AMAYA
(Son Of The Moon) – Rihanne Maya
Episode 7
Zoe was a man of his words. Just as he promised,every night,he goes to the village baobab tree with baskets of snack packs and other foods,but I never showed up in any of those days.
“My prince,don’t you think that you should stop bringing foods for Amaya? It’s obvious that’s he’s not coming back at all. The ones you brought the previous nights are still here untouched. ” One of the royal guards suggested.
“Even if he’s not showing up,I made a promise to him. And how do you know that he’s not showing up?” Prince Zoe replied him.
“I heard he’s now the moon child of his community. Once he accepted that position,he do not go out anymore. He can only send messages across to anyone he chooses to. ” One of the royal guards said.
“I shall pay him a visit some day. ” Zoe said and they returned.
The night was a special kind of blackness, the kind that wants only to hold the stars and help them to shine all the brighter.
Jordan sprang a surprise at Zoe’s father,the king by striking him with a deadly ailment. Just after Jordan had spring loose from the sea that night,he walked barefooted. He lit up a stick with fire and lifted it,calling the name of Zoe’s father the king three times, suddenly,a sparkle of light left the fire and went straight directly to the palace.
The king,Zoe’s father had just slept when a strange fluorescent lightning flashed in his dimly-lit room. He woke up with a resounding scream. That was how his sickness started.
Zoe,Raya and the royal guards rushed all out that night to help him,but nothing was done to help him.
The next morning, Zoe consulted the village’s herbalist who later diagnosed that the king had been attacked by spirits of the dead. All efforts to get him back on his feet proved abortive.
One fateful day,the king knew that he wouldn’t stay longer,so he called Zoe and Raya for his last words.
“Father! Please stay with us. You are all we have left. ” Raya cried profusely.
“My daughter,there’s nothing that can be done. It’s already my time to join my ancestors. Zoe,please take good care of your sister. You will be the king after this moment,rule with a good heart,love everyone equally. And try to see your friend,Amaya. ” This was the last words of the king to Zoe before he finally gave up his ghost.
“Father! Father!! Father!!!” Raya and Zoe called continuously,with tears pouring down their faces.
It had been fifth very long days after the king’s death,Zoe emerged the new king of the kingdom thereafter. Everyone loved his rulership style until the people started pressurizing him to take a wife that would accompany him in the kingdom.
“Elders,I have decided that my very best friend,Amaya will pick a wife for me. “Zoe brought in.
“What?!” The counsel of elders was surprisingly struck. “How can a little boy of sixteen years old,choose a wife for our king? It won’t happen. “
“Your highness,in fact,we have a special occasion coming up. We have invited several communities to release their beautiful maidens to us,so they can apply for this amazing occasion. You will get to select the woman of your choice. ” One of the elders said.
“Guardddds! Prepare the best gifts in this kingdom. Make them abundant. To Asha immediately!” King Zoe commanded.
“Your highness! Your highness!!” The elders called but Zoe ignored them all.
Zoe and some of his royal guards coupled with few of his royal maidens, travelled down to our community in a bid to see me. They had to see the king of our community first before anything happens.
“The youngest king that ever ruleth. It’s nice having you in my kingdom. I must appreciate your effort to have gotten all this gifts here for me. ” The king of my village,Efe rained praises on Zoe. ” To what do I own this visitation?”
“Thank you so much king Efe,for welcoming us all. I’m here to see an old friend of mine,his name is Amaya. I heard he’s now the moon child of your kingdom. ” Zoe said.
“Oh! Amaya,the eyes of the moon. Why not,the guards will accompany you there,and they will tell you what and what not to do. Since Amaya is now the messenger of the moon,he’s no longer regarded as an ordinary person. ” King Efe shifted in.
“Well understood. I rest his choice. ” Zoe replied.
So,they left the palace. After few minutes drive,they arrived at my shrine with lots of rose petals sprinkled on the ground by the maidens as king Zoe walked on the ground.
“My king! Take this path down to the tall iroko tree. Kindly note,you must stay behind the barricade and pass out any message that you have down the moon child. You must not sneak up on him unless he asked you to. If you do without letting him know,you will turn into a frozen crusted imagine immediately. ” The royal guards warned and returned.
Zoe and his people walked into my shrine path,where they shortly met some of my watchmen,dressed in all white with painted and muscular bodies. The shrine path was decorated with earthen pots with unquenchable flames in them.
“Off your shoes before you get in. Watch your feet and hands in that white bowl filled with spring water,just then you’re accepted to see the moon child. ” My shrine watchman instructed.
“Thank you!” Zoe said.
“That’s not all. Your maidens should never look at his face directly,if they do,they would never conceive in their entire life. ” My watchman instructed again.
“Is this how terrible it is?” Lilo whispered into Nneka’s ears. “These rules are not supposed to bind king Zoe, considering the fact that he’s Amaya’s boyfriend! Don’t you think?!”
“Close your mouth madam. See! Don’t allow the gods strike you down here oh! Do you realize we are in a sacred place?We are not in the palace. Respect yourself. ” Nneka returned the whisper angrily.
I was not informed about their coming,but I already saw them coming the moment Zoe told his elders about his visitation to my shrine. I see almost everything from my shrine.
“Uhm! It’s been a while I saw you. So, I decided to pay you a visit after my father’s burial. “Zoe said, seated behind a white barricade. “I brought you some gifts. “
“Sorry about your lose. How are you and your sister,Raya?” I asked.
“We are good, except for the fact that,you never showed up in those given nights that I promised to bring you gifts. ” Zoe stuttered. “Can I see your face again? It’s been a while. “
“Did you learn of the rules before you got here?” I asked.
“Err! Y…Yes! But…Uhm!” He stammered.
Suddenly,the barricade worn off and I came out of my secret spot.
“Oh my goodness! Is this truly you?” He reached out to me for a hug,but then again,he remembered that he wasn’t supposed to. He paused. “Uhmmm! Sorry!”
“Come here!” I reached out to him and he gave me a three minutes hug. “That’s longer than I expected. ” I giggled.
The moment I lifted my face to look at him,I saw Zoe in a casket,with cotton balls in his ears and nose. I frowned immediately. Shortly, Raya’s picture also flashed into my eyes. She was also in a casket with cotton balls in her ears and nose. They were about to be buried in the same day. I quickly rushed into my secret chamber and returned with an earthen pot of spring water. I started flashing phantom of the water droplets at him.
“Death will not be your portion! Affliction will not be your portion. You will not d!e the same way that your father had d!ed. ” I continued with the prayers.
“What’s wrong?” He asked in a confused manner. I didn’t say anything,I continued until walked away from him and started walking towards his royal guards and maidens. They(both the royal guards and maidens) all flee into the bush when they saw me going their direction.
“He’s coming!” They jumped into the bush.
I walked the shrine bush path sprinkling droplets of spring waters on the entire place with continuous prayer,then I returned back to Zoe and told him what I saw.
“You and Raya have been k!lled spiritually, awaiting your burial day.” I yelled aloud pacing round Zoe with more water splash on him. Then,I stopped when I was satisfied.
“Raya and I dead? Spiritually?” Zoe soliloquized. “Wise one! What do I do to be save?”
“It’s been signed that the same way your father died,is the same way that the both of you will d!e. Same day!” I stuttered. “
“Who have I offended?” He asked himself.
“This is your father’s sin,not yours. Although your father is gone,but you and your sister will continue the pattern that he left behind. ” I said to him. “Now,go back home! “
“Just like that? I’m scared. You should come with me! I can’t stay in that palace alone!” He stuttered.
“I will not go anywhere with you. Leave this place this minute!” I said to him. “And for the beautiful maidens that are about coming to your village for you to choose from,be very careful with whom you pick! Your death will come from one of those maidens. “
“I haven’t even told you about that but you already knew. ” He muttered. “Why don’t you come with me to my kingdom? I will take good care of you. “
“Leave this place this minute! Now! And never you return!” I yelled aloud.
“Okay!” He turned his back and they all returned.
The great news of Zoe picking a wife went viral in several villages. A match was made for young girls to come for a dance,and whoever that emerged the winner would be given to king Zoe. Community maidens joined the quest to be the king’s wife,as he was one of the most charming king in several communities and beyond.
It was a gorgeous blue-skied day. the sun was shining, the birds were singing, and the world was at peace on the seemingly carefree Saturday afternoon. Holidays had just knocked in and the children ran fast and free ready to play. They ran two and twelve towards the town’s lake to go swimming, in order to ward off the heat of the noon sun. They stampeded through town bumping over numerous people and even one another to reach the cool blue waves.
Different maidens from different communities were busy practicing for their dance competition inorder to win the heart of the king over(king Zoe)
I was busy watching the entire dance scenes from my shrine when a strange maiden emerged from the sea,just like Jordan did. She was perfect. The body and dress code was giving. But she was sent by Jordan, Raya’s spiritual husband.
“She’s the one!” I said.
… To Be Continued.
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