Suddenly very worried, Nkiru walked quickly into Esther’s room. She saw Esther sitting at the back of the room next to her bed, her back to the wall, and her legs pulled up to her chest with her head buried her arms on her knees, sobbing. Nkiru knelt down in front of her, gently placing her hand on her arm.
“Esther?” Nkiru asked gently.
At first, it didn’t seem like Esther even knew she was there. After several minutes, however, the sobbing subsided somewhat and Esther gently lifted her head. Her face was puffy with tears and it even seemed as if it were discolored or bruised in several spots.
Esther said something, but her tears and sniffling made it difficult to understand. Nkiru shook her head to show that she didn’t understand what she was saying.
A sob escaped Esther’s gritted teeth, but she managed to compose herself. “What am I going to do, Nkiru?” she said, her voice tinged with desperation.
“What…happen?” Nkiru asked in her best Hadiqan.
Esther shook her head, but then she stopped and turned to look directly at Nkiru, fear evident in hear eyes. Then she started talking in a rush. Unfortunately, Nkiru only understood a few of the words like ‘attacked’, ‘Ikenna’, ‘tell’, and ‘kill me’—but it was enough. Nkiru felt horror and anger as she put the words together and understood what Esther was trying to tell her. She stood up to go get help, but Esther grabbed her arm and said something to her. The only word that Nkiru understood was ‘please’.
Nkiru knelt back down next to her, wrapping an arm around her as Esther leaned on her shoulder and began crying again. After a few minutes, Nkiru leaned back, looking into Esther’s face.
“Brother…Oluchi…help translate,” Nkiru said in Hadiqan.
Esther looked reluctant, but then nodded her head.
Nkiru rose and walked out the door, closing it behind her. She grabbed Esther’s dagger off the ground and hurried down the hall to find her brother.
- - -
Esther leaned her head back, resting it against the wall in a dazed state. Her mind was a wreck and coherent thought seemed unachievable, so she simply sat and let her mind think of—nothing. She didn’t want to think of anything. She didn’t know if she ever wanted to think of anything again.
Esther had no concept of time at the moment, but eventually Nkiru returned with Oluchi. He didn’t come in, but remained standing just outside her door. He had her dagger in his hand. He looked down at the tattered undergarments, and then over at her. After a moment, he walked into the room and knelt down in front of her, placing the dagger in her hands.
“Please,” said Oluchi, gesturing to Nkiru, who had sat down beside Esther and was gently stroking her arm. “Tell my sister Nkiru what happened.”
Esther sat there for a moment, then turned to Oluchi, “I didn’t know you had a sister.”
Oluchi smiled a kind smile. “She very dear to me.”
Esther nodded, unable to smile. She started describing how she had finished washing and dressing in the wash closet. Oluchi translated what she said into Easterner for Nkiru. She continued describing how as soon as she stepped out of the wash closet, Ikenna had assaulted her, shoving her hard up against the wall. Esther choked up as she described what happened next, clamping down on her fear and disgust. Then she told him how afterwards, Ikenna had threatened to kill her if she told anyone. “But no one will believe me,” said Esther, hearing the anguish in her own voice, “No one believed me about jumping from the airship, or the assassination plot—and no one will believe me about this either.”
“I believe you Esther,” said Oluchi, “And that all that matters right now. I come back soon.” Oluchi stood and left.
Again, time passed, but Esther just stared into the distance and had no idea how long it was. After a time, Oluchi returned again and knelt down in front of her.
“Esther?” he asked. She turned her head to him. “Esther, you do not need to fear Ikenna,” said Oluchi, “He unconscious and locked up. Your doctor come soon.”
The three of them sat in silence. A knock on the door came. “Esther?” Doctor Scott’s voice could be heard on the other side of the door.
A sudden feeling of overwhelming shame washed over her at hearing Geoffrey’s voice. She didn’t want him here. She didn’t want him to know what had happened to her. What would he think of her now?
Oluchi stood and opened it, letting the doctor inside.
Geoffrey walked in, but stopped abruptly when he saw them sitting on the floor. “What’s wrong?” he asked, worry tinging his voice. Esther looked up at Oluchi, pleading.
“Perhaps it best if I explain, doctor,” said Oluchi and Geoffrey turned to him. Oluchi proceeded to detail what had happened. Esther buried her face in her arms again so she couldn’t see Geoffrey’s face. Every so often, Geoffrey would stop Oluchi and ask a question. She could hear the anger rising in his voice. Somehow, that made her feel both better and worse—bringing both relief and more shame at the same time.
When Oluchi finished recounting what had happened, Geoffrey knelt down next to Esther and in a soft, gentle voice, said, “Esther, I think I’d better examine you to see what injuries you may have sustained.”
Esther lifted her head and looked at him, horrified, shaking her head.
“I know it will be difficult for you, but I really think that you ought to let me look at you.”
Nkiru suddenly said something to Oluchi in Easterner. Oluchi turned to Geoffrey. “Dr. Scott, my sister says Esther does not want to be examined by you right now. Please do not push her.”
Geoffrey must have seen the fear she felt in her eyes because he finally just nodded. He turned back to Oluchi. “Where is this ‘Ikenna’?” he asked angrily.
“He unconscious. I put him in brig,” said Oluchi.
“So what do we do now then?” said Geoffrey.
“We must tell Onya-Ugbo Amadi,” said Oluchi.
The pit of Esther’s stomach fell again. “He won’t believe me,” she said in a tear choked voice, barely above a whisper.
“I will bring Nochite Chidi first. He can go to Onya-Ugbo,” said Oluchi, “Is that all right?”
Esther thought about it a moment, then nodded. Amadi frustrated and frightened her, but Chidi had always been very kind and understanding.
Oluchi turned and left. No one seemed inclined to speak while they waited for him to fetch Chidi. That was fine—she didn’t really want to talk to anybody anyway.
Eventually another knock came at the door and the doctor let Oluchi and Chidi in. As soon as the door was closed, Oluchi launched into a rapid dialogue with Chidi in Easterner. She assumed he was reciting what had happened to Esther again, because Chidi kept looking back and forth between them with increasing degrees of alarm. When Oluchi had finished, Chidi stepped over and crouched down in front of her.
“Oh child,” he said in Northerner, “I am so, so, sorry.” Suddenly, anger flashed in his eyes and he looked back at Oluchi. “Has Ikenna been dealt with?” he asked in Hadiqan.
Oluchi nodded, “He in brig.”
Chidi turned back to Esther. “Esther,” he said, his eyes gentling, “We need to discuss this with Captain Amadi.”
“He won’t believe me,” Esther said.
“Why don’t you let me talk to him first while Nkiru helps you get cleaned up? You will need to face Ikenna in front of the Captain. I know how hard that will be, but it is the law.”
Her heart felt like it skipped a beat. The thought of having to be in the same room as Ikenna terrified her. “T…Tonight?” she asked.
Chidi shook his head, “No, but it will have to be first thing tomorrow morning.”
Horrified, Esther sat there, unmoving.
“You may tell the Captain what happened yourself or you may elect someone to represent you, but you will still have to be there. I’m sorry, but it’s the way it has to be. What would you like to do?” asked Chidi.
“I don’t want to talk to Amadi,” Esther was shaking her head uncontro
llably, her eyes round with fear. “I don’t want to see Ikenna. I can’t—”
“I know, Esther,” Chidi said gently, patting her hand lightly, “I know. But you must face him, or he will go free if no one stands to accuse him. I know this is terribly unfair, but I will be there with you, and so will Oluchi and Nkiru, if you would like.” Chidi looked at the brother and sister pair and they both nodded. “Please, I know you have the strength to do this.”
Esther couldn’t seem to think. Her emotions were maelstrom within her and every time she tried to think about what Chidi was saying, her thoughts kept going back to those horrible moments. The thought of Ikenna going free terrified her enough to finally get a sentence out, however. “I would like someone to represent me,” she said.
“Would you like me to do that for you?” asked Chidi.
Esther thought about it for a moment, but then shook her head. “No, Chidi. I am very grateful for the offer, but I would actually like Nkiru to do it, if she is willing?”
Esther looked at Nkiru and as soon as Oluchi finished translating what she had said, Nkiru took Esther’s hand, nodding as tears welled up in her eyes.
Chidi nodded, then turned and walked out the door. Geoffrey stood and gave Esther a reassuring smile, then followed. Oluchi turned to leave as well.
“Oluchi,” Esther said, sitting up suddenly, “Would you stay with Nkiru and me? I don’t want to be alone.”
Oluchi nodded, “I will wait in the hall. Do no fear no more, Esther. A warrior cannot know and do everything. At one time or another, his guard will be down and his enemies will strike. A good warrior surrounds himself with good people. That way, they can guard each other when the other down, or weak. You cannot do everything. You cannot guard against everything. I will guard now.”
The kindness of his words caused tears to well up in her eyes for what seemed like the hundredth time today. It momentarily overpowered the pain and fear that seemed to have etched a permanent place in her heart. It gave a moment of hope which was like a lifeline to her drowning soul.
“Thank you, Oluchi,” she said, wiping away the tears.
He nodded and stepped out.
CHAPTER 19
Trial
I don’t know how to feel or what to write. I sit here staring at a blank page as long minutes go by. I can’t seem to focus. All I feel is anger, fear, hate, and sadness…
Esther dreaded what lay before her. She stood outside Captain Amadi’s office in the ante-room beneath the quarterdeck, dressed in the clean work dress that Nkiru had laundered for her, waiting to face Ikenna. Nkiru had helped comb and style her chin length hair to make it as nice as possible, but there wasn’t a lot you could do with it. She missed her long hair. The morning sun shone through the windows in the forward wall, providing ample illumination into the small room.
Bile rose in her throat as she thought about having to face Ikenna and cold sweat chilled her skin, almost as if her body were in shock. Chidi, Joel, Mac, and Amadi were currently inside talking. Esther cringed at the thought of having Amadi judging her, deciding if she were lying about what had happened. She wasn’t prepared to deal with it yet. How had this happened? She didn’t know what they hoped to get from her. Her mind was still reeling. She had told Chidi that she would be all right facing Ikenna—but she really didn’t know if she would.
Last night, after the others had left, Nkiru had taken her across the hall to the wash closet and helped her get cleaned up. Then Nkiru had put Esther in bed and laid down on the floor next to her. When Esther realized that Nkiru intended to sleep on the floor the whole night, Esther sat up and tried to tell her to go sleep in her own bed. Nkiru had simply kept putting her hand up, either not understanding Esther, or more likely, simply refusing to leave Esther by herself. Esther had finally laid back down.
Even with Nkiru sleeping in the room with her, and Oluchi and Baird right outside her door taking turns standing guard, Esther hadn’t slept much last night. Every time she fell asleep, she would wake shortly thereafter screaming from nightmares about being raped again. Nkiru had been there each time to comfort her and help calm her down.
Esther focused her thoughts back on the present. Today, she wouldn’t have to say anything. Nkiru would talk for her. Oluchi stood to Esther’s right and would stay there the entire time. When she faced Ikenna, he would be there between them. Oluchi had been standing watch over her for half the night and yet he seemed as stoic and alert as ever.
Although she hadn’t slept much, she did feel a little bit better this morning. She still felt a bit disassociated from her body, but her mind had started to think and function once again. Of course, with that function had come all of the traumatic memories since the raid on Tewksbury.
At first, she had clamped her mind closed. But then, inevitably, she remembered that her family’s lives counted on them being able to convince someone that the Hadiqan King was targeted for assassination. They would arrive at Deyr sometime this afternoon and would need to meet with the officials there to somehow convince them of the impending assassination plot. Thus far, they hadn’t convinced anyone. There were big problems to deal with and she couldn’t let her mind shut down again.
Geoffrey had told her that she was suppressing what had happened—and maybe he was right. The few times that people had walked behind her, a shiver of fear had shot up her spine and she had turned quickly to face them. She also noticed that her left hand hardly ever left the dagger belted to her waist anymore, and anytime she walked through a door, she looked out briefly to see if anybody was on the other side first. But she didn’t want to talk to anyone about it anymore right now—especially Geoffrey—and more especially Captain Amadi.
Geoffrey had wanted to come, but Joel had thought it best to only have himself and Mac attend, so Geoffrey was down in sickbay talking with the ships surgeon. Esther didn’t know where Baird was. Finally, the double doors to Captain Amadi’s office opened and the steward beckoned them inside. The office was comfortably furnished with a large wooden desk centered between the starboard and port walls toward the rear of the room. Chairs were placed around the edges of the room. The walls were paneled with cherry wood and the floor was covered with a large ornate rug. Expansive windows were set in the starboard wall letting the morning sunlight brighten the interior of the room. Captain Amadi was walking around his desk to go sit in his chair as Esther, Nkiru, and Oluchi entered the room.
Joel and Mac walked over to Esther from where they had been standing in front of Amadi’s desk. Joel placed his hand on her arm. “We’re here for you kid.”
Esther nodded and watched them walk to the back of the room and take a seat. Chidi stood to the right of the desk.
A warrior stood at a door in the aft wall on the port side of Captain Amadi’s desk. Two others stood on either side of the door they had just entered. Captain Amadi spoke briefly to one of them and he stepped out. He returned after a moment, followed by two additional warriors who stood flanking a third man—Ikenna.
Esther froze at the sight of him. His eyes glared hatred at her, but he stood straight in his koeobere-osote uniform and seemed confident. The urge to run was overpowering and she involuntarily took a half step back. She felt Nkiru take her left hand in her own. Esther looked down at their clasped hands, momentarily distracted from the panic she was feeling. She gave Nkiru’s hand a brief, thankful squeeze, then looked straight ahead and tried to keep the fear she felt from showing on her face.
“Alright,” Captain Amadi said in his fluent Hadiqan, “For the benefit of our foreign guests, the following proceedings will be held in Hadiqan. Are there any present who require a translator?” asked Amadi, then repeated himself in Easterner. Nkiru raised her hand and Amadi gestured to Chidi who walked over to stand on Nkiru’s left side. Nkiru gave him a brief grateful nod.
“Alright, then let us proceed,” said Captain Amadi, “I have heard reports from both parties and all witnesses, but for the record, I would hear the accuser and the accused
tell me what happened from their own perspectives, so that each can hear what the other has to say. First, we shall hear from the Accuser, or if the Accuser has chosen a representative, then we shall hear from them.”
Nkiru raised her chin and spoke in Easterner. Chidi translated her words into Hadiqan. She said, “I speak for Miss Esther Kelley.”
Captain Amadi looked Esther in the eye and asked, “Is that correct? Does she speak for you?” Esther nodded. “Proceed,” Amadi said.
Nkiru started speaking again while Chidi translated. She related everything that Esther had told her about what had happened.
“Nkiru,” said Amadi, “you were the first to come across Miss Kelley after the incident, is that correct?” Chidi translated and Nkiru nodded. “And can you tell us exactly what you saw?”
Nkiru told them how she had taken Esther’s dress to get it washed and when she had returned, she had found Esther’s knife lying in the hall, droplets of blood on the floor, and torn undergarments near the door to the toilet. She told them how she had found Esther in her room, sobbing.
“Thank you,” Captain Amadi said, “We have heard the accuser speak, now we shall hear from the accused. What do you have to say regarding this incident?”
“First, Captain, I would like to protest against Onyeagha Oluchi’s treatment of an officer. He approached me last night and, without a word, he struck me.”
“I am aware of those circumstances, keobere-osote Ikenna,” said Captain Amadi, “That is not what we are here to discuss, however. Please keep your testimony focused on the incident you are accused of.”
“Yes, sir. Well, as I told you before, I was down below checking on the stores when she walked by and stopped me,” he said contemptuously, “She asked me if I would show her how a real man does it. Obviously I said yes. I can’t help it if she found out that she doesn’t like it because she’s only half a woman!”
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