Chapter 02 - Jassira

Up the hills near the waterfalls, there was a tall and dark body lying on the grass. Her golden heirloom shined at the contact of the sun while her body shivered because of the cold breeze coming from the ocean. The female figure exhale deeply and smiled, it was Jassira. She opened her eyes revealing their grey color comparable to a heavy fog in the cold morning.

As she got up, she removed her bun releasing her long locks only for them to fall on her back. She polished off her outfit and stretch all of her body. Jassira then grabbed her spear and proceeded to descend off the hill with a large smile on her face. She was happy, yesterday as she meditated on the full moon, she was visited by her grandmother Mali who passed away three wintering ago.

Ever since then, Jassira has been coming to this very hill every full moon. This was the last place she saw her grandmother alive, the young woman believes the spirit of Mali roams there.

A few minutes passed and she arrived near the house where she grew up. First she would take an empty bucket and fill it in the well before taking it to Yaya, her pure-blood horse. She then put hay in the horse’s basin and while he would eat and drink, she brushed him. The horse was dark as the night on a moonless evening. Yaya was a gift from her father after Mali die. He is from the kingdom of Agra, the land of sand. He was brought to Bissalih by the Malik of Agra along with many others presents for the Gaïndé. The Malik is to Agra, what the Gaïndé is to Bissalih: the king.

By the time she was done, the sun had completely risen. She decides to go and train for a while with her spear. A spear that belong to Mali. The spear was made of a giant sequoia, the strongest tree on earth. It is almost unbreakable.

Jassira biggest dream is to tap into her powers and use the power of the golden spear. The bracelet she wears is the source of a divine powers. Once a Nilam activate her power, the bracelet becomes a continuation of their body, a weapon to protect them and the others. The power of the bracelet is immense and even though the bracelet was made out of good, it doesn’t mean it can’t be used do to evil.

There was one time in life where a Nilam was corrupted and her powers were used for evil. She was called the Reid: Nilam of blood. It was centuries ago, during the time of the ancient kingdoms.

She earned this title by brutally killing hundreds of men and women, destroying entire villages, massacring relentlessly innocent people…all by herself. Reid made humanity lose faith in the Nilam. When she was finally freed and saw all the pain she had caused, Reid swore to restore her name and so she did until her last breath…

Later that day, Jassira decided to head for the city. But before going there, she went into her food storage and pick up a few fruits, vegetables and herbs. She then took water from the well and put it all in her horse. She walked next to Yaya while he was carrying all the weight. There was a small hut a few meters in front of them, covered by leaves and bushed. Jassira stopped in front of the hut and unloaded the goods from Yaya.

“Good morning Yuma” said Jassira bending down a little. It was a sign of respect.

“Good morning child…be blessed by the Gods”

Yuma was an old friend of Mali, even as a child she uses to bring her goods with Kouassi. She is one of the many reason why Jassira decided to live here and not in the city. Out of respect for Mali, she had to continue her legacy. Yuma’s son lives in the city with his wife and children. Many times he asked her mother to come in the city but Yuma always refused to leave the forest. The elderly woman always had a special connection with the forest, and she is connected to it, as if they were one.

“Give me your hands child” she ordered

Jassira sat on her knee and closed her eyes before she gave both of her hands to Yuma who was praying for her. While Yuma was chanting, Jassira felt a strange and peaceful aura around her.

“Soon, very soon your journey will begin. It won’t be easy, you will have to face many challenges, difficult choices, the burden will be heavy…But only you can carry it.

Jassira carefully listened to all of the words that came out of Yuma’s mouth. She kept repeating it in her mind over and over again until Yuma let go of her hand. This was both exciting and scary for her. She knew her destiny as a Nilam would not be easy and she was ready to face anything. Jassira got up with a smile and after thanking Yuma for her blessing, she got on Yaya and continued her journey to the city.

“Tk tk, come on Yaya”

The majestic gates at the entry of the city always fascinates her. Bissa is a very well-guarded city. Near the entry there are houses, crops and strong man and woman working the lands. The gates are guarded by the strongest guards, some are in the grounds and others on the walls. As soon as Jassira step one foot in the city, she felt the livelihood of it. The merchants bargaining with the buyers, the children’s running around the city full of life and joy, the delicious smell of food coming from houses. The wealthy one showing off their good while surrounded by their guards, great minds debating. Bissalih truly was a lovely city.

Jassira stopped in a large house with two guards in front of it. “Jassira! always a pleasure to see you, let me take that for you” said a man coming out of the house. He was one of the many dagam in this house, his name was Iduramy.

“Thank you Iduramy” said the young woman descending from her horse. She caressed Yaya before leaving him in the hands of her father’s dagam.

Jassira took a deep breath before entering in the house. She already knew what her father was going to say. They have been fighting over the same thing for years now.

Jassira's father's house was made entirely of hardened red clay, the design secret of which belonged to the tribe of the Hajamee man.

The house is divided in three main areas, the entrance, composed of a porch, the courtyard and the living area. The living area is composed of different rooms and decorated with objects that the Tumani had brought from his numerous diplomatic journey’s. When entered the house, the first think one see is a giant staircase which leads to several rooms upstairs, amoung them Tumani’s office.

While looking for her father, Jassira encountered her step mother Banna and her little sister Tamee.

“Ah child! You haven’t visited in a while” said Banna hugging Jassira

“I know, I’m sorry Banna” apologized Jassira

Banna held Jassira’s face and smile, you could see in her eyes that she cared deeply for the young woman. Jassira and Banna had a pretty rocky start. When Mali die after her sixteen birthday, she came to live with them. It was a very difficult time for Jassira and she did not want any help coming from Banna or her father. Two years later Jassira decided she was old enough to live in Mali’s home in her own. After battling with her father for month, he decided to let her go. He knew her daughter was too stubborn to give up that easily. Although he still hopes Jassira will get back to her senses.

“Hi Tamee” said Jassira to her little sister

Tamee was a little bit mad with her sister because she promised to visit more but she hasn’t seen her in weeks.

“I know you are mad, how about I take you to the river later with the other kids” proposed Jassira

Tamee smile and hugged her sister. “Don’t break your promise this time” she added

“Your father is in his office” said Banna before Jassira asked. She smiles to thank her and continued her march.

Tumani, the father, was on the first floor, the second door on the left. While walking on the stair, Jassira took a deep breath to get ready, she knew she was going to argue with her father again. She knocked on the door and a few seconds later, she was told to enter.

Tumani was sitting in his office, his eyes on the table reading papers and writing.

“Father” Jassira said entering

“Ya Sira” said her father, he is the only one who calls her that. The word “Ya” is used to call on a mother or grandmother. It is customary to name children after their grandmothers or mothers. Jassira was the name of Tumani’s grandmother from his father’s side. Thus him calling her Ya Sira meaning grandmother.

When Jassira entered, she looks at her left and saw Esi. Her father’s right hand. A girl he saved many years ago. But neither Jassira nor Banna trust her. She was standing in front of a window dressed in very revealing outfits and dark shades as always.

“Oh…Jassira always a pleasure to see you” Esi said without meaning a single word.

“I can’t say the same” retorted Jassira walking closer to her father with her hands on her chest. “What urgent matter were we to discuss father” she asked talking to her father

“You” he simply said putting his feather pen on the table.

“Me?”

“Yes, you. I hope now your good sense is return and you are ready to come home” Tumani said

Jassira scuffed “Father I haven’t lost my good sense, I will stay in Mali’s house, I will train and I will use my gift to help people in need”

“When are you going to give up on that nonsense? The world is at peace. The Järras aren’t trying to take over the world anymore. There is no fight left for you Ya Sira!” he said raising his voice “Give up that nonsense and come home, choose your own destiny”

“You mean the destiny you want for me” corrected Jassira “I will not give up on my promise to Mali, I will follow wherever my destiny leads me, father.”

Jassira left the room and stood in front of the staircase trying to calm her nerves. She remembered something Mali taught her to calm her mind. When in your mind you feel a storm coming, think about the river water, do you see how calm it is? Now feel the wind softy blowing on your skin. Watch the leaves dancing at the rhythm of the ocean. They are at sync and peaceful. Always keep your mind at peace like a calm ocean.

Jassira smiled and proceeded to walk down the stair where Tamee was waiting for her. Together, they walked around the city heading to the river and the children joined them as soon as they saw Jassira and Tamee. When they reached the river, there was other kids there and some woman. Jassira watch as the kids played for hours and when they were all tired, they sat around her and asked for a tale.

“A tale? you want a tale?”

When she was alive, Mali use to tell tales to Jassira and Kouassi each night. History in Nawari is written like other lands is written but it is also told and kept for generation and generations. The elderly are the guardian of knowledge and history. It’s a way to create a link between the elders and the youth.

“Lebon” said Jassira

“Libon” responded the kids in harmony

“Amon na fi” she continued

“ Dan na am” they responded

“Once upon a time…”

Dictionary

Dagam: means servant, the word is originally serer but is now used all around Daxaya.

Bracelet: the bracelet of Nile was a gift from Nadjior the Goddess of the sun.

Agra: Kingdom from Magreda: the land of sand.

Hajamee: specific tribe located in Bissalih only where only the man is initiated with the secrets of the tribe. Hajamee means those who create with their hands.

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