Labor of the heart: Part 1

So, it had been settled. The flute-like thing was a dart gun. It must have been designed in a way that it looked like a musical instrument unless it was not. It was a weapon, Apparently, an attractive and naïve one. But it could be exploited very easily to lay a great deal of destruction over someone. Jerua could not forget what had happened to him yesterday while inspecting this thing. He wanted to call the attention of Hinata over this matter but unfortunately, Hinata was not in his senses to think or take any action. He wanted to meet that strange girl again who had sharp understanding yet an appearance of a very confused girl. He wanted to know the opinion of the girl. He wanted to know the purpose of making this tool. He was also eager to know who would be designing such weapons. But that girl, nobody knew about her. She could be a nomad and Hinata could have asked her services for household, and she must be working in the castle. She would have joined the chores like a helper, cooker or cleaner there. He was constantly thinking and guessing about the details of the girl. Jerua thought that he would ask all the questions related to her once he would meet her.

He was descending to the valley where he could find the signs of new settlers. It was common for the travelers to come and stand by across the lands of Hinata. That's why Jerua was going there for his search of the girl. He did not see the girl before in the castle, neither knew the possible chance of such new hiring. Otherwise, Hinata would have informed him of any new modification in the list of workers. Down there, he saw people who were Bedouin. He was certain that he is going to find the girl here and this time he would ask her name, no matter what. He was now skimming the camps and cottages, was peeking a little into them as well. In the meantime, he saw her. She had a wool cloth in her hands and she was leaving some needle impression over it. She had been sitting inside a dull white cottage. Things were scattered around her. She had clothes of various colors, some jewels, some dry flowers, a sewing box. He desperately called her when he got at an angle directly to the sight of the girl:

"Oye! You, the girl-with-herb, come here!!!"

She shook badly on this sudden attack of loud and cacophonous voice. She saw directly towards him and colors of familiarity spread all over her face. She came straight out of the cottage towards him. She even left her cloth and needle on the ground, while rushing outside and said obediently:

"Yes, how do you feel?"

Jerua did not reply and asked her hurriedly;

"I would like to know your name instead, what is it?"

The girl was very surprised and she said after a brief pause:

"My father calls me Chika."

"Jerua liked the name, short and easy to pronounce. It seemed to him that this Chika girl could be called out in the moment of crisis. She was a savior and a protector.

"Ok Chika, I want to discuss the nuances of all the details of what happened yesterday." He took a quick breath and went on;

"It seems like somebody must have implanted that weapon on purpose" jerua shared her doubts

"and I'm sure that it was not me who was the target" his eyes spread with fear and excitement.

"But we need to find the person who could be a potential victim, right?" he wanted reassurance.

"What do you think, what have you got on the topic?" asked Jerua.

Chika was absorbed into the same thought. She did not reply at first but when Jerua stroke a low blow over her head, she became attentive as an owl and said;

"What make you think that the weapon was implanted there?" she asked wisely.

"As you know, by the nature of the weapon it is not the one to be planted but to be hit somebody with it." She said.

Jerua did not understand what she was saying. He asked

"I don't get you, what do you mean?" Jerua was about to start an argue but was interrupted by Chika;

'let me make you understand the very design of the object we are so indulged into knowing."

Jerua shook his shoulders as if he was saying "ok, you are the intellectual one here" and followed Chicka towards a broad tree; she had a lump of black coal in her hands and wanted to draw the whole geometry and the built of the weapon. Jerua followed her as if he was meant to be. They developed a very mysterious bond that was adventurous and intimate in every sense.

While she was drawing the intricate pattern over the tree stem, she was interrupted by an elderly woman. She asked her to rush towards the castle as someone needed her help there. Someone was in trouble and Jerua was passing his time with this highly-abled girl. it appeared so odd to him and at the same time, he felt so irresponsible that he has completely forgotten Hinata who was the sole reason for his life in this bizarre place. Chika seemed very troubled by the unexpected intrusion of the woman. That woman called her again when she did not respond. Chika almost yelled at her:

"Ok woman! Do not create mess here. I will go when I wanted to go." That woman was not sparing her from arguing, she went this time in a very inappropriate tone:

"What do you think of yourself that you are a princess of this place, I'm telling you to go there and do some work, otherwise you are going to starve your little siblings?"

Her tone was acerbic and authoritative this time. Chika could not stay there any longer, holding the coal chalk in her hands. She dropped the coal with anger and started moving towards acclivity