PREVIOUSLY ON KISMET
This is my story, of how unjust the gods were on me...
But I was always just to gods...
I worshipped the goddess with all my heart and soul.
I prayed and honoured all her festivals...
I sang only of her worship and praises...
I was a true servant of the moon goddess...
But she was never true to me...
She condemned me to die!!!
KIRA'S POV
My fate was decided even before I was born...
I've always cherished each waking day as my last...
I'm princess Kira, daughter of King Gomez, the protector of the realm...
And also known as the marked one or the cursed one...
I was born with the mark of a full moon on my wrist...
Years before I was born, my great-grandfather committed a grave mistake, as a result, a great calamity befell my people...
My great-grandfather stole and traded the octavis (moon shell) to a magician to save my grandfather's life...
This huge mistake, resulted in deaths and chaos in my land, until, my great-grandmother interceded with the realm king and the goddess of the moon but they remained silent. A few months later, the realm king heard our pleas and accepted our burnt offering...
The realm king took away our kingdom's biggest pride which was our strength in war...
Our land was cursed off any victory in battle until the marked born restores the octavis before the blood moon...
The high priestess pleaded with the goddess to send unto us the marked child but she refused...
She told the high priestess that patience is a good virtue...
Our people lamented to the realm king, they stopped worshipping the moon goddess... As a result of this, the moon goddess cursed the marked bearer to die on the night of the first crisping of the first full moon after the blood moon...
I unfortunately was the marked bearer...
And also the cursed one...
But the question that always baffles me is, why would the goddess curse, the one whom they favoured..??
Why should I be punished for my great-grandfather's mistake..??
Why should they determine my end way before my beginning...???
Why would they give life to me and rob it of me...???
I have the right to back down from this task ahead of me but I won't...
I'll prove to the gods that I'm not who they think I am...
I'll prove to them, that despite being condemned by them, I'll adhere to their commandments...
I'm not unjust like them...
I won't turn my back on my people...
I won't abandon my people because I was being punished...
I'll fight peace with war...
I'll rescue my people from the doom that's fast approaching...
"Kira!!"My brother called out as he pushed my door open...
"You should learn to knock.. that's the essence of the door..."I said wearing my sandals...
"Maybe next time... The high priestess is on her way here..." he said smiling sheepishly...
"And..???"I asked applying rose petals on my bed...
"Ooohhh goodness.. it means the festival is about to commence.."My brother groaned irritatedly...
"Is that the reason you barge into my chamber...?? Because you know I'm very much aware of what you're saying... It's almost the Dawn of a new day, every child in this community knows that the priestess arrives after the sound of seven gunshots...
And it's just three shots heard remaining four, brother..."
"Ooohhh!! Well, I just wanted you to walk beside me..."
"It's not your coronation day, it's just the regular moon dance festival..."I pointed...
"I know... But what if I find my mate tonight..?? What if I don't like her..??" he grumbled...
"You won't find your bride tonight, even if you do, it's not mandatory to marry her immediately, stop complaining like a child and act like the fearless leader everyone knows you to be.."
"I can only share my fears and worries with you... No one has seen this weak side of me apart from you because you're my best friend and my only sister.." he paused...
"And I don't wish to be king... I hate that duty with all my heart and soul.."
"I Know..."I interrupted him.
"I just pray the gods to appoint Ziza as the next king... Because I would rather be a warrior than be a king.."
"I pray so too... Because being a king sucks badly.."I said and the fourth gunshot was heard...
"She's getting closer..."I grumbled...
"Let's enjoy today because this is the only day we don't train our butts off..."My brother said
"I still enjoy training more than dancing, it's a girl thing..."
"You're a girl.."
"I know... But I'm different, I'm a warrior and not a dancer..."
"I know but you've to got good dance steps... I want you to show off your talent, so those lazy maidens will know how special and different you are. .." he said and embraced me...
"Have I told you how happy I am to have you as my brother..??"I asked him...
"Yeah!! But I love to hear you say it again.." he said I jokingly punch his stomach and he groaned before bursting into laughter...
The fifth gunshot was heard...
"Time to go..."I said with an outstretched arm open for him...
"Let's show off..."He said grabbing my arm...
His expression changed immediately after we stepped out of my Chambers...
He masked his face with a Stern expression...
That's more like my brother...
The cold-hearted warrior...
*******************
As we got closer to the field, the sixth gunshot was heard...
"Kira, you're doing the first sword dance with brother..."Ziza shouted running past us...
"Why do I always have to be your partner..??"I groaned jokingly...
"Because we are the best.." he replied pulling me hurriedly to the field...
Just as always, the field was crowded and lots of maidens were dressed up in their beautiful attire to entice the men.
My people are referred to as the Kansas, worshippers, and servants of the moon...
Governed by certain sacred traditions and strictly directed by the instructions from the moon goddess...
Today's festival, the moon dance is a celebration where beautiful maidens dance and also select their lifetime mate...
We were meant to understand, that the spirit of the dance leads us to our mate...
Our people forbid a man to marry more than one wife...
We also forbid a woman in her monthly flow to cultivate or plant crops, it is considered a great taboo...
And our people value the female gender more than the male because we consider the female as a procreation of the moon goddess...
The last gunshot was heard and the crowd grew quiet, with bowed heads they welcomed the high priestess except we royalty...
The high priestess and her servant did their usual incantations and purification...
And soon the moon slowly disappeared and the lamb offering was caught ablaze by the lightning that struck it...
And so, the festival was considered open, loud drumming was heard and the people lifted their heads...
The high priestess and her servant graced the occasion with their first dance before they sat down in their reserved seats specially adorned for them...
The next was the sword dance and my brother winked at me... I drew out my sword from my baldric
The sword dance isn't just ordinary showcasing our skills... It is spiritual...
We dance accordingly to the tune of the spirit...
This dance is in respect to the realm king, His the king of battle...
When I was a little girl, it was the late seer's son and one of the servants of the high priestess that was ordained to dance the sword dance...
Because mere mortals could not Cordain the power of the spirit...
But my brother and I are extraordinary...
We secretly danced this dance since we were kids... We learned it just by watching the previous sword dancers...
Soon, our sword was bringing out bright light as it clung together...
And we surrendered to the spirit...
The realm king was in total control of our bodies...
We danced until a bolt of lightning struck from our swords clinging together...
Loud applause and cheers were heard as we walked back to our seats...
Strangely, for the first time, I feel exhausted...
"That was WOW.."Ziza said sitting beside me...
"Thanks.."Brother and I answered in chorus.
"Off I go.."Ziza shouted running inside the dance floor and he got lost in the crowd...
"Are you okay..??"I asked my brother...
He was always weak after the sword dance...
"I've gotten used to it, so I'm fine.." he replied looking awkwardly at me...
"Are you okay..??" he asked me...
"Strangely, I felt weak today after the dance but I'm okay now.."I replied with a smile...
"Wait here, while I get a jar of kinsel.." he said before getting lost in the crowd...
(Kinsel- is a dessert that we consume as a drink made from fruit or Berry juice and thickened with starch..) My favorite drink ever...
Some men get drunk with only two cups of Kinsel but, I hardly ever get drunk...
"You felt weak today, didn't you..??" the seer asked drifting me away from my thought...
"Yes.."I shuttered still in awe that the seer was standing before me...
"The time for the prophecy is near Kira, but are you ready...??" she asked
"What do you mean..??"I asked slightly confused...
"You're a smart child, you should understand my words... Are you ready for the task ahead...??" she asked again...
"I was born ready..." I blurted out and she smiled before walking away...
That was weird...
I roll my eyes and my gaze landed on the high priestess...
She smiled at me...
I'd never seen her smile before...
That's also weird...
"Here is your jar.."My brother said sitting beside me...
"Wow, you got me my jar.."I said happily...
"I did.. And mother will kill me if she finds out.." he said and I chuckled...
"She's too scared to use a real sword, so you have nothing to worry about..."I said pouring my drink into my cup and I gulped it happily...
"Ahhhhhhh!!!"I breathed out...
"Just the way I like it.."I added and he smiled sipping his drink slowly...
His acting like this because we are in a public gathering but, I don't give a damn...
I don't pretend...
I do as it pleases me...
"Coco has his eyes on you, Kira," my brother said...
"He should better look elsewhere because I got no time for boys..."I replied before gulping my drink...
"He's a nice guy, he has always had his eyes on you, ever since we were kids..."
"I know, just the way Terra can't keep her eyes off you, Tigard..."I snapped at him...
"That's a different case, Terra is aiming at me because she thinks I'll be the next king which I would never be... If she knows that, she'll be all over Ziza..."
"I agree with you on that... But I ghat no time to spare for Coco..."
I hate to admit it but I do admire Coco...
"You like him, don't you..??" the brother asked...
"I do but we all know my fate, I'm destined to die and not stay in the comfort of any man nor will I bore any child... This is my fate..."
"Valid point... I just want you to be happy... Who knows, the gods may reverse the curse..."
"That may never happen..."I sighed drowning my drink...
"Kira, haven't I forbidden you from drinking such a harsh drink.."My mom roared at me glaring at me.
"Just the way the gods forbid me from having a happy life, you did..."I replied
"You don't talk back at me like that... I'm your mother.."
"Point noted, but you should know I don't usually adhere to instructions.."I replied...
"Let it be mother, she's not in a good mood..."Brother said...
"Tigard, you should be talking your sister out of this disgraceful act but rather you're supporting her.. she's a girl..." mom lamented...
"I'm not a normal girl... I'm Kira, princess Kira..."
"But you don't act like one... You should be dancing and searching for your mate but no you're drinking kinsel for god's sake.." mom said raising her voice...
"Thanks to the gods, I can't fulfill your dream mom, this is who I am... Take it, or leave it.. it doesn't make a difference..." with that I disappeared into the woods with my jar of Kinsel...
Mom always gets under my skin...
I emptied my drink before breaking the jar angrily...
"You don't have to vent your anger on the poor jar.."Tigard said sitting beside me...
"You followed me here.."
"No... I came here because I knew I would find you here, sulking alone.."
"Ah ah ah!! Not funny.."
"It wasn't meant to be funny.." he replied...
"I'm hungry.."I state and he chuckled softly
"It's sunset, food must be ready.." he replied...
"I know, but I don't want to go back there, I might lose control if I see mom right now.."
"I know, that is why I asked Nina to bring our meal over here... In the meantime, I brought your sword... Vent all your anger out.." he said...
"I may lose control holding a sword right now, you know that..."
"I do... You won't hurt me, that I know for a fact... Grab your sword and vent it all out on that tree" he said pointing at a tree opposite us...
"I might break that tree down..."
"I doubt that... Show me what you gat.." he urged me...
I grabbed my sword and stood before the tree...
I vented out all my anger, I closed my eyes, letting out all my anger...
I cut down many branches from the tree, rendering the tree shapeless and disfigured...
"That was amazing..." my brother said clapping his hands...
I feel good...
"How do you feel now..??" he asked
"Great... That was awesome brother.." I chuckled using my napkin to dry my face...
I shove my sword inside my baldric...
"You did a great job on the tree... You do use your anger wisely, no one would dare challenge you when you're angry not even me.."
"You're the best swordsman we've got in this community.."I reminded him...
"After what you did now, I doubt that but you're the best at archery.."
I was about to disagree with him when Nina walked in on us with our food...
She's my favorite maid but also my friend...
"Thanks, Nina.."
"Your mother will bring down your chamber if you don't dance before the end of the festival..."Nina spoke up...
"She'll get used to disappointment, she should have asked the moon goddess for another daughter who would fulfill her heart desires...
I'm not gonna be that kind of daughter to her..."
"Hmmmm" Brother hummed chewing his beef slowly...
"You should be talking to her rather than encouraging her... You've become a man..."Nina grumbled...
"Stop ranting like mom.. it sucks... You're too young to behave like an old woman..."
"I'll make sure you dance today.." she vowed and I rolled my eyes at her.
She sat down beside my brother murmuring to herself...
"Don't irritate me.."I warned her and she stopped murmuring to herself...
"Eat quietly.."She replied...
"Have you eaten...??"I asked her with a mouthful of beef...
"Yes, that's the reason I didn't bring your food on time..."She explained and I smiled at her...
***************
"We should head back to the field.." brother spoke up after washing his hands...
"The sun is too hot.."I pointed out...
"It should be because you're upset..."Nina spoke up and I glared at her and she muttered her apology...
"Where do you want to go to..??" my brother asked finally understanding that I don't wanna go to the field right now...
"I'm going to the river... I want to swim...."I replied...
"I don't feel like swimming, so I won't go with you.." the brother said...
"Wasn't inviting you... I'll catch up with you later... Please hide three jars of Kinsel for me..."I requested
"Be back before it gets too dark... All royalty is to be seated on their seat as the sun fades off..." he reminded me...
"Okay... I'll..."I said waving at them before running off...
Running makes me feel at ease...
Dancing sulks...
A bunch of morons will just stand and watch me, staring at my buttocks...
"Woo oooooh!!!"I exclaimed...
"This is freedom!!"I shouted...
I placed my sword down on a log of wood...
I kept my arrow and bow next to it...
I undressed happily...
I was left with my undergarment...
Then I decided to remove my bracelet.
Knowingly that no one dares come to this side of the river bank because it's meant for the royals alone...
I peeled off my undergarment and dived into the river...
"Wooahhh!!"I exclaimed swimming from one end to the other...
Suddenly, I felt a strange breeze, my body tensed up...
Someone is watching me...
I swam out of the river as I was about to grab my sword, someone kicked me back from behind and I fell on the log of wood before me...
I rolled towards my garment and as I grabbed it, someone pierced me from behind...
I groaned within me as I lifted myself off the ground wearing my undergarment...
"You've made a great mistake, coming here to ambush me..."I growled rolling my hair into a bond...
"You're all alone princess, no weapons and no one around to rescue you..."The one I believe to be the leader spoke up...
"Hey, bandit!!! You haven't heard about me, no man has seen my nakedness and you won't live to tell the tale...."I vowed...
And they laughed hilariously at me...
"You should be begging us, spare my life..." one other fool stated...
"You should do the same thing.."With that, I attacked the guy whose sword he was piercing my back...
I sliced his throat with his sword...
Three other bandits attacked me...
I tore a piece of clothing off the dead man and wrapped his tightly around my stomach to reduce the bleeding...
Three of them shove that sword at me and I bent down slashing their legs, I punched one on his manhood before breaking his leg...
I stabbed the other with his sword, I grabbed my arrow and bow and I used one of my arrows to burst the other one's eyes...
More bandits surrounded me and I sighed, I'm feeling unusually weak...
I stared down at my wound and the color of my blood, it was becoming black.
The sword was poisoned...
"Attack!!!" the leader roared and his men lounged at me...
I won't go down without a fight...
I kept on defending myself taking down his men as they increases...
While fighting I performed the sword dance skills and lightning struck thrice...
I hope the seer or the priestess or brother sees this sign...
The effect of the poisoning is gradually increasing as it spreads widely inside my veins...
I was about to kill the last bandit before me, but an arrow pierced me from behind...
I groaned loudly...
But I successfully stabbed his chest...
"You're too weak to attack me..." the leader spoke up walking towards me with an evil grin plastered on his face...
"I am but you're a coward to kill me without a fair fight..."
"You're as good as dead.." he stated and I coughed out blood...
"I've always been a dead man way before I was conceived..."I said coughing out thick black blood...
He charged at me, and I swing my sword ready to defend myself but my body froze and his sword slashed my stomach...
I collapse onto the water...
I coughed out blood again as I drowned deeper inside the river...
Death is peaceful...
© Winner Godwin and
Grace Aghedo
May 2022
All rights reserved...