A Crook In The Sand

CHAPTER SIX

IT WAS WHEN THE SUN began to caress the golden sand that a caravan of a dozen men came into view. Today was a beautiful day to return from work.

Today was the day where four men would find their daughter and sister absent in the village.

A day for grief.

Yusuf got off his horse and embraced his wife. After two months of his travels, he missed the arms of Jada. He held her at arm's length, examining her. And simply looking at her with love.

His face had a bright smile and it ruined Jada, for she would have to break it.

The shouts and bickering behind her stopped her. She knew those annoying voices anywhere. Turning around, she found Rain and Toha bothering Sokath. Such nuisance. Such love for her three strong boys.

Sokath broke away from his brothers and hugged their awaiting mother. “Mother, I've missed you. Where is Mazeeda and Shazerade?”

“Shazerade is getting water from the well as we speak,” Jada told him. When Rain and Toha came around, she knew she couldn't hide the truth no longer.

“And Zeeda?” Toha asked as he peeled away his sand mask, his proud bronze skin finally able to feel the sun's warmth after a week of riding. His eyes and brows covered in sand that looked like flecks of gold.

“Indeed,” their father inquired. He had great news to tell to his wife and daughter and possibly the entire village. “Upon my travels, I've stumbled upon great mountain men. One in particular who I think will suit her.”

Rain and Toha erupted into a fit of laughter, each one patting their oldest brother on his shoulder. “Let's not forget,” Rain began, “that Sokath seeks Shazerade's hand in marriage.”

Jada was filled with joy as she looked at her boys carefully, each one growing into their own skin. None of them fighting to be survival of the fittest. The bombardment of such buoyant news was too much for their mother to bear.

She began to weep yet again. Ever since her daughter left, she had never known a day where she didn't cry.

Yusuf stepped forth to hold his wife up as she went limp against his chest.

“My rose, what is it? Why do you cry over such great news?” And then the pieces slowly began to connect.

She let her husband move her hair away. “The Caliph came to our village and demanded Shazerade.”

Sokath stiffened. His two brothers felt his uneasiness.

“Mazeeda took her place instead, Yusuf.” Jada silently wept. “I am a horrible mother for not stopping her. Oh by my smallgods, I even helped her into her dishdasha. Braided her hair. Presented her as the finest bride in Evalli.”

“You've sent her to die in the hands of the heartless Caliph?!” Rain was livid. “How could you?”

Yusuf watched as Rain stormed into the tent. He turned to Jada. “Do not be so harsh on yourself, this does not surprise me. This is something Mazeeda would have done for any girl.”

Sokath and Toha followed Rain into the tent, only to find him pacing the sitting room while packing.

“What mischief are you planning now?” Toha asked.

Only a frown appeared on the youngest brother.

Sokath sighed. “Whatever that mind of yours is planning, end it now. Or else.”

“Or else what, brother?!” Rain shouted at his oldest brother. He was raging at everything and everyone. “Your Shazerade is the reason why our sister is with the Caliph. A sacrificial offering. And now dead.”

He knew better than to react to such an immature insult, but he couldn't help it. He stalked to his still pacing brother and grabbed him by the shirt. “Don't put this on Shazerade. Mazeeda chose her own fate.”

“And you're willing to let it be like that? No justice? No vengeance?” Rain was purposely getting Sokath riled up, he wanted to see what he'd do.

“Vengeance is just murder in disguise.”

Toha didn't know what to do as he watched his brothers testing each other's patience. What he did know was that he wanted to sit back and watch.

“Then so be!” Rain pushed away from his grasp and continued packing. “I will burn that crooked kingdom down if it means to avenge our sister. Let's just hope Zeeda's selfless act wasn't a waste.”

Toha choked on air. “You don't mean to kill the king.”

“He does though,” Sokath said in defeat as he wiped his palms on his breeches.

“Then I'm in.”

“Good,” is all the youngest brother could say as he recounted all the things he needed for his travel to Yaheisea.

“As the oldest, I won't allow it.” What is happening? Sokath asked himself. His entire life seemed to be slipping away from him. He imagined something entirely different.

He was supposed to arrive back to the village and ask for Mazeeda’s blessing before proposing to Shazerade. They would go to her family's tent and ask for their blessing as well. And a beautiful wedding would take place, one so grand it will be remembered.

Not anymore.

“She's our sister,” Toha argued. “She put her life ahead Shazerade's when no one asked her to, Sokath.”

“I know that,” he whispered.

“Then you will know that this is the right thing to do. Because I tell you from brother to brother that I will not forgive your beloved if our sister's life was for nothing.”

Each word that came out of his two brothers made Sokath come to a revelation. He didn't like why he was going to do it, death was written all over it, but they were right.

I'm sorry Shazerade, he told his smallgods. “Then we leave tonight if we are to kill the Caliph and bring the qasr down.”

“You will do no such thing.”

The three brothers turned and found their father at the flap of the tent. He closed it behind him. His brown eyes and face was filled with grief and retribution for his only daughter.

“Father,” Sokath reasoned, “we were only-”

Yusuf raised a hand and he fill silent. “Do not count me imbecile, but you boys know absolutely nothing when it comes to sneaking around.”

Toha was the only one to laugh.

Their father walked up and eyed each one of them. “The mountain men will be coming here soon. We will tell them what has happened to Mazeeda and all the girls who have fallen before her. From there, we will gather more people to our cause and avenge those who have become victims of the ruthless Caliph.”

And thus was the start of a rebellion to save their Mazeeda that was still very alive, sleeping in a qasr a thousand mile away.

|AUTHOR'S NOTE|

Changed the perspective around so the plot makes more sense. Any thoughts on this chapter? Sokath and shazerade? Toha and rain?

Evilla is the farthest and smallest town away from Yaheisea in which Mazeeda lived before the qasr.