17. Safiya's Determination.

Safiya let out a deep sigh, feeling a wave of emotions wash over her. In moments like this, when she felt insecure and questioned herself, she couldn't help but feel a sense of frustration. She knew better than to engage in battles with anyone, especially when she was already feeling vulnerable.

"Turn around, don't make me wait," the voice repeated, sending a chill down Safiya's spine. The tone sounded strangely familiar, yet she couldn't quite place where she had heard it before.

Slowly, Safiya turned, clutching tightly onto her sword. Even though she felt vulnerable, she wouldn't let anyone think of murdering her, not now at least when she still had a mission to accomplish.

She started turning carefully since the sword was still at her throat. Is Malik back for his duel like he said? This wasn't Malik's voice. Wait, how did she even recognize his voice?

As Safiya turned and caught sight of who stood in front of her, a sigh escaped her lips. "Ahmed, seriously?" she exclaimed.

Ahmed laughed and took a step back, retrieving his sword. "You should see yourself, Safiya. You were so tense! It was priceless. That's rare - I haven't seen you looking like that."

Safiya watched Ahmed and shook her head. He sheathed his sword back into its position. Ahmed, though not much taller than her, had well-cut short hair and a perpetually smiling face with beaming eyes. He wore a warrior's skirt and carried a cloth bag over his shoulder.

Safiya had known Ahmed since they were children. He used to come and play around, often warning her about the dangers of wielding a sword, especially for a lady like her. But after a lot of persuading, and her refusal to listen, he decided to let it go and eventually even joined her in training.

He was also the person who helped Safiya gather information to aid her in her quest for revenge. Ahmed was her secret companion, always there to lend a helping hand.

"No tricks on me, Ahmed. It wasn't funny," she said, turning her back to gaze at the tranquil water.

"It was supposed to be funny, Safiya. It was a joke," he replied, standing next to her. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," she replied firmly, avoiding eye contact with him.

"You can fool everyone in this world, Safiya, but not me," he said, reaching into his back and pulling out two mangos. "So tell me, what's eating you up and draining you completely? Did you notice how you almost let your guard down when I pointed the sword at you? It was meant to be playful, hoping you would turn abruptly, and our swords would..."

"Argh... Ahmed, please," Safiya interrupted, frustration evident in her voice.

But Ahmed feigned ignorance, a playful smile on his face as he munched on one of the mangoes. "Well, I was hoping our swords would clash and we might, you know..." He extended the other mango towards her. "Here, eat this."

Safiya took the mango, her words laced with warning as she spoke in between bites. "You should be grateful that I wasn't in my usual form. If I had been, it wouldn't have been a clash of swords, but the sight of your head rolling on the ground."

Ahmed's eyes widened in horror as he absentmindedly touched his head and neck. "My head, my precious head!"

Shaking her head at his exaggerated reaction, Safiya started walking, with Ahmed trailing behind her. "You can try all you want, but trust me, this head is securely attached to my body. Even in death, it will remain intact. What a gruesome way to meet one's end."

He noticed her being quiet and his tone softened. "Fiya, will you at least tell me what's eating you up? ."

Safiya threw the mango, her face tightening. "The mango is spoiled. Why?"

"Oh, the men at the village square wouldn't let me pluck it, so I picked it on the ground" he said nonchalantly.

"For someone wielding a sword, you certainly know how to surprise me," Safiya responded.

"But, but mine isn't spoiled," he tried to interject.

"Then you decided to give me the spoiled one? Hmm, Ahmed?" Safiya questioned.

"I have more in my bag if you-"

"I'm not hungry," Safiya interrupted.

Ahmed frowned, threw his mango as well, and caught her hand. "Tell me, Safiya. I'm your friend. You can always talk to me. I know how difficult it is for you to open up. In fact, I know you hardly open up to anyone except Meka, and I respect that. Even though I can read you like a book, you know you can always tell me anything. As a friend, I'm always ready to listen."

Safiya smiled at him. "For a friend, you sure do talk too much."

He smiled back. "And that's why I'm your friend."

They sat on a hill overlooking Dakar, feeling the grass tickling their skin as they gazed up at the night sky. The stars twinkled like tiny white dots, painting a mesmerizing scene above them.

The moon cast its brilliance, illuminating the landscape below, bathing the roofs of the many buildings in a soft glow. From their vantage point, they could clearly see the grand gates of the palace and the expanse of its impressive roof.

Safiya turned to Ahmed and asked, "So, what have you discovered?"

Ahmed pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Unfortunately, I haven't come across much. It seems the king has not been traveling or meeting anyone lately. I don't believe he currently has anyone working closely with him."

"There has to be someone," Safiya insisted, her frustration evident in her voice. "You just haven't found out yet."

Ahmed sighed and replied, "Well, if there is someone, I would have discovered it by now. Maybe it's not the king that-"

"No," Safiya interrupted, her voice firm. "It has to be him. There is no one else but him. Perhaps you should dig deeper in your research, try harder. There must be something."

Ahmed shook his head, feeling a sense of defeat. "You have no idea how challenging it was to obtain this information. It's going to be even more difficult to uncover anything else."

Safiya remained silent for a while, deep in thought. Then, a sudden realization seemed to dawn on her, and a light bulb appeared figuratively above her head. "Amara," she said, her voice filled with excitement.

"What?" Ahmed asked, not having heard Safiya clearly.

Safiya stood up, her gaze fixed on the palace gate. "We could use Amara as a means to gather information," she explained, her voice now filled with determination.