But I forgot myself further, so far was I from the constraints of my father’s house.
“Do you travel alone with your sister?”
This time the boy took my boldness in stride. “We are traveling to my father’s clan, not a half day’s journey from this well.”
“And you take this goat for your father?”
“We were sent to the south to take the goat from my cousin, who has offered it to my father.”
Saba tried to stop me. “Please…”
“How long have you traveled?” I asked.
“We are gone one week.”
“Then you must deliver this goat to your father, lest he be angry the Kalb have eaten his prize.”
“It is my goat!” he cried. “I am master of this beast!”
He was only seeking the greatest honor by serving his prized goat, as was the Bedu way, but I could not see depriving them of what was surely needed by the boy’s elders.
The sister had already gathered the goat and was readying to cut its throat.
“You are most honored to have offered this goat,” Judah said, dipping his head. “And we are honored to sit with you and share a meal. We will eat what you serve us, sure that God will smile upon you all of your days.”
Judah eyed Arim gently and continued in a reassuring tone.
“We only ask that you keep the goat, and give to us your camels instead. You may restore our health and make your way to your clan.”
This request threw the boy into a conundrum, obvious now in his eyes. Judah’s tone was bold and the customs for trading complicated, depending on the situation. By offering to take a camel, Judah had given the boy a way to restore any honor lost by not slaughtering his goat, as was his prerogative in his own tent. But a camel was far more valuable.
“We will pay, of course,” Judah said.
“You will pay?”
“Handsomely.”
Arim stared at Judah as he considered his options.
“I will not see a guest ride on these haggard beasts,” he said, referring to his camels. “My clan has many camels close. You must take those.”
No, I thought. We could not go into a Thamud camp. It was far too dangerous.
“How many?” Judah asked.
“Many. The strongest and the fastest in the Nafud.”
This meant little, for Bedu men are prone to exaggeration.
“Then take us to your clan and see us on our way with camels. Your father will be most generous to you for this.”
A knowing smile lit the boy’s face once again. “You are wise among all men.” His eyes rested on me for a moment, surely curious as to my status as a woman who’d been allowed to speak so freely.
“But we must first drink tea and exchange the news.”
He turned and strode toward the tent, and seeing that his sister was already cutting the goat, he hurried forward, followed quickly by Judah.
“No, Masihna! You must not slaughter the goat!”
She whirled, eyes wide, blade on the goat’s throat. I couldn’t see if it was too late, but I saw clearly what happened next. In his hurry Arim rushed to his sister, grabbed the blade from her hand, and jerked it away. By then Judah was close behind, and as Arim scolded Masihna, his arm swept back and his blade nicked Judah’s arm.
Startled, the goat bleated and jumped up.
The boy spun around and, seeing blood seep from the small cut, dropped the knife. For a moment they stood stunned—Judah looking curiously at his arm, Arim aghast, and the shocked sister covering her mouth.
Among the Bedu, the master of any tent is liable for the harm of any who enters it as a guest. Indeed, the blood price of a guest is twice that of any man killed in battle—twenty camels, among the Kalb.
Arim threw himself to the ground, hands outstretched on the sand.
“Before Shams I deliver myself as your servant. Tell me the price of this blood, I beg you!”
“It is but a scratch,” Judah said.
“My life is yours to command!” Arim cried. “Allow me to restore honor lest I die a thousand deaths and my bones be scattered in the desert!”
Judah looked at me, now beside him, and I saw both compassion and delight in his eyes.
“Then my only command is that you prize your sister as I prize the woman in my own protection,” he said, still looking at me.
Arim lifted his head, face covered in sand. “It is not enough! I am liable for your blood!”
And it was true. It was the way of all Bedu that blood must be paid for with blood; eye for eye; life for life. The gods themselves demanded it.
Judah studied the boy for a long moment, then bent and scooped up the knife he’d dropped. Before objection could be made, Judah cut his left palm and held up his bloody hand.
“Then I take your blood upon myself,” he said, invoking any Bedu’s right to extend mercy. “This blood is now yours and your debt is repaid in full. This is the Light of Blood.”