BURNT CASTLE

12-Labá Iyo Toban

Nala

We both looked up at them and I could see the way Sahra's heart was beating so hard. As much as I want to stop the tears on my cheeks I could not, and the smirk on his lips was evident that he was glad to have seen my tears. Slowly, I tore my eyes away from his face and faced Sagal that was laying lifelessly and the flies that were all over her blood drenched Guntiino were the most painful thing to have ever happened to me since when we were captured in Mogadishu castle.

"What do you think you're doing here?! I though Boqorad Caaisho has made it clear that no one should be seen in Boqorad Fawzia's chamber?" I don't have to look up at them to know who was talking, it was Cabdi that spoke.

I watched the way Sahra slightly shivered as she tried to stood up but I held her back, we won't leave this place even if they are going to kill us until we bury Sagaal, I won't even want to begin to think of her being eaten again by the vultures. If just the thought nearly crucified my heart, I could imagine what it would do too Sahra. "Can we please bury her first?" I wanted to stop my tears, I really want to, but then I had no control over my emotions.

I mean, it was Sagal we're talking about. My precious darling sister, what would I do now that she's no more? I know that our lives have changed, we can't see them and Zahi is the reason we're even forbidden from going to their chamber, but knowing she's alive is far much better than this. I turned away from her body laying in the hole we dug as I looked up at Amiir Zahi, he's the only one who can save us now. As much as I hated to admit it, we could both be sent to the black family or worse, the red.

"Can we?" My voice broke while I spoke and a new set of tears rushed down my cheeks. He stared at me and somehow, the smug smile that was once on his lips now vanished and he took his eyes off me.

He turned to look at Cabdi, "Cabdi, Tawfiiq, bury the girl and escort the other to Caaiyo's chamber. Let Meelaaney know that I was the one that sent her to an errand." I know he was referring to Sahra and somehow, even though I'm not sure of what my life would be now, I was relieved. Because at least I know somewhere in the castle, both Hani and Sahra were alive and in good health.

"You have to follow me inside." I stared between Sahra that was now looking pale due to both pain and fear, back to Sagal's body that now both Tawfiiq and Cabdi were pouring sand over to Amiir Zahi that stood straight in his gallant posture as he waited for me to stand up. What did this mean? What did he want from me?

I wanted to argue with him, I wanted to tell him that I have to stay and wait until Sagal was surely buried, but then I have to appreciate what he had done for me. I stared at Sahra and she nodded her head at me while wiping at her tears to let me know that she would be fine. We both would be, even though our hearts will forever be in pain of what had happened in our lives. I turned to Amiir Zahi and saw that he had already started walking back into Boqorad Caaisho's chamber and I followed him inside.

My heart ached to the point that I wished I could bring it out for some minutes and have peace in my soul. But then I realized this wasn't a new pain, it was the one I've been trying to ignore when our Neerosh Festival was destroyed. It was the pain of seeing Aabbahay's head rolling on the ground and Hooyo's head being cut off her body. I clenched my eyes shut because I don't want to remember any of that, but the pain is too much for my heart to ignore.

And now, just when I thought even though painfully, I'd have to live the rest of my life as a slave and with the only family I had left, Sagal died. I had to stop walking midway at the pain that threatened to take my soul away, my knees went south and I broke into even more painful tears as I cried outwardly. I didn't care whether it was the whole Boqor of Mogadishu castle that was waiting for me, my heart is threatening to crush down right now and I have nothing to do but to let my soul feel the pain.