Shahkhur

“You should be careful on nights of the full moon!” The old woman in dirty wool clothes, her cranky voice echoed as though she were a youth in her early years. She had gathered quite a crowd, both the elderly and the young, all eager to hear the stories she had for them tonight. “The beasts of the night are at their maximum strength. Even if you are inside, they might come in.”

“That crazy woman wouldn’t stop rambling, will she?” one of the men, who seemed to be a former spectator, said in irritation as he walked out of the crowd with his friend. “She is always saying the weirdest stories. Isn’t she supposed to be a shaman or something?”

“That’s the new business strategy, I tell you. Everyone is crazy these days,” the other one ranted bitterly in a raspy voice. “Can you believe people would buy those talismans? They look so fake.”

Leila brushed shoulders with them, and they stopped for a while, their eyes narrowing in anger.

“Hey, kid,” one of them snarled at her, making her stop abruptly, her heart pounding in her chest. “Watch where you are going!”

Leila froze for a moment and turned her head away from the pair of aggrieved older men, who seemed ready to start a fight. She adjusted her veil, making sure every part of her lower face was hidden.

“I am sorry,” she repeated, bowing her head as she scurried away. There was quite a crowd ahead; everyone was gathered around an older woman. She seemed to be a businesswoman.

Leila narrowed her eyes as she watched the elder woman. Her footsteps slowed and then stopped in front of the crowd. She clutched her basket closer to herself. From her clothing, Leila could tell the older woman was either a gypsy or a shaman.

“We have nothing to be afraid of,” one of the men said. “To protect us from those evil beasts, we have already purchased some sets of talismans.”

“Your weak talismans wouldn’t work on Shahkhur, the king of beasts,” the older woman said in a lighter voice. “And I am not just saying this because I want you to buy from me. Just a few days ago, the royal guards discovered the bodies of mutilated fishermen. What do you think happened to them?”

“They had a fight!” someone answered, and the old woman laughed.

“Of course, that’s what the king’s guard would tell you, to avoid internal conflict,” she continued in a lower voice. “But the royal physician has confirmed that the wounds might have been done by a huge, man-killing monster.”

“But the fishermen were found by the shoreline of the Laumpa River. That’s so many miles away from the evil forest.”

“It could be wolves or a wild cat,” another person added.

“Shahkhur will not remain in the evil forest forever. He will come outside one day to fulfill the prophecy,” she said. “Until then, the lively streets of Manchurin will be covered in the blood of our families.”

There was a terrified gasp among the people who had gathered. Some of the children present had already begun to cry, and their mothers covered their ears.

“As if that will help,” Leila muttered to herself. Her eyes darted back to the woman who seemed to be terrifying the people. The woman seemed to be a quack, but she was good at it.

“How can we then protect ourselves if the normal talisman doesn’t work?” one of the women in the crowd asked out loud. There was a small tremble in her voice, and every other person nodded in unison.

“Every family should buy the Moon Eye Stone amulet and talisman. It will ward off all evil from your homes,” she assured them. “Even Shahkhur, the king of evil, isn’t a match for this strong talisman.”

“I would like to buy some!”

And it soon became a riot. Leila shook her head and proceeded on her way. She glanced at the sky; it had a yellowish and reddish tint to it. The sun was setting, and it was estimated that tonight would be a full moon.

She didn’t need something like that to protect her. She could protect herself.

“You’re late, Leila!” Nasrin yelled as she opened the window for Leila. She helped the girl get into the room through the window. They had been waiting for her and had almost lost all hope that she wasn’t coming today.

“I am sorry,” Leila apologized as she loosened the veil that was hiding her face. Her black hair fell in waves behind her, and a small smile kissed her lips.

“I was worried you wouldn’t bring me my refill,” Nasrin complained, her thin eyebrows drawing together in worry. The panic was evident in her voice.

“And why would I do that?” Leila asked as she fumbled through her basket. “Due to the recent killings, there has been tight security on the village border, and it isn’t so easy for me to sneak in.” She answered, however, not including that she had stopped for a few minutes to listen to the old gypsy woman.

“Here it is,” she said, bringing out some small potion bottles. She had tagged each of the bottles with the names of her various customers.

“Why are you giving her that?” Sitara asked as she tried to take the potion out of Leila’s hands, but Leila quickly withdrew. “I asked first. You should give it to me.”

“There is no need to fight, big sister Sitara. There is enough for everyone,” she said. They both smiled, about to reach for the bottle again, when Leila withdrew once more, this time with a raised eyebrow.

Apart from the tight security, she had also come later on purpose, using the rush hour to her advantage. The customers were already flooding the halls of Manchurin, so the ladies must have been eager to look and smell their best.

They were in the red-light district of Manchurin. That’s because the only people who bought the fragrances and scented oils from Leila were courtesans.

“What are you doing?” they both exclaimed, and more of the women rushed toward them.

“I understand that I’m your little sister, and doing this might be a little disrespectful, but you owe me money from three nights ago.” Leila pouted, her eyelashes batting, and the women sighed, grumbling under their breath. “Sister Minoo, Sister Sitara, Sister Nasrin, Yazmin, and Shamar—you all owe me money,” Leila reported, pointing as she called them out.

“I needed to buy new kohl, that’s why I’m unable to pay. Nasrin and Minoo were going to buy a better anklet; the men love the sound of that,” Sitara explained, hoping they could get more time.

“I also need to buy medication. Have you all forgotten that my mother is sick?” Leila asked. For a moment, guilt etched onto the faces of the women, and they all dispersed, looking for their purses—some checking their pouches, others even checking their breasts for the money Leila was demanding.

Leila was a good child. She was very helpful, and she came around to help them with the laundry sometimes. And she never once discriminated against them, even though they were courtesans.

The other young ladies would spit at the sight of them and then raise their shoulders high.

Leila was the only one who spoke to them like they were human beings.

And they knew how much she worked for her family, especially her mother.

“I owe you 4 Takah. I will give you 10. You should get yourself something to eat after this,” Minoo said as she pulled out her string of coins tied to the edge of her dress.

Leila’s eyes widened in surprise and appreciation for her sisters. They had helped her way too much.

“What are you girls still doing here?” they heard a sharp voice. Leila quickly pulled on the veil she was wearing to cover her face again, but it was too late. The owner had barged right into the hall.

The madam of the glory house herself—Madam Baran.

“Why are you standing idly around?” she barked at them again. She was a tall woman with a menacing frame. “You are keeping the customers waiting!”

She yelled, and all the girls trembled. Leila quickly distributed the perfumes to the ladies, and as soon as they got theirs, they ran out of the room.

“And you? What are you doing here?” Madam Baran asked, and Leila froze slightly. “Do you want to get us in trouble?”

“I have no intention of getting you in trouble, Madam Baran,” Leila whispered, her head lowered.

“On no account are the exiled people allowed to come into the village. Anyone who associates with them will be severely punished, and I don’t want my business to be closed yet.”

Her eyes radiated hatred, but Leila avoided her gaze.

“I have to buy medication for my sick mother, and I always make sure that I am careful,” she replied. The woman’s eyes narrowed again. Even after the explanation, she didn’t seem convinced. “Please, Madam Baran, don’t tell me to go away. My older sisters always make sure they buy my ointments and perfumes. No one else would buy this much.”

Leila knelt and reached for the edge of the woman’s garment.

“I will make sure my older sisters smell so lovely, even the flower beds of Manchurin wouldn’t compare to them,” she begged. “Even Madam Rei of Flower House can’t compete with you.”

Baran cleared her throat.

“Fine. I will turn a blind eye to this. But if you’re ever caught, do not involve me in this,” she warned, and Leila nodded, hopeful tears in her eyes.

“Thank you so much, Madam.”

“You said you would make the girls scent like flowers…” Her eyebrows twitched, and Leila nodded her head hurriedly.

“Then do you have one for me?”