Keywords:

Fro ji - Thank you
Ji - You
O sor me - I'm sorry
Tif - Hello
i- My
Oath - a prayer they have to say everything morning

•Sanusi

"Tell me when the cargo arrives." Emir Waziri chatted through the walkie-talkie.

He was the only Emir who boldly traded like me. I knew him to have formed a commerce alliance with my father so he would normally have me stay at the royal house of the Gasodi kingdom unlike the rest of his royal or business guests, at the royal inn, outside the palace but within the gates.

Everyone knew he was as greedy as a goblin and his urges knew no bournes. He strives to keep his city developed and apprehensive of the latest tech bought from the Disari kingdom.

The only problem is that he couldn't give out the money to the people who laboured for his personal earnings. Those who enjoyed the money were the women who were lined to visit his chambers at night to make a few trinks to take care of their families. He had a wife who knew but couldn't stop him so she pretended she didn't know to avoid getting hurt.

"Jambo Baba."

Baba? Yes, after my father he was my second dad. His wife treated me like a mother, sometimes she went overboard but it was purely out of love. She had no child so I replaced the burden of being impotent to both of them.

I stood at the top of the ship, staring at all for routes that led to the three other kingdoms and thought of taking a turn after this to Bunisa to check on Surayya.

After every fight she always apologized first, not because I was never wrong but because she always wanted peace. I wonder what enraged her to argue to the point we got to.

I take out my phone and dial her number. I try again and she answers but a male speaks.

He's laughing "Hello?"

"Excuse me."

I hang up and he dials again.

I reject the call and buzzed the pilot and told him to change routes so we could be at Bunisa by sunrise.

"Bala please watch the docks for anything suspicious and wake me up once we're in Bunisa." I lay down "The flowers can wait till tomorrow."

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing, I just need to see the Dr Gabby. We had a meeting today but I forgot."

"You're lying. But you'll tell me when you're ready."

He exits the room and leaves to his assigned post. It was already midnight and I was sure he'd had his fair share of sleep while I was up there with the other guards.

I wake up about eight hours later which was long enough to reach the docks and when I woke up everywhere was quiet. I knew something was wrong but I hadn't made my oath today and it was almost sunrise.

I quietly got off the bed and tiptoed to the bathroom to brush my teeth and say my oath right before wearing my shoes and opening the door as slowly as I can to avoid making any noise.

The stairs upwards were littered with my men who were either shot in the chest or had knife marks by the side of their necks and stomachs.

I break into a sprint to find Bala still lying on the floor, his eyes are about to close. I can see he's too weak but I didn't know why till I saw the knife poking at the side of his stomach.

"Sanusi, s-save your s-s-self. They're on the other side, of downstairs and are about to take over the ship."

"I can't leave you here."

A tear fell from the side of his left eye "I can handle this don't worry. I've had worse cuts." He laughed.

"I can imagine." I lift him and carry him down to my room and snatch his gun off the floor just incase I had to use it "But friend, my Medicine degree shall not go to waste when I can help you."

I lay him down on the bed and find a bag with my medical kit in it. He winced as I ripped off his bullet proof jack and rose his shirt up. The wound wasn't deep but the bleeding was too much. He could've died.

I stop the bleeding with a clean shirt of mine and begin to clean the area. I stitch him just in time to let him sleep. I give him another shirt and rush back up to finish business.

"O hi ja." Bala holds my hand "alone."

"I know. Ji are strong."

Business was another way of saying kill off the enemy. By the time I climb up I hear gun shots and I was so sure the pilot was shot.

I make it quickly to where he was to find two giant men with four star marks of the Disari clan on their arms.

"Who's sent you?"

"You don't get to ask the questions your lordship." The first man said.

"We just need to know where the flowers are and we'll be on our w-" I shot him before he could finish speaking and threw a dagger that landed directly in the first mans chest.

I check the coordinates on the map of the ship and see that we're off to the Eastern border of River Ho—they were taking us to Disari.

"Raymond come in." The radio signal of the dead man's walkie-talkie cuts "Have you retrieved the flowers?"

The second one buzzed before my feet "Cyrus where are you?"

I lift it up "He's dead and you're next Safari."

Safari was the former chief of the Disari guérilla forces in in the suburbs of the city who tried to kill me as a child because Emir Ramzy had put a hit on his wife for choosing to stab him in the back.

Emir Ramzy was fond of his women but only one stood out and when he couldn't marry her after she graduated from university he gave up but what shocked me is how he never stopped chasing other men's wives. Was it the power or the fact that he could take anyone he wanted for the night since he couldn't have his dear Hadassa.

Since then—which was twelve years ago—he has never stopped hunting me down.

"I'll kill you Safari. Mark my words."

I threw the walkie-talkie on the floor and pushed the bodies into the water, except my men—they deserved a burial fitting before all Kindoni's—then drove off to the my initial destination which was to Bunisa to catch Surayya off guard and see if she is really up to no good. Since yesterday's call I've wondered if she was seeing someone who was a bad influence on her.

By the time we arrive Bunisa, Bala is awake and even walking. He was stronger than I was and I couldn't be more happy that he survived.

"What do you want to eat?"

He nods and tries to move off the bed while he holds his stomach, "I'm supposed to get you what you need."

"It's no problem." I push him back to stay with his back on the pillow.

I grab the bowl of fruits and drop it on his lap "Eat. I'm going to check on Surayya."

"What happened?"

"Yesterday I called her after our fight two weeks ago because we haven't gone that long without speaking and can you believe who answers?"

"An enemy?"

"E."

"Who?!"

"A male."

He drowns "I don't understand. Did he say she's in trouble or something."

"U, I think they were together and she didn't want to answer."

"You scares me. Just say he's some stupid boy you want to separate from her. What do you think is going on?"

"I don't know."

"It's fine. She's a smart girl."

"She used to be." I sit beside his legs on the bed "I don't want to suspect her of anything I haven't confirmed."

"Go." He nods "I'll be fine."

"No. I'll call Waziri and tell him we were attacked. He'll send his men to get the shipment we missed and keep you safe for me."

"I'm a man of steel Sanusi. Nothing can stop me."

"The knife almost stopped you."

"You can calm down. I'm fine. Go."

"I'll feel better after calling Emir Waziri."

"Then go and call him so we can leave this ship."

I take out my phone and dial his private number. I explained what had gone down through the night and he promised sanctuary in his home till I was back for Bala.

In an hour, some men arrive to take us and we leave. They give me a key to the car he normally offers me to drive in his city whilst him men took Bala with them.

On getting to Surayya's school, I stop first at the cafeteria where we first ate together during her registration and then asked around. I was directed to her hostel which was a bit far but I wasn't too tired.

Whilst walking hurriedly a man taps my shoulder and I turn furiously, almost ready to punch him in the face then I realize it was my former lecturer Dr Badaru. He taught applied sciences in my second year while I was still studying here.

"Tif Dr B."

"Fep ji Sanusi?" He shook "You almost knocked the daylights out of me."

"O sor me. I thought you were someone else."

"I see you took over from your father in this..."

He noticed my frown and kept silent.

"I'm actually in a hurry Dr B. I'll see you some other time."

He concurs "E, some other time son."

We continue walking towards the path we were set out for. I was headed to Surayya's hostel when my phone rings in my pocket.

"Tif?"

I hadn't checked the caller ID.

"It's Bala."

"O sor me. What's wrong brother?"

"King Waziri said to tell you his men have gotten to the shipment and he's paid for the flowers."

"That's great. Is there anything else?"

He exhales deeply and pauses "He wants 30/70."

"Did he explain why?"

"He said it's because he had to go take it himself and that's how he does it with your father. Whoever got to the shipment first got the lion's share."

"Jambo, I'll handle it. Tell him I'll be with him soon."

"Jambo, i king."

"Don't speak to me again if you're going to call me that."

"Shut up."

"Goodbye friend. I'll see you at the royal house. Stay safe."

I reach the large glass doors of the hostel and push it open just as someone pulled it from the inside. She staggers back in shock, almost as if she'd seen a ghost then I realize she's Surayya's roommate. We met her arranging her things in her side of the room so Surayya being the bloody good samaritan, offered to help her and she did the same for her.

"Good afternoon your lordship." She bows.

"Good afternoon peeress, Kameela right?"

"U, i king. Kareema."

"Jambo peeress. I apologize but if I may ask, do you know where I could find Surayya?"

"Ummm... O sor me. U I don't. But I think I saw her last in the gaming room. If she's not there just ask the flat mates."

"I appreciate the help. Fro ji."

She begins to move.

"Wali give me my wallet." I tell the guard.

He hands it to me and I take out a five thousand Nahur trinks "Have this."

She waves her hands, almost as if she thought it was rubbish "No fro ji. You don't have to give me money for helping you. It's fine."

"How dare you?" The royal guard charges at her.

I put my arm across his chest and tell him to move back.

"I shall take my leave now, your lordship." She bows respectfully.

"Take care peeress."

Why was she so quick to refuse the money? Most people would jump at the opportunity to earn such an amount from the Emir but her, she must probably have it or she's just humble.

Surayya has her as a good friend. I hope they can help keep each other on the right path. We take an elevator to the gaming room which was empty then we moved to the next floor to her room.

I knocked the door the once and no one answered. I'm guessing she was in the bathroom because the second time I know she answers with a "come in".

And that 'come in', forever imprinted an awfully, abominable image that would remain in my head forever. As soon as I opened that door, the dynamic of our relationship changed. I couldn't say a word to her.

Too ashamed to stay and make a scene, I turn back and head for the elevators. It would be the last time I could ever trust her again.
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