PART FOURTEEN (cont'd):
Tell me quick and tell me true:
"Oh Hanad," exclaimed his mother. Then she buried her face in the cup of the palm of her hands and wailed. "What have I done now?" Rifra wearily stared across the room at the woman he had always known to be his mother. The woman who had raised him as a mother should raise a child. At the moment, between her sobbing and the cooking pan she would fidget with at any pause in conversation. He did not know what to say or do. All he had felt for the past two weeks, was overwhelmed. It seemed like one unpleasant surprise after the other, begged for his undivided attention.
"I was brought to you as an infant, by the queen mother?" He would have easily believed that he was a unicorn, than what he had just heard. Still struggling to wrap his head around this frightening and daunting revelation. He delved in further with now piqued curiosity.
"But where in the world, did she get me from? And why bring me here? And why did she show up again after almost thirty years?" His mother started sobbing again. Feeling herself helpless and dumbfounded at the barrage of questions, coming at her all at once.
"I meant to tell you. I would have told you, if the need for that information arose. But it never did. You were ours, we were a family and we were happy. That was all that mattered. I never expected her to come back in this way." The woman raised her head at this final statement. Her eyes were red, tear stained and pleading as well.
"I really do not know why she came back now." She shook her head and paused momentarily. Then looking right at her son, she continued. "But it appears from her line of questioning, that she wants to know what became of you and where you were."
"But for what mother? And why now? Do you not sense any wrong in all of this?" None of this occurrence, was sitting right with Rifra. But then again, nothing had been for a while. He was now riled up with unfamiliar emotions as he continued to speak. "And you told her I was at the palace? What were you thinking?!"
"What was I supposed to say?" I had no idea both of you had never met. You live in the same vicinity." The woman sounded perturbed.
"So what if we had met? I as a servant should have walked up to her and said.... Oh by the way I am the child you gave away over two decades ago. So pleased to meet your highness."
His mother started bawling again. "I really thought she knew you were there. I have no idea, how you people live in the royal kingdom." Burying her face back into her hands, she continued sobbing as her shoulders shook violently.
"Well here is how we live over there." Began Rifra matter-of-factly. "It is never a good sign, when all of a sudden the queen mother starts looking for you." His mother raised her head, eyes inquisitive. "You mean she does not mean well?"
"I mean she rarely ever means well." Was all he managed, before turning away. Now deeply buried in his own thoughts.
"One other question mother, before I have to head back to the palace." Rifra had turned back towards his mother again, with a quizzical look. "Yes," his mother was ready to answer any question now.
"Did I display any strange behaviours, when I was a kid?"
"Strange behaviour? What do you mean?" The woman was confused.
"You know like flying or speaking with strange voices." Rifra chuckled slightly but the pain etched on his face begged to differ.
"Of course not," countered his mother. "You were just like any other normal kid growing up." And almost immediately. "Except for that incident....... Well I never really believed them anyway."
"Believed what?" Rifra sprung up like a flower bud. "You have to tell me everything now! My whole life depends on it. Like I already told you, the queen mother does not have the reputation of finding people so that she can better their lives." He paused now to look at his mother, his eyes the pleading one now. "If the queen mother is looking for me, then I may be in grave danger!"
His mother began sobbing again.
Who gave you that dream?:
"Are you supposed to be this big so soon?" Ashea's younger sister asked her, as she gently rubbed her largely protruding stomach. The pregnant woman just sighed deeply and turned her face to the clay wall. She had arrived on the wagon with her husband Rifra just two days ago. He wanted them to go to his family, but she wanted to stay with hers. The emotionally unnerving and dramatic upheaval that plagued the last couple of months was proving too much to handle. First her brother Kedem's suicide, which her family was still mourning. Then her low-key and rushed wedding. Then this strange pregnancy, of which the brunt of it might end up killing her. It felt like her childhood dreams of grandeur was slowly ebbing away. And the source of it might be the one place she had wanted so badly.
They had always looked forward to visiting the grand palace. Then almost without warning, her brother Kedem was grafted along with a host of other gifted children into the kingdom. They had missed him terribly, but were just as glad that he was there. Then the news of his suicide came and almost destroyed her parents. Although she hated to admit it, the tragedy ended up re-uniting her with the love of her life. Rifra, he now called himself. Although she knew him as Hanad. And the cause of their seperation at the time? A vile miserable and listless gossip who was supposed to be a friend. Maybe there were more, but this one got close to Hanad's ear. When she found out she was pregnant, she thought if he was a boy. They might name him Kedem. But she was not naming this creature that was killing her from the inside out. She was not returning with the stranger that was now Rifra. And she definitely was going no where near the palace again. Something was going on in it or slowly and deviously taking it over. Something very wrong indeed.
In the place of death:
There were bones and cowry shells strewn all over the floor and around the witch. As she simply locked her gaze ahead and at a certain spot. She was sitting on the floor with her legs crossed, when 'shiny-shoes' and her companion nearly crawled into the meeting area. The sorceress did not turn, nor did she acknowledge them. After a few moments of awkward silence, the high priestess then proceeded to clear her throat loudly. An action intentional, as if to wake the dead. Still nothing happened.
"You know, you should just settle down and be quiet next time. And refrain from interrupting my seance." Said the witch coldly without breaking her gaze or turning to her visitors.
"Oh...." Was all 'shiny-shoes' managed. While struggling uncharacteristically, to remain calm. She wanted to be calm, for the sake of a brisk commencement towards the reason for her visit.
"He perished by his own tactics you know?" Said the witch without warning or preamble.
"He what?...... Who what? I am not sure I know what you are talking about." The high priestess was now shaking her head in disgust, mingled with confusion.
"What else are we talking about, and why else are you here?" Continued the witch, still not breaking her gaze. "Oh, you mean the rebellious prince?" 'Shiny-shoes' smacked her forehead.
But the busy sorceress proceeded with her story, as if the high priestess never spoke.
The tale of two kingdoms (cont'd):
"The rebellious son's servants, conspired and killed him. One of the conspirators and the one who led the gang of murderers was his mistress' daughter's lover. After a brief struggle for the throne between the first wife's daughter, the childless second wife and the mistress' daughter. The first daughter began to reign as queen. She was fiercely backed by her mother. But then she would eventually and defiantly marry a warrior from an enemy province. Going against her mother and age old kingdom rules.
Meanwhile and simultaneously, on the other side of the divided kingdom. The old and good monarch died happily after he had witnessed the birth of his great-grand daughter. He had raised and had been very close to his grand-son from the day he was born. Personally training and grooming him for all that lay ahead. The murder of his son had caused him untold grief. However, the birth of his grand-son had brought an even greater consolation."
The great king had had to bury his wife and queen soon after his grand-son was married. He and his wife had been greatly taken by their grand-daughter-in-law. She was as kind as she was beautiful. The birth of the young couple's daughter appeared to have been what the older monarch had been waiting for, for a very long time.
"Is she not a picture of beauty?" Cooed the old king. He was holding his great-grand daughter and watching her as she slept.
"They usually all are at this age grandfather," replied the prince laughing playfully. "You are just being biased." "No, no, not at all. Not at all my son," continued the king.
"You see what this proves to me, is that no matter how pervasive, intrusive and stubborn that evil is. Good will always prevail in the end."
"What are you trying to say papa?" Asked the prince with a serious curiosity.
"You will see son, you will see." Finished the old king, with a warm and kind smile.
Some time ago, behind closed doors.
Un-strange bedfellows:
"I have to speak to you now." Said the visitor as he stood there watching her. He knew he was very much un-invited. Yet what he came to say did not need an invitation.
Ethia dismissed the maid, with a careless wave of her hand. That servant had just brought in and served her lunch tray. She was carefully placing the food on a side-table. Close to the couch the queen mother was sitting on, as she had been instructed. She had barely straightened from her bent stance, before Ethia's flapping hand almost smacked her across the face. Off she ran, never looking back. Looking all around her. The queen mother made sure there was no other being lurking anywhere else, but the one standing before her.
"Yes," began the female royal unenthusiastically. "What brings you here now?"
"The old man contacted me." Was her guest's flat reply, seeming equally unethused himself.
"And what for now? Was he not very well compensated?" Asked Ethia, as she lifted the lid from the food tray and scanned its content.
"He is riddled with gift he says and he feels that the whole episode is destroying him and his family." "He feels?" She had just dropped the lid she was holding as she examined the food beside her. Waiting for the steel lid's loud and clanging noise to subside, she continued. "And what in the 'deep dark' world has that got to do with me? Must you bring every nonsense or whimsical thought to my attention?! Do you not know that I have bigger and better things to worry about than the unbridled emotions of a nonentity?" The queen mother had raised her voice. She felt irritated and was running out of the patience she never had.
Unmoved by her outburst, her visitor continued flatly. "He wants to come clean to his family....." Ethia grunted and pushed the food tray away, almost tipping it over.
"Then.... So what?!" She was glaring at her guest now with undisguised chagrin.
"Then he will tell everyone concerned the truth." This the guest stated, as if glad to be delivering a punch line.
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly what you think it means."
"He will not have access to this place. You will definitely see to that. Besides, why is he not dead yet?" Asked the queen mother. "Actually, he longs for it I hear." Smirked the guest as he continued. "Whether or not you care, word might get to the king." "It won't!" Interrupted the queen mother immediately. "You will see to it that it does not. You are as much in this as I am. Your father left you that much legacy, incase you are starting to forget." She sneered at the last statement.
Ignoring her indictment, the guest continued. "What if word does get to him in an unconventional or unforseen way?" He too was getting irritated with his stubborn and ungracious hostess.
"Then he has to die." Was Ethia's cold and whispered reply.
"You would kill your son the king?!" Even he was taken aback by how easily deadly she was.
The woman grimaced maliciously at that last statement. Her son indeed. Even this accomplice did not know that much.
"Sshhh!..... You fool." She cautioned. "There might still be people around." After a few seconds, she continued. "Well here is the deal. He dies or we do. Take your pick."
Dezen got up, feeling suddenly drained. He had indeed met his devious match. "You know what? These royals never really did stand a chance as soon as you snuck into their family." He all but spat the words at her. "Hahaha..... Look who's talking." The queen mother mocked. "They never did stand a chance when your father came to work for them too." She spat back viciously.