Free Princess Play by Barbara Ismail Page B

anger and fear was humiliation: she had been branded a busybody, carrying a mark every Kelantanese would recognize as a warning to cease interfering. Never mind that she was working at the express request–no, demand – of the police. That might not be immediately apparent, but the mark she now bore certainly was.
    She had not yet been told about Aliza, and Mamat was dreading the conversation. He wasn’t sure why he was feeling so guilty; he had never encouraged Aliza to be involved, and had not known she was. (Even if she was, he didn’t feel he had a real grasp of the story). But he felt obscurely that, as her father, he should have somehow known and stopped it. He thought grimly he should put a stop to it now, and also insist that Maryam stop investigating, once and for all, but he also knew that now she would never give it up until she found out who had done such a thing – not only to her, but to her daughter as well. He sat outside Aliza’s room, his head in his hands, considering his inability to protect his family, and occasionally, when he heard Osman’s footsteps, lifting his head to glare at him.
    Aliza had narrowly avoided serious damage, but had a large and ugly scar on the back of her head which had, of necessity, been shaved. It wrung Mamat’s heart to see her without her hair, looking so small and vulnerable. Ashikin spent most of the days she had been in the hospital sitting with her, even sleeping there with her.
    Ashikin had also called her brother Azmi, serving in the army, who had been granted leave and rushed back to Kota Bharu. Maryam had been amazed and delighted to see him, but it frightened her too. She had begun to suspect, in a confused sort of way, that something else was terribly wrong. Why else would Azmi have left camp to come back?
    The family gathered in Maryam’s room, and she watched with mounting fear as they all walked solemnly in, even Yi carrying Ashikin’s daughter Nuraini. At any other time, this would have set off a torrent of baby talk and delighted smiles all around, but now only Yi paid attention to her. ‘Where’s Aliza?’ Maryam asked, not as clearly as she would have liked.
    Mamat looked uncomfortable, and took her hands. Maryam began to cry. ‘What’s happened to her? Is she dead?’
    â€˜Why would you think that?’ Mamat cried. He flinched from the very thought.
    â€˜No, Mak ,’ Ashikin swiftly took over. ‘She’ll be fine. She’s here too. I’ve been with her the whole time.’
    â€˜Tell me.’ Maryam attempted to stop crying, but could not. Mamat sat next to her, his arm around her shoulder, trying to calm her. ‘ Sayang , she ran to get Rubiah when you were hurt. And on the way back, you see, Zaiton tried to grab her, and …’
    â€˜Why?’
    â€˜It seems Zaiton thought Rahim … is that the right name?’Ashikin nodded. ‘She thought Rahim was there, when you were hurt. That she thought Rahim had hurt you.’
    â€˜Rahim?’ Maryam seemed dizzy.
    â€˜Well, that’s what she said. And she grabbed Aliza when she was coming back home, and Aliza fought with her to get free, and she fell.’ Mamat sat silent.
    â€˜And …’ Maryam prompted.
    â€˜And she hit her head on a rock.’
    Maryam began crying again. ‘Oh no! It can’t be!’ She looked around. ‘Where is she? Is she alright?’
    â€˜She’s getting better,’ Ashikin assured her. ‘She still doesn’t remember what happened very well, but the doctor says she’ll be fine.’
    â€˜They had to shave her head!’ Yi piped up.
    Maryam stared at him. ‘Oh no! When can I see her? I want to see her right now!’ She climbed out of the bed and stood up, looked around, and fainted. Mamat caught her and placed her back on the bed, with Azmi’s help. ‘You didn’t have to tell her that!’ Azmi told Yi. ‘She