by Owen Oakley
She ran her hand over the burn mark that saved her life.
“I just knew Kofi would take me to my fatha and tell im what ad appened, but e didn’t. E told me that e ad to tell oa’ fatha that I killed Kwame. I didn’t undesstand it at that moment but sho’tly afta’ I did. E wanted the thwone and with Kwame dead and me impwisoned in Tigway it was guawanteed to be is.”
Taj paused and waited for Salim to look at her. She discovered his eyes filled with tears and a severely injured hand. He couldn’t look at her so instead he walked away.
She couldn’t tell if she repulsed him or pitied her.
“Ey!” She stomped over to him.
“I don’t need yoa pity. I didn’t tell you this fo’ you to think of me as some elpless victim. I know I pwobably tu’n you off becaoze of what e did, but I told you the twuth becaoze you desa’ved to know. Now I’m wegwet eva’ telling you.”
“Pity? Do you think that’s why I’m upset? That in some cwazed way I pity you or I feel wevolted by what appened.”
Taj didn’t have an answer, so she remained silent.
“I can’t look at you becaoze I am ashamed. I should ave went with you but that night yoa fatha stopped me and told me I would get to see you lata that night and I ad to stay and elp get the guest unda’ contrwol. Afta’ you left it was chaos! I was naïve and stupid fo’ twozting im.” He took a breath.
“I can’t look at you becoaze my con’cen ova’ time tu’ned into anga’ and fwoztwation that you didn’t come to me.” He continued.
Taj placed her hand into his and wiped away his tears.
“Now I see why you didn’t let me know you wa’ alive I desa’ved it. As fo’ Kwame, if e wa’n’t alweady dead I would have taken pleasa’ in giving im a slow and painful death fo’ what e did to you. Kofi on the otha hand is anotha issue that will I will deal with soon enough.”
She shook her head. “We can’t, at least not wight now.”
“Why not? E killed Kwame and blamed you and tha’s no telling what otha things e’s done and cova’d up.”
Taj looked thoughtful.
“We think e was the one who killed oa’ fatha and blamed Imani becaoze e knew the death of a woyal is punishable by death.”
Salim frowned as he caressed her hand.
“I’m twuly so’wy about Imani I know she was yoa best friend and what appened was te’wible. She wasn’t capable of something like that which gives you even mo’ weason fo’ us to deal with Kofi and weclaim Lawk.”
“I agwee but the timing as to be pe’fect. No woom fo mistakes; the moment as to be flawless.”
⸞⸟⸞
Salim and Taj lost themselves in conversation they hadn’t noticed the sun setting. The room darkened, and it brought their attention back to their surroundings.
“Adanya it’s getting late and I ave a long joa’ney ahead of me bagk to Iyego,” he said.
“Please don’t call me that, Adanya died on that night.”
Salim nodded.
“I should go.”
“Nonsense. You’ll stay the night and leave in the mo’ning. You’we without yoa guawds and it’s not safe fo’ a king to twavel at night alone.”
Salim recognized the bossy princess he once remembered, and it gave him hope that the old Adanya was still there, she was just lost in the void, broken, afraid, and not ready to emerge again.
“You can stay in a’ and I’ll take the guest quawta.”
Salim took her hand in his and pulled her into a hug, she missed him with every fiber of her being.
He smelt just as she remembered and the love was still there and this time stronger than ever.
“Stay the night with me.”
She gave him a classic Adanya look with wrinkled brows; he laughed.
“No, I’m not twying to be intimate with you. I know you ave been thwough so much alweady and I saw ow you flinched when I touched you eawlia’.”
He lifted her head with both hands.
“You ave no weason to be ashamed. You awe a phenomenal and bwave woman to ave su’vived such twauma. Now, look what you’ve built. The wightful Queen to two kingdoms.”
He made her feel alive again, like the person, she once knew.
“Tha’s no wozh I told you that night that I would wait fo’ you and I ave and will continue to wait. I jozt want to old you and know you’we safe. That will put my wo’ld at ease.”
They both got ready for bed, Taj quickly fell asleep in Salim’s arms.
Before she never needed anyone to keep her safe, but the present woman welcomed the embrace of protection, security, and even love.
Chapter Nineteen
Salim watched as Taj slept, moving a stray piece of hair from her face. A moment he wanted to share with her since they were children. She awakened to see his bright smile, and she gladly reciprocated.
He had drawn the curtains and the sunlight shined on the proper spots of his body.
He stroked her cheek, and his touch warmed her. She was happy but also sad. She loved this man with everything in her, but she was afraid.
Afraid that her traumatic experience wouldn’t allow her to be his in the way that both wanted.
He smiled as though she was the same woman he once knew before she became Taj.
She wondered how he could look at her the same even after all she told him. It was love, pure unconditional love that didn’t let him think even for a second on past things.
Salim gently placed a sweet kiss on her forehead.
“I ave to go but being next to you as been the best nights I’ve ad.”
“I ave to admit it was the fisst time I’ve slept without waking fwom a nightma and busying myself so I didn’t ave to sleep.”
His tight smile faded and sadness followed. He had been her protector; she was strong and never needed his protection but the one time she needed him, he wasn’t there.
He felt like a disappointment. She read his expression and knew he blamed himself.
“That night was filled with things ev’yone could ave done diffa’ntly. You can’t do that to yoozself. Maybe it would ave been betta if I ad jozt mawwied you, and no one would be dead becaoze of my selfish actions.”
He wrapped her in his arms. She could feel his heartbeat, it was loud and steady.
“People wa’ killed not becaoze of yoa actions but becaoze of thee’ gweed. I’m so’wy it appened, but you awe not the weason fo’ it.”
“Ova’ time, I ope I can believe that.”
Salim kissed her passionately on the mouth before he thought better of it. Their kiss was filled with longing, of love, it was months since they saw each other, yet it felt like a lifetime.
His hands roamed down to her lower back. The emotional fire overtook them. Salim desired to continue, but he gathered self-control and slowly pulled away.
Taj wanted to remain in his presence, but she understood why he stopped and it was for the best.
“I want to see Kofi,” Salim told her. Taj immediately sat up in the bed.
“Why would you want to do that?”
Salim pushed himself up on his elbow until he was eye level with her. “It’s the only way to find out what e’s up to.”
She frowned and shook her head. Salim was right, but it didn’t mean she had to like it or admit that it was the next move to make. It was also risky, a gamble that Kofi could find out who she was and tried to kill those in alliance with her.
“Take some of my men with you,” she said.
“No, I ave to do this alone. E needs to think I’m clueless and on is side.”
Before Taj could utter another word, Ashanti barged through the door. Alarmed by the intrusion, Salim scrambled out of bed and onto the floor for his clothes.
Taj and Ashanti exchanged amused looks as they bit back smiles.
“My Queen. King Salim,” Ashanti greeted them. Taj remained relaxed in bed.
“Yes, Ashanti.”
“May I ave a wo’d?”
Salim quickly slippe
d on his pants and shirt.
“I’ve distwagted you enough fwom yoa duties. My people will begin to wo’wy if I don’t show soon.”
He grabbed his things and gave Taj a kiss to her temple.
“Be safe,” she told him.
He gave her a quick smile and wink.
“My queen. Gen’al,” he said to the women.
The two women watched as he left. When the door closed behind him, Ashanti couldn’t hide her smile and laughter a second longer.
“Now I see wha’ you disappeawed to fo’ the ente’ evening. Did you even ave dinna’?” Ashanti asked.
Taj kept her wits about herself, but her emotions were far from calm.
“We didn’t need food, we ad convessation. The day slipped away,” Taj said with an enormous grin on her face.
Ashanti was more excited than Taj about last night’s venture with Salim.
“You said you wanted a wo’d with me. What’s on yoa mind?”
Ashanti let out a deep sigh, putting away all humor and sat on the foot of her bed.
“Bayo.”
“What of im?”
“E’s still a’.”
“I know!” Taj said in an irritated tone.
“When does he leave to go bagk to Lawk?”
“Why is ev’yone so eaga’ to get to Lawk and its chaos?”
“I think e’s iding something else.”
Ashanti was very suspicious of Bayo and protective of Taj. She was living up to her role as a big sister, but sometimes her overbearing demeanor overwhelmed Taj.
She knew Ashanti’s intentions came from a loving place.
“Iding something like what?” Taj prodded.
Ashanti rubbed her eyelids in search for a response.
“I don’t know, eva’ since e’s been a’ e as been fo’ced fo’ info’mation.”
“So. That only pwoves we’we on a need to know basis,” Taj replied.
“And that doesn’t botha you?”
Ashanti searched Taj’s face for an answer, but a knock at the door interrupted them.
Ashanti hopped from the bed to answer the door while Taj threw a shirt on that laid on the back of a chair. Bayo rounded the corner with Ashanti close on his heels, her eyes fixed on him.
“We wa’ jozt speaking of you,” Taj said to Bayo.
Bayo looked at Ashanti. “I bet.”
Taj crossed her arms and leaned back on the dresser as she studied Bayo.
“Bayo, you know I don’t beat awound the bozh. Ashanti believes you awe withholding mo’ info’mation.”
Ashanti looked intently at Bayo. He never blinked an eye.
“Is tha’ something else you want to tell us?” Taj asked him.
He remained quiet, Ashanti shifted from one foot to the other; interrogation wasn’t her strongest skill. Taj nodded to herself, prepared to take further measures to jump-start the conversation.
“What do you want to know?” Bayo asked nonchalantly.
Ashanti rolled her eyes and clucked her tongue.
“We want to know ev’ything! Eva’ since you awwived you’ve only given us the ba’e minimal; only pieces, damn it, we want the ente’ pie! All of what you know.”
Taj was used to Ashanti’s aggressive behavior and impatience, so it didn’t surprise her when she blew up at Bayo again, but she also knew Bayo was a hard man to press.
Bayo didn’t care for Ashanti, and her questions only made him keep quiet rather reveal anything. It was his personality and nothing more.
“Bayo, is tha’ anything else of impo’tance you aven’t told us?” She knew how to work her angles when necessary.
Bayo’s face softened, and he cleared his throat.
“Yoa fatha was like a stway dog. Sometimes e acted as if e ad no home at all, and laid down anywha’; with anyone.”
Taj uncrossed her arms and prepared herself for what would come next.
“Yoa motha, sweet Nailah, decided to ave an indiscwetion of ha’ own. She didn’t, oweva’, expect to get pwegnant. Kofi is not Muto’s son,” Bayo continued.
Taj and Ashanti stood with their mouths agape.
“What the ell? You’ve been a’ fo’ thwee days now and you ad the key to ending this all along?” Ashanti shook her head in disbelief.
“Ow in God’s name is that info’mation going to elp end anything? Think about it, they say Adanya killed the next would be king, Muto and Nailah awe both dead, so no one, no one can attest to any of this!” Bayo snapped back at Ashanti.
Ashanti was about to let Bayo have a piece of her mind when Taj intervened. She didn’t want yet another dispute between them.
“No, e’s right. None of that matta’s now. That’s knowledge that should ave been shawed a long time ago⸺ she eyed Bayo⸺ Ow long ave you known?”
“Since the beginning,” he replied.
Ashanti threw both arms up. She paced the floor and cursed under her breath.
Taj face and posture were unreadable, mainly because Bayo’s response didn’t surprise her. Bayo would do anything for her father and that included keeping his secrets, so she expected nothing less from him.
She thought about how different things would be if only her father would have made it clear to Kofi who he really was, but it didn’t matter now.
“Does Kofi know?” Taj questioned him further.
“Of coozse, e knows, e as to know!” Ashanti added as she stopped her relentless pacing.
“As much as I dislike ha’, I tend to agwee. I’m sa’e that’s why e killed Muto.”
If that were true, Kofi would be more proactive and aggressive with things because he would have so much more to lose. His actions were of a man who grew up as if he belonged.
“I don’t think e knows,” Taj said.
Bayo and Ashanti shared a perplexed expression.
“In fact, e’s clueless.”
“What are we going to do?” Bayo inquired.
Ashanti eyes widened at Bayo.
“We⸺ she pointed to Taj and herself⸺ Awe going to shut im down. You need to go back to Lawk and pick a side and stay on it.”
Bayo’s eyes flashed with anger, and his face was flushed with heat. He pulled out his sword from behind his back and pointed it directly in Ashanti’s face.
“I’ve ad about all I can stomach of you! Diswespect me again and Adanya will ave to find esself a new Gen’al.”
Ashanti never flinched. She drew herself closer to his blade and pressed her cheek against it until blood wet her face.
“Do it! I’ve killed many, but the ono’ will twuly be mine to kill a Zulu wawwio.”
Taj had become immune to heated arguments, drawing of weapons, and death threats. Her patience and tolerance level grew stronger since she became queen, her father would be proud. It saddened her that he wasn’t there to see her fulfill her destiny.
She lowered Bayo’s weapon with one hand and pushed Ashanti back with the other. Bayo sheathed his sword and calmed himself.
“I need you to go bagk to Lawk. We can’t let Kofi find out you’ve been a’ and what you know. Jozt act no’mal; keep yoa head down until we send wo’d of the plan.”
He bowed his head and left the room. Taj’s eyes fell on Ashanti as she released a huge sigh she held inside. She pointed at Ashanti.
“We need to ave a talk.”
“What?” Ashanti tried her best to feign innocence when a tiny smile escaped.
“I could’ve taken im.”
“Yea and I would pay money to see it.”
They both laughed at the thought. Taj thought back on Bayo’s and Ashanti’s recent conflicts. She narrowed her eyes at Ashanti.
“You like im, don’t you?”
Ashanti broke into a coughing fit.
“I’ll take that as a yes.” Taj handed her a glass of water, and she downed it.
“E is go’geous, isn’t e? I’ve eawd sto’ies about Zulu wawwio.”
Taj rolled her yes. “What sto’ies?”
“You know stories
,” Ashanti said as she used her fisted hand for emphasis.
Taj closed her eyes and frowned with her hands over her ears. She thought of Bayo as a father figure, and she didn’t want to imagine him in any sexual aspect.
Ashanti couldn’t help but laugh and enjoy her little sister’s discomfort.
“I’ll let you know if the myths awe twue.”
“No, please don’t!”
“Now what fun would that be if I didn’t?”
The sound of the horn ceased the women’s laughter. Ashanti ran to the balcony and saw Plipool’s colored flag waving high in the air.
“Suit up. Plipoolians.”
Taj clambered for her armor and swords. She hoped Salim and Bayo left before the Plipoolians saw them. The sound of a horn usually meant it wasn’t an attagk but a messenger.
Taj didn’t know if it was the same messenger that came to Lark, but she took her phoenix mask just in case.
Ashanti, at the sight of Plipool, rushed out to gather her men.
⸞⸟⸞
Taj wasn’t that lucky but happy she brought her mask. It was the same messenger she’d encountered before.
Great, now she had to deal with a Plipoolian messenger with a bad attitude and a General with a smart mouth that always got her into trouble.
Taj, Ashanti, and four soldiers followed to meet the five Pilpoolians. The messenger had a nice nasty attitude when he dealt with Adanya and Lark, but because he was in new territory, he was sure to be even more abrasive.
“Ow may we elp you?” The mask muffled her voice perfectly, so far, the messenger hadn’t suspected anything.
“We awe a’ on behalf of King Omawi. E wishes to make you a pwoposition.”
Taj rolled her eyes under the phoenix mask.
“I’m listening,”
“King Omawi says to suwwenda’ Waewood to im.”
The two women exchanged looks.
“O’ what?” Ashanti asked.
The messenger glared at her.
“O’ we take Waewood.”
Ashanti burst into uncontrollable laughter.
“Was that a thweat?” Ashanti looked to Taj and her soldiers.
Taj knew this wouldn’t end well. She stepped between Ashanti and the messenger before destruction followed.