Xuma groaned and opened her eyes with difficulty. A roof patched with mud and hay entered her sight. She furrowed her brows and tried to recall. Where was she?
Her temples throbbed. Blurry images flashed before her eyes. But try as she might, she couldn't remember what happened to her.
"I…ah! Today is my sixteenth birthday!" She sprung up and hissed.
Her body ached, screaming with agony as she turned and struggled into a sitting position. What happened to her? And…
Her eyes scanned the cramped space, a sorry excuse for a room, compared to her bedroom.
Where was she? Because this was definitely not her house.
"You're awake?" The hide screen at the entrance of the hut flapped open and a young man with broad shoulders, tall stature, and shoulder-length dark hair with matching brooding eyes strode in.
"How are you feeling?" Ghazeyh asked, as he scrutinized the girl's face.
He still couldn't figure out why she gave him a sense of familiarity. Such striking dark-green orbs reminiscent of spring were hard to forget. From her blank expression, it was obvious she didn't know him either.
But he saved her. So…did that give him the right to know her?
"I feel like I pulled a mule. My whole body hurts!" Xuma raised her hand to tuck a dark strand behind her ear. When her gaze fell on the bruises littering her arm, she squealed, jumping too quickly, and bumped her head on the mud wall.
"That'll form a bruise!" She hissed.
"Are…are you…okay?" Ghazeyh stretched his hand, then lowered it. He didn't know her well to touch her without permission. "Should I call a healer for you?" He asked instead.
"No need." Xuma wrinkled her nose. Healers were nothing good. They got a kick out of forcing bitter concoctions down others throat. Just the thought of the bitter medicine she would have to drink made her stomach turn.
Rubbing her head, she lowered herself back on the hard cot and turned to the man. "Tell me. Where am I and why…" She raised her arm, showing the blue-gray bruises on her skin, "Am I covered in bruises?" She finished.
She was a young girl barely at the marriageable age. If gossip about her bruises passed around in Blossom Valley, who knew how her reputation would be ruined by wagging tongues?
"You…I found you that way. You don't remember anything…do you?"
Xuma moved her gaze from her arm and looked at the man in confusion. "Remember? What should I remember?"
A few hours ago.
Ghazeyh wiped the girl's lips and sighed. She needed help. Someone to change her clothes and rub medicine on her wounds. Recalling the tribe-woman's aura of malice, he didn't feel comfortable with handing her the task.
At this moment, Sanbiri bragged into the hut with a mouthful of complaints. "Your hi...I mean, Master, why did you carry her? That slave…how is she worthy of you car…"
Ghazeyh frowned and turned to the insensible assistant. "Lower your voice! If you wake her, I'll have you spend the night outside." He threatened.
"Wha…what?" Sanbiri gasped, but a single cold glare forced him into silence. With grievance in his eyes, his wandered to the unconscious female, as he whispered. "Only a slave. Why do you need to be so cautious?" He wanted to say, why do you treat her so well, but thought better of it.
His neck was precious. His life, even more so. It wouldn't be worth it to lose either for a mere slave girl.
Ghazeyh ignored his question, and returned his attention to the girl. Dampening his handkerchief, he went to wipe the girl's forehead, and froze. He retracted his hand and placed the back of his other hand on her forehead.
She was burning, coming with a fever so high, she scorched his skin. "Go to the Tribe Leader. Tell him I need his wife's help to change the girl's clothes and feed her medicine. Now." He coldly commanded, sending the assistance scurrying out the hut from the frost in his voice.
"Little girl, don't worry. Since we met by fate, I will not let anything happen to you." Ghazeyh vowed, wiping her sweat.
The Tribe Leader sent his wife as soon as he heard the request came from their benefactor. Afraid she wouldn't serve the girl well enough, he tagged along and whispered instructions to her on the way.
A few tribe members were alarmed by the serious expression on their faces. But for fear of getting in the way, they didn't ask questions and merely watched from a distance.
When the Tribe woman's wife entered the hut, Ghazeyh told her the girl's condition and explained in detail what he wanted her to do. After repeating the same instructions twice, he glanced at the girl, and reluctantly exited the hut.
Time seemed to crawl. Ghazeyh paced in front of the hut, occasionally exchanging a few words with the Tribe Leader as he waited. He wasn't too invested in the conversation, and the other man noticed.
However, he didn't feel offended.
Thanks to the man before him, the legacy of his ancestors didn't end with him. He helped them escape the jaws of death and gave them this piece of land to live in seclusion.
Though the other didn't place much importance on this matter, only he knew what this meant for him and his people.
As such, the Tribe Leader accompanied Ghazeyh without any complaint.
When the hide of the hut flapped open, the two men turned to the woman at the same time.
"How is she? Did you feed her the medicine?" Ghazeyh asked.
"Yes, benefactor. The girl seems to have gone through a horrid experience. The skin on her feet has peeled to a severe degree, and she has whip marks all over her body. The weather…sigh. Right now, she is running a high fever. I suggest to keep an eye on her in case her condition worsens." The woman shook her head, helplessness and apology in her eyes.
She wasn't a trained healer. Her skill acquired through experience. After doing her best, she could only leave the rest to the girl's fate.
Ghazeyh understood her meaning. He nodded his head in thanks and walked past her to enter the hut.
"No…no, no…this wasn't my intention! I didn't want this! I didn't ask for this! Please…stop…please." Her tears stung his eyes.
Ghazeyh rubbed his chest.
It was aching again. Throbbing with a gnawing itch he couldn't place. He walked over to her side and sat beside the cot to wipe her tears. Though he knew she was only having a nightmare, he wished he could find her demons so she could sleep in peace.
"Little girl, you're fine now. I won't let anything happen to you."
Present.
Xuma inhaled a deep breath of air. "You're saying I got a high fever, was in a critical condition?" She enunciated the words, as if hoping to hear a different answer.
"Yes. Your memory loss…it might be related to it." The man nodded, making her mind go blank.
A memory loss...
What in Erlan's name was she supposed to do now?