Maliha

“Mama.”

Maliha’s eyelashes flickered as the bright morning light shone onto her face

“Mama.” Maliha’s body jolted as small arms earnestly shook her awake. Maliha rubbed at her sore eyes as she took in her surroundings. “Mama there’s a pale boy in our bed,” Enzo whined pointing to Javid who sat at the foot of the bed with his hand in his mouth. His big blue eyes staring curiously back at them.

“It’s okay Enzo, this is Javid. He has lost his family so he will stay with us until we can find them.” Enzo’s face darkened as he glared at Javid. “Be nice Enzo, he’s scared and alone. We are all he has right now.”

Maliha gentled her reprimand with a soft kiss to Enzo’s brow before climbing out of the bed. As soon as she stood up Javid followed her. He climbed from the bed and clung to Maliha’s clothes with his free hand.

Maliha gently patted his head as she began gathering clothes for all three of them. They were in need of a wash, especially Enzo who seemed to collect fluff and dust even when sleeping but Maliha saved that for the end of the day. She handed Enzo his clothes whilst taking her time to help Javid out of his. She used the small pot of water and cloth to wipe him down. Once he was clean, Maliha helped Javid get into some extra clothes that Enzo had. Though Javid spoke quite well last night, Maliha noticed that he was still at the stage where he was dependant on his mother to both help him dress and even put on shoes.

“I’m hungry.” Enzo huffed grabbing Maliha’s hand and tugged her out of their room. It was obvious from his attitude that Enzo did not like the idea of having to share Maliha. When their morning meal came, Enzo began reverting back to a little child. Begging for Maliha to feed him instead of Javid, he even tried to climb on her lap and almost knocked the timid boy to the floor.

“Enzo,” Maliha warned.

Enzo’s cheeks turned red as big tears poked at his eyes. His lip wobbled before he burst into tears and rushed to Maliha’s arms.

Maliha sighed in exhaustion as she tried to console her son. “I’m still your mama Enzo and I always will be but Javid is still a baby unlike you my strong little warrior. He needs to be watched just a little more but that doesn’t mean I love you any less.”

“Okay,” Enzo whispered, wiping at his tears, sucking in a large lung full of breath before taking his seat and resuming his breakfast. This time the glare on his face was absent and Enzo tried to even engage in conversation with Javid.

“I have a surprise for you. Quickly finish your food and I’ll show you.” Maliha laughed as Enzo shovelled down his food. Javid removed his fingers from his lips and began shovelling the food down as well. His big blue eyes bulging wide as he tried to swallow and chew at the same time.

Maliha nibbles on her food until both boys were done and then they were rushing outside, with an eager Enzo leading the way. “Slow down Enzo, Javid can’t move as fast as us, plus we are going in the wrong direction.”

Enzo’s steps faltered as he waited for Maliha to catch up to him and then lead them in the right direction. She held both boy’s hands as they walked through the deserted tribes land. The few people she did see, did not seem to be in their usual loving and inviting mood. The fear for their warriors hung suffocatingly in the atmosphere.

The door to a small hut they approached swung open and Makula’s regal form stood proudly followed by her sister Hanan. Seeing the two together made it easier to spot the differences.

“Makula,” Enzo cried, releasing Maliha’s hand and charging at the old woman.

Makula’s withered face creased in a wide smile as she gripped Enzo in her arms, her elderly form rocking back at the force of his embrace.

“Hello ashra,” she patted Enzo’s head and spent a few moments speaking so only he could hear.

As they spoke Hanan stepped out of the doorway to be by Maliha’s side. She glanced down at Javid with mild interest.

“How does it feel to be reunited with your sister after all this time?”

Hanan smiled reflectively, “We were never separated for us to be reunited. My sister and I are connected in ways that most will never understand. When I could not see her in the flesh, I would see her in my dreams. And on that note, I believe you and my sister have important matters to discuss.”

Just as those final words slipped from Hanan’s lips, Makula made her way over to the two of them. Her small hands were wrapped around Enzo’s as the two sisters communicated soundlessly. Their eyes conveying everything. Without words the two sisters swapped places and Makula gripped Maliha’s hands lightly.

“Come with me, we have much to discuss.”

Javid clung to Maliha’s clothes but with a gentle hand and soft words, the boy reluctantly released her and allowed the two women to depart a small distance away from the hut.

“You wanted to speak to me?”

“Yes, it is about Ujarak. I usually am not so frank but, on this matter, I find that there is no other way to convey the importance of this decision without doing so. Some weeks ago, we received a missive from Ujarak. In this letter, he detailed that you were not receptive to returning and he would stay for as long as he could to try and sway your mind. Of course, the council was outraged by this, we are only as strong as our Razi and a tribe without a leader is susceptible to all sorts of issues. However, a few days ago, I was called here to perform a ceremony by Ujarak. Read.”

Makula pulled the letter from a pocket at the front of her dress and ha see it to Maliha. Maliha’s fingers shook as she folded back the pieces of the letter to begin reading the text and when the words began to register in her mind, she felt her puzzlement mounting.

“Can he do that? I mean would the council allow him to do that?”

“Typically, we would have a vote but, in this instance, he has made very good points that would make it hard for anyone to discredit his choice.”

Makula refused to show any emotion, there was not even the slightest infliction of anything in her voice. Everything she stated was said in a matter of fact tone.

“This is ridiculous. Surely you won’t allow him to do this. He can’t just quit, it’s his birthright and if you do allow him, who will rule?”

Makula glared at her as she snatched the parchment from Maliha’s hand, waving it in the air. “If I could stop him I would but only you can. Ujarak is almost if not more stubborn then you are. He has made his decisions and believes the act alone will prove his love for you if nothing else. He has assigned Nahi and Abazz to rule, though we know their reign will be short lived. “

“I- I- Makula it’s just so much pressure.” Maliha stammered, roughly raking her finger through her hair. “I don’t want his decisions to be based upon me. Am I not entitled to want time to think and just be? I have just found my family and now I have to make these decisions. I’m not ready. It is not fair that this would fall to me.”

“Time? What will time change when you already know your answer? Time stands still for no man Maliha. A decision will be made whether you choose to move or not. The world keeps moving even if you refuse to move with it. It is time you let go of your pride and fulfil your destiny. Perhaps you are still in denial about your destiny, but it has been as clear as day since the moment you were born. You are born from a lineage of strong women and your place is beyond what you have accepted for yourself. Stop running from the pain and rejection and accept the truth. Your truth.”

Maliha huffed defeatedly. She had been trying her hardest to put off this moment but Makula was right. Time could not be held still, and they could live in this moment of uncertainty. Maliha had been waiting for porridge that Ujarak cared and this missive alone was proof that he did even if she did not want to accept it.

“I’ll speak to him when he returns. I’ll convince him to change his mind.”

Maliha’s eyebrow arched narrowly but she did not prod any further j to the matter. Instead, she merely sat back and watched Enzo playing with Javid. All of Enzo’s reservations about the little boy dissipated under Maliha’s reassurance and now the two were playing. The language was no barrier to their childish imagination and joy.

Their giggled were the only sound of joy that filled the tribe and as the day progressed into the night and there was still no sign of the warriors, fear began streaming into the atmosphere. Even during the night meal, Maliha found herself picking at her food in disinterest as she half-heartedly joined into her father’s discussion with Makula and Hanan. That night both Maliha and Enzo had a restless sleep. They slept through the morning and would have slept the whole day away if not for the loud screeching of Filsan.

“Maliha, get up! They have returned. Get up now.” Filsan shouted, yanking the blankets off of a bleary-eyed Maliha.

Enzo shot out of the bed before Maliha’s brain could register her aunts’ words. Javid looked on with confusion and interest as Maliha and Enzo hastened to throw on clothes. Maliha quickly dressed him and then they were running from the tent and into the large bustle of people who had begun to make their way to the entrance of the tribe. Maliha left a reluctant Enzo and Javid with Jiya who was watching a large number of kids. Enzo was mad at the fact but Maliha reassured him that she would return as soon as it was safe.

“I should have brought supplies,” Maliha huffed as she noted all of the items being carried in everyone’s hands.

“it is fine. We have enough as it is.” Filsan squeezed Maliha’s arm for reassurance as they followed the crowd.

Maliha stood on her tiptoes trying to scour through the crowd of people to find her brother, Kamir and Uja. Her pulse was skyrocketing as more and more wounded warriors and civilians made their way up the hidden steps and onto the Nah Barros land.

There were many familiar and unfamiliar faces, but none were who she was looking for and the longer they took to appear, the worse Maliha’s dread heightened. There was a sea of blonde-haired people, their skin dirtied and their faces sunken in from malnutrition. Maliha hoped that Javid’s mother was amongst those people, though she couldn’t see the few warriors her father had sent to scout the land.

Maliha plastered on a brave face as she spotted a pensive Xiuri. “Have faith,” Maliha mouthed, hoping that her words would give Xiuri what Maliha could not feel herself.

It took what felt like forever for the distinguishable red hair of Kamir to appear. Xiuri released a relieved wail as she pushed through the crowd of people and flung herself into the bloody and bruised arms of her Solah. Not long after, Maliha’s heart was soaring as Ujarak’s familiar face of Uja appeared. His skin had darkened under the harsh sun and his face was smothered with dirt and blood, but he was alive. Maliha couldn’t understand why his steps were slow and measured but when she noticed the dark from that clung limply to his shoulders, her heart dropped to her feet.

“Makaio,” Maliha cried as she charged into the crowd of people, pushing them out of her way until she was by her brother’s side. “What happened? It’s okay, I have you.” Maliha dabbed at the blood covering her brother’s brown eye before gasping at the discomforting sight of his other eye.

“I know,” Ujarak muttered. “I’m not sure what happened but he wasn’t present. It was as if he was out of this world and in that time, he was struck a few times. He will be okay, but his eye has been that colour since I found him, and he seems incoherent.”

“Thank you,” Maliha feebly smiled at Uja as she helped her brother walk his way to the sick beds that had begun to be erected as soon as word of their return reached the tribe.

Maliha tried not to look at her brothers’ iridescent eye as they sat him down on one of the sick beds, but it was almost impossible not to stare at the flickering hues. As soon as he was seated and was being attended to, Uja left to check up on the other warriors but Maliha stayed by Makaio’s side.

Kaori was soon to approach them as soon as he heard the news. “And you worried about me getting hurt,” grumbled her father as he rubbed over Makaio’s unruly and blood caked hair.

Her brother smiled softly but his consciousness had not fully returned. They stayed with her Makaio during the process of getting his wounds tended too. He had a large gash at the back of his head, a stab wound on his side but the longest was the cut that transpired almost the whole san of his right thigh.

Maliha was reluctant to let Makaio leave her sight but at her aunts prompting she reluctantly allowed some warriors to lift her brother and move him back to her hut.

“War always takes a lot out of him,” Filsan sighed sadly, “but he will be fine in no time. Do not worry over him, I will make sure he heals fully.”

Maliha and her father reluctantly accepted this and instead maundered around the tribe, assisting as many people as she could in all ways she could. Maliha helped prepare foods and tending to wounds where she was needed and by the time most people had been tended to and fed, the daylight hours were dwindling. When Maliha was sure there was not more she could do, she returned to Jiya where both Enzo and Javid sat waiting anxiously. Maliha hadn’t wanted to bring them to the initial scene to prevent them from seeing some of the gory detail of people’s wounds but now she felt that it was safe enough for them to see.

Thanking Jiya, she held each boys hand before making her way back to the field where people were being administered to.

Her pace was slow as she took in all of the wounded and sick people. There were so many of the Melikit tribe here and their eyes lingered on Maliha’s form as she walked through the clearing. Their piercing pale eyes did not hold as much power over Maliha as they once had.

Javid’s small steps faltered for a moment, his brows knitting as he shook off Maliha’s hold of his hand and then ran off into the crowd. His small figure bobbing and weaving into the distance. Maliha called for him but her voice was drowned out by the overwhelming cries of people being reunited with their families. Enzo yanked on Maliha arms and pulled her away from her search in the crowd.

“I think he found his papa.” Enzo pointed to the right where Maliha saw Javid hugging a blonde man. A bittersweet sigh of relief slipped from her lips as she took in the beautiful moment.

“I’m glad, now let’s go find your papa.” Enzo led the way, practically dragging Maliha behind him as he found his way to Ujarak.

Uja’s face split into a wide smile as he saw Enzo and Maliha emerging from the crowd.

His arms widened and Enzo through himself into them, his arms wrapping tightly

around Uja as he inhaled his father’s musky scent.

No words were exchanged as Ujarak spread his arms wider and motioned with his head for Maliha to join the hug. There was no reluctance in Maliha’s body as she sunk into the familiar embrace. Revelling in the blissful moment that was quickly disturbed by the sound of her name being called by that baneful voice.