Team of Seven Heroes Shorts Tales 2; Chapter 9 & 10

9.

“Tarzan, why did you leave us?” The Lord of the Apes stood on the root of the huge African tree with his back against the trunk. He was watching the group of white men who had offered to bring medicine to the village there. They have come to him for assistance; it was not an easy trail that they sought. The trail into the deep jungle where the sunlight may not be seen and the undergrowth were the hideouts of the slithering reptiles which their fangs carried venoms. Tarzan would had refused them but they bear the letter by the Empire stating their intentions. He obliged when Jane pestered him for over two days.

“Huh?” Tarzan looked to the one who asked him the question. It was not any warrior but the Queen of the Jungle. Tarzan had met Sheena a few times but he had never really talked to her. He was the Lord of the Apes, and yet many had said that he was the King of the Jungle. Like the predators that ruled that the land there, they have their defined boundaries to avoid any clashes. Tarzan had his boundaries where the tree grew tall and the vines formed its arms. He had shunned the flat land where Sheena held her own boundaries although there were some deep jungles within her boundaries.

“I did not….” Tarzan rebutted his departure.

“Yes, you did. I was told that you left for a faraway land. You went back to the land of your birth. You wore their clothes and walked like them.” Sheena imitated the walk with the upright shoulders. “You were gone long.”

Tarzan kept silence over it. He did when Jane asked him to return to London. She has news of his inheritance and wanted to claim it.

“I want to be a Ladyship. I will live in a huge castle and …… we can have a bug family. Like five ….no, I think two will be sufficient.” Jane had mocked him then.

“Ten will do. You are not Ape.” The apes bred after two years apart on birth but the young ones may cling to the female for over four years.

Soon, Tarzan was on his voyage to London and there he stayed for a few years to be the civilised man and eventually the civilised Lord of the Greystokes estate. It was a miserable period then where he had to shed his savage outlook and be the gentleman of the society. He had few friends; true ones were rarer but he had Jane. She was at his side most times and if not, there was Meriam and the Professor. Their stay soon came to an end one evening at dinner when the Professor saw the misery of the once savage. He suggested they go back to Africa where he was also bound then. They made it back but there were other occasions that the skills of his was called on to assist in some exotic lands. He was fine with that if Jane was with him. Whenever he was back, Tarzan will discard his London ego for the one he had grown up in.

Tarzan had friends like Sheena although they hardly meet but he liked her. She was his epitome of the perfect woman for him but his heart was taken by Jane. He had on few occasions felt the heat between them but each time, Sheena had shunned him or left the place. Soon he felt with his adopted civility, he decided that the boundary of the jungle was also to be the boundary of their feelings.

Until then.

“Sheena….!” Tarzan sat up on the bedding with the sweats on his body. He had a dream of her. He was with her at the tree trunk. She was seated on the root and had asked him why he left. He was reluctant to reply and then the shot came. Sheena fell over with the wound in the back of her head.

“Lie back, Lord. You are unwell.” The set of hands that assisted Tarzan to recline back then helped to reset the bandages. Tarzan looked the one who was doing the bandages. It was a local village lady. She looked young with her hair cropped and was dressed in the wrap around that covered her lower body. Her upper body was covered by the necklaces of colourful beads that partially covered her budding breasts.

“Who are you? How did you… What did you call me?”

“I am Ulundi, the daughter of Chief Tahiru of the Azhare.” The young lady replied. “Even to our village, we have heard of the white warrior who once lived with the apes. He who fights for all of us for the survival of the jungle. You are him and your name is Tarzan but I am young. For that I will call you Lord for respect.”

“I ….” Tarzan was cut off by the lady who dressed up his wound.

“Do not speak. Lord. I am helping to nurture you with the herbs and food.” Ulundi dabbed on the herbs to let the body recover.”

“How long have I lain here?”

“Over a day and two nights.” Ulundi replied. “You are hurt and can’t be moved.”

Tarzan have heard of the Azhare. They are a tribe in the jungle and was just inside the Sheena’ boundary. He felt then that he may be able to contact Sheena.

“Ulundi, find me the Queen. Sheena.” Tarzan told the young lady. “Tell her Tarzan seek her. I want her to find my ... friend, Jane.”

“Rest, Lord. All will be well soon.” Tarzan then felt his mind slipping into sleep with the lady hands healing him.

The healers will hard at work that time in the jungle with many wounded one brought to them. One was a lady who was mauled by the predator.

“Where am I?” Jane asked from her bedding. She had woken up several times but the pain on her body had made her weak. She knew she was in a hut and was treated for her wounds. Her clothes were removed and the wounds were bandaged. She knew it was a major risk but if it works, Sheen will be by bedside soon. She then saw the approaching lady in the wraparound on the lower body. The lady was an elderly one with the head wrapped with the thick cloth to form a turban. She had on her upper body the necklaces of bones and shells/ It denotes her as a healer or in some other understanding the witch. She was followed by a younger lady who was similarly dressed but without the turban.

“Where…. Who …” Jane asked out weakly in the African language. The elderly lady ignored her and leaned over to check the wounds. The lady assured to herself that her patient was recovering with the wounds showing signs of healing. Jane reached to hold the elderly lady’s arm.

“Where am I?”

“You are in the care of Mother Jules. The others found you in the trail. You were hurt.” The young one explained. “You are with the Azhare people.”

“Who are you?”

“I am Mili and this is my mother, Mother Jules.” The young lady replied/ “Who are you?”

“I am Lady Ja…. No, I am Mamie Jane. I am from the Waziri land. I seek the Queen. Sheena.” Lady Jane told the young lady. “I need to find her.”

“The Queen is not here. She is where she wants to be and I don’t know how to find her.” Mili replied.

“Mamie Jane…” The elder one called out. “Mamie…”

“Yes, I am Mamie Jane. I want to find Sheena.” Jane looked at the healer. “Tell me, where is she?”

The elderly lady stood up and then stepped out. The younger one followed close behind Jane alone. Jane tried to move but her body ached. She regretted her action and tried to rest.

Trying to rest was what Doctor Schmidt had in mind, but the ride into the jungle was not an easy one after his short stopover at the airfield. He was astride the horse with his twelve men expedition then, all armed and ready for action. Ahmad Nijim had brought his own men; five of them also on horseback. They have ridden for half a day before the officer in charge of the German Expedition; Hauptman Ernest Damen who was trained by the best in the German Empire. He was an elderly figure but his fine cut in the physique spoke of half his age group. He was armed unlike the others with the Mauser 98 cradled on his right arm, and the Luger in the waist belt. He held another in his rear waist for the urgent need.

“Corporal Steiner, tell the men to be on alert. We are on enemy territory.” Hauptman Damen called the order. “And you will guard Doctor Schmidt like your own mother.”

“Hauptman, I disliked my mother. Can he be my lover? I will then protect him better.”

“Insolence, Corporal. That will get you into trouble.” Doctor Schmidt overheard the Corporal. “However, I will gladly accommodate you anytime. After all, we have some days to know each other. Till death do we part.”

10.

Sheena sat crossed legged with the elders in the hut. Mutale was there too but he was no elder. He like her were invited in to talk with the elders. It was to do with the attack by the white men.

“Queen, we have no ….” The Chief of the three Elders voiced out. He was a man of over nine decades. His frame was crooked by the bad bones and diet of fruits and berries. It was those he could consumed but his mind was still sharp. He avoided looking at the Queen parted legs for he felt no emotions towards it.

“You lie, old man. I am not in the mood for nice words and lies.” Sheena glared at the elder. She knew he was lying. The white men will not come there for food and drinks. They were there for a reason.

“I have nothing to lie, Queen. I may not last the next hot season. I tell you the truth.” The elderly man replied. “I know if they have met someone besides us.”

“We heard of ….” Mutale was cut off by the Queen.

“I want to hear from them. I want to know why the Azhare people have not reconciled …. I meant settle their difference. You are still divided. Why? That will be second question. Now my first, who met the white men?”

“They came some moons back and met the healers. They did not see us and when we knew they left in a hurry.”

“Who was them they meet?” Sheena asked.

“Migun the Healer. He was the one.” The elder one mentioned the name. “Migun is old and knows a lot. His father and father before that, to the father twenty generations before that one. He was handed secrets by them and he won’t even share with us. He is a … loner. He met them but we don’t know what he told them. He died soon after the meeting.”

“So, you know. Tell who was Migun with?” Sheena pressed on.

“Another white man. A bwana. One named Hans. He is African. Born and….”

“I know the name. He is Hans Pieter, game hunter and killer. He deals with the worse. He…” Mutale was cut off one more by Sheena.

“What does he want? Or know? The Zalman Treasures.” Zalman was the other name known to Solomon. The King Solomon who once was with Sheba of Africa. She was the one that ruled most of Africa and was the true Queen. She provided him treasures to him and yet he was already laden with it in his own kingdom. He however gave the Queen a son. One that was to rule as King Menelik of Somalia.

“The Zalman treasures does not exist. Like the Solomon treasures. They are all myths. Children tales to give them hope. And at times despairs.” Sheena added in. “Why won’t they give up?”

“Queen, we live on hope. And with hope, we asked the Gods for their prayers.” The elder one replied. “They too lived on hope. On our land.”

“Then I will find the hunter. He will speak to me.” Sheena voiced her intention.

“Before you do that, there was a message for you. A lady was seen wounded. A white lady. One that you may know. She is Lady Jane or Mamie Jane.” The Elder voiced out. “She is with us and not with us. She is with the outcasts. She is with the healer Mother Jules.”

“Lady…Mamie Jane here. How was it I was not told earlier.” Sheena raised the ruckus there.

“The Azhare are not of one and we are far from you. You happened to be here once in what two seasons each round. We last saw you in the wet season. Now you are back.” Mutale spoke for the people of his.

“I am the …. Bad one now.” Sheena laughed. “I will leave now. I have to see another lady like me. One that may have hair like mine.”

Sheena uncrossed her legs and then stood up. She turned to leave but stopped at the doorway. She turned to Mutale

.

“They will come back.” Sheena cautioned him. “Be prepared for I will not be around.”

Doctor Schmidt was told the news on the fate of his missing expeditions. The messages in the jungle came from the drums and they travelled far and fast. He was not furious but upset that it happened. The part he disliked was they were done by the only two persons he feared; Tarzan and Sheena. The later was to be their target but it was going awry which he was why he was there. He was going to put it right.

“I hear the Queen was the one who attacked them.” Ahmad was quick to get his information. He either tortured it out of you or drugged you in opium. “Do we find her and then continue on?”

“No, we will move on with our task. She will come to us eventually.” Doctor Schmidt replied. “If she is seen, kill her. Be careful the one named the Lord of the Apes may be nearby. Kill him too.”

Unfortunately for the doctor, Tarzan had recovered to move. He was still bandaged but he could run. He could not swing but he could shoot an arrow. He had to find Sheena then. He was in her land. He had learned the possible reason for Jane’s problem. He will help her but he must warn Sheena.

It was his duty to do so. As one does it for their lovers.

Or would be lovers too.

Either one gets hurt, Tarzan will be hurt too.

Jane was better and able to move despite the pains she felt on her arms. She took to the first walk into the jungle at dawn. They kept her rifle which was what she used a crutch. She saw the village where she was interned was a small one by the stream. The hut she occupied was the biggest among the dozen huts. They are Azhare; their markings but there were some differences. There was no Elders there. It may be a new settlement.

Or a new cut off. She heard of these settlements. They were not of the tribe anymore. They were removed. Or left for it.

Jane knew she may not find the Queen here. She has to move on. She has to retrieve the other guns. She will then try another village.

“You need help, Mamie Jane. Mother Jules told me to help.” It was Mili. “I can help. I know where Sheena may be at now.”

Jane knew she needed it even it was from a child.

A child in Africa learned to grow fast.

Jane learned to adapt faster. It was Africa who made them learn.