The chill from that night's rain lingered in the air the following days, making it all the more easier to work around the town, gathering whatever was spared from the fire and disposing of the rest. The clouds kept over their heads for a while, and although it lacked the rain, the protection from the sun was well welcomed.
Women tended to the injured while children ran to and fro, carrying water and food among both workers and invalids.
Ali Baba watched all of this from a corner. No sooner than the fire was put down and the thieves were captured, the villagers hurried to share what little food and clothing they had with each other. It was like the rain that washed over them didn't just soften the ground, but the hearts of the people rendered hard by their harsh situation.
Ali Baba hardly contained a smirk as he saw the same woman that chased him a few days ago give away her honey to those badly burned by the fire, although she seemed as though she might as well be feeding them from her own flesh at that point. When those who don't have enough give away and prioritize others over themselves, those who have are often regarded with disappointment and disgust, and somehow, it makes them move as well.
Looking in another direction, he saw Sindbad and his caravan surrounded by elderlies and women. As a way of thanking him and his men, all of Al-yamama's villagers managed to gather enough rations for them to replenish, whether given begrudgingly or willingly. Sindbad accepted them all with a smile.
In Malik's house, Zarqa placed a rather old satchel by the door of her father's room. Taking a deep breath, she knocked twice and slipped inside.
There, from his position propped against the pillows, Malik beamed at her, the wrinkles of his face stretching further, and there was a glint barely visible underneath his droopy eyelids.
Zarqa broke into a small smile as she walked over to him. She allowed herself to drop by his side, letting him stroke her hair as she enjoyed his smell, one that bore no sign of sickness or illness.
True to Sindbad's words, Jaber was a capable physician. Under his care, Malik recovered almost in a snap, making it seem like some miracle. Although he was yet to take it slowly, the older man was as energetic as he had ever been.
" I'm glad you're all fine now, Baba..." She fought to keep her tears from rolling over her face.
" It seems I've caused you no small deal of worry, dear." He continued to ruffle her dark blue locks, his voice unwavering as always, bearing strength and resolve in each word. " I've heard about what happened from Halima. You were great. I'm proud of you."
Zarqa's face practically glowed at being complimented. Deep down, she wished she could stay there forever, receiving one compliment after the other. " I wouldn't have done it on my own. Sindbad helped me out. You should take more care of yourself. The town needs you," she mumbled.
Malik's hand came to a stop and his eyes rested on her for a while. " You talk as though you're going to disappear any moment now."
Zarqa didn't move, she didn't even meet his eyes, focusing on a jug at the other end of the room. " If I tell you, that what's to come is worse than what we've faced, that Al-yamama is headed for even darker days. And that I could prevent it, only by going far, far away from here. What…" she choked on her words as she tried to maintain her composure. " What would your reaction be?"
Malik closed his eyes as his hand resumed its motion over Zarqa's head. " Then I will ask you what do you want to do?" Zarqa looked up, eyes wide while Malik smiled softly at her. " I would have loved nothing but to keep you close by my side, wade through thick and thin together. But if you wish to go out and venture into the world, then I do not wish to hold you back. Zarqa…" Zarqa's eyes were covered in tears by that time. "... Do whatever you want, dear. And I will always stand by your side and support you, whether you choose to stay by my side and face the coming troubles together, or go out and find answers for yourself. However, I ask of you this one thing…"
With a shaky finger, he pointed at her heart. " Please be true to what you want. Can you promise me that, dear Zarqa?"
Zarqa's tears rolled down her face, her smile shaky as she nodded her head. " Yeah… I promise…" and she laid back down, enjoying her father's touch.
━━━━━━━༺ *** ༻━━━━━━━
Zarqa tiptoed out and pulled the door as quietly as she could not to wake her father who had finally fallen asleep.
She slung her satchel over her shoulder, and with one glance at her father's room, she walked to the door, slowly, taking in her house for the last time. How long would it be before she could set foot in it again? She had no answer to that.
She might as well not.
As she pushed open the house's door, she was met with Halima who halted by the doorstep, a pot in her hands, and looked surprised as she came face to face with Zarqa. The woman smiled gently at her. " I've brought you some dinner. It's not the best, but I'm pretty sure it will suffice."
Zarqa moved to make way to Halima and held the door for her so she could let herself in. " Give me a second and I will set you both up with your bowls." The girl looked at the woman tinkering in the kitchen.
" Take good care of Baba," she whispered, letting go of the door that slowly flung forward and quietly clicked closed.
Wrapping her veil around her face, she tore across the alleys shrouded in the darkness of the night. She rounded a corner by an old clothing shop, coming into the market where Sindbad's caravan was getting ready to set off.
By the light of the torches they had set to prepare for their journey, Sindbad saw her petit figure approaching them. He made for her, a concerned look in his golden eyes. " Have you made up your mind?"
The girl nodded without a word. "Have you said your goodbyes?" Another nod. " Are you sure?"
This time, his golden eyes were pierced by the fierce blue ones and he needn't ask any further. " You're riding with me. You can move ahead and make yourself comfortable. I will be with you in a moment."
Zarqa moved to a carriage topped with a white cloth to protect the passengers against the blazing sun and wind of the desert, and to it were fastened two large snowy horses with silky golden manes and tails.
She seated herself at the front, hugging her satchel, and looked around anxiously. She was stepping outside the fences for the first time since she was brought inside. How was the outside world? Would she be able to stand still in front of its unknown dangers? It wasn't too late for her to change her mind. She could simply hop off and say she was going back. No one would blame her. Even Sindbad seemed to be in favor of her staying back. However, nothing would change if she stayed at Al-yamama. There was only one path left for her, forward.
Before she knew it, the carriage swayed as Sindbad rode by her side and held onto the reins of the horses. " Are you ready?"
Zarqa closed her eyes, steeling her resolve as she bobbed her head. " Yes."
" Then here we go!" He snapped the reins, the horses neighed and pushed forward, pulling the carriage along. Those of Sindbad's followers filed after theirs. They exited the market, passed the zigzagging alleys of the town, and finally came to the northern gate held open for them to pass it.
The caravan left the safety of the walls and plunged into the treacherous land of golden sand and mighty wind, led only by the faint twinkling lights in the sky pointing them towards the north.
Zarqa leaned over her seat and looked back at Al-yamama as it got further and further from them, becoming smaller in size. Was it that small? Now that she was seeing the stretching land surrounding it from all sides, Zarqa realized for the first time how small of a world Al-yamama was for her. And how big the one waiting for her was.
She came to this land as a child, trembling and afraid, led by Malik's hand. She held to him like some lifeline, a ray of hope. She never imagined a future where she would be separated from him. Yet now she was leaving it on her own under the cover of the night. " It won't be long! I promise I will be back!" Without knowing it, the girl had cried to the wind as the town was almost out of sight, and her chest clenched. Slowly, the towers and walls she had spent her days on, guarding the people within, sank into the sand as the horses galloped faster away, until the whole thing became nothing but a small spot on the extended horizon, lost somewhere on that line separating the sea of sand and the night sky.
Only then could she move her eyes away, only then could she breathe. Now there was no going back for her. She had left everything. Taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and looked forward.
With this, Zarqa Al-yamama left her nest in search of a bigger adventure...