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Harithik walked slowly on the white sandy beach, barely listening to the song of the waves. In spite of the cool breeze from the ocean, the sun was hot. He should have worn his turban, but then, he didn't really care about heat stroke.
The wind caressing his short brown hair made him think about Zoya when her tawny fingers ran through it. The soft sand under his bare feet made him think about Zoya when she massaged them in the intimacy of their bedroom. Her name meant "alive" but she was no longer of the world, having left a big hole inside him.
Grief had struck him at thirty and he hadn't recovered yet. He had left his small children with his sister at the capital, Agharek, and had taken some time off from his social life. He was only the cousin of King Kunal, but still quite busy at the court, and he couldn't handle the condolences and the faces of his friends and relatives.
Nadirah had suggested he retire to his beach estate to recover from the loss and mourn alone. She would take care of the two children Zoya had given him along with her own. But days went by and the loss was still strong, the pain still there.
At least, being alone with the servants, he didn't have well-meaning young ladies trying to console him. And the coast was cooler than inland Agharek. And there were less memories of Zoya around, since he hadn't been to the beach mansion with her.
A legacy from his father, he had spent the hotter months of his childhood there with his siblings – Nadirah, Kashaf and Jarita – and his parents, but hadn't gone back since his wedding day. Zoya was a city woman and she didn't like walking on the sand.
She had been the most beautiful woman of Agharek, in Harithik's opinion. Her curly black hair flew around her when she danced – and they both loved dancing. They had met at a celebration where people danced in the streets. They had continued to dance in the palaces of Agharek and at their wedding banquet. They wanted to dance through life together – but then something had gone wrong with her latest pregnancy and the midwives couldn't save her or the baby.
Thus here he was, alone with two boys, and all the light had gone out from his life. Her bronze complexion would never ever create contrast against his pale skin. Her voluptuous body would never ever nestle against his at night.
Of course he'd find another woman eventually, but right now he only wanted to curl up and cry. Maybe on the beach itself and wait for the tide to take him away.
He owed it to Radhwan and Ramjee to stay alive, though. His boys still needed a father. The loss of their mother was already affecting them. He should gather himself and go back to Agharek, or at least bring them here. He was starting to miss them. Maybe with them he'd be able to cope with the loss – away from the capital.
He saw dolphins jumping out of water. The boys would love to watch them and maybe get to play with them. He had played with dolphins in his childhood. Some of them even took human form – their appearance even paler than his – and called themselves Waiora, but he could never tell from the sea mammal form if it was a dolphin-dolphin or a Waiora in dolphin form.
Yes, he should definitely go and pick the boys up from Agharek. They would enjoy the change of scenery, the freedom of open air life and the sun giving them a hue closer to their mother's.
He had been happy at the beach mansion, they could be happy too, even without her. He'd keep them out of the tropical forest that almost reached the sea like his father had done with him, of course. The jungle was dangerous and they were too young to go on their first hunt, but they could play on the beach and explore the surroundings and...
It must be very hot in Agharek right now. Even though there were no other children of their status around at the mansion, Harithik thought he could busy himself with his sons. Maybe he'd feel less lonely, even at night, especially if he allowed them in his empty bed.
Although Radhwan was already ten and Ramjee seven. There had been two little girls, but they didn't survive infancy. And then there had been the boy who had taken Zoya's life...
The mansion was in sight, a white building with flat roofs and small windows covered with curtains to keep the heat out of the house. The luxuriant forest loomed beyond the building and sometimes seemed to want to engulf the house.
Harithik walked faster to reach the shade of his walls and organize the trip to Agharek to get the children.
***
Olayinka stared at the waves and wondered what to do. There was no going back. She had reached the coast of her father's empire and now she must find a way to get away from it. The King Dragon of Azhar Aswad had united all the tribes of Nera under him, founding the first Black Empire. Which meant she must leave the country by sea if she wanted to get away from him, and the husband he had chosen for her.
She may be an unruly princess, like her father had screamed at her, but she wasn't going to let him dictate her life. She still couldn't believe the new racial laws her father had introduced. After unifying under his rule all the tribes of Nera against the "white pest", the newly crowned emperor had expelled all the white-skinned merchants. Whoever didn't leave fast enough was arrested and taken into slavery.
Some had run away, some had tried to come back with armies of their original kingdoms, but the fleets couldn't penetrate Nera and were quickly bounced back to where they had come from.
The black rulers became harsher with their white slaves. There were plenty at the palace of Azhar Aswad, although all the nobles or ambassadors of foreign countries were gone.
Olayinka had grown up in a small but powerful kingdom open to trade, and suddenly had found herself in a closed and bigoted empire. She had never been meek like her sister Urenna and she had always considered all humans equals, no matter the color of their skin. Her friends had great variety of complexions, from her own sepia to ochre and tawny. She had never looked down with contempt on anyone, unless the person showed lack of respect for life.
And then she had fallen in love. His kisses were sweet, his eyes the color of the sky, his hair like gold. He'd come from the Kaden Kingdom of Paadre, a fair-skinned merchant's son who had been allowed at the court until the new laws passed. They had met in the palace gardens and fallen into each other's arms. She was twenty-three and head over heels for him.
And then her father had become emperor and expelled all the white people from the city and the lands... Roger had stayed, saying, "Better stay as a slave than not see you ever again." He had been stripped of his belongings and sent to the kitchens, supposedly never showing his face in the great hall ever again.
But he was still at the palace. They had kept seeing each other in secret. He made love to her as often as he could – and then she found herself pregnant. Being unmarried, her father screamed at her and almost disowned her.
Olayinka's mistake had been to try to save the ones who had stayed behind for various reasons. To her father's dismay, she had become the protector of the white people. She'd been fighting for them for almost two years, refusing to marry other black lords to strengthen her father's power.
And when she gave birth to a baby with a fawn coloring, her father's fury was unstoppable. He killed the baby and forced her to tell him who the father was. And then he killed Roger under her eyes and told her she'd have to marry Demissie, the destroyer, also known as Abrafo, the executioner...
The anger and sorrow of losing her baby and her man had pushed her over the edge. She wasn't going to obey. She wasn't going to marry a violent black man who would "tame" her, in her father's words. She left under the moonlight, wearing only her clothes and her jewelry.
Her breasts were lactating as if her baby boy was still with her. She pumped out some of the milk by hand and placed washed, raw and cold cabbage leaves inside her bra to reduce milk production, as suggested by her midwife. She still wished her baby would unburden her body in a more natural way.
She had walked along the river up to the coast, but now she was at loss about what to do. No foreign ships were approaching Nera's coast anymore.
How could she leave her father's empire before his warriors caught up with her and took her back to Azhar Aswad? She already had to hide as mounted men passed back and forth on the river shore, obviously looking for her.
Olayinka sighed and looked around the golden sandy expanse. It was almost sunset. She must find a place to rest and then decide which way to keep walking in the hope of finding a way off her father's empire.
***
The hustle and bustle of Agharek grated on Harithik's nerves as soon as he got off the ship. He told the captain and crew that he'd be back almost immediately, so they waited for him onboard, barely refurbishing the ship for the journey back to the sea.
Agharek was on a river shore and Harithik's home was blissfully close to the fluvial port, unlike the royal palace. Being a big white palace, he had shared it with his siblings, therefore the children were still there with his sister.
The doorkeeper beamed at the sight of him, and said Radhwan and Ramjee had missed him.
"Will you stay, my lord?" he asked, hopeful.
"No, I'm taking them to the beach house," he answered heading for the marble staircase that led to the upper floor and the private apartments.
Jarita had moved to her husband's house, but Nadirah had divorced her unfaithful and violent husband, therefore she had gone back to her family house with her three children. Kashaf and his wife Saira had their own apartment and so had Harithik. The children all slept in a nursery up to ten years old, so he'd have to take Radhwan away soon anyway, to give him his own room.
The boys were overjoyed to see him and rushed to hug him. Nadirah was in the room and she smiled at him, cuddling her smallest, little Haleem who was falling asleep. She had the same gray-green eyes and pale complexion that he had, and she had braided her brown hair with coral beads.
"I don't want to stay here," Harithik told her. "I'm taking them to the beach house down on the coast."
Nadirah stared puzzled at him. "Would you mind some company?" she asked.
She was divorced, he was a widower. Maybe they could raise their children together on the ocean shores.
"How long would it take you to pack?" he replied with a half-smile.
"Not long." She grinned and put down sleeping Haleem.
Two hours later the siblings with five children in tow went back to the ship waiting for Harithik. Radhwan and Ramjee were very excited at the thought of seeing the house on the beach they had heard so much about from their father and aunt. Their happy chatter kept Harithik's mind busy and he exchanged tired smiles with his sister every now and then.
She must be sick of Agharek too. Her divorce had been a big scandal a year earlier, since her father had married her to a rich and powerful lord. Except Hadir de Sayek had proved himself unworthy, especially as soon as his father-in-law had died.
Opium made him unstable and often violent towards his wife and children, and Nadirah had requested a divorce at the temple of Zindagi, the Goddess of Life, on the grounds that he threatened the life of his own family. The priests of Zindagi had granted the divorce, but Hadir and his relatives had made quite a fuss, even though Nadirah was first cousin to King Kunal.
Both Nadirah and Harithik felt they badly needed a break from the city and its intrigues, albeit for different reasons. Both were happy to go back to happier memories of their childhood and pass on to their children the love for the mansion on the beach, with its garden and palm trees and the quiet of a secluded place.
Harithik still went for long walks along the sandy expanse, but when he got home, his sons kept him busy with their questions and discoveries. They often played in the waves all together – with their cousins and aunt – and sometimes the dolphins approached them to join the fun.
"Time will heal us," Nadirah said one night as she watched the starry sky from the inner garden with her brother. "Maybe one day we'll marry again."
"You had an arranged marriage," Harithik replied mournfully. "I was madly in love. I lost her too early."
"I miss Zoya too, Harithik. She was my favorite sister-in-law, always so smiling and cheerful... She brought light into my darkness!"
Harithik sighed. "Sometimes I fear the sun will never rise again..."
"It will rise again, my dear brother. Have faith. Zindagi will bring you a new life with a new woman soon."
"She didn't really bring you a new man," Harithik said. Zindagi had brought a new life to his sister, but she hadn't saved his Zoya. He wasn't very happy with the goddess at the moment.
Nadirah leaned towards him. "Harithik, dear, women are more independent than you think," she whispered with an impish smile. "I don't need another man to mess up my life. That's why Zindagi hasn't sent anyone. I don't want anyone. But you obviously need someone, so ask Zindagi to send you someone."
"She hasn't really listened to my prayers before," Harithik grumbled with a lump in his throat.
"Women die in childbirth every day." Nadirah sighed. "I'm sure Zindagi mourns each and every one of them. Don't blame her for Zoya's passing, though. She's not always the strongest of our gods."
Harithik frowned but nodded. Nadirah was right. He should stop mourning and ask Zindagi to send him a new mother for his children. The boys and himself badly needed a female figure by their side.
***
Olayinka awoke with the sound of birds. She had found a thicket and laid down by a hibiscus shrub. The sun was high and she stretched her limbs before going to look for food. She found coconuts that would be enough for now.
She had eaten only fruit since she'd run away from Azhar Aswad. She needed to change her diet, but didn't dare approach the few villages she'd seen on the way, just in case they reported her to the emperor.
One week out in the wild on her own was taking its toll on her. She leaned to drink from a pond of freshwater, then headed back for the beach, following it towards the north. From the few maps Roger had shown her, the closest coast was further north, the continent of Varia, the kingdom of Akkora.
Olayinka had helped an Akkoran merchant to escape slavery and he also had mentioned that the Akkoran southernmost coast wasn't too far from Nera – although swimming probably wasn't a good idea. But maybe a ship of Akkorans might pass by and take her onboard.
Since there was less shade on the coast, Olayinka decided to start walking at night and sleep during the day, in the hottest hours. She'd find a thicket or rocks that protected her from the scorching sun and resume walking when the sun was setting behind the mountains of Nera. She liked how it rose from the sea in the east and vanished behind the highest peaks in the west.
She didn't have any weapons except a dagger tied to her thigh and hidden under her long and colorful gown, but she eventually manufactured a bamboo lance and tried to catch some fish either in small bays or in freshwater ponds to vary her diet of fruit. Finding dry wood to light a fire wasn't too hard, so she could cook the fish before eating it.
Another seven days went by and she reached the outskirts of Husayn, the town where Urenna had married. Olayinka hesitated before heading for the stone building where her sister lived. She hadn't seen her in five years, since Urenna got married, and wasn't sure whose side she'd be on. But she was tired and wanted to eat and sleep properly, if only for a night, so she decided to knock on Urenna's husband's door.
The white servant who opened the door had come from the palace of Azhar Aswad and his eyes widened in surprise.
"Hello, Nicholas, I'm here to see my sister, if possible in secret," she said.
He gulped and nodded, letting her in and taking her to the servants' quarters. She found others that she knew and some new slaves, but all had heard of what she had done for the white people when her father had taken power.
Nicholas came back with Urenna who frowned at her.
"Olayinka! What have you done this time?"
"Hello, Urenna, I'm asking only for food and a bed for tonight, then I'll be out of your house and your life forever," she answered, staring at her sister. They had the same luscious lips and broad noses, the same sepia skin and gossamer hair, although Olayinka kept it in a box braided and beaded hairstyle while Urenna had it in long twist braids with side cornrows decorated with pearls and corals.
"You ran away from Azhar Aswad?" Urenna asked, incredulous. "Why?"
"Because Father killed Roger and wanted me to marry Demissie."
"The Abrafo?" Urenna shook her head and sighed. "Sounds like a punishing marriage for you."
"It is. I dared breed with a white-skinned slave, Demissie is supposed to tame me," Olayinka answered with scorn.
"Oh, little sister, you're always in trouble!" Still, Urenna hugged her. "Nicholas and the others will take care of you. I will not tell my husband that I saw you. Make sure you leave as soon as possible. You know how much he respects our father, and he probably knows the emperor wants you back."
"Thank you, Urenna." Olayinka squeezed her, then let her go. "Are you happy?"
Urenna caressed her braids, looking sad now.
"Olayinka, we're princesses, we're not supposed to be happy. We're supposed to do our father's bidding."
"You will always be Father's Pride," Olayinka replied. "And I'll always be the one who Brings Salvation. In this case to myself. I don't want to die in the arms of a violent man."
"Where will you go?" Urenna asked, worried.
"Towards the north. Sooner or later I'll be close enough to the Akkoran coast to find passage away from Nera..."
***
Harithik had made a tent with bedsheets inside his bedroom, with plush cushions on the floor. The boys loved to imagine they were nomads and that they had planted their tent in the middle of a desert. They could have done it in the garden, but it felt safer – and cooler – inside the house.
Radhwan and Ramjee had fallen asleep after lunch and Harithik liked watching them sleep. Radhwan looked like him but had his mother's bronze skin, while Ramjee had his mother's long eyelashes and sweet smile. Zoya had left something of herself in both of them, and Harithik was starting to fear he'd lose the boys as well.
Nadirah put in her head and smiled. She signaled to him that he follow her and they went to sit in the garden, under the shadows of tamarisks and fig trees.
"Mine are asleep too," she said as a servant brought them fresh fruit juices. "I've been thinking we should take them to see the ruins of the old city, you know, like our parents took us every now and then."
"When they ran out of things for us to do." Harithik smiled. "It's a day trip and might keep them busy for longer. They're getting used to being here, and they're almost done with exploring the house, so... I guess we could do that."
"And there's the market in Akulina as well. That's also a day trip." Nadirah pondered. "We're not really known in Akulina, so nobody will bother us."
"They might think we're husband and wife instead of brother and sister," Harithik said. "Yes, we could go to Akulina as well. Tell me it's not just to visit the temple of Zindagi there, though..."
"We could buy something to make a little altar here," Nadirah replied, amused. "I still think you should pray to her..."
"I don't need a temple to pray," he retorted. "So, where to first? Akulina or the ruins?"
***
Sleeping in a real bed didn't make her rest better. Olayinka awoke after bad dreams and restless sleep, but determined to keep going. Nicholas gave her a note from her sister in the kitchen while she had sage tea, to decrease her milk production, and flatbreads. Urenna had booked her a camel in a caravan going north. The caravan leader only knew he should drop her on the coast where a ship would take her to her father – of course there would be no ship at the drop point, but at least Olayinka could travel safely for a while.
Olayinka scribbled a thank you note and went looking for the caravan that was gathering outside the walls of Husayn near the northern gate. She climbed on her camel and let it do the walking. At least at night she slept in a tent and didn't have trouble finding food.
Seven days later the caravan dropped her on another beach and she gave the ebony-skinned leader one of her golden bangles in payment. She told him there was no need for him to wait for her father's ship, and shooed him on his way.
He seemed reluctant to leave until someone spotted a sail approaching from the south. At that point the caravan resumed its journey. Olayinka frowned at the sight. Had Urenna betrayed her? Was it just another merchant ship?
She decided to hide, just in case. She looked around and saw a rocky hill, an oasis further inland, and a couple of houses that looked empty. If the ship was really looking for her, they'd land and look for her in the most obvious places.
She headed for the rocky hill and avoided any human construction. She hoped to get to the oasis for the night but for now, she'd rather hide. On the other side of the hill she found an opening between two rocks that offered some shade and sat there, waiting.
She heard voices and people calling each other. It was indeed her father's ship and guards had disembarked to look for her. Nobody headed her way, though, and soon everything was quiet again except for the wind and the rolling waves.
She left her hiding spot that was now in the sun and headed for the oasis, keeping an eye on the coast. The ship was no longer in sight. By late afternoon she saw it cruise back south slowly, and ducked behind rocks so they wouldn't see her from the deck.
By nightfall she had left the oasis behind and hadn't run into the caravan camp yet. She slept on the beach, lolled by the waves song, out of reach of the tide. The sand was golden around her and it welcomed her body like a bed.
When she awoke, a couple of very pale beings sat on the sand next to her. They wore tunics of a nacreous fabric – long for the woman, short for the man – and had no body hair. Brown hair and similar faces, their bright blue eyes stared at her.
She sat, startled, and they smiled. They didn't look completely human.
"Hello," the woman said. "Are you hiding from your own people?"
"Yes... who are you?" Olayinka asked, feeling her heart beat faster. She had heard legends... could it be?
"We are Waiora, Water's people," the man answered. "Our cousins from the river had told us there were troubles in Azhar Aswad. Aren't you Princess Olayinka?"
"I am." She marveled at their knowledge. She was barely aware of the Water people and they knew everything about her. "I'm trying to get away from my father's empire."
"No white men's ship will approach this coast," the woman said. "Thanks to your father's new racial laws."
Olayinka shrugged. "There is only so much that I could do. I give up the fight. I only want to get away from here."
"We will help you." The man smiled. "We will take you to the Akkoran coast. Are you ready for a long swim?"
"Anything to get off Nera," she answered, determined.
"You can hold on to us when you're tired," the woman said. "We will take dolphin form and you can hang from our dorsal fin."
"We will also move the currents to push you forward faster," the man added. "Ready?"
"Do you have anything to eat?" Olayinka asked. "I last ate yesterday morning and I'm quite starved... I'm afraid I won't make it if I don't eat."
"Eating before diving might make you even sicker," the woman replied. "Come with us and in a couple of hours you can find food on the Akkoran coast."
Still puzzled, Olayinka nodded and followed them into the water. She was a good swimmer, but in the river that ran by Azhar Aswad or the pools of the palace gardens. The ocean's waves scared her a little, but the water seemed calmer around her.
The two human-looking beings vanished underwater and two dolphins jumped out of the waves, swimming on both sides of her as if to protect her. She wasn't sure of where she was headed, so she just kept swimming, leaving the sandy beach behind.
She lost track of time as she swam. When she felt tired, she floated, her hands on the backs of the dolphins. Sometimes she just let the current take her. Sometimes she grabbed the dolphins' dorsal fin and let them carry her – which was exhilarating but tiring.
Finally they stopped to allow her to take a good look ahead. White sandy beaches and palm trees had a luxuriant forest looming right behind. She'd have to stay away from that jungle, lest some tiger decided to make her its meal.
With a last effort, she made it to the mainland and rested on the beach for a moment, looking around. The two Waiora emerged in their human form again.
"We're not sure where you want to be. If you go that way," they pointed to the left, giving their back to the sea, "there's a town called Akulina. If you go the other way," they pointed to the right, "there's only small villages and beach mansions."
"Thank you." Olayinka bowed to them. "Now you can tell me. How much would it have taken me to cross the sea?"
"Swimming? You wouldn't have made it," the woman answered with a smile. "As you can see, Nera's coast is out of sight."
She gaped at their smiles. She bowed again, her voice failing her for another heartfelt thanks.
"Good luck," the man said. "I hope you will be able to communicate with the Akkorans."
"I have learned some foreign languages," she said. "There were ambassadors at my father's court before he became emperor... Thanks again for taking me here."
The two Waiora waved good-bye and dived, vanishing into the ocean again. Olayinka sighed and looked around one more time. She better have some coconuts before she decided which way to go. The sun and the swim were taking a toll on her body and she headed for the closest palm trees.
***
The market in Akulina was way too crowded for Harithik's tastes. The trip to the ruins had been funnier, although Ramjee had sprained his ankle while jumping from one crumbling wall to another. Not really his fault if the wall had given way under his light weight, but Harithik had to carry him home in his arms.
Now the little one was in bed with his ankle bandaged, and his brother and cousins surrounded him. Harithik felt the need for fresh air, so he left Nadirah in charge and headed out for a solitary walk on the beach.
He missed Zoya again. While he tried to calm Ramjee's sobs, he had felt the loss more than ever. She would have known what to tell the boy, although he'd still have to carry him home, since Ramjee was now too big for his mother's arms.
Nadirah's help wasn't enough to raise his – and her – children. He must find someone else. Maybe he should hire a nanny, because he really couldn't bring himself to marry again yet.
The sun was high and he'd left his turban at the house once more. He thought it was a mirage when he saw Zoya walking towards him. His heart jumped in his throat as he stopped, incredulous, but then he focused on the figure and saw it was indeed a woman, with sepia skin and box braided hair who was slowly walking with her eyes on the sea.
As soon as he realized the woman was real, he resumed walking, now curious to hear who she was. He assumed she came from Nera because of her skin tone, but he hadn't seen any ship sailing by and he knew the new ruler of the Black Empire had interrupted all trade with other countries.
In Akkora there were many people with darker skin, but they still belonged to a different race from the predominant one in Nera. They had straight hair and less luscious lips and less flat noses and probably wouldn't fit in Nera more than the pale-skinned ones like Harithik.
"Hello," he greeted when he was close enough, startling her.
Her eyes widened and then narrowed again as she stopped dead in her tracks, studying him. He raised his hands and smiled, showing he had no weapons, and she seemed to relax.
"Hello," she answered. "You Akkoran?"
"Yes. I'm Harithik, I have a house further down the beach. You from Nera?"
"Yes. Adetoun Olayinka of Azhar Aswad."
Harithik pondered. "Adetoun" meant Princess. Azhar Aswad was the capital of the newly founded Black Empire.
"Are you a daughter of the emperor?" he asked.
"Dragon King of Azhar Aswad when I was little," she answered.
"Yes, that's what he was called when I was little too," he said, switching to whatever he knew of the Neran language.
Being the king's cousin meant he had studied foreign languages, and obviously so had she. She spoke some Akkoran and he spoke some Neran. They could probably communicate just fine.
"I request political asylum," she said. "Should I go to Agharek?"
"I'm the king's cousin, I can give you asylum for now," he replied. "Come."
She eyed him warily, but followed him back to the mansion.
"Are you hungry?" he asked. She nodded. "Sit, I will tell the kitchen we have a guest."
He left her in the living room and went to the kitchen and to warn Nadirah as well. Then he went back to his guest who had sat down on one of the carpets and looked around with a worried frown on her face.
Harithik could tell she was beautiful by her own people's standards. Her box braided hairstyle was a little ruffled, she must have been traveling for some time. What attracted him, though, was the melancholy in her big black eyes, as if she was hiding a sorrow as big as his.
It felt rude to ask her immediately what had happened, so he waited until she ate her fill and seemed to relax a little. By then Nadirah had left the children with a servant and had joined them. Nadirah also spoke several languages, so there would be no problems there either.
"Welcome to Akkora," Nadirah said. "I'm Nadirah, Harithik's sister. I'm afraid my brother didn't catch your name."
Harithik blushed, but Nadirah was right. And he thought it would be rude to ask again.
"Olayinka," the black princess answered. "You are cousins of King Kunal?"
"Yes," Harithik answered, puzzled. "How do you know our king's name?"
"I helped a slave to run away. He was from Akkora. Said his king's name was Kunal. I'm better with Kaden Kingdom language," she apologized.
"You are quite good with Akkoran," Nadirah said with a smile. "Probably better than me with Neran."
"There wasn't much communication before, there is even less now," Olayinka said mournfully. "My father is..." Words failed her. She looked angry now. "I tried to fight him, but he's much stronger!"
"Unless you live in the Queendom of Maadre, I'm afraid you'll never have much power," Nadirah said. "Only there did they tame men into being very submissive to female rule. Even here, it's not that easy for a woman to have her way."
"He wanted me to marry one of his lords who would tame me!" Olayinka sounded indignant.
"I also had to marry someone chosen by my father," Nadirah replied. "Thank Zindagi, I was allowed to divorce him when he started beating me and our children."
"So you divorced? And you?" Olayinka looked at Harithik.
"Widower," he muttered, averting his eyes. He heard her sigh.
"I consider myself widower too," she said. Her mistakes with the language were endearing. "I wasn't allowed to marry him, but he was..."
"The one and only," Nadirah finished for her.
"Yes."
Harithik looked at her. Same loss, same melancholy, same sorrow. That was in her eyes and her sad demeanor. They were very similar.
"Welcome to my house," he said. "I hope you will be able to start a new life here with us."
"Do you have children?" she asked.
"Yes, two boys. The youngest sprained his ankle and is now in bed until he heals."
She seemed to brighten even though she didn't smile.
"I would like to meet them..."
Harithik and Nadirah exchanged a glance. Olayinka wasn't a threat. Maybe eventually she could join their extended family and tell them her story...
***
Olayinka thought the Akkoran lord was quite handsome. Not as beautiful as Roger had been, but he had a princely air about him that reminded her that white people were not the savages depicted by her father.
And the melancholy in his gray-green eyes resonated with her. They knew enough of each other's language to communicate, and hearing he was a widower made a lot of sense. He lived with his sister and they tried to raise their children together in the big house on the beach.
Olayinka followed them to the children's room where she found five little ones between four and ten. Harithik's children were called Radhwan and Ramjee, the latter being the bedridden one. Nadirah had Radhesh, nine, Akila, six and little Haleem, four.
Akila stared awed at her box braided hairstyle and Olayinka suggested – with her tentative Akkoran – the little girl touched her hair, even though it wasn't at its best after the journey and the swim across the sea. Akila glanced at her mother, then touched Olayinka's head quickly, as if she were afraid.
Olayinka smiled and caressed the little girl's cheek. "You have beautiful hair too," she said. "One day I will braid you."
Akila smiled and hid in her mother's arms. She must be very shy. The boys looked curious but not hostile. Harithik was explaining to them where she came from.
"She is a princess," he told them gravely. "And we will give her shelter until she finds a better solution."
The children nodded. "Does she know stories?" Ramjee asked eagerly.
"I know bedtime stories," she answered. "But I need help from father. Not good at your language."
"I will help you," Harithik offered. "You are very good for someone who comes from so far away. I'm sure I couldn't accomplish half of what you're doing if I were to speak with any of your people."
Nadirah then asked her if she wanted to bathe and change clothes. Olayinka gratefully accepted.
The bath chamber had a big pool where many people fit. Nadirah explained that women used it on certain days, and men on other days. Akila had tagged along and all three undressed.
Akila's eyes widened at the sight of the dagger Olayinka deposited on her stash of jewelry.
"For self-defense," she explained.
Nadirah nodded gravely and motioned to the pool.
Perfumed soaps filled the air and Akila helped Olayinka to gather the beads at the end of her braids. It was time to redo the hairstyle after thoroughly washing away the sand and dust of the journey. The water would moisturize her hair and give it back its life.
Nadirah helped gently detangle her hair with a wide tooth comb, starting from the ends, working up to the roots. She was very patient with the numerous knots in Olayinka's hair, as if she were used to frizzy hair.
Olayinka saturated her hair with water before applying the special soap Nadirah gave her.
"My sister-in-law used it, she had very curly hair," she said with a smile.
So Harithik's wife had been curly-headed. Olayinka massaged her scalp with the special soap, and then rinsed the hair while Akila watched eagerly.
Olayinka gently squeezed the water out of the hair, and then Nadirah gave her a special oil for the hair length.
"The ends especially need it to look healthy," she explained.
Olayinka smelled it and it seemed much like the ones she had used at home, so she put it on her hair. She washed the rest of her body and then rinsed most of the oil away. It was time to get out of the pool and wrap a towel around their bodies to finish their grooming.
Olayinka gently squeezed and blotted the water from her hair while Nadirah rubbed her daughter's head with a towel before doing the same with her own. Olayinka let it dry in the warm air of the bath chamber and soon it blew out around her head, making Akila giggle.
"You know why I braid it," she told the little girl with a smile.
"You have mahogany highlights," Nadirah said admiringly. "Very beautiful."
"Thank you." Olayinka smiled and tried to find something nice to say to Nadirah.
"Do you need help to braid it back?" Nadirah offered. She had put a clean dress on herself and her daughter.
"I will do it tomorrow morning," Olayinka answered, staring at her own tattered clothes with a frown. "Where can I wash my clothes?"
"Come, I'll give you some of mine for now."
Nadirah took her to her bed chamber and gave her a bodice and a long gown that were very similar to Olayinka's original clothes. Nadirah gave the guest's garments to a washerwoman and showed her the guest bedroom.
"You can relax here until dinner time," she said before retiring with her daughter.
Olayinka looked around the room. Carpets on the floor covered with plush cushions and a low bed in a corner. A low table with a lamp. She put her dagger on it and went to the french-window that opened on the inner garden.
Beyond the hibiscus shrubs, she saw Harithik standing in another room, looking down. She assumed that must be the children's room. She wondered where his room was – probably one of the nearby french-windows.
So she was on the women's side and he was on the men's side. Divisions everywhere. But as long as she was treated like a human being, she'd be fine. She tried the bed and pulled the light curtains around it. They would keep the mosquitoes away at night.
She dozed off, dreaming of Roger and the Waiora and her father threatening her. Urenna and Nadirah alternated by her side as she bathed in a pond. And then she saw Harithik on the beach and smelled him... and then she was awake.
She opened her eyes with a sigh and saw him standing by her bed.
"Are you hungry?" he asked shyly. "I wasn't sure if I should wake you up or not..."
She rose and closed the curtains around the bed. "I'm famished," she said. "Thank you. I hope I didn't keep you waiting."
"No, I had just come in," he said with a smile that still looked sad.
Maybe he had stepped in the room the moment he had stepped in her dream. She followed him to the living room where Nadirah and the children already sat on the plush carpets around a low table. At the center of it was a big bowl of couscous and vegetables. Another bowl had rice and lamb and a third corn and crab meat.
Olayinka quickly tied her hair at the nape of her neck to keep it out of the way while she ate. Akila asked her how to say the various foods in her own language and soon the boys joined in. They seemed all very curious and eager to learn.
"It's better if I learn your language," she told the parents after some time. "They won't need mine to communicate, because of my father's policy..."
"We can all learn from this chance meeting," Harithik replied. "You never know what will happen when they become adults and we grow old."
"Can you cook?" Nadirah asked her. "Or were there servants and slaves taking care of the kitchen in Azhar Aswad?"
"Both." Olayinka smiled. "I spent too much time with slaves, according to my father. But I enjoyed their company more than my father's friends and courtiers..."
"Then you can teach us some dishes of your country," Nadirah said. "The cook will be happy to hear you!"
Olayinka offered one of her golden bracelets. "Would this pay for my stay?"
"You have been granted political asylum," Harithik said. "You don't need to pay us. We are not poor. We can afford a permanent guest. Eventually we will go back to Agharek and you'll need all your precious jewelry to impress our cousin the king."
Olayinka nodded a thank you. She was glad she had found the house on the beach. And she hoped the king of Akkora was less harsh than her father the emperor.
***
Time started flying after Olayinka joined the household. Nadirah and Akila were overjoyed to have another woman and the boys seemed happy to have her and teach each other a new language. Olayinka knew a lot of new stories with what felt like exotic animals, since there was no savanna in Akkora.
Their eyes went wide when she described lions and giraffes. Even her elephants were slightly different from the ones they knew and her folklore told different tales. Retelling those stories helped her vocabulary immensely and she was becoming really fluent in Akkoran.
Harithik sometimes thought Olayinka was a real princess, showing the pride of her blood, but mostly she was very sweet and committed to the house, as if she felt it was her duty to return the hospitality by telling stories, sharing recipes and helping around.
She still had that melancholy in her eyes, though. Her box braided hairstyle had become long twist braids and one day she had done cornrows on Akila's head, to Nadirah's amusement. When she washed her hair, she changed braiding style, and she wore Nadirah's clothes with the pride of a queen.
Harithik started thinking about going back to Agharek. He could pass on Zoya's clothes to Olayinka, so she wouldn't have to share with his sister, or they could go to the court dressmaker and have new clothes made for the black princess.
He invited her for a walk on the beach to inquire. He wasn't sure yet what she wanted to do next. They walked side by side in silence, barefoot, until the mansion was behind them and out of earshot.
"I'm happy you came to my house," Harithik said. "You brought a ray of sunshine with you. I was wondering if you want to stay here or would like to see our capital, Agharek, and meet my cousin the king."
Olayinka pondered before answering.
"You have been most generous with me. Your children are lovely and your sister is like a sister to me... no, more, since my own sister betrayed me." Her frown showed she was still mad at her family.
"I would love to hear your story from the beginning," he said gently.
She knew by now that he had lost the love of his life, and most of Nadirah's story as well, but she hadn't opened up with them yet. At least not with him and he didn't want to ask Nadirah. After a month at the mansion, maybe Olayinka would finally tell him what had brought her to the coast of Akkora.
She sighed but nodded. "I owe it to you, since you've been so kind to me," she said. "I was always a rebel, unlike my sister Urenna."
She explained to him the meanings of hers and her sister's names – She Brings Salvation and Father's Pride – and went on to explain how her father had unified all the tribes of Nera and had all the chieftains bow to him and crown him emperor.
"The Dragon King of Azhar Aswad was already one of the most powerful of Nera," Harithik mused. "We had an ambassador at his court until five years ago."
"And then he expelled all the white-skinned people from our land." She nodded, frowning again. "I tried to take the slaves' side... and to save the man I loved. He was as pale as you are, but had sky-blue eyes and golden hair."
"Northern populations are like that," Harithik said. "Where did he come from?"
"The Kaden Kingdom in Paadre. His name was Roger. He refused to leave when my father passed the racial laws and was sent into slavery at the palace. So I kept seeing him in spite of everything... I didn't dare ask my father to marry him, not after he showed so much contempt for the white-skinned people!"
"We have brown-skinned people here," Harithik said. "Supposedly nobles should all be white-skinned. My wife, Zoya, was brown, even though she was the daughter of a nobleman, and I had to fight my father to marry her. I think many people at the court were happy when she passed away because according to them she didn't look good next to me. I am of royal blood after all."
She smiled ruefully. "When my father found out I was pregnant, he forced me to reveal who the father was."
"Zindagi!" Harithik whispered shocked. He knew where this was going. "He killed Roger?"
"Yes. And the baby. It was a boy, I wanted to call him Abayomi."
Born to Bring Me Joy. What a beautiful name. I can't believe the black emperor killed his own grandson only because he had the wrong blood.
He nodded, frowning at the thought of what it must have been for her to watch her baby die.
"And then my father ordered me to marry one of his warlords, the one nicknamed Abrafo..."
A nickname for a troublemaker... No wonder she ran away.
"Demissie was supposed to tame me," she continued. "So I left. On foot I reached Husayn and my sister's house. She gave me shelter for a night and the next day sent me a note about a caravan headed north. Her husband shouldn't know I was in town... but I think he knew. Or she betrayed me. When the caravan left me on the coast, a ship of my father's men was coming to pick me up and take me back."
Harithik stared horrified at her.
"I hid and they didn't find me." She shrugged. "And then the Water people came and helped me cross the sea."
"The Water people?" Harithik brightened. "The ones that turn into dolphins?"
"You know them?" she asked, puzzled.
"I haven't seen one since my childhood, but yes, they used to come and play with us on these shores," he answered. "So how did you cross the sea?"
"I swam... and they carried me... in dolphin form..." She smiled. "Only when I reached the beach did they tell me I had performed an impossible feat."
Harithik chuckled. "Indeed! Ships take one or two days to cross! And they don't cross anymore, since it has become a dangerous place to land..."
"I know." She grinned. "They told me one way would take me to a town, the other way to houses and villages... and I headed away from the town."
"Akulina." He nodded. "It's not far. We might go to the market there again soon."
"I'm glad I went the other way." Her white teeth flashed in her black face. "I met you, and Nadirah, and the children..."
"I'm glad you came this way too," he replied with a smile. "So would you like to see Akulina, and then Agharek?"
***
Olayinka enjoyed Nadirah's company. The other women of the house were also very helpful in assisting her overcome the loss of her baby. They gave her herbs to stop milk production and kept her busy in the house and with the children. She could get used to her new life in the white house.
And then Harithik, who was always very courteous, asked her for a walk. As she had imagined, he wanted to know more about her. She guessed he hadn't talked with Nadirah – much like she hadn't talked with her brothers much when she still lived in her father's house – and she told him her story.
She was probably too blunt, but she had no more tears. Not for Abayomi, not for Roger. Not even for herself. She simply stated the facts, realizing even the anger was gone. Maybe she was falling into another kind of mood, but she felt empty.
He asked her if she wanted to go to the Akkoran towns, but she didn't feel like meeting people yet. She was still adjusting to the household's habits and didn't think she could handle a foreign court yet.
She was grateful to Harithik for giving her shelter and liked watching him interact with his sons. All three still looked lost, six months after the death of the woman of the house. And she still felt broken, two months after leaving her father's house.
Her body was recovering, her periods were back, but she still missed something. Her father hadn't only killed her baby and her man, but also that part of her which wanted to fight back. It was ironic that she didn't need to be "tamed" anymore, because she had lost all willingness to rebel.
But then, maybe if she'd stayed in Azhar Aswad she'd still be angry and rebellious and wishing she could kill everybody around her. The house on the beach seemed to have a soothing influence on her – or maybe it was Nadirah's quiet.
Nadirah was twenty-eight, one year older than Urenna, but she was completely different from Olayinka's sister. Maybe because she had had an unhappy marriage and was scarred inside as much as the black princess was.
And then one day, while she was in the inner garden with Nadirah and Akila, a leopard jumped down from the trees and made for the little girl. Akila screamed and Olayinka, who still wore her dagger under her skirts, immediately took it, putting herself between the wild animal and the terrified mother and daughter.
"You don't scare me," she whispered in her mother tongue, looking the leopard in the eyes. She had seen many around Azhar Aswad and sometimes she had even followed the hunters in the jungle outside of her father's capital. She waved the dagger at the leopard. "Get away from here, no easy food for you!"
The leopard hissed as Nadirah called "Harithik!" The angry grunt of the charging leopard didn't deter Olayinka who stood her ground, her dagger ready. She wasn't going to let the animal near Akila.
The big cat pounced and threw her to the ground but impaled itself on her dagger. Before it attempted to strangle her with its paws, she pushed it off already mortally wounded. Harithik's arrow pinned its neck to the ground in front of wide-eyed Nadirah and Akila.
Panting for breath, Olayinka sat and retrieved her dagger. Harithik rushed forward and offered his hand to help her to her feet.
"Are you all right?" he asked, worried.
"Yes, it's leopard blood," she muttered, noticing the dark blots on her clothes.
Servants and the boys also arrived on the scene. Akila recounted excitedly how Olayinka had killed the leopard. The boys stared at her goggle-eyed and she noticed the admiration also in Harithik's eyes.
"Plenty of leopards in Azhar Aswad," she told them with a shrug.
"Some fear leopards more than tigers," Harithik said. "They're smaller, but more vicious..."
"Thank you for saving my daughter," Nadirah added as the servants took the dead leopard to the kitchen. She seemed on the verge of tears.
Olayinka cleaned her dagger with a leaf. "Self-defense," she said. "No big deal."
It was a big deal, obviously. During the following meal, Harithik said maybe they should go back to town.
"I understand now why our parents didn't live here all year," he said. "Obviously there are months when it's dangerous to be so close to the jungle. Our walls are not tall enough to stop tree-climbing leopards."
"Yes, it's time went go back to Agharek," Nadirah added, her voice still shaky. "We can come back next year."
Olayinka nodded, thoughtful. She considered suggesting she stayed with the family that took care of the estate when the lords were at the capital, but she saw Harithik staring, hopeful, at her and understood it would be rude to stay behind.
"I'm at your service," she said, bowing her head. "I will follow you wherever you take me."
***
Harithik knelt in front of the painted statue of the Goddess Zindagi. The temple was cool and quiet at that time of the day, since there were no celebrations. Harithik preferred it that way, when the temple was empty and no priests were around to bother him.
The mighty statues of gods and saints cast shadows that moved with the flickering flames of the oil lamps and chandeliers. The musty smell of incense and candle wax filled his nostrils, a nice change from the scent of jasmine of his garden.
Harithik closed his eyes and thanked Zindagi for sending Olayinka to him. Well, to his house on the beach and now his town palace. The black princess had saved his niece from a leopard and had followed them back to the capital.
She had graciously accepted new clothes from the royal dressmaker and had met King Kunal with the composed grace of a black-skinned goddess. Harithik could tell both his cousin and his court had been impressed by her and they had welcomed her to Agharek.
She could have chosen to move in with any other nobleman or even the king himself, but she had stayed with them, to the joy of the children. Akila had enthusiastically introduced her to her cousins, Kashaf's children – seven-year-old Nida and four-year-old Azra, since two-year-old Feroz was still too young – and Kashaf's wife Saira had welcomed her at the family palace.
Now both Akila and Nida sported cornrows on some occasions, and Nadirah and Olayinka were teaching Saira how to do them. Olayinka smiled more and more often, her white teeth gleaming on the dark face, and Harithik kept thinking about her.
He left the temple and headed back to the palace where he stopped by Zoya's memory stone. He knelt on the grass in front of it and asked her if she minded the presence of another woman in his life. A whiff of jasmine brought a flash of Zoya's smile. No real words, but maybe she approved of Olayinka too.
Harithik rose and went back inside. Kashaf greeted him and asked where he'd been.
"Visiting Zindagi and Zoya," he answered. "Have you seen Olayinka?"
"She's with the girls," Kashaf answered. "I'm so glad you brought her here! She's so beautiful and has such a voluptuous body and..."
"Kashaf!" Harithik snapped, glaring at him. "She's a princess! She will not be your concubine!"
"Maybe I should divorce Saira, then," Kashaf said with an impish smile.
Harithik's fist hit him in the face before Harithik himself realized what he was doing.
"Ouch," Kashaf said, massaging his cheek. "Aren't we jealous much, big brother?"
He was still smiling. Harithik wondered if Kashaf had provoked him on purpose. He scowled at his brother who remained undaunted.
"Harithik, you can remarry," Kashaf said. "If you really want to wait a year, do, but please tell Olayinka how much you care. She might receive other proposals here, and someone might snatch her from you."
Panic gripped Harithik's heart. Kashaf was right. He should ask Olayinka if she would like him as a husband when his year of mourning was over. Otherwise thanking Zindagi was useless – someone else would have her.
Harithik gulped and nodded. He pointed a threatening finger at his brother who chuckled.
"Don't worry, I won't steal her from you," Kashaf said. "But others might. So go and tell her."
Kashaf winked and went on his way. Harithik stared at his brother's back, still frowning, then headed for the girls' room, determined.
***
Olayinka liked the town palace. Saira was nice and had two cute little girls and a lovely boy, Kashaf was her age and always smiling, as if he were happy to see her in the house. Nadirah shared house responsibilities with her sister-in-law after Zoya's demise, but Olayinka soon learned to make herself useful as well.
Days flew by at the capital of Akkora. Even the rare visits at the court – Harithik was officially in mourning – were not too hard on her. She was starting to make friends among the Akkorans, some of which were almost as dark-skinned as her, like Harithik had said.
Nadirah showed her Zoya's brother who had brown skin and dark curly hair "just like Zoya" and walked proudly with his pale bride by his side. Men seemed to like Olayinka as if they could feel she was a princess anyway.
Noblemen of Agharek knew of Nera and its dark-skinned people, and they were happily surprised to have a Neran princess among them. Lord Mehmud had been ambassador at Azhar Aswad and remembered her as a child. He had long since retired, but he enjoyed practicing his Neran language with her, and she found him a nice old man.
And then Harithik entered the girls' room, interrupting the game she was playing with Akila, Nida and Azra under the eyes of Nadirah and Saira.
"Word with you?" he asked, seemingly upset.
Puzzled, she glanced at Nadirah who smiled and nodded.
"I shall take your place," Saira said as the girls protested loudly against their uncle spoiling the fun.
"I'll be back," Olayinka promised them with a smile, then she followed Harithik away from the girls' ears.
He didn't say anything until they were on the terrace, seated at a low table with fruit juices in front of them. The servants were gone and birds sang in the garden in front of them. Like most of Agharek's palaces, Harithik's family house had two inner gardens, one for the family and one for the guests. The terrace was in the guests' part of the building and there were no guests besides her at the moment. Olayinka wondered if her time with that household was up.
"I'm sorry, I don't know how to begin this," Harithik apologized, obviously embarrassed.
"You want me to leave?" she asked.
"No!" His eyes widened in shock. "Gods, no," he continued more calmly. "Quite the opposite. You've been with us for five months, both here and at the beach house. I was wondering if you had found someone else you'd rather be with here in Agharek?"
"No." She slowly shook her head, pondering. Had she given the impression of favoring someone? She was just being nice to everyone, since they had welcomed her in their homes. "Lord Mehmud introduced me to his son, but the last Akkoran ambassador wasn't too happy to see me."
"And he left before your father became emperor." Harithik smiled. "So you're fine here? How are you feeling... inside?" He put a hand on his heart. His gray-green eyes were still quite sad and she had never seen him smile in genuine happiness.
"I felt angry at first, that's what made me leave home. Then I felt empty, that's what made me stay at your beach house. Now... I don't know," she admitted. "It seems I have found some sort of inner peace."
"But not happiness," he said gravely.
"I still miss a piece of me."
"So do I, but I was wondering if... we could try to piece our holes together, see if we can fill each other?"
She stared at him, surprised, and saw him blush and stammer.
"I mean... I don't know... I miss Zoya..."
"And I miss Roger. And Abayomi." She looked him in the eyes. "But I might be ready to try for another. I want to feel life grow inside me again."
"I want to give a mother to my children and have a woman by my side," he said. "I have still a few months of mourning, but... would you marry me when it's over?"
She gasped and looked at him, incredulous.
"I know your father is an emperor and I'm only the cousin of a king..."
She put one finger on his lips and he shut up. She slowly smiled. He wasn't Roger, but he was a good man. Maybe he was right, they could help each other to fill the void in their hearts.
"I will be honored to be your wife," she answered.
His lips curved into a shy smile. "Thank you," he whispered. He took her hands in his and kissed them. "Zindagi bless you, you will never have to go through that loss again, not if I can avoid it."
"I will bear your children while I have strength in my body and be a mother for Radhwan and Ramjee until my last day," she promised, kissing his hands in return.
He was still quite formal, probably because they were on a terrace and anyone strolling in the garden could see them. But then he rose and, holding her hand, he led her inside. Behind the curtains of a short corridor, he took her in his arms and sought her mouth.
Olayinka kissed him back with unexpected passion. She thought her heart was dead, but she felt it beat again against Harithik's chest, with his arms wrapped around her.
***
Harithik's wedding was celebrated one year after Zoya's passing, to the happiness of the boys who already adored Olayinka and looked forward to calling her "mother" officially. The bride came to the temple of Zindagi accompanied by her sisters-in-law Nadirah and Saira, who had helped her dress and comb her hair.
She had cornrow French braids pulled up on the side with white pearls and a bright blue dress that wrapped her hourglass body and trailed behind her. Her Neran golden necklace and bangles shone on her neck and arms, and when she smiled, she lit up the temple for Harithik.
He thanked Zindagi once more for bringing the black princess into his life. As they headed back for the palace, holding hands and followed by the children and his relatives, she whispered in his ear, "You know, I think it's the first time I've seen you smile with your eyes."
"It's because you gave me back joy and happiness," he replied tenderly. "And I'll do my best to make you happy every day of your life."
He already knew her body and caressed her belly, knowing she'd soon give him another child. As night fell on the wedding banquet, Harithik thought he saw Zoya and Roger watch them and smile.