(Marva) Keef haalak, Faizah?
(Faizah) Kowayyesah, Marva.
(Marva) Laww Smahti? Actually,
Faizah, I don’t speak Arabic, so if you could indulge me by using
English, I’d appreciate it.
(Faizah giggles) Min fadlik.
No problem.
(Marva) You attend a small school run
by Master Wafai. How did you start school when you’re from a poor
family of low status?
(Faizah) Luck, I guess. When I was only
five, my mother was giving birth. The delivery was difficult, and my
mother was in great pain. My father sent my brother, Ali, to Master
Wafai. He came, of course, and helped ease my mother’s birth pangs.
Without him, she might have died. Unfortunately, my sister did not
survive.
(Marva) I’m sorry to hear that. But
you credit Master Wafai for saving your mother’s life. Is that what
got you interested in the medicine he practices?
(Faizah) Indeed. I watched closely as
he blended the pain killing mixture. Beid el djinn is the root
of the mandrake plant. It stifles pain and helps a person to sleep.
Too much, however, would kill. It’s the knowledge of which plants
to use and how much I wanted to learn. Master Wafai watched me
watching him. He asked my father’s permission for me to attend
school to learn the healing arts. My father saw the wisdom of his
daughter having this knowledge.
Laughs Of
course, he doesn’t know that Master Wafai also taught me to read
and write, mathematics, and some simple spells. Master Wafai says
that a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, which is why one
pursues as much knowledge as possible. It leaves off being dangerous
and, instead, becomes useful.
(Marva) Master
Wafai is wise. How about Bahaar and Harib, your friends? How did they
happen to go to Master Wafai’s school?
(Faizah) Bahaar was
sent by his brother, Sayid. Since they have no parents, Sayid must
leave the village for days at a time as he works for the caravan drivers. Being
a good brother, he sought to keep his hot-headed little brother out
of trouble by making him go to school. Harib’s father is wealthy,
but he comes to school mostly because Bahaar and I are his friends.
(Marva) Was there a turning point in your search for Wafai?
(Faizah) Absolutely. Anahita, the goddess of wisdom, appeared to me and told me I had to lead the boys against an evil enemy.
(Faizah) I'm certain Anahita gave me strength and courage, but I was also prepared by my life. As a farmer's daughter, I was no stranger to hard work in the fields and at home. As a student of Wafai, I learned about the world beyond my own village. So, strength from work and wisdom from learning were already with me. Anahita gave me the confidence.
(Marva) Now that
the adventures recounted in your book are through, what do you plan
to do with yourself?
(Faizah) Master
Wafai is staying with the Simurghs for awhile, so he encouraged me to
continue my studies of the healing arts at the Temple of Anahita in
Gamaal. After that, who knows?
(Marva) I wish you
the best. Finally, can you tell us about the day Master Wafai went
missing.
(Faizah) Perhaps
reading about it in the words you have put down in the book with my
name upon the cover is the best way to do that.
(Marva) Absolutely. Thanks for talking
to me today.
Excerpt:
One by one, they
stepped through the archway into the courtyard. The air hung heavy
with the heat, and only the hum of insects broke the silence. The
door into Wafai’s house hung open.
Faizah thought this strange. “He’d
not leave the door open. It lets in the heat.”
Bahaar glanced around the courtyard.
“You wait here. I’ll look.” He entered the house while the
other three gathered under the palm tree for whatever relief its
shade could provide. Faizah soon grew impatient; Bahaar was taking a
long time inside. She was just about to go in after him when he
appeared in the doorway.
“He’s not here, and everything’s
a mess!”
“Should we wait outside for him?”
Parvaiz asked. “What is the proper thing to do?”
“No, we can wait inside. He should be
back soon,” Faizah replied. Bahaar stepped aside as she walked
through the open door. Harib and Parvaiz followed close behind her.
“Goodness. It’s hotter in here than
outside,” Faizah said, fanning her face. “Close the door, Harib.
Maybe it will cool off some.”
Harib reached for the door string and
gave it a tug. The top hinge broke free, and the door slumped across
the opening.
Startled, Harib gasped, “Uh oh, I
didn’t mean to break it!”
Parvaiz examined the hinges. “You
didn’t. Someone already pulled the hinge right out of the wall.”
“Something’s definitely wrong
here,” Harib voiced what they were all thinking. Master Wafai
usually kept his home neat as a pin, but not today. Besides the
broken door, someone had scattered Wafai’s possessions on the
floor. The chair was askew from the table and the curtain partially
pulled back from the alcove where he had his bed.
Harib continued, “Maybe he had to
leave in a hurry. Maybe somebody got hurt or something.”
Faizah considered this and then
answered slowly, “Maybe.” She pointed toward the shelf. “But he
didn’t take his medicine bag. Let’s check with the neighbors.
It’s possible someone saw him leave.”
They filed out through the courtyard
and turned left into the lane. The inn three doors down showed the
only signs of activity, so they headed there. The public room was
dark and cool after the stifling heat outside. The four friends
clustered just inside the door while their eyes adjusted to the dim
light. Bahaar carefully latched the door behind them to keep out the
heat.
“What do you kids want?” Faluj, the
innkeeper asked when they entered.
Harib stepped forward to do the
talking. His father’s status in the village guaranteed Faluj would
pay more attention to him than any of the others.
After salaaming to show his respect,
Harib told the innkeeper, “We’re looking for Master Wafai. We
were supposed to have lessons from him this afternoon, but he’s not
at home, and his door is broken. We’re worried. Do you know
anything?” he asked.
Faluj rubbed his stubbled chin for a
moment in thought. “There may be no connection, but some mountain
nomads came in here last night. I overheard one of them say their
chieftain’s son was sick.” He shrugged, “Maybe they wanted
Wafai to treat him.”
“Possibly,” Bahaar agreed, “but
it doesn’t look like he left voluntarily.”
“That’s right.” Faizah didn’t
try to hide the concern in her voice. “His medicine bag was still
on the shelf. He wouldn’t go to treat someone without his potions.”
The four exchanged worried glances.
There might be some innocent explanation for all of this, but it
didn’t look good. What could have happened to their teacher?
* * *
FAIZAH'S DESTINY
The gods are at war and only a
farmer’s daughter can save the world from Armageddon.
Blurb:
The village magician has gone missing.
His four pupils think he has left a clue to his whereabouts in the
Magicalis Bestialis--the book of magical creatures. They must seek
the help of the elusive Simurgh, the mythical birds who know all the
secrets of the universe.
However, this is not an easy camping
trip into the mountains. Spirits, gods, and demons confront the four
friends, who are not aware they’re being set up by otherworldly
forces for a much larger task.
A farmer’s daughter, Faizah is chosen
to lead the humans in the battle. She must persuade a slave, an
orphan, and a rich merchant’s son to join in the battle on the side
of good. Although divided by Dev, the evil god of war, the teens must
band together to find the Simurgh, rescue their teacher, and stave
off Armageddon.
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