AMAYA
(Son Of The Moon)
Episode 9
When I heard the drumsticks dancing on the drummers drums it was like liquid adrenaline being injected right into my blood stream,not so strong as to freak me out, but just enough to make me tingle and start to move my waist and body effortlessly and gracefully. I’d never had a dance class, but I had jived to music since my early teen, competing in the friendly way boys do to “up” one another. Now, just turned sixteen, I was a well oiled machine on the dance floor. I didn’t dance to show off, to make the people watch, but they did. Anyone that could move like my limbs were half liquid in perfect rhythm and still look beautiful.
When I flowed in dance it was as if it was the only way my body truly knew how to speak. Verbally I was guarded, physically I would shrink and fade into the background no matter where I was. On stage my personality, her sensuality burst through into the most vibrant picture of a beautiful soul. King Zoe watched me move to the music filling the crowds, crackling somewhat from the old cassette recorder. For the most part that ancient music machine was my only audience, watching me in this manner. Then,I halted.
“Stoppp!” King Zoe yelled. ” This is a tough decision indeed,but there must be a winner. The winner is….!”
“Who could it be?!” The maidens whispered.
“Who?!” The crowd wailed.
“Amaya! My queen is,Amaya” King Zoe announced.
“Yeah!!!” The crowd rejoiced endlessly.
“I know you. No matter how much you try to hide your identity,you can never prevent the sun from casting your shadow on the ground. ” The strange girl muttered and walked away into the bush.
So,the king later dismissed the crowd.
“My queen,how old are you?” Zoe whispered into my ears.
“Sixteen years.” I replied shyly.
“Wow!” Zoe grinned widely. Who are your parents and where are you from?”
“Uhm! My mother’s name is Adaugo and my father is…! Is …!” I stammered. Thankfully,one of the guards cut.
“My king,you have a visitor. ” The royal guard reported.
“Okay tell them I will be right there. ” Zoe said.
“Okay my king. ” He turned and left.
“Uhm! My king,I should be on my way now. It’s getting dark. I need to go back home and prepare dinner for my parents. ” I forged.
“Wow! That’s so nice of you my queen. I have some special gifts for you. Wait let me get them for you. ” Zoe rose from his chair. I tried to refuse the gifts. Thankfully,he agreed to not force them on me. So,I left the palace that evening.
I started running towards the river so I can revert into my natural body,when flashes of flickered rays entered my eyes.
What I saw was this;
The two visitors that the royal guards reported to the king were Jordan and his ev!l strange girl. I paused immediately. Jordan had just returned with a different identity that no one would recognize. As for the strange dancer,she retained her image because no one had a bad record of her.
“My king! Oh king! My name is Victor,and this is my younger sister,Niola. We came from a far distance. It’s almost dark,so I’m begging you to let us pass the night under your roof till it’s morning,then we shall leave once it’s dawn. ” Victor (Jordan)forged. ” We came all the way regarding the dance competition. “
“Yes my king,please help us. ” Niola added.
“Very well then. You also danced very well,fair maiden. I believe the right man will come for you soon. Guardssssss! Prepare one of the rooms for our visitors. Also,inform Ejiro to prepare them dinner. ” King Zoe instructed.
Moving farther,a night scene flickered. Zoe and Raya were on their bed why a horrible being was feeding on their intestine spiritually.
“What’s all these now? Again?” I quickly turned my back and ran back to the palace. I didn’t bother reverting to my original body.
When I was almost at the palace walls,I stretched my hand into the air,made a prayer and caused the rain to start falling heavily.
“Rain, phantom droplets of the cooling rain,pour down I call you. Invade the silent air and quietness. ” Suddenly,it started to pour down rain.
I explained everything to the king, telling him that I won’t be able to return under that heavy rain. He allowed me to pass the night in the palace too. The king took me to my room himself.
“My queen,you should use this room. It reminds me so much of one of my very good friend. Do you know that I invited him to my wife selection ceremony and he didn’t show up? Is it fair?” He asked.
“Maybe,he’s not feeling too well or might be busy somehow with something. You can’t blame him just yet,until you hear from him. ” I replied.
“So brave. ” He replied and walked away. “He’s currently in his shrine right now. “
The silver glowy moon had just sprouted. The time was fast around 01:00AM. The entire palace had gone to sleep. I knew about the timing of Jordan (Victor) and his ev!l projection(Niola) which was 03:00AM. I decided to have a few hours rest before the major battle ensue.
A hand slowly run through my almost bare body. I jolted and found out that it was king Zoe.
“My king,what are you doing in here?” I stuttered.
“Are you ready to tell me who you truly are now?” He inquired like he had suspected anything. “I mean your true identity. “
“My king,it’s too late for this. Please,you can’t do this. ” I pleaded.
“If you do not say the truth on the count of five,I am going to have my way forcefully with you. ” Zoe threatened. ” One! Two! Three!”
“What kind of a king are you, practicing sexual assaults. ” I said but he grabbed me immediately and I pushed him down the floor. ” Get your filthy hands of me right this minute,before I lose my calmness. “
“Amaya,can you stop playing games with me and revert into your original person?” Zoe already knew that I was the one. He wanted to be sure. “Although,you transformed into a very elegant maiden,but your eyes looks sorrowful as usual. Your eyes didn’t change anything. And then again,I saw your bracelet during your dance session. “
“Enough already. “I lifted my hand into the air and reverted back to my original body. “I came here for a mission. But wait o, I warned you about the strange girl,how come you still went ahead with her?”
“I thought that was the only way to pull you out of that shrine. ” He grinned. “Since you told me that you would never be here. “
“You must be crazy. You don’t play with things that involve lives. So,what if I had not showed up at all. ” I said to him.
“I was certain that you would be here. What I wasn’t sure of is your new appearance. ” Zoe shifted in.
“Tell me the truth,whom among the maidens did you pick?” I inquired.
“The maiden that I picked didn’t dance. ” He said. “I do not have to tell you. You will definitely find out yourself. “
“Enough of all these. I need some rest. Jordan and the lady are under your roof. So get ready,it’s tonight. ” I said to him.
“What?! Are they truly here? How did they get in here?” Zoe inquired confusingly.
“The last set of persons that you allowed to sleep here. The fake brother and his fake sister from goodness knows where. ” I quickly adjusted myself on the bed. ” Lastly, return to your room. Good night. “
“I’m scared already. Can I spend the night here? ” He said.
“Oga return to your room. It’s not yet their time to strike. Look out for 03:00AM. ” I slept. “Like I told you before, I can only get rid of them,I can’t k!ll them. “
It was exactly 03:00AM when I heard a strange faint groan. The lights started flickering. I jolted immediately. I struggled on my feet and moved into the restroom. I softly switched on a tap and fetched some water into a wide bowl,I then sat closed to it with continuous droplets of geranium essential oils, accompanied with some dew water. An image appeared on the water surface. The strange being had already entered princess Raya’s room. Zoe on the other hand was fast asleep.
Quickly,I started my enchantment. This spanned for several minutes. These strange beings engulfed the entire palace with sleeping enchanteur,before a full strike(They made everyone go under dead sleep) My first step was to wake the victims(Zoe and Raya)
My visions became clearer that I started to see Zoe and Raya in their caskets again with cotton balls in their ears and nose, suddenly the caskets shattered into pieces. The cotton balls fell of their nostrils and ears. While in real life,Zoe and Raya jolted from their sleep with yells. Flames of fire lashed at the strange beings and they disappeared in their very eyes. Raya saw the being,Zoe did the same.
Shortly there was peace again in the atmosphere. The lights became stable. So,Zoe and Raya rushed to my room,I dipped a finger tip into the enchanted water and disappeared out of the palace. I returned to my shrine.
“He’s gone! He’s gone. ” Zoe and Raya had just arrived in my room. They only saw the things I used on the floor. That was the end of Jordan and Niola. Thankfully,the king and princess was freed from their curse.
My servants and I were in the bush picking herbs and spices when a picture of my family flickered in rays into my eyes. I suddenly felt a strange movement in me.
“Let’s return home. ” I said.
We were walking on a bush path before a call emerged from behind us.
“Amaya! Amaya!!” It was Zoe’s voice. “Your mother is here to see you. “
“Zoe,I already told you, except I sent for you,do not come close to me. What are you doing here?” I spurred angrily.
“Your mother and Christian wish to see you. ” He replied.
“I am now sold out. I have nothing to do with my family members anymore. ” I quickened my movement hurriedly.
“My son,are you not pleased to see your mother?” Mama said calling. “It’s me oh your mother. My baby boy,please come to me. “
“Mama,till death,you will always be my mother,but I already sold the love that I had for my loved ones,inorder to save them from destruction. As you can see,I am doing fine. You can now go back. I do not want more harm to be fall anyone of you. ” I said.
“Don’t you dare speak to mama like that. Who do you think you are? A mare mortal?” Vincent thundered.
I quickly turned my face to them the moment Vincent fired harshly at me. A van of soldiers pulled behind them and three soldier dropped from it with guns.
“Amaya,I have been looking for you for ages. Please,for old times sake,calm down and talk nicely to us. ” Christian softly said.
“Why are you begging him? Who is Amaya? Little Amaya! Small boy. ” Vincent stuttered.
“I can see that you came prepared,Vincent,but I must warn you,leave this land before I change my mind. ” I fired back at Vincent. “Believe me you won’t like my personality. “
“Uhm! Vincent,I think you’re misjudging Amaya. He’s actually kind hearted. ” Zoe came through.
“Once an Ogbanje is always an Ogbanje. ” Vincent replied.
“Good! Now, experience the true Ogbanje in me. ” I stretched out my arm and Vincent fell to the ground screaming. Without wasting time,the soldiers pulled out their guns at me.
“Knee down! Knee down now or I’ll shoot you!” One of the army man thundered.
“No! No! Pull down your guns. ” Zoe, Christian and mama exclaimed.
I angrily swayed into an aggressive manner and froze all the soldiers into stones.
“If you push forward again,this will be your fate. ” I replied and walked away. “And Zoe,for bringing shame to my face. Never you show your face around me again,if you do,you will be sorry. “
… To Be Continued.
©️ Rihanne Maya
