counting sheep

Banou realised that Mo Ker left the next day. She sit up alone in the dweller. Usually he will wake her up either to go for a bath or help him to put on his amor. Min Min walks in with a tray of food. Banou ask about Mo Ker. Min Min only can understand the word Mo Ker. So she imitate how a man rides a horse. Banou understands immediately. It looks like she will be free for the day. Immediately she cheer up and clean herself. Min Min watch Banou as she finds Banou rather particular in her manners. For instance, Banou is shy with many naked women around. Everyone have the same thing only slight difference, Some women may stare upright and some of them poke Banou's big breast but that's all. Now Banou hid behind the Chinese screen to clean herself up. Later in the day after breakfast, she follows Min Min around. Banou helps Min Min in preparing lunch. Banou see there is quite a lot of women doing the cooking. In the mids of washing and chopping the vegetables, she hear cries. Banou look up and see Mehmet's daughter is wailing for the routing man is beating her in public. Also she seems like pregnant. Banou stands up and run there. She try to stop him by standing in front and blocking him with her arms open wide. He knows that the woman blocking him now is the young lord's muse. He cannot lay his hand on her thus he throw away the stick on his hand and bow to her. He look at Mehmet's daughter with an angry look and walk away. The rest of the people dispersed too. Banou turn around and look at her. Banou stretch her hand out to help her to get up. Instead of a thank you, she refuse Banou's help and try o get up by herself. 

"Mind your own business!"

Banou watch her walk off slowly with that tummy. It looks like she is maybe into her sixth month. The children around this hawk camp come running and chasing each other. Mehmet's daughter yell at them and disappear in a corner. Banou feels so sad for that girl. She doesn't know when to be nice and how to protect herself.

That night to morning Banou sleeps in peace. She have freedom on the next few days. When she is bored, she make paper wind mills for the children to play with. The children are delight with it and run around the hug camp site. Sometimes Banou join them in having fun. They remind her of Li Xing as he grows up, running around with his siblings. She feels most satisfy with them and Min Min. Most of the men leave her alone as order by the young master. However they still keep their eyes on all the women in camp. No one is to be missing by the end of the day. 

Some times when Banou is playing with the children, she look around to see if she can understand and find a spot that she can slip away. Unfortunately wherever she looks, she understands that she is been watch. There is no where to run. 

The next seven days, the young lord return. However he brings a carriage along with him. His face looks terrible. He have grown a beard and had it braid it up, The carriage comes to a stop and a few ladies step out of it. Most of the men bow to them. Banou did not understand but she knows that they might be royalty. Two ladies in the group are walking in front, the older one look snobbish and the other who is younger looks timid. Both of them have long braided hairs with all sort of beads and precious stones. Their garments are don with fur from head to toe. The rest of the ladies who walk behind are looking like fierce warriors. Their belts, like the men have precious stones on it. Their knives are saddle on the side. Their faces are not friendly and most of them are grouchy. 

Banou and the rest of the captives are made to go down on their knees on where they are standing. It is painful as there are stones around. The ladies are talking loud and the older one kick one of the Han Chinese woman. The older lady walk in front of Banou and reach for her but Mo Ker stop her. They yell at each other. Banou continue to keep her head down on the rocky ground. She hear some children cry. In the end, Min Min comes running to Banou and help her up. She point to the kitchen. Banou understand that Min Min is asking her to stay in the kitchen. She hurry there as to stay out of sight of the guests that arrive here. 

Most of the captives are staying inside the kitchen and work as kitchen helpers. Mehmet's daughter is also in there cleaning the meat that is place in front of her. She feels sick but she continue. The day continue into the night, the captives hear laughter and singing coming from outside. Min Min comes in with the left overs. She guested to the captives to eat it. Since they are all in the kitchen, there is plenty of food to eat. Mehmet's daughter along with the rest of the captives eat in a hurry. Banou feed the children before she eat some of the lamb meat. After they are done, no one dare to leave the kitchen without any instructions. The night becomes cold, they all gather around the furnaces to keep warm. Banou wrap her arms around a small child. She watch the fire as everyone is tired and shivering. No matter how, they have to get through the night. 

In the morning, Min Min comes in the kitchen with two men. They wake the captives and ask them to make breakfast. After that, they are seeing the food in a huge dwelling. The lord is sitting in the middle with the two ladies on his left and right. His face is like Banou's expression. Both of them did not have a good night sleep and have dark circles under the eyes. However the moment he see Banou, he actually light up. He watch her serve the food and leave the dwelling. The two ladies notice his expression and they are not happy with it.