Jungle Witch

Ebony felt nerves dance through her as she looked at the women in the shop. What had she gotten herself into now? Her spine stiffened. What was she? A coward? Surely she could handle a few human women without a babysitter.

Chanda gestured towards a stool. "Stand on that."

Ebony jumped on the stool with one small leap, without a single wobble.

Chanda raised a brow but said nothing about Ebony's agility or balance. She considered the strange girl with black eyes for long moment before saying, "The clothes have to go. I can't get an accurate enough measurement with them on you."

The Jungle Witch raised her eyebrows. "You mean, I have to take them off?"

"Right."

Ebony shrugged. She pulled off her oversized kurta with its ripped sleeves and frayed hems. To take the pants off, she had to undo a rope that she used as a belt. She wore nothing else, so she simply let her arms drop to wait.

The tailor stared in surprise deciding that the strange girl obviously had no concept of modesty. All of the other women averted their eyes in shock.

"What now?" Ebony demanded, exasperated. Why did the humans always stare at her like she had just grown horns or look away as if looking would kill them?

"We don't generally strip in public," one of the women said a little snidely while looking down her long nose at Ebony. She had dark brown hair that was pinned back revealing a narrow face and honey toned eyes.

"It's not like you've never seen a naked human before," Ebony stated, confused.

"It's indecent. Where did you grow up? In a jungle?"

The woman obviously intended for the comment to be an insult, but Ebony grinned as she said, "Yes, as a matter of fact, I did."

Chanda understood then. This was why Abhay was concerned with others finding out who this girl was.

To keep the others in the shop from coming to this realization, she searched for another topic. While her mind raced, she scanned the area for a dressing gown. Instead of a gown, her eyes landed on three long scars running along Ebony's side and an old bite wound on her shoulder.

"Those look like nasty wounds."

"What?" Ebony followed Chanda's gaze. "Oh. Those are from a leopard I had a bad run in with when I was ten."

Ebony nearly smiled at the memory since it was the day she'd met Raj for the first time. A still young Raj had been outmatched by a leopard with deadly intent. She'd stumbled onto the scene to see Raj cowering against the base of a tree and the leopard advancing on him.

Saving him had been the first time that she had used magic since her father's death. It was also why Raj became so close to her. Despite human beliefs, animals did understand gratitude and friendship.

Okay, so that topic hadn't been entirely safe either, Chanda thought. She gave up on finding a dressing gown out in the shop and reached through a curtained area for one. "Put this on."

Ebony did as ordered mostly to get the other women to stop staring at her in horror. The simple white dress was made of a material so thin that she still felt like she wore nothing at all. Why bother, she wondered.

"I don't like it."

"It's not for you to wear out there," Chanda informed her with a nervous laugh. "This is so I can get an accurate measurement without you having to stand around without any clothing."

"Oh." Ebony paused for a moment then said again, "I don't like it. My legs feel strange, and this won't provide any protection from plants."

"Well within the city we don't have to worry about that," Chanda said absently as she circled Ebony. "Our concerns are insects and heat. Our clothes are made of a material similar to what you're wearing now."

"Your caravans don't wear things this light."

Chanda began taking measurements. "Because they're going out where they need the heavier material."

The other women in the room remained absolutely silent. Dumbfounded by the strange girl who didn't seem to understand anything.

"I think green would suit you," the tailor finally decided, once she'd taken the last measurement. She walked over to the shelves and pulled down a pre-made shirt and skirt that were a bold jungle green. "With a light blue sari."

"What are those for?"

"For you to wear. I'll have to make your other clothes and have them delivered to you."

Ebony eyed the skirt with uncertainty. She'd never wore a skirt before and wasn't entirely sure she wanted to start now. It didn't look very practical, and if this dress was any indication, they would feel strange to her.

"Well, I'll be going back to the jungle. Shouldn't I get clothes like the caravans have?"

The women in the room look scandalized.

"Women do not wear pants," the woman with the honey toned eyes said as if Ebony had told them a troll was attacking.

"Why? They're much more practical."

"Because..." The woman sputtered a little. "Because we just don't. Only men wear pants."

Ebony felt her spine stiffen. Did this human think she would follow their customs? Out of spite, she turned to Chanda and said, "I want pants like the commander wears."

There was more sputtering from the honey-eyed woman, but Ebony ignored her. Inwardly, she was laughing at the woman's reaction.

Chanda could see that Ebony was determined, so she put the skirt back. She walked over and selected white pants that were the size she used for boys around fourteen years old. According to her measurements, they would fit Ebony.

"Here," Chanda held them out to her. Once Ebony had the pants in hand, she pointed to a curtained off section of the shop. Remembering Ebony's lack of modesty, she specified, "Go behind that curtain and try these on with the shirt. Do you know how to put on a sari?"

Ebony shook her head. Usually, mothers were the ones who taught their daughters such things, but her mother had died when she'd been five. Her father hadn't bothered showing her mostly because he hadn't concerned himself with such things. He was grooming her to be his heir, not some man's wife.

"Well, I'll show you as soon as you have these on."

The Jungle Witch walked behind the curtain and changed out of the dressing gown. The shirt and pants were both made of a very thin cotton, which did help her feel cooler than she had. They were cleaner and felt much more comfortable. She stretched a little, making sure she could move freely. Deciding that the clothes weren't too bad, she stepped out.

The first thing she saw was that every woman in the room was staring at her in absolute horror. She sighed. They'd finally figured it out. She was surprised it took them this long considering her coloring and the confession she'd grown up in a jungle.

"You can't be the Jungle Witch," the honey-eyed woman nearly whimpered.

"I'm not a witch," Ebony snapped out. "Those are human and I, thank the gods, am not."

"But you are the daughter of Lord Bura Desai?" the woman insisted.

Ebony placed her hands on her hips. "I am."

The woman gaped for a moment before managing, "Why in the name of all the gods are you in Rivera?"

The tone and fear put Ebony's back up. "Buying clothes. Something wrong with that?"

Ebony's anger had everyone taking a step back, which only made her angrier. She scowled at them, which had them all running out the door like rats from a cat. To her surprise, Chanda stayed.

The seamstress watched the other women run out with resignation. Word of the Jungle Witch's presence would be all over the city within moments now.

Ebony shifted a little uncomfortably. She hadn't meant to cause any trouble really. It just sort of happened.

Chanda turned back to her. "Well, shall we finish?"

"I suppose." Ebony watched the woman curiously. "Why aren't you running?"

"Because I trust Abhay, and he wouldn't have left you here unattended if he believed you were a threat," Chanda answered as she picked up a light blue sari from the shelf.

The seamstress began putting the sari on Ebony with quick and efficient moves, As she did so, Chanda explained how to wrap the wide sash around her waist and then throw one end over her left shoulder so that it crossed over her heart.

The door opened and they looked over to see Abhay had returned. "I see you're finished with her."

"For now," Chanda replied. "The shirt and pants are a little loose on her, but I have the measurements, so the rest of her clothes will fit perfectly."

Naveen came in just behind Abhay and examined Ebony. "You look normal now."

She scowled at him. "And what did you expect? Horns and sharp teeth?"

Before he could answer, Abhay shot him a sharp look. Naveen looked away. He was already in trouble with his commander and he didn't want to make things worse by fighting with the Jungle Witch.

Abhay turned his attention back to Chanda. "Thank you for seeing to her."

"You're welcome, but I'm afraid my other customers figured out who she is," Chanda informed him in an apologetic tone.

"They were going to find out eventually." Abhay seemed a little troubled, but didn't comment any further. "I'll see to it that you get paid for your work with her."

"And, I'll make a few more sets of clothes for her and send them to the Mista manor."

He shook his head. "She's staying at the Southern Manor."

She seemed surprised by this. "Abhay, no one will deliver anything to that place."

The commander considered this for a moment then said, "I'll ask Jay Sharma to pick them up when they're finished."

"Alright." She turned to Ebony and bowed slightly. "It was nice to meet you, Lady Ebony."

"Just Ebony," the Jungle Witch insisted. "I don't care about the title or lands."

"As you wish."

Ebony jumped off the stool, satisfied when her clothes didn't hinder the movement or make her feel uncomfortable. Looking at Chanda, she asked, "How much is it?"

Chanda looked surprised, but said, "A silver coin."

Ebony reached into her purse and pulled one out. After hesitating a moment, she pulled out another. After all, Chanda hadn't run from her, and it wasn't like she was going to need this money for much longer.

When she turned back to Abhay, she found him smiling a little in amusement. So he knew that she was deliberately defying him by paying herself and was fine with it.

Abhay gestured for Ebony to come to him. Because she got what she had came for and being defiant wasn't getting a response, she complied.

Outside, Raj was still laying next to the shop with the three soldiers around him. A little farther down the road was a crowd of people staring at her. She stared back out of reflex. When she blinked, a few stepped back.

She sighed. "This is not going to go well."

Abhay merely led the way towards the alleyway across the road from them. Raj stood to follow with the three soldiers behind him. Abhay made a gesture for the soldiers to go while telling them to return to their regular duties.

The moment he dismissed the solders, the gawkers started whispering. Ebony could see them pointing at her and Raj out of the corner of her eye. She could just imagine what they were saying. Probably something like, 'murmur murmur...pitchforks and torches...murmur murmur...get the witch.'

The three soldiers put their fist to their hearts and snapped their boots together in a solute to Abhay before turning towards the city walls.

They stepped into the alleyways of the southern district. Some of the gawkers were standing just inside the alley. Abhay gestured for them to move saying, "Excuse us, please."

They moved for him, but kept their eyes on Ebony.

Deciding to keep the tension down, she stayed as far away from the humans as she could, keeping Abhay and Naveen between her and them.

"He's a well respected man, isn't he," she commented more to herself than Naveen. "The humans obey him easily."

"Of course he is," Naveen said in a mixture of admiration and excitement. "He's the one that saved the city from Lord Bura when he was only eighteen. I hope I can be half as great as he is one day."

Ebony made no comment. She doubted it had even occurred to Naveen that Lord Bura had been her father. The boy was too busy thinking of Abhay as the hero that freed the city from a demon.

She supposed that was true enough. Bura had been a good father, and she'd loved him, but that didn't change the fact that he had been a sadistic monster, especially towards the humans.

The walk back to her father's manor seemed a lot shorter than the trip out. Then again, she hadn't gotten lost this time.

"Hello again, Commander Abhay," Jay greeted when they came inside.

So Abhay had come here while she'd been in the tailor shop to retrieve Naveen, Ebony thought a little smugly. The commander must not have been happy when he found out Naveen had let her out of his sight.

"I have dinner ready if you want to join us, Commander?" Jay offered.

Ebony was almost positive that it was supposed to be her job to make or, as she would have really done, not make that kind of offer. This was supposed to be her house, and she was technically the Lady of the Southern District. Then again, it wasn't like anyone here wanted her to take over any of those responsibilities. Even she didn't want that.

"I think I will stay," Abhay replied. "Thank you."

Dinner was quiet as everyone kept trying to avoid any difficult conversation. The thoughts jumbled in Ebony's head kept circling around to her feelings towards Abhay. She wasn't particularly fond of not being sure of herself.

When he stood and bid them all good-bye, she followed him out. It was time a few things were settled between them. If for nothing more than her own peace of mind, she had to talk to him.

He must have known what she wanted because he was waiting for her outside. "What's on your mind young wizard?"

He just kept surprising her.

"I..." Here was where she ran into her first problem. Although she wanted to talk to him, she wasn't sure what she wanted to say. She raked frustrated fingers through her hair. "I'm not sure what to say."

"Then may I say something?"

"Sure," she agreed a little unsure of what was coming.

He seemed uncomfortable now as his weight shifted from foot to foot. His eyes darted away from her. If she didn't know better, she would have sworn he was ashamed. This honorable man with the respect of an entire city was acting ashamed of something.

"The night I killed your father, I saw you in the window. I regret letting you witness that night." He met her eyes now. "Then after your father was gone, the city drove you out without remorse or sympathy. You were only an innocent child that didn't deserve the treatment you received from them. I understand you have reason to hate them." Almost as an afterthought, he added, "And me."

Ebony looked up at the star covered sky as she came to terms with what was bothering her about Abhay. "I think I should hate you. He was my father and never failed to make sure I was happy." She returned her gaze to him. "Despite that, I don't hate you. Because to everyone else, he was Lord Bura. Cold. Cruel. Evil. I admitted to myself a long time ago that my father deserved what happened to him."

Her tone took a hateful turn as she added, "As for the villagers and their treatment of me, I do hate them, but as I remember it, you weren't there for that." She softened again. "You were in the infirmary in Chesed's Temple recovering from a wound my father gave you."

"A severe burn," he supplied, placing a hand over his right shoulder. "I would have stopped them from forcing you out of your home if I'd been able."

"I believe you." She thought for a moment before deciding that this was enough for now. Ebony gave him a small, almost hesitant smile. "Have a good night, Commander Abhay."

The moment she stepped inside, Naveen was there and snarling. "You got me into trouble. Why did you just vanish like that?"

Her temper rose to the occasion. "Because the last thing I want is to walk around the city with someone glaring or cowering every time I so much as sneeze."

The argument only went downhill from there.

When she caught herself thinking about turning him into something, she stormed up the stairs. If she didn't leave, she might do something she'd regret later. She was determined that she would not become another Bura.

She clenched her fists. The nerve of that boy. She was here despite what she wanted, to help his miserable family. Did he think she wanted this?

A glanced out the window told her the sun was setting now. That argument lasted longer than she thought. Better get some sleep, she told herself. She took off her new clothes and climbed into bed. Things would seem better in the morning.