The Queens Vengance

Chapter 10. Lies

The days that followed were filled with pain and tears I did not miss how Zara began to look at me with wary eyes or how the women in my tent would gossip about me by supposedly whispering which I found amusing since their voices were loud enough for me to hear. They thought I was pregnant and I laughed at that at first but then later that night while rethinking I wondered if it could be a possibility, what if I was pregnant?

With the help of the blue-eyed woman I was able to walk around a bit and not sit in bed all day, Mariam always brought my food with a smile on her face and cracked her silly jokes to make me feel better it was Zara who became silent, I guess it was only fair since I answered all her questions with silence.

 On Friday of the second week, it was Zara who spoke unable to hide her doubts any more. They had just brought my breakfast of Akara and Pap which I loved dearly I had not even taken the plate from Mariam when Zara spoke:" Zainab people are beginning to talk say horrible things..." Mariam interrupted her " hush Zara don't tell her those awful things." Mariam said looking at Zara and then at me with a blush. " don't hush me !" Zara exclaimed  while Mariam eyed her and before they could get into one of their terrible arguments I interrupted them I didn't want them to quarrel over me neither did I want to hear them insult each other as much as they can I was tired of that." Its ok Mariam, please do tell me Zara"I say holding Mariam's hand gingerly and then looking at Zara to encourage her to go on with what she was saying. Zara hesitates before speaking." well there are whispers that the gods have stricken you for you spoke disrespectfully to Papa Nnamdi. Papa Nnamdi said his chi visited him in a dream and told him you will be struck with a strange affliction, and he has told anyone who would care to listen to him" Zara says and I sigh. " Zainab maybe you should ask for his forgiveness" a worried Mariam interjects. " What nonsense Zainab didn't do anything wrong his chi should also afflict him for being disrespectful" Zara adds annoyance evidence in her voice. I laughed hard at that" thank you guys, Papa Nnamdi is a coward to share such stories and one day I will prove him wrong," I say to them in a voice unrecognizable to even me. " But you haven't told us what is really wrong with you Zainab " Zara asks, I sigh" I don't really know guys, I don't know could be something I ate or I am just homesick," I say lieing through my teeth without looking at any of them staring into space with a longing in my eyes if only Mama was here with me.

They didnt say anything more about the subject and we drifted away into the stories Mariam was all too glad to share. With a smile plastered on her face" Zee I have a new soldier crush one that actually appreciates me" she says playing with the tip of her braided her, Zara rolls her eyes " I have told you that you should forget about these soldiers they are no good" Zara says and I nod my head my mind racing back to what Farouq did to me. Mariam hisses at Zara" mother Zara let me live my life please" she says in a huff and I laugh at that Zara puts her hands up " I am not your mother oh" she says adjusting her legs a bit to sit properly on my bed, I chuckle at their childishness. Zara changes the topic, " remember that NGO that came earlier?" Zara asks me and I nod I remembered the one she was talking about the ones that made several promises about sending girls to school. She  rubs her hand on her wrapper before speaking" well they came yesterday and told me I had been selected" she says a glint in her eyes, I smile at that" I am so happy for you Zara " I say pulling her into a hug and I truly meant it I was happy for her at least she has an opportunity to leave this goddamn camp and the terrors in it. " so when do you leave?" I ask her elated for her Mariam interrupts this time" In three months time" she says a sad smile on her face," oh come on don't be like that I still have three months to deal with your nonsense" Zara interjects which earns a chuckle from Mariam and a playful glare from her. Mariam was the first to leave saying she had to see someone by the way she was excited and giddy to leave I suspected it was her soldier crush she wanted to see,  the woman whose bed was beside mine entered and shifted her bed  as far as she could from my bedside rather than sadden me it amused me. Zara left a while later after I had fallen asleep.

Later that evening when the women in my tent had gone out to cook I suppose they always liked cooking seeing as they could get extra food if they helped in the kitchen. The Blue eyed woman walked to my bedside asking about how I felt I smiled and thanked her" why do you never come around when my friends are here?" I ask her curiosity drawn on my face, she sighs before sitting next to me eyes cast down as though she was looking for a way to express herself" I am an outcast, imagine what people would say about you if they saw me with you?" she asked a sad smile playing on her lips while she touched my face with care I hold her hand in place" I don't care about what people say mama Aisha" I say to her and for some unknown reason tears fill her eyes, I was scared that I might have made her sad by my words" well its better you dont have to hear anything at all" she says abruptly and gets up going to the far end of the tent where her bed was secluded from others.