A Sheik's Spell by Eboni Snoe Page B

educated and comes from a family of status. She has also been trained in the fashion of ghazeeyahs, what you would call belly dancers. She does not always follow the traditional guidelines for women when it comes to dress.”
    By now, Na’im had emerged from the house with Kareem at his side. One of the men assisted the second woman off of her mount, but the one who Fatimah had pointed out to be Waheedah reached out her arms for Na’im to help her descend.
    Felicia was flabbergasted to watch as this woman who had displayed such a strong back on her way through the gates became as limp as paper. Her body seemed to liquefy as it came in contact with Na’im’s. Even after her feet were on solid ground, she still gave the impression that she could not stand without Na’im’s support.
    I’ve seen better acting at some of the elementary school programs back home, Felicia inwardly flamed. “Who is she?”
    “She is someone in whom Na’im’s father has shown great interest”
    “She seems to be showing a great deal of interest in Na’im,” Felicia countered.
    “Felicia, please do not put me in what you would call an awkward position. Maybe this is a subject you should take up with Na’im.”
    “Oh, I see.”
    Several servants came forth, and Na’im handed an unwilling Waheedah over to one of the females. Na’im motioned out his instructions. The women entered the house, while Na’im and the men followed Kareem as he led the camels around the east end of the building to the back.
    An uncomfortable Fatimah sat quietly for a moment “Would you like to see the building that Na’im says you can use as your laboratory?”
    Felicia could feel her blood boiling inside, but she took Fatimah up on her offer. She wasn’t quite ready to face Na’im or this Waheedah.
    The Rahman’s land went on for acres and acres. Felicia was surprised to learn that most of it was fertile. Fertile enough for Na’im’s family to be one of the largest cotton producer’s in their area.
    ‘ ‘My family has been in the cotton business for the last fifty years. Before that, they traveled as nomads; Bedouins who herded camels and ma^ homes in many parts of north and central Egypt. Na’im’s grandfather. Sheik Sadat Rahman, was the one who decided he no longer wanted to be a nomad. It was because of Aneesha (A-nee-sha), his wife, who had become deathly ill, that he had made such a decision.”
    “He must have loved her very much to change his entire lifestyle. And evidently the people in his tribe trusted him as well, or the settlement could not have grown so big in such a short time.”
    ‘ ‘He was their sheik. And a sheik is chosen as the head of his tribe because of his wisdom and age. It is a position of high reverence. Usually a man is not bestowed such an honor before he reaches the age of fifty. Then it can be quite a weight on his shoulders because the entire tribe looks to him for guidance.”
    Felicia and Fatimah had come upon several rows of mud and brick homes. Even though they were quite a distance from the larger structure, Fatimah said they all belonged to the Rahmans.
    “This is where many of the workers live. Sometimes families who have come upon hard times in the village stay here as well, but mainly people who work for the Rahmans tending cotton or herding the camels. That is why it is so quiet right now. Everyone’s working. This is the time when the cotton has been loaded into carts and taken to A1 Kharijah. It takes all workers to accomplish this.”
    “That hay that’s on top of the houses...I’ve seen the same thing on many houses in Egypt. What is it for?” “It is fodder. Many workers have cattle of their own. So they store fodder on top of their houses because there is nowhere else to put it Na’im does not like it. Sometimes it causes fires.”
    Fatimah reached out and opened a door to one of the houses. It was larger than the others; an additional room had been added onto the main body.
    “This is