Keywords:

Fasver day: A day to celebrate the births of all first bloods.

First blood: First born children have significance because they carry spirits of other first borns in their family.

Istra nom: For the sake of our ancestors

Af- save

O- me

Herika party- they have a party since they can't celebrate any five star occasion. It's their way of saying they still believe in Papa K and Nuhu

Polus: A long royal fitting meant for meant for the upperclassmen, like a jallabiyya but shortsleeved and hairy with a matching cap.

Dara- lets

Faloo- Come

Saloo- go

Goo-blood

Ee-and

Five star coronation- five royal events celebrated every five years to mark a certain stage in life until the prince or princess is 20.

Tey-father

Goo Tey- blood father (papa k and Nuhu whom they practically worship)

Hlinfo (pron. Linfo) - Traditional food; meat eaten with a special soup made with lentils and soy sauce.

•Sanusi

"Ba." Surayya climbs my bed and I feel her knees beside me plowing into the foam "Baaaaa!" She hits my shoulder, "Linda said you should get read for Five Star Bongo."

It was her birthright so I had no idea why Linda would ask her to get me to wake up. I spent the night imagining how the day played out in several ways in my head.

Maybe, Surayya would have to take her first goo crown and kneel before our father to take the oath or she'd not be called upon at all and they'd ask me to remain in my room but never did I imagine that I would be the one to be celebrated again, and with my sister too—it meant the world to us both. It was a great day to remembered.

This would be my third out of five five star coronations until I was twenty. The first is for the Trita grapes of age when you're 5. A white rose wasq given to me and all I had to do was make its color change to green.

The second which was what I was attending, is the fasver growth of spade; I was ten so I was to be taken to the top of a mountain to see a mountain man. He was to show me my future in a cave and if I got scared I'd fall off and die at the bottom of  the mountain but if I survived I'd finally get my ring of spade to be able to speak to my first blood ancestors.

I remember being really excited when our father told me about Trita. I was scared—scared if I didn't get the incantations right as the assumed first blood I'd turn it black and that meant I wasn't his child at all—the crowd would remain ignorant to this day. I made it green and I didn't know how.

Then, I worried for Surayya but she was also his original first child—even if I wasn't told I knew—but it didn't matter if our father treated me like his own.

Like the first coronation, I was called but without Surayya but that was because she wasn't five yet and I was scared the same would happen today even if she was actually five because the kingdoms rarely cared to acknowledge their women.

I'd planned not to go without her but I was glad it didn't have to come to that. Our tey respected all women especially his only girl child.

"I'll be ready soon. I hope you're prepared?"

She smiled and clapped excitedly, today would be her trita. She'd be a grape of age. I couldn't wait to visit the first bloods with her at night. I wasn't allowed to tell her about the aftermath of the coronation but she'd finally get in on the secret I never wanted to keep from her.

Five years from then was my Bongo and Surayya's growth of spade. As life went on, we would  reach higher levels of  our royal inclinations to become women and men of ruthless severity and  power.

The final would be the Vora o Crona; drink or die—we drank and survived the poison because the priest predicted our death if we grew to be an embarrassment to our kingdom. The king was happy, I was happy and so was Surayya. We couldn't have asked for a better days in our lives to be us.

It's morning and we were preparing for our trip to Bunisa. We'd woken up late, had no breakfast and would use the rage for the road. We needed all our eyes for this trip. Safari was coming back and he wasn't the only one after me.

"Hey." Bala snapped a finger close to my eye "What are you thinking of?"

"Oh." I blink, looking up at him "I was just thinking I've been married to Najma for at least 10 years. Today would've been our child's Bongo if he was 15."

"Nom re Papa K's time is best and we shall be blessed by Nom re Nuhu soon." He fixes the bag slipping from his shoulder and continues to the entrance of the throne room to drop our carryons in the car we were driving to the Kindoni docks so we can leave the city without anyone knowing. Najma would cover our tracks later with a story—she was smart—that wasn't all she was good for though. If you needed a spy, she was also the one to call.

Still, the kingdom needn't know their king was missing. I'd look incompetent and my subjects, left unsure of my capacity to rule or protect them.

"Istra nom."

I stand up from the throne and go through the passage that led to the floor where Surayya's room and I and Najma's was.

I knock and enter to see her sitting on the floor and writing on the table. She doesn't hear me shut the door so I walk closer to her and sit beside her.

"What are you up to?"

"Nom re Papa K ee Nom re Nuhu af o." She shifts back, petrified and her pen flies to hit my face.

"What?" I hold her hands lying on her laps.

"I didn't hear you come in."

"O sor me."

"It's fine. I was making the guest list for tomorrow's herika party." She reaches for her pen on my polus. "Aren't you supposed to be dressed for your meeting and preparing to leave? Peeress Nira tells me you'll be seeing her husband tonight for their five star bongo ceremony happening tonight."

"Yes. We'll be leaving soon."

"We?" Her right eyebrow shoots up "Who are you going with?"

"Bala and Surayya." I clear my throat.

"What's their purpose there? Isn't she on holiday?"

"She wants to pick up some things she forgot in school and Bala has some flowers to get for me."

"Ok." She looks at her paper and continues to write "Will you be back before the herika party?"

"I'm not sure."

"I'd rather you didn't keep me anticipating my lord."

"Don't worry, I'll be sure to make it. If not I'll send them home to join you at the royal high table."

"I know you'll be at their Five star bongo." She looks away from her work and me. "Come and be with your family. Let them represent you there."

"I'll give my apologies to the king." If the body isn't found and discarded there would be a massive problem. "Surayya and Bala will listen to your request."

She gets off the floor, hugs me and continues writing "Have a safe trip."

"Istra nom."

"Nom re Papa K's time is best and we shall be blessed by Nom re Nuhu."

"Extend my greetings to the president."

I walk to the wardrobe and I find a draed to wear on my polus then quickly head for the door.

"Are you going to leave me without a kiss?" Najma rose from the floor to meet me where I stood.

I held her hands and we both stared in silence. I'd miss her annoying voice and how she always tried to make me less stressed during a very hectic day. She was really an angel and I loved her so much—I wish that was how she loved me—as her best friend.

Over the years our bond grew and I tried to be affectionate as my father wanted but I couldn't be what she wanted and that was ok. She was contented with my platonically laced affection that transcended to a greater tie that I'd forever be grateful for.

"I have to go Najma."

"You have hours to go where you want to go." She -

"I don't. Remember Bunisa is 6 hours away."

"I know." She let's go unenthusiastically and returns to her work.

Once I'm out the door and in the throne room I see Surayya and Bala waiting for me. They're both asleep on their individual chairs.

"Let's go." I command and their eyes open at the same time.

"We've been..." Bala yawns.

Surayya completed "Waiting."

I ignore her. I was still angry and didn't want her to think because I was back to talking to her also meant she had scaled her punishments.

She looks at me but doesn't say more and I was fine with that. Bala looked at us and frowned "We know Najma kept you in there."

"Shut up."

"I saw what you did there." He scrunches his nose "Why are you ignoring Su?"

"I'm not ignoring her."

"When did you become stubborn?" He shakes his head.

"I don't even care anymore." Surayya makes her way to the door and holds it open "When he's tired, he'll talk." She walks out, leaving me confused and Bala cackling.

"Dara saloo." I mutter, straying to the door.

Bala follows and we go to where he parked the Benz. Surayya is already inside, sleeping with her carryon against her body in the backseat.

We make it to the dock in a short space of time and enter the ship where we all fell asleep, expecting to be woken up by the sound of the pilots bell. I woke up 5 hours later and called Najma.

"How's your planning going?"

"I'm tired." She groans "I gave an upper slave to finish it for me."

"How's the trip going?"

"It's boring without you."

"Where's Bala And Surayya?"

"They're asleep."

"I see."

"Yes my Queen." I look towards the distant dog and notice the docks "We're there. I'll talk to you tonight."

"I love you my lord."

"Always." I dropped my phone on my chair.

Always? I didn't have anything better to say. I didn't know how to lie to her without saying the wrong things so I stayed repeating the same words whenever she made it known that she loved me.

The ship stops and I wear my bag then move to wake my cohorts from their slumber. They sling their bags against their backs and we move out to the area where the royal cars wait for us and I take a key from one of the drivers instead of letting us get driven.

"Let's go people!" I grunted as I lifted my backpack off the ground and slide into the drivers seat. Surayya shuts the door for me and just stands there smiling "What?"

She drapes her arms on the hood of the car "I'm just happy that you love me again."

"Who told you that?" I deadpanned. Just because we are on speaking terms didn't mean I wasn't angry or her punishment wasn't coming. I just didn't know what to do with her.

"Nobody needs to tell her." Bala enters the passengers seat and throws his backpack to the backseat with mine.

I was driving us to Surayya's school in the dead of night to go and find the strangers body Surayya killed. It's only been a few weeks but I'm sure the worms have started feeding on the flesh. Our soil loved decaying tissue, it's only a matter of time before the ground turned him to manure.

"Why are we going to school?" Surayya asks.

"Didn't you say it was by the forest of fingers you hit him?"

"No, it was off the road leading to my new apartment."

"And where is that?" I hit the steering wheel with my left hand.

"No need to start misbehaving, I'll show..."

"Misbehaving?" I pull the lever with my right hand and look back at her.

Bala looks at her and starts laughing "Nom re Papa K I love this girl."

(Like saying God, I love this girl. They don't believe in God but something else)

"Nom re Nuhu be with us." She fist bumps him.

"Shut up." I say and she frowns.

"I thought we were past this."

Bala smiles at her "He's just pretending, don't worry Su."

"She needs to be put on a leash." I turn to the road shaking my head.

"Why?" She cries "I'm not a dog."

"You're uncontrollable."

"I'm not a child."

"You're still our.." I point at myself and Bala "... responsibility."

"Whatever." She leans back on the chair, silent with folded arms.

I clear my throat, wiping my nose for no reason with the back of my hand "Can you just show us the way?"

She looks out the window with hooded eyes, Bala stretches his arm and touches her knee "Please."

"Follow the street signs, after each kilometer you see a different street name. Look for jidsa, it's 20km from here."

"Thank you." He taps her knees and looks at me, judging with his pursed lips and narrowed eyes.

The dead man deserved a more respectful send off since he was innocent and we couldn't bring his dead body to President Waziri or we'd make an extra enemy out of his kingdom and we already had Queen Nana of Disa and her army of  uncivilized savages.

"We're here." I announce, she rolls her eyes. Stupid girl.

"Where to now?" Bala asks her.

"Park the car at the side of the road, if I remember clearly he died right beside..." She holds her head "I don't see the body!"

She taps the window for the door to open and it flashes red because I've locked it manually with my controls.

She releases a frustrated huff and looks at me "Please."

I press a button that opens all the doors "I thought you wouldn't ask."

She taps on the window again and the doors open with a slight push "You practically begged for it."

"How dare.."

"How dare me?" She takes one leg out and takes her bag before sliding off the chair outside.

"It's enough." Bala firmly says to us as if we were kids.

"She's infuriating."

She slams the car door and goes around it to Bala's door knocking "Let's go. He can stay here all he wants."

Bala goes out and takes his bag from the back seat and I do the same before locking the car door.

"You're the killer after all, show us the way." I point at a passage by the trees.

"I can't with you..."

"Both of you stop." Bala snaps "I can't stand both of you bickering like 5 year olds. Everyone should apologize before we move forward."

"No."

"I wasn't asking Surayya."

"If she does it, I'll do it." I fold my arms.

"You're not little, open your mouth and start. It's your fault it even became an argument."

"You're picking sides, I thought you were the judge?" I spit.

"He isn't wrong." Surayya moves to stand beside him.

"I don't care what you think," he points at me then at her "Apologize so we'll get on with the mission."

I apologize and she just nods. Bala's nose flares and he's getting ready to yell when Surayya suddenly says she's sorry.

We continue into the forest, it's already so dark and I'm sure they were as grateful to our goo tey's as I was. We needed to get the body immediately and head back to the car before some crazy-forest-wandering person sees us.

"I can see it here." She touches my chest my her index finger "You're the king so you should be in front."

"We're not doing this again." I shake my head and walk faster, away from her as I open my bag and take out a lamp that automatically turned on as I shook it.

We continue further into the forest and find the body behind a tree. I drop the lamp to examine the body with Bala. It's practically rotten, worms wriggled in and out of several body parts and it smelt like death. My nose had never smelt something so pungent before, I was only familiar with the smell of blood. This was obviously not new to Bala. He just folded his sleeves and flicked the bugs off the skull and almost decomposed chest of the man.

"Help me lift the body." He looks at me.

I kneel to the ground and we lift him "Surayya get the bodybag in your carryon and spread it on the floor."

She nodded and opened her bag to search for it. She pulled out a couple of items before finding it and returning the rest. She stretches it on the ground and I'm quick to throw the body into the unzipped bag just to run and vomit what was left of last nights dinner on the spot he was lifted from.

Bala zips the bag and we carry it to the car. Surayya rushes forward with our lamp and opens the trunk of the car and we drop the body in.

"This is definitely a movie. I kill a guy and you both are here to help me hide it. I have the best brothers. I really appreciate this. So, what's the plan?"

I hiss and shake my head, forcing a frown to push away the smile about to cover my face "Faloo, we have to leave."

"Always so brooding." She laughs "But we like them like that."

"Sanusi find her a husband." Bala looks back at Surayya.

"I don't want one." She folds her arms and pouts.

"I don't care. Let's just get out of here."

I start the engine and we're back on the road again, silently, I wonder if their hearts are beating as mine is. I worry about the consequences of my actions and the safety of my family. What would happen if we were caught?

We wouldn't leave here alive.

My phone rings for the fifth time, it's Najma. I wait for it to ring and I send a message so she'll stop calling.

Sanusi : I'll call you later.

Najma: When did you become too busy for me?

I don't reply, I almost feel bad but I'm too bothered about our current situation.

"Where are we going to?!"

"The bottom of the ocean." I answer.

Bala isn't all that surprised, I'd discussed it with him the previous night and we found it the best option to bury him at sea, literally.

"What?" She grabs my shoulder aggressively "Are you crazy?"

"Yes," I shrug her hand off "Yes I'm crazy. We all are!"

She grunts and doesn't say more. Bala stares at his phone and clicks away till we reach the beach. We drive all the way to the sandy area before the water and drag the body out. An empty boat was abandoned so we move quickly to it and jump in with the body. Explaining it this way makes it sound easy but I have to say it was difficult and hurrying made it worse.

Bala drags the engine and a roaring sound shakes the boat just as it begins to move further away from the shore. The darkness made us feel like spirits walked on the water because of the fog and whistling wind.

"Surayya,"

"Hmm?"

"How is it that the body was in the forest? Didn't you say it was on the road it happened?"

"Yes. It's an isolated road Sanusi. I don't know, but I guess it's Nom re Nuhu blessing us in a way."

I wasn't satisfied with her answer and I'd get to the bottom of this before her grave is dug for her without her knowledge.

"That means someone knows." Bala says, afraid.

"If no one has said anything, then it means we have nothing to worry about." I explain.

"Besides, it's been weeks. If anything was going to happen, it should've."

"Ok." Bala says "You need to be careful next time Su."

"I will."

Once we reach the middle of the ocean, we lift the body and put him in the water. Sanusi and Bala jump into the water and I follow in last. They tie ropes with heavy metallic ends to it so it'll keep his body resting where we leave it.

I push the body further down and with Bala' strength we manage to get him down. It takes about an hour but we do. He's behind a giant rock 60ft deep in the ocean. No one was ever going to find out. This was the end of him.

History wiped under the rug of a gentleman because he existed as  a nonentity. His family wouldn't miss him. It would be expected that he travelled to find greener pastures elsewhere but death lurked at everyone's doorstep here. The only thing is that it chooses who to answer the knock.

We hurriedly find our ways back to the shore and stop by the sand to rest a bit. Everything is returned to the car and we just lay there staring at the stars. Najma's call scares us back to reality and we agree it's time to head to the Bunisa royal house.

The President of the academic council welcomes us without questions or suspicion and offers to have dinner with us before he goes to sleep. We'd missed his son' Bongo but I knew he wasn't angry, he knew a King was never idle and if I wasn't I'd be here earlier.

"Princess, would you like some slaves to be sent to your room?" President Waziri asks, sipping some Disari pomegranate wine from his ancient cellar that housed several beverages that were either rare or extinct.

She blushes then look at me who's frowning so she looks downwards to her hands nervously. President Waziri didn't know I'd never allowed a slave to visit her room if not for cleaning purposes and today won't be the tie breaker.

"She doesn't need them President. She's not allowed." I try to dismiss the topic before it escalates.

"Let's give her a taste today" He winks at Bala, insisting "The men are as good as the women."

"She's fine Waziri."

"The slave save is there if you change your mind princess." He rises from his chair at head of the table, moving to the exit of the dinning room.

We followed and dispersed to our rooms quietly except the king who was laughing with Surayya a few meters away.

"What's so funny?" I run to meet them, panting.

He put his arms on my shoulder "I was just telling Surayya here that she must taste our hlinfo and she said she'd had it before in the school cafeteria but it was quite distasteful."

"It's one of my favorite dishes." I comment.

"Me too." He taps my shoulder "I'm sure you'll enjoy the one made in the palace but since you've expressed disinterest I'll let you be."

"Goodnight president." Surayya holds her shoulders with her two arms in the shape of an X, bowing to leave the President' presence.

"Bye young one, sleep well. Goodnight King and right hand."

Bala laughs and shakes his head, still far behind us in the hallway.

All of us make our way to our rooms and tried to forget that we'd buried a man inside a body of water. Who'd we become in the last 24 hours? Who'd Surayya become while she was in school?

Four months and 24 hours suddenly measured about the same length of time. It was insane. Two bloody royals and their trusted mercenary become fixers for a day.

I lay on the bed, thinking deeply with my arm on my forehead. My phone vibrates and it's Najma but I was in no mood for her neediness or complaints. I knew that I wouldn't be back when she wanted and I'd get an earful for it so I  flopped the phone on its back and let it ring till it stopped.

A few minutes of silence later, I roll to a colder spot on the bed and close my eyes.

Tomorrow was another day, Najma and her fury would still be waiting so why bother now?
____________________________

~Aisha SafiyanuXO💚