Zara's mouth went open at what she had heard. A dog? A human called another a dog because she was her worker? That was absurd. That was way over the line.
"What is your name?" She asked the woman again.
She didn't mind the barriers and conservative society she had been rooted in that made her fearful to call her name,but she didn't mind. She wanted to know her name and that was all that currently mattered to her.
"My mother didn't give me a name when I was born madam,so I go by anything my masters wish to call me" she explained.
" What names have they called you before in the past?" Zara delved more
The lady didn't know what to say or do and was piqued by how the new mistress wanted to know her name. She had no name. Girls were usually given no names except when they are betrothed and their would be husband decide to give them a name they wanted to call them. But for she, she had none and hadn't been betrothed because her father had abandoned her.
He always wanted male children and when her mother birthed her on her third attempt and she lived and didn't die like the others, he had left her mother, his wife and when she had healed from labour and discovered the lifestyle that had been left for her to live,she had equally abandoned the child on tje streeta aftwr suckling her for six months.
It was a poor and old passerby woman who had picked her up and raised her. But yet, didn't go against the traditions by giving her a name.
"My nana back at home called me Na from her name. She said that I reminded her of herself when she was much younger" she finally answered and Zara heaved a sigh when she did.
But Na wasn't a name or was it a suitable name for a woman like her, how would she expect her to call her na,it made no sense.
"Have you no other names?" She asked again.
" None madam. I have no other names apart from that" she replied.
"I will give you a name then and you cannot refuse because you belong to me now" Zara said.
She had used that line on her because she knew she wouldn't protest if she did. If not,she would have pleaded and argued about her giving her a name as it was against their conservative customs. She wondered what concerned her having a name and customs.
"You speak English well. You are kettered and learned" Zara first of all highlighted and the other woman freighted in fright.
"I am so sorry madam, I didn't know that would annoy you" she pleaded genuinely.
For a truth she didn't. When she had been called and told that she finally had a mistress she would serve, she had been ecstatic. This was finally her own turn to be gifted brand new jeweleries and clothings from her masters worn out ones. She hadn't received any every since she started working as a house help because she hadn't gotten a madam she would serve. Admittedly when she had seen Zara,she wasn't like what she had expected her to be,and she didn't have any henna dye mask on,nor did she wear layers of jeweleries on her arm or neck.
Not even an earring was on her ear. But Nana had been a school teacher when she was still young and she had taught her lettering,how to read and told her stories about the way of life of the English people, so it wasn't hard for her to tell that Zara was from a distant land unlike theirs and would be the perfect person for her to master the English language with. She didn't think her efforts would annoy her like they seemed to now.
"No no,please" Zara corrected. " You didn't annoy me. There's no need to apologize. I am just impressed that you know how to speak English" she admitted.
Because ifiwas hard to. On her way coming she had a tough time with the other workers when she had asked them to direct her to Fahad's residence in English. It took the explanation of her translator before they could find their way in.
"I learnt from my mama, she taught me when I was a little girl" she answered a question she hadn't been asked and Zara smiled at her.
"She taught you well"
Na smiled, her head bent as she smiled, trying hard to conceal it in front of her madam lest she would annoy her.
"And you have pretty eyes" Zara said again catching her off guard.
Na didn't know what to say. Thank you? Or plead with the madam not to say such to her. She was supposed to be the person complimenting her and her looks, it wasn't meant to be the opposite. Was the madam wanting her to be laid off her job?
"I will call you Yarrah, for you will become my companion, my sister"
Na immediately fell on her knees at Zara's feet.
"Please madam, you cannot call me that. I have no name and won't have any unless I get a man who wants to marry me. If I don't, I have no legitimate claims to a name"
" And who told you that you have no legitimate claims to a name? Every body does, it is a part of their humans rights"
"Human rights don't work in this part of the world madam, not for people like me"
" Then I will make it happen Yarrah, I will make you have a legitimate claims to a name whether married or not!"
Na raised her head for a while staring at the woman she knelt in front of. What was she talking about? Would that be possible? There was no way an unmarried and unbetrothed woman would have a legitimate claim to a name. The madam doesn't know and that is why she is acting this way.
"Please stand up. You look old enough to be my elder sister and there's no reason for you to be kneeling down in front of me"
"Nana told me that I am Twenty. I was born in the month of the fox" She answered.
" Twenty?" Zara muttered,her words tiny as if she were talking to herself than a question she had poised it to be asking.
Na looked like a woman well in her twenties. Her palm was already peeling and she had a hard skin most women approaching their thirties usually had, it was a surprise when Zara heard that she was twenty. Or had she been born poor her entire life, suffered till she became so ragged like an old woman even though she were still so young.
"Even better, that makes you my younger sister. Yarrah Ali. My mother was supposed to birth her but she died after labour. So you are her now" Zara was obviously lying,she knew but she didn't know which other way she was going to get the lady to accept the name she was giving her.