by Owen Oakley
Chipo raked her food around with her fork. She was always vocal regarding Waewood, but at dinner she was distant, withdrawn from the conversation and their company.
Taj looked to her with concern.
“Do you have anything to add Chipo?”
With a loud thud, Chipo let her silverware fall on the glass plate. Everyone stopped eating. Her face reddened.
“We ad an agweement! You said you would stay in the shadows and fo’get about Lawk. Now you ave put a tawget on oa’ bagks and bwought us unwanted attention.”
“Tha was alweady a tawget on us, long befo’ this incident. I agweed to be the best queen possible to Waewood, I’ve done that. We ave no idea what Kofi and Omawi awe planning. We ave to stay ahead of them at all times,” Taj told her.
Bayo wiped his mouth with his napkin and allowed himself room away from the table.
“With all due wespect Chipo, innocent people ave’ died and Lawk is in a state of wuin; in its final moments,” said Bayo.
Chipo rose from her seat and pounded her fist on the table.
“We will be in oa’ final moments, and people will die wight a’ if we don’t abo’t these foolish thoughts,” she said.
Taj remained calmly seated and took Chipo’s words to heart, as any royal would do when their advisor offered counsel. She clasped her hands together on the table.
Chipo allowed her emotions to get the best of her, something an advisor was to never do under any circumstances.
“As a Gen’al of Lawk’s militia, do you know the thing I disliked the most⸺ she waited, but no one responded⸺ I ated pulling wank, but if I mozt, I will. The decision is final we will move on Lawk when the time comes.”
Chipo stormed out of the room and left the others at the dinner table.
Taj couldn’t please everyone; she had to do the right thing for the greater good of the kingdom.
Chapter Seventeen
King Salim arrived at the Kingdom of Waewood determined to learn more about the mysterious queen.
He approached the massive, impenetrable gate after his long two-day journey.
The man and woman soldier held guard at the top gate; which them the allowed them to see approaching visitors both expected and unannounced.
King Salim was definitely an unannounced visitor. Taj’s guard was up after the incident from the last meeting, she didn’t know who could be trusted.
“I am King Salim, and I wish to speak to Queen Taj.”
“Queen Taj is not expecting any visito’s ‘today,” the male soldier said.
Although Salim knew the soldiers were following orders and being protective, he couldn’t help but be annoyed.
“I can assa’ you I do not mean yoa Queen any hawm. Against my adviso’s counsel; I came alone. I will su’wwenda’ my weapons if the occasion calls fo’ it.”
Salim surveyed the kingdom while the two soldiers whispered among themselves. The woman soldier gave a hand signal. The gates slowly rose from the ground, and the gears churned loudly.
The garden was breathtaking it bore a similarity to that of Lark’s with the enchanted appearance it gave.
The kingdom was massive and far more than anything he had ever seen. It contained small subkingdoms that housed all their citizens. Salim stood in awe.
Other kingdoms had outside villages for commoners. Waewood had reestablished their own unique perspective on how a kingdom should be.
“This way,” commanded the soldier.
Salim followed the soldier into the palace, constantly distracted by its beauty, he had to walk at a brisk pace to keep up with the soldier.
They finally descended into a dungeon. Down the coiling stairs, a candle offered only a small amount of light. The air was cold and décor impersonal. It lacked the complex beauty like its palace.
It surprised him to find that they housed the Queen’s chamber in a dungeon. Most kings were peacocks when it came to their chamber. As modest of a man Salim was his chambers were eloquently decorated for all to marvel.
The stairway only created an illusion that what waited at the bottom would be a nightmare.
Fortunately, Taj’s chamber was very elaborate and sleek, with Black and gold colors strolled throughout the walls and even the floors.
Salim pressed his face closer to the table that sat in the room’s center. He saw that it wasn’t just the color gold but actual gold that trimmed the desk.
“Impwessive isn’t it?” A voice asked. Salim swirled around to see who spoke to him but only met the eyes of the soldier.
“It is,” he replied.
Her voice sounded as though she was right in the room with him.
“Why ave you come a’ King Salim of Iyego?”
“I wish to speak with you, nothing mo’. It would elp if I could see you face to face.”
The wall that holstered the black and gold throne and mirror above suddenly shook and a loud noise accompanied it.
Salim drew his sword, and the soldier stepped forward with his blade placed at Salim’s head.
Salim slowly dropped his weapon to the floor. The wall detached itself back into darkness and Taj slipped between the crack with her mask already on.
“At ease soldia.” The soldier lowered and sheathed his sword on command.
“Nice twick,” Salim said in a sarcastic tone. Taj tilted her head and smiled.
“You may leave us. I’m su’e’ King Salim means me no awm.”
The soldier bowed and left the two alone in the dungeon.
Taj poured herself a glass of wine and beckoned for Salim to have a seat.
“Could I inta’st you in a glass of wine?”
Salim held up his hand and shook his head. She shrugged and made her way to sit on her throne.
“What is it you wish to speak about King Salim?”
Salim seemed lost in thought. There was something that struck him as odd when he first encountered this new Queen, but he hadn’t made it out.
“Oa’ last meeting was eventful.”
Taj sipped her wine, enjoying its sweetness.
“Eventful is one wo’d to describe it. I don’t quite undesstand why you’we a’ though. We both know the meeting didn’t go acco’ding to plan becaoze you all didn’t calculate that’d I be tha’.”
She made her way to Salim and offered a familiar smile.
“Sa’ly you didn’t come all this way jozt to weitewate what we both alweady know.” Her hands gently caressed his arm.
Bothered by Taj’s touch, he caught her arm mid stroke and pushed it back to her side.
“When you fisst enta’d the woom at oa’ meeting; I ad no clue who you wa’ and wha’ you came fwom. Then I thought; out of thin ai’ this woman fo’med a kingdom in a matta’ of a few months it’s almost impossible, and it didn’t sit well with me,” he said.
Salim moved closer to his sword he’d dropped and stood behind it as he continued to talk to her. Taj sensed the shift of energy in the room and discreetly made her way behind the center table.
“Neva’ mind you didn’t want to elabowate mo’ on yoa family’s woyal ties, but it was when you fo’got to cova’ yoa wwist that contained a myst’tious bu’n mawk. Which as now been conveniently cova’d with a golden bwacelet,” he said as he pointed to her wrist.
Taj continued to hold his gaze and shrugged.
“What does that pwove?”
Salim stood still and looked deep into her eyes.
“That pwoves one of two things. One being that the cwest was branded inco’wectly causing a skin decay and abno’mality; an option but not a likely one. Or two and the most likely option being the cwest was wemoved to wid you of it for banishment.”
Taj never showed any guilt to Salim’s assumptions. She gave him a sly smile.
“No Queen Taj I believe you awe exactly who you say you awe.” He stomped his blade, and it sprung from the floor into his hand like a magnet.
At that same moment, Taj reached under the table and removed two Katana blad
es she kept stored. She fell into her fight stance, with one Katana above her head and the other in front of her face.
“Astonishing! The moment my swo’d touched my and, you weflectively dwew yoa blades. Tha awen’t many wawwio queens; that I am ca’etain of, although I wememba one.”
He studied her familiar stance. His eyes darkened; he leaped forward and slid over the desk. Face to face with her, Taj prepared herself for a battle.
“I wonda what would appen if I did this ⸺.”
He leaned in and slashed his sword barely missing her chest. Taj brought her blade down in a windmill spin; both edges landed inches away from his face.
His lips curled. He anticipated her next move; her elbow raised to connect with his cheek but he stopped it with one hand.
Salim wrapped his arms around her, and she couldn’t move. He shoved her in the back providing himself with a safe distance. He knew it was a mistake, but he hadn’t realized how big of a mistake until she lunged at him.
Taj pivoted and with all her strength her blade met Salim’s and she was in full force. Her movements filled with precision and power gave Salim no room for errors, but he managed to keep up with her.
They dodged each other’s fatal blows. Salim knocked one of Taj’s Katana blades from her hand. It knocked her off balance, and she was more vulnerable without the second blade.
Taj forgot to protect her midsection, and Salim kicked her in the stomach. She fell back into the wall.
Salim stood over her with his blade rested upon the side of her neck. He could have killed her with one flick of his wrist.
“You’we losing yoa edge Pwincess Adanya. I pwesume that appens when you ide as a cowawd and pwetend to be someone else.”
He was angry, partly because she hadn’t sought him out, and now she was not just alive but pretended to be someone else.
A low chuckled parted his lips as he shook his head at her.
Taj removed her mask and held his gaze.
“No, that appens when you’we given to the city fo’ the condemned. It is what appens when you ave your ente’ wo’ld stwipped away fwom you and you bagk a pesson into a co’na with no otha option but to fight.”
Salim saw Taj flick her hand, from the corner of his eye a group of soldiers stood with swords drawn in his direction. He kept his blade tight at her neck.
“If you want to do it, go ahead! Do it. I’ve seen and lived thwough ell with these v’y eyes and in this skin. Sending me tha’ would be no compawison to what I ave faced on eawth.”
She closed her eyes and fully exposed her neck for him to kill her.
Salim’s expression softened as he placed his sword to his side. The soldiers lowered their weapons as well but cautiously eyed him. He tried to help Taj to her feet, but she snatched away from him.
“Adanya I think we need to ave that talk now.”
She owed him a proper explanation.
“Come with me,” she said.
Taj put away her weapons and the soldiers let them pass. Salim looked at her as though she were a ghost and in a way, she was to him.
She suspected he figured out who she was at the annual meeting, the moment his eyes lingered during the altercation with Omari and Kofi.
Taj took a deep breath and glared at him.
“You couldn’t leave it alone, could you?”
She hoped that Salim would stay away, but his connection to her wouldn’t allow him.
“I wanted to see who this queen really was.”
He thought about all the things he would say to her, now he was at a loss for words and slightly upset.
“I felt I knew you but I neva’ thought it’d be you.”
She led him upstairs, through the halls.
“Welcome to Waewood,” she said to him. Salim’s eyes roamed through the palace.
Everyone appeared to be close and helpful to one another, like one family; above everything they were treated as equals, the concept intrigued him.
“Does ev’yone live in the palace?” He asked, curiously.
She smiled.
“Yes, we twied to accommodate as many citizens as possible. The west ave ouses out fwont pwotected by the gates. We think of it as a kingdom within a kingdom.”
Salim found it fascinating that Taj took that approach. Most palaces’ rooms were reserved only for the royal family and key personnel. Royals were afraid to have citizens with so much access to them.
Taj wanted a different kingdom with a better experience. No one was less than the next in her eyes, everyone held importance.
“Is that a school?” His eyes lit up with excitement.
She explained her vision to him, the hope that every child and adult would learn new things. Taj had always been an incredible woman, but the resources she arranged for her kingdom surpassed expectations.
She led him around to the different areas inside and out of the kingdom.
“In that co’na, tha’ is oa’ medical wing, so faw we ave thwee eala’s and six nozses offa’ing ca’ee awound the clock,” she said as she directed him in the areas.
“Wow!” The only word that Salim could use to describe everything.
Royals only thought of themselves, and only a few commoners were granted opportunities to learn and develop a trade.
“Ova’ tha’ to yoa wight is oa’ lib’y, just behind it is wha’ the pwoduce and mawket awe.”
The kingdom was a reflection of dedication and pride their queen poured into it. Waewood was better than all other kingdoms combined. She provided things that would grow and benefit her people, they were placed first.
Muto was foolish when he renounced her as queen; her accomplishments was more proof that it was true.
The two continued to tour the kingdom and made small talk along the way. It was just like old times for the two. As much as she wanted to keep as if nothing happened, nothing stayed perfect forever.
Chapter Eighteen
After Taj gave Salim the grand tour of her kingdom, she took him to her bedroom.
Her quarters were located on the fourth floor suited for that of a Queen. Her bed had a black upholstery and headboard with a golden bedpost.
The overload of black and gold threatened to darken the room, but the tan floors with eloquent designs gave it a lighter appeal.
Salim went to the balcony that overlooked the kingdom, and the view was marvelous. Waewood centered hilly green plains that gave the empire a welcoming feature.
He saw the many citizens that went about their daily routines, they looked happy and secure with their new home.
Taj watched Salim as he surveyed her kingdom. Salim left the balcony and focused on the reason he was there. He had an agenda with no time to waste.
“I want to know what appened that night after the announcement party.”
Taj face went pale; it was different when she told Ashanti. This was Salim, a man, and not just any man, a man she loved. She didn’t want him to look at her differently or think ill-mannered things.
“I’m not weady to talk about it with you.”
Salim never seen her so frightened and upset before, he waited for a moment, with hopes she’d change her mind.
“I’ve eawd many things until onestly I don’t know what to believe.”
The memory of Kwame’s body on hers raced through her mind. She tried to blink away the thoughts, but the images of her blood that she laid in, the pain that coursed through her body, and Kwame’s blows that took her vision hit her hard.
The memories had come too fast, she felt faint, and her chest tightened, and the air was stuck in the back of her throat, unable to breathe.
Salim poured a glass of water and handed it to her. She accepted the glass with trembling hands. He clasped his hands around her to steady the glass.
She flinched when his hand comforted her back. His eyes widened and searched her face for understanding.
“I know it’s difficult fo’ you but I ave to know. Tha wa’ no sightings of you and you nev
a’ sent wo’d that you wa’ okay. I seawched so many places, and yet I found nothing.”
Her heart warmed that Salim hadn’t forgotten her. She understood why he was upset, but he still didn’t know the truth.
Taj sat on the edge of her bed to collect her thoughts. She saw the worry in his eyes and the tears that threatened to come. She had to tell him, no matter how painful, she had to tell him the truth. She took another sip of water and braced herself for the painful memory.
“That night Kwame took me bagk to my woom to gatha my things so I could leave. E, e told the guwrds not to let anyone in and then locked the doo’.”
Salim propped himself against the dresser in front of the bed with his head down and back turned to her. He wasn’t sure now that it was a good idea; hat whatever she would tell him next he wouldn’t be able to handle, but he continued to listen.
She swallowed hard with closed eyes and continued to relive her memory.
“I mocked im. When I think on it, I shouldn’t ave done that. E’ punched me so awd it split my lip; I could taste the blood in my mouth. E’ ad alweady taken my blade so I couldn’t defend myself.
She saw Salim’s fist tightening, and his nails dug into the palm of his hand. She had to get through it if she owed it to anyone it was Salim.
“E jumped on top of me and wemoved my woyal cwest with is dagga.”
Tears streamed down her cheeks, quickly wiping them away before Salim could see.
“I laid on the floo’ bleeding. I mozta’d what little stwength I ad and pwessed it against my wwist. E looked so d’anged and sadistic. I saw in is eyes that e didn’t see me as is sista’ anymo’ e, um, e ⸺.”
She tried to get the words out, but they didn’t completely form. Salim’s head slowly rose, but he still hadn’t turned to look at her but what she would say next was clear.
“E took the one thing I should ave given my ozband.”
Salim’s fist slammed into her dresser, and the wood splintered, his hand was bleeding, with wood particles embedded into his skin. Taj winced at the sight.
“The beating⸺ she said as she choked out the words⸺ I lost my vision fo’ two days. Afta’ e was done Kofi bozst thwough the doo’s and killed Kwame. I didn’t see it but I eawd it. Kofi cleaned me up and applied the fi’e to my wwist to stop the bleeding.”