An Immortal's Favour

Gale- Miss You

*

A strong sense of trepidation loomed over me as I met the children the next morning. With my head slightly hung, I clutched at the big box of treats I'd bought with my wages. I didn't even have time to see who was there before I was bombarded with questions and little hands, all reaching for the box within my grasp. Finally able to pull away from the scrabble, I noticed, surprised, that one more person had decided to join us.

"Oumar? I thought I told you, it's the last session today-"

"I'm here to make the most of it," he said simply, laying on in his back in the same way he'd done during our first meeting.

"It would help if you sat up."

"Let a man observe in peace." He let his eyes flit shut, as though done with our conversation.

Aminata licked melted chocolate off of her fingers and was about to wipe her hands down on her cotton top before Sekou pulled a kerchief from his pocket, handing it to her. "Is it true that today's the last session, Bobo?" the boy asked, face free of his usual carefree smile.

Aminata reached for another chocolate biscuit, her shoulders slumping at Sekou's words as she bit it.

"I'm afraid so."

"But what will we do when you go?" Hawa said.

"Well, you've all come so far, and with these," I pulled out a stack of books from my shoulder bag, "It'll be no problem for you to go further."

"But most of us can't read. At least, not properly," somebody quipped.

"That's okay. These books aren't for you to read."

At this, Oumar opened one eye. Sitting up, he came forward and took the books from my hand, looking through each in turn.

"These are all in Tamri," he stated. "None of us here could read them if we wanted to."

"I thought I'd give these to Nama," I explained. "I've been talking with her, and she seems really keen to keep these sessions going on with you. She'll aid you with the Tamri." 

Nene cleared her throat, catching our attention. "The Tamri. I can help."

"But it'll take us a while to get through them. And what use would that casterless woman be to us, anyway?" Oumar challenged.

"She'll find her way around being a casterless, I'm sure. Besides, while you wait, you can perfect the techniques I've taught you."

"Oumar's pretty close. Aren't you?" Sekou smirked at him and balanced his elbows over his crossed legs. "Man, you should see him at lunch, eyes closed with his face like this-"

"I think you've made your point," the boy in question snapped.

"But, really, Sekou isn't wrong," Aminata confirmed.

Connecting two and two together, at last, I realized why Oumar hadn't shown up at the past few sessions and turned to face him. "Who's been showing you the techniques, outside of the sessions?"

"Guilty." Adama raised a hand, sniggering. "But, you know, Oumar's more interested in this casting thing than he lets on."

Staying quiet, Oumar placed the books down and slunk back into his little corner. "So are you going to show the others what we'd talked about, or am I going to have to leave and show them later myself?"

"Wouldn't you prefer to do the latter? I'm surprised you came to this session at all," I asked, fixing him with a curious stare.

"I came-" the teen lifted the upper part of his body up, balancing on his forearms "-to make sure you got things done properly."