The Blood-stained Belt Read Online Free

sensational aspects of the
national saga. For instance, eyes shining, he would tell us about
the sandstorm that Zabrazal raised in the desert to annihilate the
pursuing Usserdite army when the People of Keirine escaped from
slavery. Or, with the same bright-eyed enthusiasm, he would tell us
about the various kings and their armies that our ancestors
annihilated when they took possession of the hill country that
became the heartland of Keirine. Also, to illustrate the rigorous
standards that Zabrazal set for his people, Aggam would relate how,
during the Great Retreat, the whole nation was infected with warts
because one of the generals misread the omens before a battle.
    To Aggam,
stories like these were evidence of the divine favour of Zabrazal.
To me, however, they provided different lessons. The first lesson
was that Zabrazal favoured soldiers with strong arms. For sure, I
never heard of Zabrazal bestowing his favours on simple people like
weavers, shepherds, housewives, or carpenters. The second lesson
was that in dealing with an exacting god like Zabrazal, it was best
to keep my nose clean, cover my tracks, and keep a low profile.
Hopefully, by so doing I would escape Zabrazal’s attention. Then
some day, as a man amongst men, when I wielded a sword in the
service of Keirine I would step forward and catch Zabrazal’s eye.
Until then, caution would be my watchword. Mainly for that reason,
I agreed with Sharma that we wouldn't tell anyone about our clash
with the Dornite rustlers.
    On the
outskirts of Osicedi, we met my brother, Abozi, who was pulling a
handcart to the rubbish dump. When he saw us, he let out a holler
and ran up the hillside to greet us. Breathlessly, he asked, 'Where
have you been?'
    I was about to
reply when Sharma put a hand on my arm and said smoothly, 'One of
the sheep got lost. It took us so long to find it that we had to
stay out an extra night.'
    Abozi looked
disappointed when he asked, 'Is that all?' Then he brightened and
told me with lugubrious satisfaction, 'You're in trouble.'
    'Trouble?
Why?'
    'Because mother
says she's sick with worry and father says he'll take the strap to
you for making mother sick with worry.'
    Sharma asked
calmly, 'And what about you, Abozi? How do you feel?''
    'Me? Oh, I have
no problems! What's the use of worrying? Either the two of you are
all right, or you're not all right. If you're all right, that's
good. If you're not all right -- well, what can worrying do about
it?'
    As so often, I
couldn't help laughing out loud at Abozi's phlegmatic temperament.
I asked, 'So it doesn't matter whether we're all right or not all
right? It's all the same, is it?'
    Abozi looked at
me as if he wondered about my sanity and replied heatedly, 'Of
course it matters! You're my brother. Why should I want you to …
you know …?' His voice trailed off. I punched his arm lightly and
gave him a hug.
    As we walked
down the hillside, Abozi whispered, ‘Is it true what Sharma
said?'
    I never could
lie to Abozi. His nature was so plain and so direct that I always
felt guilty if I tried to deceive him. What was more, if he found
out that I had deceived him I knew that he would shake his head in
sorrowful disbelief as if he had been struck by a source from which
he expected no harm. When he did that, it put a burning rod through
my soul. So, of course, I told him about our escapade. He nodded as
if my story confirmed his suspicions and said calmly, 'More than
ever, it’s good that you are safe.' I grinned, hearing my father's
tone and manner of expression in Abozi's words. Then, after a few
seconds, Abozi turned to me and said heatedly, 'That's the way to
treat the Dornites!’
    ‘You
reckon?’
    ‘They should
leave our things alone! They have their own territory and they
ought to stay there.' Now Abozi sounded so much like my father that
I burst out laughing. When I stopped laughing, I said, 'Don't tell
anyone. Keep it a secret. All right?'
    Abozi nodded in
reply.
    Within a few
seconds,