TAMAR.
Episode 9.
I followed Adolfo’s male servant as he went from one apian way to the another, a shorter way to his master’s estate, we passed through different Villa to get to Adolfo’s estate, since we can’t go on a chariot, A villa so close to Adolfo’s estate looks so familiar and yet I can’t remember being there, I look around the villa and saw different houses, one of the houses got my attention, I pointed at it to the boy,
“that particular house looks…look so familiar, it felt like I have being here before and yet it seem strange to my eyes… maybe, is all because of the strange short ways you passed..
“this other small road by your left is a way to the slave market, but is a very long walk except for the wealthy with chariots, while that particular house you are pointing at is owned by a merchants, he deals with fine fabric and other wares, he live there with his troublesome wife, and servants, he has no child, she comes around the estate sometime, since the new master’s wife moved in we have being having different visitors, that merchants wife has a tongue of a serpent, she is a difficult woman, i just hope the gods will not allow her get an acquaintance with the master’s new wife.
“What is your name and how long have you being with your master?…please tell me more…
“Pami is my name, I am his trusted ally, I was not as old as this when he bought me, I was very young, I met his late wife before she died, I have being with Adolfo like he is generally called for a very long time, he thought me how to read and write, and I know how to translate most of his book, I’m older than his son, Chakan, who live in a different house now from his father and his new wife, I don’t know why he moved out, and hardly comes around, unlike before, he use to live with his father until his father got married to the mistress, Adolfo is a good man and you will come to know that soon, he is loved by most people because he is generous and compassionate, he is not harsh to his household servant but punishes those who goes against his rules, he love studying and exercising, he likes grape wine, which he takes everyday…I guess your name is Tamar, I already knows that
I smiled and nodded as we kept walking.
as we got to the house, there were servants doing one thing or the other, Adolfo’s estate was big and beautiful, well decorated, I saw beautiful maids walking around, while some were seating and talking, I went straight into Zity’s chamber as I was led, and she sat up from her big size bed excitedly on seeing me, Is never proper for a mistress to hug her servant so I quickly knelt down and touched her feet in a honorable greeting, and rise as she quickly ordered me,
Zity has changed, she added weight and has this dark cycled line under her eyes as if she has not being sleeping well, her things were not well arranged like it was suppose to be, I quickly switched into work as I started arranging her things, I asked her to relaxed on her bed while i properly arrange her room, , she smile and lay down and I covered her up, after sometime she slept off, I folded her things, packed the bottles of wine and glass cups, I guess she has being drinking, I put all her jewelries and foot wear in place, everything was in perfect other by the time she waked up and said she was hungry, I quickly made something for her to eat, she seem relaxed and cheerful,
The day went, I wanted to observe what was going on, why Zity’s things were in bad shape on that first day despite having so many beautiful servant girls,
I sometime go to seat with Adolfo in his study when Zity doesn’t need me, he was happy to have a companion that he can talk to, the study was big, and was packed up with all kinds of books, it was there he spent most of his evening whenever he is home, he was indeed a nice man as he tried to engage me most time with one of his theories, one day he decided to talk about some deep things, mostly his personal life.
“your mistress insisted on getting you back, she doesn’t always feel much comfortable when I’m around her, that’s why I always retire to my studies, I understand she is very young and is really hard for her to adapt to her new life, I don’t want to rush things with her, I want her to be happy and comfortable and get use to me and her environment, I have always told her to let me know when she needs me or anything at all, I’m just a block away from her but she has never shown interest in what I do or ever wanted to sit with me, she can always send servant to get me or come herself but she never does, I understand she is not a book person like my late wife, Pauli is, my late wife sits here with me and always listen to my new theory, she was lovely and beautiful too like Zity, she care deeply for me and I loved her, but death took her from me after birthing Chakan, I miss her everyday, I have mourned her for years and felt it was time to move on, Is being nineteen years already, I wanted to remain single after her death and wait until the gods calls me to join her but I felt she needed me to move on, she wanted me to be happy, and have a new life, I have seem lots of maiden but never picked interest in any until I saw Zity one day, I was driving in with my chariot she was driving out on her chariot too, with her charioteers, they were driving her into another street from the apian way, close to the east side villa, I was not really moved by her beauty because the evening was already turning dark, so I couldn’t see her fully, but something about her struck me, I waved it off but on the second time of seeing her, the evening was already night, I don’t know who she comes to see around here, or she was getting to know the neighborhood, which was very common among young people, the young blood is hot and is hardly in a place, they always want to be here or there, it was as if she comes only during the evening and returns immediately the evening turns dark, I’m mostly around the house in the morning and deep the afternoon studying or relaxing in my garden but I usually go out most evening to the gladiator training field to exercise my bones, I eat good food, study, exercise, lecture and relax to have a balance life and to keep shape, I’m forty three and people think I’m not up to forty yet because I do everything moderately, Chakan, my son and also Pami my right hand boy knows my daily routine, Zity was going off again with speed on her chariot the second time I saw her and I pulse and watch until she disappear into another apian road, and when I move close to the house I saw Chakan, I don’t know who she comes to see, so I asked my son if she happen to see any young maiden driving off with speed on a chariot and he says is probably lord Reese daughter that comes around the neighborhood, he said she have a friend that lives around here, and I ask if he has ever interacted with her, he told me only the day Zity lost her way and he was there on time to help her out, lord Reese is the second prime ruler of this kingdom and I was privileged to know him personally, he is a great man, I was shock to know his daughter was all grown up, she looks more matured than her age, I didn’t intend to marry her because she was too young and may not want somebody like me, but the more I tried to wave it off the more I think more deeply into it, and just then Pauli, my late wife came to my dream and gave me a message, I wrote the dream in my book, , she said “go Adolfo, go for her, she will lead you to the truth. well, I didn’t understand but the same message kept on coming until I decided to inquiries and to first of all ask Lord Reese for permission, and I was surprise he agreed on the second time I presented it to him, I have stop having such dreams ever since I married Zity, yet I don’t see the way she is leading me to, I just hope she will open her heart and like me even if is not love, I don’t want her to be unhappy…
I listened to Adolfo almost everyday at his study, he was beginning to go deeper and deeper into books and still goes out for his exercise,
Weeks turns into month and I also watch Zity who hardly talk, she decided to open up to me one day, maybe because her friend the merchant wife was on a journey and she needed to talk to someone,
“I don’t like any of those servants Adolfo bought, they are the tivi girls, they look beautiful but very lazy, I don’t trust them, neither do I allow them close to me, I couldn’t wait to have you back and when mother didn’t want to send you back to me I was willing to come down and get you myself, this place is really boring Tamar, I have missed you, nobody to sing or tell me stories, non of those slaves cares for me like you do, they are on only pretending and doing eye service whenever Adolfo is around, Adolfo is also boring, anyway what do I expect from a man who is over forty although he doesn’t really look his age, he buries himself in his study, he sometimes takes me out to those parties that they always talk about books, is only my few friends that comes around to visit, they helps me keep boredom away, I have a close friend now, her name is Okra, she is a wife of a merchant, she lives not too far away from here, she always comes around to visits, but she’s on a journey and will be back tomorrow. I heard a plan, I wanted to make my parents regret marrying me off to Adolfo, I had it all stored up but when I came down here the whole plan was trashed, it did not work, I couldn’t even do it
“ I’m here to serve you my lady, I’m glad to see you in good health and you added weight too, pardon me if I ask, please take no offense, what of Chakan, I haven’t seen him ever since I came…
He live not too far from here, he moved out, he doesn’t like me again, Chakan was part of the plan I heard, but he started moving away from me, I wanted him to be the one to touch me, to make love to that, he kept saying that I’m his father’s wife and he will never do such evil, he can’t disrespect his father like that, he want his father to be happy and that I should try not to hurt him because he will not be happy if I do such, that was what he said and when I kept on disturbing him he moved out, he packed his things and moved into another house, he said he loves me but he can’t touch me when I’m still married to his father, even a kiss, like those ones we do have back then before his father decided to be an obstacle, he said no to me, and kept on saying those irritating word, “Zity, you are my father’s wife now, please let’s respect that, nothing can happen between us because you belong to my father.” I hate to hear him say that Tamar, I still love him but since he moved out he only comes once in a while to check on his father, is so unfair, because another woman will have him now, and I don’t want that, I told the merchant wife, Okra, everything and she said I should drugged him and lay with him…
“whaaat!…hope you did not do that, my lady, that is very bad, Chakan was right my lady, it will be a big blow to his father if he lay with you because you are Adolfo’s wife now, he can’t touch you, maybe you should learn how to love Adolfo and take your mind off Chakan, Adolfo is indeed a good man..
“why don’t you marry him then, who are you to tell what is wrong or right, you are just a common slave what do you even know, I’m only after my happiness, anything that makes me happy, I hate it when Adolfo touches me, I don’t allow him to do it, I wanted Chakan, Okra, the merchant wife who seem to understand me and supports me brought a mixed portion to me, she directed me on how to use it, it will make Chakan want me so bad and I secretly added it to Chakan’s drink and served him when he was relaxing with his father at the garden one day, I was looking from somewhere to see when he will take the drink, I watched him lift the drink to his mouth but he didn’t drink it, he suddenly drop it back into the tray before standing up, Adolfo asked him to go and get something from his study for him and before he will get back Adolfo has finished up the whole drink, Chakan, brought more grape win from the store and they both drank, they talked and laugh, before Adolfo later stood up and left him, he stayed a little before leaving and when Adolfo came in I was already crying, it was a failed plan, he came into my chamber that day and forcefully made love to me, the content he drank that was meant for Chakan took real effect on him, and he pinned me down despite my resistance, it was in the morning when his eyes was cleared he got himself and began to apologies, and even bought me lots of gold Jewelries for me to forgive him, he said he didn’t know what got into him, he pleaded everyday until I got tired of it, I cried all through that day because all I thought of was Chakan, and it looks like Adolfo got me in with a child, I think I’m pregnant Tamar, do not tell anybody, I just hope is not true, because I’m not ready for any child now, especially not for Adolfo, but I kept on seeing changes on my body, my bre@st is getting bigger, I have this morning sickness, and easily gets tired, I’m still observing myself not yet sure, I have not told the merchant wife yet, I will do ones she comes back, I just kept praying to different gods that Adolfo did not get me down with a child…
“Adolfo will be so happy at the news, he will be a great father my lady, and your mother’s heart will be so gladden with the news of you carrying a child, she will feel so delighted to have a grandchild, everyone will be happy my lady…
“except me,i will not be happy, i don’t want it, Okra told me if I ever get’s pregnant and I don’t want the child then she will tell me what to do to get ride of it quick without pain even before the child form properly,, she said is being working for her without her husband knowing, the merchant kept on praying to many gods for Okra to conceive, he is thinking Okra is barren, but she’s not, Okra said a child will make her ugly, she doesn’t want to have a sagging breast or go though all those stress and trouble pregnant women go through, she hates it, she told me many women are doing so in this kingdom, she is not the first and I will not be the last, I don’t want anything that will trouble me, I’m still very young so mother can still have all the grandchildren in the future but not now, I want to live and enjoy my life, after all I’m not their only child, Vim is also there, he will marry someday and will bear children too, I can’t be worried over child bearing thing, Okra is teaching me many things and I thank the gods for sending her to me, Zain also visited me, she still have that jealous look in her even though she acts happy, I don’t want her to take Chakan from me, he belongs to me, Okra will come tomorrow and I will tell her my worries, she is the only one that understands me, even you Tamar do not understand the way I feel.
I went out to the garden that evening and shot my eyes like Abel will do and pray that God will cause confusion between the merchants wife and Zity, the merchant’s wife was leading her astray, Zity was going deeper and deeper into sin even though it seem right in her own eyes, I pray that God will touch her heart to keep the baby and not hurt the innocent child, if truly she’s pregnant, I was glad to know that Chakan moved out, and Zity didn’t succeed in drugging him to lay with her, God made it in away that Adolfo drank the content meant for Chakan, I prayed so deeply and also for Abel too.
The following day, I saw the merchant’s wife, she went into Zity’s chamber and they locked the door behind them, whispering in low voices, I overheard Zity tell her she was pregnant, like two months gone, Okra the merchant’s wife, didn’t reorganized me, but I remember her, she was the wife of Lami, the merchant that bought me for forty shelling and sold me to Abel for fifteen Shelling because I stirred up fear inside the wife according to her and she wanted her husband to get ride of me, the merchant is a good man, how could Okra, his wife be so heartless, watching the man pray in vain for a child while she was the cause of it all, now, she wants to corrupt Zity’s mind, leading her to the same deadly road,
My worries now is Adolfo, I wish I can tell him that his wife is carrying a child, but Zity will have my head in a platter if she finds out that I told Adolfo,
this is when I need wisdom most, I thought of what Abel will do if he is faced with such situation, Abel will keep praying to God to intervene and that’s what I did.
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