CHAPTER 26
Dreamwalking

The entire kingdom escorted Nasomi from the palace hill. A mile after that, less than half were still with her. They had brought her gifts, but she declined most of them, bequeathing them to Tebula instead. She accepted what she could carry in her bag: dried sweet potato flakes, biltong, peanuts, roasted cassava. She accepted an extra dress, two pairs of underwear, and a new headband.

She tied her filled water pouch to a belt around her waist, secured her knife in an inner pocket of her cloak. She’d thought of throwing the knife away, but the memory of Ramona made her keep it. It held a promise to be fulfilled.

Wakani was given a newly-made spear. It was as tall as he was, its shaft made from smooth red wood and its head from a black jugged stone. He carried what he could in the sack they gave him, also politely refusing what would be too heavy for a long journey.

Nasomi walked the sleek black stallion, which was hers now, a gift from the prince. He said the horse’s name was Nhema, which meant midnight in the old language. It was at midnight that the Goddess awoke from her sleep to grant the prayers of her children, to protect her people, to grant strength to her warriors.

“Majiyo Mushae didn’t deserve the horse,” Tebula had said to her when presenting Nhema. “May Nhema not falter when you ride hard paths, may he carry you through hard weather, and may he ride down your enemies.”

“Those are sweet words, My Prince,” she had replied. “I am sorry that I cannot stay.”

“I know you will always be with me, and come to help me when I am in trouble. I am no longer afraid.”

“You are a strong and wise boy,” she said when he embraced her. “You will be a great king.”

After another mile, much of the group went back. The remainder continued singing praise songs about Nasomi, composing more as they went.

 

The Heart of Mohale is filled with mercy;

She saves those who cry to her.

She sees with her thousands of sky eyes,

No evil person will escape her gaze.

She goes riding on the back of midnight

To draw the curtain of dawn over the world.

 

She and Wakani were to be accompanied by a warrior called Buyechi. He smiled and joked often, but Tebula promised he was the greatest warrior in the kingdom. Nasomi had tried to refuse his company, saying she felt bad about taking away two of the kingdom’s horses as well as their bravest warrior. The prince, the Daughters of Mohale, and the Elders insisted that it was all beneath what she deserved.

My dreams have led me here, she thought, as she contemplated the huge crowd singing behind her, the two warriors walking their horses a little ahead of her (yes, to her, Wakani was a warrior), and Kanguya running with Tebula way ahead. The two were running into bushes and picking up stones, comparing them and discarding those they both agreed were bad.

Look at me, she mused. I am like the warrior queens in the stories Father used to tell me.

 

A woman should have the heart,

The Heart of the Goddess;

Strong, kind, and unafraid,

The Heart of Mohale.

Another mile and most of the people said their goodbyes and trekked back home. Wakani ran ahead to bring Tebula and Kanguya back. Everyone stopped for the final goodbyes. They embraced and spoke sweet words to each other, making promises, wiping off tears.

Tebula dropped the stones in his hands into a basket carried by a manservant. His collection contained peculiar stones of all shapes and colors, pieces of iron and iron ore, broken eggshells, empty snail shells, cowries, leather pouches, strings.

“Whatever are you going to do with those, My Prince?” she asked.

He shrugged and embraced her. “I will build a large tower with them. Goodbye, Heart. May the Goddess protect you and get you where you need to go.”

“Goodbye, My Prince. May the Goddess give you all the wisdom to rule Mifirhana. I will return with shiny things for you.” She smiled for him “Kanguya, say your farewells to the prince.”

The kowasa wagged its no tentacle.

“He is staying with me,” Tebula said.

Nasomi’s felt a sting in her heart. “Wha...?” Her voice caught, her throat was a burden. “Kanguya, you are staying?”

Yes.

“Kanguya! You don’t belong here.” But even as she said those words, she knew she had no idea where he belonged. And she had no authority over him. “Well, you must be happy here.”

Yes.

Nasomi held back a tear. Even with the two men to go with her, she felt she was going the journey all by herself. But if it had to be this way, then she would accept it. There was a strong bond between the kowasa and the prince. They were perfect for each other.

“Goodbye, then, my friend. Be good. Protect the prince the way you did me.”

She watched them go, waved at them repeatedly. When they were out of sight, she turned and got up on her horse, led him at a gallop. The men rode hard to catch up. She rode until she felt the horse tire out, and she herself was out of breath. She didn’t stop moving, only maintained a brisk pace.

Her heart and breathing settled and Nhema seemed to demand more. She rode hard again, following a path she had been told would bring her to a number of villages.

When she and her warriors came into the first village, she couldn’t bring herself to stop. She rode on, passing men with hoes on their shoulders, women with bundles of sticks on their heads. She rode on until she was alone again on a winding path.

Her bag was an increasing weight; her cloak threatened to pull her off the horse. Her back and thighs ached. She stopped when Nhema stumbled. She got off and sat under a tree, took out some food to eat, gulped down some water, and took breaths to calm herself.

The men found her dozing. Wakani sat next to her as Buyechi stood watch a few feet away. “My Lady, I can’t believe I will be the one saying this. I got fond of the kowasa. I miss watching him dash ahead of us, pick things.”

Nasomi gave a weak smile. “I miss him, too. Wakani, you are not bound to me.”

“I know, My Heart.”

“You have a family. They’re waiting for you. You need to go back to Nari.”

“I will go tomorrow, My Lady. Get some rest now. Dream the dreams that will show you which way to go. We will watch over you.”

The two men sat firmly beside her, saying nothing. She slept.

 

Tambo and Reema were making their way to Tunkambe, trying to keep a good distance from their pursuers. Ramona was a sad girl, always sitting alone, longing for something. Meron had made some rowdy friends and they were bullying young boys in the streets of Nari.

 

She awoke with a start. The sun was low in the sky. She got up, demanded that they continue riding. It was well into the night when thick clouds covered the moon and they couldn’t see what was ahead that she said they could rest some more. She ate some food and fell asleep under the men’s watchful eyes.

 

The vengeful sorcerers led by Chonse the jackal divined which direction Reema was headed, and they pursued tirelessly. Nasomi followed Reema and Tambo from afar to keep from being sensed by Reema. The Bride knew she was being chased by the sorcerers and she pushed Tambo and the hyena to move faster.

 

She awoke the next morning thirsty and aching all over. She took some water, ate a breakfast of dried sweet potatoes and peanuts. She was riding again, and walking, and riding. Through a cold valley, over a hill, through a knee-deep marsh. Past a number of human settlements. Into a savannah of jutting limestone rocks.

She decided they would spend a day and night when they came into the next settlement. She bought food for her, the warriors, and the horses. When she took to a hut to rest, she fell into a dream as soon as her body lay down. She found herself in a strange telling: Tambo was alone, tying the beams of a shack he was building that looked like the one they once lived in Nari. He was whistling to himself. Everything twisted and sprung, and he was hiding in Ituntulu’s cave. Insects came toward him and he screamed and kicked them away. They crawled all over him.

“I’m in his dream!” Nasomi said, and Tambo stopped thrashing. He looked at her.

“Nasomi?”

“Tambo? You can see me?”

He came to her, smiling, as the world spun away and they were in their old home. Meron and Ramona chased each other between them, and a little dog followed after them.

“My sunshine,” Tambo said, hugging her. She saw his form embrace her, but she couldn’t feel it. “Of course I can see you.”

“Tambo, it’s me, Nasomi. Your wife. I am in your dream and you can see me.”

“I have an errand to see to. Come eat with me before I go.”

He turned and another Nasomi came through a door. He looked from one to the other. “What is the meaning of this? How can you be two?” He laughed.

“Tambo, you’re dreaming,” Nasomi said. “Look at me. Remember.” As the dream started to change, she said, “You’re with Reema, she has you under a spell.”

“Yes, I remember.” The dream world became nothing but blackness. “I remember! They’re after us, Nasomi. Reema did a bad thing.”

“I know, my love. I saw it.”

“And she can feel you. Though she hasn’t these past days. She says you gave up. You’re never coming for me. She tells me she is all I have.”

“I’m coming for you. I have followed from afar so that she cannot feel me.”

“I am scared.”

“I know. Tambo, I am in your dream. I can talk to you like this.”

“Is this happening? You’re here with me?”

“It is happening.”

“Where are you Nasomi? I miss you terribly.”

“I was held in Mifirhana for a while.”

A tear ran down his cheek. “I couldn’t do anything.”

“It wasn’t your fault. I am coming. I will find you.”

“We’re near to entering the peninsula. Reema wants to go find the wise men in Ndinge. She says they have knowledge that can make her beautiful again. It’s all she wants, Nasomi. She wants to be beautiful like she was before. Then she says she’ll be happy. She’s failed, you know. Everyone she’s gone to, from Arwo to the Kingdom of Bones, says it’s impossible what she wants. But she’s stubbo—”

The world rocked.

“She’s stubborn. She won’t lis—”

Nasomi was pushed out of his dream into the real world. She found herself looking at Reema waking Tambo up.

“Why are you crying, my love?” Reema said. “Bad dream? Come, we must go. I can feel them catching up with us. We will be safer on the other side.”

Reema stood and looked around. She sensed Nasomi.

“You’re here, dreamwitch? I thought you’d given up. Leave us be, we have important things to do.” She waved her hands in the air and Nasomi was pushed further away.

Reema whistled and Gweuka came into view. He crouched down. Reema and Tambo got onto his back, and he bounded away, faster than any natural hyena can run.

Nasomi awoke and forgot she was on a tree. She flopped and swung, and was prevented from falling to the ground by the ropes. She arched her back, heaved her body until she could get herself back in place. She undid the knots and climbed down.

She could communicate with people through their dreams! This changed everything. She could get in touch with Tambo, talk to her children, the people in Mifirhana. And Naena. She’s missed Naena much. She had so much to tell her.