Sheb & Houra
In this part, 2 more characters are introduced: Marai's half-sister Houra bint Ahu and her husband Sheb who runs the wadi (oasis)
When she had been little, Sheb and his parents, brothers and sisters, their husbands and families all had tents at the water hole. Her father had named it for himself when he'd taken charge of it years before. In those days, Marai was a too-tall and lanky version of all of the other dark-haired youths living there. He was the youngest of many direct brothers and sisters, but older than the five children by Ahu's second wife. She was the youngest of those children. Sheb was the son of Ebach, one of Ahu's younger brothers. The small clan did not increase well. Houra knew well enough that the first indication of wrong was indeed when Marai's wife died in a birthing so agonizing and bloody that it nearly frightened all of women away from wanting children for fear of such a dreadful labor. Ill luck increased. A fever in one of the visiting caravans nearly turned the settlement into a charnel yard. The elders of the tribe sickened and died one by one. Children withered and wasted away. Women, herself included, miscarried. Her brothers, who said they would never desert the clan, left under cover of night. Two years ago, Marai and the remaining relatives began to fight. One by one they left, each blaming the "curse of the goddess" or the evil his madness wrought for their departure. Houra noticed her husband's snoring stop and his breathing grow still. He was pretending to sleep.
"Have you heard the way he sings to his beloved, lately?" she asked “It's been different." Houra drew close to him. "It's as if he knows we'll be leaving soon." she inclined her head to the door. "I think I can talk him into coming with us, after all."
Sheb roused himself more fully, noticed his wife and, with a tired sigh, pulled her close to his chest.
"He'd better be singing a farewell song, tonight." he muttered, scratching his head. "Sometimes I wish she'd come get him like he wants. It would solve a lot of things."
"Sheb..." Houra felt a shiver of revulsion and pulled away from him to catch his expression in the lamp light. "You never said anything so..." she frowned.
"Well, I've felt it lately." the way-man propped himself up on his elbow, grumbling. "So he's on your mind tonight, as you come to me?" The air between them grew dark and brittle.
"Just wondering how he'll do in Kemet. He’s so used to the wide places." Houra lied. She knew Sheb had always been jealous of a man who had so much less to offer, in this case, than he did...
Houra set her face against the soft, warm furriness of her husband's chest.
"Marai's able-bodied and strong.” Sheb scratched the back of his neck under the thickly bound braid of his ebony hair “He'll find work the same as the rest of us...and separately. Abu Ahu's tribe is finished. You’ve known that as much as the rest of us." Children of Stone: Voices in Crystal
Tell me what you think...Ask Questions :-)
When she had been little, Sheb and his parents, brothers and sisters, their husbands and families all had tents at the water hole. Her father had named it for himself when he'd taken charge of it years before. In those days, Marai was a too-tall and lanky version of all of the other dark-haired youths living there. He was the youngest of many direct brothers and sisters, but older than the five children by Ahu's second wife. She was the youngest of those children. Sheb was the son of Ebach, one of Ahu's younger brothers. The small clan did not increase well. Houra knew well enough that the first indication of wrong was indeed when Marai's wife died in a birthing so agonizing and bloody that it nearly frightened all of women away from wanting children for fear of such a dreadful labor. Ill luck increased. A fever in one of the visiting caravans nearly turned the settlement into a charnel yard. The elders of the tribe sickened and died one by one. Children withered and wasted away. Women, herself included, miscarried. Her brothers, who said they would never desert the clan, left under cover of night. Two years ago, Marai and the remaining relatives began to fight. One by one they left, each blaming the "curse of the goddess" or the evil his madness wrought for their departure. Houra noticed her husband's snoring stop and his breathing grow still. He was pretending to sleep.
"Have you heard the way he sings to his beloved, lately?" she asked “It's been different." Houra drew close to him. "It's as if he knows we'll be leaving soon." she inclined her head to the door. "I think I can talk him into coming with us, after all."
Sheb roused himself more fully, noticed his wife and, with a tired sigh, pulled her close to his chest.
"He'd better be singing a farewell song, tonight." he muttered, scratching his head. "Sometimes I wish she'd come get him like he wants. It would solve a lot of things."
"Sheb..." Houra felt a shiver of revulsion and pulled away from him to catch his expression in the lamp light. "You never said anything so..." she frowned.
"Well, I've felt it lately." the way-man propped himself up on his elbow, grumbling. "So he's on your mind tonight, as you come to me?" The air between them grew dark and brittle.
"Just wondering how he'll do in Kemet. He’s so used to the wide places." Houra lied. She knew Sheb had always been jealous of a man who had so much less to offer, in this case, than he did...
Houra set her face against the soft, warm furriness of her husband's chest.
"Marai's able-bodied and strong.” Sheb scratched the back of his neck under the thickly bound braid of his ebony hair “He'll find work the same as the rest of us...and separately. Abu Ahu's tribe is finished. You’ve known that as much as the rest of us." Children of Stone: Voices in Crystal
Tell me what you think...Ask Questions :-)
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