A Crown

Four

Questions.
He needed answers to the numerous questions flooding his mind. His brain was tired and his body was giving up. His conscience was not letting him swallow a pinch of saliva. There was no surviving this. He shook his head and felt sorry for himself, Apache and the widow. What else could he do? Sacrifice himself in the boy's place? With what reason?

He looked out the window and saw Omi pacing restlessly waiting for him to come out.
What is it now? He thought to himself and got out of the carriage. If she only knew how tired he was!

    "What is it?" Talking felt like labour.
Omi handed him the paper she had been holding since the maid gave it to her. It was now crumpled from her constant opening and closing. Cafa looked at his wife and opened the letter with little to no energy in his hands.

   "I hope you forgive me but I can't do this anymore. I have to follow my heart. I'm sorry mother and father I didn't want it to get to this." He looked over at his wife.

    "What is this?"

     "It's a note Gia left. She's gone Cafa."

     "Gone where?"

     "She ran away."
Cafa sucked in air from between his teeth and sighed. There's only too much a man can handle.

    "What are we going to do?" Omi was jumping up and down.

    "Will you stop?" He said and walked towards the house. Omi followed behind him.

   "Cafa what do we do? The servants searched the whole house and found nothing. Cafa." She was begging. Cafa stopped and closed his eyes in irritation.

   "Didn't you read the letter? She is following her heart. Since when has that been something to lose sleep over?"

    "Cafa!"

     "Listen Omi I have a lot of things in my mind. I don't have the time nor the strength to worry about a grown up woman." She shouted.

    "She's only 17. She's still a child."

    "Listen Omi." He sighed and softened his voice.

It is as clear as day that she has eloped with some guy she is infatuated with. Crying will not bring her back." He touched his wife on the shoulder to reassure her.

"Don't waste your tears, your daughter has gone to be someone's whore. Soon she will warm her way into his heart and become his wife. You won't need to hang your head in shame after that."
He patted her on the back and walked inside the house.

~
   "Welcome back." Metri was seated at the stairs. Nimbre stopped to look at her and walked over to the dining table.

    "How did it go?" Metri asked still seated.

   "It went well." He reached to a cupboard near the table and took out a bottle of wine. Nimbre saw this and lit up.

     "Are we hanging anyone soon."

    "Yes actually." He opened the bottle and poured the drink in a glass.

    "You don't say. Who?" Her eyes lit up and she could no longer contain herself. 
Nimbre looked at her and took a sip.

  "Come on tell me." She begged tapping her feet on the ground. Nimbre smiled and walked over to the staircase. He took another sip and leaned on the railings. 

    "Does the name Apache ring any bells?" He asked. Metri shook her head.

     "Maybe. Should it?"

      "Yes, because you know him pretty well."

      "Who is it?"

       "Dear wife he is your dearest friend Uad's son."
Metri's smile dropped and was replaced by confusion.