by Owen Oakley
“Yes si’, she is in’fomed,” Kofi answered.
King Haji didn’t know Zola was the reason for the alliance.
However, he’d rather take the blame than have Haji to think ill of his own daughter.
“Yet she didn’t tell me. I will ave to speak to ha’. This is very dista’bing.”
King Omari rolled his eyes and snorted.
King Haji being of distinguished status chose not to entertain Omari’s rude behavior.
“One would say a king that seeks outside elp isn’t capable of wuling,” Haji continued.
“And those of old age should step aside,” King Omari smirked.
King Abayomi pounded the gavel several times on the table.
“We will show wespect. Now moving on to the next topic of discozsion. Wumo, as it, tha’ is a new woyal. I see she chose not to appeaw to’dey. Does anyone ave any info’mation about ha’?” Abayomi asked.
“Only that she appeawed ova’night and ha’ kingdom keeps to itself, otha than that, nothing,” Salim replied.
King Omari kept quiet, no one other than Kofi knew he didn’t send correspondence to Taj about the meeting.
Anyone with power and a newcomer, who was a woman that claimed to be a queen threatened Omari, she was a wild card he couldn’t risk having among them.
“She as to pwove ha’ family’s woyal affiliations befo’ we can acknowledge ha’ as an official Queen. Othawise, she’s jozt an imposta, bweaking the law,” Abayomi stated.
The men agreed with his statement. They continued to discuss other matters throughout the day.
⸞⸟⸞
Later that evening after the meeting the kings enjoyed a lavish meal. Wine, Piri chicken, Jollof rice, Egg Fir Fir, whole fish, a veggie sampler, with meat skewers.
During dinner, they put aside harsh words that were exchanged during the meeting and fellowshipped. Food always brought the fiery meetings to a positive note.
While the men enjoyed their dessert of Koeksisters and hot coffee, the door flew open.
The doorway was empty. Their guards drew their weapons. A servant started to close the door, but Taj entered with Ashanti and Oluchi by her side.
The men looked dumbfounded with a slight surge of attraction. Taj meant business in her fitted black leather pants that accented her curves, with black, heeled ankle booties.
The gold corset had a zigzagged black lace in the back. Her crown shimmered of black and gold that matched her short layered dark hair perfectly.
She armed herself with thigh daggers and two Katana blades on both hips. The thing that unsettled the men the most was the half black phoenix bird mask she wore.
Although she was still breathtakingly gorgeous, she had undergone irreversible physical changes.
Her eyes told who she really was, but with the mask that covered half of her face, it was impossible to recognize her. Taj surveyed the room with a sly smile, but it faded when her eyes landed on Salim.
They locked eyes for only a moment after she couldn’t bear to look at him. Her heart skipped a beat, and she resisted a smile. It was actually a thrill to her to become someone else. She enjoyed being the woman of mystic and mystery.
The sound of King Abayomi brought her out of the daze.
“This is a pwivate meeting. Who awe you?” He asked.
“I am Queen Taj of Waewood.”
The whispers ran wild among the men.
“We don’t tol’ate tawdiness,” Abayomi said in a ridiculing manner.
“I do apologize King Abayomi, ad I was info’med I would ave awwived soona.”
King Omari avoided everyone, his typical behavior when he was guilty of doing underhanded things.
“You didn’t weceive notice of the meeting?” Asked Haji; as if he were surprised. Taj didn’t bother to dignify his question with an answer.
It troubled her to see that the other royals remained weak and naïve regarding King Omari.
“Please join us,” King Haji fetched Taj a chair and placed it beside him.
No one knew what to say so the silence lingered for several minutes. By then their dessert and coffee were cold used for nothing more than a distraction. King Salim, however, seemed captivated by Taj’s presence.
He couldn’t stop watching her. Taj felt his eyes but refused to look at him unless it was necessary.
“Does anyone ave any questions fo’ me? I pwesume tha’ was a lot said befo’ my awwival.”
No one said anything, the silence and averted stares continued.
A room filled with five mighty kings sat at a loss for words, and some even intimidated. Maybe it was because of her hundred-yard stare, the way she commanded their attention with no effort, or perhaps it was just the tone of her voice that made the hairs stand on their skin.
Whatever the case was her father was right, a queen without a king was dangerous; uncontrollable, and everyone in the room knew but would never admit it.
To her amazement, Salim raised his hand.
“Yes,” she said with a slight tremble in her voice.
Salim flashed a charming smile at her that made her knees buckle even as she sat. He still had a magical effect on her.
“You’we a mysto’wy. Befo’ we can pwopa’ly acknowledge you as queen we mozt fisst know about yoa woyal family history. Jozt a fo’mality, you do undesstand?” Salim Asked.
Taj nodded. “I undesstand King Salim.”
Salim gave a quizzical look, the exact look Abayomi gave when she said his name. She stood because it made her feel more in control over the situation.
“I am the daughta’ of Chipo of Wam.”
“You lie! Chipo neva’ ad a child,” King Omari shouted in outrage.
Ashanti had done well to suppress her emotions at the sight of him, but his voice irked her soul. She scowled at him. Taj gestured Ashanti with two fingers to stand down, and she slowly complied.
“What you will not do King Omawi is diswespect me while I talk. You people ave talked enough in my absence. If you want to know who I am, you will do well enough to sit tha’ and be quiet.”
King Omari hadn’t expected that response nor was he accustomed to a woman regardless of status to speak to him in that manner.
“She is wight, she as the floo’,” King Abayomi intervened. Taj rolled her eyes at Omari.
“Thank you. They took me fwom my motha at bi’th, so not to caoze embawwassment. I was waised by welatives. My gwandfatha Abebe was the King of Wam decades ago. When I tu’ned of age, I found my motha. She chooses not to be a queen but a leada instead. She didn’t want the city to become like so many of the otha kingdoms.”
Taj looked around at the men.
She rehearsed what she needed to say so many times she convinced herself that she was Chipo’s actual child. However, the looks on some of the men’s faces suggested that she had yet to convince them.
“Ow did she feel about the city being tu’ned into a kingdom and you weigning as an official of the monawch?” Haji asked.
“She twozts the path I’ve chosen and since then welcomed the changes.”
“That’s it? Yoa motha and grandfatha? What about yoa fatha and is family? You all awen’t buying this awe you?” Kofi spoke for the first time since Taj arrived.
“I ave nothing mo’ to pwove.”
King Omari got to his feet.
“We will not acknowledge you as a queen. You’we a fwaud, we all know it!”
Ashanti and Oluchi rushed to Taj’s side. The Kings’ guards were at the ready.
“Queen Taj this is a sanctuawy. No violence of any kind is pa’mitted a’. I’d ate to see you lose yoa newly fo’med kingdom,” Abayomi informed her.
“She is no queen!” Omari smacked his hand down on the table. He looked like a child who threw a tantrum.
“E’ engaged me! Wha I come fwom that is a thweat,” she said as she removed her Katanas from her hips.
Ashanti was so desperate to get to Omari that her body shook.
Salim got i
n the middle of them before anything transpired, but no one stood down.
“Queen Taj it may be of sound thought to leave, and we will let you know what we decide,” Salim advised.
Omari eyed Kofi who immediately joined him at his side. Taj stayed frozen like a statue and studied everyone’s movements and position.
For the first time Salim caught a better glimpse of Taj, he gave her a once over from head to toe. Taj repositioned herself after she noticed him staring.
“I agwee,” Taj replied.
Taj placed her blades back into place; Ashanti along with Oluchi made their way to the door.
“You don’t ave to wait fo a wesponse. You will neva’ be a queen,” Kofi said.
Haji and Salim dropped their heads. All of Salim’s efforts that diffused the situation were for nothing.
Taj stopped short of the door, she took a deep breath and then shrugged.
“So close,” she whispered. No one couldn’t say she didn’t try.
As she turned, she drew her dagger and slung it toward Kofi’s head. Her aim was slightly off, missing his head and planted into his right collarbone. Before anyone could react Oluchi and Ashanti drew their weapons on everyone.
Quick as lightning Taj was upon Kofi. He yelled in pain when she removed the dagger. The men watched in fear and anticipation while Taj gripped his throat.
“When the time comes you and I will ave wo’ds.” She released him with a hard push that sent his head back into the wall.
Kofi let out violent coughs. Taj looked around the room at the men who watched nervously as the events unfold.
“I feaw I was given a disadvantage fwom the beginning. I don’t need yoa stamp of validation. Take it o’ leave it, I am the queen ova’ mo’ than one may know.”
She cut her eyes toward Kofi.
Taj didn’t know who all was against her, but she knew she had to be prepared and cautious at all times.
Chapter Sixteen
“Who is she?” Zola asked.
Kofi sat on the sofa bare-chested in his chambers while Zola attended to his wound. It hadn’t stopped bleeding since he arrived back to Lark a day ago.
The dagger went through his upper shoulder with a miracle it missed the tip of his lung.
“I told you I don’t know! It was awd to tell when you’we being choked to death and she was weawing a bi’d mask!”
Taj’s fingerprints left imprints around his neck. His pride was hurt more than his body.
“Thanks a lot, fo’ yoa help,” Kofi said to Omari with a glare.
Omari sat in the corner in a wingback chair amused by Kofi’s retelling of events.
“Why did I agwee to give you fo’ty pa’cent fo’ the little you’ve done? You’we nothing mo’ than an expensive mouthpiece.”
It was hard for Zola to clean and treat his wound with his constant complaints and movement. Kofi was on the warpath; if someone was to be at fault other than himself, he voiced his opinion for all to hear.
“Zola, why didn’t you tell yoa fatha about the alliance? I looked like a fool in fwont of ev’yone, and it was yoa idea, and a pointless one may I add.” He winced when Zola applied the ointment.
Zola decided not to make matters worse than she usually did, she suspected her husband had been through a lot and just needed to vent.
King Omari approached the two suddenly bored of Kofi’s bitching.
“Welax, it’s okay to lose a battle o’ two, as long as you win the waw. Now we know what we’we up against we can weevaluate things and tackle the issue anotha way.”
Kofi looked tired and defeated. Zola helped him lean back on the sofa.
“Who do you think she weally is?” Zola asked Omari since her husband was busy behaving like a child.
“I onestly don’t know. Was awd to tell, but we will find out in due time.”
There was no doubt everyone shared the same thought. The possibility it was Adanya, but no one spoke out about it.
Kofi drifted off to sleep when his chamber doors flew open and two guards rush in with urgency and panic on their faces.
Kofi bucked his eyes and jumped to his feet. He winced in pain as he grabbed his shoulder. Zola steadied him.
“My Lo’d! Tha’ awe attagks in the coa’tyawd.” As if on cue a loud explosion sounded, and the foundation rumbled around them.
“What the ell?” Kofi slipped on his shirt and grabbed his sword.
“We ave seized most of the webels but some awe still somewha’ in the palace.”
BOOM! Another explosive sounded, the smoke was vivid on the outside.
Zola rushed to inspect the courtyard through the window, Lark was in chaos. Rebels and soldiers fought while innocent children and citizens were severely injured in the crossfire ⸺the rebels were in full attack mode.
“Keep away fwom the windows Zola. Stay a,’ and you’ll be safe. Omawi let’s go.”
King Omari had slithered his way back into his seat with his feet propped on the ottoman, his hands rested comfortably behind his head.
“Maybe next time. I think I’ll sit this one out, afta’ all⸺ he looked around⸺ I’m not pwopa’ly equipped to andle such fo’ces.”
King Omari gave him a smirk. Kofi scowled at him, but it wasn’t enough to change his mind.
“My King!” The soldiers had grown impatient. Reluctantly he followed them.
Zola protectively placed a hand over her belly and kept some safe distances from the window. Omari was fixated on her. He shot her a wink that made her shudder.
“I fo’got ow good of an acto’ you awe,” King Omari said.
She narrowed her eyes at him.
“And I almost fo’got ow lazy and awwogant you awe,” she said.
He cocked his head back and laughed.
“Jozt make sa’ you old up yoa end of the deal,” she reminded him.
“All you women awe alike. Descendants of Delilah esself, powa’ cwazed. None of you can be trozted. You all pwetend to be destitute cweata’s, but it’s a cova’ to ide yoa manipulative ways.”
Zola was unflustered by Omari’s weak display of ridicule and insults.
“One thing Samson should ave taught all men; sometimes things are betta’ left untold.” She grinned.
“No one can be twozted. Pillow talk, well that’s fai’ game. I was mawwied unda’ false pwetenses; it doesn’t matta’ what, all you need to wememba’ is that I still ave enough powa’ to wuin yoa day.”
King Omari brought himself closer to Zola.
“May I?” His hand hovered over her belly. When she didn’t reject his request, he gently slid his hand onto her stomach.
He closed his eyes and felt the child give a strong kick.
“Such innocence that grows inside you shawed in a place of ate and violence. Do you not wo’wy that yoa child will be bo’n in atwed when all it should feel is love?”
Zola took a step back from Omari with her hand draped over her stomach.
“That’s wich coming fwom a man of violence, yoa kingdom is built on cwuelty and to’tuwe. Yoa people feaw you. My child is no concign of yoas. I will teach it ow to be a real wula’ unlike its fatha. Once Kofi is dead, this kingdom will fall, and I will be its ruler,” she said.
Omari had a reputation for many things, but at that moment he realized he was outmatched. Zola was a force that was greater than anything he had seen.
Her eyes showed no remorse or a mental struggle. She made her choice, and Omari didn’t waste any more of his time with another guilt trip.
⸞⸟⸞
King Salim sat with his father.
After the Annual meeting, Salim needed royal and fatherly advice. They sat on the balcony patio that overlooked the rocky plains. The stars shined bright, and the full moon had wasted.
The scenery was relaxing and calmed Salim’s mind, the Three Ships single malt whiskey enhanced his serenity. He swished his glass around in deep meditation.
Sahem noticed his son’s solemn expression.
�
�What is it, son?” Salim rubbed his eyelids in the palm of his hand.
“I ave neva’ seen anything like it befo’; you’ve told me sto’ies about annual meetings that ave gotten out of and⸺ he searched for his words⸺ This was something else, the woman.”
His father broke into a wide smile and chuckled. Salim shook his head, with all seriousness. Sahem wouldn’t be a father if he didn’t tease his son.
“So, you like this woman aye?”
“We know nothing of this woman. She gave ha’ family’s ist’wy, but something feels off about ha’.”
Sahem frowned. “Why do you dismiss love son? I know you loved Adanya. Ev’y king needs a queen, it makes im stwonga’, fills is weign with pa’pose,” Sahem told him.
“I won’t eva’ give up on Adanya. I know God will deliva’ ha’ bagk to me whava she may be, that’s what I know and what I believe in a’,” Salim placed his hand against his chest.
Sahem chose not to further press his son on the issue. Salim was strong-willed and a man who stuck by his word and to his faith.
The fresh night air and the dimmed patio light caused Sahem to nod off to sleep, but Salim, as exhausted as he was, couldn’t rest. He didn’t know what to believe, but he had to find out and know for sure.
⸞⸟⸞
Bayo wasn’t surprised that things had gone off course at the annual meeting. The day was half gone when they received notice it was taking place.
Naturally, Taj walked into the meeting with a fight in mind. Bayo had proven to be an asset to them.
After their arrival back to Waewood they had plenty of time to calm down, however, Ashanti skipped dinner. Her encounter with Omari proved to be more than she expected and reopened wounds that hadn’t fully healed.
That left Oluchi, Taj, Bayo, and Chipo to discuss the matters that transpired.
“You were wight. Kofi is not jozt Omawi’s ally but is a puppet. Ev’ything seemed to be a weaction fo’ what Omawi wanted him to do,” Oluchi said.
Bayo listened as he cut into his steak.
“Whateva’ Kofi agweed to give Omawi, Omawi must ave is ooks well into Lawk,” Bayo added.
“We ave to move on them soon. Afta’ what appened at the meeting; sozpicions awe wised and they consida’ us a thweat to the monawch,” Taj said.