Maliha jumped in fright as a large body sunk into the chair beside her.

"Enough is enough, Maliha," snapped Ujarak.

Maliha wasn't surprised to see the male at her fire.

For the past few days he had been popping out of the woodwork and appearing everywhere that she was. He had given her the better half of a week before something in him had snapped and now she couldn't go a few hours without being stuck in his presence.

She continued stirring the pot of food, completely ignoring him. She could feel the curious stares of everyone who sat around this fire and the ones nearby which had her changing her approach quickly.

She didn't want to come across as rude to the Razi, but she also didn't want to have this long-needed discussion. Instead she nodded her head in acknowledgement and continued making their food.

She looked to Xiuri and Kamir, who had finally reappeared from their couple's containment, to help give her support but they were too engrossed in each other to see her call for help. Her head snapped to Ray'et but the look he shot her reminded her of the conversation they had shared a few days past. When she had pressed him about Darsan, he had merely stated that he would approach the girl as soon as Maliha stopped hiding from Ujarak.

It seemed that she would be alone tonight.

Enzo was too excited at having one of his friends, Raj at their fire, to notice Ujarak's presence.

"Maliha"

"Now isn't the time Ujarak," she whispered, shooting a nervous glance over her shoulder.

"Now is never the time, and it's Uja for you."

His lopsided grin disarmed Maliha's defences.

She didn't want to be weak for this man, but it was so hard to fight herself every day when her mind and body screamed for him. It was as if she was fighting a losing battle.

"Maliha," he groaned.

Her heart melted as one of his thick fingers played with a loose strand of her hair. She could feel her composure crumbling at his proximity.

She shot Xiuri a pleading look which her friend finally noticed.

"So, Ujarak, how was your journey in the Nushtar mountains?"

"Insightful..." He drawled.

"I saw a seer of the Kyat tribe."

The seers of the Kyat tribe were considered to be the holiest and purest seers to exist. They were held in the highest regard and had a direct link to their goddess. The seers of the Kyat tribe were all Alhasmaji, who not only saw the future, but acted as vessels that forced people on their goddesses' chosen path.

"What did the seer reveal?'

Ujarak's steady gaze met Maliha's as he responded.

"Many things that did not make sense but a few things he did say plainly."

"Such as?" Maliha prompted.

"He said that my desire to distance myself from my father will turn me into him. He said that if I do not embrace him, the future ordained for me will be no longer. He said the holy mother, Savuriya, is working amongst the tribes in ways that she hasn't since the dawn of our nation's."

If words could be weapons than those of the seers were the deadliest Maliha had ever encountered. They struck her to her core and split her open. She could see the pain in Ujarak's eyes and craved to comfort him but there was so much between them.

"And then he said some stuff about waxing moons, cresting suns and people who can see."

"So, typical seer stuff?" Chuckled Ray'et.

"Yes," grunted Ujarak, his head tilting to the side in confusion.

He hadn't expected such a dismissive remark from Ray'et, not the man who always had so much to say.

"Well, I am glad the seer could help."

Xiuri looked awkwardly from one male to the next, only noticing that both cousins were sitting amongst each other and not bickering.

"Xiuri, do you mind watching the food whilst I speak to Ujarak?"

Ujarak's whole composure brightened, his back straightening as he followed Maliha away from the fire.

He ruffled Enzo's hair on his way out, making sure the boy knew he was there before they disappeared behind one of the tents.

"I didn't think you would ever talk to me."

"Yes, well I didn't think so either, but everyone has implored me to listen to you."

Maliha had never considered herself to be a stubborn female but something about Ujarak brought out all of her worst traits. She had been raised to be respectful to leaders and yet Ujarak always seemed to push her to disregard all of her teachings and beliefs.

"You dislike me that much, Maliha?"

"Yes," she huffed and then quickly amended her words to "no," at his crestfallen face.

"I don't dislike you Ujarak, but I dislike the woman you make me, and I guess I can't really blame you for that, but I do."

"The woman I have made you?" he sputtered, "What I have done to you that is so wrong?"

"It doesn't matter," she waved dismissingly, trying to play her words down but Ujarak refused to drop it.

"Maliha," he growled, taking a threatening step towards.

Maliha's insides quivered. She didn't want to discuss this, had thought she would never have to address this but she her actions had made it clear that there was bitterness there, at least on her side and Ujarak wouldn't rest until he knew why.

"You built my dreams up."

Embarrassment coated her skin at the sob that escaped her lips. She had thought she was over this, but clearly, she wasn't because if she had been over this situation, she wouldn't react to Ujarak so strongly.

Ujarak pulled Maliha into his arms as soon as the tears began trailing down her cheeks. She fought him at first, her fists balling as she tried to get away from him.

"Maliha," he murmured, "don't cry."

At his soft words, the rest of her fight drained from her body and she sunk into his comforting embrace. Her tears dampened his skin and each drop that glided across his chest, was like a weight that sunk into Ujarak's soul. He had done this. He had made her cry, somehow, he had turned Maliha into a woman that she didn't want to be.

The guilt he felt was crippling.

"I told myself that I would never be some man's toy," she snivelled, "but you have made me that time and time again, and no matter how many times you change your mind, I keep accepting you back."

Maliha pulled out of his arms and turned away from him. Wiping away her tears and breathing deeply as she tried to gain control over her emotions.

"I didn't think I was weak, but I am because I can't even respect myself enough to give up on a man who clearly doesn't respect me."

Maliha felt like a hypocrite. Just a few days ago she had told Darsan not to be so hasty to have love, that she would harm or disregard those around her, but wasn't Maliha doing that? Every time Ujarak showed her a little bit of attention or interest, she disregarded what was best for herself, for the possibility of what they could have. All of this was over a man she wasn't even sure she loved.

"You pick me up and then drop me back down whenever you feel like it, you show me no respect Ujarak so why do I still care?"

Maliha didn't know why but she did care, she cared even when common sense told her not to. The past few days had only reiterated that to her. She cared so much that confronting the truth had been something she had avoided doing but now she couldn't hide any longer.

"It is not that I don't respect you Maliha, because I do respect you, but I am battling against something that is bigger than me. I am out of my depth here and yet I am supposed to lead this tribe into the future. A future that is dependent on my choice and some damn scriptures that I can barely understand or remember."

Ujarak's hand rested on her shoulder as he pulled her back towards his chest, his arms wrapping around her front as he rested his head on top of her.

"I was trying so hard not to repeat my ancestor's mistakes and then you appeared."

His chest heaved with each panting breath.

"I don't know which way is up or down, so I am sorry if you feel that I am playing with your emotions, but I am trying to do what's right for my tribe except I don't know what that is."

She could hear the sincerity in his words, but still they did not change his actions or that he would do it all again if he felt it was best for his tribe. Ujarak wanted to do what was best for the tribe and it was clear to see that he did not believe that Maliha was it. She was not his Sujurrah, even though he cared for her more than he had any other female.

"I can't keep doing this."

"So, don't" he muttered gruffly.

"Maybe we have been going about this wrong. Maybe we have been trying to make something out of nothing. We have all these feelings, but we don't truly understand each other or even know each other."

He had a point. Maliha had come into the tribe with no knowledge about the Der Surjaz except the rumours told.

She had taken one glance at Ujarak and something had sizzled between them, but what did they truly know about each other?  Nothing, nothing but the fact that Ujarak's father's actions had irrevocably damaged him so much that he now felt burdened with the future of his tribe.

And what did he know of her? He knew that she was an Ormas, an orphaned child who had been discarded by her first love and never excepted into the only tribe she had ever wanted to belong to, but that was not all she was. Her past was not all she was, and Ujarak was more than his father's mistakes, yet neither of them had truly seen beyond that. Or was this just more of Ujarak's poetic words he used to gain Maliha's trust and acceptance?

"Maybe we should try being friends."

It was clear that friendship was not what either of them wanted but it seemed like the natural step for them. Ujarak's throat bobbed in frustration but he nodded in agreement, his fist outstretching to thud hers in acceptance. As her knuckles grazed his fist, his hands covered hers. Stroking along each ridge and indentation of her fist before he dropped his arm back to his side.

"Friends."

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Maliha smiled to herself as she watched Ujarak teaching Enzo how to shoot a stone from the small slingshot they had made together. Enzo was blossoming under Ujarak's attention. For everything that Maliha gave him, Enzo had always needed more. He had needed a strong man in his life and Ujarak was finally taking on the role that was rightfully his.

It seemed that becoming friends with Ujarak had fixed all of their problems. Maliha had been dubious that they could truly be just that, but as the days passed, it became clearly apparent that they could. There was still sexual tension between them but it was nothing that Maliha neither of them felt the need to address yet.

Ujarak spent as much time as possible with Enzo, teaching the boy things his father had taught him. At nights, when he could, Ujarak would join them at their fire and help them cook. However, it seemed that Ujarak never had time to himself, not with the continuous attacks on the Dahsolik nation by the Svolik tribes.

There was a tranquillity amongst their relationship that was not present in the tribe. There was a sense of fear and anger broiling amongst the people, it was so heavy that calm moments such as these were becoming a rarity. Everyone was on edge, waiting for an attack that may come at any moment.

"Staring at them will not help you learn our history any quicker."

Maliha's eye narrowed at the elderly woman who sank into the grass beside her. Makula glanced over at Ujarak and Enzo before staring down at the small parchment Maliha held in her hands.

Her withered fingers plucked the parchment from Maliha's grasp and perused it slowly. Her lips pursed intently as she thought over all the points Maliha had written on the sheet.

"Has anyone answered these questions for you?"

"Don't you know the answer already ,Makula?" Maliha asked in a saccharine sweet voice.

Makula's lips scrunched up before spreading out in a cheeky grin.

"Go fetch me my book Ashra, child" she chuckled, patting Maliha on the shoulder lightly. "You know which one."

Maliha took one final glance at Enzo and Ujarak before retreating to Makula's tent and bringing back a chunky book made of thick animal skins. The leather was in pristine condition even though there an ancient aura clung to the book.

Maliha sank into the grass beside Makula before handing her the book. Makula took another quick glance at Maliha's questions, mumbling under her breath as she flipped to the page she needed.

"You wanted to know what the Svolik is trying to gain from the Dahsolik nation. I am assuming this about the recent attacks on our sister tribes."

Maliha nodded her head. She needed to know what was behind the Svolik's attacks. They were becoming more violent, attacking tribes nearby and stealing their women and children. No one from the Der Surjaz tribe had been directly affected, though many of the warriors returned from their patrols with battle wounds or bloody weapons.

"At the conception of each tribe, Savuriya, gifted them with Daharrasol, a holy light that each tribe holds at the centre of their being. This is connected to the Ishanu and blood bonded to the Razi and Sujurrah of each tribe."

Makula flicked open the book and showed Maliha pictures upon pictures of what seemed to be the revelation of the holy light to a number of tribes. The  pages held detailed drawings of what appeared to be the eternal flame and the gifting of the holy light. She stumbled over the words in the passage as they were not written in the common tongue but in the tribe's language. Maliha's finger trailed across the words as she moved from passage to passage, taking in the vivid imagery wielded inside the pages of the ancient book.

"When the Svolik were cast out, Savuriya ripped their Dahsmani from their beings and stripped them of their Daharrasol."

Maliha turned the page to see a picture of people with gaunt faces and hollow eyes, shrouded in shadows and dripping in darkness. A gold spear was thrust in the heart of one of the Svolik and a light seemed to shine through his body into the spear.

"They have been trying to gain it back for centuries," croaked Makula.

"Why?" Maliha muttered transfixed by the images on the page.

"Power. The Daharrasol carries the power of each tribe. It is the goddesses light and with a piece of Daharrasol the Svolik could taint such power and seat it upon the head of their god, Najrati."

"They could call him to this world," Maliha muttered.

The pages changed to images of a ritual that had almost brought the Svolik's god Najrati to this world but they had been stopped. A battle scene was painted with blood and gore and there in the centre stood a trio of women, light shone from their skin as they clasped the golden spear. In the next image, they were part women and part ethereal beings, as they moved as one to imbed the spear into the heart of the gauntly being.

Maliha's eyes closed as the images began moving, the story of the pages unfolding in her mind as if she had been there. The hair along her arms stood on end as the images flashed and noises crashed in cacophony.

"They tried and failed," Maliha whispered, noticing that she was stroking the hair of one of the women.

Makula's deep sigh jolted Maliha from her absent stroking, and she began flicking through the pages again, taking in each scene.

"Our nation was strong back then, we were not just the Dahsolik nation but all children of Savuriya were connected. Now, our tribes grow weaker."

"The great three tribes are separated."

Makula nodded in agreement, "The Nah Barros refuse to rebuild the bridge burnt years ago and the La Aquy have created an oasis of water surrounding their lands. Our Ishanu's are not connected as they once were."

And the Der Surjaz had been cursed generations ago and seemed to be no closer to fixing their problem.

Maliha's lips pursed together as she flicked to another page. Her hand halted mid flick as she noted some of the words that were on the page. The word sujurrah was a recurring theme. Her head dipped lower, eyes narrowing as she tried to unjumble the symbols that made up the complex Dersi language.

Maliha shot up in shock as the book snapped and was snatched out of her hands by Makula.

"This is not for you to read," she croaked, climbing to her feet and scurrying off through the tents.

Maliha's mouth gawped wide as she stared in shock at the retreating old woman. Words stuck in her mouth as she witnessed Makula moving faster than she had ever moved in her life.

"Where did Makula go?" chirped Enzo, bouncing his finger off of the elastic of his sling shot.

Maliha's head tilted up at both of the males as she tried to gather her bearings.

"I'm not sure."

"Are you okay, Maliha?" queried Ujarak, outstretching his hand to help her up.

She climbed or her feet with his help, dusted of her dress and began walking with them back to her. She could hear the soft chuckles of their teasing and the deep timbre of Ujarak's words but her mind was not in their conversation.

Her mind was elsewhere, focussing on the few lines that she had been able to read.

She had been reading something important, something that was about the Sujurrah.

The first few lines had not given her any vital information but Maliha knew that the rest of those pages would reveal crucial information to breaking the curse.

She knew it to be true because why else would Makula react the way she did?

It made no sense.

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Ohhhh, what do we think Makula is hiding in that book?

Do we think this friendship will last? 🤔

Also, does anyone have anymore guesses about Maliha's heritage? I dropped clues, I tried not to make it obvious but I suck at it 🕵🏽‍♀️🕵🏽‍♀️