the ISLE

Not a Good Idea

Darkness was falling, but Lantern would not allow Nuri to help him with the corpses of her tribesman, feeling it was his responsibility to bury them. The bodies from the valley joined those of Arif and Wani. By that time the heavy rains had slacked off, leaving the ground soft and workable. One by one, the corpses were taken and buried in hidden graves, unmarked and secret. Jack wanted no reminders of their narrow escape. While he was doing the work of human burial, Nuri turned her attention to the Tiger.

In death, the body seemed to shrink, not quite as imposing and powerful as it was in life. Anyone else would have skinned the cat, saving the teeth and claws as a remembrance of the great carnivore, but she felt that would be a dishonor to his memory.

Dragging his heavy body back to the falls she began digging deep in the softened clay at the edge of the shallow pool. Scooping the earth with her bare hands, Nuri worked until she had a trench the right size for her fallen guardian. Back aching, she hurried off in a careful search for branches from the sacred gharu trees that grew on the island. Collecting a large armful, she laid them out like a bed in the bottom of the grave then carefully pulled the Tiger down on top of them. Sprinkling his body with the petals of moon orchids, chanting softly for her lost companion, she thanked him for his sacrifice and prayed that he have peace in eternal rest.

It was not traditional to perform this ceremony for an animal, but Nuri owed Berani her life. Once the ritual was complete, she gathered as many large rocks as she could find and placed them carefully over his body until the Tiger was completely covered. Only then did Nuri fill in the grave with the clay she had excavated, packing it down firmly to deter predators from digging the body up. Tears collected in her eyes as she remembered the unmarked grave of her son, buried many miles away in this same red earth.

Emotionally and physically drained she finished and waded into the shallow pool, tears flowing freely as she washed the red clay from her hands and arms. Soft footsteps turned her around to see Jack standing over the grave, several stalks of the fragrant ginger flower in his hand. Laying them across the mound of clay, he said a few quiet words under his breath then moved away, his face pensive. Stormy blue eyes found her, his features shadowed.

“I found the path they used to enter the valley. About two miles from here, a small tunnel opens to the northern end of the valley where the tall trees grow. That is where they made camp. I tried to wipe away their tracks and I blocked up the tunnel so no one can easily find that entrance again, but I do not know how long that will protect us.”

“What are we going to do? Those men have families; the Anaiya will come looking for the Hunters. Blood will be in their eyes.” She knew how many bodies had been buried, and what that meant.

“The way I see it, Nuri, we have two options. We can stay, hoping for the best, or we can run, find somewhere else, maybe even leave the island. What do you think?” He watched her carefully as he spoke, trying to anticipate her reaction.

For a long moment, Nuri was silent, her mind mulling over their circumstances. Wading out of the water to stand at his side she looked around them at the beautiful jungle glistening in the moonlight, listening to the roar of the falls behind them. This was home.

“I want to stay here Jack, for as long as we can.”

“Okay.” He nodded and took a deep breath. “Here we stay, for as long as we can.”

The following days grew uneasy and awkward. Before, Nuri had kept herself guarded, avoiding needless contact, but now that she was free, it was Lantern who avoided touching her. Often gone for long periods, hunting occasionally, or scouting the area outside, he looked for any excuse not to be near her. For the first time in his life, he was afraid, afraid of losing something that wasn’t even his.

Nuri freely met his eyes now, smiling at him often, no longer going out of her way to avoid brushing against him in passing. Those changes were enough to cause Lantern to pull back, his sense of propriety warning him to be careful. Nuri was lovely and young, her amber eyes glowing with life and hope, a smile playing across her lips, quick to laugh, she was becoming irresistible. That feeling he’d kept locked away was growing stronger by the day, an inner voice gaining strength as it demanded to be recognized.

She couldn’t help but notice the change. He became withdrawn, restless, searching for excuses to be out of her presence. Wherever she moved, he was quick to back away so they would not touch. During meals, he sat very close to the entrance, usually facing the open valley. Confused, slightly hurt by this new attitude, Nuri allowed him to pull away, not wishing to force interaction with her that he clearly did not desire.

Several weeks had passed in this state when Nuri woke one morning to an empty cave. Her eyes automatically went to Jack’s bed and she frowned when she saw it was gone. Worried she sat up and looked around, her heart sinking as she noticed all his things were missing. Jumping to her feet Nuri left the cave at a run, calling out, hoping it was not too late. His voice echoed up from the stream and she headed that way, bursting through the brush to find him sitting on a large rock, waiting.

The ivory spear he'd kept was braced between his legs as he sharpened the flat blade with a whetting stone. His face and chest still glistened from the bath he had taken earlier, his hair slicked back and tied with a strip of leather. Those stormy blue eyes looked up at her with slight concern as he cocked a brow.

“Are you okay?”

“You took your things away. Are you leaving?”

“Nuri, I think-”

“You promised to stay with me always. Who will protect me, if you go?”

He continued working for a moment then set the stone down and wrapped both hands around the shaft of the spear, resting his chin on them. His gaze was somber.

“It would be best if you had a dwelling of your own. I will find somewhere else to live, close by.”

“Why...do you not find me pleasing any longer?” Strong emotions made it hard to breathe, and she was not sure if it was anger or disappointment.

“That has nothing to do with it, Nuri.” Fiddling with the spear, he missed the glint in her eye. “You are a free woman now, and it doesn’t seem right that we share such a small place. It’s the right thing for me to go.” Slipping back into English was natural as he tried to explain.

“You shared with me when I belonged to another man, and now that I am free you want nothing to do with me.” Her voice began to tremble. “You think it was ‘the right thing’ for me to live with you when my husband was not present? You think it was ‘the right thing’ for me to accept food and clothing from a man, not my owner?” Her eyes were beginning to snap as anger took over. “Now that I am free to live with whom I choose, you reject me as if I am of little worth. I do not deserve such thoughtless treatment, Jack!”

His eyes shot to hers.

“That’s not how I think of you! Our people are very different, Nuri. Our customs, the things we view as right and wrong…I cannot continue to live with a woman who is not my wife, not one like you.”

“What do you mean, ‘not like me’? You would choose another?” the anger was still there, though now she was hurt.

“No! I want no one else-” Realizing what he had just admitted, Lantern clamped his mouth shut but too late to take it back. Sighing, he tried again. “Nuri, now that you are free, the way I feel toward you…I just can’t stay. Where I am from, only men and women who are married to one another live together. For those that are not, it is considered indecent. Do you understand what I’m trying to say?”

Nuri was frowning in concentration, trying to get his meaning in a language not her first. He continued, putting it in frank statements.

“My feelings about you are too powerful for me to stay here. I do not trust myself, and I will not violate your faith in me. I will not take advantage of you. If I stay I cannot promise that. You must understand.” He watched realization bloom in her eyes, the vein in her throat pulsing as her heart throbbed faster as she got his meaning.

“I was safe from you while I belonged to Topan, but now that I am free...” she did not finish as his eyes dropped to the sand at his feet. He’d never been shy with her before, always bold, always commanding, but this new side greatly appealed to her heart.

Lightly stepping forward to brush the spear aside, she knelt in the sand between his knees. When Lantern shifted back, starting to speak she laid her fingers across his mouth, her eyes soft and deep. Gently her hand slid to his chin, his beard scratchy against her fingertips.

“I am not afraid of you, Jack,”

“This isn’t a good idea,”

“Stay,” her scent was intoxicating, the growing breeze lifting her long black hair into a swirling curtain of ebony lace, blocking the outside world from view. She leaned closer, framing his jaw in her hands. “Stay,”

With his heart pounding, every nerve in his body alive, Lantern could not resist and pulled Nuri into his arms. Her lips willingly met and clung to his, as if she would never let go.