William descended from the carriage with a mixture of nostalgia and anticipation. He had been in Europe for the past few months, managing family business and opening new trade routes. Now, returning to the hacienda in Santiago de Cuba, he felt a mixture of relief and responsibility.
He was greeted by Philip, a young house slave who acted as a messenger in the house. Philip was slim and lithe, with bright eyes full of curiosity and a smile that belied his hard life.
— Welcome, Master William — said Philip respectfully, bowing his head slightly — Your mother is waiting for you in the doorway.
— Thank you, Felipe — William replied, smiling back. It's good to be back.
Upstairs, in the wide doorway of the big house, stood Marta, her mother. Marta was an elegant and authoritative woman, with wavy blonde hair that she wore tied up in a high hairstyle, characteristic of the high society of the time. Her bearing and her gaze denoted a woman accustomed to being obeyed.
— William, my son! — exclaimed Marta, extending her arms to receive him in an embrace. What a joy to have you back. The house is not the same without you.
William smiled and let himself be embraced, feeling the warmth and familiarity of home.
— Mother, it's good to see you. Europe was fascinating, but there is no place like this.
-We have to celebrate your return — said Marta enthusiastically. I'm thinking of organizing a big party. I will invite all our friends and associates. It will be a memorable evening.
— That sounds wonderful, Mother — William replied. But first, let me tell you a little about my travels.
They both sat down in the living room, where William began to relate his experiences in Europe. He spoke of his plans to expand sugar sales under a personal brand and of the important contacts he had made in high society.
— Demand for our sugar is growing — said William — With the new contacts I have made, we will be able to expand further. However, I can't stop thinking about what I saw when I got here. Father has bought new slaves, among them a young slave girl and her father. I looked at them with sadness, seeing the conditions with which they arrived on foot. Their faces reflected a heartbreaking look of sadness, and above all, the wounds on the young girl's feet, the result of the long walk under the scorching sun.
Martha raised an eyebrow, noting her son's emphasis on Sarabi.
— A young slave girl, you say — said Marta, thoughtfully. Did she catch your eye?
— Yes, mother. There's something about her... I don't know. It's not just her appearance, but the fragile state in which she arrived. Her wounds need attention. I'm worried she won't be treated well here. I want to make sure she's safe.
Martha sighed, recognizing her son's noble heart.
— William, you know our world is complicated. Slaves have their place, but I understand your concern. Perhaps we can take the slave to the big house, where she will be under the supervision of Nina, our maid.
Before they could delve into the subject, Thomas, William's father, entered the room, interrupting the conversation.
— Speaking of business, William, there is something important to discuss — said Thomas, turning his attention away. Let's go to the office.
Once inside the barracks, James began to mistreat other slaves to get noticed by Sarabi. He pushed and shouted, forcing them to move quickly and threatening them with punishment if they did not obey.
— Quick, we haven't got all day! — James growled, as he threw a punch at one of the slaves who wasn't moving fast enough. Here they will learn to obey.
James could not stand still when he saw that the new slave was a beautiful woman. She entered the barracks again, intimidating the slaves with her commanding presence. He approached Sarabi and Kwame, his eyes full of calculated cruelty.
— You're mine now — James whispered with a mischievous smile.— You're not going to the big house. You're staying with me.
Sarabi, frightened, ran to her father's feet seeking refuge. Kwame hugged her protectively, while James laughed disdainfully.
— Father, what are we going to do now? —Sarabi asked, with a deep sadness in her eyes. — Without mother and my brothers, what will become of them? How can we start a new life without them? This place feels even darker and worse than before. His words echoed in the barracks, an echo of despair that made the atmosphere even colder.
Kwame looked at his daughter, his heart clenched with grief at seeing her so despondent. He knelt down in front of her, taking her hands with a tenderness that contrasted with his gloomy surroundings.
— Don't worry, daughter — Kwame said, his voice soft but full of conviction.— Wherever your mother and siblings are, they will be fine because they have such great strength. We must have faith that they will be all right. We must be strong and face this new life.
Sarabi's tears threatened to fall, but the firmness in her father's voice gave her a spark of hope in the midst of the darkness. She squeezed Kwame's hands, feeling the warmth and strength emanating from him, and decided that, despite everything, she would not give up.
Nina, a slave who was sneakily observing, approached Sarabi after James withdrew.
— Hi, I'm Nina — she said softly.— I'm in charge of laundry and housekeeping. If you need anything, you can count on me.
— I have seen the condition in which you have arrived — said Nina, in a soft, sympathetic voice.— Here is some water for you and your father. You will need new clothes; the ones you have are already very worn out and will not be able to protect you from the cold of the night. I will bring you some clothes and some leaves to help you heal your wounds.
Nina looked at Sarabi with a mixture of sadness and empathy, noticing the wounds on her feet and the wear and tear in her eyes. Despite the harshness of the place, her kind gesture was a ray of hope in the midst of so much darkness.
— Thank you, Nina — Sarabi replied, grateful for the kindness. It's good to know I'm not alone.
Thus was born a sincere and confidential friendship between Sarabi and Nina.
When evening fell, James, intending to sleep with Sarabi, wandered around the barracks. Drunk and with bad intentions, he asked the slaves where Sarabi was.
— He is outside, sir — replied the slaves.
James, staggering, went out to look for Sarabi and found her searching for medicinal herbs to heal injured slaves. Without warning, he lunged at her, trying to tear off her dress.
— Let go of me! — shouted Sarabi, struggling to get away.
Just then, Nina appeared and hit James hard over the head with a stick. They both ran off, leaving James lying on the ground. The next morning, the sun caught James still lying on the ground, having no idea what had happened the night before.
To keep Sarabi close to him and away from the big house, James gave him the task of healing the wounded. Sarabi, searching for medicinal plants by the creek, heard a noise and hid, thinking it was James. However, it was William, walking around the ranch and looking at the plants. Hearing the noise, he stopped and looked around.
— Who's there? — asked William, curious.
Sarabi came out of hiding with her head down.
— It's me, sir — he replied timidly.
Their gazes connected and William reached over, gently lifting her cheek.
— Don't be afraid, I'm not going to hurt you — said William gently.
Grief-stricken, Sarabi tried to look into William's eyes. The environment was filled with passion, all prejudices disappeared around them. There was a moment of tension between them.
William looked at her delicate hands holding the medicinal herbs. Her bare feet, still with fresh wounds, conveyed to him the suffering she had endured. Her gaze, reflecting not only compassion and empathy, awakened in him a feeling he could not even fully understand. It was a mixture of admiration and deep sadness, as if each of her gestures told a story of resilience and pain.
As he watched Sarabi, he noticed a scar on her right ankle, a mark that appeared to have been caused by shackles. This sight intensified his desire to protect her. The fragility of her condition, combined with the strength emanating from her gaze, moved him deeply. William felt a compelling need to ensure that Sarabi received the attention and care she so desperately needed.
Suddenly, James' voice broke the spell.
— Sarabi! — James shouted.
Sarabi ran through the trees and got lost on her way to the hut. William, concerned, kept walking when he heard a woman crying and whimpering. Stealthily, he watched James attempt to rape Sarabi.
— Stop right there! — shouted William, confronting James — Stop!
James stopped in surprise. William, filled with fury, punched him in the face. James, hurt and frightened, begged for forgiveness and ran away.
Sarabi, frightened, with her clothes slightly torn and tears flooding her face, was in a state of absolute vulnerability. The despair in her eyes reflected the torment she had just experienced, and her body trembled with fear and exhaustion.
William, seeing Sarabi's frightened face, felt an impulse to hug her. Sarabi, surprised, quickly pulled away and thanked him.
—Thank you, Master — said Sarabi, with tears in her eyes.
— I promise I'll get you out of the barracks and into the big house — William replied with determination.
William headed into the house and took a bath. At dinner time, he decided to talk to his father about what happened with James and Sarabi.
— Father, there's something I want to talk to you about — William began. James tried to molest the new slave today.
— It is normal, William — Thomas replied indifferently — James is a man of trust and deserves to take the slaves.
— I disagree — William replied, annoyed.
At that moment, Marta interrupted.
— We need a new maid — said Marta. The one we have is very old and has poor eyesight. We can accept her as a maid under supervision.
William, disgusted with his father's attitude, got up from the table without finishing his meal.
— What's wrong with our son? — asked Thomas to Marta, surprised.
— He is noble of heart — Marta replied — He only wants the best for everyone.
William went to his room, where he began to draw Sarabi's face. As he drew, his thoughts were filled with confusion and feelings for her.
After William finished drawing Sarabi's face, his thoughts still filled with confusion and emotions, he let his guard down and drifted off into the quiet of the night. From the moment he saw Sarabi for the first time he understood that something big would happen in his life.
Meanwhile, in the living room of the big house, Thomas and Martha were having a serious conversation.
— Thomas, darling, I've been thinking about the welcome party for William — said Marta as she poured a glass of wine for her husband. I think it's the perfect time to introduce him to his future wife.
Thomas looked up, interested in his wife's proposal.
— Future wife? — he asked, taking a sip of his wine. Who are we talking about?
— Elizabeth, daughter of the Spanish government official. She is a young woman from high society, from a good family and with excellent manners — Marta replied enthusiastically. I think she would be an ideal match for William.
Thomas nodded, thinking about the implications of such a union.
— An alliance with that family would benefit us enormously — he said, evaluating the idea. A party would be the perfect occasion for them to get to know each other and begin to relate.
— Exactly — replied Marta, with a smile. Besides — I have another idea. I want the new slave to be one of the servants at the party. She will be under my supervision along with Nina and other young slaves of good looks.
Thomas frowned slightly, but nodded.
— That's fine. If it keeps William happy and focused, I don't see a problem. But make sure everything goes perfectly.
Martha nodded, confident in her plan.
— That's right. We're going to plan a great party, one that everyone will remember.
That same night, the order was given to take Sarabi out of the hut to train for her new position in the big house.
— Father, I promise to come by every day to greet you — said Sarabi, her voice laden with a mixture of sadness and hope.
— It's all right, my daughter. You will see that everything will be better. At least there you will have a little more freedom and you will be farther away from punishments and hard labor. Take care of yourself, my flower, and remember that for whatever you need, your father is here — Kwame replied, with a mixture of hope and sadness in his voice.
His father's words resonated in Sarabi's heart, giving her a small comfort in the midst of so much uncertainty.
They knocked on the door of a small hut behind the big house.
— Who could it be at this hour? — Nina asked, going to open the door. She looked through the crack in the window and saw that someone was carrying a girl. When she opened the door, she was surprised.
— Good evening — said Sarabi, all shy, trying to hide her nervousness.
— Good evening, Sarabi. Nice to see you here — said Nina, with a warm smile. What brings you?
Philip, who brought it, replied:
— As of tomorrow she will be working in the big house and will start living with you.
— That's great news! But don't stop, come in. This will be your home from today on — said Nina, with a welcoming smile, as she opened the door wide.
They sat chatting and talking about their lives for a while while Nina arranged the place where Sarabi was going to sleep.
— Tell me, how was your day today? —asked Nina, with genuine interest.
— Today was horrible. James tried to abuse me, but he didn't succeed thanks to the master, who ordered him to leav — said Sarabi, her voice trembling and her eyes full of tears.
— I give you a piece of advice: never trust James. He's a weed and you should watch out, because he doesn't give up what he wants so easily — said Nina, with a tone of mystery and wisdom. Her words seemed to carry years of experience and veiled warnings.
— Well, everything is ready. Get some rest, we have to get up early tomorrow. If you want, you can take a bath first— added Nina, with a comforting smile, as she offered him a clean, warm blanket.