Slaves to the Sword

by Jack Cage

  “Excellent! I will inform the elders and the tribal leaders to prepare a great feast for our returning guest! Chike!” Olamide bellowed.

  Chike swiftly entered the hut. “Yes Chief?”

  “It is time to talk with Chief Chipo about our concerns. But first, go to the beach. My daughter believes the man from the sea will be here by early afternoon—see if she is correct in her prediction.”

  Amri ran into Endesha as he made his way into their hut. “Where have you been Amri?” he asked with a silly look on his face.

  “This is not the time, Desha,” Amri barked. He went over to his where his mother was lying down to rest. “How is she today?” he asked his father.

  “She is not feeling well, Son. She is becoming weaker as the days go by,” Zuberi said while caressing his wife’s face gently.

  “Remember the man with potions and herbs that the Kuno spoke of?”

  “Yes, I do.”

  “His ship is almost here. You can see it in the distance from the beach. Maybe he has a potion that can heal Mother,” Amri said while trying to figure out how to get the Kuno Chief Olamide’s assistance for his ailing mother.

  Chike returned to Chief Olamide after investigating Nsia’s claim that the man from the ocean was returning. “Yes. It is him, and I agree he will arrive early in the afternoon, as you were told.”

  “Wonderful. Alert the village mothers to prepare a glorious meal for our visitor, and send for our offerings to him.”

  “Offerings? Oh, you are speaking of the prisoners we have in the woods?”

  “Yes. Have them cleaned and presentable for our guest. I am hoping they will get us something nice from him in return,” Olamide said with a great smile on his face. “We must go and talk with Chief Chipo to discuss the other offering for our returning guest.”

  “Do you foresee any problems with the Sefu chief?”

  “I am not sure, but we must go see him now,” Olamide said as he looked in direction of the beach.

  Chief Chipo was sitting on the sandy ground in front of his hut, amused by all of the activity within the village. The Kuno people were moving hastily from one point to another. He did not stop anyone to ask what was going on, he was more interested in watching their hustle. Moments later, Chief Olamide, Chike, and two other Kuno leaders arrived at the elder Sefu chief’s hut. “May we talk to you … alone, old friend?” Olamide asked.

  “Of course. Let us go inside,” Chipo replied. The men entered, and sat in a large circle.

  Chief Olamide sat directly across from Chief Chipo, and the Sefu elder could feel in his spirit, something was wrong. “What troubles you and your people today, old friend?” he asked.

  “We have a visitor coming today. A man from a faraway land. He brings many items with him for trade; food, potions, medicines, and weapons. In return, we trade with him our food, women, and our prisoners.”

  “Prisoners?”

  “Yes. I have prisoners from wars fought with other tribes deep in our woods.”

  “Then why are you here talking to me about this visitor? My people do not have anything to offer.” Chief Chipo wondered, with a suspicious tone in his voice.

  After a short pause, Chief Olamide gathered his words and spoke very softly with emboldened confidence. “You do have something to offer our visitor, old friend.” He cleared his throat and continued, “We believe that Amri is a danger to our people. We know the story of his fury in the Ema village, and what happens to those who oppose him. We believe he could be a threat to our people. His ability to kill at will with the level of destruction he is known for is something we cannot allow on Kuno land.” Olamide looked the elder Sefu chief directly in his eyes.

  “Amri would never do such a thing. I would never allow it.” There was a stern confidence in his voice.

  “My friend, we are old, and Amri is very young. If you were not with us, who would be able to calm the storm he brings when his fury is directed at my people?”

  “The boy comes from a good family, and he has a good heart. Yes, he is a warrior, but he would not slay the innocent, nor would he jeopardize his people here on Kuno land.”

  “I believe you, dear friend, but the consequences of taking your word on this matter could be my people’s safety. I welcomed your entire tribe into our land, and in order for your people to thrive you must take what I am proposing into consideration.”

  “What you are proposing is to send Amri away from here when he was the one person that protected us from danger, ensured we made it out of our village safely, and led us here to the Kuno land? That is the reward you believe he should have?”

  Chief Chipo’s brow was heavily furled on his wrinkled face. “He has not given you any reason to believe he is a threat. He has only been an asset to your tribe because he not only protects us, but your people as well.”

  Suddenly, Chief Chipo started to laugh uncontrollably. “What is amusing to you?” Chief Olamide asked.

  “I would not want to be you when you ask him to go with your visitor,” he replied with a glorious laugh.

  “This is why we are here, dear friend. I need you to help me talk to him; explain to him why he must go with the visitor.”

  “What if he refuses? What if he wants to stay here with us?”

  “I’m afraid to tell you dear friend, but if he refuses, the Sefu people cannot stay on Kuno land. Do not allow one man to make your people perish as they wander across the sands beyond our land.”

  Chief Chipo’s laughter was quieted by the seriousness of the situation presented to him. He knew his good friend was serious, and was also aware that his threat to send the Sefu people into the sandy wastelands was said with veracity. Thoughts about how to tell Amri flooded Chief Chipo’s mind.

  Chief Olamide could see that his dear friend was in duress and told him, “I will leave you now, as we have more arrangements to make before our visitor joins us.”

  “Yes, that would be good,” Chipo replied. As Olamide and his group left the hut, a violent crack of thunder sounded in the sky. Chief Chipo stood, made his way slowly to the mouth of the hut, and looked toward the western sky. He could see a storm approaching from behind the ocean horizon.

  A strong gust of wind whipped the sand throughout the village as if the land was preparing for the fury Amri would feel once he was told the news of his forced departure.

  ***

  Several miles off the coast of the Kuno village, the ship called The Kingmaker dropped its mighty anchor as her crew prepared to depart for land.

  The ship’s captain, James Burton, was filled with anxiety. His crew was weary after their seven-month trek down the coasts of France, Spain, and northern Africa. Captain Burton surveyed the Kuno land in the distance, and commanded his crew, “Prepare the skiffs. We must depart for land before this bloody storm catches us from the west.”

  “Aye captain,” the crew replied.

  “Load the supplies into the skiffs and bring plenty of wine. Welcome to paradise!” He let out a hearty laugh as his crew cheered with lustful enthusiasm.

  The sky was darkening quickly as Captain Burton and his crew climbed down into four medium-sized skiffs. The men started to row vigorously through the swelling water as the storm seemed to chase them to the Kuno shores. “Row like your bloody life depends on it! These waters are turning us away from the coast, row harder!” commanded the captain.

  Back in the Kuno village, Chike could see the skiffs approaching the beach, so he sent one of his aids to alert Chief Olamide that the visitors would be arriving soon. Most of the villagers had joined Chike on the beach, and watched as their small boats battled the violently churning waters.

  The sky erupted with dazzling bolts of lightning that frightened the young children. Darkness covered the Kuno village and rain started to fall as the wind whipped violently across the beach, sending sand and salty water into the onlooker’s eyes.

  As the men of The Kingmaker approached the beach, the waters became more turbulent—as
if the land did not want Captain James Burton and his crew to make shore. The sky continued its fantastic display of lightning, and the accompanying thunder was so loud it shook the sandy ground the Kuno people were standing on. Amri and his family could see the men struggling to row themselves ashore. “Look at them, they are battling the water as if they are being pushed away from us,” said Zuberi.

  “I don’t know if this is what I wanted for Mother,” Amri said as he looked at the sandy-colored men in the boats Nsia described earlier.

  The storming waves crested and crashed into the skiffs. “Brace yourselves men!” commanded Captain Burton. The boats became temporarily airborne amongst the waves. As the men approached the beach, a strong wave rushed the side of one of the boats forcing the men overboard. Another wave drove the men against the bottom of the boat, knocking two of them unconscious.

  The crew of The Kingmaker finally made it to shore, and the sky cracked with mighty clap of thunder as James Burton and his crew stumbled onto the sandy beach.

  A torrent of rain welcomed the visitors as they gathered their injured men and collected the skiffs to bring them ashore. A strong yell could be heard from the distance as the men lumbered their way toward the Kuno village.

  Suddenly, the sounds of drums pounding rhythmically could be heard along with sounds of women and men singing.

  Chief Olamide was giving Captain James a hero’s welcome. However, the sky was not willing to comply with the Kuno people’s welcome.

  Sheets of rain were falling as the captain and his crew walked up to the Kuno chief. “Hello,” said Burton in the Kuno tongue.

  “He-llo,” Chief Olamide replied in the language of the captain and his crew. “Welcome. We have been expecting you for many months. Come rest yourselves in our village.” He motioned the men to follow him.

  “What did he just say?” asked one of The Kingmaker crewmen.

  “I do not know. Just smile, and do what the captain does,” replied a shipmate.

  The rain from above had not extinguished the raging fire at the center of the Kuno village, and the storm was waning. The Kuno leadership ensured their guests were comfortable and entertained.

  Small drums and singing could be heard as the men shared the visitor’s rum and laughed heartily. The rum was Chief Olamide’s favorite, and he drank sparingly.

  He had also poured a portion of what he was given by Captain Burton into a small container to be consumed in private.

  The men were sitting in the largest of huts in the village. It was open on three sides, with a high roof, and the tribeswomen had lain fresh palm leaves on the ground.

  Olamide commanded all of the daughters he felt were of age to join the group of men and sit along the perimeter of the hut. He wanted James and his crew to see the wealth of flesh the Kuno people had to offer. The men stared at the half-dressed, bronze-skinned Kuno women with lustful hunger in their eyes.

  Their supple breasts and attractive faces were a pleasant sight after such a long voyage—a welcomed change from the coarse beards and sun-stricken skin the men of The Kingmaker were used to seeing. After reviewing the display of young women for the crew of The Kingmaker, Chief Olamide noticed that Nsia was not present, he discreetly asked Chike to find her. “Nsia is not here. I wanted to introduce her to our visitor. Go find her for me.” Chike nodded and left to search for Nsia.

  In the distance, Endesha and Amri could also see something was missing from the display of flesh Olamide was showing his guests. “Amri, where is Nsia?” Endesha asked.

  “I do not know. She ran away when she saw the boat in the distance this morning, and I have not seen her since,” Amri said with a puzzled look on his face.

  “You should find her, Amri. I believe she needs you,” Furaha said.

  “Mother, you are weak, and I want to be here with you,” Amri replied.

  “No. Be with Nsia. She would not have left you if she felt safe here. Something is wrong. Go find her,” Furaha commanded.

  “Ok, Mother. I will go.” He conceded.

  “Desha, stay with our parents. I will return once I find Nsia and make sure she is all right.

  “I will, Brother.”

  Amri set off to find Nsia, first stopping by her hut to see if she was there. No luck. He took a moment to think of a place where Nsia would go if she was frightened. He then remembered the special place in the woods. So he set off into the nearby wilderness, fully aware that his vision would be challenged so late in the evening. Thankfully the storm had passed.

  19

  T he sky cleared as the storm that arrived with Captain Burton left the Kuno land. The bright moonlight was a welcomed aid in Amri’s search for Nsia. He was not sure where she was within the woods, but hoped she was at the waterfall where she had taken him before.

  Amri did not have much trouble retracing his steps as he found things that reminded him of the path Nsia had taken to get to her special place. Amri’s bare feet avoided every imperfection he could remember in the terrain. After a few minutes of walking, he heard the rushing water in the distance. Not wanting to alarm her, he did not call out to her. Instead, he decided to be still, and set himself on one knee to take in what the land was giving him. It was time to listen. Amri calmed his breathing, and steadied his heartbeat. He closed his eyes and breathed quietly—smoke—Amri could faintly smell smoke. Then he heard a small crack to his right. Something was moving, and all of these clues were coming from the same direction—Amri quickly open his eyes. He knew where to go, and like a swift gazelle, he ran through the woods toward where he thought the sounds were coming from.

  Within moments he was behind a shadowed figure that looked to be collecting sticks from the ground. With a sigh of relief, he found it was Nsia. She was cold, and attempting to restart the small fire that had been doused by the storm. Instead of approaching her, Amri decided to remain in the shadows, taking too much delight in his hunt for her.

  He watched her as she searched for sticks and twigs dry enough to light her fire, and once she had enough, she turned to go in the other direction and Amri casually said, “Do you always play with sticks in the dark?” Nsia jumped off the ground, dropping all of the items in her arms, trying not to scream.

  “Amri!” Nsia exclaimed in a violent whisper. She hit his massive chest with her hand, then tenderly embraced him.

  “Where were you going just now?” He laughed.

  “I was going to a cave near the waterfall. I had a fire, but it went out when that storm came earlier.” She smiled at him.

  Amri collected sticks, and said, “Show me.”

  The cave Nsia was hiding in was more like a small alcove. It was large enough for two people, but it left her exposed to the elements. She was cold, wet, and hungry, and was very glad to see Amri. He gave her some fruits from the satchel he had tied across his shoulder. “Eat. I will be back with some things to help us stay warm,” Amri said. He left her to collect several items for the night.

  Soon after, Amri returned with a large tree trunk. When he dropped it, it made a solid thump on the ground. “What is that for?” asked Nsia.

  “My Uncle Coffa taught me how to survive with what the land gives you. This land has much for us to use tonight.” Amri quickly went to work as Nsia gazed at him adoringly. First on his list was to get the fire started. He used his large, strong hands to pry open the old tree trunk. He then tore off the bark and peeled away the stringy fibers to fuel the fire. Amri, using the stones Nsia had found, quickly struck them together to light the fibers, and before long, there was a fire large enough for both of them.

  Once satisfied, he decided to place the two large pieces of wood along the perimeter of the alcove, shielding them slightly from the cool air.

  Next on Amri’s list was to make Nsia comfortable. He went to his stack of supplies that he gathered earlier, and before he set some large palm leaves down on the ground he used his hands to smooth the land under them. “You can sit here,” he said. Swelling with gratitude, Nsia
complied.

  Pleased with his work, Amri laid down on his back and exhaled deeply. Nsia, exhausted from the day’s events, quickly coated Amri’s body with her own, seeking warmth and safety. He placed the remaining palm leaves over them, and they slept comfortably through the night.

  Back in the Kuno village, Chief Chipo had not been invited to greet Captain Burton and the sailors of The Kingmaker. Instead, the elder Sefu chief decided to visit his dearest friends after observing Amri venture into the forest moments earlier. As the elder Sefu chief slowly approached, Endesha noticed his presence, and immediately assisted the elder leader toward his parents. “May I have a word with all of you?” Chipo asked politely.

  “Of course, Chief Chipo. We can go inside and leave Chief Olamide to his friends over there.” Zuberi said as he looked at the gathering of people across the Kuno village. The group sat down, and Chipo noticed Furaha did not look like herself. “Are you well, dear Furaha?”

  “No, I have not been feeling well lately, but I will be all right.”

  “Good. I have something important I need to discuss with you all.”

  “Amri is not here,” Endesha said quickly.

  “I know Endesha. I saw him go into the forest earlier,” Chipo replied. “Which is good because I have to talk to all of you about him.”

  “What about Amri must be discussed?” asked Zuberi.

  Chief Chipo took a deep breath and recalled some of the bravery he had suppressed in his old age, and said, “Amri must go with Olamide’s visitor.”

  A few moments passed as the three family members processed what they had been told. “That will never happen!” Zuberi replied.

  Chief Chipo had braced himself for the reaction, and had more to tell, but he wanted to give the family a chance to receive his words before he moved on.

  “Why would Olamide want Amri to go with his visitor?” Furaha asked with renewed energy.

  “He believes Amri is a threat to the Kuno people.”