by Jack Cage
“How can Amri be a threat to his people? He has shown nothing but true leadership since we have been here,” Zuberi said.
“I understand how you feel, and I told Chief Olamide the same words, but he believes Amri’s reputation and temper are something we cannot control.”
“I know my child, and he is under control. At least, I believe he is under control,” Zuberi replied.
“That right there, that small portion of doubt, is the only reason I continued to listen to Olamide today. Zuberi, we both know what your son is capable of, and if something happened to any of us, who would be able to stop him?”
“Amri is a good man, and he knows who his enemy is, and who is not,” Furaha said.
“Yes, I know this, but Olamide insists Amri leaves.”
“What if Amri refuses?” Endesha asked.
“He cannot.”
“Why could he not refuse the chief?” Zuberi asked.
Chipo put his right hand over his mouth, his eyes welled with tears, and he started to cry uncontrollably. His gray hair and wrinkled skin shook as he tried to control his emotions. Chipo looked his good friend in the eye, and said, “If Amri refuses, all of our people will be sent into the eastern sands where we will all surely die.”
“This is really what he told you?” Endesha asked, with a newly discovered bravado in his voice. “What do you think he is going to do once he finds out what they want to do to him? He is not going to accept this. I know him, he is my brother!”
“There is more, Endesha,” said Zuberi quietly.
“What do you mean, Father?”
“Think about it. Who would be able to stop Amri from destroying this place?” Zuberi replied.
Endesha took a moment, and said, “We are supposed to tell Amri he must go?”
Furaha looked at her husband, and as tears started to slide down her cheeks said, “Endesha, we will have to go with Amri as well. That is the only way he will not attack the Kuno people and their visitor.”
“It is the only way for our people to survive,” Zuberi said.
Endesha’s burgeoning intelligence could not come up with a solution to the problem in front of him. He tried to think of every possible way to solve the issue, yet he could not see any other way. Frustrated with the situation, he said, “We are not going to leave with the visitor. Amri and I will defeat him, his crew, and all of the Kuno people by ourselves!”
“No, Son. You cannot think that way,” Zuberi warned.
“The Kuno people have always been a great ally to the Sefu people, and it would be dishonorable to start a war on their land after they have been so kind to us,” said Chipo.
“Endesha, this is something we must do together,” Zuberi said. “We cannot put our people’s lives at risk, and leaving with Amri is best for all of us.”
“What about Mother? How can she go with us? Where would the visitor take us?” Endesha asked.
“Our job would be to ensure Amri complied with the visitor’s commands, Son,” Furaha said.
“If Amri did not comply we will be used as a way to control him,” Zuberi said softly.
“I am so sorry to tell you this,” Chipo said as his body trembled with fear and sadness.
Chipo attempted to approach the family on his knees with his arms open wide, hoping for an embrace with understanding and love returned to him. Endesha pushed his arm aside and left the hut. Furaha reached out to her youngest son, but he walked away.
“Let him go, my love,” Zuberi said as he held his old friend and mentor with one arm, and his weakening wife with the other.
The next day, the Kuno people woke to sounds of glorious laughter as James Burton exited his hut nude and pleased with himself. He stumbled to the beach and into the ocean, splashing his face with the cold salt water. “Ah, paradise indeed!” James said to himself. Feeling refreshed, he made his way back to the coastal village, and to dress himself for the day.
Captain Burton was in awe of the beauty the sunny beachfront village had to offer. He then looked down at the nude Kuno women he inefficiently entertained the previous night and thought to himself, Is this place heaven?
Peter, one of Burton’s men approached, and asked, “What would you like for us to do with The Kingmaker’s supplies Captain?”
“Aye, bring them to me, and I will exchange them for supplies for our return trip,” Burton replied.
“Captain, what are we taking back with us?” Peter asked.
“As much as we can Master Peter. Send word to The Kingmaker to prepare to depart in a few days. They should have collected much water with last night’s rain, and we will need it for our long trip home.”
“Home, sir?” Peter asked.
“Aye. It is time for The Kingmaker to return to her home in England.”
Zuberi awakened with much sadness in his heart. Endesha was sitting at the huts entrance. “Are you scared, my son?” Zuberi asked.
“No, Father. I am not,” he said confidently. “We are not thinking about the other person that will be affected by us being sent away with the visitor.”
“Who else will be affected son?” Furaha asked softly, removing the night’s sleep from her eyes.
“Nsia. She is the only woman Amri has ever loved—other than you, Mother. Leaving her will tear him apart, and I feel it will do the same to her.”
“He feels that strongly for her? How do you know, Desha?” Zuberi asked.
“I know him well, he is my brother. Nsia is the reason why I am not sure he will agree to any of this madness.”
“Where is Amri?” Furaha asked.
“I know where he is. We should allow them to be together while they can,” Endesha said.
“How could he find her in the dark and during a storm?” Furaha asked.
“He found her easily, I am sure. Nothing could keep him from her. At least, that is what I used to believe,” Endesha said with finality.
The fire lost its warmth hours before Nsia and Amri woke from their long night together.
Amri had woke hours before Nsia stirred from her blissful slumber. He looked at her and began to laugh, softly at first, then he couldn’t help himself and his laugh grew heartily louder. “What is so funny?” she asked.
“If you could see your hair, you would be laughing too.”
“What is wrong with my hair?”
“It is all over both of us. How do you think we stayed so warm last night?” He picked up a section of the straight, black hair that covered Nsia’s head, and a portion of his chest.
“How long have you been awake?”
“I’ve been up for a while now.”
“I did not feel you move.”
“I tried not to, so I would not wake you.”
“How nice of you.”
“I have never been called nice before.” Nsia adjusted her position, and rested her head on her elbow. She pushed her hair back over her head, looked at her lover, and said, “Why are you so nice to me?”
“You are the first person that I met that was not scared of me,” Amri replied.
“Why do I not scare you? You said you heard stories of my battles before?”
“Yes. But after meeting you, I learned that you are more than a warrior.”
“You said I was not a monster many moons ago. Do you still believe that?”
Nsia gently traced her fingers across the many scars on Amri’s chest, and replied, “You are more than a warrior or a monster.
You are gentle with me when you are brutal to others. You move quickly when you are threatened, but you move very slowly with me. How can I be scared of you when you are changing your behavior for me?”
“When I am with you I do not feel the pain and the burden of being me,” Amri said. “I forget about the anger, I forget what my world is when I am with you. That brings me much peace, and it shows because I can rest when I am with you.”
Amri and Nsia ventured into the woods to collect food and wood for the fire as the daylight grew stronger by
the minute. Once they had eaten, the two young lovers took a swim in the small lagoon at the bottom of the waterfall.
Amri’s heart was defenseless against the onslaught of love from Nsia, and as strong as his will was on the battlefield, he willingly gave his feelings away to the girl he met on the beach. In Amri’s mind he wondered if he could put aside his lust for battle and transform those thoughts into a desire for love in the new land he brought his people to.
The day could not have been more perfect for Amri. He was with a woman that loved him in a way he could not even comprehend. He was so involved with Nsia he had not though once about his ailing mother or his younger brother. For a brief moment that day, Amri Sefu was just a man—normal on the inside and out. His size, strength, and past had no relevance with Nsia.
She did not care how many men Amri killed, nor was she concerned with what harm he could do to her. She just wanted to be with him.
When they were done in the water, they realized they were hungry once again, and went foraging within the shady forest.
Nsia found some fruit she was sure her warrior man had never eaten before. “You are going to like this.” She took a small bite of the dark berry that only grew in the area, and placed the other portion in Amri’s mouth. “Well?” Nsia asked.
“That was good. More please.”
“Sit down. I found enough for you, and maybe a few for me if you don’t eat them all,” she said with a smile on her face. Amri complied and sat down to enjoy the late lunch.
While the couple ate, the Black Lion playfully bounced a berry off Nsia’s head—making him laugh gloriously. Nsia smiled, and joined in the laughter. She tried to push Amri over in retaliation, only to find herself almost on her side due to Amri not being easily moved.
“You almost tipped yourself!” He laughed.
“I am stronger than you think!”
“Not strong enough to move me.” He chuckled.
Amri laid down on his back and closed his eyes. He took in a deep breath of fresh air, enjoying all of the smells and sounds he could hear.
Suddenly, Nsia pounced on his torso, which caused him to cough violently. “I told you I am strong!”
“You are the only person that has ever caught me off guard.”
“That means I am special?”
“No. It means you are lucky.” He smiled genuinely at her, as she laid on his chest. “I could live in these woods with you forever.”
“No, you cannot. You have a little brother that needs you and a family that loves you.”
“He is not so little anymore. He is changing, and is no longer looking to me for protection. He is going to be a mighty warrior in his own right one day.”
“He will always need his big brother. I think we should get back to the village soon. I am sure they are looking for us.”
“Let them wait for us. We will return when we are ready.”
Four days later in the Kuno village, Captain Burton was thrilled to see Chief Olamide’s offerings and for trade. He had presented: six enemy prisoners, four young Kuno women, several large baskets of fruits and berries, and multiple pounds off dried and salted fish. In return, Olamide wanted as much rum as the crew of The Kingmaker could provide, along with their knives and fine fabrics. “Aye, this is a mighty fair exchange here boys,” said the captain, knowing his take was greater than the half-dressed tribal leader. “We must take our lot to The Kingmaker and prepare to depart by first light. No need to stay here any longer. We need to use this good fortune to carry us home quickly.”
“Aye, Captain,” the crewmen said as they loaded the skiffs.
That evening, Amri and Nsia arrived back in the village, and as they walked across the village center, Captain Burton could not help but notice the massive Sefu man. “Aye, look at that ghastly Moor right there! Hey, you. Come here!” Nsia tried to pull Amri’s hand to continue walking, but Amri was still. “I want him to come with me,” Burton said to Olamide.
“Yes, yes. Of course,” Olamide said while motioning Amri to come their direction.
In the distance, someone yelled loudly in the Sefu language, “Tell, Zuberi and Furaha he wants to take Amri!”
Endesha heard this and rushed to the center of the village. “Amri, do not go to him! He wants to take us away from here!”
“Away from here?” Amri repeated. “We are not leaving this place.” He looked to Nsia and saw tears beginning to moisten her face. Elder Chipo walked up to Amri and said, “Talk to your father, my son.”
Captain Burton had been calling for Amri to come toward him for some time with no response. “Hey, does your giant Moor have a problem with hearing? Bring him to me,” he ordered his crew. Sensing their inevitable death, Olamide motioned the men to stop and ordered the six prisoners to escort Amri to the captain.
Amri’s family was talking to him, trying to explain what was going on and why they had to leave. They explained to him how their entire tribe would perish if he did not comply. They also told Amri that chief Olamide was worried he would ravage the entire Kuno village. None of what his family said to him mattered. All he knew was at that moment in his life—a life complete and filled with happiness and love—was being taken away from him.
As Amri tried to understand what was happening, he looked to Captain Burton in the distance to his right. He saw the six men coming toward him in a threatening manner, and his eyes closed slightly.
Nsia could see the man she loved quickly retreat inside of his own skin, and without knowing, she witnessed the rebirth of the Black Lion right before her eyes. Amri had his target, Captain Burton, but the six men in front of him would need to be dealt with first.
The first man to reach him tried to grab hold of Amri’s right arm. He jerked his hand quickly toward his body, and used his left hand to grab hold of the prisoner’s neck. Lifting him into the air, then violently slammed the prisoner’s head backward into the sand, breaking his left leg at the same time.
Amri reset his footing in the sand and struck another prisoner in the face with his right hand, rendering him unconscious.
The next two prisoners came at him from either side, and tried to grab hold of Amri’s arms. With little effort, he threw one man off to the side, and in full-rage, tore an ear off of the other. Nsia looked on horrified. She had never heard such screams of pain.
A prisoner successfully struck Amri in the face, but this only made him more upset. He flipped him over his shoulder, bent to pick up a large rock, and pummeled the prisoner’s face with it. Amri then turned to the one-eared prisoner, yelling in pain, and threw the rock at the man, killing him instantly.
Furaha screamed, “No! Amri stop. Stop before you are the death of our people!”
His mother’s words never made it to his ears. Deaf with glorious rage, only two more prisoners stood between him Captain Burton. One very large, impressively built man, and one much smaller that was too frightened to move from his position. The large prisoner approached Amri, slapping his chest violently with both hands, left first, then right. Amri started to walk toward the man, looking through him to his goal.
As he approached the large man, he struck him with a mighty backhand blow to the chin so powerful it lifted the large man off his feet.
The prisoner fell backward onto the sandy ground, started shaking violently and foaming at the mouth.
Amri was almost within range to attack the man from the ocean, when he heard the love of his existence scream, “No! They will kill me! They will kill me, Amri.” He stopped mid-stride and turned to see Chike and his Kuno warriors holding spears to Nsia and his family’s throats.
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“E nough!” Chief Olamide yelled. “Do you see now, Chipo, why we cannot have such a beast living within our village? Look at the ease in which he delivers death. It is as if it is pleasurable to him.” [DS1]
“Let his family go. They will ensure Amri does not kill again,” said Chipo.
Olamide looked at Amri breathing heavily and staring at Ca
ptain Burton with purpose. The captain and his crew tried to maintain their masculinity, but Olamide could see yellow fear cascading down the legs of some of Burton’s crewmen. “Father!” Nsia yelled. Chief Olamide motioned Chike to let her go. She immediately ran to Amri, but he did not respond to her—the man she loved was not present.
In his absence was the monster everyone knew he was. The Black Lion stood before her now, the swift, efficient killer of five men. “Amri, listen to me. You must stop! Your people will perish if you do not stop fighting,” Nsia begged him. He still did not respond to her.
The Kuno men brought Zuberi, Furaha, and Endesha to stand beside him. “I am so sorry, Amri,” Furaha said, sensing the pain Amri was going to feel leaving his Nsia.
“This is the only way our people can survive, my son,” Zuberi said while holding Endesha’s arm for support.
Amri looked at Endesha and could see in his eyes the same rage that swelled within him.
Seeing this, Amri understood he could not fight any more for his family and his tribe’s sake. “I will not resist anymore,” he told Chief Olamide.
“Good. Too much blood has already been spilt this evening, and as promised, your people will continue to live in peace with us,” Olamide said as he faced the village and the crew of The Kingmaker.
“Steady men,” Captain Burton ordered.
“What is going on with the big one? I thought he was about to tear our heads off, sir,” said one of The Kingmaker’s crewmen.
“Aye, I thought he was too for a moment there. Put down your swords men. It looks like he is coming willingly,” the captain ordered.
“We need to gather our things from our hut. That is the least you could do for us Olamide,” Zuberi bellowed.
“Be with your people tonight. In the morning, you will gather your belongings and leave with the visitors,” Olamide commanded.
The[DS2] mood was somber in the Sefu portion of the Kuno village as the tribe gathered around the hut of Zuberi and Furaha’s family. Many people were crying, devastated at the horrific sacrifice their fellow kinsmen were making. They offered the family clothing, and other items to take with them, but Zuberi refused it all.