "Thanks to your father's new racial laws."

  Olayinka shrugged. "There is only so much that I could do. I give up the fight. I only want to get away from here."

  "We will help you." The man smiled. "We will take you to the Akkoran coast. Are you ready for a long swim?"

  "Anything to get off Nera," she answered, determined.

  "You can hold on to us when you're tired," the woman said. "We will take dolphin form and you can hang from our dorsal fin."

  "We will also move the currents to push you forward faster," the man added. "Ready?"

  "Do you have anything to eat?" Olayinka asked. "I last ate yesterday morning and I'm quite starved... I'm afraid I won't make it if I don't eat."

  "Eating before diving might make you even sicker," the woman replied. "Come with us and in a couple of hours you can find food on the Akkoran coast."

  Still puzzled, Olayinka nodded and followed them into the water. She was a good swimmer, but in the river that ran by Azhar Aswad or the pools of the palace gardens. The ocean's waves scared her a little, but the water seemed calmer around her.

  The two human-looking beings vanished underwater and two dolphins jumped out of the waves, swimming on both sides of her as if to protect her. She wasn't sure of where she was headed, so she just kept swimming, leaving the sandy beach behind.

  She lost track of time as she swam. When she felt tired, she floated, her hands on the backs of the dolphins. Sometimes she just let the current take her. Sometimes she grabbed the dolphins' dorsal fin and let them carry her – which was exhilarating but tiring.

  Finally they stopped to allow her to take a good look ahead. White sandy beaches and palm trees had a luxuriant forest looming right behind. She'd have to stay away from that jungle, lest some tiger decided to make her its meal.

  With a last effort, she made it to the mainland and rested on the beach for a moment, looking around. The two Waiora emerged in their human form again.

  "We're not sure where you want to be. If you go that way," they pointed to the left, giving their back to the sea, "there's a town called Akulina. If you go the other way," they pointed to the right, "there's only small villages and beach mansions."

  "Thank you." Olayinka bowed to them. "Now you can tell me. How much would it have taken me to cross the sea?"

  "Swimming? You wouldn't have made it," the woman answered with a smile. "As you can see, Nera's coast is out of sight."

  She gaped at their smiles. She bowed again, her voice failing her for another heartfelt thanks.

  "Good luck," the man said. "I hope you will be able to communicate with the Akkorans."

  "I have learned some foreign languages," she said. "There were ambassadors at my father's court before he became emperor... Thanks again for taking me here."

  The two Waiora waved good-bye and dived, vanishing into the ocean again. Olayinka sighed and looked around one more time. She better have some coconuts before she decided which way to go. The sun and the swim were taking a toll on her body and she headed for the closest palm trees.

  ***

  The market in Akulina was way too crowded for Harithik's tastes. The trip to the ruins had been funnier, although Ramjee had sprained his ankle while jumping from one crumbling wall to another. Not really his fault if the wall had given way under his light weight, but Harithik had to carry him home in his arms.

  Now the little one was in bed with his ankle bandaged, and his brother and cousins surrounded him. Harithik felt the need for fresh air, so he left Nadirah in charge and headed out for a solitary walk on the beach.

  He missed Zoya again. While he tried to calm Ramjee's sobs, he had felt the loss more than ever. She would have known what to tell the boy, although he'd still have to carry him home, since Ramjee was now too big for his mother's arms.

  Nadirah's help wasn't enough to raise his – and her – children. He must find someone else. Maybe he should hire a nanny, because he really couldn't bring himself to marry again yet.

  The sun was high and he'd left his turban at the house once more. He thought it was a mirage when he saw Zoya walking towards him. His heart jumped in his throat as he stopped, incredulous, but then he focused on the figure and saw it was indeed a woman, with sepia skin and box braided hair who was slowly walking with her eyes on the sea.

  As soon as he realized the woman was real, he resumed walking, now curious to hear who she was. He assumed she came from Nera because of her skin tone, but he hadn't seen any ship sailing by and he knew the new ruler of the Black Empire had interrupted all trade with other countries.

  In Akkora there were many people with darker skin, bu
t they still belonged to a different race from the predominant one in Nera. They had straight hair and less luscious lips and less flat noses and probably wouldn't fit in Nera more than the pale-skinned ones like Harithik.

  "Hello," he greeted when he was close enough, startling her.

  Her eyes widened and then narrowed again as she stopped dead in her tracks, studying him. He raised his hands and smiled, showing he had no weapons, and she seemed to relax.

  "Hello," she answered. "You Akkoran?"

  "Yes. I'm Harithik, I have a house further down the beach. You from Nera?"

  "Yes. Adetoun Olayinka of Azhar Aswad."

  Harithik pondered. "Adetoun" meant Princess. Azhar Aswad was the capital of the newly founded Black Empire.

  "Are you a daughter of the emperor?" he asked.

  "Dragon King of Azhar Aswad when I was little," she answered.

  "Yes, that's what he was called when I was little too," he said, switching to whatever he knew of the Neran language.

  Being the king's cousin meant he had studied foreign languages, and obviously so had she. She spoke some Akkoran and he spoke some Neran. They could probably communicate just fine.

  "I request political asylum," she said. "Should I go to Agharek?"

  "I'm the king's cousin, I can give you asylum for now," he replied. "Come."

  She eyed him warily, but followed him back to the mansion.

  "Are you hungry?" he asked. She nodded. "Sit, I will tell the kitchen we have a guest."

  He left her in the living room and went to the kitchen and to warn Nadirah as well. Then he went back to his guest who had sat down on one of the carpets and looked around with a worried frown on her face.

  Harithik could tell she was beautiful by her own people's standards. Her box braided hairstyle was a little ruffled, she must have been traveling for some time. What attracted him, though, was the melancholy in her big black eyes, as if she was hiding a sorrow as big as his.

  It felt rude to ask her immediately what had happened, so he waited until she ate her fill and seemed to relax a little. By then Nadirah had left the children with a servant and had joined them. Nadirah also spoke several languages, so there would be no problems there either.

  "Welcome to Akkora," Nadirah said. "I'm Nadirah, Harithik's sister. I'm afraid my brother didn't catch your name."

  Harithik blushed, but Nadirah was right. And he thought it would be rude to ask again.

  "Olayinka," the black princess answered. "You are cousins of King Kunal?"

  "Yes," Harithik answered, puzzled. "How do you know our king's name?"

  "I helped a slave to run away. He was from Akkora. Said his king's name was Kunal. I'm better with Kaden Kingdom language," she apologized.

  "You are quite good with Akkoran," Nadirah said with a smile. "Probably better than me with Neran."

  "There wasn't much communication before, there is even less now," Olayinka said mournfully. "My father is..." Words failed her. She looked angry now. "I tried to fight him, but he's much stronger!"

  "Unless you live in the Queendom of Maadre, I'm afraid you'll never have much power," Nadirah said. "Only there did they tame men into being very submissive to female rule. Even here, it's not that easy for a woman to have her way."

  "He wanted me to marry one of his lords who would tame me!" Olayinka sounded indignant.

  "I also had to marry someone chosen by my father," Nadirah replied. "Thank Zindagi, I was allowed to divorce him when he started beating me and our children."

  "So you divorced? And you?" Olayinka looked at Harithik.

  "Widower," he muttered, averting his eyes. He heard her sigh.

  "I consider myself widower too," she said. Her mistakes with the language were endearing. "I wasn't allowed to marry him, but he was..."

  "The one and only," Nadirah finished for her.

  "Yes."

  Harithik looked at her. Same loss, same melancholy, same sorrow. That was in her eyes and her sad demeanor. They were very similar.

  "Welcome to my house," he said. "I hope you will be able to start a new life here with us."

  "Do you have children?" she asked.

  "Yes, two boys. The youngest sprained his ankle and is now in bed until he heals."

  She seemed to brighten even though she didn't smile.

  "I would like to meet them..."

  Harithik and Nadirah exchanged a glance. Olayinka wasn't a threat. Maybe eventually she could join their extended family and tell them her story...

  ***

  Olayinka thought the Akkoran lord was quite handsome. Not as beautiful as Roger had been, but he had a princely air about him that reminded her that white people were not the savages depicted by her father.

  And the melancholy in his gray-green eyes resonated with her. They knew enough of each other's language to communicate, and hearing he was a widower made a lot of sense. He lived with his sister and they tried to raise their children together in the big house on the beach.

  Olayinka followed them to the children's room where she found five little ones between four and ten. Harithik's children were called Radhwan and Ramjee, the latter being the bedridden one. Nadirah had Radhesh, nine, Akila, six and little Haleem, four.

  Akila stared awed at her box braided hairstyle and Olayinka suggested – with her tentative Akkoran – the little girl touched her hair, even though it wasn't at its best after the journey and the swim across the sea. Akila glanced at her mother, then touched Olayinka's head quickly, as if she were afraid.

  Olayinka smiled and caressed the little girl's cheek. "You have beautiful hair too," she said. "One day I will braid you."

  Akila smiled and hid in her mother's arms. She must be very shy. The boys looked curious but not hostile. Harithik was explaining to them where she came from.

  "She is a princess," he told them gravely. "And we will give her shelter until she finds a better solution."

  The children nodded. "Does she know stories?" Ramjee asked eagerly.

  "I know bedtime stories," she answered. "But I need help from father. Not good at your language."

  "I will help you," Harithik offered. "You are very good for someone who comes from so far away. I'm sure I couldn't accomplish half of what you're doing if I were to speak with any of your people."

  Nadirah then asked her if she wanted to bathe and change clothes. Olayinka gratefully accepted.

  The bath chamber had a big pool where many people fit. Nadirah explained that women used it on certain days, and men on other days. Akila had tagged along and all three undressed.

  Akila's eyes widened at the sight of the dagger Olayinka deposited on her stash of jewelry.

  "For self-defense," she explained.

  Nadirah nodded gravely and motioned to the pool.

  Perfumed soaps filled the air and Akila helped Olayinka to gather the beads at the end of her braids. It was time to redo the hairstyle after thoroughly washing away the sand and dust of the journey. The water would moisturize her hair and give it back its life.

  Nadirah helped gently detangle her hair with a wide tooth comb, starting from the ends, working up to the roots. She was very patient with the numerous knots in Olayinka's hair, as if she were used to frizzy hair.

  Olayinka saturated her hair with water before applying the special soap Nadirah gave her.

  "My sister-in-law used it, she had very curly hair," she said with a smile.

  So Harithik's wife had been curly-headed. Olayinka massaged her scalp with the special soap, and then rinsed the hair while Akila watched eagerly.

  Olayinka gently squeezed the water out of the hair, and then Nadirah gave her a special oil for the hair length.

  "The ends especially need it to look healthy," she explained.

  Olayinka smelled it and it seemed much like the ones she had used at home, so she put it on her hair. She washed the rest of her body and then rinsed most of the oil away. It was time to get out of the pool and wrap a towel around their bodies to finish their gr
ooming.

  Olayinka gently squeezed and blotted the water from her hair while Nadirah rubbed her daughter's head with a towel before doing the same with her own. Olayinka let it dry in the warm air of the bath chamber and soon it blew out around her head, making Akila giggle.

  "You know why I braid it," she told the little girl with a smile.

  "You have mahogany highlights," Nadirah said admiringly. "Very beautiful."

  "Thank you." Olayinka smiled and tried to find something nice to say to Nadirah.

  "Do you need help to braid it back?" Nadirah offered. She had put a clean dress on herself and her daughter.

  "I will do it tomorrow morning," Olayinka answered, staring at her own tattered clothes with a frown. "Where can I wash my clothes?"

  "Come, I'll give you some of mine for now."

  Nadirah took her to her bed chamber and gave her a bodice and a long gown that were very similar to Olayinka's original clothes. Nadirah gave the guest's garments to a washerwoman and showed her the guest bedroom.

  "You can relax here until dinner time," she said before retiring with her daughter.

  Olayinka looked around the room. Carpets on the floor covered with plush cushions and a low bed in a corner. A low table with a lamp. She put her dagger on it and went to the french-window that opened on the inner garden.

  Beyond the hibiscus shrubs, she saw Harithik standing in another room, looking down. She assumed that must be the children's room. She wondered where his room was – probably one of the nearby french-windows.

  So she was on the women's side and he was on the men's side. Divisions everywhere. But as long as she was treated like a human being, she'd be fine. She tried the bed and pulled the light curtains around it. They would keep the mosquitoes away at night.

  She dozed off, dreaming of Roger and the Waiora and her father threatening her. Urenna and Nadirah alternated by her side as she bathed in a pond. And then she saw Harithik on the beach and smelled him... and then she was awake.

  She opened her eyes with a sigh and saw him standing by her bed.

  "Are you hungry?" he asked shyly. "I wasn't sure if I should wake you up or not..."

  She rose and closed the curtains around the bed. "I'm famished," she said. "Thank you. I hope I didn't keep you waiting."