by Owen Oakley
“My god woman I’ll be bagk.” Ashanti crossed her arms and pouted like a child.
Salim looked back and forth between the two, confused.
“Did I miss something?”
“No,” Taj quickly responded.
She studied the war declaration closer. Salim put his arm around Taj’s shoulders for comfort.
“Iyego will fight with you, you know that.” She gave him a smile.
“I wonda’ if we can get Chanta to ally with us,” Taj asked.
“About that,” Bayo said as everyone looked at him. “King Haji, the queen, and thee’ child’en wa’ repo’ted missing.”
“What?” Salim asked in shock.
“Wha’ wa’ they last?” Ashanti inquired.
Bayo gave them a knowing look. He didn’t have to dignify the question with an answer.
“Lawk,” Taj answered.
“So, he’s kidnapping people now?” Salim said throwing his hands in the air.
“Kidnapping is the least concign. Kofi as killed people we can only ope they wa’ kidnapped. At least they’d be alive,” Ashanti said.
“Well, that’s it fo’ Chanta, if Kofi did something to them or put them somewha’ Chanta falls into is hands,” Taj explained.
Everyone thought on what to do next.
“Let’s get weady,” Taj said.
Ashanti’s brow furrowed. “Fo’ what?”
“The meeting befo’ waw. We ave to fight othawise he takes this kingdom and I won’t allow that to appen.”
⸞⸟⸞
Taj, Salim, and Bayo arrived at Vertwick early to make sure there were no surprises. Ashanti wanted to go; Bayo had to bribe her with pampering to get her to stay.
After they checked things out, they waited inside for Kofi.
King Abayomi entered shortly after. He served as the war mediator along with his other responsibilities.
They all waited for Kofi to arrive. Abayomi was old and impatient. Tardiness was his pet peeve. He checked his watch every minute.
“I will give im five mo’ minutes. If he doesn’t show, tha’ will be no waw.”
Taj held her breath. She hoped he wouldn’t show and he wouldn’t be able to declare war with them for two decades. Taj only hoped that would happen.
As if on cue Kofi walked in with four Lark soldiers, arrogant as ever.
“Please excoze my tardiness,” Kofi said. Taj snorted and rolled her eyes.
Kofi hadn’t noticed Taj when he first arrived. He strutted in and only addressed King Abayomi. After his rudeness passed, he saw that Taj was who he suspected. Taj figured there was no use in hiding her identity any longer.
“Ello Kofi,” she said.
“Adanya,” he replied.
King Abayomi put on his glasses at the mention of the name.
“Adanya?”
His sight was terrible, he squinted at her even with his glasses.
“Yes, it’s me,” she said.
He was utterly confused. Had Kofi not said her name Abayomi wouldn’t have known any difference.
“What is this?” Abayomi asked with a twisted face and wrinkled brow.
“Yes, Adanya what is this?” Kofi said with a smirk.
Salim moved to the edge of his chair.
“Say addwess ha’ one mo’ time,” Salim said.
Common ground or not Salim was anxious to put his hands-on Kofi.
Taj patted his hand, and he calmed down. She leaned over to him.
“Ease yoa sto’m.”
He smiled and nodded.
She shifted in her seat to find a more comfortable position. Salem firmly held her hand.
“When my fatha banished me the night of the announcement pa’ty, I was supposed to leave,” she paused for a moment to steady herself.
Kofi’s smirk quickly faded. No one in the room other than Salim, Taj, and Kofi knew the truth about that night, and she was worried how she would be perceived, but it didn’t deter her.
“Instead I was beaten and waped by my bwotha Kwame.”
She looked at Kofi who avoided eye contact. She took back her power after she named him for who he was and what he did to her.
She pointed at Kofi.
“But this bwotha a’ is no innocent pa’ty. He killed Kwame and told ev’yone that I did it.”
Bayo was shocked to his core, he couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Abayomi dropped his head, even the Lark soldiers walked out on Kofi.
“He sent me to Tigway,” she said.
“That’s a lie, and you know it!” Kofi jumped up and yelled.
“If you jump ova’ a’ you won’t ave to wo’wy about a waw,” Salim said to Kofi.
“Stop that! I’m faw too old to bweak up a dispute,” Abayomi said. The men settled down. “But this is most twoubling.”
Bayo was so overwhelmed by Taj’s recount that he excused himself from the room. Taj looked his way, but he didn’t look back. Her face fell. Salim gave her had a light squeeze, and he told her it was okay.
“What do you ave to say fo’ yoozself?” Abayomi asked Kofi. He showed no remorse for what he had done.
“Now that we’ve established she’s not woyalty, I’ll take ova’ Waewood a waw isn’t necessary now,” Kofi said.
“On the contwawy, her banishment was voided when Muto died. The laws state that any punishment giving by a king is consida’d void if they die. Unless the new king weestablishes the punishment within sixty days as king. Ave you done so?”
“No,” Kofi whispered.
Abayomi looked over his glasses and shook his head at Kofi’s ignorance.
“Leawn yoa histo’y and laws befo’ you speak,” Abayomi said.
Kofi disgusted Abayomi, and if there was an opportunity to make him look bad, he took it.
“She is he’by gwanted all wights as the Queen of Waewood,” Abayomi announced. Those words were a relief to her ears.
“You, Kofi Muto have declawed waw against Taj Adanya Muto. Surrenda’ or loss wesults in loss of yoa kingdom. The waw ends thwough surrenda’ or death. The wula’ must fight in the fisst battle,” Abayomi said.
He looked between the two, to see if they understood. No one said anything.
“The fisst battle begins in thwee days.” Abayomi hit the gavel on the table and didn’t hang around to socialize.
Kofi saw Taj and Salim talking. When Kofi approached them, Salim instinctively stepped in front of her.
Kofi held his arms in the air and spun around.
“Welax, I can’t do anything rememba’? Common gwound.”
“What do you want?” Salim asked. Kofi looked passed Salim to Taj.
“You wa’n’t satisfied until you told yoa little va’sion of the sto’y,” Kofi said.
Taj remained quiet behind Salim.
“What kind of man awe you?” Salim questioned him. He continued to ignore Salim and focused on Taj.
“Awe you going to continue to let yoa man speak fo’ you? I thought you wa’ independent. I’m still yoa’ brotha.”
She moved beside Salim.
“You awe no family of mine. Muto is not yoa fatha.”
Kofi narrowed his eyes.
“You lie!”
“I ave no reason to lie! You’we a bastawd, not a king! You took my freedom, my fatha, and my best fwiend. I pwomise I will make you pay.
Kofi laughed nervously.
“Not likely.”
Taj stepped to him inches away from his face.
“My blade will be the last thing you’ll eva’ see befo’ I make yoa wife a widow and yoa child fathaless.”
She brushed past him, Salim by her side.
Bayo was gone when they made it outside. Taj didn’t hide her disappointment.
“E’ thinks diffa’ently of me now, doesn’t e’?”
“No. E’s like me. E’ blames imself,” he told her.
She could understand that and realize like everyone in her life, he needed time to process it.
Aside from the war antics
and Bayo’s disappearance, she officially had her title, and that was enough for her.
A small victory.
Chapter Twenty-Five
Taj and Salim wasted no time upon their arrival back at Waewood. Preparations were in action Even though Ashanti was injured and couldn’t fight they informed her on the things that took place at the meeting.
Oluchi was put in charge until Ashanti recovered. She wasn’t happy about him being in charge, but her health was more important.
“Anything?” Taj asked Ashanti as they sat in the conference room.
“No and I’m beginning to wo’wy,” Ashanti said.
Taj tapped her fingers on the table.
“Is e mad or upset about what appened to me? That somehow it was my fault.”
“No! Don’t even think that. It’s guilt and self-blame, that’s all. You’we bwave and e didn’t know what appened to you,” Ashanti said. She paused. “E’ wanted me to tell im what appened to you.”
“Why didn’t you?” Taj asked.
She was upset, maybe if Ashanti had told him instead of him hearing the awful story from her mouth, it would’ve been better.
“Becoaze it isn’t fo’ me to tell,” she said.
Ashanti knew that Bayo needed to hear it from Taj, it made it real and not something from hearsay.
“Look, Bayo loves you like you awe is daughta’. Tha’s nothing and I mean nothing that can change is thoughts about you.” Ashanti giggled.
“Pessonally, I ave to remind im that you’we not a little ge’l, but a woman and a queen.”
Taj laughed as her worry faded away.
“Let im deal with it in is own way. E’ll be tha’ fo’ you in the end,” Ashanti reassured her.
Taj had no doubt that it was true, but she wanted him to be there with her. Bayo was now her family and needed him more now than ever.
Salim knocked on the opened door and stuck his head inside.
“Am I inta’wupting.”
Taj quickly dried her eyes before he saw her tears.
“No, come in Mista Chocolate,” Ashanti said.
Salim was used to Ashanti’s interesting remarks. Taj shot her a look of embarrassment.
“Ashanti.”
“What? E is, you did well.” Salim was a modest man but just like all men he loved the attention even though he’d deny it.
“Don’t you ave a whole Zulu wawwio to wo’wy about?” Taj asked.
“Oh, so they awe togetha!” Salim said, surprised at the discovery. Taj threw her head back.
“Did you jozt put it togetha?” Taj asked him.
“Maybe,” he said. Taj rolled her eyes.
“Okay, okay! You got me I’ll mind my own boziness, and I know what that tone means. I’m leaving.”
She gave Taj a kiss and on the cheek. Her recovery was going well, but she would be on crushes until she fully healed. Salim tried to help her, but she shooed him away.
As soon as Ashanti was out of the room, Taj didn’t hesitate to wrap herself in Salim’s arms and a kiss on the lips.
“Awe you weady my queen?” He asked. She tugged at her black and gold armor.
“Yes.” They walked hand in hand outdoors where her militia stood before them.
Salim released her hand and fell in line with the other soldiers. He knelt before her with his fisted hand over his chest. The soldiers followed his lead. Their movement was like a wave of water from the front to the back.
“All ail Queen Taj!” Salim chanted.
“All ail Queen Taj!” everyone repeated. The words echoed all around them.
Taj stood before Waewood and Iyego soldiers. Not near enough to defeat Kofi and his allies, but she was grateful and hopeful.
The men were told the odds were against them; the warning only enticed them more. Battle was all they knew, if it were to be their last day, to them there was no other honorable death than in battle alongside Taj.
They continued to chant and let out their battle cries. The men trusted Taj, for they knew she was never a warrior without a plan.
Chapter Twenty-Six
The day before the battle the soldiers and people of Waewood and Iyego alike feasted. Bayo was still out of sight, Taj worried about him, but she had to push it out of her mind.
Salim, her rock never left her side. He made sure he wouldn’t lose her again.
They would journey to the battlefield of Yico close to dawn and set up camp. Until then they enjoyed themselves.
Taj looked at the many men who believed in her and her cause, and it touched her. They could have turned on her or even walked out, but they didn’t, they stayed to put their life on the line.
It was still and quiet. It was always calm before the storm.
“Quiet down, quiet down,” Oluchi said as he got everyone’s attention.
Taj made her way to the front. The men looked to her with bravery in their eyes, most of them never fought with her, so they didn’t know what to expect.
They only heard of her courageousness and fierceness during battle. The woman who led the front line every time. The woman who places no one life above anyone else’s.
She’s made sacrifices other royals wouldn’t dream to do. That’s what it took; compassion, love, appreciation for humankind; for her people.
“I don’t know what tomo’wow will bwing us. One moment, one second could wewwite the futa’ fo’ us all. The only thing that is ca’etain is oa’ faith,” she said.
The men let her words marinate over them.
“I ave faith in you and I need you to ave faith in me, and above all ave faith in yoozself to the end! I will be with you thwough vitc’y or defeat. We awe one, no one life is mo’ or less impo’tant than the next. We bleed the same, we die the same, and when this is ova’ I pwomise we will reign together!”
Salim never had the honor to see Taj before a battle that was intentional. By the men’s roars, cheers, and battle cries made him understand why men followed her into battle with no complaints or doubts.
Her calm demeanor put everyone’s mind at ease, even if there was doubt before.
Salim hugged her tight and kissed her forehead.
“Moving,” he whispered in her ear. The men were ready for battle.
She retired early with Salim in tow.
⸞⸟⸞
The two laid in bed on their sides, face to face. They silently stared into each other’s eyes deep in thought.
She took his warm hand and placed it by her slightly cool cheek and gave it a gentle kiss. Taj shook her head.
“I’ve done this a thoozand times, and it neva’ gets easy. I think ⸺.” She trailed off.
“What?” Salim asked, concerned.
“I think you should stay a’.”
Salim glared at her in shock.
“Why would you say that? O’ want that?”
She couldn’t meet his eyes. Battle was natural for her, it was all she knew since she was a young girl. Salim fought many times but nothing to the degree as Taj.
She was worried and didn’t want to see him get hurt mainly because of her. Too many people were already dead because of her, and their blood was on her hands, she refused to have his there also.
“I say it becoaze I love you! If you get a’t or die, what then? Who will yoa people ave? Yoa parents only ave you, Salim.”
He propped himself up on his elbow and took both her hands.
“Listen nothing will appen to you or me. We both ave each otha and faith,” he told her.
Salim made it sound easy that faith and love conquered all. She didn’t know how to make him stay, and if she did, he wouldn’t listen.
Love made her want him to stay and be safe and love made him want to go to protect her.
They rested their heads against each other.
The many insects that were usually loud and annoying offered a soothing tone that relaxed them.
Salim and Taj laid close, they felt their heartbeat and the rise and fall of their chests.
The moonlight lit up the entire room. She gazed at Salim’s handsome features with his eyes closed.
“So,” she whispered.
“Not befo’ battle,” he said with his eyes still closed.
Taj smiled with amusement, it was amazing how well he knew her.
“I was going to ask fo’ a kiss,” she lied.
Salim opened one eye, unconvinced. “Weally?”
She couldn’t hold her laughter. Only her mood would be light, carefree before such a huge battle.
“Shh! West,” he told her. She settled in under his arms and fell asleep with the sound of calmness and melodic crickets.
⸞⸟⸞
Kofi took a different approach with his soldiers. They weren’t granted a feast or rest but was forced to do drills and combat training for hours.
Many of the soldiers turned against those who remained loyal to Adanya. Kofi was told about those soldiers, and he killed most, and a few were tortured into submission.
He had the full support and service of Lark’s militia. Chanta’s militia was easier to control without King Haji or an heir to the throne. They did what Kofi told them to keep themselves and their families safe.
The Plipoolians would fight with them. Kofi had over fifty thousand men at his disposal. In his mind, Taj didn’t stand a chance.
Their training was rigorous, nonstop around the clock. Kofi’s new advisor warned him that he should let the men rest. That exhaustion before a battle wasn’t good for anyone.
⸞⸟⸞
Kofi stepped into the dark dungeon filled with shadow spots. There were two sections of steel cells. He unlocked the door to one cell.
King Haji sat in the center of the floor chained to the walls. He was only given water and bread crumbs, enough to keep him weakened but nourished.
“You’ll be appy to know that yoa kingdom is being taken ca’ee of in yoa absence,” Kofi told Haji.
He pulled a chair from the corner and sat in front of him. Haji gave him nothing.
“I’m so’wy about yoa son.” Haji spit in his face. Kofi dabbed his face with his handkerchief.
“Loyalty is ev’ything. Twuthfully yoa daughta’ killed im. It was my gen’osity that saved ha’. If it adn’t been fo’ me you’d ave to bu’y two childwen. The attempted assassination of a king is death,” he said.