“Oh, Nkiru,” said Esther, immediately dropping the dagger to the ground and stepping over to take her by the hand, “I’m so sorry. You scared me. Are you all right? Did I hurt you?”
Nkiru shook her head. “I…alright,” she said a bit hesitantly.
“Good,” said Esther, retrieving her knife and returning it to its scabbard, “Thank you for coming to wake me up. I’m really sorry to have frightened you.”
Nkiru smiled weakly.
“I’m going to gather some things and go down to the water. After I’m done, did you want to bathe?”
Nkiru’s remaining fear drained away and her eyes grew excited. She nodded. Esther grabbed a change of clothing and a blanket to use as a towel, then they both walked out of the tent.
“As soon as I’m done, I’ll keep watch while you bathe,” said Esther. Nkiru nodded. Esther turned and headed to the pool of water. She looked over her shoulder and saw Nkiru sit on a rock at the edge of camp to continue her turn on watch.
The desert air had cooled off quite a bit, but it wasn’t as cold as Esther had feared it might be. The sound of frogs and insects filled the night air and the waxing gibbous moon shown down from the beautiful night sky, casting everything in a silvery glow. When she reached the water’s edge, she laid her clean clothing on some long grass and draped the blanket she was using as a towel on a convenient bush next to the water. Looking back toward the camp to make sure no one could see her, she pulled off her dirty clothing and stepped into the water. It quickly grew deep after only a couple of steps, covering her up to her neck. It felt wonderful. She lay back and dipped her hair in the cool water, letting it soak into her scalp. After a few minutes, she started scrubbing the dirt, sand, and sweat out of her hair. She wished she had a cake of soap to help get the sand out, but would have to make do without. She was just thankful that she had a chance to cleanse the sand and sweat from her body.
She finished washing herself as best she could, then grabbed her dirty tunic and scrubbed it as well, then did the same for her trousers, dupatta scarf, and undergarments. When she finished, she hung them all on a bush near the water’s edge and lay back in the water, floating lazily and looking up at the stars, listening to the frogs and other night sounds. She felt relaxed and content. The desert night sky was really beautiful.
After a bit, she climbed out and used the blanket to towel herself dry. She pulled on her nightgown and walked back over to the camp where Nkiru was waiting.
“Your turn.”
Nkiru smiled and headed for the tent. Esther placed another piece of wood on the fire and sat on the rock that Nkiru had vacated. A moment later, Nkiru walked out of the tent and Esther watched her walk down to the pool of water and disappear behind a tree near the water’s edge. Esther turned and stared into the fire, once again listening to the sounds of frogs and insects. The sound of splashes in the water came from where Nkiru bathed. After a while, Nkiru returned, nodded, and disappeared into the tent to get some sleep.
Esther sat around for a while, looking up at the stars, but then she started to grow sleepy. If she didn’t get up and do something, she’d risk falling asleep. Practicing with Oluchi had inspired Esther to continue seeking to improve her skill with her sword and dagger, so she ducked into the tent and quietly walked over to her trunk to retrieve a practice sword. When she opened the trunk and reached in to grab it, however, she saw the sword that Adaeze and Amadi had given her and grabbed it instead.
She walked out of the tent and over to an open area next to the camp. Pulling the sword out of its scabbard and setting the scabbard gently on the ground, she started practicing the different patterns and arcs that Oluchi had taught her. As she performed the attack combinations in a single fluid motion, she began to think how similar the movements were to dancing. Intrigued by that idea, Esther thought about how to combine what Oluchi had taught her with the fluidity of the dance. She tried a few moves and started working out the sequences in her mind, then she began putting her thoughts and ideas into practice. She swung and jumped and spun, the sword slashing through the air in different patterns and angles, fusing the fighting techniques, patterns, and stances with her dancing skills and rhythm. It was quite exhilarating.
Knowing that she had a long day of travel ahead and not wanting to exhaust herself too much, or work up a sweat so soon after bathing, Esther slowed her movements gently and concluded her practice with her head bowed, just as she always did when concluding a dance routine.
“That was very beautiful,” Geoffrey’s voice said behind her.
A jumped, and a startled “Oh,” squeaked from her lips as she quickly turned around. Guilt washed over her as she realized that she hadn’t been paying much attention to her surroundings and the camp. If something had happened or an intruder had come, they would have been taken completely by surprise. She chided herself and made a mental note to do better about paying attention in the future.
“Sorry,” he said, laughing quietly, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”
“That’s alright,” Esther whispered back, “Did I wake you?”
“No, I guess I was just a little restless and woke up. When I saw you dancing in the moonlight, I couldn’t help but watch.”
Esther blushed and lowered her eyes, thankful for the dim light that helped mask her embarrassment.
“Actually I’ve been thinking about what you said yesterday about how learning to use the sword was a little like using a muscle you usually don’t use and how your initial progress is relatively rapid, but then as you move past those easily acquired portions, it becomes successively more difficult. Well, I’ve come to the realization that because of the events that are occurring in the world right now, it may no longer be wise of me to study medicine exclusively. I think it might be a good idea to learn how to use the sword as well, or at least pick up enough of the basic skills which can be learned relatively quickly so that I can defend myself to some degree.”
“Yes,” said Esther, nodding, “That would probably be wise. Just a few weeks ago, I would never have imagined that I would need those skills, but now…” Esther’s voice trailed off.
“Would you mind teaching me?” Geoffrey asked.
Taken aback by the unexpected question, Esther didn’t know how to respond, managing only a weak, “I…uh…”
“It’s all right if you’d rather not,” he said, “I just thought that—”
“No, no, I don’t mind. I was just taken by surprise, that’s all. Wouldn’t you rather train with Oluchi? He’s the expert. I am barely a new student.”
“Well, you seem to have picked it up very quickly,” said Geoffrey, “And you beat those midshipmen onboard the Ngozi. Besides, I don’t want to slow down your training with Oluchi by having him have to explain things to me that he’s already taught to you.”
“Alright,” said Esther, “If you don’t mind, then neither do I.”
“Great,” Geoffrey said, rubbing his hands together, “Do you want to start now or are you too tired?”
“No, I’m fine. Wait here while I go get a practice sword for you to use. I wouldn’t want you to cut yourself on a real one,” Esther teased.
Geoffrey smiled, giving her a shooing motion as she walked over to the tent. She removed and stowed her real sword, grabbed a couple of wooden practice swords, then headed back to where Geoffrey was waiting for her.
“We don’t want to wake everyone,” she said, “So I’ll just show you the basic stances, angles of attack, and how to hold the sword for now.” Geoffrey nodded.
Esther spent the next hour showing Geoffrey the basics with the sword. This time, she also made a conscious effort to pay better attention to her surroundings as well, looking around the small valley between the sand dunes and rocky places to try and detect anything out of place. Fortunately, everything seemed quiet and as it should be.
After an hour, Esther concluded the lesson with a stifled yawn. Geoffrey had the next shift, so after thanking him and telling him h
ow much she’d enjoyed teaching him, she shuffled off to her tent to stow the swords and fall into her blankets. The soothing waters of the oasis, the exhilaration of discovering how to mesh the sword and dance together, and the thrill of spending some time with Geoffrey seemed to have been enough to at least momentarily banish the demons of memory, because she slept without a single nightmare and instead dreamed of moonlight and dancing with a handsome young doctor.
CHAPTER 24
Revelation and a Moral Quandary
I really didn’t expect our friendship to develop into anything more…
The early morning dawn brought the now familiar noise of the camp waking up to Esther’s ears. It also brought a familiar cramping in her lower abdomen that had routinely come every month since she had turned thirteen. Ugh, she thought, a feeling of customary dread creeping slowly through her sleep clouded mind. As she came fully awake, however, the dread transformed itself into a rush of excited relief that rose up within her so powerfully, it overcame her emotionally, and she immediately started to cry with great, heaving sobs. It was as if someone had been standing above her, pressing heavily down on her continually, and then all of sudden, they let go and she was able to breathe. I’m not pregnant. I’m not carrying Ikenna’s child. She kept saying it over and over again in her mind, needing to tell herself again and again in order to get herself to believe it. Her monthly cycle had come. Never before had such an occurrence brought so much relief and joy.
Someone touched Esther’s shoulder and she looked up to see Nkiru kneeling next to her, a concerned look on her face. Esther smiled and a sudden laugh escaped through her tears. “It’s all right, Nkiru, I’m fine,” she said, smiling, “Actually, I’m more than fine.”
Esther sat up and reached over to where her bag lay on the ground next to her trunk. She pulled out a clean pair of undergarments and some soft wool pieces of cloth meant for such instances and held them up for Nkiru to see. When Nkiru saw the soft wool material, her eyes opened wide in understanding and Esther could see the relief in them as well. Esther smiled and stood, pulling Nkiru up as well and giving her a big hug.
Esther dropped the undergarments and cloth onto her blanket, then turned and walked quickly out of the tent. She half-ran down to the pool of water where she had left her clothes drying on a bush that she had washed the night before. She had one other pair of shalwar trousers in her bag, but she didn’t really want to use a completely clean pair if she was going to be menstruating while traveling. She gathered up the clothing and walked swiftly back to the tent. She asked Nkiru to step outside and stand guard while she changed and cleaned up as best she could, still unable to completely believe that this particular worry was over. When she stepped out of the tent, Geoffrey was standing nearby. He came over to her as soon as he saw her.
“Are you alright?” he asked, his expression filled with concern, “I thought I heard someone crying and then I saw you practically running in your nightgown down to the water and back.”
“Yes,” said Esther, the relief still feeling like a great breath of fresh air, “I’m fine, thank you. I…uh…” she faltered, her eyes dropping to the ground, unable to continue.
“It’s alright,” Geoffrey said, taking her hand, “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”
“I started my monthly cycle,” Esther said in a quiet rush, “I’m not pregnant Geoffrey.”
“Oh,” he said, and then with greater emphasis, “Oh! That’s great, Esther.” He gave her a quick hug, “That’s fantastic. I bet you’re so relieved.”
Esther nodded, wiping the tears away, a laugh escaping her lips.
“If you’d like, I can let the others know,” he said.
“Thank you, Geoffrey. That would be great.”
While they broke down the camp and finish eating a breakfast of dried dates and flatbread, each member of the team, except Ajit, who hadn’t known anything about Ikenna or what happened onboard the Ngozi, came and gave Esther a hug. Ajit must have thought they were all crazy, because he kept giving them successively stranger looks as they hugged her. Esther just smiled inside.
Although this day wasn’t any different as far as travel conditions were concerned, it felt very different to Esther and she was able to notice the wonderful things around them as they travelled. She saw lizards and other desert creatures, wonderfully interesting rock formations, and a sky so clear and blue that it seemed like a vast empty ocean hanging above them. She longed to be aboard an airship again and sail into that deep blue sky, feel the wind and the sway of the ship, hear the creak of the wood and the flapping of the sails. Actually being aboard an airship had only deepened her interest and love for them.
They stopped briefly for lunch and then continued on their southeasterly heading. Around mid-afternoon, it was Esther’s turn to ride on one of the camels and it felt good to get off her feet for a bit. After riding for about an hour, she thought she spied something off in the distance ahead of them. Ajit was leading her camel by the reigns and must have seen it too because he halted the caravan and stood, peering into the distance. It looked like a column of smoke. Ajit started forward again, but this time, he directed the caravan to the east, obviously trying to skirt around whatever it was.
Esther turned to Joel, who was walking next to the camel she was riding. “Joel,” she said, “Shouldn’t we investigate what that is? Someone could be injured or need help.”
Joel turned to Ajit, who had obviously heard the question, but he remained silent. “Ajit?” Joel prompted.
“This is dangerous territory,” said Ajit, stopping with a sigh, “It is best to go around than to risk something far worse.”
“I understand the concern, but what if it is someone who needs our help?” said Esther, “Whoever it is could die.”
“We all take risks when we travel through the desert,” said Ajit, “But it would be a foolish risk to investigate. If it’s someone who needs help, it is probably too late by now, and it’s as likely to be bandits as anything else. I’m not going to risk our safety because someone might be in trouble.”
Esther turned to Joel again. “Joel, I understand that it’s a risk, but if someone is in trouble, we can’t just ignore them. This could be their signal for help. I agree, taking us all over there would be foolish, but we should at least send someone to see. I could go check it out and be back in an hour or so. I’m small and won’t be noticeable.”
“No, Esther,” Joel said, “If we send anyone, it’ll be Oluchi. He knows how to fight better than any of us and can probably get there and back quicker as well.”
By that time, the whole party had gathered around. Oluchi stepped forward. “I will go,” he said.
Joel nodded and Oluchi reached up to pat Esther’s hand, then turned and ran off into the desert towards the column of smoke. Ajit was not pleased. Esther and Nkiru climbed off of the camels and they all sat in the shade that the animals provided to wait. Geoffrey walked over after a few minutes and asked her if she could show him more about how to use the sword properly. They tried for few minutes, but it was simply too hot and miserable, and eventually they returned to the cooler shade provided by the camels to wait.
Finally, after an hour, Baird spotted a figure that had to be Oluchi approaching in the distance. He looked like he was carrying something. As he grew closer, it became obvious that the something was actually a someone. Sweat was pouring off the ebony skin of Oluchi’s face and forehead when he got back, carrying the body of a young Hadiqan man in his arms. The young man appeared to be about nineteen or twenty and had a viscous wound in his side. He looked like he may have taken a blow to the head as well. Geoffrey stood in front of Oluchi examining the young man’s wounds.
“Quickly,” said Geoffrey, “I need a blanket to set him down on. Grab the medical bag as well.”
Geoffrey unclipped his canteen and dumped water on the wound, washing some of the blood away. Mac and Baird hurriedly began unloading one of the camels, searching for the medical kit. Nkiru gr
abbed a blanket and brought it over, lying it on a relatively sandy stretch of rock. Joel helped Oluchi lower the young man to the ground, setting him on the blanket. Esther handed Oluchi her canteen and he drained it quickly. Mac had found the medical kit and ran it over, placing it on the blanket next to the young man and the doctor.
“Everyone stand back please, I need the light,” said Geoffrey, “Except Esther—I need you to hold his shirt back from the wound.”
Esther knelt down next to the young man and held the shirt away from the wound as Geoffrey had instructed.
“Get me some rum,” said Geoffrey to the others.
Joel fetched the single pottery jug of rum they had brought with them. It was already half empty. Geoffrey dumped some of the liquid on the wound. The young man stirred slightly in response, but showed no signs of regaining consciousness. Geoffrey also dumped some of the rum on the tools in the medical kit, then pulled out one of them and started probing the young man’s wound. It wasn’t much of a medical kit—at least, not for a trained physician. It was meant for fishermen and caravaniers, but it was the best they had, given the circumstances.
“I’m going to need to perform some impromptu field surgery or he’s going to die,” said Geoffrey, looking up at Esther, “I need you to get his shirt off and assist me. Can you do that?” Esther nodded. Geoffrey turned to Joel. “Can we get the tent set up? We really need to keep the sand from blowing into the wound. I don’t think we’re going to be able to go anywhere right away. He’s in bad shape and moving him right after the surgery may kill him.”
Ajit spoke up then. “Staying here may very well kill us all.” He turned to Oluchi. “Do you know what caused that wound?”
Oluchi shook his head, “I do not know—bandits perhaps? His supplies were gone.”
“And it is still another two days, maybe more, to the next supply of water,” said Ajit, shaking his head. “We cannot stay here.”
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