Her King Of Shadows

Chapter XX.

Maybe it was three months after her arrival at the oasis. Maybe even more because she was never good at tracking time. She was sitting in her small room just closing her eyes for a moment. Enjoying the fragile scent of wild jasmine coming from outside. She felt too tired to sleep. When she looked at her hands, which were red from cleaning, and her long hair, which she didn’t have time to brush but just kept braided on the side of her shoulder. She didn’t feel like Shana anymore. Maybe Shana was dead already. She heard footsteps outside. It was too late for someone to come back from the fort. All the servants should be resting at this time. She approached the small window trying to figure out what was happening. Two guards were standing in the front of the wooden house looking for a healer. But the women that usually treated slaves and servants were gone. She left with a convoy last week and nobody knew when she would return.

There was a place maybe 400 metres from her room where they kept the sick. She has never been there but she heard the conditions were not really good.

-Is there anyone here that can help us? Where is the healer?- one of the guards was yelling. She could see in his face that something had happened. Something they didn’t want other people to know. They were warriors. They had a right to be treated by leaders, healers or doctors. But they went to the servants' quarters looking for help. She knew some about treating injuries and healing. Her father thought it would benefit the family if she was trained to help people. Because he never allowed her to train for fighting. But was she ready to answer all the questions they would ask her? The oldest of the servants came out to make the warriors go away. But they just pushed him to the ground.

-We will burn this place if you don’t help us!-the guard screamed again. Shana took a deep breath and stepped outside.

-I will help you.-she said. There was something about her standing there with that voice and her black eyes that nobody challenged. Nobody mentioned her inexperienced age. When she said those words, it was taken as a given. Immediately, they grabbed her shoulders and pushed her to walk to the place for the sick. She let them push her because she didn’t have a choice. Already in the dark she could smell the blood and the herbs from the low building. It was made in almost the same way as the servants' quarters. It seemed that Rishon didn’t really care about the condition of the oasis. As long as his fort was comfortable for him, he didn’t want to know about others. She crossed the door, stepping into a large room which served as a bedroom for more than ten people. The urgent cases were given separate low ceiling rooms without glass or curtains on the windows. And it was really dark. They took her to the furthest room to the right. She saw a warrior lying on the ground. He was lying on his belly because his back was full of blood. It was clear to her what had happened. He had been whipped. And by the state of him at least fifty times. Her instinct told her to turn away and run. This man had done something wrong. He was punished. And anybody who helps him will be punished also. But his friends stood at the door not letting her leave. This is why they looked for help in the servants' home. Nobody in their right mind would help them. But the damage was done.

She came closer to him, bending to the ground. The warrior was in pain. On the edge of being unconscious. His wounds were bleeding and if they were not treated immediately, they probably would get infected as well. She had seen wounds like this in her father's home. Boris was never famous for his mercy.

-Bring water.-she whispered to one of the guards. She stood up, opening the cabinets to the side and looking for medicines and herbs they had there. She knew what she needed but she wasn’t sure if it was there. Finally, after some searching, she found something she could use. But there were no painkillers. She washed her hands in the dirty little sink and took everything she needed. Shana proceeded with cutting his clothes, cleaning the blood and dressing the wounds as best she could do. Guards helped her with moving the warrior when she needed to. She gave him medicine for the fever about to come and tried to make him drink some water. But he was already passed out from stress. They moved him to a low bed in the common room and Shana stayed with him for a while. Just making sure he was better and not burning. Touching his forehead from time to time. By the time everything was cleaned up, it was time to start her day at the fort.

After that night, whenever she had time. Whenever she couldn’t sleep or the memories of her past wouldn’t leave her alone, she would walk to the humble hospital. They already knew her there. If there were people in need of help, she would do what she could to ease the pain. Hold their hand. Pass them a glass of water. Sometimes even spending a night. Looking over them. Doing her responsibility as a father's daughter, leader's heir. And they didn’t ask her name. They didn’t try to talk to her. It felt as if there was darkness around her that prevented everybody from any contact with her. She would spend her days cleaning Rishons home and her nights tending to the sick. Shana liked it that way. At least she didn’t have time to think. To linger on parts of her life which were still strong. She didn’t have time to remember everything she had lost. The desert has consumed her and hid her from the rest of the world.

And as the first year was coming to its end from her arrival here she had a feeling that she would never leave. She would die here in the desert. Maybe in the same way that a beautiful warrior died from Rishon's hand. And he was very rarely to be seen or heard. He didn’t spend all his time in the desert. She could hear guards talking about his arrivals and departures. About hidden wars and leaders' meetings in the outside world. They would be so proud and cruel like him. They talked about Araphel also but never mentioning his name. The enemy was what they have called him. The only real enemy.

She was woken up from her sleep in the hospital by guards kicking her stomach. She was sleeping on the floor next to a child that was sick from malaria. She didn’t know this new guard which woke her up. Before she had a chance to stand up, he slapped her on the face.

-I have spent half the night looking for you. And now you are hiding here.-his voice was filled with rage. Shana covered her cheek with her hand. It had been weeks since the last time they had hurt her. When she tried to take some milk and honey from the fort. She stood up without a word, covering her hair with a black scarf. The man grabbed her by her shoulder and pulled her outside.

-You are needed in the fort.-he said, dragging her to walk faster. Everybody was looking at her leaving but they didn’t say anything. They didn’t try to stop the people from taking her. They knew better than that. Shana bowed her head to the ground, not knowing what to expect. Is she going to be punished? Did Rishon finally become fed up with her? She didn’t defend herself when she was thrown into the giant hall of the fort. She fell to her knees, not knowing if it was better to stay on the ground or stand up.

-What are you doing?-there was a voice on the stone steps. She recognized if. It belonged to Asher. Rishons personal guard and second in command. He was tall with short black hair and dark eyes. Most of the people said he came from the desert people. Every time someone tried to escape, they would send Asher to find them. And he would bring them back. Always dead or dying.

-You have ordered me to bring her here.-the guard had answered. Asher was already next to her. Rage in his eyes.

-Not in that way. I need her in one piece.-he explained. -Step away from her.-he ordered pushing the guard back. Shana pulled herself up carefully looking at him. Something was happening. But she wasn’t sure what. Asher was looking at her. There was uncertainty in his eyes. But still he had brought her here. Before she could say anything, he grabbed her by the neck and slammed her back on the wall. She could barely breathe from the force of his grip. Instead of letting her go, he held her even higher until her feet couldn’t reach the floor.

-I will explain this only once. The leader needs your help and you will do your very best to make him feel better. And then you will leave and forget this ever happened. And if I hear that you have told someone about this, I will come to personally burry you in the deepest place of the desert. They will never ever find you little girl.-his voice was low and clear. She couldn’t do anything. She didn’t dare to move. When he saw fear in her black eyes, it gave him a sign that she understood what he was saying. He let her go down to the ground and wiped his hands on his uniform. -Follow me.-he ordered going back to the stone staircase.

-We were coming back from the north when we were attacked by the darkness. Even if we were outside of the enemy territory he has followed us. Rishon fought him back but there was one arrow that caught his side. It was probably dipped in poison or something. Two days later, he started feeling sick. Looking pale, tired, just wanting to sleep. Our healers are just humans from the desert. He doesn't want to go into the outside world to look for a special healer. That would be seen as a defeit. Then I remembered you. With your experience of healing people, I'm sure you can help him. Or die trying.-he threatened. They stopped in front of a large golden door. Asher opened it, letting her go inside. On the other side of the wall was a large bed hidden by light white curtains. She could feel the smell of deep wood and sugar. Carefully she stepped inside, coming closer. Rishon was lying in bed. He didn’t have a shirt. His skin was pale and sweaty. Eyes closed. His breathing was heavy. On the right side of his abdomen was a large wound that seemed so fresh. It was still bleeding a little.

-Can I see the arrow?-she asked. But part of her knew what she would see. Asher uncovered a white cloth showing a black arrow with a small silver tip. They should not have taken it out. They should have left it in the wound. Now the poison was everywhere. Spreading fast until it kills him. She took a deep breath thinking of what she could do. She saw wounds like that. Her father had one from a long time ago. And the only thing that helped to cure it was the fire.

-I need you to tie him up. What I am about to do will hurt like hell.-she gave him advice. Asher didn’t move. -Will he live?-he asked. She wasn’t sure. -We will see.-she couldn’t promise anything.