Malik walked toward Safiya with slow, deliberate steps. The sun shone on his dark skin, highlighting the muscles that rippled under it. His gaze was piercing and intense. Suddenly, he was standing before her, and Safiya gasped at the sight of him. How could someone be so handsome?
"Good to see you again, Safiya," Malik said, flashing her a smile. His deep voice resonated through her.
Safiya didn't hear Ahmed's voice anymore, but she knew he was still standing next to her. He must have felt intimidated. "Ahmed, is it okay if you go without me? I'll catch up," she said.
Ahmed's mouth hung open, and he appeared ready to protest. But Safiya raised her hand, indicating that it was alright for him to leave. He nodded but shot a glare towards Malik before departing.
Malik gave Ahmed a look before turning his attention back to Safiya. "Quite a friend," he remarked.
Safiya sighed and glared at Malik. He didn't have to scare Ahmed away with his aloof demeanor. She wondered what he was even doing here in Dakar. Well, it must be for the wrestling, but she still felt he had other intentions.
"I have this strange feeling that you are already murdering me in your mind," he leaned and whispered. "I thought you would be happy to see me." He gave her a smile that showed his dimple.
"I didn't know I would be seeing you," she gritted her teeth. It was happening again - her heart was beating so fast, and her toes were slowly curling. Why was he here? She was already working towards her goals, and distraction is not what she needs.
"How is my sister doing?" She decided to focus on something else, even though he still caused her heart to leap at the mere sight of him.
Malik's gaze wandered as if he was looking around. "I didn't know you would get worried so soon," he turned to her, offering a smile. "She is good from the last time I saw her."
Malik bit the inside of his tongue; there was no way he was going to tell Safiya about how her sister looked when he wasn't even sure if she was just undergoing stress or something else.
"Very well, it's good that she is doing fine, but if she's not," Safiya leaned close and whispered, "I will slit your throat."
"How fierce..." Malik's gaze traveled around her body, taking it all in. How could someone be so different yet intriguing? He was dying to be close to her, yet he knew that was the last and worst thing to do.
He was eager to understand her thoughts at this moment. He knew why she chose to wield swords, knowing deep down that it wasn't solely due to her love for swords; she also sought revenge for her father's death. He empathized with her, but the risks involved were too great, and he couldn't just stand by and let her continue down that path.
"Safiya," he said, and she looked at him. But he hesitated, unsure of what to say. He wanted to urge her to stop, but he knew it wasn't the right time. Finally, he cleared his throat and said, "I will be looking forward to our duel."
She frowned, her eyes widening slightly before returning to their usual calmness. "Very well then, I want to see how you can change my mind."
"You really think you could defeat one of the greatest warriors?" Malik said with a sense of pride.
"Strength is not the only weapon to win a battle, Malik. As you saw in the match today, it was clear that Dede was no match for the bulky man, yet he emerged victorious," she explained.
"Dede? Oh, you mean the wrestling match," Malik realized, remembering the man from Meka's wedding. He had been astounded by what Dede had achieved; it was truly impressive.
"It's not always about strength, Malik. Some battles are won through wisdom alone," she said, offering him a faint smile.
Malik was impressed by her words. Not only was she different, but she was also smart. He wondered what other surprises she had in store for him.
"Don't get too excited about winning the duel," she said, a smirk playing on her lips as if she was challenging him.
"I'll be looking forward to our duel, Safiya."
Their eyes locked in a silent exchange when a guard approached Malik, whispered something to him, and then quickly left.
Malik's expression shifted slightly, and he turned to Safiya. "I should go, the king has summoned me," he said, and without waiting for her response, he hurried away.
Safiya furrowed her brow. What business could he have with the king? What could he possibly want to do with the man who had sent her father to his grave and abused his own wife for not bearing a male child? The mere thought of it caused Safiya's blood to boil.
"Hey," Dede suddenly broke her out of her trance.
Safiya's face lit up upon seeing him, though she noticed he looked extremely tired and beaten up from the fight. "You really impressed me, teacher," she nudged him playfully, causing Dede to laugh. "You should teach me wrestling too."
He frowned in response. "No, no Safiya. There's no way you can learn wrestling. Sword fighting is enough."
Safiya clicked her tongue, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Well, there are plenty of warriors who would love to teach a girl like me."
Dede's expression turned serious. "Do you think your father would want that?"
Safiya's smile faltered, and she suddenly felt a lump in her throat. The atmosphere grew tense. "Papa never deprived me of pursuing what I wanted to be. I'm sure if he were here, the rules would somehow change."
Dede quickly regretted saying what he said. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."
Safiya smiled and playfully tapped his shoulder. "Why are you apologizing? Come on, it's a day to celebrate. I can't believe you were able to beat that man."
Dede laughed and shook his head. "Must be a miracle. I don't even know how I did that."
"That's because the ancestors are with you," Safiya said playfully. But then her voice softened. "I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you earlier. I know you do care about papa and didn't..."
"Safiya," he cut in, smiling warmly. "I was expecting you to react that way, and believe me, it only shows that you care and respect your papa so much. That is something I can never take from you—the love you have for him. So don't ever feel sorry, okay?"
Safiya nodded and gave him a warm smile. "I will tell Mama to make you goat meat pepper soup if you win the final round."
He touched his chest dramatically, "Oh, that would be the happiest day of my life."
They both laughed, continuing with their jokes until Dede looked around and then back at Safiya. "The young man you were talking with, was he among the guests that came on Meka's wedding day?"
Safiya nodded. "You mean Malik? Yes, he is Jelani's cousin."
There was a fleeting emotion she caught in his eyes, but it quickly vanished. "How is Meka?"
"Good, from what he said. That's all we have to believe until we see her again," Safiya replied.
Dede nodded quietly. "It will be good to see her again," he whispered.
"Yes indeed, one of these days I will go visit to see how she is faring and what kind of people our in-laws are," Safiya said.
"That will be good. If I win this wrestling and get picked, I'm sure I will see her more often," he smiled.
Safiya smiled back. "Ah, that will be good. At least we can rest assured that she is doing fine," her eyes softened and she added, "It's just, I'm a bit worried about Meka. It's been so long, I wonder if she is doing okay."
"I'm sure she is. It must be because you haven't seen her for so long, but she is fine," he reassured her.
"I pray so," Safiya whispered, silently praying that the gods protect her sister.