ANUNDR: THE EXODUS (11 page)

The day was hot and windy with dust sweeping into their eyes as they walked. Fanndis and Kalani walked hand in hand in the midst of the group. It had been two days since her nightmare but Fanndis still hadn’t recovered. Her face was pale and she shivered even in the heat. She lost her footing many times but she refused to ride on a camel. Everyone looked cheerless and hungry. Their strength was almost gone but they plodded on. Amse, being the only one who seemed to have any strength left, led them across the sand dunes through a path that stretched into the horizon.

The wind grew stronger. Kalani looked ahead.

‘Fanndis,’ she said, ‘I need to speak with Amse. I won’t be long.’ Fanndis nodded and let go of her hand. Kalani walked to the front of the group, and collided with the matriarch Eirene’s camel.

‘Sorry.’ Kalani said. Eirene gave her a disapproving look and looked away, the beaded string ends of her gold headdress rattled as they swung from side to side.

‘Amse, how long before we get to Halldorr?’ Kalani asked when she reached him.

‘Three days or more.’ His eyes were focused on the growing haze in the distance.

‘So what are we to do? A dust storm is moving towards us.’

‘Nothing.’ he said.

‘Nothing?’

He smiled at her and raised his hand, halting his company. Mara moved to the front with Fanndis.

‘Amse, what is it?’ she said. ‘We are on high ground. The storm won’t harm us.’

`It is not the storm I fear but what is in it.’ he said, exchanging a look with Kalani. He signaled to his men. Twenty of them moved forward and knelt down, drawing their arrows. Their taut bare chests glistened with sweat as they pulled their bowstrings and waited for the order. The sand storm gathered momentum like a sea of dust threatening to swallow them. Amse raised his hand. The archers aimed ahead.

‘Steady.’ Amse shouted, his hand still raised.

Kalani covered her face with her veil, waiting for the storm to hit. It was several yards away from them but she could already feel its strength. A cold hand touched hers.

‘Kalani, what is that?’ Fanndis asked, pointing to the storm.

‘It’s only a dust storm.’

‘No, I mean what are those in it?’

Kalani squinted to see where Fanndis was pointing. She gasped and rushed to Amse.

‘Is it an illusion or are there three men in the storm?’

Amse looked at where she pointed and his eyes widened in surprise. ‘I see them. The man in the middle is dancing like a fool.’ He smiled. ‘There’s only one man I know that could be this mad, Kaheem, the Egyptian trader--lower your weapons.’ he said, signaling his men.

The dust storm collapsed a yard away from them leaving three men standing. Their skins shone like bronze against their white kaftans and turbans. Two of the men carried heavy looking camel-skinned bags while the man in the middle hopped towards them. The first thing Kalani noticed about him was his bushy eyebrows that seemed too heavy for his eyes.

‘Amse, my dearest friend, it’s been too long.’ he said grinning as he moved towards Amse with open arms.

‘If I am your dearest friend, Kaheem, then you still have many enemies.’ Amse chuckled and added, ‘I thought you would have long been killed by one of the people you’ve swindled.’

Kaheem laughed, causing his thin nostrils to flare as he stroked his beard which was like a long black hook with streaks of grey hair. He said, ‘It seems I can cheat death the same way I can cheat everyone. It’s a gift of course.’

‘You haven’t changed, my friend.’ Amse said, patting his shoulders.

‘Neither have you, still the same self-righteous fool I see. One day, I shall teach you my trade and all your wrinkles will be gone. You’ll leave them with your buyers.’

Amse laughed. It was the first time he had laughed since the fall of Seti. Kaheem turned to Mara, who stood behind Amse, ‘Mara, you’re still as beautiful as I remembered but you have aged. I have something you might like.’

She smiled. ‘No, thank you, Kaheem. I distrust your words as much as your merchandise.’

‘Fair enough.’ he said, chuckling. Eirene glared at him. He turned to her, knitting his bushy eyebrows together to display a mock frown. ‘Ah, the great matriarch herself. You should teach me how you’ve cheated death for this long. You are queen of us all. Still as silent as a mouse I see. It befits you.’ She raised her hand to smack him but he dodged her, laughing.

‘You shouldn’t mock my mother, Kaheem.’ said Amse.

‘Oh, forgive me, great one,’ he said, bowing to her, ‘though I know you would rather see me dead than accept my apology or all the apologies I owe you.’ Eirene scowled at him.

He turned and met Kalani’s gaze and his eyes fell on Fanndis who clung to her. He strolled towards them. He was slender and tall. Fanndis’ petite frame was almost swallowed by his’. He bent to be at par with her.

‘Ah Amse, where did you get such beautiful girls? Are they for sale?’

‘No, I’m their guardian.’ he said, walking towards them.

‘What are your names?’ Kaheem asked them.

‘I am Kalani.’

‘I’m Fanndis.’

‘Beautiful names.’ he said, then turned to Fanndis, ‘I’ve never seen someone so pale under our desert sun. You must take care of your health, my little friend.’

Fanndis didn’t reply. He grinned, revealing a set of discolored teeth. Kalani said, turning her attention away from his teeth, ‘How did you control the wind?’

He smirked and rubbed the bump on his nose. Dropping his voice, he said, ‘It is a closely guarded secret that has been in my family for centuries. My people have fought and died to protect it because with it you would be invisible and the world would worship at your altar. The gift means nothing to me, but I can tell you at a worthy price.’

Kalani moved back and realized she had been holding her breath, not from his words but because his breath was pungent with the smell of kola nuts.

‘So you still use that story?’ Amse said to him. ‘I thought you would have changed it by now.’

Kaheem laughed and rose. ‘You’re bad for business, my friend. So where are you taking your people?’

‘To Halldorr.’

‘I heard the castle is no more.’

Amse frowned and said, ‘When last were you there?’

‘Some time ago.’ he said. ‘When I got there, the place was deserted.’

‘How interesting…’ said Amse, looking ahead, ‘I will go and see for myself.’

‘Do as you wish. I only care for your wellbeing, but it favors me if you go.’ He signaled to his men to come closer. ‘I have supplies you and your people might need, and it will be yours for a price.’ he said, rubbing his fingers together.

‘Of course.’ said Amse, ‘You must camp with us tonight.’

‘Then I will sleep with one eye open, your mother might order me killed in my sleep.’

‘You always sleep with one eye open.’

‘True.’ he said, ‘--yes, I haven’t forgotten. You owe me another round of
Manqala.
’

Amse smiled and said to the people, ‘We shall rest here tonight.’

Kalani watched as Kaheem held everyone spellbound with his witty and exaggerated stories. Unlike Amse, whose rich voice and words held a power of description, Kaheem used his facial expressions and body movements to weave his tales. He had mastered the art of linking tragic incidents with funny stories. Even the servants struggled to suppress their laughter. It was only Eirene who seemed immune to his charm. She sustained a look of arrogant indignation while everyone else laughed. After supper, she retired early to her tent. Kaheem’s men also kept straight faces. They stood aloof from the crowd, watching their master. Fanndis had whispered to Kalani that she had caught them staring at her. Kalani had laughed and told her to stop overthinking things, however, she too kept a watchful eye on them.

It was getting late. Kaheem sent his men to keep watch with Amse’s guards despite his friend’s refusal. Everyone retired to bed leaving Amse, Kaheem and Kalani at the fireplace. Kaheem took a kola nut out of his pocket and broke it into two lobes. He gave one to Amse and threw the other in his mouth and chewed as he said to his friend, ‘The night is ripe for my victory.’ From a small leather bag beside him, he brought out an ivory board exquisitely carved with a small stand beneath it. On the board were fourteen round holes, six on its two sides with a larger hole at each end.

‘This must have cost a fortune. Where did you get this
Manqala
board?’ Amse asked as Kaheem slid four shiny pebbles in each hole except the ones at the ends. ‘Don’t tell me you stole it.’

Kaheem replied, ‘Of course I didn’t steal it. I merely took it as a loan I shall never repay.’

‘No wonder I’m your only friend.’

‘No, you’re the only one I haven’t cheated yet.’

‘Not from lack of trying.’

‘We shall see tonight.’ Kaheem said, smiling. He was done arranging the pebbles.

‘I shall disappoint you. Prepare for your defeat, my friend.’ Amse said, picking up the four pebbles in one of the six pits in front of him and dropped a pebble in the following pits anticlockwise. His turn ended when there weren’t any pebbles left in his hand. Kalani leaned closer to watch them play.

‘Are you good in
Manqala
?’ Kaheem asked her. It was his turn to play.

‘No, I’ve never tried playing.’

‘I’ll teach you.’ he said. ‘In the game, these holes are called pits while the larger holes at the ends are called the
kalaha
.’

‘Like a storage?’

‘Hmmm…yes. The game is also called the sowing game.’

‘The game reminds me of life itself.’ Amse said after finishing his turn. ‘In life, you either sow or reap.’

‘Trust my friend to see the deeper side of everything. You take the fun out of it. I play to distract me from life, not to be reminded of it.’ said Kaheem.

‘But it isn’t like life.’ Kalani said to Amse, ‘What about what other people do to you?’

‘That is represented by what Kaheem is doing now. He is eating my seed out of no fault of mine.’ he said as Kaheem grabbed all the seeds in one of the former’s holes and put it in his
kalaha
. Amse continued, ‘In life, every action has a consequence.’

‘What does the
kalaha
represent?’

‘The end result of everything.’

‘I’m confused.’ she said.

‘So am I.’ Kaheem said, rubbing his chin as Amse took a large bulk of his seeds.

Amse said, ‘See life as a game itself. You may not be able to stop what others do to you but you can choose what you do about it.’

‘Will it make you win?’ she asked.

‘No, but planning and anticipating other people’s actions will. You must be smart and calm at the same time. That way, you confuse others.’

‘Like he’s doing now.’ Kaheem said.

Kalani rose. ‘I must be off to bed. It’s getting late and I can see I won’t get a story tonight.’

‘Tomorrow night.’ Amse said, smiling at her. She smiled back and left the fireplace.

‘Are you sure you won’t consider my offer on them?’ Kaheem asked moments after she left.

‘No, I’m their guardian. They are sacred.’

‘
Fie
! Everything is sacred depending on how you see it—even my shit.’

‘Kaheem, I’m serious.’

‘You always are, that is your folly.’

‘You never are and--’

‘That is the secret of my success. Tell no one.’

Amse sighed. ‘So what other business have you ventured into now?’

Kaheem shrugged. ‘Finding and selling knowledge--it’s quite profitable--and a few other things.’

‘What other things?’

‘Nothing important. It’s you I should be concerned about. I heard about your home.’

Amse stopped his play and looked up. ‘How? It would have taken many more days to reach you.’

‘News travels as fast as the wind my friend, and you forget that in my trade we believe in keeping our ears to the ground and our feet--’

‘In the air.’ Amse joined in and they laughed.

‘So when last did you go to Halldorr?’ Amse said, resuming his play.

‘It’s been a long time. I told you the place was destroyed some time ago.’

‘No, you said the place was deserted. You still cannot fool me with your lies, Kaheem. What startles me is that you came from that direction, yet you say something else. You had the supplies I needed but I know you’re not in that line of business. It makes me wonder what your purpose here is.’

Kaheem grabbed Amse’s last pebbles and said, ‘I win.’

‘That doesn’t quite answer--’

‘Amse!’ Kalani’s voice pierced through the night. ‘Fanndis has been poisoned.’

Amse sprang to his feet and brought out his knife. ‘You traitor, working for the Faran.’

Kaheem rose and moved back, shoving the
Manqala
board into his bag. ‘Amse, calm down. Don’t do anything you’ll regret. We both know it was the right thing.’

‘All you care about is the price.’ Amse said, launching an attack. Kaheem raised his hands, pushing wind and dust towards Amse. The wind pushed both of them in opposite directions, with Amse landing on his back and Kaheem speeding off with the air.

                                                                    
 
***

Kalani left the fireplace smiling as the cold wind slapped against her face. The night always had a calming effect on her. She looked up at the sky. The moon’s nakedness was shrouded by a stretch of cloud. Letion had once told her that the moon had the power to bewitch anyone who stared at it long enough. She hadn’t believed him. She wondered why she had when he promised he would return. She repressed her sobs as she remembered it had been on such a night when she had been stargazing, waiting for Letion, that she heard the screams and saw flames rising, creating a black mass in the sky. She had run down to help but fear had crippled her senses. Letion had saved her from an oncoming assailant and led her to Mara’s arms. Then he had run back to the village to fend off their attackers.

She closed her eyes, trying to push back the tears but they flowed down, wetting her cheeks and chin. She stopped walking and hugged herself.
She missed him
. She missed his rich baritone laughter, so much like Amse’s yet so different--so special. Her heart raced as memories that she had overlooked flooded into her mind. A day before the attack, he had seemed pensive, and had made her promise to take care of Fanndis.
Fanndis
. She couldn’t let anything happen to her.

The night was unusually quiet. She could feel something was wrong. She ran back to her tent. She came just in time to see one of Kaheem’s men rushing out of it with a hand over his left arm.

‘You!’ she said, grabbing his arm. ‘What were you doing in there?’

He yelped in pain, pulling his arm away, and ran. She made to chase him but her mind went to Fanndis. She dashed into her tent. Fanndis was sprawled on the floor, gasping for air. Kalani went on her knees and held her.

‘Fanndis, what happened?’

Fanndis pointed at her neck. In the darkness, Kalani squinted and saw a long fine cut that appeared harmless. Kalani rushed out and shouted for Amse. Three of Amse’s men ran to her aid. Taharqa was one of them.

‘What happened?’ he asked.

‘It’s Fanndis—poison--’ she said, delirious. ‘Kaheem’s men—’ She pointed in the direction the man had gone. It didn’t garner the effect she wanted.

Taharqa said to his men, ‘Both of you, take Fanndis--’

Kalani drew his knife from its sheath around his waist before he could stop her and ran in the direction the man had gone. It led her out of the camp and into the desert. She could see Kaheem’s men running ahead. The wind blew in the direction they were going. She ran faster till she was only a few yards away from them and she threw the knife. It pierced through one of them and he fell. She stood, heaving, mouth agape. She hadn’t expected the knife to get close, much less hit its target. It looked like he was dead.
She had killed someone. She!
She covered my mouth.

She looked around. The second man had disappeared but she knew he was close. She could tell from the whistling of the wind around her. Out of nowhere, he threw her down and positioned his sword to strike her. Kaheem pushed him off her.

‘Don’t touch her. She’s sacred.’ he said.

‘But she killed Ali.’ spat the other man.

‘You would kill him too if you were her, in fact you would kill all of us, but let me not feed her such evil thoughts.’ Kaheem said, extending his hand to her.

She slapped it away and said, ‘Why Fanndis? What has she done to you?’

‘It’s not what she’s done but what she will do. You should be grateful. We’re protecting you as well.’

‘Protecting me? You’re mad.’

‘Greedy, yes; Liar, most times; but mad, no—at least not now. I see the future as clearly as Amse sees it but he has forgotten his responsibility.’

‘She won’t die. Amse will make sure of it.’

Kaheem chuckled. ‘You are your mother but I wonder if you can be your father. I suppose Amse hasn’t told you yet.’

‘Told me what?’

‘About your parents.’

‘There they are.’ Amse’s men ran towards them with their swords ready.

‘Goodbye friend, we shall meet again soon.’ he said to her and raised his hands. Heavy wind circled them like a tornado. He flung it at the men. Many of them were blown yards away. Kaheem spun the wind around. It formed two wind horses.

He said to Kalani, ‘I know you’re dying to come—but no, you’re better off with Amse. No tears, my dear, if you follow I might trade you for a camel.’ He gave her his hand but she looked away. He laughed.

‘They’re rising up.’ his servant said impatiently. They got on the horses and rode with the wind. He waved goodbye to her. Kalani gaped. Amse’s men had reached her and one of them helped her up.

‘Who are those men?’ she asked him.

‘They are the
Mittai
, wind riders. They’re among the last left.’

The guard took her back to the camp. She thought of what Kaheem had said and how she had ended a life so abruptly. It weighed heavy on her mind despite the fact she felt that she had good reason. Amse was at the fireplace with Fanndis cradled on his legs. She looked so small and fragile as she nestled her head on his hand. She seemed to be asleep. He rubbed an ointment into her cut as he chanted. Mara stood beside him, holding the gourd containing the ointment. She said, ‘If we had done as the Faran instructed, all these things wouldn’t have happened. Even your mother believes the same.’

Amse continued chanting and rubbing the ointment in her neck.

‘Amse, did you hear me?’

‘I heard you but I’m choosing to ignore you. If you have nothing better to say leave me please.’

Mara dropped the gourd and stormed towards her tent. She stopped and turned around, ‘Amse, you’re going to get yourself killed.’

‘If that would end this conversation then by all means, but I will not lose another child.’

‘She’s not yours, remember?’

‘She is mine--I’m her guardian.’

Mara shook her head and swat aside the flaps of her tent as she went in. The guard with Kalani returned to his post. Amse stopped chanting and pushed Fanndis’ hair away from her face. He hummed an old tune as he stroked her cheek. Kalani smiled. It was Fanndis’ favorite. She remembered watching him sing it to her when Fanndis was small enough to swing her feet while sitting on his lap. She had felt pangs of jealousy then because there was a protectiveness he displayed with Fanndis that he had never shown to her or Letion. She had grown to accept it though she couldn’t understand it. She approached him.

‘How is she?’ she asked.

‘She will not die tonight.’ he looked up at her and smiled.

‘Maybe this is a sign we shouldn’t go to Halldorr.’