Chima stood outside Runesu's family hut cluster confused and in desperate need of answers. Her hut stood destitute comparing it to the other villagers. The inside slowly dilapidating from the lack of life and care from within. Initially calling out a couple of times before he entered and when tired of no response, the more puzzled he got from examining the premises.
Chima had wanted to apologize to Runesu for potentially making her uncomfortable the night of the festival, prying into her life ad asking too many questions. The only reason he continued to burrow his life into hers was because she was mysterious and it was elucidating. It felt bitter sweet to discover more about her.
The moment he felt he understood a fragment of existence, a totally different situation would arise, but just as a potter would continue molding his hari even when told to stop, Chima would not stop his handiwork. He was desperate to be in Runesu's presence even when she was upset with him. He could not comprehend the effect Runesu had on him, even facing a rhino head on in the wilderness would not make his heart beat as it did when he slightly held Runesu's hand for a moment that night.
Picking up the mugoti and scarce utilities clustered in the corner and covered with dust, he blew off the cobwebs before slightly arranging the hut floor then leaving. He felt the sun rays hit his face as he stepped out of the hut opening, his heart was warmed when he started watching a group of boys playing a game with a heap of sand.
" Ahh! It was my turn! That's not fair Tapiwa! "
"Hoo look, that man entered the witches house! He is going to be cursed!"
As the boys pointed in awe and amusement at him, Chima felt slightly offended.
"Aikaka what are you saying? Have you not learned manners from your elders?"
As the boys giggled and started to retreat and run away, Chima ran to grab one of the boy's flimsy arm. The boys soon realized how quick he was on his feet.
"I didn't say anything, I am sorry...I did not mean it!"
He sounded scared as he stammered while trying to pry his bony arm from Chima's strong grip.
"I do not want to beat you, just tell me about this hut and the people who live here and I promise to let you go."
The boy hesitantly nodded as he started clearing his throat.
"It's not what I think, it is just the story I heard from the other boys in the village..."
Looking at the boy, Chima smiled.
"I understand. You can now tell me, let us sit here for a little bit. "
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Walking up the Pokoda mountain away from Karimba village, Chima could not walk away from the reverberating story in a small child's voice continually reliving itself in his mind.
"Kuda, the boy with many cows in their family pen, he he told us to go to the royal river sectioning as a dare and I did not want to be the only one to refuse... so I went. We went to take a dip and left our cow skin coverings near some shade. Afterwards, the boys ran out of the water and left me, taking my covering with them."
"I'm sorry to hear that Unopa."
"It is alright, I was just trying to make friends because I do not have any but they can be mean at times."
He stared at the ground as he recalled a memory that seemed to make him feel uncomfortable. Rubbing his hands together, he continued.
"I couldn't go home after that, I would have been humiliated and then beaten by my uncle because he said the boys are ill mannered and I shouldn't play with them, so I stayed behind a tree thinking of what to do next and eventually fell asleep."
"Where is this going Unopa? What does any of this have to do with that hut?"
"Wait, I am almost there. You are so impatient!'"
The boy shook his head.
"As I was saying, I was awakened by people discussing very quietly but I was afraid it was one of you warriors so I stayed low. Instead it was this big man with red colored markings that are different from our tribe and the woman who sometimes goes into that hut."
"What did they say?"
Chima was getting invested.
"I do not know, I was too far away to hear and I was still a bit sleepy, I thought that I was still dreaming. When I was sure that they both had left I just ran home then got beaten by my uncle. I tried to tell my friends about the story so that they would let me play with them but they did not believe me, they said the marks I described were of the savages up north of here and they could never enter Karimba."
Chima was distraught. This story was eerily accurate to the information of the sighting that caused the last bulls horn call.
"later on that day, I heard a loud sound and many warriors surrounded the village. When I went to herd the cattle the next day, the boys wanted to play with me, they said that one of their fathers saw a dead body with the same markings in the river and because of that they believed my story, but said that the witch made him appear and then killed him."
"Don't call her that."
Chima sternly responded.
" Okay, but If she isn't a witch, why does she live alone and only talk to the other witch doctor? Witches live alone with no family, that's what my mother told me."
"Other witch?"
The boy smiled.
"You are very scary but nice. I hope to be like you one day except that I won't talk to witches though, goodbye."
Unopa said his statement in an admirant way, before quickly rising up to sprint off.
"Goodbye Unopa. Remember to listen to your Uncle, there is nicer company to play with alright?
" Alright, I will."
"Now run off before you catch another beating."
When Chima caught a glimse of Runesu making her way up the Pokoda mountain from the fields, he felt more suspicious of her movements. The lack of comprehension of her interactions made him worry, he knew there was much more than what he could see. Runesu only showed the people the tip of her mountain only when she wanted to. Chima wanted to view all of her mountainous glory.
Grabbing Runesu's wrist, he stopped her in her march towards the walls, turning her to face him.
"Why are you being like this? Why would you lie about simple things to me Runesu? I don't understand!"
Runesu aggressively shook her hand free and glared at him.
"I have no idea to what you are muttering about."
Was she involved in some kind of trouble that caused her to become erratic and distant from all people around her? Why did she have no family, moreover not build connections with the other young women in her village? Chima was not sure but felt the need to still protect her from the hands of the Shintu, she probably did not know the deep history and trouble they were capable of causing in Karimba. If only she would let him help her.
"I will save you no matter what, just talk to me."
He gently whispered to her before she shrugged his hand off her forearm.
"No one asked you to talk to me."
"Runesu!"
"I don't need your saving."
Rima approached the two of them bickering, causing the two servants to revert to formal speech and mechanisms. Chima stood straight after bowing at Rima, unable to speak in his presence as he sparked conversation with Runesu with an undertone of disrespect and rudeness.
His jaw clenched from the regulations of Karimba protocol mixed with his annoyance from unanswered questions. He was also incapable to stop Rima from roughing Runesu up due to his social standing.
"I kill and I am not afraid you hear me. I have let you prance around in my territory for long enough, but you out of all people should know what happens when people wander into the wrong territory. Red is not your color Runesu."
Chima stood there seething. How could he talk to her with such disrespect?
"Go serve Amasa! This isn't the time to catch you liaising with men outside the gates!"
At that moment Chima knew what he would impulsively do. He felt right in his intuition and was certain that Rima was involved with all the trouble that Runesu was facing. He had to report these questionable interactions to the king. It was his duty as a royal guard and as a warrior. It was his duty as the man he could potentially be in Runesu's life...when she would let him have her heart. An act of chivalry would surely force her to look his way.
Driven by the prospective possibility of Runesu looking at him with an eye of lust and love, Chima energetically climbed the mountain's face, making his way to the King's throne room.
Bursting into the throne room and being instantly held back by other Royal guards, Chima immediately apologized to the King before he faced further hindrance.
"I apologize my King, I only came here because I believe that there is something terribly wrong happening in the kingdom."
"Let him go."
King Toga yelled.
Chima took a few steps forward before kneeling on one knee with his head low in respect.
"I might know who let the Shintu man into the Karimba walls."
King Toga looked at Chima with increased interest.
"Continue, this better be good."
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