The men finally got the fire under control.
"Thanks everyone! Tree sap dew drinks are on me! Let's head back," Bonjan Kè says with a relieved expression.
All the men cheer and bump fists with one another. However, as they look towards the village the merry moment dies completely. They notice the smoke coming from various buildings.
"Papa! Do you hear that?" Wi asks.
"Screaming!" Bonjan Kè says as he runs towards the village.
All the other men start running with him as well. Some tripped going down the hill, hurrying in desperation as the cries and shouts of the villagers resonate even more in their ears. They finally reach the village but what they see sinks their hearts. They began to run towards the people that are being killed or capture to save them from the Eklerajians. Over on a side way next to a small bush Bonjan Kè notice a white and black hat. He walks over towards it. He reaches down to pick it up.
"This looks like Lesp...." He stops reaching for the hat and notice nearly covered in the bush was a half dead Lespri, Barley clinging to life.
"Lespri."
He says with a forced calm voice. He gently pulls her body from the bush and cling to her.
"Lespri. Can you hear me?"
"Yaas...they tuu..tuu..La...Lav..i," she manages to say.
"They took Lavi?"
She gives a small head nod. She reaches to touch his face but stop midway. Her hand dropped and eyes became glossy and lifeless. Bonjan Kè notice the pearls that are in Lespri hands. He takes hold of them and start to scream out. He wails of pain and frustration. He cries out hugging her body.
A familiar voice spoke into his ear as he cradled his dead wife rocking back and forth saying, "Protect those who are still alive."
Bonjan Kè was suddenly thrown into a memory of his past. Him as a little boy looking up at his Papa standing on a steep cliff looking towards the skies saying those exact words.
"Protect those who are still alive. One day you will teach your son the same."
A clinching pain struck Bonjan Kè heart as he remembers his Papa words. With his tear moist face and grey eyes blazing with a mixture of vengeance, pain, but yet wisdom, he gently lifts up Lespri limped body and laid it on a nearby table. He closes her eyes and lays her hat over her face. He starts to walk around the village in the mix of the chaos looking for his mother, sister, son, and daughter.
"Dlo sè! Manman Sajès! Lavi my pitit fi! Wi my gason pitit!"
Suddenly Wi comes running out to his Papa crying.
"They killed them Papa! Granmè and Matant! Their heads or on a stick in the middle of the road!"
Bonjan Kè chest tighten from Wi words. Suddenly an Ekleraj soldier rides up towards the two with his sword drawn ready to swing an attack towards Wi. Bonjan Kè steps in the way of the strike taking the blow from the sword. The sword snapped. Both Wi and the soldier look at Bonjan Kè in bewilderment.
Wi whisper to himself in amazement saying, "Was that.... the Vante strength?"
"Stay close to me gason," Bonjan Kè says to Wi.
YOU ARE READING
Dance of Enb
Fantasy"What does it mean to be a humble man in time of war? When all you have has been crushed before your eyes? Sometimes...a man have to dance in order to get back what was stolen." In a time of war, one man goes on a journey to find his kidnapped daug...
