"A dead Shintu man was found in at the bank of the Tiramu River King Toga, this is the closest I have seen them come to our territory."
The advisors and Chiefs had assembled in the throne room. With some having more to say than others, the shock of the incident was clouding all of their minds.
"He could have drifted down to us; we cannot be totally sure where his death took place advisor Ziyani."
Chief Moyo spoke with such assertiveness, it made the assembly question if even he, could fall for the words he was speaking. King Toga sunk further into his throne and buried his head in the palm of his hands.
"It cannot end like this, she is all I have."
"My King, do not be discouraged, we cannot lose heart before we find out the true reason why he was found in Karimba."
Ziyani always kept a watchful eye on King Toga, he struggled with his own breathe when he sensed that King Toga was under any sort of strain.
"And if we don't? Are we just going to sit here with our arms crossed?" Remarked one of the advisors.
"I hate to be the bearer of bad news and shed light on the murky waters, but, My King, Menhe did inform us that one of the village men confessed to killing him when he spotted him by the river, as he felt that he was a potential threat, dare I say a spy." Rima gently added.
There was uproar in the throne room. Whispers and mumbling filled the air.
"How would he have come through?"
"Narufu has finally awakened..."
"Silence! Settle down men!"
Ziyani's plea to restore order was completely ignored.
"Ask Menhe and his men for yourself..."
Rima always stirred trouble. As Chief Moyo's first born son, he felt total entitlement to fill his father's place after his passing. With the relation he had to his father, he was granted the permission to attend special meetings to the assemblies' dismay. His eyes were dark with hatred and his heart thirst for bloodshed as he felt it was the only way he could prove his power, through war.
"Can you take some time to hear what you are saying; do you know what a village man can gain from lying that he killed a potential spy? I would not trust word of mouth Rima."
Chief Moyo sent a stern look over to Rima, reprimanding him of whatever he was going to do next; however, Rima did not seem interested in dancing to his father's drum.
"The best we can do is to get our men ready."
Rima fixated his eyes on Ziyani like a cheetah does to the kudu, waiting for his retaliation, if he would be still or make the next move.
"How can you suggest bloodshed at the smallest alert of danger? We have no certainty that King Narufu is seeking to battle...even though he has every reason to."
Ziyani raised his head to face Rima and read his intentions.
"We are not here for child's play; we are here to take correct action as the leading men of this tribe!"
Rima was going to plough his opinion through until it was clearly heard.
"Menhe did say that Runesu saw a Shintu man on the day the bull's horn was blown..."
Rima's face gleamed with pride and graced by a slight smirk as he sat higher on his seat.
"That is quite enough Rima!"
Chief Moyo's words spilt out of his mouth in short outbursts, as if his words had been compressed in by his tongue.
"What did you just say?"
King Toga unmasked his face to his assembly and slowly rose to his feet, grasping onto his royal staff.
"Then they saw Amasa ?...So my men are now keeping secrets from their own King!"
His right hand clenched onto his immaculately carved staff as his left hand formed a very tight fist, refusing the entry of any blood to the tips of his fingers.
"My King, we did not want to worry you, it was not meant to be like this but because of your health..."
"Shut Up!"
"I also was in belief that Runesu was unable to see properly."
"I said shut up Ziyani! Whoever gave you that discretion of choosing what I can or cannot hear, true or not! You are standing in quicksand Ziyani, this concerns my only daughter! You are nothing without my commands so just shut up!"
Ziyani took in a sharp breath, in attempt to recover the unsaid words he had prepared to say next.
"My King, please let us calm down, the assembly had no right to withhold any information from you, however the matter is still at hand and we have not arrived to any form of a solution."
"Chief Moyo is right."
An advisor quickly agreed.
Chief Moyo's facial expression spoke magnitudes more than what he had been able to utter to restore the calm.
"Line up the Village and Pokoda's walls with Warriors."
King Toga ordered.
"Able bodied village men included as well, as many bodies as possible...we need to send a message."
"Yes my King, right away my King."
Ziyani never took confrontations well, he took his escape from the throne room as he bowed to King Toga and trotted away to sheepishly follow his commands.
"I believe If you line the east side of the village with extra men, it could..."
"So now you want to give instructions as well huh?"
"No my King, I was only suggesting..."
"Might as well sit on my throne then."
"King Toga, it is just an idea that came to mind."
Rima muttered.
Walking slowly down the throne's floor, going down to the rest of the men, King Toga stood directly in front of Rima, casting his shadow upon him, towering over his very existence.
"The roar of the lion cannot always save the cub from being devoured by the hyenas. Blood ties are not strong enough to keep you in my presence. Blood and water are the same to me Rima; know your place. Now everyone get out!"
The men started dispersing. King Toga retreated to his throne and took his seat as he tightly grasped onto his chest. Alone and in quiet.
"Ughh Chioneko, what have you done to me, even these walls I built for you may not be enough to keep them out."
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Have you ever had the feeling of not knowing what everybody knows? Having the earth move on, change, blossom and grow around you while you are dead still? I had become experienced in that feeling. With little to go on, I waited in my hut patiently as the day went on. I did have a few breaks of silence here and there when the servants would come in to serve my meals, clean up and check up on my well being.
"Is there anything else I can do for you my Princess?"
"Yes, there is."
The young girl was beautiful; she had never served me before. Her dark thick hair had been threaded upright in tight buns, seemingly painful from the pulling lines drawn on her scalp. Her dark skin was glowing with every beam of light that shone upon her. She tightly gripped onto my bowl as she stood impatiently by my hut door, waiting for my permission to make her exit.
"Why is it so eerily quiet in the Pokoda Palace today?"
She looked down to the beaten floor, standing on one leg with the other foot scratching behind her ankle.
"I do not know much my Princess; however, I heard that the guards have been assigned places to stand outside the Pokoda walls and below the mountain surrounding Karimba village for tonight."
"Is that so? Thank you, you may take your leave."
Something could have frightened my father again, it was becoming of the norm. I guess the slight betterment of his health had given him the energy to be attacked by a daily dose of paranoia.
I was grateful that my daily visits to feed and check up on him had slowly decreased and eventually stopped. I loved my father and enjoyed spending time with him, unfortunately, those visits were not what I had in mind. I could not bear lifting another morsel of food to his mouth and have him cough it out, it made me run many thoughts of the days to come without him.
I sat in the dimness of my hut until I felt the cover of black was thick enough to touch. I was not going to sleep on such a night with the rare opportunity where I was able to roam around in Pokoda with no guards present within the walls. I did find it very unusual, but I tried not find ponder on it as there was no one who would answer my questions either way.
I wrapped a traditional head wrap on my head and slung a cape over my shoulders. With the cover of the night, I could only pray that if I was spotted, I would be passed for one of father's helpers. Gathering the courage I needed, I pushed open my hut door and quietly closed it shut. As my hut was located center of Pokoda, I quickly made my way west to the servant headquarters.
I never spent enough time that side to observe the crooked and cracked. I found myself losing my way as I glared at the striking shadows cast by the canopy of the trees, accompanied by the whistling wind forcing its way through the leaves.
I stopped in my path. I had never heard anything more melodious. A low tune floated in the night air. I couldn't imagine Muvuri's fingers pluck the metal rods of the mbira so gently. I crouched behind his hut to hear a little more clearly.
Deciding to see the rest of the huts later, I listened, I was content. It was lovely, it was different. Muvuri's performances normally consisted of abrupt movements and loud beating of the drums or sharp whipping of the shakers, but this, this would fill any human being with the joy water has crushing down a steep waterfall, it made me bubble inside, it made me smile.
My legs were getting tired so I gave in and kneeled down, ear pressed against Muvuri's walls, I craved to hear the music louder before I was on my way. The bristling movement from behind startled me. I fell to the ground, making myself the smallest I could so I would not be detected.
"We can't keep meeting like this Menhe!"
A sharp female whisper caught my attention. Menhe? Wasn't he meant to be lining the wall?
"I understand the risk of getting caught, but now that you know my intentions, even you can see the importance for us to talk. I cannot do this alone."
Menhe's deep voice did not make it any easier for me to hear; I slowly turned my body and lifted my head slightly to see who Menhe was talking to.
"Even I had no bad intentions Menhe, you know that, it all just happened too fast and if I get caught..."
"If we get caught,"
Menhe quickly interjected.
"If we get caught, who knows of the torture we will be subjected to?"
"I will protect you Runesu."
"Your words are not enough Menhe! We are talking about a whole tribe here and if Amasa finds out, how will I face her?"
"The way you are facing me now."
"My Princess..."
"What is going on?"
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I told you to Whisper...
Could it be love?
That forces me to hold you close?
The thought of you paralyses me
But I still want a dose.
Your body is pressed against mine,
It's the closest I've ever been.
The tingling of your touch
Burrows down and penetrates
Deep beneath my skin.
The deeper we fall in
The more I know it's wrong to be.
But I can't seem to untangle myself,
From this net you've cast on me.
Do I want to get stronger?
To fight it and be free,
Or should I let you have me,
Engulf me so that I can be.
Your body is pressed against mine,
It's the closest you've ever been.
You offered me your heart,
So pure and clean
I cannot comprehend how I had never seen.
Maybe before if I had known,
We'd have tried harder to let our love grow.
But for all we know,
People could have taken our blossom
And trampled it deep down into the floor.
Your body is pressed against mine,
It's the closest we've ever been.
Just whisper like the wind
Tell me it's alright.
Our love, my dear, is not a sin.
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Hello my dear Jelly babies 🤗🌻
It's so nice to see that smile on your face.... Ouuu there you go.😂
Hope you enjoyed the chapter.
Don't forget to vote and comment what you are thinking. Your opinion matters.
What exactly is going on?Let's find out together in the next chapter.😉
I know you want to😏
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