TAMAR,
Episode 5.
Abel traveled the following day, he traveled to the master’s Port, to supervise work there, he won’t be back till after five weeks, I Will really miss him while he is gone,
When Zity doesn’t need me I help other slaves to work around the house
When Vim had his friends gathering, different dishes were cooked and I was among the maids that served at the gathering, i noticed he was looking at me, when I took the tray of spiced gizzards to him, I knelt down while serving him which was normal but he didn’t pick any immediately, and when I looked up to see if I should leave I saw him looking at me, the tray started shaking in my hands and almost fell off from my hands, and he quickly dismissed me,
When I was out of his sight I breathed deeply, I wondered why he looked at me that way and why I shake vehemently at his gaze
Zity, lay in bed that morning and didn’t bother standing up, I prepared her bath yet she didn’t get up from the bed, I know something was bothering her, she has not being so active since yesterday, I went to her
“My Lady is there a problem, you have being in bed since morning and is past your bath time..
“I can’t seem to get him off my mind, he looked exactly like he was truly carved out from Mars…since that day I kept thinking about him
” who could that be my Lady…
“Chakan, that’s what he said his name was, the handsome young Man we met at the museum, I think I’m in love with him, I don’t care what Zain is going to say, but I want to see Chakan again, I could have told him my name when he asked but I wasn’t interested in him at first, until I got home and remember the way he smile and look at me, he said my beauty is like that of Aliah, the goddess of beauty, I have heard people say that to me but chakan said it in a way I admire, he looked at me like I was a god, I need you to go and search for him, either at the museum or anywhere, when you see him tell him that I sent you, and I Will give you a note to give to him..and some money to go to the merchant, who deals in Jewelry close to the museum, tell him that I need a gold jewelry with goddess of luck inscribed on it, also buy another so that I can replace the one I gave to Zain, if anybody, be it my brother, Vim, mother or father sees you and ask you were you are going to or coming from just tell them I sent you to the jewelry shop don’t ever mention Chakan to any body… Do you understand…make sure you find him
I quickly left as she ordered me, I went to the museum and searched everywhere for Chakan but no sign of him, I went to the temple of their different gods and goddess, I stood outside and waited as people tripped in and out yet I didn’t see Chakan, I went to the market and different places no sign of Chakan, I returned back to the temples hoping he Will come and worship but when I didn’t see him I decided to turn back and go, I saw Vim ridding on his chariot with his friend, before I could hide among the crowd he saw me, he looked at me and I bent my head, he rode and passed without a word.
I quickly ran to the jewelry shop and bought all I’m asked to buy before heading back home
Immediately I got home I saw Vim standing outside,
“Where are you coming from, why are you at the temple of twail, the god of thunder and storm, do you worship at the temple of twail, that’s Mostly a god for men, don’t you see women are hardly there, there are so many female gods and goddess you can chose from what do you want in the temple of a god you are not in need off, or do you go there to pray to twail so that he can send thunder to strike your enemies, are we your enemy, do you go there to worship or what..speak up
” I…I, no, my lord, i didn’t go there to worship… i lost my way, I was going to…buy jewelry For Lady Zity, and here they are, I don’t have enemy…
“Everybody has enemy, most especially a common slave, run ahead now, I think Zity needs you, you can ask other slaves the god they worship if you are looking for a god to pitch your tent in..
I bow and ran off, my heart was beating as I got into Zity’s chamber, who was up from her seat the moment she saw me enter her chamber, her face light up joyfully,
” oh Tamar, I have being waiting for your return, I know the gods most have favored you, what did Chakan say, did he smile when he read my letter, tell me, I’m eager to know, speak up now
“I couldn’t find him my Lady, I searched everywhere and went to all the temple but no sign of him, I also..
Before I could say another thing she stroked me across the face, then another heavy slap to my cheek, she was cursing me and threw a worden carved god close to her bedside at me and ask me to disappear from her presence and I did with my fore head bleeding from the wound, I went to the out house and washed my bloody face,
I later came back and sat close to Zity’s chamber after attending to my wound, waiting for Zity to need or summon me and it was until in the mid night she called me into her chamber and ask me to tell her a romantic story, and when I started she shouted at me to stop
” i have heard the story before, how many times do you want to say it, I’m tired of all your stories, they are becoming boring, everything about you is becoming boring, I asked you to go and find Chakan and you still can’t Carry out simple duty, get out of my sight now.
I went to the fountain, where Abel use to sit and pray, everybody was asleep, the moonlight was bright, I have no one to talk to, my heart was very heavy as I pulled down the shawl off my head, I knelt down and spread my hands wide and started speaking to God,
“My strength fails me, I lack word to describe how I feel, I derive strength from Abel now he is on a journey, God I’m grateful for this household you put me in, but serving Zity can be difficult sometimes, I don’t know how to reach her, i have told her all the stories from father and mother, I don’t have any again to tell, I miss Kath, Deb and Joe, I miss father and mother too, I need your help to remain Strong, help me God, help me through every difficult time, help me to see you in all I do, I kneel before you with my hands spread wide For you to see in and out of me, withholding nothing from you Lord, fill me in with your love and help me to know you more, in my weakness please be my strength, when I’m afraid help me to remember that you always with me, I live for you lord, only you, not the different gods of this land, I worship you Lord… I adore yo…
” what are you doing out here by yourself… By this time of the night, while everyone sleeps, kneeling with your hands spread wide, your hair shines with the moon, crying out to an unknown god, what god do you pray to?
I was shocked as I saw Vim, I quickly stood up and covered my head with the shawl, he was standing under the Moon light in his night wear, I startled as he came close to me. I didn’t know what to say or do.
.TAMAR, Episode 6.
“You are suppose to be attending to my sister’s needs, not being out here alone, serving an unknown god, you have grown so fast compared to the time mother bought you for Zity, you are adding curves to your slender waist even though you Wear those big cloths but I still notice them, and those lips of yours looks succulent, you are growing beautifully, and your hair, hmmm, never seen them before, they shone brightly with the moon light, come with me to my chamber, my body is yawning for you, I have began to want you after watching you for sometimes and I know you also want me because no Woman says no to me, they usually begs me to touch them, the royals ladies and beautiful maidens if the land, even women with husbands begs me to look at them, they screams at my touch and when I lay with them… well I have not being able to sleep all through the night, I thought it was because of the hot weather and I decided to come out here for some fresh air, I was shock to see a human figure kneeling at the fountain and when I got close and realized that you are the one I just knew the gods has smiled at me, they have blessed me with a maiden for the night, who will help me fall asleep quick…your name is Tar..mar..whatever it means I don’t really care, come with me to my chamber, let’s keep each other warm through out the night, Zity won’t be needing you until day break, you will return to her before the second cockcrow…come…
As Vim got closer, He stood way taller than I am and was huge too, my head was covered and bent, I was afraid as he gently pulled back the shawl from my head, the shawl carelessly fell to the ground, he combed his hand into my hair, and forcefully drew me closer to himself, he raised my head, urging me to to look up at him, I went cold as he touched me, I was scared, it was late mid night what I’m I suppose to do,
I thought within me and silently began to pray that he will not hurt me, I try to pull back from him but his arm was strong, when he raised my chin up and I looked into his eyes all I saw with the help of the moonlight was lust,
lust was written all over him, he bent to kiss my lips I quickly turned my face and was shaking all over, i cry out to God in tears.
I prayed silently, one of the psalms I learnt from Abel was ringing like a bell to my head, I couldn’t remember all the psalms accordingly so I began to pray the few on my head,
“for the Lord will hide me in his pavilion in time of trouble, no harm will befall me, the Lord will send his angels to hold me in their arms so that I will not strike my feet against the stone, as mother hen protect its chicks so also the Lord protect his people from the wicked..
Vim quickly pushed me away immediately he saw me murmuring prayers, I fell with a heavy thud to the ground, I grabbed my shawl and covered my head and stood up, I stood at a distance as I watch him boil with anger, I wasn’t afraid anymore as I felt God’s angels all around me
” are you praying to your unknown god to strike me, is that an incantation I just heard you say, what god do you pray to…why do I feel like the hairs behind my head stood, so your so called god came to fight for you, they thought I want to devour their little virgin girl, blowing those bad air behind my head, are you a witch, do you know what we do to witches we bury them alive, but I know you can’t be a witch because I heard you pray like a Christ..ian..no it can’t be, having a Christian under my father’s roof, in this land, is not possible because the Christians knows what is at stake for them, and anyone that steps into this kingdom denies such faith and chose any god or goddess of the land immediately just to avoid being killed, my father is a second prime ruler, the kingdom can not do anything without consulting him, he is part of the rulers that makes rules and law of the land, I’m just giving you a tip or refreshing your memory to understand where you are, tell me the god you pray to, are you a Christian… Answer me slave..
I felt unafraid yet wisdom kept me mute as I kept looking at him, I thought of what Abel will say if he is confronted with the truth right in the face of danger, he will pray psalms ” though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear, though war arise against me, yet I will remain confident” that’s what he would say
“I shall not be afraid of evil even in a strange land filled with idols, for My heart is steadfastly trusting in the Lord.
I said it out loud to his hearing, he moved closer to me again but there was still a distance as he stood looking at me
” you seem bold, unafraid and so zealous, that’s what Christians foolishly do yet I have not seen their god save them as they are being fed to the circuit lions or even when they are hung on a stake to make a public show of them at the entrance gate, their god never saves them, if you take a walk to the entrance gate you will see their carcass, this serves as a warning to others, their unseen god never saves them and neither do they get a decent burial, the Christians are so foolishly blind that even after seen this they remain stubborn and adamant, you better chose a god among the gods of this land, their are a lot if gods to choose from, I don’t want to believe you are a Christian Tamar, neither do I ever want to see you out here praying to an unknown god while everyone sleeps, you can give your virginity to your god i don’t care, or to Abel because I have often seen you around him, you seems to be fond of him, but No matter what, Abel will not lay with you, I have known him all my life, he practice celibacy, and nobody knows the god he serve, rumor has it that he was a Christian and he didn’t agree neither did he deny the allegation when he was confronted, and nobody dug deep to the kind of god he serve because father likes him and doesn’t want harm to befall him, Abel maybe impotent because he never entangles with any maiden, even after he was given his freedom he refuse to go and start a family of his own, so if you are saving your virginity for him you better think twice, Abel loves his strange god and his work, he won’t make the kind of love I will make to you if you let me, I have not seen any Woman that says no to me, I don’t care whatever you serve but I never want to see you out here at this time if the night ever again, do you understand
“Yes, my Lord..
” good, I’m glad you still remember I’m your lord, now return to your duty which is to serve my sister..
I walked passed him and returned to Zity’s chamber, I thanked God for saving me from Vim’s strong arms and not exposing my strong faith which may lead to disaster, Wisdom was indeed a principal thing as the book of proverb says
After four days Zity got information on where she can find Chakan and quickly Left, I went with her and stood at a distance as she and Chakan hugged and talk, the he following day she was out to meet Chakan again and they sat in a hidden place and I watch Chakan kiss her For a long time before leaving her, she blushed as he kissed her again,
She started going out almost everyday to meet Chakan in their secret hideout, where they can’t be seen,
right in her chamber all she spoke about was Chakan, she was obviously deeply in-love with him and wish she Will be allowed to marry him when the right time comes
After sometime, when Zity turned seventeen the news came that her father, Lord Reese was arranging a wealthy man for her to marry.
Zity cried her eyes out at the news, she refused to come out of her chamber and Lock herself inside
Vim still looks at me strangely, he was mostly around unlike before, even when his friends comes visiting him he stays within the house and entertains them, he hardly go out and has never bothers me again after the first time encounter with him at the fountain.
I wish Abel could come back, I truly miss him, I pray for him every day.
Unlike before I don’t get scared not even after Vim’s threats, I become more bold, I avoided going out to the fountain at night but I still find away to talk to God quietly.
Everyday I looked forward to having Abel back, I feel happy and secured when he is around, I wish he homes back soon because is almost a year he has being gone,
I need him mostly now that Vim is acting strange around me, making me uncomfortable with his looks, and Zity Will soon be married off to a rich Man one of her father’s friend who lost his wife many years ago,
the man has only one son named Chakan, Zity’s secret lover.
