The Endless Golden Dunes

Chapter 37: The Attack

HAMZA

  
They were on the  move again and Hamza discontinued counting the days and hours.
  
Every minute or so, he could hear a sigh, a groan, and sometimes mutters of complaining. The last couple of weeks hadn’t been eventful and really, everyone just wanted to go back to the camp.
  
‘Or back home; that would also be fine,’ Abbas said. ‘But I cannot complain. After all, it was me who decided that I should join the army. Or was it the desert who encouraged me?’
  
‘The desert encouraged you?’ Hamza had puzzled.
  
‘Ah, you would not get it. It is quite a long tale. Perhaps some other time, that is if you would believe every word I say.’ Abbas laughed.
  
Salman wasn’t doing quite much better. He had tried to cure his boredom by reading his book, but had complained that he had basically memorized it and now there was little to learn more about it.
  
‘Talks aren’t as interesting now. Really, what interesting things can we talk about?’
  
Ilyas wasn’t faring well either. He was more secluded than ever and always seemed to be on the edge of diving into a frenzy. Once, Hamza had talked to him but all he could hear was ‘The voice, the voice, the voice.’ And he repeated them over and over again.
  
‘Do not laze!’ Walid had shouted. ‘We need to be on our guard unless you want your necks to be on the other side of a Mongol’s blade!’
  
Walid hadn’t also failed in reminding Hamza of his duties as well.
  
‘You cannot be expecting me to do all the disciplinary work,’ he said between mutters of curses. ‘Hamza, you are a good person, but please show some strictness to them.’
  
Hamza was reluctant to put on a commanding voice, and many didn’t bother listening to him anyways. The few who did were simply doing so with politeness. Whenever Hamza failed to command a group of people, Walid had to come and shout orders. Whenever he did so, he would glance at Hamza with a dissatisfied look and murmur ‘You could do better.’.
  
Now, he was staring at whatever was noteworthy enough to catch his eye. He had tried to read Salman’s book, but found that it did not interest him at all. War strategies and advice might help Salman his art, but Hamza daunted he needed such things.
  
‘It had philosophies other than that.’ Salman explained as they sat next to a cart.
  
‘And they are all related to war are they not? It might be objectively good, but I doubt I will like it.’
  
‘Ironic how a captain refuses to learn anything about war.’
  
‘War doesn’t equate to always killing.’
  
Salman had laughed at that statement, but realized his mistake and apologized for being somewhat rude.
  
‘It’s just that I think it is impossible to go to war and not kill. My father used to be in the army and he had nothing positive to say about it. “In war, love does not last.” is what he said to me. I did not come here for love, but for worthiness. You on the other hand want to show love and mercy. As Walid has said multiple times, that cannot be possible for you.’
  
‘With all due respect Salman, you cannot be sure.’
  
‘None of us can be sure. It is not a good thing to hope for the worst, but it is unwise to hope for the best as well. And anyway, I think we shouldn’t continue with these talks of war. More and more, I am fearing a Mongolian attack.’
  
And so, he left without saying much more. Hamza was at the least glad that Salman had something to distract his mind to whatever distress he was feeling. Then there was the fact of what Salman’s father had said. In war, love does not last.
  
How true was that statement? Hamza always thought that love could be used anywhere. Isn’t that what the best human ability is? To think that there could be a time where no man could eventually just stop loving was frightening.
  
Hamza decided that even if he could not be allowed to love, he should still restrain himself from killing. But then again, if love did not exist, would humanity exist? Would they have had the same moral codes without love?
  
All Hamza could do was pray that the matter did not come to him having to take a life. It would be a good thing if they didn’t encounter any Mongols. Even if they did, they should give them mercy as is the sunnah in war.
  
That was when Hamza heard the drums.