That night, Safiya perched on her window, her legs swinging freely. She gazed intently at the bustling courtyard below, where a group of children gathered beneath the shade of a majestic mango tree, captivated by the words of an aged storyteller.
The storyteller's vibrant attire, a brilliantly patterned wrapper elegantly draped over his shoulder, enveloped his weathered frame. With a gnarled stick in hand, he animatedly gestured, bringing his tales to life for the wide-eyed children.
She wasn't able to hear him from afar, but she could see the smiling faces of the children.
It was one beautiful part of her culture that she had come to cherish - listening to these old stories always gave a sense of wisdom.
It was heartwarming, and most of the time when she was young, her papa would tell her sweet stories with her sister.
But her favorite stories were always about how he wielded swords and fought his enemies to protect their land.
Sayifa's eyes would always widen in awe, but Meka would cover her ears, saying mama would scold her if she heard any more about sweat and swords.
A smile crept onto her face at the thought of it. It still felt surreal that mama had stood up for her in front of the guests.
"What are you smiling about?" Startled, Safiya looked down to see Malik standing there, staring at her.
The window wasn't far from the ground, so she jumped down and stood close to him. "Why are you here?" she asked.
"I was passing by until I saw you smiling," his hand went to his back, and his lips curved into a smile, "You looked more at peace than when we first met."
Safiya glared at him. "Malik, right?" she folded her hands.
"Mm," he replied.
"Can you tell me more about where you are from?"
He frowned. "There is nothing special about there; it's just like Dakar."
"Still, my sister will be leaving for there, and it's a place I haven't been to before. I need to know if she will be safe."
Malik said nothing; he only stared at her, and they both fell into silence before he cleared his throat.
"A lady wielding swords like a man," he let out a laugh, "You might hone your swordsmanship here, but in Azu, you will likely be dead."
"Do you mean there is no chance for someone like me there?" she frowned.
"Exactly," he nodded. "If a woman ever thinks of wielding swords and arrows, she will likely be dead. It's a law, and it's mandatory to follow."
"But Jelani," she was surprised. He said nothing to her when he saw her like this.
"This isn't his land; he has no say here."
"What about you? What do you think of a woman who chooses to follow my path?"
"Have you been to war?" he asked.
"No," she said curtly.
"So there is probably another reason why you choose this," he confirmed. "The blood spilled by my sword has gradually numbed my heart."
"You will become heartless, ruthless, and devoid of human sympathy," he continued. "Your heart will turn black, and every night you'll struggle to fall asleep with those haunting scenes."
"I would never wish that on anyone, especially a woman," he said sincerely.
Safiya stepped back slightly, her face filled with anger. "Is that your way of trying to talk me out of it?"
"I'm merely stating the facts," he clarified.
"There is no way I will ever change who I am, no matter what you or anyone else says," she declared firmly.
"It's going to break you," he warned.
"I don't care about the rules of Azu. If anything happens to my sister, I will make sure to come there and kill anyone who had a hand in it."
She walked away, leaving Malik to sigh and watch her silhouette fade as she headed out of the gate. He had never, in his entire life, come across a lady wielding swords before.
******************************************
The day has come, the day Safiya wished was just a dream. It is the day Meka will be leaving for a completely strange land.
She watched as baskets of silk cloths, fine cowries, and beads were tucked into a horse. She also observed the remaining belongings being either loaded onto a truck or carried by the servants that Jelani brought with him.
Meka was currently embracing and bidding farewell to her mother and paternal family members, all of whom smiled and wished her a safe journey.
Safiya, on the other hand, looked away, struggling to contain the emotions welling up inside her. Though she managed to keep from crying, her eyes were filled with profound pain.
Beside her stood Dede, who spoke gently, "Maybe you should go and say goodbye, Safiya."
Safiya shook her head, her pain evident in her expression. "It hurts even more," she whispered.
Dede shook his head, his dreadlocks swaying with the motion. "I understand, but remember, this will be the last time you'll see her for a long time," he said softly, encouraging Safiya to make her decision.
Safiya nodded, acknowledging that it would indeed be a long time before she would see Meka again. However, she was determined to handle her current issues here and waste no time in reaching Azu. She still didn't trust these people.
Just as she was about to walk closer to her sister, Safiya caught sight of Malik. His gaze was fixed on her as he walked closer to a horse, with Nia walking beside him.
But despite that, he never broke eye contact with her. Safiya watched as Nia tried to hold him, but he shoved her hand away. She couldn't help but wonder about the nature of their relationship.
Just as she thought that he would be walking towards his horse, Safiya gasped when he started walking towards her instead.
This time, Nia didn't follow him. He must have said something to make her stop in her tracks. All Safiya could do was stare, her eyes fixed on Malik.
Malik reached Safiya, his gaze never leaving her. He didn't even notice Dede, who was standing close by.
Safiya nodded at Dede when she noticed him standing between them. He must have sensed how uncomfortable she was, so she gave him a signal to give them some space. Understanding her unspoken request, he walked away and left them alone.
Malik started the conversation, his eyes fixed on her"I was hoping you would be coming to Azu with your sister," he said.
Safiya stared at him, unsure of what to make of the sudden interest. "I will, but not today," she replied.
"Ohh, then I won't get to see you for a long time?" Malik responded, attempting to engage her further.
Safiya let out a laugh, wondering what he was after. "I have some things to take care of," she explained.
"More important than your sister's safety? Oh, sad. I was hoping you would come with us," Malik said.
Safiya could sense that he was mocking her because she was a girl who welded swords, but she didn't want to engage in an argument.
"We will be meeting very soon," she said as she walked closer to him. "I bet you, Malik, in a way that you wouldn't even expect. And I'm going to prove to you that a girl isn't just fit to be in the kitchen." She smiled, showing that she was not intimidated by his words.