Queen of Rebellion

Chapter Two - Part One

Chapter Two

 Part One

The large man had ordered for my attendant to apply a different cream over my eyes after the mysterious priestess woman left the island. We continued our language lessons in secret over the next couple of days without interruption while the large man, I was sure, debated just killing me or actually delivering me to these people who so desired obedience.

It was funny, I was sure I’d rather die than be obedient to anyone. In fact, the idea of running away was even less appealing. It wasn’t certain but I felt the feeling of just giving up but never following through may have come quite common to who I was before.

The tar my attendant had been placing over my eyes didn’t seem to be working initially. It wasn’t until one hot afternoon when the village was especially busy that something magical happened. The idea I might see again started to expand.

“What is your name?” I said it slowly and enunciated in a very professional fashion.

He laughed a bit, his blur moving as he tried not to be disrespectful, and then sat straight to clear  his throat, “My nam ish Zek.”

Zek. It was so refreshing knowing what he said. He was overwhelmed that, despite the accent, I knew what he said.

“Zek,” I laughed and pointed to him, “Friend.”

“Friend?”

“Friend,” I then paused and looked to the door. He watched me and I was sure he knew what I was thinking. Before I could speak, he did the talking for me.

Zek started in the language I was still learning. From what I caught of it, he told me miles and miles of desert killed people. Especially “Bin-Rah”, newcomers. There was a level of intensity in his words that sent chills up my spine for a moment. Instead of continuing on in the hut, I decided it was time for our walk.

We made it past the village and had managed to get to the city style portion of this sandy place. We’d been traveling deeper and deeper into the village made of stone and leather. I was getting healthier much quicker but I didn’t want the people, predators, around me to know yet how well I truly was. Instead, at night I would move my legs in the air until they grew so tired I could not move them. I did sit ups and pushups until my torso was numb. I even bent and twisted allowing my muscles to feel loose.

This is why my vision staying the same, this fogged mess of colors, was so frustrating.

When we’d made it up the large hill, the one I’d been holding off on climbing for some time to give off the impression of weakness, Zek breathed a breath of relief and led me to a place to sit. It felt like a large stone and as I looked over the edge it seemed the miles of sand he spoke of were truly and seemingly endless and excruciating desert.

“Dangerous land.” He spoke in my language and I nodded my head. I assumed we were fairly secluded here.

“Indeed, very dangerous. Que-tu?” This meant “how far?”

“Ni-mah trech.” He replied three days. I scrunched my face for a moment remembering that the woman had given us three days for our journey. I guess everyone knew where I was going.

We stopped for a moment when a group of people began to travel down the steep stone hill we were at the resting point of. Another hill lead further up to a bundle of homes were the sweet smells of the bread had come from.

In this group there were seven women, one pregnant, and two men. One had been much shorter than the other with semi-dark skin while the other was midnight like the priestess woman. With their steps nearing us and then fading as they turned and traveled down the first hill we’d conquered, I realized the fabrics of the women’s clothing started to separate colors instead of bundling them. Looking harder, really focusing, embroidery also started to symbolize flower prints and odd shapes.