The old man crossed his arms. “My people are not paupers come to beg for charity, especially not from a brute like you.” To Karim, he added, “If I had known we would be received in this way, we would have set up camp on the eastern riverbank. Are you certain this alliance is wise, sen?”
Karim wasn’t sure. In fact, the whole plan might have been a huge mistake. There was no divine voice whispering instructions in his ear. There was only his gut instinct, and the tug that usually led him where he was supposed to go. But maybe that wasn’t enough anymore.
Babu and Elyas glared at each other with open contempt. The others shifted uncomfortably from foot to foot and eyed Karim, waiting to see what he’d do next.
Why did I ever think this was going to work?Karim wondered miserably.
He was so focused on the two men that he didn’t see Aya break away from her grandmother and approach Faiza, who clung to their mother’s side. It was only when Aya spoke that Karim took notice.
“Here,” the little girl said, producing a small bouquet of flowers bound with twine. The white lotus blossoms, grouped with a spray of red poppies, were limp and bruised from traveling in the pocket of Aya’s robes. She offered them to Faiza, who looked at the flowers uncertainly.
Aya explained, “I picked them by the river. They’re a little sad now…” She shrugged and nudged them toward Faiza again.
By that time, everyone else had fallen silent watching the two girls.
Faiza stepped away from her mother’s side and accepted the flowers from the younger girl. “They, um, might be better if we put them in some water. What do you think?”
Aya nodded enthusiastically.
“And perhaps you’d like some milk and a little bread?” Faiza added.
“Oh, yes!” Aya clapped her hands. “Then maybe we can play a game? I love games. Do you know how to play sheeza?”
Faiza smiled. “Yes, but I’m not very good.”
“I can teach you. I’m very good. I beat Sabbaevery time.”
“All right,” Faiza said warmly, taking the little girl’s hand. “Teach me then.”
Karim felt a swell of emotion as Faiza led Aya toward the family tent.Bless that girl, he thought. For all Faiza’s screaming and carrying on, she’d always had the biggest heart.
The playful exchange between the two girls seemed to have sucked the tension out of the air. People in the crowd murmured approvingly, and some even smiled.
Elyas stared after them. “While the men sow discord, the children water flowers,” he said, then turned back to Babu. “You are not the kind of man I prefer to break bread with, but you would probably say the same about me. Karim is right—the Hudjefa bring with us many skills and resources that we are willing to share with the Anen if you are willing to share yours with us. We can weather the dark days ahead more easily if we join forces. Wewerebrothers once, though so long ago that only the old stories remain as evidence of it. Perhaps it would do us good to remember that.”
Babu’s jaw worked as he considered a response.
Come on, you fool, Karim thought.Do something good for once in your life!
Finally, Babu said, “You say you have fighters? Weapons too?”
“You don’t remain a secret from the world for generations without a good defense system,” Elyas told him.
Babu nodded. “Good. We’ll show the Shass what’s what the next time they decide to raid us. They’ll think twice before doing it again, won’t they?”
Elyas chuckled gruffly. “They will, sen. They will indeed.”
At that, it was as if the crowd exhaled as one. Weapons lowered, conversations erupted, and wounded men and women were brought forward and attended to. As the business of living started up again, Karim hoped peace would hold, especially considering what he knew was coming.
Through the moving crowd, he caught sight of his mother. She regarded him with a look:We need to talk.
Karim cringed. He had, it seemed, a lot of explaining to do.
***
The first thing his mother did when they returned to sit in front of the family tent was demand to see the knife wound in his shoulder. When he removed his robes and she saw that it was already healing, she slumped onto a milking stool and shook her head.
“I don’t understand,” she said. “Is what that man said true? Are you really…a messenger from God?”
