Serenity

Brave

His heart was a war drum. Unsteady and frightening. He crouched besides the girl and gingerly lifted her up, she was unresponsive. He had almost reached the chamber when his mother appeared

CRASH!

The vessel she held smashed to pieces as she held her head
'What have you done Zalmai?! Do you want to kill us all?'

Shame covered him, he should have approached the situation in a different way but now was not the time to explain

'Mother send for a healer'

She hurried along in her shocked state.

He knew very well that her uncle would come tomorrow to see her. It had only been a day and she was injured, he knew very well that once the girl awakened and ran to her tribe, there would be war.

He lay her on the bed and stepped away. Her complexion was deathly pale, the usual colour gone. He scanned her for any injuries, she seemed to be alright until he saw her ankle, the bone seemed twisted and the flesh had swollen up; dislocated.

The old healer too probed and prodded at the ankle. The girl suddenly opened her eyes, they seemed unfocused as she tried to recall what had occurred. Her eyes landed on him
'You dropped me'

The guilt overcome him
'Yes, but I did not mean to it was an accident'

The dark bruises evident on her pale skin.

The old woman sighed 'her ankle bone has become dislocated'

He nodded about to voice the fact that he knew

'But I am too old and weak to put it back in place. The matter is all in your hands Sardaar'

The old woman left and Zalmai approached the girl. Her eyes widened in terror

'No! Don't come near me!' She inched further up the bed until she reached the headboard

'I have to...'

'No!'

'If I do not your bones will remain distorted and bent for the rest of your life. This will only be a moment of pain, I will try to be gentle'

'Are you deaf?! Didn't you hear me say no?'

He had thought of another solution,one she could not reject
'You are brave Sakina are you not?'

His question put her off guard, of course she was brave, she wasn't a coward

'Fine'

He placed both hands on her ankle and pushed it into place. The girl didn't scream or wince even once but she trembled when he was done and lay in silence.

He owed her an apology and so he gave it to her
'Forgive me for hurting you'

She was surprised 'I have never heard anyone apologize before, it sounds strange ..'

He explained the incident that had occurred with that man and his anger that had led to her fall. She felt a sense of pride that he had stood up for her, maybe Zalmai wasn't so bad.

'I have forgiven you'

He had not expected her to give in so quickly

'Only because you defended my honor'

'Sakina I don't want you go out on to the roof again, he is often in that area and I don't want him to see you again'

'But I feel imprisoned in this cave and I have only a boulder as company'

He laughed. His serious face completely transforming 'I have only a spoilt child as company'

Her eyes narrowed 'I am not a child!'

She punched his arm in mock anger and immediately withdrew wincing. It was like punching a wall 'but you really are a boulder'