The night brought with it a chilling breeze of winter that cascaded a harrowing silence across the hamlets of the mountain land. Far from the piercing winds of the cold, it was the gloomy thought of war that made everyone sober in the anticipation of what was to come. The kids sat closely to their parents with none being brave enough to cheer the night plays which was a norm on such cold nights when dancing by the fires thrilled the most. Wives sat closer to their men and sisters sat closer to their brothers, abandoning the joy in gossiping. Everyone was no doubt scared that the night was going to be their last. Alas everyone but Luitsi who sat sadly under the palm tree by the bank of the stream which she had drowned in, many years ago. The radiant moon had casted it’s silver rays over the vast extension of the sea and it gave it an apparition of a milky gloss. She watched with keen indifference as the salmons dived out of the water and back into it as they had the times of their lives_ why not, not a single fisherman was on the waters to fish. They were all in their clusters of men forming an alliance that was created solely by fear. Luitsi was sad. The event from the day time was still fresh in her head and in as much as she tried to let go of it, she failed. The sight of Catori along with Amelia has made her feel bad. She didn’t want to feel jealous as it meant both her and her rival where on the same level. Jealousy was a virtue too expensive for a retard like her to feel. As far as she knew, she was a bat among the gatherings of parrots and that was the major reason no youth had ever asked her out. She saw Amelia as a diamond whereas she was just a stone. Only if she was sane_ she thought and kept on sobbing.
” You aren’t a bat my love.” Said a voice of succor. She didn’t need to turn. She knew who it was.
” Leave me alone. How is it that only you can hear my thought and only you can feel my pain.” She cried softly as she sobbed while resting her back against the palm tree.
” Because only I truly care.” Said the voice of comfort and walked towards her using the rays of the moon to navigate it’s way.
” You called me a bitch in front of everyone. Catori heard you.” She cried, gazing at the silver highlights of the streams meadow while the tears flooded with ease.
” My love. You asked the king to take my head. You made mockery of me in front of my own people. You always do that.” Chimed the voice of comfort and brought itself to bend near her.
” I am mad. I have a broken mind. It’s my excuse. What is yours Agiyon?” She queried and turned her teary eyes to the pot bellied chief who had just kept a small basket by her side.
” I am sorry. I drink too much. I am ashamed of myself. Luitsi, why did you take the events of the later hours so personal. It broke my heart to see you sad.” Sniffled Agiyon and placed his palms on her shoulder after adjusting to face her. She could no longer see the Salmons. Just his red face and it caused her to smile a bit.
” How I am at this moment is how I always want to be. The Gods aren’t so generous are they? ” She asked in a sober tone and slowly placed her palms on his oval smooth face.
” They are merciful. They brought you back from the clutch of death…”
” To suffer Agiyon. To suffer. Wouldn’t death have been peaceful for me. At night, I feel one with my mind, at the day, I’m a thousand minds I can’t control. They control me. They make me look stupid. They make me mad. Then they make you call me names and they made Catori Reject me.” She sniffled in a falling intonation.
” My love. Do not cry like this. You and I are lunatics in our own right. I can’t face anyone but you without getting drunk. I’m a coward that can’t take on the world. I have accepted you from the first day the gods brought you back to us. Don’t hurt me like this. Don’t talk about Catori while I’m the one here to wipe your tears.” He bawled in an emotional tone and slowly took his palms off her bare shoulder.
” Why do you take your hands off me. Why do you want to leave me. Is it because I am …”
” Shhhhh…” ” Hush my love. You aren’t mad and I’m only taking off my palms to wipe these priceless tears of yours.” Chimed Agiyon and slowly wiped off her tears with sides of his palm, placed his palms warmly over her face and slowly brought his lips till they were locked on hers. He felt the taste of her tongue and let go of her face before breaking off the lock of lips.
” You treat me like a queen Agiyon. You just drink to much.” She said and locked her knees together.
” Because it’s what you are. A queen my love. Just see how beautiful you are. I pray that one day the gods shall have mercy and restore to us what they took from you. I’m tired of waiting.” Said Agiyon and quickly reached for the basket he had brought along with him.
” What are you tired of waiting for?” She asked with a smile.” While her sight lanced within the basket.
” Marrying you. As soon as you stop fighting me in the day. I know you are well and I will waste no time to make you my bride.” ” Here, I brought some cake for you and some roasted chicken to. A keg of beer for the night.” He smiled and continued ” My love. Don’t the mosquitos bite you.” He probed as he perambulated one item from another.
” Thank you Agiyon. They bite me but I don’t fall sick. They can bite for a lifetime. I don’t care.” She declared and picked up the beer.
” You should care my lady. I do not want anything to hurt you.” He said causing her to pause and smile.
” My mind is already hurt. The gods have hurt me. What would you do about that.” She asked, still paused with a wide grin.
” I will have go to battle with the gods but then, I owe them gratitude for saving you from death. Forget about the gods if they don’t heal you. I will have to damn everyone and marry you.” He implied and cut out a piece of the chicken for his own mouth. It was originally made for just her mouth, but now he wanted some for his own.
” Marry a lunatic. A chief can’t marry a lunatic. You know that.” She explained and had a gulp of the beer before smiling again.
” Says who?” Agiyon enquired.
” Says the gods.” She said and rested her head backwards on the stem. The beer was starting to key into her system.
” No god can stop me from taking you as my wife. None!” He griped and took the keg of beer from her hand before she could finish it up. Once again, he wanted some for himself and it was not the original idea.
” Agiyon.” She called out in a restless tone, her knees still knocked against each other.
” Yes my love.” He answered as he gazed at her bare bosom undulating upwards and downward as she breathed.
” If I fail to get well soon. Then no man shall be my groom and I shall through life without knowing the touch of a man?” She asked him as her breathing grew muffled from emotions.
” No ! No! Don’t say that my love. Soon you will get better and I shall take you as my bride. You know a lady doesn’t really need to get married to be taken by a man. It’s just…”
” Then why haven’t you taken me all these years. You have brought me gifts every night for as long as I can remember. You kiss me and that’s all you ever do.” She winced and stretched her hands to take back her beer.
” Yes I know. It’s called respect. Luitsi you aren’t any other girl I will find in the hamlet’s. You are my gift from the gods and I have faith that they shall heal you for me. It’s the reason why I have refused to marry. I have my eyes on you but sadly you have yours on the king. Maybe that’s why the gods haven’t answered my prayers.” Said Agiyon in a sullen tone. It caused her to pause for a while and the smile on her face was gone. Even she couldn’t deny the fact that she loved Catori, yet it was the man squatting with her that she was going to settle for.
” He’s handsome and has beautiful muscles. You are ugly and have the stomach of a pregnant woman.” She cackled causing him to cackle to. He never was one to take her insults into heart.
” Agiyon.” She whispered to him.
” Yes my love.” He answered with a smile.
” You are a good man. You are my friend and I love you very much.” She honeyed and the smile on her face was back.
” I love you to Luitsi. Here, eat this cake before I end up eating them all myself. This pregnant man needs to feed his babies.” He uttered and cackled softly while he passed the wheat cakes to her. There was stint of laughter that was followed with silence and then by a question of caution.
” Agiyon. I heard that tomorrow, you shall travel to the north on the orders of Catori.” She probed with a smile.
” Yes my lady. I have friends in the north. Very peaceful people who I miss so much. He said I’m at liber to take on soldier. Sad thing that you aren’t a fighter. I would have chose you.” Said Agiyon with a wild smile as he drank the remainder of the sorghum beer.
” Argiyon.” She called out to him in an effortless manner, her face full of nothing but smiles.
” Yes my love.” He asked.
” What would become of me if you never came back?” She asked and slowly reached for his wrist while she smiled like she had worn a lottery.
” I will come back. I will always come back.” Agiyon said as he masticated some cake in his mouth and waded off a mosquito that had just perched on the side of her arms.
” Agiyon. What would happen to me If you don’t come back. A clan of a thousand people, only you cares for me. I don’t want you to go.” She winced and palmed his oval face even harder.
“I do not take care of you. The gods do. Even when they take my soul and even when I fail to return to you. They will always provide for you. Do not be scared my beautiful queen.” He silvered In a blissful tone of hope.
” I don’t want you to go. A soldier should go. Many soldiers should go. You aren’t a soldier.” She mumbled to him and opened her mouth wide for him to put a cake in it.
” Too wide Luitsi. I may fall inside.” He joked with a smile and placed a piece of cake in her mouth.
” Sorry. I don’t want you to go. Tell Catori that you aren’t a soldier. Tell him to send a gang of soldiers.” She countered and began to chew vaguely.
” I may not be a soldier but I’m not a coward as well. If the king wants me to go then I will go. I came to tell you I will be leaving by the first crow of the morning. You see I will have to get some sleep since I will be having a rough day before me. It’s a seven hour’s walk.” He said and gazed back at the stream.
” All that you do, make sure that you come back to me. Go and have your sleep now. I want to be here watching the Waters. You know I seldom sleep.” She sniffled and turned her gaze to the waters as well.
” Good and fine my love. I’m glad I have your blessings to take on this journey. Come let’s go. I won’t leave you hear in the cold. I will take you to your home. Your step mother must be worried I think.”
” My step mother hates me. That I live and that I die is not her business. She doesn’t care.” the teenager elucidated and sighed softly in sadness.
” She cares. She’s just heartbroken. Come with me. Sitting alone by the waters is dangerous. Crocodiles do come out at night.” Agiyon persuaded.
” I was in the water for a day and they didn’t take me. They won’t take me now. Just go. I won’t be leaving now. The hamlet’s make me a mad woman. I feel at peace with my mind here.” She bemoaned and squeezed a smile before raising the empty jar of beer to her mouth, while she patiently awaited the rushing of it’s drops.
” Okay then my love. I will see you again tomorrow. I would not die.” Agiyon assured and kissed her lips softly, and then passionately for a short while before breaking up the lip lock so his lustiness didn’t get the better part of him. He didn’t have a stomach to deflower a teenager that he felt nothing but pity for. She gently lay her back on the trunk of the tree, sighed deeply and closed her eyes to service the trips of the alcohol in her system. Agiyon staggered up, gazed at her one last time and walked away feeling sullen than sober.