CHAPTER THIRTEEN

Murna jumped out of bed at the first cockcrow, she tried to sneak out of her mother's room unnoticed only to find her at the door.

" Where are you going?" Her mother asked raising a brow.

" "BAR.. BAR ...KA DA SAFIYA"( Goodmorning) , Murna stammered she was not expecting her mother to be at the door.

" That is not an answer to my question, Where are you going? Jamilah asked again.

" Nowhere" Murna answered sharply.

Jamilah stepped forward which only made Murna to step back into the room .

" The last time you said that, you tried milking a cow and almost got stepped on by the cow itself." Jamilah reminded her daughter.

" But it was not my fault, I told the herdsman to teach me and he refused" Murna argued.

Jamilah bent down to her level and spanked her forehead.

"Owch!, Murna exclaimed and rubbed her forehead.

" You are a princess , Murna you do not have any business with cattle"

" But they are very intriguing, have you ever wondered why they are also able to produce milk?" Murna asked her mother.

" Why should I" Jamilah answered.

" I don't know , but you should try it sometime mother , Murna adviced.It is actually amazing"

Jamilah smiled and sat on her bed and beckoned on murna to help untie her scarf , when she turned she met her daughter's intense gaze.

" Is there a problem?" Jamilah chuckled.

" A thought just occurred to me " Murna answered and sat beside her.

" Where are you coming from?" Murna asked.

" I do not understand this question Murna"

"Did you visit my father"? Murna asked again.

" where are all these questions coming from?, I went out for prayer"Jamilah answered.

" I can tell when you are not being sincere"

Jamilah gave her daughter a questioning look.

"I noticed recently that the king looks really worried and a bit distant have you noticed that too? Murna asked her mother.

Jamilah sighed, she may not have noticed that the king was being distant but she knew for a fact that something was not right. Security in the palace was tightened, she observed that the guards assigned to each family member had doubled something was definitely wrong, she thought she would get a clue when are snuck out earlier but she came back more confused.

"UWA ( mother)" murna waved her hands in her mother's face to get back her attention.

Jamilah cleared her throat, where did you say you were going?

" Nowhere" Murna answered.

" Are you sure?" Jamilah teased.

" Well, Kubra promised to show me the Royal archive" Murna stated slowly.

"This early??" Jamilah asked in suprise.

" Not really, I was just hoping I could play with Latifah before then"

" But you have not eaten " Jamilah complained.

" I will eat there "

" Alright you can go"

" Really!!"

Jamilah nodded, she smiled as she watched Murna run out in excitement, her daughter was different, with the kind of questions she asked one would be forced to wonder if she was indeed a child.

*. *. *. *

" Murna! , Murna! , Murna !

Murna stopped in her tracks and turned to see her youngest sister , Habibah running towards her.

" Where are you going " Habibah asked in a tiny voice.

" I'm going to see Kubra" Murna answered , mimicking her voice.

Habibah pouted , she did not enjoy being mimicked, Murna laughed when she saw the expression on her face , she found it funny.

" Can we go together?" Habibah asked.

Murna nodded in response and gestured for her to hold her hand.

" When are we going to get there" Habibah asked on their way.

" Very soon" Murna answered.

" Does Kubra know you are coming?"Habibah asked.

" Yes"Murna answered.

By the time they arrived, Kubra and her siblings were already eating, Murna stood by the door for some time.

" Murna , what is taking you so long? " Kubra asked and bent backwards to get a better view.

" Habibah, I'm very sure you can enter inside" Murna assured her younger sister .

" Habibah?" Rashidah asked confused.

" Very surprising " Kubra stated and stood up.

" Habibah, why don't you want to come inside" Kubra asked when she got to the door.

Habibah looked up and stared at her step-sister, it was her first time here , she wondered what her mother would say.

" Your mother would not hear a word" Kubra promised as if reading her thoughts.

" You promise"

" I promise"

" Murna , hope your mother knows you are here early?" Kubra asked as they got inside.

" Yes , she does" murna answered and sat down beside Latifah.

" How about you Habibah ?" Latifah asked as she passed the dates to Murna.

" She does not know" Habibah answered.

Kubra and Latifah shared a quick gaze .

" Rashidah tell the servant girls to bring more Masa" Kubra ordered.

" Why should I ?" Rashidah frowned.

" Because I said so " Kubra shrugged.

" Not enough reason" Rashidah replied and continued eating.

" I do not think mother will be happy when she finds out you are using her ointment" Kubra whispered into her ears.

Rashidah tensed.

" How did you ..."

Kubra only smiled and pointed at the door.

Murna shook her head as she watched Rashidah rush out.

" When, your authority as the senior does not work, blackmail always does the trick" Kubra stated causing all of them to burst into laughter.

*. *. *. *. *.

Achebe stood up from his bed and yawned, another day in the palace he thought. He moved to the balcony and peeped down , he could see the servants busy carrying out their chores, he looked up and could see the bushes in a distance he could feel it calling out to him .

" UTUTU OMA "( Good morning )

Achebe turned to see his younger brother looking all dressed.

" Where are you going?" He asked yawning again.

"Father is meeting with the council today " Ikemba reminded his brother.

" it is today!" Achebe exclaimed.

"Did you forget?" Ikemba asked.

" Not really"

" I was wondering if we could go together"

"Do not bother yourself, I will come by myself"

" Alright" Ikemba nodded.

When his brother left, Achebe threw himself on his bed and covered his face with his Palm. This was the second council meeting since he started staying in the palace, the chiefs were yet to arrive at a conclusion, he did not even understand why his presence was needed , if they could not come up with a solution then of what importance was his attendance.

EZE M (My king) the situation is getting out of hand, it has become the topic in every gathering in the Kingdom" a council member complained.

" Ameachi is right, another member spoke ,we must make a decision now!"

URENNA shook his head and spoke his deep voice booming through the hall.

" We must not rush , we must think".

" But how long are we going to continuing thinking?" Ameachi asked obviously trying to keep his voice down.

" EZE M (My king),I agree with my brother, this is not...

"Good morning my elders"Achebe interrupted.

" Why are you just coming?" The king asked his son.

Achebe stared at his father for sometime, he wanted to tell his father that he was tired of all these council elders and meetings but that would not be wise infact his own mother would kill him.

"I woke up late" He finally answered.

"Late?" Urenna asked I'm suprise.

Ikemba shook his head, he knew his elder brother was not interested in being here, if only the king could see it.

" My prince, we appreciate your honesty but attending a council meeting late is not a good sign" A council member with cracked voice spoke from behind.

"I sincerely apologise ,it won't repeat itself" Achebe promised as he sat beside his father.

" So... Ameachi cleared his throat, My king what do you want us to do, we must act now.

" What do you suggest we do?"Urenna asked.

" We can issue a no movement order till the situation is resolved" The council man with cracked voice suggested.

" Dike , EKWETAGHI M( I do not agree) remember the goal is to find a solution without involving the people, What do you think will happen to the commercial activities if we make them stay at home? Ameachi asked.

" Ameachi has a point" the king agreed , issuing a no movement order will only bring chaos and knowing the kind of people I rule they will demand answers".

" So we do not want the people involved but are they not the ones getting killed and going missing?" Dike asked.

"My fellow council men is the goal to protect commerce or protect the people?" A council man stood up to ask"

"The people" Ameachi answered on their behalf.

"Then I do not see any reason why making them stay at home for their own safety is a problem, EZE M(my king) right now the safety of our people is more important, we are tired of receiving reports of people getting killed and going missing or are we not?" The council man asked.

" Yes" some council men chorused while others disagreed. An argument ensued as some where on the opinion that causing the people to stay at home will bring about suspicion while others maintained it was better for them to stay suspicious that end up getting killed.

" Suspicious, like people going missing is a normal thing infact they are already suspicious" Dike stated.

" NKE AHU EZOUOLA !"( That is enough!) The king shouted.

" I do not understand why you would be arguing and quarrelling like children, he continued, a no movement order will be issued".

" But..."Ameachi tried to argue.

"I have spoken" the king finalized.

Ikemba smiled he enjoyed it when his father used his authority to silence them, seeing them obey without question excited him. On the other hand Achebe was bored he wanted the meeting to end already he wished his father could hear his thoughts and understand that he did not want any of this, he wanted to be free. Suddenly an idea came into his head.

" Father, father"Achebe grabbed his father's hand roughly and fell.

" Achebe, Achebe , " His father shook him.

": What happened to him"Urenna asked his second son.

" I do not know , my king" Ikemba frowned, he was sure Achebe was alright a minute ago.

" Quick, arrange the EBUGHARI, send him to his mother for proper treatment" The king ordered his body guards.

Achebe smiled secretly that was all he needed to hear , freedom would soon be within his grasp again.