Maliha

Nerves roared over Maliha as she flung her garments over her body and slowly stepped into the cool water. The water rippled in vibrant colours as the roots of the Ishanu pulsed along her skin. The song of the tree leaves and the soft melodic drums signalled the beginning of her ascension. What had once been fear was now a feeling of pure acceptance. This was what she wanted, what she needed to channel her restless energy and to solidify her identity. This was it.

For days since her talk with her brother and Hanan, Maliha had been torn with whether she would take this final step but hearing how her father and brother spoke of this rite let Maliha know that this was something she could never pass up. This was her birthright. Every person born into the Nah Barros had the right to find their true path at their ancestors’ feet. Maliha could not pass this up.

Sucking in a deep lungful of air to settle her nerves, she stepped deeper and deeper into the water, the cool waves lapping at her naked skin. The Daharrasol felt heavy on her chest as she turned around to face the rest of the tribe that stood on the riverbank in elation. This was a moment they had feared that they would never witness but their faith had been true. Their prayers had been loud and their hearts pure. The ancestors had heard their calls and Savuriya had listened to their hearts cry.

Maliha, their lost Nah Barros daughter had returned, and she would be anointed by their ancient waters. She would be born anew. Kaiori and Makaio were the first to step into the water after her, their tall bodies shrouding over her petite form. A wry smile graced Maliha’s lips at the way she was dwarfed by them. She had spent most of her life being self-conscious and even resentful of her height to only find out that there was a world of people who would dwarf. It would have been comical if the Melikit’s treatment of Maliha hadn’t wrecked so much of her self-esteem and self-respect.

“Chin up,” murmured Makaio. “After this, your life will start anew. Your purpose will become clearer to you even if you do not understand it or want it.”

That wasn’t to say that the pains of her life didn’t exist or that they would cease to have an impact over her the moment the water washed over her, but once she was anointed by their holy waters, the hold those past traumas had over her would be lessened and Maliha would be imbued in the strength and love of her ancestors. She would bring her worries to the feet of her ancestors and they would nestle her burdens at their roots so Maliha wouldn’t have to carry them any longer.

Makaio winked at Maliha before subtly motioning for the Hanan to enter the water. Hanan was accompanied by her Filsan and all of the new family members Maliha had met. Jiya stood along the bank with Enzo in front of her, water lapping at their toes as they all shared in this momentous moment. Hanan waved her instruments, the beads clapping together in a soft shimmy that marked the beginning of Maliha’s ascension. One by one, multiple hands lay upon Maliha’s body, but instead of feeling the fear that had clouded her nightmarish dream all those moons passed, Maliha was inundated with belonging and acceptance. Her eyes filtered closed as a soft chant carried from the shore, into the water and over her body. Their lilting words soothed her as her family slowly lowered her body into the water.

The liquid climbed over her face as she was submerged backwards into the water. Her eyes shot open as she sunk lower and lower into the water, hands holding her down but also lovingly guiding her. to a destination, Maliha had no idea of. Maliha was unsure where they were directing her, but the fluorescent flash of light was a clear indication that she had reached her destination.

Shooting up from the water Maliha climbed onto the small island at the centre of the Nah Barros land. Her heavy limbs tripping over the Ishanu’s roots as she staggered from the water. Spluttering and coughing as she tried to catch her breath. As Maliha sunk into the ground she noted that the chants that had carried her under the water had all but disappeared into thin air. Her heavy-lidded eyes peered open to the absolute bereft stillness of the Nah Barros land. Where hundreds of people had once stood, not a single soul was now present. Maliha’s clouded mind sharpened at the unnatural silence that hushed over the whole land. Not even the rippling water made a sound.

Her eyes flickered back to the Ishanu when a bright light emanated through the shrubbery, from the centre of the large tree. The water gleamed with bright green as a thick fog filled the air, cascading over Maliha’s body in a gentle breeze. The fog wrapped around her legs, twirling as it pulled her further into the small island. As she walked beneath the flowing arms of the tree, faces began to appear in the fog. A mother with dark skin and thick coarse hair held a baby swathed in material, her face shifting into another mother with slightly fairer skin holding two children. The faces kept shifting, revealing mother after mother holding child after child. Bumps raised along Maliha’s skin as she watched the line of her ancestors forming around her, their faces changing from one to another until the final person she saw was that of a woman whose face Maliha automatically knew.

Though Maliha had never seen her face before, Maliha knew that this woman with bright auburn hair and darkly freckled skin was her mother. Her tan skin glimmered in splendour as she coddled a baby in her arms.

“Maliha,” her mother cooed, staring down at the baby in her arms before those vibrant eyes were rising to stare back at Maliha. Piercing green eyes penetrated into Maliha’s identical orbs as her mother’s face broke out into a gentle smile.

“My daughter,” she crooned, tears trailing down her cheeks as the baby disappeared from her arms. The shadowed embodiment of her mother approached Maliha and placed her palm along Maliha’s cheek, her watery eyes glazing over as she pressed her forehead to Maliha’s. Maliha’s body shook as the loss of her mother and the overwhelming love she held for the woman who had sacrificed her life for Maliha’s own choked her.

“Welcome home my daughter,” her mother whispered before disappearing into the fog.

Tears gushed down Maliha’s face as she stood in shock, her body heavy like led at what she had just witnessed. She ached to sink to the floor and wail in pain but the Ishanu was sucking her deeper, pulling her into the shrubbery that lay in the heart of the small island until she stood at the very root of the great tree.

Maliha’s heart palpitated as rows and rows of her ancestors stood gathered in front of the great tree. Their hands were all outstretched and interconnected as they stared down at a seated woman who lovingly cradled her children. The closer Maliha moved, the more she picked up on the woman’s features. Confusion clouded her mind as identical green eyes peered back at her. A gentle smile on the woman’s her face as a gold glistened in her hair and on her hip. Two shadowed figures sat at her side, their bodies contorted as if they were a cross between creature and man.

The heartfelt cry of babies crying jolted Maliha away from the piercing orbs of this older version of herself but before she could catch a glance at the babies, a familiar elderly face blocked them from her eyesight. Her silver hair hung from her regal shoulders and shimmered in the glimmering light. Her high cheekbones and strong broad nose spoke of a rich and resilient heritage that Maliha had seen reflected in both her mother and her own features.

The woman who had appeared in so many of Maliha’s dreams pressed her hand to Maliha’s heart, a small flicker of energy pulsing between them causing a fire that sizzled into Maliha’s heart and flowed through her body until she was jittery and shaking. Them the old woman she gently pushed Maliha causing the Ishanu to yank Maliha backwards. Maliha’s body was airborne as the Ishanu sucked her away from the scene. Thousands and thousands of faces of her ancestors flickered through her vision as Maliha flew through the shrubbery. The green of the Ishanu whipping through her sight as she was propelled backwards until her body was released harshly and she was dropping into the cool depths of the water. Her body sunk lower and lower as vines clung to her body. The sky stormed above her head as the cold current guzzled her under. Blackness cloaked her mind.

Consciousness slowly crept back to Maliha as she felt multiple hands guiding her. Hands upon hands, gripping her shoulders in an assuring hold.

Her body shot from the water as the hands pulled her spluttering and coughing from the holy depths. The roots of Ishanu vibrated green and purple within the water, pulsing and pulsing until the colourful energy was upon the riverbank and caressing the feet of the Nah Barros people.

“Welcome back, little sister.” Makaio’s smile was resplendent even through Maliha’s blurry and watery vision.

Her father and brother swept Maliha into a massive bear hug. Their thick arms squeezing her tightly as energy pulsed around them.

“Welcome home, my daughter,” her father croaked.

Maliha was lost for words as hand in hand with her father and brother, she made her way back to the shore, where Jiya provided Maliha with a freshly made gown.

“We made it for you, the green signifies life and the water rebirth.”

Maliha slunk her body into the thin gown before wrapping her arms around Jiya in thanks and then lifting Enzo into her embrace. She was struggling to form words as the events of her Seh played back in her mind. Enzo’s tight clasp and familiar smell helped calm Maliha’s racing heart and brought her back to the present even as the flashes of all she saw kept repeating.

“Come,” Filsan murmured, leading Maliha towards a large fire they had built nearby.

“Drink this.” Hanan gave Maliha a cup of steaming liquid before disappearing into the crowd.

Enzo clung to Maliha as everyone waited for her to finally speak. Maliha sipped on the warm sweet liquid that Hanan had given her, slowly feeling her energy returning as she swallowed back more and more of the liquid. Once the cup was empty, she popped it down on the floor, placed Enzo onto a nearby stool before looking her brother directly in the eye.

“If one thing was made clear to me, it was that this is not mine. Here. It’s yours to hold.” Maliha ignored the gasps of shock as she removed the Daharrasol from her neck and attempted to give it to him. Maliha took a glimpse at her father for support, as she extended the necklace toward her brother more forcefully. “I know that this should belong to me as I am the only daughter, but one thing was made clear to me, and that’s the fact that I should not have this.” Maliha waved her hand to halt her brothers’ words. “I don’t know enough of this tribe to lead it whereas you have spent your whole life amongst these people. Loving them and fighting for them. Fighting for me, for our mother.” She placed the necklace in Makaio’s palm, curving his fingers around the digits until the precious gold was clasped tightly in his palm.

“I respect you Makaio and I love you. That is why I cannot keep this necklace when I know the right to rule rightfully belongs to you and your future mate. I have held my doubts for some time but what I saw, shows me that I should not hold this. This necklace-this right to rule is not for one person alone to rule. I have learnt that it is to create a balance between a mated pair, a woman who leads beside her partner, where both are equal, and I can’t be that for this tribe because- “

“Because your balance isn’t meant to lead us but to lead them.” Makaio tilted Maliha’s head and pointed her towards the crowd. The Nah Barros slowly parted to reveal faces that Maliha had thought she would never see again.

Off her own volition, she climbed to a standing and her feet began to move. Gliding across the soft grass until her body slid to a halt in front of a person who had caused her so much pain but had brought her so much joy. Her heart rattled in her chest as she took in all the beautifully haggard faces she had missed dearly but only one had her undivided attention.

She stared silently up at him. Even with his beard that shrouded his face, Maliha could tell that he had lost weight. His eye sockets were sunken in and his orbs not as vibrant as they once had been. There was a sadness in his eyes that Maliha had seen mirrored in her own in those first few weeks of her departure.

“I guess you haven’t been eating properly now that I don’t cook for you,” Maliha whispered sadly, staring up at Ujarak’s gaunt face.