In the privacy of his chambers, Onochie idly wondered if his tongue might have had holes perforated into them. He lay on his bed with his mouth open, his dear tongue in the air as he lapped like a canine. The air was cold as he breathed through his mouth, and he could not be more grateful for the slowly rousing harmattan weather.

The gods knew that he would not survive were he to marry some of the maidens who had participated in the contest. The amount of spices and salt he'd been subjected to in one day was infinitely more than he'd ever tasted in the entirety of his existence.

If these were the food he ate every day, he was reasonably certain he would have had some internal bleeding of some sort within him. The pepper alone in the Akpuruakpu Egusi soup he'd eaten could burn corrosion into his intestine. Judging by the irritation in his nether canal early this morning, he'd have to refrain from judging contests involving food for a long time. At least until he was fully recovered.

Onochie groaned, retracting his tongue to swallow. He was as dismal as a man with an invisible thorn in his side. All he'd managed to do since he rose from his bed was see that his choices of maidens were appropriately marked. He'd had a brief meeting with his chiefs, which was—to put it minorly, utter brutal torture—then he'd retired to his room on the plea that he was unwell.

His excuse wasn't so much of a lie since he did have a short bout of sickness that confined him to his latrine pit, bent on his paunches and cursing his weak system for succumbing to the evils he'd consumed earlier. Even now, his stomach had not yet settled to give him the respite he so dearly wished for. The gurgles and rumbles that had put him in discomfort were much enough evidence. He would need some herbs and convoyed mixtures to get him back to his former self.

Above all, he'd gotten to leave the midst of the vipers. He had not desired to spend a moment longer with them than needed. After the reports about the welfare of his people and more pointless discussions centred on crooked ways to help the less fortunate in the kingdom, he'd shut down complaints about his deal with Nmagba and made a hurried getaway.

Unfortunately, he still had several matters to attend to. He needed to speak with Kamalu about what he hoped to achieve by making an ally of Nmagba. He wanted to hear the opinions of someone he trusted. This would also be a perfect moment to speak to former Chief Nkeji, but Onochie did not want to bring him distress by reintroducing him to the world he'd narrowly escaped from.

After he was exonerated of the crime levelled against him, Nkeji had begged for the king's protection. He claimed he no longer deemed himself worthy of serving the kingdom of Zoro and its ruler. Onochie had desired to persuade him otherwise. However, he chose not to ultimately.

Now, he wondered if he shouldn't have given in so readily. Yet, simultaneously, he could understand his decision to not push against the chief's will. It simply had not sat well with him to oppose the chief's request, having understood how much he had suffered at the hands of the other chiefs.

Flipping on his side, Onochie weighed the benefits of summoning the former chief against not doing so and sticking to his decision through thick and thin. Both balanced equally on his scales. Neither tipped higher than the other. He would have to seek Kamalu's input to make a reasonable decision, as his options were tied.

Speaking of options, Onochie reasoned that he had none but to meet with his steward before the contest. There would not be enough time afterward to discuss the urgent matter he'd requested an audience for.

Mustering up the needed willpower, Onochie ousted himself from his soft bed. He ensured that the wrapper around his waist was still tied properly, as the maidservant this morning had seen to, then trudged to the door.

He did not need to speak for the door to swing open. The guards must have heard the sound of his feet and of the bolts unlocking. "Fetch me Kamalu immediately."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Onochie drafted his steps to the single chair in his room. The design of his chambers was as it had been in his father's reign. Simple and old-fashioned. Yet, he treasured every bit of it. It was the only place in his palace where he felt at home and at peace. Ironically, it stood as the most inelegant since the renovations upon his ascending the throne.

Sinking his fingers into the warmth of the furs padding the arms of his chair, Onochie allowed himself to unwind. He only sat up straight when there was a knock at his door. "Your Majesty, the chief general is here."

The king smiled at the title. He thought it to suit Kamalu thoroughly. However, it was not one many knew him by, mainly since the army of Zoro had not been constructed to its full glory.

Onochie mused that Kamalu's name likely would not be widespread until then. Fortunately, he had a plan to ensure that came to fruition despite any mishaps. It was the smallest feat he could do for the brother he'd never had.

"Let him in," he issued the needed permission, and Kamalu hurtled in. It appeared so from the speed with which he'd blown into the room.

"Your Majesty, you called for me. Here I am." He crouched low on his knees.

"Rise, Kamalu," Onochie replied as he sat up straighter in his seat. "I have a proposition for you."

Curiosity stained Kamalu's strong features. "I am at your command, Your Majesty."

"I wish you to become the hand of Zoro, Kamalu."

Kamalu was the most puzzled Onochie had ever seen him. "Pardon me, my lord, but what does that mean?"

"It means I have chosen you...to rule as one of the elders of Nmagba once the kingdom is no longer at war."

Horror finely imprinted itself on Kamalu's countenance that for a split second, Onochie sought to recant his words. The greatest warrior of Zoro had not shown dismay as this in the face of battle, and the king had to wonder if he had not made a blunder by burdening the man with a task that petrified him this considerably.

If he expressed any disapproval, Onochie promised to release him from the load of the position right away. "Do you have any objections to this, Kamalu?"

Head bowed, Kamalu replied, "No, Your Majesty."

"Perhaps, you wish to know why I have done this and to be acquainted with the nuances of this plan?"

"I shall ever heed your initiative, Your Majesty. Your counsel is wise and just. I have not and will never doubt your counsel."

Onochie scowled, annoyed by Kamalu's keen yielding. "I want you to speak your mind, Kamalu. Do not insult my friendship with you by treating me with disrespect."

"B-but, Your Majesty... I thought this was what you would prefer from me." It was

"I would prefer you to be honest with me, as a friend would be. As a brother would be."

Kamalu lowered his eyes, shame daubing him in intolerant, unforgiving layers. "Please forgive me, Your Majesty. I have erred against you gravely. I have disappointed you, and I hate that I have done so, my lord. Please pardon me this once."

"You have not," Onochie said softly. "You have not disappointed me, Kamalu. It is only that sometimes, I wish we were back to our younger days. Back when you were my friend foremost and did not have to serve as my subject."

"But I wish to serve you, Your Majesty. Being under you gives me a purpose. I am willing to lay my life down for you, my lord. I shall happily do anything you want me to, even if it might not be what stemmed from my heart at first. I take your will as mine because I value you, not simply because you are my king but more so because you are a person I hold dear."

A corner of Onochie's lips wobbled upward. Vain as he dared, he was pleased by Kamalu's vow to him. He did not think he deserved such dedication, but it nonetheless joyed him. It was a delight that there existed a person who was neither bound to him by blood nor marriage but who, regardless, cherished him as a person without his crown.

"However, I cannot ignore that you are the king, Your Majesty. It is who you are. While I might be in no place to say this—"

Onochie raised a hand to interfere. "Speak freely, Kamalu. Do not hold back."

The chief guard bobbed his head in understanding, clearly grateful for the chance to be heard. "The truth is, your kingship is a part of you, Your Majesty. You are one with the crown. One cannot merely ignore this side of you. I do not believe you should do so, either. Especially not when all your subjects know you are a great king.

"You deserve to be treated with all the honour reserved for the monarch of Zoro. But please know, my lord, that it does not mean you are less human than any other man. Rather, we respect you as a man who has proved himself repeatedly to us and deserves to be our ruler."

Onochie was at a loss for words. He could only stay silent as each statement from Kamalu sank fathoms deep into his heart. "Thank you," his voice was raspy, roughened by the coarse ends of his emotions. "Thank you, Kamalu, for this gift that riches could not buy. I shall remember this in years to come."

"That would be a reward sweeter than wine, my king."

Onochie chuckled lightly. "What about the reward I have already offered to you? Is it not also sweet to you?"

Kamalu's lips thinned as distress visibly came upon him. The king's lighthearted teasing did not register with him. "I cannot say it is sweet, Your Majesty. I can only surmise from what I know that this must have been a deal between you and the emissaries of Nmagba. Is it not so, my lord?"

"You have presumed correctly, Kamalu," Onochie replied, tapping his fingertips on his chair's arm. "Nmagba is at duress, currently at war with Owodi. They came in respect of an alliance with Zoro. I offered them this: Zoro will fight with them as allies if one of my people, picked by hand, will rule on my behalf in their realm. You are whom I chose."

"If Your Majesty permits, may I ask why you did not turn away? That is, why you decided to accept battle on their behalf when Zoro is not at risk?"

"Zoro is at risk." Onochie corrected with a grimace. The kingdom had been at peace for so long—plagued with mere internal conflicts to settle—that it was difficult to wrap his head around the reality that such serenity was being threatened. "The older Ndukwe revealed that Owodi is conquering their way South. As Zoro is South of Nmagba, there is nowhere else they will troop to except our homes. They are wretched barbarians. Their deeds are enough to make a man tremble, and their actions are nearly inconceivable. I do not want them near my people. Unfortunately, that is exactly what they plan on doing."

"Does it not strike you as suspicious, Your Majesty, that Nmagba only visited with this news now that Zoro's borders are open. What if the borders had stayed intact and the kingdom remained hidden?"

Onochie shuddered at the thought. He apparently was seeing this matter from a different perspective. "If that had happened, then we would be in trouble. Without information about who they are and how they work, we would be rendered defenceless, incapable of protecting our people. It is the mercy of our gods that we have been presented with this information.

"Indeed, once again, the providence of our deities has proved to be more than we could ever have imagined. For I spoke privately with Onuora, and he disclosed that our lands have always been a sought-after ground for Owodi. They are growing by the number, making slaves of many and marching down realms of many. Yet, they do not feel at home.

"What better land to claim as theirs even further south in the East and inhabited by few? This is what they thought to themselves until recently when Zoro exposed itself for the first time in over a century. If we had stayed hidden, Nmagba would not have reasoned to seek us out. And what advantage would we have over the cruel, selfish bastards of Owodi?" Onochie was on his feet, pacing the span of his room, his voice harsh with exertion. "None, I imagine! How would we respond to a kingdom of brutes and uncivilised beasts attacking us?"

"We would not." Kamalu answered for the first time in a long while. He'd been quiet while Onochie had rambled and worried enough for a trip around the sun. He'd listened to it all, and by the agitation visible in the stiffness of his posture, he had begun to see the point the king was trying to make.

"Precisely." Onochie sneered at the notion, his teeth bared as he calculated the many ways his kingdom could be torn into pieces, pulled down to ruins. "To show how unprepared we would be for a battle, look at our men! Zoro has no army! We would be beaten into submission within the twinkle of an eye. Now, do you see the logic behind my decision, Kamalu?"

The chief general wore anguish as plainly as one would a new loincloth. It was etched in the set of his brows, which pinched into a depthless ridge. "Yes, Your Majesty. I can see that we have no other choice. I truly understand everything now."

"Good." Onochie nodded, beating back the relief that flooded his being from surfacing on his face. He was more confident in his decision after receiving Kamalu's recognition. It was the first plan he had conceived from scratch and acted upon without a second input. Knowing he had been correct in strategising immensely boosted his confidence in his decision-making skills.

Kamalu squared his shoulders, then cleared his throat before speaking. "You asked me to be honest with you, Your Majesty," his voice was firm and without tremors, but anxiety was not any removed from him. His Adam's apple repeatedly bobbed in his neck, betraying his calm.

"So, I will be honest and relay all I feel to you. First, I must commend you for your great scheming, my king. Your diplomacy and military strategy are beyond my comprehension. Your wisdom is akin to that of a king who has the experience from ruling for many more decades than you have. I, and the subjects to your land, are exceedingly fortunate to be under your rule, my lord." He bowed at the waist, giving respect to the one he thought it to be due.

Onochie was overwhelmed with emotions to the point that he could only nod. He'd never received this kind of approval before and was beyond pleased to realise that he was content. Because, for once, the king did not believe he was unworthy of such praise. He rather thought that he deserved it.

Smiling softly, he bid his friend continue. "Go on, Kamalu. Let me know all that is in your heart."

Kamalu relaxed visibly, tension dropping off his shoulders. "I will confess, Your Majesty, that I was uncomfortable with your request of me. The idea of ruling others is daunting. I have never lorded over any human. I fear I will fail woefully at this task you assigned me, my lord, and I wish only to bring you honour. There must be any more suitable than I am. One of the chiefs of Zoro, perhaps?" Even as he made the suggestion, Kamalu shuddered, making Onochie's lips twitch.

"You should know more than I do the kind of officials that serve me, Kamalu. Would any of them be a candidate you sincerely, as chief general of Zoro, could vouch for without apprehension?

Kamalu looked pained, to say the least. "I am afraid not, Your Majesty."

Onochie leaned back in his chair, draping his neck over its top. "I might have considered Nkeji were it not for the promise I made him. He is a better man than all the other chiefs combined. But I am bound by my word and must keep to it. I have no one else I trust entirely aside from you. Others would turn on me if they were given such power. It is your fault for being a good man." He quipped in addition.

Kamalu sighed aloud, a sound of defeat. "I am sorry for assuming that you had not thought of every possibility, Your Majesty." He ran his hand through his well-kept beard as he appeared to ruminate on the information he'd received. "Well then, I accept, Your Majesty, but on one condition."

"And what would that be?" Onochie inquired, decidedly curious.

"It is that you make my appointment contingent on Nmagba winning their battle against Owodi when Zoro allies with them in battle. I cannot, in due faith, accept to rule a realm that I cannot bring to victory. Then, and only then, my king."

Onochie's eyes were wide open like those of a night owl. Kamalu's request was the most bizarre request he'd ever had tendered to him. Yet, it reminded him of how honourable the man was. Not many were like him, and the king was grateful he was his friend.

"Consider that done, Kamalu!" He declared emphatically.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

"Knowing that you plan to lead Zoro's army into the battle, let me make you another deal, Kamalu." He started, and the chief guard nodded at attention. "Win against Owodi, and I will grant you one wish, whatever your heart desires, as long as it is in my power and does not involve you deserting your new position. What say you, warrior of the soil?"

Kamalu wasted no time analysing the king's proposition. It was evident he was on the benefitting side. "It would be an honour to fight for and bring Zoro glory, Your Majesty."

"Then, our discussion must end here for now." The king rose to his feet and ambled to the door.

Kamalu's voice ceased him in his tracks before he could take another step forward. "I nearly forgot to tell you, Your Majesty."

"Tell me?" Onochie frown, befuddled. "Tell me what?"

"I found out something you might trouble yourself over, my lord. It is about the maiden you saved."

Onochie's ears were peeled back and perked at the mention of the woman he'd strived to pretend into no existence until now. "What about her? Is she hale?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. She is well, but it happens that she now has knowledge of your secret."

The rhythm of Onochie's heart was the drumming of a horse's hooves in a bloody race. "What secret?"

"She knows that you are the king of Zoro."
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