ON THE LIONESS TAIL
Episode 22.
By AMAH’S HEART.
Yuri checked on Mario, he placed one of his palm on his chest, pounding repeatedly untill Mario coughed out a spasms.
“He doesn’t have much time Kaya, his lungs are filled with fluid clothing up to his heart. He won’t be able to survive this but thanks to the gods his fast breathing is begining to normalize. There’s nothing anyone can do at this stage. Like I have always told you, there is a huge consequences if tekah is misused. Is not an ordinary leaf and not easily gotten…if it gets into the wrong hand it can be disastrous. There’s no cure for such person. But how did tekah get into their hands? Could it be from the man…I still remember his name… Uzan. The man I sent to deliver the bag containing tekah that decided to give it out forgetting the instructions I gave him. Who knows how many others he must have shown or given to. Send someone to quickly fetch him right away…
Yuri said while going over to Tira who was moving uncomfortably and sucking I’m pain.
Kaya asked Romo to send one of the messenger to fetch Uzan and he quickly did.
Yuri placed a hand on Tira’s forehead, he placed it on her stomach that was rumbling none stop and causing her so much pain.
He asked for cold water and a single seed of alum. He dropped the alum inside the water, after it settled he opened Tira’s mouth and poured in a little.
Yuri asked her to try and swallow it despite how painful it will be.
She forcefully did and after sometime she was stablized.
Tira spoke as she felt alive again.
“Uza…zan is not at fault. He didn’t want to give the leaves to me. I forcefully convinced him and took it. He is not at fault…
Kaya moved closer to her.
“Lady Tira save your strength and remain alive. Uzan will be handled in any way we deem-fit. Relaxed back. Your son is worried sick and we’re here for you…
Tira nodded gently.
Kaya asked Romo to take them to all the houses of the people that consumed the tekah with his parents.
Romo did and Yuri attended to the ones he can. But two wasn’t lucky they were already dead before Yuri and Kaya arrived.
Yuri said the rest will not survive till the following day which includes Didi who was going through pain and crying for death to come faster and claim her rather than the kind of pain she was passing through in her body.
After helping the ones he can they returned to lord Mario’s resident.
Tira remained stable same goes to her husband.
Kaya asked that she should be moved closer to her husband.
Salabi came in unexpectedly to see them.
Mario felt a tear as he watched her praying to the gods to forgive their shortcomings and save them from death.
He wasn’t expecting such kindness from the woman he treated with disgust her only sin was mainly giving him female children.
He looked at Kaya and the strange man he brought moving up and down to see that him and Tira survives.
Mario shot his eyes and began to wish he can go back in time and undo all the evil he ever did.
Romo moved closer to his father and mother.
“Don’t give up fighting this. You can survive father… mother, Please don’t die and leave me alone…
“My son, I deserve whatever decision the gods wishes to carry out. I wasn’t much of a good man and I’m glad you didn’t fully turn out as I wanted you to. Maybe that was why the gods saved you from all of this mishap.
Mario beckoned on Kaya and she moved closer
“I wish I’m saying this in your father’s presence, your mother Opa and your grandma Bambira. The quest for power got deeply into me, I decided to throw caution to the air and without care I pursued it by all caused and did not care who gets hurt in the process. The gods has given me a chance to speak up and seek for all your forgiveness. I know I’m not a good man. I’m an ungrateful person that tries to change the hand of power. I don’t even belong in the line of chieftaincy. Not by blood or by right which was why I fought so hard to take the rulership by force. My father died in a battle, before he died he begged his friend, chief Gumi your great grandfather. Chief Pasim’s father to take me as his and raise me up. That was his last very request before he died. Chief Gumi fulfilled his friend’s wish by taking me as his own. Pasim was around fourteen years while I was about eight years old when i started living in the palace. Pasim was a great elder brother. His father made him promise not to ever refer to me as an outsider or reveal my true identity to people who never knew how I came into the palace. Chief Gumi also made each elder… they are all late now. He made them swear an oath to always refer to me as royalty and it was so. I grew up knowing Pasim as my elder brother and he cared for me as blood. He was the only son of his father, having me around was very pleasing to him. Due to Pasim was the next Chief, his father made him marry earlier than usual. Chief Gumi later pass on and Pasim became the next Chief. He was married to beautiful Bambira who gave birth to your father. I guess the only person that knew the truth about me was his dearest wife Bambira, whom he loved very much and calls her Bambi. I was jealous over many things. I wish I was truly a royalty by blood, I wish I was loved by the people like he was, had a beautiful and loving woman who will give me a son too. Envy crept into my heart and settled in my soul, It begins to give birth to hatred and darkness that formed evil. I wanted to become the next chief after Pasim but I can’t beat the fact that Dre was his son. I took another wife when Salabi failed to give me a son, I needed to change the hand of power by all caused. I can’t miss out in everything. When Romo was born I became the happiest man alive as I begin preparing him to become the next Chief. I Know everything I did was out of greed, selfishness and jealously. I was ungrateful to the fact that your fathers cared for me like their own, I wanted more and this is where it landed me. Forgive me Kaya… also ask your father to find it in his heart and pardon my wrongs. The gods are wise… by giving your father a chief in a woman body. You came in disguise… because if chief Dre had a son I could have done everything in and out of my power and strength to destroy him. Indeed the gods are wise, they did not only crowned you a Chief from the womb, they also bestowed so much strength, undefeatable kind of and made you a special mouth piece. I know without doubt you will rule Zukumo well even more than your fathers. You are truly the first of your kind and many female chiefs are going to come through you Kaya. Romo is a good son…I pushed him to do most of what you see him do. Please be merciful to him and don’t carry out vengeance on him…
Kaya nodded. She tapped Mario’s shoulder gently before Tira began to cry.
Romo moved closer to her, holding her almost cold hand
Kaya stood beside her with compassion in her eyes.
“I have a confession to make. Thank the gods for finally giving me the courage to speak out.
The whole room fell silent.
Tira looked at Salabi tearfully.
Salabi thought it was because of the poison that Tira secretly added in her meal which almost killed her if not for Kaya. She asked Tira not to bother saying anything that she has forgiven her already
Tira started talking while crying.
“Salabi…I know you have. You are a good woman and did not deserve the ill treatment that you received from us. I’m sorry…I deeply regret everything. The Truth is I knew how much Mario wanted a son. I didn’t want to be like you Salabi whom he despise so much. I wanted his whole love and attention and the only way to do that was by giving him a son. I couldn’t give birth to a son…I gave birth to another daughter. I agreed with the midwife who attended to me to exchange with the wood cutter’s baby. His wife gave birth to a son almost the same time with me at the midwife’s house. Romo is not Mario’s biological son. He is the son of the wood cutter while their first daughter is ours. I usually walk pass their house deliberately just to see how she was growing. She is married with kids now. I wish I had a chance to let her know that I’m her real mother. I’m sorry for keeping this huge secret from everyone…I…I…
She started coughing out blood.
Romo stood up and walked away from her, he was shaking, his legs couldn’t carry him after realizing that Tira and Mario were not even his real parents.
Mario screamed out in shock at Tira’s confession.
The whole place became dead silent except for Mario’s cry.
Tira was quiet and cold.
When Yuri touched her he shakes his head.
She was dead.
Because of the whole shock, Mario went into a seizure. He was convulsing and before Yuri could do anything he was gone.
He died alongside his wife, Tira.
The whole confession was too heavy for everyone to take in at once.
Tira and Yuri left after making arrangements for their bodies to be cleaned up and embalmed.
Kaya saw Uzan who was already on his knees pleading.
He explained that it was Tira that accosted him and forcefully took the leaves. he doesn’t know the usefulness of the leaf he would have done everything to stop her.
Kaya asked that he remains lock up for a week for disobeying the order that was given to him alone.
Many people died because of the consequences of disobedience.
He needs to be punished so that others will learn from his mistake.
Uzan was taken away by the palace guards.
The whole kingdom was thrown into uproar not just by the death of Mario, Tira and others but the alleged confession that Mario wasn’t Romo’s real father..
The people that died after feasting on tekah. The only leave that can heal and also kill went viral from one kingdom to another
The remaining of Mario’s supporters who finally knew that Mario is not a royalty gladly gave their allegiance to Kaya with their whole heart.
They wanted a change in rulership and a fearless woman as Kaya will give them all they needed and even more.
Is obvious that when Kaya becomes the chief evil will not go unpunished and every defaulter will be dealt with accordingly.
Mario, Tira and the rest were later buried and Salabi retuned to her husband’s house.
Romo had not been able to get his real self ever since he learnt of what his supposed mother did just to please his supposed father.
He was willing to do whatever Kaya ask of him, especially in making mothers and fathers inclusive to be proud of whatever child the gods decided to bless them with. Be it male or female.
Romo later found out that the wood cutter was dead and left his wife with a daughter and two sons.
Their daughter who they never knew isn’t there’s was married.
The remaining two sons helps their mother in taking care of their poor home
Romo visited them with many gifts for each brother and even more for his mother.
He became close to them and even invites his mother and brothers to the big house that Mario built and left for him not knowing he wasn’t his real son.
One of his brother took him to where his sister, Gwen was married to.
He was glad to see that she was well cared for by her husband and his people with her two children, a daughter and a son.
Romo knew that Tira will be happy wherever she is knowing well that her daughter was alright.
Tira may not have been the best mother but she did everything a mother will do for him and he grew up loving her as a mother.
Uzan was later released and he returned home to his family.
Yuri returned to Fiji kingdom and comes around often to see Kaya.
Kaya cancelled the wedding with prince Dhaki.
She realized that Yuri was selfless and cares deeply about others more than Dhaki ever did.
Dhaki came around to see her and she informed him of the new development.
Dhaki said he wasn’t going to let her go without a fight.
He challenged Yuri to a matched fight.
He was going to bring the strongest warrior from his kingdom to fight in his place.
If the warrior wins then Kaya will be his.
But if Yuri wins at the end of the fight then he will hands up and leave her alone.
Yuri was informed he agreed to the fight which will take place in Zukumo kingdom.