Keywords:

U-No

Jinganomis-a disease of the body that let's an extra arm or legs with scales and holes grow all over the body.

Nina: Wife

•Sanusi

A new priest just arrived from Gaso to replace the one we'd recently lost to jinganomis. He was to present himself at my palace before sunset but I heard he was stopped at the border so I had to send my men to fetch him.

Bala sat beside me on a couch that was adjacent to my throne and conversed with a girl he'd met a few days ago on the phone. They've been inseparable for since they met weeks ago in Gaso, they would only pause because he had work to do or she had school to go to.

"Bala isn't it enough?"

"U. I don't disturb you when you're talking to your nina."

I laugh and continue to text Surayya about my boring work day. She told me she was going for her international relations club dinner and needed extra money to purchase a dress from Coco Jamel store.

I made the transfer without hesitation and wait for her to tell me she's seen the alert as a guard walks to my front and bow.

"What's wrong?" I look at him.

"The priest is no where to be found."

Where was Nom re Papa K and Nom re Nuhu when I needed them? it's only been a few hours since I left Gumberry Island and now this,  it felt like my head was going to burst.

"How's that possible?"

"The officials at the border say he went in but no one has actually spoken to him."

"Take all the men you need and make sure you find him. Visit every shop and estate till you can find him."

"E my lord." He exits with another bow.

"Kneel," I uncross my legs and sit with my back straight, my hands resting on my laps "State your reason for coming here and who sent you."

He looks up at the guard to his left as his back bend slightly then he faces me but his eyes only last for a second before meeting the floor "Qu-queen..."

Shhhh, I press my hands to my lips. It was obviously Queen Nana. I don't know about the other kingdoms but I've been preparing for a day Queen Nana will revolt openly without fear. I just needed to figure out what she was planning.

"What were you ordered to do."

"B-b-b.." ooff! A guard hits his mouth with his fist. He wipes the blood, shakes his head and shuts his mouth. "I can't betray my Queen."

The second guard raises his hand to grab his neck but I stop him and slowly move my hand to his chin.

"Priest...what's your name?" I squeeze a little and his jaw cracks but he doesn't say anything but winces "You're going to die here. I advice you open your mouth and tell us what you came to do or you die."

Obviously I wasn't going to kill him but to make hardened criminals like him speak you had to spell out things to literally for them.

"I'd rather die with..."

Someone runs into the room yelling and falls at my feet.

"Move away from the king." The guards move him backwards to stand well.

"Why did you run in like that?"

He pants, holding down his bent knees "A bomb was found."

The priest smiles and looks at me "You'll be dead before you find it."

"Lock him up!" I command a guard and he takes him out.

"So," I gave my full attention to the man "Where did you hear this news?"

"The miners have been talking about it."

"How many are there?"

"Just one my king."

"Just one?" I squint, thinking if this was a joke. What if it was to scare my people? "Are you sure?"

"It was big my king. The size of a small hut. Engineers have been called to detonate it."

"Great! You may leave." I stand up and go to my room. I needed to be alone even if it was for a minute—to catch my breath.

This issue would be solved inside the castle and would remain here so as not to scare the public and cause a stir.

It wasn't a minute before I hear a knock. I remained standing by my window, staring outside at the houses of my subjects in the far distance. They could've actually died.

"My king." Someone calls.

"What do you want?"

"Corporal Bala sent me to tell you that you have a meeting in ten minutes."

"Tell him I'll be there soon." I didn't think I'd be there but knowing Bala he'd keep sending someone till I came out.

I took off my shoes and stretched my toes the widest they could go before laying on the bed and curling inwards like a cat. The sweetest would've swept me to another realm but I remembered the meeting and quickly wore my shoes to sort what problems my subjects needed solutions for today.

I sat beside Bala who was beside Mr Chike and Kila. Both men never really cared to say a word unless their opinion was needed and they only enjoyed being on the high table. Today the court wasn't as packed and I was glad. That meant my judgement wouldn't be needed for long. I nod to the court marshal and he calls on the first complainer to the center of the court.

"Speak woman, what problem brings you hear today."

I found it amusing—he was as tired as I was—it was obvious. He didn't even want to hear her name.

"My daughters boyfriend took her away somewhere and now we don't know what to do. My husband has gone to look for her and hasn't come back since yesterday."

The marshal looks at me and I clear my throat.

"You can take two soldiers to help you look for them. They should report to corporal Bala on anything they find regarding this case." I scratch my chin "Next."

A woman comes in holding a baby and stands there crying.

"Are you going to speak or not?" The marshal frowns.

"I-I-I and my baby." She cleans her face "We haven't eaten since yesterday and my husband has money but he's angry at me so he won't feed us."

"Is he present here today?"

She shakes her head no at him.

"What proof do you have?"

"You'll have to go to my house to see how empty the store is."

"My king?" The marshal raises a brow.

"Give her some shreds from the treasury and summon her husband for the next meeting. She should be there too."

"Ok."

Time went faster than usual and the more people I helped, the more joined the court and I was tired but that was also what I signed up for.

A guard rushed in with my phone and kneels before me with it in his hands "You have a message my king."

"From who?"

"A Greg My king."

I take phone and place it to my ears, speaking a bit lower so no one hears the palaces business.

"Who are you?" I carry the phone round to my other ear as I began to sweat against it on this side "Greg who?"

"Greg Nutenda."

Nutenda? I knew that name. But from where? It was common Disa—I think—possibly a Gasodi name too. If so, when did she start making friends from the enemy kingdom?

"Am I supposed to know you?"

"No, my king." He pauses  then adds "I'm Surayya's friend."

"What happened to her?"

If her friends are calling me, I know something is wrong.

"She's in the hospital."

"How did she get there?" I almost yell but manage to keep my cool. Bala notices but doesn't say anything. He's supposed to be my ears and eyes while I attend to this. "Did you do something?"

"No, I didn't do anything. I'm her friend."

So? Friends still made enemies in time.

I hand up before I actually finish my sentence "I'm on my way."

I look down to my feet and groan angrily. Looking up, I see the Marshal and the rest of the crowd staring at me. I raise an eyebrow questioning but he just scratches his filled-with-boils-chin and clears his throat, looking a bit anxious.

"Go on."

"Oh," he coughs "Ok, the miners have come together to complain about a man. He was caught attempting to assasinate the whole kingdom by dropping a bomb in the mines."

I release a deep breathe, narrowing my eyes at him as gasps cover the entire room, some wails and screams. How could he? But, who cares? If the miners knew, it was only a short time left before the rest knew. As it seems bad news travelled faster than the good.

My head suddenly starts to hurt and it's only half the side of my head which makes it worse because I already felt sick—now my head—the whole kingdom?

Who wasn't getting attacked at this point? Me, my people, even Surayya who was outside Kindo wasn't spared. What have we done Nom re Papa K and Nom re Nuhu? Forgive us our trespasses and let Kindo continue to live in peace forever.

I shake my head, no I can't do this, I raise my fist in the air and the noise in the room died. The Marshal walks off the podium and moves to sit where I and the other elders say, waiting to hear what I had to say.

"This hearing shall be adjourned until further notice." I tell the marshal "Make sure he remains in the detachment room till I return."

I didn't know where to keep my head. If it wasn't my kingdom being threatened then it was Surayya and if not her, my crazy wife who had less time for me these days than me for my pleasure.

I get up from my seat and walk—more like run out—of the court till I find myself at the base for my private jet. I knew no peace till I knew I was in the air, en-route to Bunisa.
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-Aisha SafiyanuXO💚