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S holei wiped the sweat from her forehead as she secured the bandage on the injured soldier’s arm. He winced in pain and avoided her eyes. After the confrontation a few days ago, they reluctantly turned to her for medication. Her treatments worked fast, and it didn’t take long before the injured were cured. Her potions and pastes worked like magic, and word spread through the camp of the miraculous physician with the gifted hands.

The curious looks she received turned to tenuous admiration and respect. Under Litonde’s guidance, she worked hard to patch up the wounded men.

“You are a natural talent. With one single trial, you’ll be admitted to the Academy,” Litonde said, and Sholei’s heart leaped. Litonde praised her skills and regaled her with tales of the formidable Imperial Physicians .

Sholei recalled where she was and sighed. She gauged the war’s progress by the injured men. The Dembe army increased their assault, and soon they would take over Keseve. The wounded soldiers talked of the alliance’s many causalities, and Sholei felt her head swim at the thought of her people killed. Even the tales of the Academy didn’t hold her interest anymore.

One thing she picked up from their talks was their admiration of their general’s brilliance and courage in the war. He commanded the respect of his men, and they wouldn’t hesitate to die for him.

She hated herself for helping the enemy, but she could not stand to see them suffer in her presence. Musembi always said the role of a physician wasn’t to judge who was wrong or right. To Sholei’s surprise, the lessons stuck. The injured men in the medical camp were only following orders.

“With my recommendation, you can get into the academy. I can help if you want,” Litonde’s voice dragged her back to the present, and the bandage in Sholei’s hand dropped on the table amidst dried herbs.

“You can help me get admission to the Imperial Physicians’ Academy?” Sholei breathed the words out, and her hands trembled.

“Your good fortune led you to meet the general and me. You have good skills, and with some guidance, you can be the best student produced by the Academy in recent years.” Litonde grinned at her reaction.

“How is that possible?” Sholei asked when realization set in. Litonde offered her something she had dreamed of for years. “What do you want in return?” Nothing in her life came easy.

“Your skills will benefit many people. Isn’t that what every physician wants?” Litonde shrugged his shoulders, and Sholei held his gaze. “As a previous student, I can recommend you to the Academy. The head priest will accept your admission. You will undergo a test, but with your skills, I doubt you will fail.”

“Is that possible?” Sholei couldn’t believe her luck. But then she recalled Musembi and Tula back in Mukuru. Could she leave without saying goodbye? Would another chance present itself if she missed the opportunity Litonde offered?

“After the war, I can send you off. With the general’s permission, I am sure he’ll let you go,” Litonde said. “He’s a good man. He saved me from a certain death.”

Litonde had a dark history, and Sholei learned snippets when his tongue slipped. He claimed that the general had saved him from the jaws of death and gave him a second chance.

She was about to answer before Mueni bustled in. “My Lady, we have news from the frontline.” Sholei swallowed and dreaded what she would hear next.

“The Dembe army managed to capture the Keseve Market.” Mueni’s voice was withdrawn. “The general has started his journey back.”

Ojore had taken over the Keseve Market. Did it mean he had conquered the Mukuru capital? Was Musembi safe? Litonde told Sholei to wait until the general returned to seek his permission to release her. She focused on what she was good at to calm her anxious mind: doubling her energies in the camp, spending days bent cooking herbs and trying different concoctions and potions—anything to drag her mind from the situation around her.

Her dreams became much worse. She was being chased by the black snake, which caused her nights to be restless. Every time she woke up from a haunting dream, drenched in sweat, she couldn’t go back to sleep, so she’d go inside the medical tent to resume producing medicine. It was the only thing that helped keep her from going mad. She began to understand why Musembi drank herself into a stupor whenever she seemed to have too much on her mind.

Litonde kept by her side and tried to encourage her with stories about the academy and places she would visit with the title of a Royal Physician, but Sholei withdrew to herself.

“My Lady, someone is here to see you. He brought gifts.” Mueni held a small bag in her slim hands.

“Let him in.” Sholei waved her hand and stretched her back.

“Greetings.” The soldier bowed before her, dressed in a long dark cloak that covered him from his shoulders to his calves. The cold season settled, and soldiers increased their layers of clothes. The soldier wore a black fur hat which shielded him from cold winds. Soldiers under Ojore were well-provided for in all seasons.

“Agala, how is your wound? Are you in pain?” She remembered him from before. He had a deep gushing wound to his arm when he was brought in. In his delirious state, he had told her his name.

“The medicine you gave me worked like magic.” He flexed his arm to show her. “The pain is completely gone, and I feel much better now.”

“I am happy to hear that. I will give you something to work on the scar. Make sure you apply it on the wound daily.” At least one person didn’t call her a witch.

”I don’t know how to thank you for your generosity, but I hope you accept the small token my family prepared for you.” He indicated the bag in Mueni’s hand.

“No need for that. I was only doing my part.” Sholei felt heat creeping up her neck. She was not used to kind displays of appreciation and still didn’t know how to react to them.

“You saved my life. I will never forget that.” His voice carried heavy conviction, and Sholei decided she couldn’t deny his gift. Back in Mukuru, Musembi always received gifts, but Sholei was never put in the public eye like this.

“Send my regards to your family.” She bowed and signaled Mueni to put the package away.

“I come from a farming background. When you come to Dembe, I will be sure to send you the best farm produce we have to offer.”

Going to Dembe Kingdom? The remark jolted Sholei back. Her mind hadn’t settled after Litonde told her he would help her secure admission to the Academy. To get to the Faye Islands, she’d have to go through the northern desert city of Majuu, past the Gobeli desert, to get to the Bahri Ocean, where the Faye Islands were located. Another longer route was through Lake Alokove, which poured its waters into the vast Bahri Ocean. The route through Dembe was shorter, but Sholei would rather go back to Mukuru and bid Tula and Musembi goodbye before she made the journey. It would set her back a couple of months, but it would be worth it.

But what would be left of Mukuru if Ojore’s conquest was successful? The thought dampened her mood again.

“My Lady.” Agala’s voice brought her out of her reverie.

“Thank you for the gifts,” she heard herself say as he bid farewell.

“I think you have an admirer.” Mueni nudged her. “The general may get jealous when he hears you received gifts and favors from his men. Agala comes from a wealthy family. He is the only son.” Mueni’s dreamy eyes followed the tall soldier as he disappeared between rows of tents.

“Hush, Mueni. Nothing is happening between me and Prince Ojore,” Sholei scolded.

Litonde organized soldiers, and they set up a makeshift tent for her outside the physician camp where she and Mueni slept. She hadn’t returned to Ojore’s quarters, but the rumors didn’t stop. To everyone in the camp, she was the consort to the general.

“Then why am I here? I was brought from his household to be your lady-in-waiting. Even though he is far away on the battlefield, he made sure your needs are catered to and soldiers guarded you.”

”They watch my moves to make sure I don’t run away or poison his soldiers.” Sholei tried to keep her composure.

“I am sorry. I didn’t mean to make you angry.” Mueni cast her eyes downward, shuffling her feet .

“I have no right to shout at you.” Sholei hated that she shifted her anger to the wrong person. Mueni did nothing to warrant her outburst. Ojore was the cause of her misery, not Mueni.

“Let me get you some food. You have been working since dawn.” Mueni lifted the package in her arms.

“I am not hungry.” Sholei waved her hand, stopping Mueni.

“You haven’t been eating well recently,” Mueni protested.

“Just prepare some light porridge.” Sholei didn’t want to inconvenience Mueni, who usually went out of her way to make her comfortable.

Later in the evening, as Sholei prepared for another fretful night, she assessed the package Agala brought. It lay unwrapped on her bedside table.

She picked it up and placed it on the bed. Inside, she found several lengths of colorful cotton fabric, a set of gold jewelry, and other small ornaments inside. Mueni said Agala was from a wealthy family, and upon viewing the expensive set of gifts, Sholei agreed with her.

Underneath all the jewelry and clothing was a metallic flask filled with liquid. Sholei opened it, and the sweet scent of coconut wine hit her nostrils.

Sholei hated alcohol. Musembi threw tantrums once intoxicated, and Sholei swore never to consume liquor. But at the same time, Musembi was a heavy sleeper once drunk. Sholei thought she might have a restful sleep if she took a few sips .

She raised the flask, took a small sip, and allowed her taste buds to get used to the foreign flavor. It burned the back of her throat as she took another sip, this time a mouthful. She savored its bitterness, sweetness, and sourness as the liquid settled in her stomach. As she continued to drink, she thought of Musembi and realized she missed the grumpy older woman. If only she could see her one last time, Sholei would apologize for not listening to her.

Mueni came in at that moment to find her gulping down more of the alcohol. The flask was half empty.

“Was this part of Agala’s gift? The general prohibits alcoholic drinks in the camp.” Mueni tried to snatch the flask from her, but Sholei held firm.

“How about you join me?” With a free hand, Sholei dragged Mueni beside her. “You work very hard taking care of my needs. Relax and have a drink.”

“I don’t think that is a good idea. Let me help you prepare for bed.” Sholei pushed Mueni’s hands away when the girl tried to help her up.

“This is a gift. To show my appreciation, I must drink it, whether you join me or not.” Sholei shook the flask before Mueni’s face. Some wine spilled on her dress.

“But you can’t drink on an empty stomach. You will get sick.”

Sholei laughed and swayed. “I wish to fall asleep and dream. Maybe I will be able to go back to Mukuru and the medicine yard.” Mueni eyes misted at Sholei’s distress.

“Tell me, Mueni, did I make a wrong gamble? Haven’t I come closer to achieving my dreams to train in the Academy? Does the method I used to reach the goal matter? Should I be celebrating when my people are dying? What will happen to my Musembi? Tula? Prince Gane and the people of Mukuru?” Sholei went on, her voice tearful.

Mueni remained silent as tears dropped from her eyes. She wiped them with the back of her hand.

“Whenever I fall asleep, I end up being chased by the beast. Every time I close my eyes, it’s the same image.” Sholei cried with abandon. “Maybe I should stop running and allow it to devour me. It might stop the pain.”

“Everything will turn out well. Don’t give up.” Mueni’s words didn’t register to Sholei as Mueni wrapped her arms around Sholei’s, offering silent comfort.

Sholei was dreaming again, but this time, Ojore knelt before her on the carpeted floor. She lay on the bed, her head felt woozy, and she struggled to keep her eyes open.

“You have decided to invade my dreams too?” she asked his image, her voice groggy.

“Is that what you think of me? A beast?” Ojore palmed her cheek, and she molded into it, craving the warmth of his hand.

“Only beasts appear in my dreams,” she answered, her eyes closing as she slipped into oblivion.