Empress Dosha

Chapter 4

"I got it. All three of them. Ha!" She jumped out of the tall grasses laughing hysterically.

"What! All three of them!?" Rashid peeked from behind the tree he was hiding.

"That is what I just said. See." She held three games by the tail swinging them for him.

His mouth hung open in disbelief, "How....how did you?"

"Impressive huh? I aimed the three arrows right at them, angling it properly and shot." She said setting them down, retrieving the arrow from them.

"Dosha, I am more than impressed, you aimed right in the same places. How did you do that?"

"I think you are used to the one at a time shooting. Well, let me say, three years of shooting experience makes it better. I did not just waste eight years doing nothing. And also, you lost." She replied tossing the bloodied games and arrows at him. "Ya kamata in yi wanka, ina ƙarnin jini (I should probably wash up, I stink of blood)." She shrinked her nose grimacing.

He laughed stuffing all in the bag walking behind her. They walked in silence and were soon approaching the hut.

"What have you decided to do now?" He asked and he immediately regretted saying it.

She tensed hearing it but did her best to hide it. "I am never going back. I am happy this way."

"And what about your name?"

"No one cares about my name, even if they see me, they wouldn't know it is I. The only ones who could try to recognize me are just few, except my..... family." She said the last words between clenched teeth.

"What about your Uncle?"

"I don't think he will ever come back."

"But you said you trust his words."

She sighed clenching her teeth. "Life is complex Rashid, and if he eventually comes back, he will find me. I know that. And I cannot change my name, it is the only thing that reminds me of him," She said chewing on her cheek. "Back to the present, what we would do is I will go have a bath and you will do the work."

"So, I do not get to have a bath? Really?"

"Remember our bet, I lose I work, you lose you work. And besides, I never said you could not have a bath. Tsk!" She exclaimed entering the hut with her back, smiling triumphantly.

"Da kyau." He said. She could feel the look of utter disbelief on his face.

She picked one from the clothes he brought her and scurried outside, seeing that he was gathering woods to set fire. "There is plenty to go round eh!" She teased watching how he shaked with silent laughter.

She went farther down the river, she could not bath where she bathed yesterday since it was morning and maybe someone could be roaming there.

Parting the tall grasses, she crossed some twigs on the floor and walked to a small creek. It was a private place where Rashid brought her to yesterday. She used some of the water to wash her face and hands, then legs, looking at her reflection. It was much better than before.

She sighed hissing, looking around to survey the area, even though it was safe, she still needed to be sure. She does not want someone stomping in on her like that. What a scene!?

She looked once again before shedding her clothes and dived into it. She plopped down seizing her breath for a minute, before coming out back taking a huge breath through her mouth.

Pushing her hair backwards and rubbing her neck to get rid of the dirt, she halted; the tattoo. Sometimes she wished she never had that but that was her destiny. She also has another one at the right side of her stomach. She shook her head to get rid of the thought and finished bathing. She swam back to the shallow side but was pushed back.