* Asoka = Prince Asoka was crowned King of Indus in 272 B.C. After a bloody battle in the territory of Kalinga where
thousands of warriors, men and women alike, were killed, and thousands more died because of the war, Asoka had an
epiphany and turned away from violence and embraced the Buddhist philosophy. King Asoka became known as The
Buddhist Emperor of Indus. He reigned as King for 37 years and during his reign, he built irrigation canals, roads, rest homes,
hospitals and public gardens which specialized in medicinal herbs. Additionally, during Asoka's reign, the Indus civilization
experienced an economic prosperity due to the peace and reformations within Indus. Owing to his past reputation in battle
and victories over enemy warriors, the neighboring kings never waged war against Asoka or his people. The land of Indus,
under King Asoka, experienced a renaissance of art, music, philosophy, and the sciences years before the European
renaissance of the 14th century.
* Adoption = The custom of adopting children, especially sons, in pre-Islamic Arabia was a common practice. The Prophet
Muhammad was himself adopted by his uncle after the death of his mother and father and as an adult, the Prophet
Muhammad had adopted a child of a captive, Zaid ibn Muhammad, who later became the first freed slave to accept Islam.
Despite this, as the Prophet Muhammad became the messenger of Allah, he was given a vision which set up Shari'ah, Islamic
Law. One such law abolished the act of adoption (Qu'ran 33:38-40). Kafala soon took the place of adoption. Unlike
adoption, Kafala's literal translation is to sponsor, which means that an orphan child, or adult without clan, is then accepted
into a family. However the individual undergoing Kafala does not take the place of natural born children, nor are they given
automatic property ownership of the person who is sponsoring them.
* Chakra = any of several points of physical or spiritual energy in the human body according to Hindu yoga philosophy.
* Tattoo = Tattoos have existed since 3300 B.C.E. Permanent tattoo's were common in pre-Islamic Arabia and Morocco,
and are still common among the Beduins of Morocco, and the Berbers of North Africa. Permanent tattoos were often used as
either decoration on the body, clan affiliations or symbols of protection. With the advent of Islam, and later in the Prophet
Muhammad's life, the act of scarification, as tattoos were recognized as being, became prohibited in the latter life of the
Prophet Muhammad, as it was seen as changing that which Allah created (Qu'ran 59:7).
* Transcendental Meditation = A spiritual development technique discovered and promoted by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, a
former Hindu ascetic. The movement is based on specific meditation techniques and is not connected with any religious
tradition, although the perspective behind it has roots in the Hindu teachings of Vedanta. The practice entails the mental
repetition of a mantra in order to still the activity of thought and experience a deeper level of consciousness.
Chapter 8
Nadrah lay on her tummy on Zara and Gabrielle’s bed. She watched in silence as the captain sat on the bench in front of the
mirror, with Gabrielle standing in front of her. The blonde’s expression was one of deep concentration as she stared down at
the dark haired woman while working on her face. With a round, soft cotton ball, the Greek woman was applying a thin film
of brown powder to the dusky woman’s swollen black and blue eye. At the healer’s touch, the tall Moroccan flinched and
hissed.
“Oh, such a fuss over a little bit of pain!” Gabrielle tsked as she looked at Nadrah and winked, “Isn’t she such a fuss?”
“Watch what you say, child, I am still your captain,” Zara warned menacingly as the corners of her lips threatened to turn
slightly upward into a smile.
Nadrah only giggled as she covered her mouth. Although still a child, she knew when it was best to keep silent. Over time,
the girl decided that whenever anything concerned the captain, conflicting opinions were best left to oneself.
“Hold still, how do you expect me to cover this if you’re squirming around?” the Greek healer asked with a sigh.
“Well, if you did not keep jamming that accursed concoction into my eye instead of around it, perhaps it wouldn’t hurt so
much,” the captain grumbled.
“You know, Zara, if you would just deal with how it looks, then I wouldn’t have to apply this, now would I?” Gabrielle
reminded as she shook her head and continued to apply the powdery mixture that had been left on the table. “I would think
that you would thank me for even coming up with this idea. I mean, if I hadn’t thought of it, you probably would have
dropped out of the competition and stayed holed up in this room.” She pursed her lips. “Zara, no one really cares about how
your eye looks, why, I haven’t even heard anyone talking about it… have you Nadrah?”
“Ahuh!” The little girl became animated as she sat up excitedly on the bed. “All day yesterday, all the newcomers were
asking questions about the woman who pummeled...” but Nadrah grew silent when she saw the stern expression on the
storyteller. Instantly, she clamped her mouth closed with her little hand as she looked down dejectedly.
“Well, ok, so there may have been some talk about it, but, honestly, Zara, did you really intend to stay hidden in here for the
duration of our stay?” The Amazon asked, then smiled and winked at Nadrah to show the girl that she was not angry. At
the blonde’s reassurance, the little girl smiled as she moved to sit on the edge of the bed, her legs dangling over the edge.
“Gabrielle, now that I’m to be in the Sultan’s clan, I have to consider how things look. I can’t be seen in public with
something like… like this,” the captain motioned to her black eye as she turned and gazed in the mirror. “How would it look,
not even gone through the Kafala ceremony yet and I walk around like this? What would people say?”
“I think people would say that you’re a damn good fighter and the Sultan’s family is lucky to have you,” the Greek said
affectionately as she moved behind her and gazed at the Moroccan’s reflection in the mirror. “The swelling has gone down,
honey and really, with the concealing powder, it’s hardly noticeable.”
As Nadrah watched the two, she thought over the Moroccan’s words. The announcement of the captain joining the Sultan’s
family had spread like wildfire. Although she did not fully understand it, the child knew that once the ceremony was complete,
Zara would no longer be the captain, but would now be a part of the Sultan’s clan and be considered Royalty.
“Captain, are you going to go live with the Sultan?” she asked hesitantly. At her question, the taller woman turned to her and
smiled.
“No, Nadrah, I still have my ship and I still have some unfinished business at home to take care of. I do not plan on joining
the Sultan on a permanent basis. But I do know that I will be visiting him when I take my mother back to our family,” Zara
smiled as the healer finished applying the finishing touches of makeup.
As the child pondered that last statement, Gabrielle spoke, her tone neutral as she touched the Moroccan’s hair. “So you are
going to take your mother back to her uncle’s home?” If she had any inner misgivings, the smaller woman’s eloquent voice
concealed them.
“If she will allow me to, yes. I’m certain once she hears how her family has been searching for her, she will want to return.
After all, life with my father…” Zara visibly frowned while shaking her head. “Life with my father has not been easy for
Mother,” she said without further elaborating as Gabrielle applied a bit more power to a part of the Moroccan woman’s nose.
“Then you won’t be living with the Sultan forever?” Nadrah asked again with a slight tilt of her head.
“No. I will visit, but my home is on my ship, on the sea,” the Moroccan smiled softly at the girl.
Nadrah thought over the captain’s answer, scrunching her face as she tried to understand. At her obvious confusion, Zara
smiled down at her. When the makeup job was finally finished, the taller woman stood and moved to sit by Nadrah’s side.
“Do you understand what the Kafala ceremony means?” she asked with a serious expression as she watched Nadrah closely.
“No, not really,” the girl softly answered.
“What it means, Nadrah, is that the Sultan will be accepting me into his family. I will be a part of the kin and clan. But aside
for that, I’m still me. I’ll still be the Captain Zara you know. I’ll still have my ship and will continue to travel the seas as a
merchant,” she explained, then added, “The only difference will be that whatever profits I make, will now be my own and not
my father’s. And I will have markings here, just as you’ve seen some in Morocco have,” the captain added as she touched
her arms.
“And the markings will let everyone know that you are part of the Sultan’s clan?” Nadrah leaned against the captain as she
looked down in thought. Tenderly, Zara wrapped an arm over her shoulder.
“Yes, the markings will tell everyone that I am part of the Sultan’s clan,” she explained.
As an afterthought, Nadrah glanced up to the tall woman. “Captain, are you going to be the next ruler of the Sultan’s land?
What is a sultan’s daughter called anyway? What are we supposed to call you?”
