Isabella Awakening Ch. 06

The man Ahmed thought for a moment, his boat moving closer. He had his men stand down and he eventually replied, "Have them dock under the Treasury gate and I'll fetch the Bey. You are lucky he is still in town! He is leaving tomorrow for Beja!"

With that, the little boat returned to the dock and Thomas turned to translate the conversation to the Agha and the Rais. They nodded their assent and had the boat move slowly to the wharf indicated by Thomas.

As they docked, Thomas returned to Isabella's side. There was a look of relief on his face and he seemed exhausted. He smiled weakly and said "Its almost over, thank God." Isabella was shocked, having placed such store in his confidence and authority, she now realized that he had been playing with a potentially loosing hand and that his gamble and bluff were just now paying off. She said nothing.

Fifteen minutes passed before the dock exploded in uproar to hooves of five galloping horses. Men scattered as the riders drove their mounts to very edge of the wharf where the galley lay tied. The pirate crew seemed tense and ready for action, looking keenly to their leaders for instructions. The Agha and Rais stood perfectly still, but watchful.

"Magus!" called a tall dark man in flowing robes, clearly the leader of the little group. "Is it really you?"

Thomas stood and waved to the man and his entourage. "Yes, Bishan, it is me," he said. "In trouble again, as you can see."

"Ha! Good. Then I get to repay some of the debt I owe you then! Come down, let me see you, let us talk!"

Thomas went immediately to Isabella's side. "Come now, I want you to meet the Bey." He took her arm and walked her to the makeshift gangplank and helped her down to the wharf. The Agha and Rais immediately followed, looking a little more relaxed. Isabella was aware of the dampness on the back of her robe and did her best to hide it in the folds or with her satchel.

The elegant Bey had dismounted and hugged Thomas like a brother. A stream of greetings and questions flowed and Thomas had difficulty keeping up. Finally he release Thomas and cleared his throat. "What do you need, Thomas?"

"Thank you, Bishan Bey," Thomas bowed. "Allow me to first to present my friends Agha Murad Beja and Rais Malik Jahood, who I believe you already know." The Bey acknowledged the pirates coolly. "And my very dear friend, Signora Isabella Silverto, from Naples." Isabella swept back her hood and accepted the Bey's bowed welcome. On rising, he studied her face and turned to Thomas, saying, "Another of your marvelous protégées, Magus?"

"A very special lady indeed, Bey. But not of the school, I'm sorry to say"

The Agha cleared his throat, obviously urging the men back to business.

"Yes," said Thomas, turning and bowing to his friend and speaking formally, "I must humbly petition the Bey of Beja for his indulgence in the matter of payment for the passage for myself and the lady. The sum of one barrel of silver is required for our release."

The Bey laughed and slapped him on the shoulder. "Only one? My goodness, Thomas, prices are surely falling!" He then glanced along the wharf and, even in the half-light of dusk, he could clearly see the little boat full of barrels and boxes from the Della. "Though I see that a substantial down payment has already been made." The Bey turned to his party and, in Arabic, gave instructions for making payment to the pirates.

The Agha and the Rais were clearly relieved and happy. Thomas turned to them and made several statements that initiated a partial unloading of the little boat. His two large packages and Isabella's dowry were offloaded onto the wharf. Isabella watched all this with interest and some hint of understanding. The pirates who had taken them from the Della were clearly not welcome in the Bey's port, but Thomas's stature as the Bey's friend and "Magus" had allowed the transaction to proceed smoothly.

Within five minutes a heavy barrel had been rolled out of one of the locked rooms behind the vaulted arches. The Rais had it opened, inspected its contents with a long pole and pronounced them acceptable. He then had the barrel resealed and taken aboard the galley. Without further delay, the galley was untied and made its way out of the little harbor, leaving Thomas and Isabella in the hands of the Bey and his party.

Thomas turned to Isabella and smiled broadly. "Relax, Isabel, we're safe."

She turned to him and threw her arms around his neck. Saying nothing, she raised her eyes to him and kissed him passionately. He returned her kiss with equal intensity. Her entire being filled with an unexplained joy, a lightness of spirit, an optimism she had never before experienced.

"I don't know what's happening to me, Thomas," she said. "But you have done something to me that I don't understand. Who are you? Why have you rescued me? What is to happen now?"

Thomas responded with a finger to her lips and a gentle kiss to her cheek, brushing a stray strand of her hair from her brow. "Soon, Isabella. As soon as we are alone." He turned to the Bey who was sitting on his mount talking quietly with one of his companions. "Bishan, we are ready to leave when you are," he said.

The Bey gave orders to his companions, their horses stamping and rearing and eager to be away. Several men appeared from the shadows of the archways and lifted Isabella's dowry chest and Thomas's heavy parcels onto a large barrow that they pulled past Isabella and Thomas towards the roadway at the end of the wharf. The Bey himself drew his horse alongside Isabella and Thomas and extended his hand to Isabella, "May I?" he said. She took his hand and Thomas held her waist while she was hoisted onto the horse, straddling it and holding onto the Bey's shoulders. Isabella wiggled, the items strapped to her legs making it difficult to get comfortable. She grasped Keira's horn through the fabric of her cloak and discretely adjusted its position against her thigh so it rode higher and pressed against her sex. The Bey looked down at Thomas and smiled. "You'll have to find your own transport, I'm afraid, Magus. The lady is now with me."

Thomas laughed and called one of the other mounted men by name. The man wheeled his horse and drew along side him. Thomas took hold of the back of his soft leather saddle and, with a single leap, threw himself up behind the man and said "Not a problem, Bishan, we'll be right behind you."

The horsemen simultaneously pulled on their reigns and the horses set off as a group towards the road. Once off the wharf, they moved quickly up through the hilly little town, now mostly lit with oil lamps and flaming torches. They rose past the main group of brick buildings, two and three storey warehouses and shops, and through an area of small houses where Isabella could see families and groups busy behind open windows and doors. People in the streets made way for the horsemen and clearly recognized the Bey and his men, calling greetings as they passed. The Bey responded to many of the well-wishers by name and threw his own greetings or comments back to them as he passed. Isabella had to hold tight to the Bey and her satchel as the horses galloped and she could feel the horn between her legs pressing and opening her as they rode on. Thomas and his rider drew alongside the Bey and Thomas mouthed something to Isabella. She smiled at him and the Bey again pulled ahead.

The houses eventually thinned out and they were on a dark road, still leading up the hill. As they reached the crest and rounded a corner, Isabella could see a grand well-lit compound of buildings a few hundred yards in front of them. There were guards at the gates but they stood aside as the party rode through at a gallop. The Bey and his entourage swarmed into a courtyard and halted the horses, many of them rearing and snorting and stamping their hooves. Clouds of dust rose around them as the riders dismounted and men ran from side buildings to take the reigns and lead the horses away. Thomas was instantly beside Isabella to help her down and she willingly jumped into his arms. More people were coming through the massive doorways of the main building, running to the Bey, who laughed and spoke to them in Arabic. He approached Thomas and put an arm around his shoulder.

"There is a room for the Signora being prepared in the main wing," he said. "Next to yours," he added, clapping his hand on Thomas's shoulder.

"Thank you, Bishan," replied Thomas. "I am sure Isabella will need to rest soon."

The Bey ushered them up to the entrance to his home. The house, or rather palace, was a revelation to Isabella. The entrance hall alone was larger and grander than many ballrooms she had seen back in Naples. Arab architecture to be sure: vaulted ceilings, pointed arches and alcoves, mirrors and intricately interwoven patterns in the mosaic floor; but mixed here with a modern and sophisticated European styling in the sparse furniture and window treatments and the lighting -- chandeliers and oil lamps in the Parisian style. Thomas was clearly familiar with the house and continued his discussion with the Bey as they moved to a side alcove where servants parted a heavy curtain for them.

They entered a smaller, but no less impressive, room containing low couches and many large cushions. Isabella smelt tobacco and other smokey odours. The Bey ushered them to a couch and stood before them.

"We have so much to talk about, Thomas," he said, "and I will return to you soon. Please make yourselves comfortable while your rooms are prepared."

Thomas nodded his thanks, but it was Isabella who spoke, "I thank you again sincerely, Bey, but I must ask of you one favor before you leave us. Father Thomas has suffered a wound on our journey." she touched Thomas's arm gently. "I have done what I could but I was hoping that you perhaps have someone here who could clean and dress it for him. I believe it may need a stitch or two."

The Bey looked at Thomas with concern and then, smiling, replied to Isabella, "I have just the person, Signora. Gabrielle will join you soon. She will be pleased to see Thomas and make herself useful." The Bey spoke to one of his servants and left by a rear door.

This was the first time that Thomas and Isabella had been alone, really alone, since their talk in her cabin aboard the Della Virago so long ago. Their hands found each other's and Thomas spoke in low voice.

"Isabella, I am sorry to have put you through the ordeal of today, but I hope that you will forgive me when I have a chance to explain fully. There is a time for subterfuge and a time for truth and our time of truth fast approaches."

A tear formed in Isabella's eye, but she straightened her back and spoke, "Thomas, I am very much inclined to forgive you anything. I am still confused about the events of the past week, not only of today, and I look forward to your telling me everything. As far as truth is concerned, I must also admit something to you. I have examined my feelings deeply since we first met and what I feel is absolutely ..."

She was interrupted by the appearance of two women in what Isabella assumed to be casual local dress, silk pantaloons and colorful blouses with short sleeves, entering the room through the curtained alcove. Thomas touched her thigh and turned to the new arrivals.

"Gabrielle! Ashanti! How wonderful to see you"

The women almost ran to him, beaming and clearly returning his joy at their reunion. Isabelle watched with interest as they both kissed Thomas, the older woman directly on his lips and the younger on his cheek.

"Now, before anything else," Thomas said, still grinning at them, "I want you to meet my dear friend and traveling companion Isabella. Isabella, these are my friends Gabrielle," the elder of two, a beautiful dark haired European woman of perhaps 30, turned to Isabella and extended a hand. "And this is Ashanti, Bishan Bey's eldest, and most beautiful, daughter." The younger girl, a dark and elegant teenager with her father's fine chiseled features and dark hair, blushed a little, smiled and said a quiet "Hello, Isabella."

Gabrielle examined Isabella and said, "Welcome to Ghar El Melh, Isabella. Any friend of Thomas' is immediately considered a sister and friend to all of us. What was your mother's name?"

Gabrielle's strange question puzzled Isabella, but she seemed friendly and genuine, "Oh, thank you Gabrielle. My mother is Marisa Silverto." She looked briefly to Thomas for guidance, but he was looking a Gabrielle with a slight frown that disappeared immediately.

"Marisa! Said Gabrielle, what a lovely name. You are from Italy?"

"Yes, Naples, and you?"

"Rome originally," she replied, "but I spent ten years in France prior to coming to Tunisia. But we must talk later, I understand Thomas is in need of medical attention."

She turned to Thomas and retrieved a dark leather bag she had carried in with her but deposited beside the couch before embracing Thomas. "I assume its your arm, Magus" she said, indicating the dried blood staining Thomas's sleeve.

Thomas grimaced as he rolled up the sleeve and Isabella helped remove her own makeshift bandage. Gabrielle spoke briefly to Ashanti in Arabic and the younger girl left the room while Gabriella examined the wound.

"Nasty," she pronounced, "but you'll live." Isabella smiled at having her own prognosis confirmed.

Ashanti returned with a bowl of water and some clean linen. Gabriella quickly and professionally cleaned the wound and ran a finger gently along its length. She then did something Isabella had never witnessed before; she put her nose to the wound and inhaled deeply.

"Its clean," she announced. "When did this happen?"

"Early this morning," replied Thomas.

"What was the weapon?"

"Not a weapon, a flying splinter from the ship I was on," he answered.

"Washed with salt water?"

Isabella answered this question with "Yes, Gabriella, I tried to clean the wound on our way here."

"Good," she pronounced. "A balm and few silk stitches should allow it to heal naturally. Ashanti, please apply some ostrich oil liniment directly to the wound while I thread some silk ".

Ashanti already had a small ceramic bowl in her hand and moved to Thomas's side while Gabrielle delved into her black bag.

Isabella was surprised and impressed both with Gabrielle's proficiency and her practical manner. She watched and smiled while Thomas winced as the liniment was applied, clearly stinging his exposed flesh.

"Thank you, Ashanti." He said, unconvincingly as she retired, allowing Gabrielle to take her place at his side.

"Now, just bear up a while longer, Thomas," she said, "this won't hurt at all." She brandished a curved needle threaded with thick pale coloured thread. Thomas's face betrayed that he was unconvinced by her assertion.

Gabrielle grinned wickedly, but did not immediately start working on the wound. She sat back and adopting a pout and feigning hurt "You don't believe me? I would not lie to you, Magus!" she exclaimed.

Thomas was at her mercy and Gabrielle was clearly enjoying herself. She went back into her bag and removed a phial and a short, quill-like apparatus that she dipped, just like a pen in ink, into the phial. Isabella could not see anything except clear liquid in the phial. Isabella use the tip of the implement to gently trace the outside of Thomas's wound and handed both the quill and the liquid to Ashanti, who, Isabella noted, was repressing a grin.

"Now, Thomas," said Gabrielle seriously, "If my stitching does cause you pain, you have permission to paddle me later tonight." She laughed and winked at him and took up her needle again, plunging its tip immediately into the edge of the wound. Isabella herself winced and she saw a brief expression of horror cross Thomas's face. But it was replaced immediately by one of relieved surprise.

"Gabrielle! How did you do that?" he exclaimed. "I cannot feel the needle at all! The skin there feels dead!"

"I prefer to say 'asleep' Thomas," she said, continuing to sew the wound closed. "Its something I developed after watching the lions deal with their hunting wounds. I extracted a light oil fraction from a particular desert shrub and found it has a temporary effect of eliminating pain if scratched onto the skin. The effect will abate in an hour or so and you will feel some discomfort then." She smiled at him and he was clearly impressed, as was Isabella. She had never heard of such a thing, or of a woman making such important medical discoveries.

Gabrielle finished her stitching with a quick knot and put her needle back into the bag while Ashanti applied more liniment and a clean bandage.

"Have you published this yet, Gabrielle?" Thomas asked.

"I have a manuscript prepared. I have not sent it yet. I am distilling enough of the oil to send a sufficient sample to Vienna to accompany the text. Would you like to read it?"

"I'm sure it would be beyond my comprehension," he replied, "but I would welcome the opportunity."

"Modesty does not sit well with you, Magus," quipped Gabrielle coolly. "I would greatly welcome your comments, of course."

They both smiled and she kissed him on the lips again, lingering a little longer than was necessary, thought Isabella.

"Are you here for Natalia, Thomas?" she said, face serious and clearly turning to a subject she felt strongly about.

"Natalia?" said Thomas, concerned. "What do you mean? I have no knowledge of Natalia. What has happened, Gabrielle? Is she ill?"

"No, Thomas, not ill." She said. "I will leave it the Bey to give you the details. The situation has been worrying him all week and I am sure he will seek your counsel tonight. It is truly fortuitous that you have come today." She rose and turned to Isabella again, her face relaxing and giving a pleasant smile, "Isabella, I would like to invite you to join us in The Sanctuary tomorrow morning. I so look forward to learning about your journey and your intentions. Until then, please look after the Magus for us. He seems a little prone to accidents, don't you think?"

Isabella felt an attachment and affection for this remarkable woman and said she too would look forward to seeing her in the morning. "And you too Ashanti."

"Oh, I am not permitted in the Sanctuary!" said Ashanti, clearly a little shocked at the thought.

Isabella recovered instantly, "Of course. But I shall see you again soon, I hope."

The women left Thomas and Isabella. Isabella looked at him, eyes wide with too many questions to voice. He smiled and leaned to her, "I will explain everything, I promise."

It was the Bey who interrupted their privacy this time, returning to the room. "Where are your refreshments?" he asked.

"We have just this moment finished with Gabrielle and Ashanti, Bey. We've had no time to take tea," said Thomas.

"Ridiculous!" he exclaimed, clapping his hands in the air and calling something in Arabic. "I am most ashamed that you have been here so long without service." He bowed to Isabella.

"Really, Bey, as Thomas explained, we have been occupied with Gabrielle and your daughter. They are both marvelous women," Isabella added.

The Bey was clearly touched by her observation. "Gabrielle is a rare woman indeed, and I am proud of Ashanti's development. She shows great aptitude for learning. I was intending to talk with Thomas about her future education."

Thomas nodded but changed the subject, "Tell me about Natalia, Bishan."

The Bey stiffened, found a comfortable cushion and sat, sighing and looking suddenly drained. Servants entered silently, carrying large vessels and unusual glass mugs, decorated with golden strands and ornate handles. They poured tea and left just as silently.

Thomas and Isabella sipped at theirs until the Bey was ready to speak.

"Thomas," he started, "you know that I promised protection of the lovely Natalia when she arrived with you last year." He looked up, into Thomas's face, his own drawn and pale. "I have failed in my undertaking. Natalia arrived here last Tuesday, carried by two horsemen and unable to stand or speak. She had ... injuries." The Bey fell silent, head down.