Chaos and painkillers

43. Pleasing a storm.

Saturday, 17th august, 2019.

"Drink that, Jodoma."

Sudais sighed, dropping his heavy, pounding head as he dragged his palm on the rug beneath him, while the other got rid of the platter above the glass cup to reveal water with black grains swirling around.

He picked it, raising it to scrutinize, then held his breath as he drained more than half the content before dropping it.

"Anhuha. (Finish it.)"

Like a child forced to drink bitter medication, Sudais scrunched his face, held his breath, closed his eyes and dawned the leftover tasteless water.

"Who ever has a hold on you will Insha Allah release you. I have people reciting the qur'an for you and i am also praying my best to see your enemies do not succeed."

"Mama..." Sudais dragged, raising tired eyes to her. "Nothing is wrong with me. You are over—"

All his toughness cracked when the woman sat on the bed closed her eyes and stretched a halting palm up. "La. (No.) Don't tell me that. Don't you dare," she opened icy eyes at him, making him drag his head down. "You have been acting on impulses, making stupid decisions since your father died. You were crowned king and less than a day later you went ahead and got married to that Hausa girl without my knowledge or consent. Same day your In-laws get attacked. You fly to them the next day without of an explanation and come back to continue your activities without explaining what you have found out. You're maltreating Halima and you tell me your enemies have not started jazzing and attacking you? Haba, inta inti? (Are you well?)"

He nodded at the question, "Anâ âfe, Ummi. (I am well, mother.)"

"And what is it i am hearing that your second wife is the new queen? Halima in fa?"

Sudais' scratched his nape, the answer stuck in his throat. Did he even have an answer?

"Why are you suddenly quiet?" The woman pushed.

"I want Naja as queen, not Sadiya." He meant it when he said he didn't mind being the bad guy for her.

The woman stared at him in disbelief, waiting for him to add reason but he never did. "Shikenan? You don't want your first wife as queen? Who said you have to want her as queen? She is your first wife, she is a princess and she knows all about royalty. What about your hausa second wife?" The way Queen Baraka's tone changed when addressing hausa people was something he could never fathom. "Dagaske. Lafiyanka kuwa?" Her question went unanswered and she eventually tsked, shaking her head and waving a hand off. "Allah ya shirye ka."

That had meant the end of their conversation but he didn't say an amen nor did he get up.

"Bazaka tashi ba? Ko in tashi in barmaka gidanka tinda kazama Lamido?"

"Ahhhhtt—" he protested, "Kiyi haquri." and without setback, marched to his chambers considering he had dismissed everyone after Magreb that rainy Saturday.

He made a quick call, setting it on speaker as he stepped out of his clothes:

"Ranka shi dade." An answer came almost immediately.

Sudais chuckled, shaking his head and exchanging greetings with the man, "I need you to gather all the thugs in this state that you can find and have them gathered tomorrow morning in front of the palace."

He heard the slight hesitation in the man's stutters before he dared to ask, "May i ask why, Barkama?"

Sudais sighed, throwing the silk velvet Jallabiya slacks to the floor and landing heavily on the swivel chair in front of his desktop. "I am starting a program. Hopefully they're interested so they have more jobs to do than terrorize people."