Danika and Sally were oblivious of the looks the townspeople gave them as they
strode to Baski’s place.
As usual, they were in a world of their own. Danika supported Sally most of the
time because Sally was still recovering. It easily winded her when she walked long
distances. They rested every few moments. At one point, Danika started urging Sally
to hop on her back, so she’d piggyback her.
“Never.” Sally was adamant when she refused. She wouldn’t even hear of it.
“Sally. I don’t want you to get more hurt because-”
“I’ll be fine, my princess. I can’t get on your back. You’re my princess, and I’m
-“She looked horrified and shook her head. “It’s never happening.”
Danika stared at the stubborn tilt of her chin and took a deep breath. “You’re my
best friend now, Sally. You’re not a maid and I’m not a princess. We’re slaves and
best of friends.”
“You can never be a slave to me, my princess,” she stated firmly.
“Sally. Just let me piggyback you.”
“Never.” She paused and smiled mischievously. “I can piggyback you if you’re
tired, though.”
Danika pursed her lips in disapproval and talked to her some more, but Sally
refused. She gave up. They started walking again.
The people passing them witnessed the argument, and it surprised them. They
watched Cone’s daughter and her former personal maid bicker like close friends, and
it stunned them. Privileged people never had such a relationship with lowborns-no
matter what. So, as they watched the two women, they didn’t know what to make of
it.
Sally and Danika finally arrived at the door of Baski’s house and knocked. The
door opened and Baski stood behind the door, looking flustered. Her hair was a mess,
and a little blood perched on her cheek, looking like a scratch.
“What are you both doing here?” she asked, her voice stiff. She did not seem to be
in a friendly mood.
Sally shifted uncomfortably on her feet. “Um, we wanted to come for herbs. You
know, my wounds. And, ahh… my princess… she also needs some, too.”
“You both can come back later. I’m quite bus-”
A high-pitched scream rang out from inside the house that startled Danika and
Sally, but Baski didn’t react at all because she was used to it.
Another scream came. And another. And another.
“What’s happening to her?” Sally asked, horrified. Even as she edged into Danika,
her heart was reaching out to Remeta.
Baski shrugged. “It’s food. She doesn’t want to eat, but it’s normal. Don’t think
much on it.”
Danika watched her. The woman did her best to sound unaffected, but she could
have sworn that the older woman was very close to tears. Her shoulders were stiff, her
back ramrod straight in defense.
“Look, you both should go back to the palace. I’ll be there in the evening and I’ll
make the herbs. Or you can go over to the medicine man’s hou-”
Another scream came again.
Danika stepped forward. “Please, Baski. Let us in.”
“Why?” Baski glared at her with so much hate in her eyes she almost took a step
back. “The wounds your father made weren’t enough? Why do you want in? So you
can inflict more damage?”
She flinched. Danika understood the woman’s anger, so she didn’t say anything.
She lowered her head in shame and guilt.
Sally stepped forward. “Please, Madam Baski. You can take all the time you need
inside with Remeta while we wait for you in the sitting room. We wouldn’t mind. Just
let us in.”
Baski opened her mouth to say something else, but the sound of a glass breaking
inside followed by another scream had her eyes widening with horror. She whirled
around and started hurrying into the house. “She’ll cut herself again!”
The door was open, so Danika and Sally followed behind her. They followed her to
the bedroom at the sound of another scream, but they remained at the door.
The bedroom looked like a war zone. Clothes were scattered, chairs upended, a
mirror broken, a glass cup shattered on the floor, bedsheets lying on the floor. Remeta
was nowhere in sight.
“Meta? Please come out and eat,” Baski said in a thin voice, looking around. Her
eyes searching.
Silence met her request.
“Please?” she pleaded. The woman looked dangerously close to tears.
She kept saying the word ‘please’ and it was tearing at Danika’s heart as they stood
by the door watching…waiting.
Finally, a head of dirty blond hair slowly stuck out from behind the wardrobe. She
took a peek at her mother. “I’m not hungry,” she whispered, her voice hoarse from
screaming. No one could see Remeta’s face because her hair covered it.
Baski shook her head miserably. “You’ve not eaten in three days, Meta. Please!?”
The girl let out an empty laughter. “I’ve gone five days without food several times.
Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten.”
“I’ve not forgotten. How could I forget?” Baski blinked back tears.
Danika shifted uncomfortably. It was obvious that they referred to their time
enslaved.
“But we’re no longer in slavery. You must try to eat; you are skin and bones,”
Baski urged on.
The girl shook her head vigorously and started scratching her wild, dirty blond
hair. “I can’t, I can’t. No food, no bed. No food, no bed, no food, no bed, no food, no
bed, no food, no bed.”
As she started reciting those words, Baski really did burst out crying. “Oh, Remeta;
what am I going to do with you?”