She stared at the Tuareg, and this time she could distinguish more than his forehead and part of his nose. Aslept. The veil was curled and his mouth and chin could be seen. Lips thick and well drawn, rounded chin. A profile not very perfect, at least for the classic definition of beauty. But an undeniable force. She watched his body more closely. He was covered by his robe but part of his leg and arm were distinct. Very dark, marked muscles. It did not seem threatening.
With more coolness she began to think about her situation. If what he told her was true, she was in serious trouble. She had no way to return by her means.
Maybe she could escape, but where would she go and how? Her chances were very limited. He posed her situation as resolved. She would go with them, he said. But where? How long? God, her head hurt and was spinning. She was beginning to despair.
"Calm down," she urged herself. I must think with serenity ... What options do I have? Now I can not even move ... "
At that moment he woke up and the depth of his gaze impressed her. His eyes were dark but luminous.
“You are conscious...How do you feel?
That repeated interest in her health intrigued her. Who really was he? She understood that the inhabitants of the African Maghreb spoke dialects but this man had spoken to her in several languages and now he was doing it with English solvency. Although by his pronunciation it was noticeable that he was not a native of the language.
"I'm better," she replied. Sore in body and soul but better.
"I understand your anguish. I've seen what you've been through. But now it is vital that you focus on healing and that you understand your situation and that of my tribe ...”
“Who are you?
"I told you, there is no deception here. I am Usem, son of Merin, lord of the Tuareg. We are devotees of Allah, the merciful ...
"Little mercy for those who attacked us”.
"We are absolutely against those groups. We are people of peace. In fact we are moving away from their radius of action to avoid their anger.
"Why do you not fight them?" You let them grow in your womb and ...
"I repeat, we are people of peace. Our members are mostly shepherds, artisans and merchants. And you Europeans have not helped to calm them.
"Yes, but-"
"We're arguing nonsense. Rest, eat something. I'll come later, and I'll explain to you better how you should behave. "Usem spoke impatiently.
He withdrew quickly, and his abrupt gestures made Victoria see that he had hurt him. Evidently her criticism dazzled him, perhaps he considered her haughty. From what he said he was doing her a huge favor, taking a risk for her.
"I do not care," she told herself. "I am in such a peculiar situation that I am going to give myself the pleasure of complaining about everything I want and quarreling what seems not good. I do not even know if they tell me the truth. Am I a prisoner? What does that mean, how should I behave? "
She sighed and leaned back. She watched the movements of the woman who had just entered the store. Her face was dark and with torn eyes. It struck her that she had no veil. She noticed that she was looking at her several times and wished she could communicate with her, but she did not know the language. She had managed to make herself understood with simple things based on gestures: water, urinating,change position, but little more.
She noticed that she was being looked after, but she quickly understood that this was due to the respect they had for the man, they were noticed every time he entered.
For the umpteenth time she thought of the terrible fate of her companions, and again she felt her heart cowering. All people who were postponing their lives to stand in solidarity with devastated peoples. To die that way, it was terrible. Then she thought of her own family and imagined the desperation of her parents when they would get to know. They would not know what had happen to her, her body would not appear.
It was clear she had no choice, at least while she was so weak. The Tuareg told her that she would go with them and that she would, but she would try to escape as soon as possible. They would necessarily reach settlements, towns or cities at some point. I would wait.
At dawn the next day they left and it was not easy for neither Victoria nor Usem. The first one was transported on buggies to the car that would be a transfer and although it was softened by the leathers and cushions they had arranged, the trip was a torture.
Every ripple of the ground shook his body and caused him pains that he tried to conceal at first, but which became unbearable towards noon. Their wailing was worth Usem, but they could not stop. The risk of being too late was too much, for they would be alone in the desert. So he went on and only stopped once to change his bandages because the leg had begun to bleed.
While Usem was evaluating the best way to transport the woman since the caravan had to be put in place as soon as possible. They were exposed where they were and the nervousness was beginning to be felt in the men.
He decided that it was best to pack one of the wagons and guide him himself, for they would certainly be late and did not want any of the other Tuareg to neglect their own family. He also knew that some of his cousins would help him along the way, for he had a good relationship with them.
At dawn the next day they left and it was not easy for either Victoria or Usem. The first one was transported on buggies to the car that would be a used and although it was softened by the leathers and cushions they had arranged, the trip was a torture.
Every undulation of the ground shook her body and caused her pains that she tried to conceal at first, but which became unbearable towards noon. Her wailings was painful to Usem, but they could not stop. The risk of being too late was too much, for they would be alone in the desert. So he went on and only stopped once to change her bandages because the leg had begun to bleed.
In the evening they camped outside a small village to spend the night and trade. It was a huge relief.
Usem took advantage of the stop to go to the local healer who supplied him with some herbal and natural analgesic ointments. He had seen Victoria's wounds improve, but the trip did not help. He knew native remedies might look old, but in many cases they were effective.
With them he approached the young woman and explained:
"We'll treat you with these ointments, they'll do you good." Let me apply it to to you. I assure you that it is purely to make you better. The women are too busy and I can not ask them to take care of you any more, that would be abusing them.
Victoria was surprised but she was not in the mood for dispute and she herself as a nurse knew she needed to be cured. She allowed him to remove her clothes, which were actually fabrics that wrapped her body, and then watched as he removed the bandages and gently cleaned the wounds and applied the creams. She felt better and soon fell asleep.
For Usem it was a tranquility that she would not be on guard, because he feared she would resist. She must be exhausted and extremely pained. He watched her rest and allowed himself to think of her beauty. He was startled to undress her and find her body so sculptural. Her shapes were round, her hips broad and her breasts rather small but swollen. It was very desirable without a doubt.
He tried to push these ideas away from his mind, for they would only hinder his task and annoy the woman if she sensed in any of his gestures anything more than selfless help. He remembered how lonely she was and how weak she was, isolated in the midst of a tribe and a desert that was full of hostilities towards its European origin. An improper attitude on his part would be despicable.
He got up quickly and went to the makeshift meeting around the fire at the center of the camp. The night was very cold but the tight chorus of beings wrapped in one another, immersed in the conversation, made the atmosphere warm.
The Tuaregs were lovers of poetry and the recitation of ancient songs, which brought to all remembrances a life freer and less constrained by conflicts. When the desert only belonged to the "blue men" they said. For Usem these were the best moments, those that he had longed for
in Europe and which had brought him back. The harsh reality of the day disappeared and the magic of free life returned.
At the quiet question he saw in his father's eyes, he quietly told him about the girl's situation and asked what the route of the caravan would be. He had to think about where was feasible to deliver her without risk to any of those involved.
Merin replied that they would spend several days before reaching a locality that had the presence of reliable Westerners. He reminded her that many of those who lived in villages belonged to human trafficking networks and to give them the woman would be to condemn her to the white slave trade. Sadly this market flourished not only in Africa but throughout the planet.
This made him worried. He did not know if he could leave the girl and stay restful. He wondered why he cared so much, to the point of putting himself and others at risk. He thought he could find the answer in the simple fact of his humanity and the similarity he found with his mother. But the reality is that every time he thought more about her.
He discarded all these ideas and went to Dassim. In her arms he forgot all the worries and the passion became the sole actor of the night. The captivating beauty of the woman bewitched and excited him and could rein over his fantasies. But in addition to being passionate, Dassim was practical and this was noted in her question:
"How long more are you going to have the woman among us?" You know it's dangerous.
"I know, Dassim. Do not think I do not value our safety. But what else could I do? Let her die on the ground? My conscience would have pitied me forever.
"No one says that. But you must be cautious and return her to her culture as soon as you can. It is a risk for us but it is also hard for her. How do you think she will feel when she need to adjust to our way of life? She will not bear it.
"I'm aware of that, I'm not trying to kidnap her or make her a part of us." It's only for a while for her to recover.
"Try not to let her get under your skin," she finished scrutinizing him with her huge eyes. She seemed to sense something else going on in his mind.
He quickly changed the subject as he approached her and wrapped his arms around her.
Six.
The next day the caravan advanced slowly, for it had to change course rapidly when the advancing riders of the tribe returned with the novelty of armed movements in the direction they were leading. This forced a new meeting to be held in which it was decided that they would go further south, going through the desert instead of bordering it as they had thought in the first instance.
This would delay Victoria's possible return to her civilization and Usem saw her plans thwarted. But there was no other way.
The woman was recovering and he decided that it was time to talk to her more broadly so that she had a complete picture of the situation in which she was. So he got into her wagon determined to talk in details.
“Good day. How are you today? "He asked politely.
“I'm better. I wanted to talk to you, you're the only one who understands me and I need to know with confidence what happens to me.
"I have come to that. But tell me first what your name is. We've known each other for days, you know my name and I had no idea of all your data.
"My name is Victoria and I'm Spanish. English is not my mother tongue but I handle it well. I am a nurse and I work ... I worked as a volunteer in the center that was devastated, according to your words. I want to return to my country, "she said anxiously.
"Okay, Victoria. I will try to be as clear as possible. I am mestizo, my father is Tuareg but my mother is European and I lived with her much of my life in Spain. I came back here because I longed for my people.
“That's why you speaks other languages so well ...”
“Yes it is. Our tribe is part of the Tuareg people but it is independent and we make our own decisions. One of these is not to engage in armed conflicts, neither Muslims nor whites ...
"Is it possible not to be involved?" They come for everything, whether we want or not to destroy what we want to protect, "she added bitterly.
“We will try to do that, that's why we march. And that's what I wanted to tell you too. We have been forced to change our route because of conflicts from that which was our direction. We moved further away from the villages. My idea was to leave you in some where you could locate any cultural attaché or ambassador of European or American. But that may take several weeks”.
The explanation of everything was reassuring to Victoria; she was not a prisoner or a hostage. But at the same time the idea of wandering in this town for weeks or perhaps months was discouraging.
"Do not get me wrong, you people have treated me very well," she replied. But is there no chance of traveling alone to a nearby village and leaving me?
"It would mean suicide for you and me, who would be the only one willing to go with you." Our strength is that we travel in a group. Besides, the dangers are not just the armed groups. Human traffickers are everywhere. You alone would expose yourself to a myriad of setbacks that could endanger your life and your freedom.
She nodded with some bitterness. She understood the situation and could not ask for more from he who had already done so much for her.
"Something else more," Usem continued. For us... it is also compromising and some of us do not agree with your presence so much. That is why you must act strictly according to our traditions and without complaint. Try to help if you are asked or be in the shade without exposing yourself much or criticize or propose.
"In other words, vegetate," she mocked.
"Whether or not you agree that is how things work. You are not going to change them and you owe respect to the hospitality we offer you, "he added with some annoyance.
While he himself had another idea of how things should be in a more egalitarian society, it seemed to him unjust that criticism should come from who was being succored.
Victoria felt the resentment and apologized. She did not want to upset Usem and she appreciated what they were doing for her. It had to be gutsy and fit, there were no options. He let her know.
"Since I'm going to stay for a while, I'd like to know more about your language." I am good at languages and if you help me soon I will be able to make myself understood and better adjusted.
“If you can, I sure will.
She looked at him and blushed. How handsome he was, so masculine! His scent of leather and musks intoxicated her.
"Of course," he agreed. I think it's a good idea; we will practice every day.
He was relieved of her sensible attitude and liked the idea of talking and knowing each other more. Sometimes he missed the civilization he was part of.
The days passed and as they had talked, the informal lessons became frequent. She was learning simple words and phrases that allowed her to improve her relationship with the women who regularly came to give her food. Thanks to this she was able to benefit from the first bath, or at least extensive washing (water was vital and could not be wasted) with the help of one of them.
Precisely when she was in the middle of such a task Usem made his unexpected entry, who he found to be a charming sight. So silent that she was not aware, but he clearly appreciated her clear naked body and the desire struck him with an unusual force. The Tuareg woman saw him and smiled at the reaction of the man who stood at the entrance not knowing what to do, but he could not take his eyes off the exquisite image of Victoria. She quickly withdrew, before she could even know that she had entered.
Usem cursed himself for the inopportune time. He was developing a relationship as objective as possible with Victoria so that there were no misunderstandings, but this returned to its bases again. How desirable she was and how much she would like to share her bed! Luckily she did not see him and could continue to pretend disinterest.
Victoria to a large extent was feeling much better, cleaner and more energetic. She had been given clothing, which she thanked in the dialect. The woman smiled and accepted the gra
titude with a shake of her head. At her request to go out and see the landscape, she nodded, and so, leaning on it, she looked out for the first time to look at her new reality.
The camp looked quiet and neat. At one end were camels and some men coming and going bringing cattle and household goods. On the other hand, children screaming and screaming while playing and women hauling firewood.
Several tents were been armed and the biggest one was supposed by Victoria to be one of Usem's father.
Some people watched with curiosity the young woman who was at the entrance of the store and they all were looking at her, but they soon returned to their activities.
The air was warm and the luminosity was shocking. She was almost blinded by such brightness after several days of gloom. Suddenly she felt a little weak and staggered. She was strongly supported by her assistant, who moved her inside and helped her to lie down.
"Thank you," she whispered as she took her hand.
She did not yet know enough words to express more emphatically how she valued what they did for her and believed that gesture would prove it. So it was: the girl, being no more than twenty, nodded with a smile.
She then fell into an uneasy sleep in which different images besieged her. She saw herself first in the middle of a shooting, screaming without being able to escape. Then without a solution of continuity she was alone in the scorching sun among sand dunes, lost and hopeless of salvation. Immediately her parents appeared in an old familiar scene and she tried to speak to them, but they did not hear. Suddenly he saw Usem, absolutely stuck to him, being caressed and kissed with passion. His hands ran and there were no places forbidden.
While so dreaming Usem returned to the tent, having asked the returning girl if it was okay to enter now. The young woman replied that she was very smiling, so he entered.
He sat down beside her and watched her. Seeing her growing restlessness in her sleep, he presumed nightmares raged over her. He saw her squirm and then moan. The clothes moved in part, leaving her leg naked. The sight of her and her groans again excited him. At this he moved her with some rudeness and he snapped at her;
Migrant Hearts Page 3
