There was a sudden snorting laugh from Mira while my brain tried to process what the beautiful lady said. Bromelain and ganjika? What the hell were those?I thought hard about it. I'd heard of bromelain before. I thought it came from pineapples, so it made sense they would have access to it on the island. Ganjika, though? That seemed familiar, but I couldn't quite place it. My thoughts were moving slow for some reason, and I rolled the word
over in my brain for a few minutes.
Then ithit me.
"Wait … ganjika?" I yelled louder than I meant to. "Ganja? Did you put weed in my soup?"
Both women stopped their conversation mid-sentence and turned to look at me like I sprouted another head.
"Ben, why would I put weeds in your soup?" Talise asked with a
furrowed brow, and she was obviously offended by my accusation. "That is a cruel thing to do to a man who is healing!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Where I come from, 'weed' is another word for ganja, ganjika. Tell me, does the plant have leaves on it that are separated into like six or seven zig-zaggy shapes?"
I tried to draw a marijuana leaf in the air with my right hand, but it ended up coming off more like loops and random swirls.
Once again,that mysterious head must have sprouted next to my other one, because these women were giving me some really weird looks. Finally, Talise turned away, rummaged a bit on her table, and came back with something in her hand.
"Like this?" she asked, and she was still looking at me funny.
Sure enough, she held out a marijuana leaf for my inspection. Holy shit. These beautiful women had roofied me with the Devil's lettuce.
I wanted to explain to them you don't just give people marijuana without warning them first, but I couldn't seem to find the words. Instead, another bubble of laughter escaped me. I hadn't felt this good since my
senior year of highschool.
"Maybe you gave him too much," Mira stated matter-of-factly.
"It would appear you are right," Talise giggled. Then she turned and
busied herself at the table while my own giggles started to diedown a bit. I was having the best time ever.
The healer returned just a few minutes later with a cup full of a clear beverage.
"Oh, no way, pretty lady!" Iyelled. "I am not drinking your witch's brew!"
Mira rolled her eyes and looked so much like her usual self,I had to start giggling again.
"Ben, listen to me, this will clear your head some without taking the pain relief effects of the medicine away, please trust me," Talise begged.
I couldn't fight her wily ways. She had bewitched me with her
porcelain skin and curvy body. I would do whatever she wanted me to do.
"As you wish," I said as I quoted one of my favorite movies. Then I took the cup from her and shot the liquid back fast before I could think
about it too much. It tasted like a slightly salty fruit punch, so it wasn't too hard to take.
I handed the cup back to the healer, and she smiled at me approvingly.
Damn her wickedness.
I reclined my head back against the pillows I was propped up on
while the women continued to discuss harvesting coconuts the next
morning. It was all work and no play with those two. At least they were too busy to drug me while they were talking business, so that was a plus, and a small giggle escaped my mouth as my mind drifted off to sleep.
I woke up a few hours later to see Mira sitting next to my bed
working on the swordshe was making. She held a small whetstone in her
hand and methodically ran it down the length of the hard rock she'd chosen for her weapon. She seemed lost in the motions, and I was mesmerized by her movements. Her actions were so fluid, so graceful, it was almost like watching a ballet performed on stage.
"You seem to have rested well," she said without looking up. "You are beautiful," I said in response.
She laughed out loud at me and shook her head at me. "You are still light in the head, Ben."
"No, Mira, my head is clear, you are breathtaking," Iinsisted softly as I reached out to touch her.
She didn't say anything, but she set everything she was working on off to the side so she could take my hand in return. I was still amazed at
how incredibleshe looked in the green wrap. Everything about her seemed like a dream.
"I have never seen you wear anything other than the warrior's clothes," I murmured to break the silence.
"Yes, well, the queen insisted I take a few days away from my duties to recover, and you don't disobey my sister when she gets this certain look on her face," Mira replied fondly.
"Help me lie down, if you would," Irequested, "then come to my other side and lay with me. I would like to hear about everything that has happened since I have been stuck in here."
"I don't want to hurt you," she started to argue as she pulled her hand from mine.
"Mira, you won't hurt me," I argued back, "I am not fragile, and I want to feel you next to me. You bring me great comfort."
The warrior gave me a long look before giving into my request. "Okay, but only because you look pitiful with that look on your face."
"Uh-huh, sure," I said with a smile. "Whatever you say."
Mira rolled her golden eyes but came over, moved the blanket, and gently started moving the pillows out from behind me to make room for me to lie back down. It was insane how slow she was going so she didn't jostle me. I wanted to say something, but despite what I said the warrior, my brain was still kinda fuzzy, so, I let her move as slow as she wanted and just
tolerated it all.
"I notice I have clean bandages," I said once she got my pillows
adjusted. "Did Talise take advantage of me being unconscious to do that?"
"Yes, I helped her change your bandages and wash you the best we could, all while you snored like a beast," Mira said with a laugh.
"Well, thank you for taking advantage of my deep sleep and keeping me clean and comfortable. I owe you and Talise so much for taking care of me and for putting up with me. That is no easy thing to do."
"Yeah, well," Mira shrugged, "it is a debt we must repay. If you
hadn't been here, there is no telling what would have happened to us. The raiders could have potentially taken the palace. I know my sister. She might have caved to those bastards' demands to save even just a few of our lives."
I looked at this woman who now had a fire in her eyes. "Come here, Mira," I said softly as I tapped the right side of the bed.
She didn't move for a minute, and I began to think she was going to put up a fuss again, but she gave in and crawled into bed with me. I turned toward her, and the pillow behind me slid down to land perfectly behind me and support my shoulder.
Mira got comfortable under the blanket and snuggled up to me, and she laid her hand and head on my chest, while she propped her leg across mine like she'd done every time we shared a bed. Once she was
comfortable,she let out a heavy sigh against my skin that I didn't even think she was aware of.
We laid there in silence for quite a while and just enjoyed one
another's presence and peace. My curiosity got the best of me, though, and I
had to ask a question I wasn't sure Iwanted the answer to.
"I have to know, Mira, what happened to Isla?" Iwhispered.
"She is alive, but still recovering from a head injury, and has lost an eye." the warrior replied quietly. "Talise got there just in time to stop that ogre from raping her. Things could have been so much worse, Ben. Things have been so much worse. The last time they came, we lost four women brutally on the island, and they took four more with them."
"Never again, Mira, not as long as I am alive," I reassured her.
"With your help, we beat them off, Ben. We really beat them off good and hard!"
"Wait--we what?" I blurted as laughter bubbled up in my throat. "We won, you barnacle!" she laughed along with me.
My inner twelve-year-old self couldn't contain the giggles that
erupted from hearing Mira say that. I didn't have the heart to tell her what it meant in my world, so I just let her think it was my joy in winning the battle that had me cracking up like I was.
Once the laughter finally settled down,I found I was extremely tired once again. My feelings were echoed by Mira when she yawned really
loudly against my shoulder.
"Let's sleep now, my warrior," Imurmured. "We will talk more tomorrow."
"Yes, we both need our rest, especially you, considering what the queen has planned," she said ominously. "She is going to make an
announcement tomorrow."
"What announcement?" I questioned with a furrowed brow.
"I have been expressly forbidden to tell you until the queen discusses it with you first," Mira said with a laugh, "and I can't disobey my queen."
I sighed deeply and let it go. There was no sense in pushing it. Then I pulled Mira tight to me and in just a few moments, I heard her breathing
deepen as she fell right asleep.
I kissed the top of her head and closed my eyes as I slipped into a deep slumber right behind her.