ã€ŠPrince of Flamesã€‹


 Chapter I: A Kingdom of Sand

    A Kingdom of Sand and heat stretched on, without end all about him. Away whither to the west he could see the desert dunes yawn forevermore. Behind him, his steps that ought to have stretched out for an eternity were forgotten by time and wind, as swift as they were left behind. The heat of the desert bore down upon, man and beast in equal measure doing so with little in the way for mercy for those who living within its boundaries. A kingdom of fire and sorrow, one that he had never fancied he would one day cross.

    Curses fell from his lips, as often as rain does amidst the Valthrarian Archipelago to the east of the Kingdom of Belkis.

    ¡°I will end them¡­¡± He murmured to himself, ¡°I will kill Loukas¡­¡± he swore to himself, full of hatred for the man by the name of Loukas. ¡°Damn him, to the deepest pits of Tartarus.¡±

    Continuously repeating this mantra, as might a man possessed the dark-man clung to his grey cloak. A cloak that was all that remained of his royal garb from before he had entered the desert, for he had shed the hauberk he had worn previously, as the heat drove nigh on stark-raving mad. All that he wore at present was a torn and ill-used tunic, one that had been torn as much by travel as by the battle ere the desert-crossing.

    The Kingdom of Sand bore down upon him, its native heat oppressing him all the worst. Trapped in an ocean of hatred one that surrounded and overwhelmed him and all that could be seen, for hundreds of thousands of leagues. The lowliest of beasts as he had discovered were far less pleasant than the larger ones that inhabited the land all about him. Scorpions and serpents were prone of coming at him, whithersoever he should attempt to lay down his head, after the moon was in the heavens and night had arisen to replace the light of day.

    Once Lord of a realm all to himself, he was now reduced to the rank of pauper at the mercy of the heat of the desert.

    ¡°I will end them¡­¡± He murmured to himself, ¡°I will kill Loukas¡­¡± he swore to himself, still full of hatred for Loukas. ¡°Damn him, to the deepest pits of Tartarus.¡±

    Thus, went on as always his condemnation of the man, who he hated most in all, the world.

    Days had passed in this fashion, and would continue to come and go in this fashion. On and on, journeyed the mightiest of the warriors of east Ifriquya.

    Lo, he might well have crossed the whole of the realm into which he had been exiled to, were it not for hunger. Food was scarce within the Kingdom of Sand, it had always been thus and always would be, until the end days that is. It was for this reason that the highest of princes, the mightiest of warriors could be reduced to naught.

    The once proud prince, over one last dune that looked little different from millions of others he had crossed over, he advanced.

    In the distance some hours hence he had thought, he had spotted a distant oasis, so that now it looked all the larger. The last twenty times this sort of vision had appeared before him, in recent times he had scorned them. He would not allow himself to be fooled by a mirage, and be made to feel as a fool.

    This time though, such was the exhaustion that weighed down upon his spirit, upon his very being that he could not but shuffle a little faster. At present, it was not the life-blood of Loukas he longed for, not the sweet taste of revenge he craved, but rather the fresh taste of water.

    ¡°Water¡­¡± little more than a broken husk, by this time so that he croaked and gasped, where once he bellowed and roared as might a lion.

    His plea to the heavens (or was it to the spirits of those, who had walked this path before?) went unheard. None heeded his pleas and orders now. None could hear him. None he mused, with more than a little sorrow, were there to care for him.

    Hamisi, his old advisor, nor his former friend Loukas could help him now. It was this knowledge that came very near to bringing him to his knees.

    Despair though, could not conquer him. It left that, to its material cousin; weariness.

    The rays cast down upon the earth, lit all about her. She had been there, for time immeasurable. Since the most primordial ages, when man was a young race one of many competing for dominance of all the lands of the earth, she had been there. Long before the desert had overtaken the landscape, reducing all to sand and to dust, her people had been there. This she remembered, in spite of the fact that the vast majority of her people, had disappeared from those lands.

    Quite what man might have called her, was irrelevant to her. Such was the breadth of time that separated her since the last time, she had met with one.

    This did not mean that she was cruel, or mad in any way you might have described as such, dear reader. To the contrary, she was the very definition of goodness and serene in a way that no woman, could ever compare with.

    Softly, with incomparable gentility she stepped away from her precious oasis that she had never left in endless millennia, if only to lift up his head to bring a goblet to his lips.

    At the touch of water, he stirred. The cool salve upon his broken and cracked lips was one that served to revive him so that he knew a gladness that he had not known in months. Never was a meeting more joyful than that which took place when they first set eyes upon those of the other.

    To his mind, she was as ephemeral as the wind or the dreams he had had throughout his journey west. Never before had he seen such a vision.

    Dark of flesh just as he was, she was slender as the finest of trees, full smiling lips, high cheekbones and the most shapely of figures. Such was the voluptuousness of her body that he studied her with considerable interest, rather more than he might otherwise have done with any woman other than Mirembe. In marked contrast to the princess once promised to him, this lady for she had to be a lady he told himself, was dressed in homespun garments of the roughest quality. Her hair woven into a series of braids and was long, so very long that it tickled his face and beard, with the locks in question woven together by blue and green threads.

    But it was not to these that his eyes went, and remained enraptured by. Dark and yet full of colour they were, as the stars in the heavens. To stare into that gaze was to stare into the shining, glimmering heavens in the clearest of nights, never before had he seen eyes such as these.

    So awed was he that he forgot to swallow, and began to choke on some of the water given over to him. Noticing this, the maiden worried and fussed for some time, ¡°Oh do be careful, my lord!¡±

    Shaking his head in response, he sought to allay her concern only to fail and worry her all the more.

    ¡°Where¡­¡± He croaked his throat still rough from the time spent without water.

    ¡°You remain still in the desert,¡± the woman- no, the goddess, he thought to himself, certain that she had to be amongst those who ruled over the world added. ¡°I found you just beyond my oasis.¡±

    Her wording was a mystery to him, her voice musical just as her accent was archaic. As enchanted by her voice, as he was, he forced himself to concentrate upon the meaning of her words and tried without success to puzzle out her meaning.

    ¡°Y-your oasis?¡± His voice cracked once more, and he was not certain she had heard him as she offered him more water. When he had drunk his fill, he could feel exhaustion at last begin to overtake him. Fighting to retain consciousness, as he could the darkness appear along the edges of his vision, he murmured, ¡°Why your oasis?¡±

    ¡°Rest now, all will be well, for you are safe here,¡± She assured him, in a voice more comforting than that which his mother had spoken to him with, in his early childhood.

    Against his will, though he wished to resist her instructions he could feel his weariness overcome him. As he did so, he heard her sing, the words of her song proved elusive such was the fatigue that overcame him. All he knew was that it was the most lovely sound, he had ever heard in all his life.

    When at last he awoke once more, it was after a lengthy dreamless sleep that was the first peaceful rest he had had, in some time. More than that, it was the first time he awoke slowly rather than being suddenly awakened.

    Blinking slowly, he was relieved to feel the heat of the desert having receded ever so slightly. The first thing he saw was not the skies, but rather the bottom of the palm tree that he had been pulled under. Shaded from the hot rays that had reduced him to exhaustion and near to madness over the course of his longest journey, the Prince could have wept such was the gratitude he felt in that moment.

    A splashing sound drew his attention elsewhere, so that he sought now to pull himself up, keen to see what the source of the sound was.

    Convinced that the woman he had seen the other day was little more than a mirage, he was shocked to see that she was not some creation of his burnt, water-starved mind. But she was in fact very much real.

    He was startled however to hear a musical voice ask of him, ¡°Ah, you are awake! At least, I had begun to fear you would never awaken.¡±

    The speaker was the woman from earlier, from before he had lost consciousness. No long insensible to the world, he stared hard at her. Dressed in a white dress that stopped a little above her hips, with her upper body covered by a green bolt of clothe that covered her chest and a portion of her back and little else. In all, she was a far more tempting vision, than any oasis could ever be.

    ¡°You have awakened,¡± the lady of the oasis said eagerly, ¡°I had begun to consider in spite of the invigorating effect of my waters, the possibility of having to dig you a grave.¡±

    He could only stare, from where he lay on his elbows struggling to maintain his present uncomfortable position, ¡°Where am I?¡±

    His voice cracked but he was still able to form the words. Once again, she somehow heard him, so that she addressed him in warm tones, ¡°You are within the boundaries of my oasis.¡±

    This fact was plain to see, given that he could see the large body of water a short distance behind her, the surrounding near forest of palm-trees stood tall in defiance, of the heavens. Tall, though not nearly as he himself was, the maiden smiled at him in a comforting gesture.

    Her smile captivated him, all the more.

    ¡°Who- what are you? What do you mean by your ¡®oasis¡¯?¡± He asked of her, bewildered by her strange words and peculiar accent.

    ¡°Ah, excuse me I had quite forgotten that you mortals, favour names. What shall I be called indeed? The previous time, I had dealings with your sort was not so pleasant,¡± She said to herself perplexed, as though the question of a name was a truly distressing matter. ¡°You see, I know not which to give you, I have had so many, so long ago.¡±

    ¡°What did your father name you?¡±

    ¡°It was so very long ago, and I am not so certain a name given in girlhood should be given so freely,¡± She persisted a hint of defeat in her voice.

    At once the Prince felt distressed to hear her laid so low. Keen to restore the warm smile from a short time ago, he gave unto her the first of the three gifts he gave her during his stay with her. ¡°Char¨¢ji¡­ the ¡®water-joy¡¯ or joy that came from the waters.¡±

    The gift of a woman¡¯s name startled and pleased her. At once, her wide grin from before returned, so that his spirit rested once more at ease, much to his relief with his heart quivering at so lovely a vision.

    ¡°Char¨¢ji¡­¡± She uttered testing the word, as one might an unfamiliar fruit, wherefore she smiled a brilliant smile full of pearl-white teeth that glittered in the sunlight. ¡°What a gift you have given me, o traveller! Keenly, shall I bear for all the days that come up to the end of days, and beyond it if I should have the honour to return after that time!¡±

    Pleased and embarrassed by her enthusiasm, for so small a thing, the prince could feel against his will his cheeks turn scarlet if ever so slightly.

    It was then that she returned his query, ¡°And what is thy name, o lord of the east? Where did you emerge from, and for what purpose did you come hither into the boundless dunes that surround my small oasis?¡±

    ¡°I am Prince- no King Agany¨²,¡± Said the royal, catching his own mistake having been on the verge of giving over the wrong title, a terrible mistake for one of his pre-eminent rank.

    His mistake was noticed by Char¨¢ji, who raised a perfectly slender brow, ¡°Prince or King? Which are you Agany¨²?¡±

    ¡°I ought to be King, but have since become¡­¡± He did not know how to respond, how best to explain that he had lost his rightful throne. Again. And a part of him, had no great desire to speak of Loukas, or of Hamisi, of how they had stolen the princess Mirembe from him, or how her cousin had taken his throne. How best to explain such things? ¡°Bah, I see no reason to speak of such things now.¡±

    ¡°But it matters a great deal to you, does it not? Then why would you not speak to me of it?¡± She asked keen to hear his tale, ¡°I have saved you, and amongst my kindred it means your life is my own, and I may ask whatever favour I would have of thee.¡±

    Hearing her speak so, irritated him so that he snapped at her, ¡°I am bound to none, and am to be held in bondage to no man, no god, no woman or anyone else!¡±

    Surprised by his anger, Char¨¢ji stared at him before she began to tremble. Scared, she flew from his side for the oasis with Agany¨² prepared to cry out after her, fearful that she intended to drown herself when to his shock she dissipated.

    It happened the moment she made contact with the water of the small pond, at the heart of the sanctuary in the desert. Disappearing down below, it was as though she had ceased to be, so that Agany¨² felt a great wave of sorrow spring up in his being.

    Had she died on contact with the water? Did she come from it, and this was why she had dissipated into nothingness? And why had she fled when he had lost his temper? It was nothing that he had done wrong, he told himself uneasy after some time had passed and the sky had begun to darken. Doubt fluttering into his being, in spite of his best efforts to repress it.

    When he fell asleep at long last, it was with a huff as he turned away from the pond. Still though, he had the sense that someone was watching him.

    It was two days before he saw Char¨¢ji again. It happened that Agany¨² had little reason to want for anything, given there was by the time he woke every day, enough fish from the oasis cooked to get him through the day. The water was tasty, cool and left him rejuvenated in a way that no water, wine or any other draught had ever left him, in all his years of travels. The palm trees were tall and provided more than ample shade to shield him from the worst of the blistering heat.

    In all, he might otherwise have enjoyed his time of recovery, were it not for his sheer boredom.

    Exasperated by the end of the second day, Agany¨²¡¯s temper never very far from the surface snapped once more. ¡°Where are you? Char¨¢ji, I have questions that you must answer, therefore reveal yourself to me!¡±

    She did not appear.

    This led to a whole host of curses flying from his lips.

    Still no answer, so that in frustration he threw a pebble into the water. He was more than a little bewildered when after he had turned his back with a huff to it, the stone flew out at the back of his head.

    He had just gone to sleep, when he stirred awake at the sound of someone brushing against him; he reacted as might a wounded wolf. Throwing himself against her, he threw her down with his spare hand going to his knife (one of the few weapons he still had on hand).

    Once drawn, the knife was pressed against the throat of the squirming woman who lay beneath him. The shriek that was torn from her delicate throat, his own brain driven by fear froze at the sensation of her beneath him.

    Stumbling for words, Agany¨² dropped the blade only after he became fully aware of how close he had come to slay her.

    Pulling away from him, she sat up trembling and shaking so that he was reminded of a small deer. Still weary, from being awoken in the middle of the night, he felt sluggish and confused by her sudden appearance before him.

    Sensing that once more, she intended to seek to take flight from his presence, back to the waters that she had disappeared into the previous time they had quarrelled, he acted swift as lightning. Other men might react, but Agany¨² preferred to act first as always, as all men of his nature were prone to.

    When he had caught her up by the wrist, he said to her, ¡°Wait, I should prefer that you not flee back to the waters that birthed you!¡±

    ¡°Let me go,¡± Char¨¢ji said almost pleading, still afraid of him.

    ¡°Not unless, you swear not to flee back to your waters,¡± quothe Agany¨² insistently.

    They stared one another in the eye, for quite some time.

    At last the maiden, tested her mastery of the situation after a moment of hesitant silence, ¡°I shall do so, only if you agree not to become agree.¡±

    ¡°I make no such promises,¡± He rejected at once surprising just as he had, when he had demonstrated how much he had recovered. ¡°But if you should like, I shall try not to become angry.¡±

    Not entirely convinced, Char¨¢ji still hesitant was to sigh and reluctantly agree not to flee from him. ¡°I should suppose, it is all that I can hope for.¡± She paused if briefly so, relaxing ever so slightly, ¡°When did you recover your strength?¡±

    Agany¨² shrugged his shoulders, ¡°Earlier this morning, I know not how or why, it may have to do with the waters of your oasis, which brings me to my question; what are you?¡±

    At last releasing her, when he noticed how her body language relaxed ever so slightly, as she considered his question. ¡°I am amongst the eldest of the world¡¯s daughters.¡± Seeing that this answer had not satisfied him, she was to expand upon her statement if against her own will. ¡°I am daughter to Pontus, daughter of the seas what many of those from across the northern sea dub and those of Ossirian a ¡®Nereid¡¯. I am in the tongue of the westerly-folk of Ifriquya a ¡®water spirit¡¯.¡±

    ¡°I do not understand, if you are a sea-spirit why are you in the midst of the desert?¡± Agany¨² demanded of her confused.

    ¡°It was not always so, quite some time ago mine was an underground pond, yet as the winds cut through the desert and the sand dunes shifted I became an oasis.¡± She explained simply, yet still he did not understand.

    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°If you were once below ground, how could you be born a ¡®Nereid¡¯, I had been taught that they were all daughters of Pontus or a descendant of his.¡±

    ¡°You are well taught.¡± She praised impressed by him, and pleased to hear of his knowledge.

    Agany¨² looked away from her, ¡°My father taught me, all there was to know of old lore.¡± His melancholy and pride were washed away, as her waters had done to his exhaustion, ¡°If I may ask, which way leads to civilisation?¡±

    The question was one that she preferred not to answer, ¡°If you should wish, I will retire for the moment for I need my rest. I shall return in several hours.¡±

    Before Agany¨² could stop her, she leapt away and away in the waters one heartbeat to the next.

    Bereft of all company, the prince cursed vociferously.

    The heat of the day bore down on him once more in the days to come, with those days passing in a lazy fashion so that Agany¨² quickly grew restless. His perception of the world was that time, was not unlike sand in one¡¯s hands; flowing between one¡¯s fingertips out of one¡¯s grasp.

    The worst part of his stay with Char¨¢ji was that he had to use a cloth, dip it in the waters of her pond and wipe at his body with it. He would have preferred to properly bathe in the waters, however when he attempted to do so the Nereid had stopped him.

    Embarrassed, she had flushed a vivid scarlet and informed him that were he to do so, she would not be able to restrain herself. Unsure of what it was that she had meant, he had listened to her with near equal embarrassment when she told him she would never let him go were he to do such a thing.

    ¡°No man has ever bathed in my waters, and I have never been with one in any capacity,¡± She informed him hurriedly. ¡°I do hope you will understand.¡±

    Such considerations were a mark of his character to his mind, so that he was to curse and complain at some length when it came time to cleanse his body every few days.

    It was after a week of this treatment that he had the opportunity, to correct it when from the west came the most unexpected of gifts. The gift in his eyes was a sign that there were people in that direction, in the form of a camel laden with treasures and food and drink.

    The animal in question was on the cusp of collapse, when it at last reached the oasis. Nary a rider to be found, it at once drew Agany¨²¡¯s suspicion. He might have struck the animal dead, at once were it not for Char¨¢ji interposing herself between them.

    ¡°Stop, he is little more than an innocent beast,¡± She insisted.

    ¡°He is a pile of meat, I am hungry and what is more is that no animal makes it so far in the desert without there being a reason. The most likely cause for this, being that it had a rider until recently,¡± Agany¨² argued at once annoyed by her refusal to do as she was bidden.

    But once again she would not heed his words. In time, he decided that it might prove better to wait until later before, he attempted once more to slay the animal and examine the contents of what it carried on its saddle.

    Char¨¢ji for her own part, was impressed by the jewels and treasures that the camel had carried hither to her oasis. ¡°Look at these fine goblets of pure gold, and these necklaces made entirely of pearls and emeralds!¡±

    ¡°Bah, needless trinkets,¡± Snapped Agany¨² hardly impressed, only to espy an opportunity as she was distracted by guiding the animal to the water.

    Shedding his clothes, so that he could bathe he had just plunged himself into the water, when the Nereid shrieked in surprise. ¡°What is it that you think you are doing, Agany¨²?¡±

    ¡°I am bathing, and cleaning myself after much too long,¡± He retorted irritably.

    ¡°I have asked you not to shed your clothes, and bathe yourself in so wild a fashion.¡±

    ¡°What of it?¡±

    She remained quiet, still innocent to the world in spite of her beauty. Ignoring her complaints, he set about cleaning himself with the royal stopping only when he saw the heated look she gave him. It was not one of anger, but rather one of visible longing and desire, whereas the camel for its part was visibly angered spitting and shrieking.

    Thinking that the jealousy in its eyes was his imagination, he was pleased to see that Char¨¢ji had ceased paying it any mind. There was a sense of wrongness about the animal, since first it had arrived.

    It was for this reason that he preferred to treat it the way that he did.

    The victory was soon proven to be his, when the maiden took to the waters, unable to resist. Hers was a lonely nature, one that had craved companionship for so long, this he knew all too well when she was within arm¡¯s reach. The longing, and wistfulness yet uncertainty in her eyes when she hesitated brought the first laugh in some time to his lips.

    ¡°I-I should not¡­ love between immortal and mortal is always bound in tragedy.¡±

    ¡°Come here girl, and never you mind such nonsense,¡± Agany¨² interrupted pulling her towards him, ¡°We make our own destiny, those poets and scribes who say otherwise are to be scorned!¡±

    It was the first time in some time, since he had been with a woman and it was all the more glorious for it, he thought later, at that time he was pleased to note that the camel was gone.

    Elsewhere whilst they gave way to their passion, in the fortress of Kolw¨¦, high as a mountain and the same colour as sandstone with four turrets it was there within its walls that the Desert-Lord lived.

    Dressed in fine velvet robes from the far distant empire, so that one might well have taken him for the peacock lord of some castle or other of Ossiria, he was by no means such a thing. There was little of the civilised world in him, beyond his fine dress and his massive girth.

    Pacing the floor of his spacious, carpeted room deep within the fortress full of brigands, who had long since been cast out of the western kingdoms, the warlord of Kolw¨¦ was unusually apprehensive. Typically a man utterly at ease in his massive room, his nervousness might have caused one of the more ambitious men to rebel, were it not how he had closed his door to be alone in his chambers.

    It was why he leapt some fifty feet in the air when he heard someone knock on the said door. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°It is I, milord Kolw¨¦,¡± The nefarious Nibilan said.

    Pulling the man into his chambers after unlatching his door and throwing it open; closing the door behind his scout, who shrunk from him, he was to demand of him. ¡°What has happened? Where is my bride?¡±

    ¡°If I may, milord it has come about that she did not follow me back,¡± Nibilan replied reluctantly a hint of anger in his eyes.

    Unsure of why his servant was angry, he chose to overlook it in favour of how the oasis-nymph he desired was not present. ¡°What do you mean, she did not follow you?¡±

    ¡°There was a man present, with her.¡±

    ¡°Man? What man?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, I know only that she has taken him for a lover,¡± The shorter man said morosely, looking away from him.

    Struck by this admission, and filled with rage Kolw¨¦ very nearly struck the other man. He might have, yet he knew that such a demonstration of rage would gain him nothing. ¡°A lover? A lover? Why did you not prevent such a thing? Why if you were so incompetent, did I turn you into a camel and send you out into the desert?¡±

    ¡°Forgive me master!¡± Nibilan pleaded pathetically.

    ¡°Bah, why should I? At present you are of no further use to me,¡± Kolw¨¦ growled furiously, ¡°Away with you, to the prison lest I destroy you here and now!¡±

    The underling departed though not without several oaths, amongst them a few choice ones of vengeance against his lord.

    It was not as though Kolw¨¦ the Bandit was blind to the passion his servant bore for the water-nymph, but it was just that he gave it no true regard. To his mind, the man could in no way pose a challenge to the war, for her affections.

    The only man he now saw as a true rival was the newcomer to the oasis.

    How could it be, he wondered to himself later, as he made his preparations to strike that someone had succeeded in crossing the desert to reach her. I had the west and north guarded, and none could survive the crossing from the east or south. The desert was too gruelling, the journey liable to kill even the hardiest of men.

    ¡°Bah, no matter, soon she will be mine!¡± He told himself resolutely.

    It happened that when he struck, it was later. Doing so just as the sated couple lay tangled together, admiring the stars high above their heads.

    ¡°You see that constellation there? That is the one of the rescuing of Amun-Re, the most formidable of the gods. It was he who bestowed upon the lands, to the distant north-east the gift of civilisation and order, or so it is said.¡± Char¨¢ji explained drawing a kind of map with her index finger along the stars in question. ¡°You see, there was a time when he was unmanned and unkinged, and it took the cunning and loyalty of his mightiest subjects to rescue him. Oh, and there is the heroic Shalar laying low the mighty serpent of Hallalal. He was the mightiest of his people.¡±

    ¡°I have heard his legend, even in my homeland,¡± Agany¨² replied in his deep voice, ¡°I should very much have liked to have laid eyes upon him.¡±

    ¡°He was a great warrior, and a fine sort,¡± Char¨¢ji remarked with a slight giggle she added, ¡°If a little pompous.¡±

    It was a gesture that would have angered him in another, or at any other time. Yet in that moment, all that her mockery of one of his heroes growing up, could only bring a smile to his lips. It was strange to think, he mused, he had admired so many heroes of legends yet she had known them personally.

    It made him ponder melancholically, what it was that he might leave behind. The time when the gods put up the images of the heroes of legend, had passed. Now was the age of kings and of warring over, for the thrones of those very heroes.

    ¡°You are once again longing for another place,¡± Char¨¢ji complained, irritated, ¡°Why should you long for another place when you are here with me?¡±

    It was a strange complaint, and a strange thought he knew; to be wistful for another time and place when her arms were about him.

    Her jealousy and possessiveness startled him, so that he blinked foolishly at her. Agany¨² experienced as he was with women, he was wholly unprepared for the black jealousy of a Nereid.

    His confusion though was set aside, when he heard what seemed to be the sound of a jackal or hyena growling just beyond the array of foliage.

    Suspicious of what lay beyond, he studied the darkness beyond the trees, ignoring as he did so the vast multitude of complaints that Char¨¢ji was laying at his door.

    ¡°Tush, Char¨¢ji,¡± Agany¨² said in a voice barely louder than a whisper, ¡°Do you hear that sound?¡±

    She stopped, not liking being told to be quiet she very nearly carried on regardless of his stern tone. But in the brief moment that passed, before she could get any words out she heard the sound that had distracted him. ¡°That is a jackal¡­ I know the sound, for there are a great many to the south-west of here and they at times visit my oasis. Yet, this one is rather queer.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°I do not know, I know only that it feels wrong somehow, in conflict with nature.¡± She gasped frightened and shrinking away from it.

    On his feet one heartbeat to the next, he was to take up the dagger he had left by his clothes. Agany¨² was to hurl himself past the foliage and upon the beast in question, with a roar of rage the cries of his lover ignored.

    The jackal in question at first offered little in the way of resistance. Seeking to resist him, it tried to bite and scratch but as he had a grip on its throat with his right-hand, he had the advantage. Agany¨²¡¯s dagger was soon embedded in the shoulder of the over-large jackal, striking as suddenly and swiftly as might lightning.

    Shedding his Jackal cloak, Kolw¨¦ shrieking as his blood decorated the leaves and the sands of the desert, pressed against his assailant of all things his gold serpent-headed ring. Wearing it upon his third finger, it was to sting Agany¨² with all the sharpness of an actual snake-bite.

    A stifled, hoarse scream that was quieted into a groan escaped the clenched lips of the royal as he fell forward.

    Relieved to have survived him, Kolw¨¦ panting regained his feet. ¡°You beast, you struck me! You knifed me! I ought to suffocate you to death!¡±

    ¡°Stop, do not hurt Agany¨²!¡± Char¨¢ji objected keen to turn some of her water into a sort of weapon, by shaping the water into a sharpened point.

    The lance of sorts that she directed at him, from her pond was to miss the sorcerer, who threw himself upon the ground. When he regained his feet, he drew from one of the many satchels girded to the belt about his waist, ¡°Do you see this lady of the oasis? It is a bottle, of some mystical means! It was gifted to me by the great Valfar, the Seer of Eri, for having rescued him during his great illness.¡±

    Char¨¢ji was familiar with neither the bottle of which he speaks, or of Valfar, or of what or where Eri was. All that she knew at this moment, was that once uncorked and near to her the bottle began to draw in the lady of the oasis, for her it felt akin to having her essence torn about and re-assembled.

    Screaming for Agany¨², there was little he could do save grit his teeth in futile rage. Still paralysed from the mysterious snake bite, the last he heard before he sank into darkness were the taunting words of Kolw¨¦.

    ¡°Be warned, stranger that should you ever come near my Nereid-bride again, I shall be certain to do more than simply leave you here.¡±

    Agany¨² would remember those words, and would add them to the store of flames that already filled his soul to the brim. The next hours he spent in humiliation, crawling and struggling as best he could once sensation was restored halfway to his left arm. He did not crawl after the departing sorcerer though, for he had learnt one thing in his time by the oasis; the waters of his lover were as a restorative. Once dipped in them, he would recover after two hours from the bite of the snake-ring and would set out on the hunt at once.

    ¡°No one takes what belongs to me¡­ and lives¡­¡± He swore to himself, eyes burning with fury.

    Kolw¨¦¡¯s return to the keep was glorious. It was all that he had imagined it to be. In his chariot, which he used when travelling outside of his fortress, he cut a fine figure to his mind. His men were curious as to what it was that he had brought back, and were awe-struck by the beauty of his captive.

    A few might have attempted to force themselves upon her, were it not for the fear they felt for their chieftain.

    Smiling indulgently at them, he informed them, ¡°Go fetch thy families; we shall need women to attend my bride, for she is a lady who merits the utmost respect and dignity!¡±

    It was an order that several of them, were more than happy to obey. Celebrations meant beer and wine, so that no brigand would possibly say no.

    The bride herself was escorted in chains to chambers that had been prepared for her, some time ago. Hardly thinking of her at all after she was no longer in his presence, Kolw¨¦ was soon distracted by the organising of the celebration. All had to be perfect.

    Barking out orders to all those who served him, soon they had wine-bottles and kegs of beer fetched from the cellar. Food was also sent for, from the towns¡¯ which were a day away from their home and was soon brought back by armed bandits who took a great deal of meat (and still living cattle), flour and a myriad of fruits and vegetables. Anything that could be devoured was seized that they might enjoy them when the time came.

    The more docile farmers were permitted to not only keep their lives, but to come to enjoy the festivities. Keen to enjoy the food and drink most were to flee from the keep as quick as they could, since most of them feared the brigands too much to overstay their welcome.

    Preoccupied by the organisation of the wedding, it was shortly before the moon began its own ascent that Kolw¨¦ was alerted by one of his followers¡¯ daughters of how unhappy his ¡®bride¡¯ was. ¡°She refuses to eat, has refused to allow us to dress her and will not leave her chambers.¡±

    ¡°What? Offer her a bauble, women like baubles and jewellery.¡±

    ¡°She refuses to accept them, and has taken to throwing them out her window,¡± The girl reported reluctantly.

    Bewildered and angry, Kolw¨¦ was to grumble and follow her out of the dining-hall, intent on making his beloved future bride see sense.

    Little did he know that this was to prove what in the end saved his life; it was at this time that Agany¨² slipped into the main hall of the castle.

    Agany¨² had arrived within the halls of Kolw¨¦. He had followed the few tracks that remained, and had lost his way but once, whereupon he had happened upon a local merchant. The man had pointed him in the correct direction, generously adding that he ought to avoid the castle. But the prince was not to be dissuaded from his attack upon the keep.

    Once he had arrived, he was to knife one of the returning brigands to death. Stripping him of his clothes, so that he might take his place he then slipped into the keep. The bandit¡¯s sword was a poor replacement for that which he had lost, in the east which had belonged to his forefathers. But it would suffice, if only for the moment.

    The next thing he had to do, was to slip in. Doing so as though he belonged there, he was not stopped or questioned, with Agany¨² reluctantly appreciating that the brigands had a set uniform. Their leader was no ordinary bandit he thought to himself, with grudging respect.

    Once inside, he kept his acts of wanton murder in check, until he knew where Char¨¢ji was to be found. This he discovered easily enough, by listening in upon the conversations of some of those, who had been brought to the castle to prepare the dinner-feast.

    ¡°Kolw¨¦, oughtn¡¯t have stolen her,¡± Said one maid, whispering to her good-mother who shook her head at her.

    ¡°You be quiet girl, less one of his favourites report you,¡± the old woman reprimanded her, with a worried glance all about them.

    ¡°Where is she?¡±

    ¡°In the high-tower,¡± The older woman said adding with considerable pity, ¡°The poor girl did not come willingly.¡±

    Neither woman said much more, for some time.

    Noticing the two of them standing apart from some of the others, as the preparations for the feast reached its end, one of the brigands called out to them. A large, obese ogre of a man, he was to approach them a menacing air about him.

    ¡°You two, have done enough gossiping now back to work,¡± He growled at them, both women daunted went to hurry off, when Agany¨² spoke up.

    ¡°Leave them, they have done nothing wrong, knave.¡±

    ¡°What did you call me?¡± The large bandit grunted, his dusky skin purpling with barely concealed rage.

    His gaze met that of Agany¨². The volcanic dark eyes of the latter flashed, with white-hot hate. Rage met hate. Banditry clashed with princely regal authority.

    The flash of steel from a scabbard that was tilted up, as the chair upon which the royal sat was thrust back. The bandit gurgled; scarlet blood rained and sprayed itself onto the nearby feast-hall wall and floor.

    Few there were who noticed initially. The scream that was torn from the throat of the ladies, alerted all those about them that something was amiss.

    Agany¨² had by this time begun to move, hewing down another man from behind, then he who was next to him. Male servant or brigand meant nothing to him; they were all enemies to be cut down. Their blood to serve as condiments for the vultures and corpses to feed the most wicked of carrion-birds.

    ¡°Hither, come hither you jackals! Taste steel as you never have ere this moment!¡± Agany¨² taunted them, seized by battle-madness unlike any he had tasted as of late and unlike any they had ever seen.

    It was the sort of fury that could only leave death in its wake. The death of the berserker or all his foes could be the only result.

    The first man to challenge him and more than his equal in battle, was nigh on twice his height with a considerably larger build. The man was to strike him, throwing him back by sheer force of physical might. Once he regained his feet, Agany¨² threw himself forward once more, this time rolling beneath the horizontal slash of the other warrior, slicing through the man¡¯s knee.

    His head still buzzing from when he struck his head against the wall, the prince with his red-hazed vision was to decapitate the man who had tossed him about the feast-hall with little difficulty.

    The next man came at him from behind, thinking he could not possibly foresee what he might do. This proved false, as the warrior heard his battle-cry echo throughout the hall, so that he threw himself back out of the way of the clumsy attack.

    Hewing him down, he grabbed this man¡¯s attack leapt over the nearby long-table, to slash one brigand¡¯s head in half, splattering his interior throughout the floor. There were two others who challenged him, with Agany¨² forced back, parrying their sword-strikes and evading them as best he could. It was they who wounded him in several different places, such as near his left foot, and his right arm.

    ¡°Have at him brothers!¡± Cheered another man.

    ¡°He must soon fall!¡±

    Agany¨² felt his resolve and his rage renew itself, as he struck back at the two of them, feigning three strikes against one only to drive the other back, even as he moved to strike at the first. The second man with his next charge broke the sword; the prince had taken from the guard outside of the castle.

    The bellow of fear that tore from his throat, was followed by the man having to throw himself back, over the table. Regaining his feet, he tore apart a man who hardly put the remotest of defences against him, only for him to take a moment to look about for the means to protect his person from the two skilled bandits.

    The victorious smirks that came over their lips, as six of their compatriots surrounded and began to push Agany¨² back towards a corner, incensed him.

    A nearby buckler, one that bore the sigil of a crimson lion upon it caught his eye. It had belonged to one of the many dozen or so men, he had hewed down at the start of the conflict.

    It sat just behind two of the uniformly dressed brigands, and glimmered ever so slightly to his maddened mind in the light cast by several of the candles.

    This buckler was the focus of his next brutal actions. Throwing the hilt-shard as one might a dagger, against one of the bandits, armed with a simple cudgel. While the man screamed as the blade was embedded into his side, Agany¨² leapt forward.

    Dodging, weaving and evading sword-strokes and axe-strikes along with the clubs of those men not so well armed. Slashing back here and there, he was to grab the buckler and leap back to his feet fast as lightning.

    Able to parry now more easily, thanks to the shield the monarch from the east was to avoid further injuries.

    His next strikes met, added to the army of corpses that lay all about him. The horror with which the survivors, even those two skilled brigands who had daunted him earlier grew with each murder. Each killing stroke, chipped at their resolve until he at last confronted the two men, with the two moving as one, once more.

    Feigning a strike at one, Agany¨² tore victory from them by striking with the shield in his right-hand against the more muscled of the two. The man screamed as the sound of crunching bone tore through the hall, his knee shattered he was not to endure his agony for long.

    Turning upon the next man, Agany¨² expected him to charge him as had all the others.

    Instead of doing so, the brigand looked about the hall, at the dozens of corpses left there by the rage-filled prince, and did what he ought to have done some time ago; he bolted for the doors.

    Agany¨² moved to give chase. Intent that there should be no survivors, he was however distracted by a cry of rage along with a series of curses.

    Remembering what the servants had said about the high-tower, and his beloved Char¨¢ji, Agany¨² was to turn on his heel, to follow the source of those screams.

    Ignoring the weeping women-folk, he fought his way up the tower. Tearing, slashing and striking with all the rage of one possessed. His was the might honed by a life-time of war and a hundred ancestors, more savage and battle-hardened than the last. Against which the enemy had no defence, no means to fight against save had they the discipline of the legionnaires of Orissia, or the savagery of Kentauro or Mervoud tribes.

    The tower door was thrown open, with Agany¨² more than pleased to see Kolw¨¦ in the richly decorated chambers. Near the large open-air window with a duo of women whimpering and crying to one side, Kolw¨¦ held himself to one side backing slowly away from the door, eyes darting between Char¨¢ji and her rescuer.

    Alarmed by the blade the sorcerer held to Char¨¢ji¡¯s throat, the bandit lord¡¯s eyes wide with fright as he stared at his foe. ¡°Just who are you? How could you have cut down all of my men? There were hundreds of them!¡±

    ¡°I have fought against more, for far less treasured a spoil as Char¨¢ji,¡± Agany¨² growled full of hate for the bandit who shrunk back from him. ¡°Give her over, and you will die quickly brigand.¡±

    ¡°Char¨¢ji? Is that her newest name? She has so many, I cannot remember them all.¡±

    ¡°I could, all those she has told me,¡± Retorted Agany¨² impatiently, ¡°Do you intend to surrender?¡±

    To his first reply the Nymph visibly melted, whereas the brigand appeared uncomfortable, jealous even. But he focused upon the slow advance of the warrior, ¡°Stop! Hold, warrior! This dagger was given to me by the lord Eshu, and could end her as easily as it might yourself traveler.¡±

    Agany¨² only glared all the fiercer at him.

    Kolw¨¦ met his gaze a hint of apprehension slowly entered his eyes. Backing away still farther from the warrior, he did so, just as Agany¨² advanced slowly, with Char¨¢ji backing away with her captor.

    Char¨¢ji soon had another source of fear, when she nearly backed out the window. This caused all three of them to glance in her direction, as she wobbled for a moment.

    Realisation flickered to life in the clever eyes of the sorcerer. Staring briefly at the window, he moved with unexpected speed for one of his girth, faster than Agany¨² who moved forward to attempt to seize him.

    Leaping out the window, the plump mage flew as well as would a rock. Staring out the window as Kolw¨¦ donned a vulture-cloak, mid-fall so that he took flight for the distant horizon.

    ¡°Thank you, for having come to my rescue, Agany¨²,¡± Char¨¢ji murmured as they departed from the castle, ¡°I prayed and hoped you might, but had begun to lose faith.¡±

    ¡°Shame on you, woman for doubting,¡± Agany¨² reprimanded her, he then added rather more tenderly, ¡°You should have known better than to doubt me. Once stated, my devotion never wavers.¡±

    Moved, she all but leapt up at him, embracing him with all the fervour of the most ancient of spirits. Pleased, he crushed her in his arms, bruising her lips with his own with a low growl of approval from deep within his chest.

 Chapter II: A New Journey

    Desert nights are never a particularly pleasant thing to endure. Few there were who could endure them such was the chill that seeped into one¡¯s bones, during desert evenings. It was not so much the matter of starting a fire, or avoiding scorpions or snakes but a matter of loneliness. There was an oppressive darkness that so often entered one¡¯s soul, when one was made to endure them. The wind howling in mourning of lost empires and lives, screaming of pain as though in mockery of men¡¯s darkest melancholies.

    Added to this was the fact that rarely did any who lived, in such places enjoy a full meal. Hunger could only aggravate one¡¯s misery and unhappiness. This is something we all know, and none better who have the misfortune of living in the poorest of places, such as those who must endure the deserts of Ifriquya.

    The sand dunes that stretched for kilometres without compare all about Kolw¨¦¡¯s keep were incomparable in the eyes of most from his locality. Many of the merchants who came to this locality, often keener than those from other regions, to complain about the heat endured, and the distance that separated them from the nearest oasis in those two directions. The vivid brown, almost golden colour of most of these dunes, were dark now. They appeared more akin to glowering, menacing devils than any harmless bodies of sand.

    Nature in her own way could comfort, as no mother could, just as she could haunt, and frighten unlike any maddened crone could.

    Never before, in all the years of life, that the sorcerer had endured had Kolw¨¦ been more acutely aware of this fact and never before, had he felt so full of bitterness. To have been spurned by the woman he loved, was something that he could not stomach. Especially, since it carried with it the loss of his men. Most had died by the hands of the fearsome Agany¨², some small number of them had fled, fearful of the dusky-skinned prince and that to continue to serve Kolw¨¦ would evoke the prince¡¯s wroth once more.

    ¡°How could we follow you still, if you persist in your madness for his woman?¡± One of them had demanded of the Bandit-Lord, after a heated argument some hours after the massacre in the fort.

    It was a valid argument.

    But not so, in the eyes of the obstinate sorcerer who continued, to remain resolute in his conviction that Agany¨² had stolen from him, and that his men had to be avenged. A sentiment his former followers evidently did not much support.

    Hence, why, he was alone in his castle. Alone, save for a bottle of old wine, he had hoped to enjoy for the wedding but that he now used to drown away his sorrows. He wished for some means by which he might achieve vengeance, hoped for some clever scheme to enter his mind but in its stead he drank.

    The bottle was of the finest wine one could find in this part of the world, it was from the vineyards of the Orissians. Made from their grapes that they grew by the sea to the north of their lands, the very sea that they were so very obsessed with and always keen to fight against Amazonian pirates and Theodosianople attempts to retake, none could make wine like this. Saving perhaps the people of distant Aguiane to the far north, in North-Agenor, but that was to most folk a whole world away.

    ¡°Once I was, one of the most gifted students of the Tower of Balba,¡± Kolw¨¦ complained a goblet of wine held up in one of his dark hands. The Tower located in Orissia was the mightiest of all the monuments to magic in the Empire to the north, ¡°I should have stayed.¡±

    He sloshed some wine unto his robes, well and truly drunk by this time, having drunk more than one bottle by this time.

    There was much more grumbling and complaining on his part, for many more hours. The more he drank, the more morose Kolw¨¦ became. Unhappy with his lot in life, how far he had fallen since his time in the Tower, he stared down at his goblet mournfully.

    Startled from his depressed musings and bleak humours by a great ¡®Boom¡¯ that echoed throughout the whole of the castle, as had happened days before.

    Kolw¨¦ gaped open-mouthed at the looming figure standing before him in the doorway.

    ¡°Kolw¨¦ the Brigand,¡± Agany¨² hissed full of fury and hatred, blades in hand and eyes almost crimson, such was the fervour in them.

    ¡°Y-y-yes?¡± Kolw¨¦ stuttered afraid.

    A part of him prayed that the man before him was but a figment of his imagination.

    The fist, to his face that knocked him from the chair he was almost resting upon, so that Kolw¨¦ saw stars. The next blow left his vision darkened, so that the stars blinked out from above him.

    ¡°You spineless weasel!¡± Agany¨² growled at him, striking him another several times.

    Stricken by agony, the sorcerer squealed as might a pig being whipped, tears of pain streaming from his eyes shortly thereafter. When the warrior above him ceased, raining down the worst blows, his victim had ever suffered since he was a child.

    Left groaning on the ground, he could do little more than wonder why Agany¨² had taken to beating him.

    ¡°You dare to beg for your life, after what you have done?¡± Agany¨² demanded of him, face purpling with rage.

    ¡°What have I done? I have been here for three days, since you departed doing naught more than drinking,¡± replied Kolw¨¦ coughing and spitting blood from his split lip.

    ¡°You know what you have done.¡±

    ¡°No I do not,¡± grunted the brigand, pushing himself up into a sitting position, with many whimpers. ¡°I did nothing.¡±

    ¡°You have stolen Char¨¢ji away,¡± was the answer.

    ¡°Stolen her away? She was taken from you?¡± Kolw¨¦ questioned confused, hardly believing his ears.

    Agany¨² reluctantly threw himself into the tale, of how it had come about that his lover had been taken from him. At a loss to what to do, other than to rage at Kolw¨¦, he began to explain what had come about at first reluctantly, then later it seemed as though he could not stop the outpouring of the tale.

    It had come about that when the two had returned to the oasis; they had taken to once more making love, wherefore they had rested. Both wearied from the journey, and the labour into which they had thrown into themselves with all the vigour they had in them.

    The two had taken to a quiet life together, with Agany¨² taking to fishing and exploring the local area out of curiosity of the region he had come to inhabit. He had noted with quite some measure of fascination that the people of this land spoke a rather different tongue to his own.

    The Prince had understood, however, some of what they said as there were some similarities between the tongue, of the Ifriyan tongue he had learnt and that of the west.

    The lady Char¨¢ji for her part spoke all tongues, he had noticed. It was thus that she had begun to teach him the local language, with Kolw¨¦ who spoke the eastern language of the Banto people with some difficulty, pleased with this part of the story.

    ¡°How much did you learn?¡± He asked, interrupting the narrative, only to fall silent, when the barbaric Prince glowered once more at him.

    Returning to his narrative, Agany¨² explained at some length of how he had struggled with his lessons. On the third day, he lost his temper irritated at his own difficulty with the particulars of the grammar (Kolw¨¦ shook his head scornfully at this admission, really to struggle with grammar!).

    ¡°I cannot abide any further lessons, and shall go whither to explore the local village to the west, that of Yongu and see if any of their merchants should require a guard.¡± Agany¨² had said in a fit of frustration.

    ¡°And how do you intend to communicate with them, if you shan¡¯t properly understand their tongue?¡± Char¨¢ji asked of him sardonically, impatient with his lack of ability to learn the language at once.

    Neither student nor teacher, were willing to cede a single millimetre, regarding the matter of his ability or rather inability to communicate in the local tongue. Never one to be deterred by the disapproval of another, Agany¨² departed with a scowl on his face.

    Much as he adored her, he could not stomach such a fierce disagreement from even one that he loved. His impatience towards her irritated her in turn for she knew herself to be a goddess, so that she found him to be childish.

    It was when he had left to visit the local village that someone had come along, to entrap her. It had happened that shortly after the oasis climbed back, into notice hours later, when he was en route back that he heard her shriek.

    Crying out for Agany¨² as she had done days hence, Char¨¢ji was taken into the bottle that had been utilized previously to steal her away.

    Arriving too late, as the kidnapper of the goddess had disappeared far away to the north, in the shape of a large bird, before he eventually disappeared from view. The prince had followed as best he could, six and a half feet tall the long legs of the great royal had carried him along swiftly, though not quick enough.

    His deep voice manly, as it was could not shatter the bottle that contained his great love, nor could it work to convince he who had stolen her away, to return her. Stricken and filled with hatred for Kolw¨¦, whom he knew to be the only man who could have accomplished such a misdeed, he had made for the castle.

    It lay, after all to the north, with the sorcerer the only man he could think of, who might have the motivation to take the goddess away in so cruel a fashion.

    Listening to the man he had not heard from in nigh on a month, Kolw¨¦ found the tale fascinating and bizarre in nature. He had never known a man to have taken up life, by the side of Char¨¢ji and there was no small amount of envy that wormed its way into his heart.

    But it was surpassed only by his fury, to hear that the maiden he had treasured for so long, had abandoned his Order for, was missing now.

    ¡°Who could have stolen her away?¡± He asked almost more to himself, by this time sitting with his back against the wall while Agany¨² paced the floor restlessly as might a caged lion.

    ¡°I do not know! You are the one who trapped her before; therefore I know it to have been you that stole her away from me!¡±

    ¡°But I have been here, all month long scheming and drinking,¡± Kolw¨¦ confessed helplessly, trying to force himself to think.

    After all, how could anyone have stolen her away, with Agany¨²¡¯s sword to guard her? It was not simply anyone who might risk the warrior¡¯s wroth, or Kolw¨¦¡¯s own cold fury. The sorcerer would gladly feed anyone who might take away the Nereid, from him to any beast he might summon to him.

    It was unlikely, but he had a sudden realization who it must have been that had captured and stolen away the loveliest of all the maidens of the desert.

    Trying on his cloak, he was filled with coldness when he did not assume the shape, of a vulture. Turning now to Agany¨² he spoke suddenly throwing a key he kept in one of the folds of his robes, ¡°Here, take this to the chest in the corner by the mahogany desk there.¡±

    This Agany¨² did, if reluctantly so. The lock on the chest clicked open; the loudness of the clicking noise startled both and drew both their stares to the chest. One was a dull one from the magi, and the other was a heated, expectant one.

    The chest was empty.

    Staring down into it, bewildered and stunned, Agany¨² could only open and close his mouth. At that moment, he bore a fierce resemblance to a fish, one which had been plucked from the waters that birthed it.

    ¡°My bottle, as I suspected, has gone missing,¡± Said Kolw¨¦ troubled by this observation, his brow knitting together in consternation.

    ¡°How could it happen? Who could have stolen it?¡±

    Kolw¨¦ thought about this question, genuinely searching his memory. His head still throbbing from a combination of alcohol and the severe beating, he had endured made it difficult to think. Near to the end of several minutes, it occurred to him the only one of his former followers who had remained, to care for him was Nibilan. ¡°Nibilan!¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°It was he whom I gave over my jackal cloak to; he behaved oddly when he had returned just before my planned wedding to Char¨¢ji!¡± Kolw¨¦ confessed with a gasp, ¡°I had thought little of it, and he remained with me to cater to me, claiming that he could not leave me alone in such a dire state of melancholy.¡±

    ¡°And you trust him?¡±

    ¡°I had never had reason to doubt him, regardless it happened that I have but rarely been sober this past month.¡± Kolw¨¦ protested, rather more reasonably than he might otherwise have liked his mien, dark and melancholic.

    ¡°It was he who stole away my Char¨¢ji?¡±

    ¡°I suspect so.¡±

    ¡°We must be away, then, to find him and punish him for what he has done!¡± Agany¨² proclaimed with all the grandness of a sitting King.

    ¡°What? You shan¡¯t be serious! Why must I accompany you to rescue her?¡± Kolw¨¦ objected at once, stunned that the other man might volunteer him for such a duty.

    ¡°Because it was by thy hand, Nibilan claimed the means by which he might steal her away, which incriminates you. I am not entirely convinced of your innocence, therefore, I say to you that it is for you to clear your name by your own efforts and to assist me in this.¡± Agany¨² then added whilst waving his still bared steel before the face, of the man at his feet, ¡°Unless you should prefer a different choice to that which, I presented before you.¡±

    A King and a royal though he was by birth, Agany¨² had spent far more time in the wilderness, in the villages of his people and as a blacksmith, than in any castle or royal-citadel. Though, he retained the self-importance of a royal, he had developed a certain self-sufficiency that made it so that he could take to the road with minimal preparation. Kolw¨¦ for his part was a different sort of man. A brigand he may have been, but he fancied himself a noble in all ways, saving perhaps birth.

    One could hardly blame Agany¨² for being annoyed, as the hours stretched on and still Kolw¨¦ was unprepared to leave. His reluctance to leave without every little article of clothes, or baubles, or without feeding his pet birds ere he let the half-wild creatures go could have tested the patience of anyone. Even the god Horus the Elder, whom Kolw¨¦ revered so much, would have found his patience lacking.

    In time, he lost patience, deciding that Kolw¨¦ had to cease tarrying, ¡°Do come along, lest I sever thy head from the shoulders that could hardly support it!¡±

    ¡°But I really must, ensure that I also have the correct books for the journey-¡± With a roar, Agany¨² seized him by the arm to drag him along.

    Resistant, the older of the two men was to almost throw himself upon the ground, in a fit to resist the efforts by his captor to drag him along, on his mad-quest. It was not until the castle had faded from sight that, he at last regained his senses as Agany¨² put it, and was willing to do as he was told.

    ¡°You truly are the worst of men,¡± Kolw¨¦ complained, still upset about having to leave a great many of his books behind, in a sealed room in the second highest of the towers of his keep.

    ¡°Never you mind your books, they will still be there upon your return,¡± Grunted the other man with an irritated roll of his eyes.

    This hardly appeased him. To have lost the love of his life to this brute, was bad enough, but to now have lost her to Nibilan and to be forced to serve the man who won her over in the first part irritated him.

    How could the fates be so cruel to him, to subject him to such a humiliation? It was not as though Kolw¨¦ had done anything, too, wrong.

    Miserable, he allowed himself to be forced onto one of the few camels that still remained, in the stables attached to his home. Though, he tried his best to load down the camels with food, and canteens of water and wine, Agany¨² soon grumbled once he realized that all that he loaded onto them was all that there was left.

    ¡°How could there be so few provisions?¡± He demanded of Kolw¨¦ who shrugged his shoulders, in response.

    ¡°It has been left to Nibilan to restock our supplies,¡± Said the sorcerer-bandit indifferently. ¡°I had little interest in aught else than drink, over the past month.¡±

    ¡°You truly are the most pitiful sort of man,¡± Agany¨² sneered scornfully, ¡°You ought to have sought to repent of thy sins.¡±

    Kolw¨¦ shrugged his shoulders. Still his hands were chained with the end of the chain held tightly by Agany¨², who encouraged his own mount ahead. ¡°West is to the nearest village?¡±

    ¡°Yes,¡± the brigand confirmed with a miserable nod of his head.

    The two would not speak again for quite some time, at least not until the first of the village houses loomed into view on the distant horizon. The suns by this time had begun to climb into view, Agany¨² was immensely relieved to see the first of the mud-brick and thatch roofed houses.

    ¡°This is the village of Kolwandar, it is little known and was once by a river,¡± Kolw¨¦ explained when prompted by his travelling companion.

    ¡°We must see if any of them saw Char¨¢ji,¡± Said Agany¨² with far more enthusiasm than he truly felt, as he strove not to let any of his despair show.

    The further they moved through the village, the more he felt uncomfortable as Kolw¨¦ queried this merchant or that man, or this farmer¡¯s wife or that one about Nibilan. The local people were to answer in their western-tongue that they had not seen such a maiden.

    But when questioned whether they had seen Nibilan, they paused. More than one refused to answer, and more than a few pointed them towards another of the villagers, which perplexed Kolw¨¦ as much as Agany¨².

    ¡°What is the matter with them?¡± He was to ask of his captive, who shrugged his shoulders helplessly.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± Kolw¨¦ replied troubled, ¡°One moment, I will see if old Yalla, will answer my questions rather more honestly than the others have.¡±

    Yalla happened to be an old woman, with but a few teeth left and little to no hair, her dark eyes glaring through Agany¨² with such hatred as to make him reluctant to approach her. Bent over a walking staff, she stood just outside a large farm-house, while a small army of twelve young boys and women tilled the fields.

    ¡°Yalla!¡± Kolw¨¦ greeted her with his companion convinced that he said next, ¡°How goes the day¡± though he was not certain.

    The old woman glared at the brigand with blood-shot, sharp eyes that could have cut through stone as easily as flesh. Her voice was raspy and hoarse from grief, and barely repressed rage when she did answer him, ¡°Kolw¨¦, you dare to come here after all that has been done, to our village?¡±

    This startled Kolw¨¦, who had never been addressed so rudely by the old woman (or the other villagers for that matter), asked her bewildered. ¡°What is the matter, Yalla? In my time as lord of the keep, your village never truly came to harm.¡±

    ¡°Certainly, until the last days of your lordship,¡± She retorted, wherefore she pointed at the man standing a short distance behind him. ¡°You have broken trust with us all for him.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°He butchered our men-folk,¡± She hissed at him, with Kolw¨¦ taking notice only now of a gathering number of people all about him.

    The village was not a terribly large one, at two hundred and fifty or so people, with a great number of their men-folk missing they still had the advantage of having numbers over them. The hard eyed stares, the hatred in their souls was such that the brigand felt his breath catch and his heart stop, at the sight of more than forty villagers all surrounding them.

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    Not being particularly blind, especially to the very real dangers of an angry mob, Agany¨² grew ever more agitated, the nearer the locals came to him and the greater their numbers became. ¡°Why,¡± he said slowly with visible suspicion, ¡°Are they gathering all about us, in so hostile a manner?¡±

    Unable to fully understand the tongue of the village, he could not quite grasp why it was that the people were so hostile towards him. His inability to comprehend their plight, was one that only served to aggravate their sense of outrage against him, for it seemed to them to be indifference rather than the remorse they hungered for from him.

    ¡°That I am not so certain of,¡± Kolw¨¦ replied with no less apprehension than he, turning once more to speak to the old woman in the strange, western language he was so adept at. ¡°Yalla, what do you mean he butchered your men-folk?¡±

    ¡°He has murdered our loved ones, and you dare to bring him hither?¡± Yalla asked of him, ¡°If you choose to accompany him, anywhere, you will share in his fate.¡±

    Swallowing, the sorcerer-bandit backed away a few steps, eyes darting all about him to those he had either once command, or once upon a time taken coin or food from.

    ¡°What has happened? What did she say?¡± Agany¨² asked no less afraid of those who had them surrounded, at that moment.

    Kolw¨¦ full of terror had but a few seconds to decide, what it was that he ought to do. In the following seconds, he had to decide whether he wished to come to the rescue of his captor, so that he pulled his vulture-cloak all the tighter about his shoulders.

    The transformation of the sorcerer into a vulture startled everyone present, with the sorcerer taking to the air with a flap of his wings with a squawk that alarmed his companion.

    ¡°Kolw¨¦ you coward! How dare you abandon me?¡± Agany¨² roared waving his fist in the air after the bird that had deserted him to his fate. Looking away from him, to those who surrounded, him Agany¨² pulled his sword free from its scabbard, eyes darting from one man to the next. His attention turned now to them, he was to say to them, ¡°The first man to strike, or to come nearer to me shall die.¡±

    His promise of death was one that sane men would have paid heed to. If only out of fear of the sundering blade they had seen him wield with such fury as to split the seas themselves, one month prior. Those who did not bear witness, to this dark event, ought to have learnt to fear him due to how his reputation had spread among them. Or so, one would suppose, but the sense of loss that had come to dominate their senses had made it so that they had no ability for strategy or reason.

    It was for this reason that when the blade flashed through one man, splitting him in half, this act hardly slowed the wrath of the rest.

    Muscular in such a way few men could imagine, with his muscles tensing and moving with lightning speed, Agany¨² was to hew down another man, then another. Lo, he slew in total three men, ere they could properly lay a single hand upon him with the sense of triumph that might otherwise have dominated his senses at once forgotten.

    ¡°Ha! First blood!¡± He boasted foolishly, thereupon the steps to the house of Yalla, where no man in seventy years had shed blood.

    The ground tainted now, it drove every member of her village mad, so that they charged him all at once. The flashing steel blade was to almost be knocked from his hand, even as they pounded him with their fists, their feet, what rocks they could find and came near to crushing him beneath them. Tearing now cries of pain from his own lips, he came very near to being driven down and slain.

    Realizing that were he to be knocked to the ground, it would be the end of him, Agany¨² was to bellow with rage, and to attempt to carve a path forward. Drawing a dirk taken from Kolw¨¦¡¯s fortress, he was to cut his way through one man, then another as they sought to grab at his arms. Fast as a jungle-cat, Agany¨² moved with all the ferocity of one, so that the ground was littered with half a dozen corpses, before a single cut had been delivered unto the Prince.

    Thinking rapidly as he moved to the outer-circle of assailants against him, those nearer to the lady Yalla and the mud-brick and thatch roofed home.

    ¡°Kill him! Grab his legs!¡± Yalla shrieked with all the fury she could summon.

    The men, all about him, attempted to seize a-hold of the warrior, who heard her words and reacted accordingly so that he leapt away from the nearest of those around him. As he leapt, he drew up his legs so that he might not have them seized mid-leap.

    When his bound came to an end, Agany¨² was to slash at those who continued to hold themselves before him. Those behind him did not let his amazing leap stun them for long, with more than three of the men throwing themselves forward, so that they tackled him.

    Hitting the wall hard, the startled warrior struggled and kicking with one leg even as his foes sought to bind it with their arms, his first blow did not win him much yield. It was the second and third blow that caused the man above him, to cede several inches and loosen his hold ever so slightly. Encouraged by this, he struck them several more times so that second by second, he was to gain ever more ground, so to speak.

    Once his limbs were liberated, from the hold, of those around him, he was to sweep them away with his blade. Sword in hand, he threw himself thither in the direction of the fields seeking to escape in that direction, his heart aflutter with panic.

    Some struck at him as Yalla shouted after him, with wooden pikes, pitchforks, and what other sharpened implements that they could find. Agany¨² scared and disgusted, hewed what men threw themselves nearest at him, at which time he veered eastwards.

    It was into that direction that he fled, with all his strength, glancing continuously over his shoulder at those giving chase after him.

    The mad crowds of the village eventually fell back behind him; still, he remained frightened that they might still give chase. It happened that in the distance some few of the men-folk were still in hot pursuit. Terrified, he was to throw himself behind the gates of the castle, wherefore he threw the gates closed.

    Once this done, he barred the gates and left to take stock of the reserves of the castle, down below in the depths of the estate once ruled over by Kolw¨¦. He was disappointed to find them severely lacking, and not having been restocked in some time, so that Agany¨² came near to leaping several yards into the air, just as he emerged from the depths of the tunnels below of the keep. The cause for his sudden fright was the sudden sensation of Kolw¨¦¡¯s hand upon his shoulder, and calling to him.

    ¡°Where have you been? Why did you turn those people against me?¡± Agany¨² demanded of his captive, thrusting the man¡¯s back against the wall.

    ¡°I did not turn them against you.¡±

    ¡°How, then, do you explain the madness that have overtaken the crowds who near your gates?¡± The Prince insisted, maddened by the denial of the elder man.

    ¡°They turned upon you, by virtue of thy own actions a month hence.¡±

    ¡°How so?¡±

    ¡°They turned upon you, because of the murder of their loved ones,¡± Proclaimed Kolw¨¦ with a worried glance outside their gates.

    ¡°Why did you not tell me so?¡± Agany¨² demanded impatiently, disgusted by the abandonment of his travelling companion.

    The other man stared at him, as though he were the dullest man in the whole of the earth. Agany¨² took umbrage with this glare, so that he might have liked to strike the other man, yet had to restrain himself. Agany¨² distracted from his anger, in the next heartbeat at the suddenness of a loud explosive sound as the gates were thrown open, with Kolw¨¦ and Agany¨² exchanging a worried glance over this.

    Kolw¨¦ would have escaped at that exact moment by himself, were it not for Agany¨² grabbing at him. Shrieking, he sought to push the Prince away from himself, ¡°What are you doing? Why will you not let me fly away?¡±

    ¡°Not without me,¡± Agany¨² snapped exasperatedly, ¡°I must escape with you, we shall take flight on foot via the northern gates, rather than you abandoning me again!¡±

    Kolw¨¦ should very much have liked to abandon him; however, the other man would not release him, to the irritation of the dusky skinned sorcerer. ¡°Release me! Release me!¡±

    ¡°Not for all the wealth in the world!¡± Agany¨² growled at once, refusing to cede a single inch to the man whom he had grabbed hold of.

    Kolw¨¦ prevented from being able to escape, was made to against his will to leave with him out of the northern-gate. It was through these gates which, the two of them escaped through moving as might shadows even as torches lit every inch of the once glorious keep. The people of the local village, laid waste to all they could find or otherwise seizing what was not destroyed, in the hopes that what they found might prove valuable.

    Slipping out as might a shadow, the two men fled north across the desert whereupon, they turned west at the suggestion of Kolw¨¦. It was in that direction that they might find a village by the name of Pupata or ¡®Red-Stone Village¡¯, as translated by Kolw¨¦ for Agany¨². The village as he soon discovered was less of a village, and more of a large town. Startled to discover a large citadel at the centre of the town, one built of finer stone than that which Kolw¨¦ had previously lived in, and they had left behind them. Built of fine mud-brick and solid stone, using techniques taught by the Orissians who lived far to the north, with the keep remarkable for its six towers and high-walls that separated it from the equally ten meter high walls which were five meters thick.

    ¡°There are more than three thousand people, in this city,¡± Kolw¨¦ explained proudly, ¡°It is here where I was born.¡±

    ¡°I was born in a city with ten times that number,¡± Replied Agany¨² coldly, with his guide quick to become red-faced in response.

    ¡°Size is not all, in regards, to such places,¡± Kolw¨¦ remarked with a slight stutter, ¡°What is most important is not the size, but rather, the quality of the spiritual centres and the scholarship that has come to inhabit the city.¡±

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Agany¨² snorted disdainfully, with the other man shaking his head in response.

    ¡°How can you call yourself a King in any true capacity, if you have no great affection for architecture, the spirit of thy people or scholarship?¡± Kolw¨¦ asked incredulously of the Prince, who glared at him, indignant at his questioning his worthiness of his titles.

    ¡°Such things ought to be built up at the pleasure of the King, not for him to serve as though he were little more than a slave.¡± Agany¨² growled impatiently, casting dark glances in the direction of his newfound travelling companion.

    ¡°But a King ought to be as a servant to his people,¡± Countered the sorcerer, with a gusty sigh that shook the whole of his frame. ¡°If you ask me, the greatest of Kings have always known this, and only the very worst have ever thought or believed otherwise.¡±

    ¡°Well, it is good I think if such be the case that you are not King,¡± Agany¨² concluded with far more disdain than ever before.

    As the exiled monarch took up this air of superiority, you can well imagine Kolw¨¦¡¯s disillusion towards him. Not that he had been particularly taken with the easterner to begin with, but at present he wondered very seriously if mayhap that eastern kingdom that had banished Agany¨², had not done itself the greatest of favours. To have retained him as monarch would have surely been a sure sign of decline and daftness, after all.

    Impressed by the size of the citadel, the quality of the stones, Agany¨² soon preferred to pour his attention upon it, remarking to himself. ¡°When I sweep back east of the great desert, I shall have to be certain to bring back such stone-masonry and the knowledge of it with me.¡±

    Kolw¨¦ made a non-committal noise, hardly impressed by this statement on his captor¡¯s part. He encouraged the prince not towards the citadel but a local tavern.

    Seeing this, the annoyed prince was to ask of him, ¡°Why are you entering the pub, when we ought to be pressing to enter the citadel?¡±

    ¡°Because O Prince of the East, the local lord does not much care for my person as I am but a lowly bandit. My friend Abiodun though, is a merchant of some respectability, whom I have given many of my ¡®goods¡¯ to in order for him to sell them in more respectable markets. Among his most frequent customers, is the local lord, Olaoluwa who likes to buy rubies and emeralds, for his daughters,¡± Kolw¨¦ explained to him through gritted teeth. ¡°More than once, Abiodun has intervened on my behalf, to assist in securing freedom for my men.¡±

    ¡°How did you succeed in this?¡±

    ¡°His brother acted as a sort of in between man, one who would represent his interests to myself, and mine to him.¡± Kolw¨¦ answered discomfited, only to add softly, ¡°I rather like him, a loyal sort with a pretty wife and a subtle mind.¡±

    ¡°Good for him,¡± Agany¨² muttered indifferently.

    Kolw¨¦ though, did not speak up about one detail that had him worried. He had thought he had seen Abiodun¡¯s brother in the village, among those who had sought to assault Agany¨² for Yala. There was the possibility he knew that the merchant was counted among those, who had fallen to the Prince¡¯s blade.

    The tavern interior was simply built. A small two-storey building, with the master living in the upper-tiered floor while the lower floor had a simple bar, behind which the tavern-master could be found. There were tables to be sure, but they were in shoddy condition with equally poorly maintained black-wood chairs before them (ordinarily three). Past the two tables to the far back of the bar was a small-elevated corner with straw thrown on it, with a similar corner to the left of the doorway, with there being smaller more rounded tables in these corners.

    Agany¨² took in the sight of the sloppy building interior with a disdainful grimace; he had seen similar establishments in his own kingdom far to the east, but it had been some time. The men inside nursed their drinks in clay goblets, with sullen expressions, few of them being in much of a joyful mood.

    Most of the men, he could see, recognized Kolw¨¦ though they did not say anything to him. This was a fact that caused some alarm, in Agany¨² who had thought that he had operated in the city, through agents and merchants. The down-playing of his own experience in the city, made him wonder what else the brigand was hiding from him.

    Near the rear of the tavern, sat a short-haired man with a long beard, the man was dressed in a loose white tunic and trousers and wore a shadowed, melancholic expression on his face.

    ¡°Abiodun, I knew that I might find you here,¡± Kolw¨¦ said loudly, pleased to see his friend, who leapt at the sudden sound of his voice.

    Abiodun¡¯s wild dark eyes stared up as he came near to dropping his goblet, ¡°Kolw¨¦! When did you arrive herein, Pupata?¡± He asked of the sorcerer, who took a seat opposite of him.

    ¡°A short time ago,¡± Kolw¨¦ replied evasively, ¡°How have you been, my friend?¡±

    ¡°Terrible,¡± Abiodun murmured sorrowfully, ¡°You are not the first I have spoken to, from the east this past week.¡±

    ¡°Oh?¡±

    ¡°News has come from the village, to tell me that my brother has been murdered,¡± Abiodun bemoaned full of grief, at which time he in a burst of self-pity threw back his head and emptied his goblet.

    While the merchant reached for the nearby jug of beer, keen to slake his thirst and soothe his broken heart, Agany¨² slid into a seated position a short distance behind Kolw¨¦. His back against the wall, he thus made certain that he could observe all within the tavern. His companion hoped that that was he intended to do.

    It might have been hours that they sat there for; doing little else than drinking and listening to Abiodun many sighs and grumbled comments beneath his breath. His grief seemed almost a living thing that was choking him. Kolw¨¦ was very visibly affected and filled with pity for him, while Agany¨² felt little beyond irritation. He only wished to find his beloved Char¨¢ji, and to return east to reclaim his kingdoms.

    ¡°Kolw¨¦ who is the man by your side?¡± Abiodun inquired curiously, once he had calmed down.

    Kolw¨¦ was hesitant to answer, yet when pressed he was to answer if quietly so, ¡°His name is Agany¨².¡±

    ¡°Who?¡±

    ¡°My name is Agany¨², now can you help us gain entry into the citadel of the local lord? I have need of his help to find my Char¨¢ji.¡± Agany¨² answered, losing patience at this time with the drunk before them.

    ¡°Agany¨², let me speak for us!¡±

    ¡°No, Kolw¨¦ I have no further wish to hear of his brother, the man dealt in ill-gotten gains, and I am supposed to feign sympathy for either of them?¡±

    ¡°Who are you to judge my brother?¡± Abiodun asked bristling, his temper beginning to awaken, wherefore he stared at the two of them with a great deal more interest than Kolw¨¦ felt comfortable with.

    The sorcerer might have been highly conscious, of what had taken place to the east, but Agany¨² did not seem terribly bothered, when he glanced in his direction.

    ¡°I had heard that you were therein the village, when it happened, and that there was a brutal Ogre who had come into the village, and murdered him. I had hoped you might not be connected, as Athun suggested you were, but¡­¡± Abiodun hissed from between clenched teeth.

    Sensing danger, Kolw¨¦ attempted to sooth him, ¡°Abiodun wait, peace my friend!¡±

    ¡°He, it was that, slew my brother!¡± Abiodun shouted infuriated, on his feet, indignant at the knowledge that it was Agany¨² who was responsible for the massacre in the village between the brigand¡¯s castle and their present location. ¡°Why should I aid him?¡±

    ¡°Do not shout so loudly,¡± Kolw¨¦ pleaded, attempting to seize him by the shoulder, to force him back into a sitting position.

    But Abiodun refused to calm down and was to bellow, ¡°Why must I quiet myself, when it was he who slew my brother? He slew my kin, and you would dishonour me by having me help him?¡±

    ¡°It is not as though, I have much choice,¡± Kolw¨¦ hissed back, only to catch himself and throw a fearful glance in the direction of the Prince.

    ¡°Do shut up, the both of you,¡± Agany¨² growled irritably, from where he sat cross-legged to one side of the sorcerer. ¡°How might we speak with the local lord?¡±

    ¡°You do not,¡± Abiodun growled at him wrathfully.

    ¡°What if I were to say that I have much coin that could easily fall into your hands, if you were to assist us?¡± Agany¨² asked impatiently.

    ¡°Agany¨²¡­¡±

    ¡°Shush, Kolw¨¦ do you not see that I am doing business here?¡±

    Kolw¨¦ prayed that Abiodun might strike the Prince dead. In fact, he prayed for it to all the gods of magic and wisdom, from Othinn of the far-flung north-lands, to the goddess Roma, to Thoth of the Kemetians at last to Amun-Re (his favourite god).

    But as always, where the art of steel was concerned, none were abler than the mighty Agany¨², who made short work of his offending foe.

    So it was that Agany¨² hewed down Abiodun, painted the walls crimson with his blood, and decorated his blade with the blood of the man.

    The locals present for this outrageous scene, of utter brutality, hardly took to it with much enthusiasm. To the contrary, Abiodun had been one of their own, and as such they had every intention to treat his murder as one might that of their own brother. It was for this reason that a number of them fled to go alert the guards, without preamble or needing to be told to do so.

    Agany¨² may not have realized at once the gravity of his crime at that moment, however Kolw¨¦ was to immediately see it for the injustice it was and sought to reason with the Prince. ¡°You fool! You utter and complete fool, have you any notion what you have just done?! We are but a single heartbeat from the citadel of the lord!¡±

    ¡°It hardly matters, had I not done so he might well have slain me, now out of my way that I might escape this hell-hole and take refuge, where I could in order to regroup and plan how I might rescue Char¨¢ji!¡± Agany¨² bellowed at him, determined to break through the wall of men who had begun to gather before him.

    ¡°You might say you wish to save her, but you may as well have damned her, you fool!¡± Kolw¨¦ objected furiously, seeking to grab at the Prince.

    He was unsuccessful in his attempts to dissuade the man from the east, from this most recent series of madness.

    The guards¡¯, who arrived to capture the Prince, did not do so without any sort of stratagem. The reason for this was simple; the man who had been sent by the tavern-master arrived before the gates in order to inform one of the guards, who hurried when he heard the noise indoors. Deep within the gargantuan citadel, he discovered the local lord in the midst of a discussion with one of the most important men within the realm.

    The vizier was currently visiting out of concern for administrative reasons, as the citadel of Pupata and its neighbouring eastern-villages lay at the very limits of the kingdom, of Hausa. It was his view that there were taxes owed, by the outlying region and that what was needed, was ever more rigorous control. The fact that the lord Teleayo was always eager to express his loyalty, and had time and again gone to war for the kingdom was hardly paid any mind by Tiwalade.

    Nervous, the longer the dinner-meeting between the two went on for, as Teleayo assured him. ¡°I can assure you, milord that, while the brigands seem to have ruled previously in days past, they are incredibly difficult to extricate from their fortress.¡±

    ¡°That is no excuse, for not having removed them by this time,¡± Tiwalade reprimanded the local lord, his hand stroking his thick beard as he studied the lord with dark eyes.

    To Teleayo, it was as though the vizier could see into the darkest recesses of his very soul, into every mistake he had ever made and every dream he had imagined since childhood. To say, he disliked the king¡¯s new favourite was to make a statement comparable to commenting on the dryness of the desert.

    He opened his mouth then to assure the man that according to his tax-collectors, and the mayor of the village nearest to the brigands, had informed him of the fall of Kolw¨¦¡¯s bandits. Teleayo was however interrupted by the sudden arrival of one of his guards, who burst into the room to his immense displeasure. ¡°What is it? I said I was not to be interrupted!¡±

    ¡°It is an emergency, lordship!¡± The guard retorted from near the doorway, drawing a confused glance from both men. ¡°Fighting has broken out within sight of the citadel, and threatens to expand.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°How many men are participating in this act of revolt?¡± Tiwalade snapped, not unaccustomed himself to violence and such irregular situations.

    ¡°One.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Now the vizier was as dumbfounded as the lord was.

    ¡°Only one man? Why has he not been apprehended, yet?¡± The lord demanded impatiently, his dusky brow furrowing in consternation and anger.

    ¡°Um, that is to say he is uh, quite fierce lord,¡± the guard stuttered, unable to tell his liege that they were incapable of handling the problem as it was.

    Sensing something amiss in the words of his servant, the lord was to turn apologetically to the vizier, saying to him, ¡°Apologies Eminence, do excuse me.¡±

    ¡°By all means, but I expect this matter sorted promptly,¡± The vizier snapped shortly so that the lord of Pupata bowed once rather swiftly before regaining his feet.

    As the two had been seated before a table, sitting on cushions rather than chairs, there was no chair to move back into place or worry over as the lord rushed to his feet. This was supposed to be an ¡®informal meeting¡¯ and it had rapidly gone sour, so that the lord was grateful for the distraction.

    Once outside, he was to survey the damage currently being inflicted, as the enraged Agany¨² hewed his way through man after man. Teleayo was to rally together several of his guards, eager to have them form up once more while another group were dispatched because, ¡°-We must not let this mad-man cut down any innocents! All within Pupata are under my protection, now to me men! To me!¡±

    He, it was who devised in this way the means by which Agany¨²¡¯s trouble-making might be mitigated. What the lord did not was suspect that the criminal was hardly interested in harming any innocence, intent as he was on simply escaping from the city.

    His own gaze shifted from Agany¨² who was making to slip away from the tavern to the open fields to the south, to near the tavern where a robed figure was busy with trying to slip away. ¡°You there! I know you, are you not Kolw¨¦ the Brigand!¡±

    ¡°Ulp!¡±

    ¡°You, Abios bring that man here,¡± Teleayo commanded the captain of his guards, who seized the other criminal, ¡°I have need of thy services.¡±

    ¡°My humble services are as always at your disposal, milord,¡± Kolw¨¦ promised at once, if rather reluctantly, as he could feel in the pit of his stomach a certain nauseous feeling begin to take hold.

    ¡°Help to subdue him!¡± Teleayo hissed, motioning to the warrior with a bloody sword, cutting through another warrior who threw himself against him.

    Agany¨² did not know how it had happened. He did not expect to have to face the whole of the city, nor had he expected that he might soon be covered in blood. He had thrown himself forward against all who opposed him. Man after man threw himself against him, so that the warrior dashed, tumbled and leapt away, or otherwise parried, thrust, slashed and stabbed. His sword was alive, thrumming as though it were an extension of his heart itself.

    He only knew that he had to escape back east, and regroup. He also had to reclaim Kolw¨¦, to force the knave to aid him in his pursuit of Char¨¢ji, who was by far more precious than life to him. This was why he had to recover her, had to find Kolw¨¦.

    It was as he fought his way, wounded from one of the earlier guard he had decapitated, that he had come across and had inadvertently assumed was striking at his left-side. That had been a feint, with the actual strike being a stabbing thrust that had pierced his right-shoulder.

    Blood seeping from his injury, Agany¨² struck at another man, this one coming at him from one side, wherefore he was to hear a noise turn and move to slash at the foe in a horizontal slash. The blow might have slain any man near to his own height. But not a child of six, which was what stood before him, one of the short swords of one of the warriors in his hands.

    The boy sought to defy him, and was glaring up at Agany¨² full of seething rage. The prince was surprised. He had not expected to see a child come up behind him, with the infant¡¯s mother racing over to grab at her son, no less terrified than the child deep down was.

    Agany¨² froze.

    Kolw¨¦¡¯s ice spell struck. Just as the Prince moved to back away, unsure of how to really react to the child he had come very near to slaying, he slipped on the ground.

    Hitting his wounded shoulder on the hard ice, beneath him so that a bellow of pain similar to that which tended to escape a lion when bitten by a hyena or rival. Before he could regain his footing, more than a dozen of the lord¡¯s guards were upon him.

    ¡°Take his sword! His sword!¡± They cried out, making a grab at it.

    ¡°Well done Kolw¨¦! Nicely done,¡± Teleayo praised, hurrying over just as Agany¨² fought back with a great roar. ¡°Restrain him! I want to know where he came from.¡±

    ¡°Why should you want to know that?¡± Tiwalade asked, as he appeared suddenly a short distance behind the lord of Pupata.

    ¡°To find out if there are any others-?¡±

    ¡°It is evident that he is acting alone, therefore you must punish him.¡± The vizier sneered at the lord, examining the trail of corpses left along the way to near the edge of the city where Agany¨² had sought to escape from. ¡°I count almost fifteen men dead. The fault is yours, Teleayo.¡±

    ¡°What? But I did not know he was here, until you did,¡± the lord objected at once, bewildered by the accusation.

    ¡°The fault is yours,¡± Tiwalade continued indifferently, ¡°And for that reason, you shall have no say in how this man ought to be executed.¡±

    ¡°But, the proper way is to behead him, I am not certain that I follow.¡± Pupata replied confused, never quite at ease in the presence of the silk-dressed vizier who was always dressed in purple, and with his neck, ears and fingers covered in gold.

    ¡°Bind his wounds, captain.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Do not question me, unless you wish to share his fate,¡± The vizier hissed as sharply as might a serpent.

    ¡°What do you intend to do to him?¡± Teleayo asked, hardly noticing as Kolw¨¦ slipped away to one side, into an alleyway, even as Agany¨² was bound with his arms behind his back.

    The vizier eyed the captured man, studied him for several minutes, ere he declared with an eager gleam in his eyes. The gleam made all those around him, visibly discomfited, as did his next suggestion. ¡°He shall be chained to the citadel walls, for all to see, and shall be left to perish, and his corpse left to the vultures. That is, if they do not start pecking at him, while he still lives¡­¡±

 Chapter III: Manacles of Shame

    The Royal-Vizier as his formal title was supposed to be, departed the morning after Agany¨²¡¯s capture. He made off with a great company of servants and warriors, which left the citadel feeling barren in comparison to before the arrival of the second most important man in the kingdom. And made off was quite the correct terminology, for when he left it was also with a considerable amount of gold and silver. Part of it appropriated by the vizier as a gift to himself, for his troubles for visiting so backward a place as he described it, and with others genuine gifts from the lord of Puppata.

    The lord himself left soon sent for the outlying region from whence Kolw¨¦ came from, curious to know if Agany¨² had caused trouble there also. While he waited, he was to make preparation to visit the location also, determined to find out if Kolw¨¦¡¯s keep was truly barren now. If so, he mused that it might make a good secondary holding, from which to increase his own holdings and thus prevent the vizier from seizing it for himself.

    His mistrust of the vizier was a sentiment that any other man might well have understood, even if most might not have been quite so quick to prepare for the journey a few mere hours after Tiwalade¡¯s departure. Hardly the incompetent buffoon he was believed to be, Teleayo was to the contrary a loyal and efficient man who knew to whom he owed the greater part of his loyalty to; his people.

    This was not entirely known to Agany¨², who knew only that the vizier had left and by then aware of the man being the one who ordered he be chained to the walls that surrounded the citadel. It was as he watched the vizier leave that the Prince had resorted to screaming after him, calling out to the departing man in purple.

    ¡°Let me down! You have no right to hang me here! You must let me at the least die a sword in hand! Come back you coward!¡± Agany¨² shouted as he dangled from half way up the grand wall by his left-wrist which was manacled to a chain nailed near to the top.

    ¡°Listen to him scream, and beg,¡± Tiwalade remarked with a slight snigger as he rode away on his horse, enjoying the screams of the other man.

    Rage twisted Agany¨²¡¯s face so that he howled once more at the old nobleman, just before he disappeared past the horizon, and away from the line of sight of the Prince. The men who rode away with the Vizier were in many cases no less pleased than their master, but those rather less cruel (but no less cowardly) men did not indulge in Agany¨²¡¯s suffering. They were rather more taken with the notion though, of returning soon back to the capital city of the kingdom.

    His wrist numb after hours of dangling from it, as the manacle bit into it. He could hardly move and could not quite gain a foothold so smoothly built was the great wall behind him. The royal could not twist about either so that he could only stare out across the landscape.

    Never before had he been so humiliated, or laid so low as this. The defeats he had endured over the years, in his many struggles to reclaim his crown, had never tasted so wretched as this. It was with a myriad of choice curses in the many tongues of east Ifriquya that he knew, and that which he had begun to learn now that he was in the west of the continent.

    Quite how he had fallen so far was a mystery to him; he knew only that it was the fault of Nibilan and Kolw¨¦, and also that of Loukas. Loukas who had stolen his intended from him, while claiming to be his friend.

    The more he thought about it, it was also the fault of his cousin¡¯s husband, Zawadi, whom he had trusted and relied upon before his banishment. The man had claimed not to want the throne, but when it was thrust upon him he had agreed all too readily.

    ¡°It was hardly my fault,¡± Agany¨² told himself, since he first arrived in the west, convinced that it was not that he had made mistakes but rather that it was the cruelty of others that had led him here to this sorry state.

    He might have been happy, had he been left alone with his newfound love in that oasis. He had not wished to combat with Kolw¨¦, his bandits or with those who had stolen her from him. There was more he might have considered the fault of others, such as the suns¡¯ that burnt him with their rays, which left him dizzied and barely able to think.

    ¡°I am royalty, they shan¡¯t treat me in this manner,¡± He murmured after the first hour of hanging from his manacle, sweating profusely as the suns¡¯ continued their cruel ascent.

    The farmers stepped on out, to cater to their crops most singing a tune regardless of the heat of the day and the difficult labour that lay ahead for them. Few if any paid the royal the remotest attention, none cared for him.

    ¡°Wait! Wait! Let me down, you must let me down from this place!¡± Agany¨² began to shriek after them, desperate to find a way down from where he had been chained, on the vizier¡¯s orders.

    None of them dared to answer him at first.

    It was not until he began to shout a variety of choice curses at them, demonstrating a more thorough knowledge of their tongue than they had expected. It was for this reason that one of the older farmers stepped out from their midst, away from the fields ignoring the warnings and worried remarks from his friends and kinsmen.

    ¡°At last, one of you blasted peasants will heed my calls,¡± Agany¨² said to him relieved, and if he was not so prideful he might have admitted to feeling grateful.

    ¡°I did not step forward to heed thy cowardly calls,¡± The farmer snapped at him, glaring with pure hatred that made even the Prince pause. None save Dragnar and his favourites had ever looked at him in such a manner, no peasant, nor noble of his own kingdom or this one had ever looked at him so. Save for maybe Yalla, and Abiodun.

    ¡°I am no coward!¡±

    ¡°Why then, do you cry out to us and beg?¡± The farmer retorted, for which Agany¨² had no ready answer. ¡°You who stole away the life of both of my sons, the life of my friend Osho¡¯s son and his nephew whom he loved as one, along with their best friend. You stole their lives from them, and now you dare to beg?¡±

    ¡°It was battle,¡± Agany¨² shot back, feeling indignant that this lowly farmer dared to cast judgement upon him. ¡°If I did not strike them down, they would have struck me. They understood this, from the moment they picked up a blade they accepted this truth.¡±

    ¡°Truth though it was, who was it who began the quarrel? And who was in the wrong, when it first began?¡± The farmer growled back at him, glaring at him full of disdain still. ¡°Now, I am without sons, and both had only a thought to protect us, their people and tribesmen.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°Compare yourself to any one of us, and the reason for which you wield the blade,¡± The farmer yelled at him, ere he turned away to return to yon fields.

    Left to ruminate about the other man¡¯s words, Agany¨² at any other time would never have tolerated his tone. As it was, he attempted to shout after him, but as he did so the farmers took to singing so that they might better ignore his cries.

    ¡°I once knew a maid,

    One who would ne¡¯er fade,

    Her name was Laulia

    O how she made me squirm, O Laulia!

    I still dream that maid,

    O how we played,

    I still miss you Laulia,

    Thereabouts she would dance,

    With a gay laugh, one no other could imitate,

    She would prance,

    And the acts she might initiate,

    I have not forgotten her,

    Sweet was she as a burr,

    I still dream of her, especially since I am now married!

    For no less than she, might I have tarried!¡±

    It was the ultimate act of mockery, the ultimate rejection. Resolved to ignore him and cast him aside in favour of their own works, they had set their backs to him. Humiliated, the Prince was to shout for but a little longer, until his voice became hoarse so that he was forced to give up.

    Throat scratchy, and skin burning from hours in the suns¡¯, it happened that the warrior-royal was to at last fall quiet, with the worst of it being when his stomach began to rumble. Sweating profusely, he could only glare at the farmers, at the same time that he looked longingly at the fields of crops longingly.

    If he only had his sword and was free. If only he was free, he might have by this time wrought his vengeance upon them all.

    Kolw¨¦ had a problem. He had little in the way of coin left, after a day of celebrating the downfall of Agany¨². He had spent it all on drink, and had enjoyed himself in disreputable company, only for the woman he had spent his time with to steal from him, rather than curing him of his heartbreak over the loss of his lady love. Still full of jealousy for her rejection of him in favour of Agany¨², he was determined to indulge away his feelings of inadequacy.

    When he first woke up, he was to discover that the woman in question a pretty young woman had made off with his money-pouch. Stricken by the loss of his coin, he was to search in his boots for what coin he had hidden there.

    ¡°How could it be gone also?¡± He demanded of himself, unable to believe how far his fortunes had fallen. ¡°This is all Nibilan¡¯s fault and that self-proclaimed Prince Agany¨²¡¯s doing!¡±

    He might have said more, were he not distract at that moment by a sudden fist striking against the door to his room in the tavern. ¡°Kolw¨¦ you filthy coward, come out and cover the tab you have accrued since you first arrived with that riff-raff murderer of yours!¡±

    ¡°Ulp!¡± Stricken with panic, Kolw¨¦ was to quickly gather together his clothes.

    Throwing on his thin robes, given to him by his former Master from the Order of Sorcery, he was to look about for his staff in the room. It was messy and hardly fit for human (or beast-folk) habitation he mused, as he searched with ever increasing frenetic panic.

    ¡°It must be here! No? It must be there!¡± He hissed as he looked under the beds, between the straw, then near the wall in the tiny room. It was only as he moved towards the window that he located it when he moved to cross over his bed, tripping over it.

    Realising that it had fallen between the straw at some time during the night, with his staff in hand he was to turn to the large window. At that moment, the door rusty and creaky as it was, and made of the poorest wood imaginable gave way to the large, plump tavern-Master who throwing himself forward with uncanny speed came near to throwing him to the ground.

    Full of fear of being caught, the magi, was to leap towards the window as he had done countless times, just as the innkeeper came near to grabbing hold of him. The vulture-cloak worked its magic and soon he was aloft out the window and fluttering away with a loud squawk. The sound echoed for some distance all around him, he might have made it farther were it not for the sense of illness that rocked him.

    Looking down, he had for the first time in years a sense of vertigo, and preferring not to go too far away, chose to move instead back down into the city. Selecting one particular alley between two nondescript mud-brick buildings, he landed and was quick to shed the transformative cloak ever so slightly. It still hung over him, but the hood which acted as the catalyst for its unnatural abilities was shed, and he was soon bent over.

    When he had vomited his fill, he was to step on out from the alley-way rubbing at his head as he did so. ¡°I must think,¡± He said to himself feeling as though his head might burst, ¡°I am herein the middle of the city of Puppata and have no coin¡­ I really must find that girl lest she spend all my coin!¡±

    Kolw¨¦ though, was by no means a man of enormous resolve, having shed his commitments to the Order of Sorcery for momentary distractions, he was soon distracted from his new quest. The source of this new distraction, you may ask? It was none other than the Prince whom had tormented him so, and taken him on as a mixture of prisoner and hostage. Ruining his relations with all those he had striven years to establish himself with.

    Seeing the humiliated Agany¨² chained to the wall, for the second time (as he had kept close while he was being chained the day prior), he was struck with sudden glee. It was a sense of sadism that overcame him at that moment, so that he hurried on over to him, his earlier quarrel with the tavern forgotten.

    ¡°Agany¨²! Are you dead or alive at present?¡± Kolw¨¦ demanded of the man he hated most, in the entire world (just after Nibilan).

    Agany¨² exhausted after hours of shouting and burning because of the light of day, barely stirred. This only worsened the irritation that Kolw¨¦ felt, for it had been his desire to mock and derive some measure of joy from the suffering of the other man. But how could he accomplish this, if the Prince did not stir and lose his temper?

    It was at this time that he cursed, and noticing that nobody was paying him any mind, as the guards were absent and the farmers busy in the fields, he picked up a nearby rock. Throwing it up at the Prince, he missed the mark by a few feet.

    Irritated with himself, and his poor aim, he adjusted his next shot and very great carefulness he adjusted his arm and fire off the rock. It was with considerable satisfaction that he struck the Prince¡¯s left side just below the rib. ¡°OW!¡±

    ¡°Ah you are awake at last, Agany¨² the murderer and criminal,¡± Kolw¨¦ mocked pretending to not be annoyed at how he had been ignored a few minutes prior.

    ¡°You!¡± Agany¨² hissed seized by fury.

    He wished for naught more than to reach out and destroy, the mage who stood far below him. The mockery in the man¡¯s gaze filled him with such rage that he once again kicked out and squirmed where he hung, froth and spittle pouring down from his mouth.

    Kolw¨¦ pleased by this reaction chortled. It was even more enjoyable working up the Prince into a frenzy than he had thought. If he was this enraged, and reacted so it would not be long before he died due to the heat of the twin suns.

    ¡°Agany¨², if I may say so you appear rather distraught,¡± Kolw¨¦ sneered, struck by sudden inspiration he drew from his waist his water-pouch. It was almost empty, but it would do so that he drank it heartily with a snigger. ¡°Woah, this is good I imagine you must be longing for but a single swig!¡±

    Truth was that his tongue felt like a great dry lump, with Agany¨² almost exhausted and desperate enough to beg by this time. Still pride was ever his master, and he would not give in so easily and preferred to summon up what little remained of it for one last act of defiance.

    The sensation of spittle landing on his face startled Kolw¨¦. He had not expected such an act, his sense of humiliation and embarrassment was only acerbated by the sudden sound of laughter behind him. Still working the fields all about the city and citadel, many of those tasked with this important duty were in the midst of returning after a long day¡¯s work in time to see him spat upon. None of them were at all interested in who Kolw¨¦ was (a great many recognised him), as they chuckled loudly.

    ¡°Be glad he did not pee on you,¡± One man taunted with a chortle.

    ¡°Might you be kind enough, to stand a little closer to the so called Prince?¡± Another man joshed urging the mage forward, in response to his friend¡¯s remark.

    ¡°Why taunt him? He is soon to die,¡± Another man remarked disapprovingly.

    This last man was the man who had taunted Agany¨² and had spoken of his sons¡¯; he was to carry on back to his home, putting his back to those around him. A great many that had not lost their children or brothers in the violence brought on by Agany¨² in the city, looked long after the grieving father and those who lumbered off back home, with considerable pity. There were those who had lost loved ones, who preferred to go to the temple of Osiris to pray there, their grief too overwhelming for them.

    Watching them disperse, Agany¨² almost swooned once again, when he heard Kolw¨¦ hurl a new insult, this one not directed at him but at Char¨¢ji. ¡°I do wonder how Char¨¢ji is getting on with Nibilan, I imagine she must be relieved to no longer have thy company.¡± Kolw¨¦ stroked his bearded chin with a falsely thoughtful expression. ¡°I imagine she must have already forgotten thee, given how swiftly she forgot myself in favour of yourself Agany¨².¡±

    The implication that his beloved Char¨¢ji might well have given up on their love, was more than he could bear as he howled at Kolw¨¦. ¡°I will end you! You filthy worm, release me and I will kill you Kolw¨¦! You may insult me, you may deride me but you shall never again insult Char¨¢ji!¡±

    Kolw¨¦ only chortled all the louder. The joy of having reduced the Prince to impotent rage and wasting his last breaths was more than reward enough, for his lost coin, he told himself. Now what next should he do to him?

    His moment of exultation though was short-lived, as there were those who had decided to take pity upon Agany¨². These were the men who chased him away, saying to him sharply, ¡°He is dying now, what need is there to taunt and humiliate him? At present all that you have done, is prove that thou should be chained alongside him, Kolw¨¦ the Brigand!¡±

    Stones were thrown, and shouts of a far grimmer nature were heard as these men and women gave chase after the sorcerer. The unhappy bandit was also given added reason to fear, when the tavern-master appeared amongst the throngs of people angry with him and gave chase. Speaking to the crowd of the thief¡¯s debt to him, he soon turned their rage from one of an indignant nature to an almost murderous thing.

    Seething the people chased him from the town, with the weary sorcerer turning once more to his vulture-cloak to give him the means to escape them.

    When at last he returned to taunt the chained Prince darkness had long since fallen over the land, with Kolw¨¦ having snuck his way unseen back into the city. Shedding his cloak he was to long after the men had returned to their thatch and mud-brick homes, move back thither to stand before Agany¨².This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    By this time the wearied Prince, had fallen asleep and was no longer paying the exterior world much mind. His skin had been burnt by the suns¡¯, his back hurt from hitting the wall several times and his arm had long since gone numb, even his eyes hurt and stung. It was for this reason that he welcomed the sweet release of sleep, with more than a little enthusiasm.

    Once more irritated, it happened, that Kolw¨¦ impatient to torment him some more, muttered to himself, ¡°How dare he sleep so? The purpose of having him chained there was to have him tormented not let him nap!¡±

    Full of devious malice towards his former travelling companion, the bandit resolved to do something new to torment him. Quite what it was he should do, he did not know, but considered once more the throwing of rocks up at him only to reject this as too crude.

    No new idea came to mind at once, and just as he felt on the cusp of discovering the idea he felt a sudden attack descend down upon him, and his malice. Though Kolw¨¦ might have been without mercy, it was evident that the gods had taken some measure of pity upon poor Agany¨².

    ¡°It appears that the gods have no intention, of allowing you to die of thirst,¡± Kolw¨¦ complained loudly as the few drops that fell piteously on his dark-haired head soon became a full downpour. It was a glorious thing for some, especially those whose existence hinged on the well-being of the local crops, but for one such as Kolw¨¦ it was an eyesore. ¡°Quite why they should show such pity, is beyond me but I go now, until the morrow o glorious Prince!¡±

    Awoken by the rain, Agany¨² who had been cracked and beaten soundly by the rays of the twin-suns¡¯ of the world responded to the rain with open gratitude. Under other circumstances, he might have given thanks or otherwise taken it as only natural that the rains should come, when he needed them most. But at this moment, beaten down and laid lower than he had ever been in all his life, even with regards to the desert crossing he reacted in the manner more contrary to his nature than he had ever done before.

    He gave sincere thanks and almost wept.

    Drinking the rain-waters as they fell, he was to gulp down what he could throughout the night, grateful for this small bounty from the gods.

    It was as he once more fell into a deep sleep that, the Prince was to wonder pitifully if this was truly how it was meant to end. His last thought was to offer up a prayer to his father.

    The following day saw rain pour down intermittently. At times the dark clouds seemed on the cusp of clearing away, at others they returned in force as though some other force needed them to fight a long battle with the day and the suns. It happened that most took refuge in their homes, having no wish to be caught in the rain and to catch their deaths out in the cold.

    Only Agany¨² remained outside.

    Only Agany¨² was left to suffer in the rain, and only he was to sorrow away. Occasionally he was conscious, most of the time he was not.

    Those moments when he was conscious, he had begun to sink into delirium so that when Kolw¨¦ wandered back out to torment him, he found doing so to be utterly unsatisfying. Muttering to himself, grumbling and cursing even as he fell deeper into some internal world, Agany¨² was unresponsive to the world and the people around him.

    It was just as darkness fell ever more crushingly over the land, when the suns¡¯ at last ceded even the vainest attempt to fight and struggle against the storm-clouds that change happened. At first Agany¨² who had begun to sneeze and see flashing colours, and various mirages such as his old friends such as Loukas, Hamisi the Sorcerer and many others, could not believe his eyes. His mind suddenly seemed to clear, as the clouds had done many hours ago so that he saw a figure so dark that he blotted out even the clouds and seemed to suck light and darkness together.

    The figure was dressed in ceremonial armour, and he bore himself in a regal manner that left none in any doubt of the majesty of his character and disposition. He was a man cut from a different clothe, from all who had ever stood in the dreaming West of Ifriquya.

    This was a man from another age and time, a man of legend no less impressive than Agany¨²¡¯s distant ancestor Memnon, or the founder of his line, or even Agany¨²¡¯s illustrious grandfather.

    The man wore not a crown on his head, but rather a war-helm in the style of a royal, from the distant east, it was ornate and could well have been mistaken for a crown. It was steely, and encrusted with enchanted emeralds that offered protection it was said, against the ill-intentions and curses of those who had opposed the kingdom since her inception.

    ¡°You! But you are dead! I know because I held your broken body, in my arms and bore you away to thy funerary pyre!¡± Agany¨² gasped hardly able to believe his own eyes, as he stared in horror and hope at the figure who stood before him.

    ¡°Did I now? It seems I died more in your heart than in this world of means,¡± Agany¨²¡¯s father, Liyongo, retorted in a harsh voice, his eyes alighted with a sepulchral light and a disdain that made the youth¡¯s heart shrivel up as much as his stomach already had.

    ¡°What? No, for in my heart and in my soul you live, you king and you lord over my destiny as much as our most distant ancestors have every member of our line!¡± Agany¨² protested against his father¡¯s harsh words.

    ¡°It has come about that you have cast aside honour, for little more than a chain Agany¨²,¡± Liyongo replied coldly, ¡°I have long watched over thee and nothing that you have done has escaped me. Long did I hold you in higher esteem, than any other¡­ more than even my own father, and yet time and again you have lost your way, failed and fallen.¡±

    Agany¨² could not speak, his father¡¯s esteem was all that he had ever wanted. To hear him speak so harshly, was akin to having his skin flayed from his bones.

    ¡°Why have you turned away from thy grandfather and I, Agany¨²?¡± The dark figure demanded of him in that severe voice of his.

    ¡°It was not by choice, I was driven to this place as much by fate as it was by those who would oppose me!¡±

    ¡°And who was it who turned them upon thee, Agany¨²?¡± His father sighed, full of the same cold rage as before, ¡°Long did I suffer down in the bowels of the earth, long I kept to purgatorial lands. All in the hopes that I might witness thy hour of triumph, and see my heir achieve greater glory than any who had come before him. Such was my hope for you, and it has proven to be one long defeat, a series of disappointments that have left my heart cold, my soul empty and my dreams meaningless.¡±

    Such was the hatred in his voice as he spoke, so that the son could only gape. His mouth opened and closed, as his father turned away once more.

    ¡°I shall never again visit thee, I leave thee with these words; you have forfeited the dignity of thy line and the glory of it. Dignity and glory, comes from valour and naught else, and not material triumphs!¡±

    The darkened figure disappeared amidst shadow and horse-hooves that carried him away, with each time the hooves struck the ground the boom of thunder echoing throughout the land. The whole of Pupata shook, her people quaked and the lord of the locality trembled in his bed frightened by the great din that resounded throughout his territories.

    Yet none squirmed or shrunk from this din more than Agany¨². What stunned the people, when the storm-clouds cleared and the suns¡¯ arose was that the once proud, shouting Prince had now been reduced to heaving breaths and sobs.

    Such was the wretchedness of his state, as he at last broke that even those who had lost children to his rage, felt their hearts tear with pity for him. So pitiful did he appear to their eyes that they could not help but look away, not a single one of them mocked him when they came out, to see to their daily work.

    ¡°Look at you, reduced to nothing more than a suns¡¯ beaten figure covered in his own juices, broken flesh and resignation, how far thou hast fallen proud Agany¨²!¡± Kolw¨¦ taunted later in the day, when at last he returned from where he had taken refuge.

    His sneering remarks though, did not touch Agany¨² nor did they seem to reach him. Broken by the previous night and beaten down as much by rain and heat, he had wilted visibly since last Kolw¨¦ had seen him. It was with a start that he realised, the Prince had not so much as noticed him.

    This hurt his ego, and made him wish to lob a flaming ball at the other man, until he reminded himself that such an act might cost him more than it would Agany¨². Irritated by the taller man¡¯s refusal to acknowledge him, he was however startled to discover mutterings and sounds escaping the lips of the Prince.

    Curious, he made his way over with the aid of his vulture-cloak, so that he perched initially on the top of the wall to which the manacle¡¯s chain was engraved into. Dropping down onto the metallic rod that had been hammered into the wall, so that he could perch himself on top of it. Kolw¨¦ listened raptly to the muttering of the warrior, with considerable curiosity.

    ¡°Father¡­ father¡­ father,¡± Muttered Agany¨² over and over again, delirious and overtaken by illness.

    Thinking this was the perfect moment to torment the Prince, Kolw¨¦ was to drop back down to the ground below Agany¨². Shrugging off his shoulders, his cloak he turned about to taunt the might warrior, saying to him, ¡°Look at you Agany¨², the unworthy son of an unworthy father! A man who could not properly raise his son to care for his woman, and has thus disgraced himself in the eyes of all in history!¡±

    There was no answer.

    Kolw¨¦ repeated his taunt. Nothing happened, except that Agany¨²¡¯s stomach at last gave out with what remained of the last meal he had eaten, escaping him.

    It happened that it came to decorate the sorcerer, who shrieked in horror and disgust as he now wore over his raiment the vomit, of his intended victim. Disgusted, he was to curse the Prince all the more, ere he departed for the nearby river that ran some distance away from the lands of Puppata. It was a thin trail of a river that was once far more glorious, and far wider but had in recent centuries begun to dry up under the oppressive heat of the suns¡¯.

    Hardly noticing his absence the Prince, was too focused inwardly as he continued to mutter to himself, ¡°Failed¡­ failed¡­ failed¡­ I failed¡­¡±

    It was all he could focus upon, broken and crushed by the burden of his own calamitous failings, and inability to please his father he was to begin to weep once more. Broken, he submitted himself then to the inevitable death he longed for. The loss of his father¡¯s approval had left him feeling wretched, small and without worth, such that he prayed minutely for a thunder bolt, or for the heat to at last tear what remained of his life.

    Why, he asked himself barely able to speak, why was he born if not to be usurped, not once but thrice first by Dragnar, then by Loukas (in a manner of speaking) but then by his cousin¡¯s husband Zawadi. Why had he been born, if it was just to lose first one woman then another, to another man?

    He had failed his friend Halanus years ago, when he first attempted to seize the crown, in the east then he had lost Mubiru, his faithful comrade-in-arms in the second conflict. He had lost them all, and he had been helpless to prevent it, just as he had been helpless to prevent Char¨¢ji¡¯s kidnapping.

    It went beyond humiliation. Galled not only by others, it happened that now the great furnace of rage that had boiled and burnt all about him, had now turned inwards. Never before, had he sunk so low as he had in that moment.

    If the world about him was not clouded, the world within him was all the dourer than the darkest of days in the ancient Elvish past.

    Such was the piteous air about him that this was to be the last day of his humiliation. The vultures had begun to circle above him, with this serving to elevate Kolw¨¦¡¯s spirit, and it darkened that of Teleayo. Full of regret for the cruelty inflicted upon the Prince, even after he had learnt of the wicked misdeeds of Agany¨², it seemed a waste to him to discard so mighty a warrior. What was more was that though Agany¨² had torn asunder the lives of the innocent, he had also purged the land of Kolw¨¦¡¯s brigands.

    Guilt had followed him as he travelled the eastern boundaries of his lands, it was his wish that he return home to consult with his tender-hearted, wise wife. It was she who had earned the name of the ¡®Great Dame of Puppata¡¯, such was the good counsel she often gave her husband, so that all knew not a decision was made in Puppata without her input. It was also said that she was a lady of considerable beauty so that her husband had had her hidden away, fearful that she might capture Tiwalade¡¯s roving eye. But as he had left, she had been left in command during her husband¡¯s absence, so that it was she who had had to on this last day endure the shame of the chaining of Agany¨².

    Far more hard-hearted against him, for she had counted many of the widows and sisters of those lost to his callous sword her friends, she did however feel pity for him. ¡°If only we could decapitate him, and be done with the whole sordid affair,¡± She was wont to complain in the hours that followed, her sending someone to inspect him.

    ¡°Agreed milady,¡± One of her handmaidens agreed at once, with a shudder, ¡°What is worse is that he reeks, and shakes with tears every few moments even as he mumbles strange words.¡±

    ¡°What is it he mutters about?¡±

    ¡°His father, and also a woman¡¯s name; Char¨¢ji,¡± The handmaiden informed her, with a soft sigh of pity.

    This tale of a love story melted the heart of the Great Lady. She had the fairer sex¡¯s appreciation for such stories, and soon her own heart was as full of pity as that of her husband. What this lady who bore the honourable name of Yejide, felt was that some terrible wrong had been committed.

    She was to say to her handmaiden as they sat within the outdoor garden in the middle of the citadel, which you might call the atrium, ¡°My heart tells me that the crime is ours. Or rather it is that snake Tiwalade¡¯s sin, and that to partake in this savagery is to wed ourselves to him. This shan¡¯t go on, go give to this Agany¨² water that he might be refreshed. He must not die under our watch.¡±

    ¡°But the Vizier ordered-¡±

    ¡°I am aware, however the destiny of this Agany¨² lies elsewhere, this I sense and thus it must be,¡± Yejide commanded at her most imperious, her brow furrowed with thought. ¡°I must thereafter go to the chapel and pray on this matter that the gods might reveal to me, their intentions.¡±

    It was after the handmaiden had given to the Prince to drink, and wetted his brow that she exclaimed with shock. His brow was hot to the touch, and he had without a doubt caught some fever so that the handmaiden felt certain he was going to perish soon, if he did not receive assistance.

    It was with a profound sense of consternation that she descended back down the ladder, at which time she was confronted by a travelling monk, and a merchant.

    The monk was none other than Kayode, one of many monks sworn to Horus the Elder. He had journeyed far from the land of Deshret in the north-east of Ifriquya, and had come on a pilgrimage in the hopes to inspect those shrines that still stood in the kingdoms south of Orissia¡¯s great walls, he was but newly arrived. The merchant for his part, had been met by the monk to the north-east, in the lands of Deshret, where he had met Olawale who along with his daughter had welcomed the company of Kayode. It was they who had paid for the rest of his venture, to his immense gratitude and they had done this out of sincere piety and admiration for the long journey they had undertaken.

    ¡°It truly is remarkable just how far you have come,¡± Olawale was saying as they arrived in the land of Puppata, ¡°To have travelled so far from Thinis the White-City of Deshret, all to survey the shrines and monasteries.¡±

    ¡°It is nothing,¡± Kayode replied in a harsh voice, a stout man with a thin figure and a long beard and a shaved head he wore thick dark robes. It always amazed Olawale the most about him was how, even when the suns¡¯ were at their worst he still did not complain or seem to sweat, quite so much as Olawale or his daughter.

    As they ventured into the vicinity of the city, they were confronted by the sight of the dangling Agany¨², chained to the citadel-wall just a few meters from the gates. Confused, by this the three of them were to stare for a moment, with the daughter of Olawale a soft-hearted maiden, of some sixteen years exclaiming.

    ¡°Oh how awful!¡± She covered her eyes and turned away from the vision, in the hopes that it might disappear. ¡°They chain men to walls in this place? I thought you had said father that Teleayo was a man of justice, and profound respect for his people!¡±

    ¡°He is, or it seems as though he was when last I met him,¡± Olawade stammered, no less stunned by the display of the criminal. ¡°I assume there must be a reason for this.¡±

    ¡°Indeed,¡± Kayode replied quietly as he called out to the handmaiden in a stern voice, ¡°You there, girl of the house of Teleayo, for what reason have you chained this man to the citadel?¡±

    ¡°He is a foreigner from across the desert, and a murderer,¡± She explained rather intimidated by the commanding presence of the monk, who studied her with dark eyes that could have pierced stone, as lightly as they might mountains. She set to explaining at the monk¡¯s insistence, how it was that Agany¨² had been chained to the wall, ¡°He is a criminal and set about after he had butchered the bandits of Kolw¨¦, to murdering more than fifteen men of our locality. This after he had murdered even more in a village to the east of here, which attacked him because when he had slain the bandits, there were some of their kinsmen amongst them.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Kayode muttered quietly, his voice still harsh, ¡°Though the brigands doubtlessly treated them better than their own lords might have, they still ought not to have been there. This man, what was his reason for these vile acts?¡±

    ¡°Reason? Of that we know only that he has a lover by the name of Char¨¢ji, whom he cried out for during the attack and since his enchaining.¡± The handmaiden explained promptly, with more than two or three glances in the direction of the eastern warrior and the northern folk who stood before her.

    Owalade was to remark to the monk, ¡°A shame but it is the laws of the local people, I suppose.¡±

    ¡°But father, we shan¡¯t do that! Look at him; if he truly calls out for his lover can you really turn away from him?¡± Uju, daughter of Owalade exclaimed in sincere disappointment with her beloved father. ¡°What of mother? Would you have done any less for her?¡±

    ¡°Your daughter speaks purely from her heart,¡± Kayode commented eyes still fixated upon the Prince.

    ¡°Yes,¡± Owalade acknowledged thoughtfully.

    ¡°And with that, because she has spoken thus, you have set thy path,¡± the monk said to him impassively, ¡°I shall inform the guards of thy decision.¡±

    ¡°What but-¡±

    ¡°I know what you have decided, and shall not protest.¡±

    ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°Because, I too believe what was done here to be barbarous, but unlike thy daughter I sense that it was not chance that brought us here, at this hour.¡± Kayode pronounced with a great deal of carefulness, his eyes on the dangling figure.

    Father and daughter exchanged a worried glance, neither of them ever certain what to make of the monk when he spoke thusly, in his gravest manner. Full of trepidation, they nonetheless held firm to their decision made in full pity for both of them were kindly people. They loved deeply, and did not have a single thought of hatred in their hearts or minds, and expected that all others must be the same this regardless of the countless dangers that stalked the land, and haunted this world.

    Olawale went to inform the Great Dame of Puppata of his hope to pay for the release of the prisoner, while his daughter Uju continued to look on Agany¨² with genuine compassion. She was intrigued by his story, and being spoiled and soft-hearted, could not imagine the cruelties inflicted on others by Agany¨².

    Haunted still, by all that had happened to him, by his calamitous fall, it happened that Agany¨² was utterly unconscious of the fact that his fate was being debated elsewhere. He had suffered such depredations because of the suns¡¯, because of Kolw¨¦ and because of the rain that his mind had deteriorated extensively.

    He knew only that he had failed his father. He was to die, and in that moment much as he craved death, he feared it. He feared it and trembled before it, because of his fear not of facing the wrath of Osiris and his ilk, but rather of seeing the disappointment on the face of his beloved father.

    Why, why was I born if only to be usurped and humiliated so? Agany¨² asked himself time and again, as he hung from that chain.

    The flow of tears, that he had attempted to staunch out of pride, had flowed freely for a time yet they had of late dried due to the intense heat that bore down upon him. Consumed as he was by sorrow, by grief and by the shame of having failed his father, just as he had Mubiru the Wolfram who had perished for him, he was utterly unresponsive to the world around him.

    It was why he was so completely taken by surprise, when there was a sudden down-pouring of water from up above him. The one responsible for this, was Kayode who had decided to mount the guard-towers to then move onto the wall, a task not made easy by his transportation of a bucket full of water.

    ¡°I shan¡¯t believe you would waste water, in so callous a manner,¡± One of the guards complained to the monk.

    ¡°Bah, once you see the works that will be accomplished, by this mighty son of Kings you shall understand, it was not a waste of water but rather the investing of it.¡± Kayode retorted evenly, as he spoke authoritatively down to the Prince. ¡°Prince Agany¨² son of Liyongo, and heir of the mighty line of the distant east, I come to you with the proposal that you live.¡±

    Agany¨² did not answer at once. Nor did he truly stir, consumed as he was by grief and sorrow he was to barely glance upwards. Not that this gesture could possibly have helped him, no matter what he did he could not see his would be benefactor.

    ¡°Lower him,¡± Kayode commanded in his severest voice.

    ¡°But, we have orders not to, only the Lady and his lordship could command such a thing,¡± Protested the nearby guard.

    ¡°Lower him, for I wish to as it has been said give him the rod,¡± the monk growled furiously to the surprise of the duo of guards.

    At once, one of them was sent to go inform the Lady of what the intentions of the monk were. Startled and bewildered as she was by the revelation that he wished to beat the warrior, the Great Dame was to acquiesce to his request. A fair-hearted lady, she had no wish to defy the monk, whom she had heard a great deal about, for he was the most famed of all the monks of Deshret in those lands. ¡°I shall do so, on condition that a fee is to be paid by you Owalade to those who have lost loved ones, and that Kayode agree to stay here to meet my husband. I would have his blessings and his counsel for the foreseeable future.¡±

    Despite his bowing to her wishes, Owalade was hardly pleased for he was due north, and had hoped for the company of the wise Kayode. Still though, as there was a life at risk, and he had no small amount of sympathy in his heart for those who had lost loved ones, so that he assented to parting with some of his precious coin. Never an easy thing to do for any merchant, but Owalade was no ordinary cloth-trader, a man who valued people far more than any material possession he was to forfeit the coin to those locals who had lost loved ones.

    In this hour he earned their gratitude, even as he listened to the tales they had to say of those they had lost, doing so with a heavy heart. This was why a great many held him up, as high and in as great regard as they did Kayode himself.

    While he passed his time listening to others, his daughter Uju and Kayode supervised the lowering of Agany¨² down from his chain. His manacle was soon removed from his swollen wrist, while all they knelt to either side of him with the guards wrinkling their noses at the man¡¯s stench. No less full of pity for him at that moment, as they stood over him they were to cast aside the chains into the guard-tower later.

    But at present one of them was given over to muttering, ¡°The stench could wake the dead! And how unsightly he looks!¡±

    ¡°In no small part to the severity of his punishment,¡± Kayode said shortly, never a man prone to saying more than he should. ¡°Go draw some water, and also have food brought.¡±

    ¡°Can you save him, Brother Kayode?¡± Uju asked of him, distressed for the fallen Prince.

    The monk shrugged his large shoulders, but did not answer in words. Only the gods knew what might become of Agany¨², he was to tell himself as he studied the Prince closely.

    Broken by the rejection by his father, and with his dreams consumed by Mubiru his friend abandoning him, and of his death, Agany¨² shivered and moaned in his sleep. Hardly able to keep awake in the broken state he now was in, so that he sighed deeply when at last water was brought to nurture his cracked, shattered lips.

    Though, he was cared for personally, every hour of the day and night by the newly arrived travelers in a heavily guarded room in the citadel, it took Agany¨² two weeks to recover from his punishment. Every hour was difficult, and for a time even Kayode gave him up for dead to his fever, and cursed the likes of Tiwalade for his barbarism. Yet in time, his fever broke and he was to begin eating to recover his muscular frame from before his trials at the hands of nature.

    But one thing that did not at once recover, was his native fiery spirit. All throughout his time abed, he was to shiver and cry out for his father, Mubiru or even his beloved Char¨¢ji. Still in his dreams, his father glared at him and the other two turned away.

 Chapter IV: The Lady in the Bottle

    ¡°What is thy business herein Fadaodi?¡± One of the guards asked impatiently, of Nibilan who answered at once, in what Char¨¢ji had come to know all too well.

    ¡°I have goods to trade,¡± Nibilan replied in a voice that could have been that of a mouse.

    The pleading, pathetic tone was one that gave the two guards before the enormous twenty meter high and four meter thick walls of the city, and equally high gates pause. The two of them stared at the thin figure before them, neither one able to resist the urge to demand from so squeamish and pathetic a figure, a little more than was usually levied on travellers.

    ¡°It is fourteen silver hyenas,¡± the one to the left demanded of the traveller seated in the front of the caravan, referring to the principal currency utilised throughout the lands of Hausa, Edo and Ife.

    Indignant at this gross breach of justice, Nibilan squawked at them, ¡°But that¡¯s twice the amount that you said before!¡±

    ¡°But that was before you refused to let us look into the caravan,¡± Said the second guard, the one to the right who continued to cast dark eyes upon the caravan, evidently suspicious of it. ¡°It is for that reason we must insist that you offer up more, to compensate us for our troubles.¡±

    ¡°What troubles?¡±

    ¡°If you happen to be smuggling goods in, we could find ourselves in a great deal of trouble soon,¡± Said the first of the guards in a sibilant tone, ¡°Therefore pay us.¡±

    Nibilan hemmed and hawed over this command, for some time and strove to find some way to weasel out of this situation he had put himself in. From the very first time she had met him, Char¨¢ji had been confronted by someone who was utterly passive, yet had the aggressively self-centred vanity of a weasel. Somehow these two aspects of his character were always at war with one another, even as they dominated him.

    Unpleasant, he was to suck his lower lip between his teeth and rocked himself back and forth as though he were on the cusp of tears. Eventually, in spite of his previous show of bravado he gave in and nodded his head several times, slipping over the coin they wished for to them. ¡°Here you are, you filthy thieves.¡±

    ¡°Mind thy tongue, knave,¡± Said the second of the guards.

    ¡°I think someone is hardly grateful enough, in my view,¡± Muttered the first of the two, as he accepted some of the coin also.

    The two were to signal the caravan forward, even as they counted their respective bribes with greedy gleams in their eyes. Heaving a heavy sigh of relief Nibilan was to whip the camels tied to the caravan forward, with visible eagerness.

    Turning to Char¨¢ji he was to proclaim in a triumphant tone as he did so, ¡°You see my dear, I knew we could gain entry to Fadaodi, the Marche-City as many call it! And here it is that we shall find our destiny, my dear!¡±

    ¡°Release me, and I will show you what your destiny truly is, you pitiful wretch of a man,¡± Char¨¢ji threatened her captor as she struck against her container¡¯s walls.

    It was humiliating for her, a lesser goddess that of the Char¨¢ji-Oasis to be reduced to so low a place by not simply any mortal, but by the most lowly of them all that she had ever known. Familiarity had truly bred in her contempt in her, for him as the proverb goes with her contempt coupling itself together with a growing sense of resentment and disdain for him.

    Nibilan for his part was utterly unaware of her continued discontentedness towards him, so that he was in her eyes the lowliest of all creation¡¯s creatures. He was of a mind still that, he might someday persuade her to appreciate him better.

    ¡°We will be together, in this place fear not Char¨¢ji,¡± Nibilan assured her, eagerly to the disgust of his prisoner.

    ¡°I would prefer it otherwise,¡± She snapped at him.

    Their discussion was interrupted by the likes of one of the guards who were to ask of the thief, ¡°Wait!¡±

    ¡°Wh-what?¡±

    ¡°Who is it that you are speaking to?¡± The guard in question demanded of him, visibly confused by his seeming madness.

    ¡°I er, myself?¡± Nibilan replied weakly.

    The disgust on the face of the guard was unmistakeable. Shaking his head he was to tell him sternly, ¡°You stay away from decent women, slime such as thyself has no place near them.¡±

    Insulted though he was, Nibilan could not quite bring himself to snap at him, such was the spinelessness of his nature. So that he simply nodded his head, preferring to make his way at last into the small town, with his caravan jostling on every hitch and bump and hole, in the road.

    Hardly paved, the path that had long ago become used to enter the town was unlike those further to the north in the Empire of Orissia.

    To either side of the caravan, advanced a great throng of people, eager to enter and to see to trading what they could of their wares. The city was a location that served as a mid-point of sorts between three kingdoms, those of Ife, Edo and Hausa so that in spite of its small size it was a popular destination for travellers. Dwarfed by a great many others, it was however due to wise stewardship growing ever larger, with every passing year.

    The crowd of people was larger and more formidable than any previously faced real or imagined by the cowardly Nibilan, who though daunted urged his camel forward. Tugging at the rope attached to her, he was to move his way ever so slowly and steadily through the throng of people. His apprehension such that he continuously glanced back to the sides of his transport, for fear that someone might peek into the caravan interior and if so, that they might steal some of the gold and jewels that he had stolen from Kolw¨¦.

    The village had at its centre a large citadel-fort much as that of Puppata, though this one was not separated from the rest of the village by a second wall. The stone-houses and thatch ones that decorated the village surrounded the citadel in a manner that could best be described as haphazard and utterly disorganised at worst.

    ¡°Beautiful place, is it not?¡± Nibilan asked of Char¨¢ji.

    ¡°I care not for it,¡± Char¨¢ji snapped impatiently, startling the thief who blinked in surprise at her words, ¡°I do not like great cities and village.¡±

    ¡°I shall remember that for the future,¡± Nibilan said cheerily.

    Char¨¢ji did not reply. She had no wish to feed him any further knowledge regarding her, due to her disdain for him and frustration with his obsession with her. It was for this reason that she was to once again wallow in self-pity. This had begun to become an ever more common occurrence for her.

    She had no wish to be with him, all that she wished for was Agany¨², to be with him and to be free from the company of the likes of Nibilan. A Nereid, a water-spirit she could only think to pray to her father Pontus, in the hopes that he might surge forward with some miraculous rescue.

    Nibilan¡¯s good mood did not last though, as he drew nearer to one of the larger inns, of the town. The place in question was one that he was quite familiar with, there was an image of a large warthog, and one that was as poorly drawn as it was crudely painted. The wooden sign was stuck in the ground just outside the tavern, and was one that wore to her confusion, in place of a crown a large goblet for a hat.

    It might have amused her, had she not been a prisoner, with the goddess frowning rather than smiling or giggling. Striking against the bottle¡¯s walls with all the waters inside of it, for the hundredth time that day, all to no avail, Char¨¢ji was to sulk and fall into a fouler mood at this failure.

    ¡°The Warthog¡¯s Goblet, ah the finest of all taverns and inns I have ever had the pleasure of visiting,¡± Nibilan was to remark to his prisoner, quite happy with himself as he pulled up next to the stables. If he was at all put off by the icy silence of his captive, he did not let it affect him as he carried on cheerfully, ¡°This is where we shall stay, while I make my fortune. A fortune that will help to buy me a finer home than that which the local lord currently squats inside of! I daresay that soon, our dreams of a fine home and of wealth and happiness will be more than mere dreams, what say you Char¨¢ji?¡±

    ¡°I say that I hope you choke on any hog they feed you, or wine they serve to whet thy appetites knave,¡± she snarled at him, with no less hatred than before.

    Nibilan did as he always did when she snapped at him, and pretended not to hear. His strange habit of turning to speak to the clear bottle, by his side was one that not everyone in Fadaodi was blind to. It was a habit that might convince some that he was daft, and simply talking to himself or addressing someone within his caravan.

    His only thought was to sell what he could of his caravan, and to find himself a place to stay for the night. It was necessary he told himself that he first find guards to protect it while he found himself a room at the inn, so that he was to have the tavern send word to the local lord that he wished his caravan guarded. The lord of the city was a man by the name of Bukola, and was a man renowned for his uprightness. It was said that for a small price, a man could request guards from the lord to be placed around his house, horses or caravans, to shield them against thieves and brigands.

    The lord when he received this message he did not ponder a great deal about the coin that had been sent with the messenger. Pleased at the payment, he was to dispatch four of his most trustworthy men, to the caravan in question.

    Nibilan for his part, was to wait just outside his caravan until the guards arrived, with their captain to inform him, ¡°I am Ayinde, head of lord Bukola¡¯s guards. We will be guarding thy caravan throughout the night; we ask only that you remember us when eating your dinner and that we be paid ourselves on the morrow.¡±

    This Nibilan agreed at once, paying them what they asked, which amounted to five bronze coins each, with the man¡¯s beard and lower lip almost quivering as he passed along the money from his pouch. This did not go unnoticed by the three men, as they looked at him with disdainful and rueful smirks on their lips.

    Irritated by how the three with him in the stables looked down on him, with as vicious sneers as had all others on the road and at the gates, Nibilan almost hissed at them. Remembering his temper, and his prize he was to instead thank them.

    ¡°Thank you for your aid, and I shall have food sent down in due time,¡± He was to say to them, as he bowed his head slightly to them in gratitude.

    This gesture they accepted if with growing contempt for him, ere they turned away to settle in for the evening, resolved to nonetheless do their duty. What they did not see was the returning sneer, and glittering eyes of Nibilan as he bowed his head before them in seeming submission.

    Stepping around them, to head to the stall where he had settled his horse, and over onto the front of the caravan, he was to while the horse chewed on some of the choicest hay move to sit by Char¨¢ji¡¯s bottle. Those men, he told himself may have been stronger, taller and better fed than he, but he had the love of Char¨¢ji this set him apart and above them.

    ¡°I go now,¡± He whispered to the woman he loved, who did not answer him preferring instead to turn away and sink into the waters below her, melding with them. ¡°Come along, mayhap we could share a drink together if you so wish, Char¨¢ji.¡±

    ¡°I would prefer never to share one, unless it is at thy funeral,¡± She retorted coldly to the bewilderment of her captor.

    ¡°Why would you speak so, to me? When I have done all within my power, to give you happiness and to bring you to one of the finest cities that I know of,¡± Nibilan exclaimed hurt by her words.

    ¡°I speak so, because it was you Nibilan, who stole me away from the only one that I could ever love, and forthwith took me to a city when I have no love for such places.¡± Char¨¢ji snapped at him, displeased and full of venom when she spoke.

    The goddess remained firmly convinced that he was her greatest enemy, and there was naught that he could say or do to dissuade her of this. It was thus, with a heavy heart that Nibilan began to realise the depth of her hatred.

    But denial, which knows no age, and no race and tends to infect many across the whole of the world whether they be gods or men, was to return in full force. Never, he told himself would he so easily accept defeat and let her slip from within his proverbial grasp. He had given up too much, and sacrificed too much he told himself, to have her by his side and so he merited her love, more than any other, especially one so ungrateful and brutish as Agany¨².

    ¡°Very well, I leave you here to ponder thy fate, and to think on thy lack of gratitude,¡± Nibilan snapped at her, never one to deny himself the slightest of comforts.

    ¡°He is gone now thither, into the inn,¡± One of the guards muttered once the thief had gone inside, with a bounce in his step at the pleasures that surely awaited him inside. The guard for his part, was a young man one who had gained his captain¡¯s respect, along with that of Lord Bukola, for his dedication and honourable nature. Yet he suffered from one fatal flaw; he was an overly curious fellow, one who was haunted by a persistent sense of curiosity. ¡°Now, may I examine his cart and possessions?¡±

    ¡°No, Abike, you may not,¡± The captain grumbled irritably.

    ¡°I swear it is not to steal from him,¡± the guardsman promised and he meant it.

    ¡°I do not think you would,¡± His superior replied at once, speaking the truth ere he turned away to study the open doorway to the stable, ¡°It is only that I do not like this fellow, and find him very strange.¡±

    ¡°It is not for us to question, who our lord assigns us to protect,¡± His superior scolded him, if without bite.

    ¡°I am aware captain, however is it not strange that he spoke to someone, and then when we glanced over near there after he departed, it was to find no one there,¡± Abike the guardsman said to the older man. ¡°There is something very queer about this fellow, about his cart and I say we should investigate it, in the event that there is more to it than meets the eye.¡±

    ¡°I agree captain,¡± said the next man in support of his friend, ¡°I have served for twelve years and never heard of a man talking to thin air, save once and that other man was drunk.¡±

    The captain considered their request. In truth, he was no less consumed by curiosity, and no less disconcerted by Nibilan. The man was a weasel; this much could be discerned by anyone with eyes. It was for this reason that he might have liked to investigate the man himself, were he not given the command by his lord not to investigate the caravan.

    An order from Lord Bukola in his eyes, was tantamount to a command given by the very gods themselves, it was for this reason that he refused his subordinates permission to quench their proverbial thirst for the truth. It was also very strange, he mused to himself how the man had uttered the name Char¨¢ji, which sounded akin to a woman¡¯s name and yet there was no woman present.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°He could be daft,¡± He muttered almost more to himself.

    ¡°Of that I have no doubt,¡± another of the guardsmen agreed at once, with a derisive snort one which soon proved itself to be fairly contagious.

    How long they sat there for, none of them knew. In time though, their captain apportioned to each of them a watch-time, saying to them as he did so. ¡°We shall divide watch-duty into three parts of the night, I will take up the first watch, then two of you will take up the second and then the last will be taken up by Folarin and myself.¡±

    At this suggestion, several of them protested out of loyalty and fidelity to their much loved captain, for they felt that it was too much for him. As he was advancing in years, it seemed to them to be unreasonable to ask of him, to take up the lion¡¯s share of the hours expected of them all.

    ¡°Captain,¡± said Abike, astonished by his volunteering to do more than all of them. ¡°You are old, where we are young, might it not prove better, wiser one might also say for you to work only one shift, while we divide the other two amongst ourselves?¡±

    ¡°There are four of us, and we must tread lightly where each of our shifts is concerned, and as the most senior in rank it ought to fall on myself, to take up the greater part of the work.¡± Ayinde the Captain said attempting to convince them that all would be well, if he took up the greater part of the nocturnal-watch as he had proposed to them.

    It was a view that few of them shared, for all of them bore a special love for their captain. It was he who had sought to teach them, guide them since they were young and had first entered into the Lord Bukola¡¯s service. It was thus, for this reason that they were to assort among themselves in quiet whispers just how might the shifts be re-allotted.

    In the end it was Abike who decided, ¡°Uche shall have the first shift alongside the Captain, then I myself will awaken to take up the middle shift, with Folarin wherefore I shall take up the last one alone.¡±

    ¡°If it means that I shall not have to speak with that weasel of a man, I shall be perfectly content to take up watch for half of the night.¡± Uche agreed at once, with a nasty look in the direction of the inn where Nibilan¡¯s laughter could be heard echoing outwards.

    None argued with him on this matter, with the Captain though visibly moved by their devotion to him, agreeing if begrudgingly so to their suggestions. Doing so out of sincere exhaustion and because he felt in his heart that it might somehow prove ungrateful, to turn away from their genial offer, he was to lay down and immediately go to sleep.

    Once he was safely asleep, and his snores echoed throughout the stables, alongside those of the man who had the last watch, Abike was to wait nearby. His curiosity still had not been properly sated and it so happened that the other man on watch Folarin, was no less curious. Yet neither of them wished to see the other sate his curiosity in any way, by letting him inspect the caravan. Quite why this was could not wholly be determined, with the two men eyeing one another suspiciously for quite some time.

    That is until Folarin began to drift away, seemingly falling asleep while on watch. Abike ought to have spoken up or done something to rouse him, but he had little desire to do so, though this did not mean that he simply threw himself forward onto the front of the caravan immediately. To the contrary, he wrestled with his own inquisitive spirit and duty-minded ways for quite some time.

    ¡°I really ought to rouse him,¡± he told himself, more aware than any other man in the world of his duties, ¡°Folarin is also on duty, and the Captain said no peeking into the caravan.¡±

    He might not have glanced inside, were it not for Char¨¢ji speaking out all of a sudden. Sensing someone up above her, she was to twist about deep within her bottle, thinking that it was Nibilan she said as she awoke after a deep sleep. ¡°Filthy wretch you ought to be fed to Apophis the great serpent, and left to be digested over the course of a thousand years.¡±

    It was such a black curse that Abike the guard was at the first more upset by it, so that he momentarily forgot to be afraid of a talking bottle full of water. ¡°What? What have I done, to merit such a foul malediction? I have done nothing wrong, as of yet to deserve you cursing me so hatefully!¡±

    Realising that it was not Nibilan, Char¨¢ji was to gape up at him. She was to swallow down her own sense of outrage, which was considerable so that she could plead with the man who seemed to loom above her. Desperate for aid, she was to beg of him hardly caring at that moment, how humiliating it was for a goddess such as herself to be begging a mortal. Fate could be a whimsical mistress, and one whose cruelty affected all; be they mortal or divine. ¡°Please I beg of thee, do release me I did not mean to curse you O Mortal, I had thought you to be that knave Nibilan who imprisoned me in this bottle!¡±

    It was with a start that the guard realised that he was speaking to a bottle of water, unsure of himself he was to ask of her. ¡°How is this real? And how could anyone become entrapped in a bottle of water?¡±

    ¡°It is a magical bottle, I do not know how it came into being only that Kolw¨¦ the Sorcerer had it first and that Nibilan stole it from him,¡± Char¨¢ji told him only to press her hands against the sides of her container. ¡°Please, will you not liberate me? All I wish for, is to be reunited with my Agany¨², I never harmed anyone!¡±

    Hearing her heartfelt entreaties moved the young Abike, who was to swallow deeply and ponder her strange request. ¡°Very well milady, though how do I do that? Is there some magical ritual involved?¡±

    Sensing his apprehension Char¨¢ji, was to smile gratefully at him from within her bottle, saying as she did so, ¡°O kind sir, all you need do to liberate me is to uncork this bottle!¡±

    The man with some trepidation was to do exactly as bidden.

    The moment that the top of the bottle was removed, there was a great explosion of light. Light that so overwhelmed the poor man that he threw himself back, head over heels and off of the caravan, as he sought to divert his gaze. Never before had he seen such a strange sight, and never before had he been more encouraged to pray, to the gods than at that moment.

    To Abike it was a terrible experience, one that left him befuddled and stunned. Yet for the lovely Char¨¢ji it was the most liberating one of the whole of her existence (saving Agany¨²¡¯s heroic rescue of her). It was as though she had for the first time returned to herself, returned to her oasis and returned to her former glory all at once.

    It had been weeks since she had felt such exhilaration, such gladness. Her arms thrust up into the air she gave loud thanks to her father Pontus, crying out, ¡°Thank you O Father! Thank you, for having heard thy humble daughter¡¯s prayers! And thank you O Father of mine for this liberation!¡±

    Her voice echoed as never before, as she almost burst into tears such was the gladness that she felt fill the whole of her being. Once again Char¨¢ji was freed to walk the earth, to revel in the simple pleasure of her feet upon the ground. Free to indulge in the most basic of sensations from a cool breeze on one¡¯s face, or any number of other pleasures.

    ¡°By the gods! What are you?¡± Abike exclaimed given over to wonder, as he stared at her, as she stood upon the front of the caravan where her bottle had previously stood.

    Smiling beatifically upon him, as one might one¡¯s child Char¨¢ji was to give unto him what blessings she had at that moment, saying to him. ¡°O may the blessings of my father and of my grandfather be upon thee, brave warrior of Hausa. You have restored to me that which was lost, and which I most craved! My liberty!¡±

    Gaping at her, in awe of her beauty which seemed more natural than all the rest of the world, and more terrifying and wonderful than any stream, forest or mountain any man had ever set eyes upon. More woman than any living woman, she was so completely and entirely otherworldly that when he saw her, Abike knew a desire greater than any other he had ever felt before that moment.

    It was with a start that he knew her to be a goddess, not simply by her words but by some instinctual knowledge. It was a knowledge that came to him, born long before he was and that harkened back to an infinitely more primordial age, when men wandered the land clothed in loin-clothes and the skin of lions rather than in proper raiment.

    Startled and bewildered he was unable to find the words to answer her. How could he? To have been able to speak at that moment was beyond any man¡¯s ken. One would have to be a god or a demon to have been able to dress beauteous Char¨¢ji so readily then. This was what he was to later tell himself, when he went away from the stable, having lost his heart to the lady in the bottle.

    If Abike lost his heart to her eyes and voice, which was akin to a song in full crescendo, or a painting that was newly finished and painted by the finest of Quirinian or Orissian painters, Folarin the guard was to react very differently to him. Where the first guard had released her out of curiosity, from her imprisonment the next who beheld her was to react quite differently.

    This second guard was not the man that Abike or their captain was, an envious creature he was to at the sight of Char¨¢ji be no less enthralled. His own sense of passion though, was one that was to blind him to all that was good and moral in him as he observed her with greed in his heart.

    ¡°What is this?¡± He was to call out, to the surprise of Abike who turned to stare at him, unsure of how best to answer him.

    ¡°I erm, that is to say,¡± He stuttered at a loss.

    ¡°Who is that woman?¡± Folarin was to ask of him, pointing at the goddess who was in the middle of seizing her bottle from the other guard.

    ¡°I do not know,¡± Abike answered honestly.

    ¡°I am Char¨¢ji daughter of Pontus, and granddaughter of Mngu,¡± Char¨¢ji interrupted as she leapt down from the front of the caravan. ¡°Now if you will excuse me, men of Fadaodi I must return to my oasis and find my way from there, to my Agany¨².¡±

    Staring in bewilderment at her, the two men knew not what to say or do. A part of them at once grieved that she might leave them alone, were horrified at the notion that they might never again see her. Her reference to her oasis confused them, as they hungrily longed to know more even as both were filled with jealousy for this man, this Agany¨². How could they not be? Neither of them had ever seen a goddess before, and neither of them knew what to do with their newfound passion for her.

    The first to react was Abike ever the honourable man; he sought to cast away the darkness that had begun to form deep within his heart. He was to step forward to inform her of where she was once more, to ensure she knew where it was that she found herself and to add for good measure. ¡°Milady, for surely this is the only title by which any man can ever call upon thee, I must ask of you to pay heed to the dangers of the night.¡±

    ¡°What dangers?¡±

    ¡°This is a city of merchants, not all of them honourable or chivalrous; I would counsel you to wait until the dawn before you depart.¡± Abike was to urge her, keen to do right by her no matter how she made his heart thunder in his chest.

    ¡°I have no wish to hesitate, or to wait for my Agany¨² to come to my rescue, I must see him as soon as possible that he might know I am well.¡± Char¨¢ji snapped furiously, with nary the patience of mortal men who knew the world to be an unjust and fallen thing. A world that was hardly worthy of so beauteous, so magnificent a goddess as she, or so Abike was to upon reflection on the state of affairs in the city and king, to tell himself later.

    The stable was silent, what music there had been that had echoed from the inn itself had long since gone silent. There was to be none of the boisterousness, none of the joy of drinks shared between friends for some time. It was a time of dark shadows, of quietude and of miserable expectations for a great many within the city. None knew though, of the great even that had taken place that night, at least not quite yet.

    Nibilan whom she might once have feared was no longer so great a threat to her, nor was he a concern. Not when she had the bottle herself, and with her newly won liberation from it. Her pride newly restored she was not alone under the stars, in feeling determined to have things her way, as it might be said. Folarin far more terrible, wicked and wretched in nature than Nibilan could ever prove himself to be, looked on her with the hunger of a starved lion.

    It was with a short bound to the ground, and with a proud flourish of her hair tossing the long mane she had, back over her shoulder that Char¨¢ji made to set out. Hers was a departure that those around her would have been sorry to see, such was the fervour she had already inspired in them.

    But she did not give way to irrationality where the matter of ¡®her¡¯ bottle was concerned, taking it and the cork from Abike, whom she was to smile gratefully once more to. ¡°Thank you, for liberating me from imprisonment and I do believe I shall take this with me. I will see to the discarding of it for I have no desire to once more face imprisonment.¡±

    It was a bold statement, and one worthy of a lady such as herself. It was a statement that worried Abike, who wondered if destruction of the bottle was truly possible, yet he did not say aught more on the subject. Fearing it might chase her away all the faster, for he wished to have her company as long as was humanly possible.

    ¡°Milady, if I may it truly is a dangerous place,¡± Abike warned her.

    ¡°Agreed,¡± Folarin said to the surprise of Abike who had hardly noticed him, so entranced was he by the goddess before him. Eyeing his friend long and hard, he was to open his mouth to reply shortly to him, when the latter man bowed before Char¨¢ji saying to her. ¡°I am Folarin, son of Valarin.¡±

    Looking on him with more than a little disinterest, Char¨¢ji was to hurry to step around him with the intent of leaving the city. In this regard she was to be thwarted by Folarin, who was to seize her by the arm. Hardly willing to let her go, he was to seize her by the wrist, in a gesture that could not be described as aught else than rude.

    His impoliteness was to extend further, when he insisted that she remain within the city, ¡°It really will not do if you were to go now, not with the city so full of miscreants and villains.¡±

    ¡°Release me at once!¡± Char¨¢ji countered at once, offended by his forwardness, ¡°I did not give you permission to grasp me in so forward a manner. I said I shall brave it, and so I shall!¡±

    ¡°But it would be improper on our parts to let you go, especially when you have yet to meet our liege-lord and allow him to pay his respects to you,¡± Folarin was to reply, only to turn to Abike. ¡°Would you not agree that, a lady of such refinement and beauty¡¯s place is in the lord¡¯s palace, Abike?¡±

    ¡°Well, I would not presume to know better than the lady, however I suppose,¡± Abike retorted only for his face to redden even more as he added with a warm glance to the lady. ¡°I would argue though that her place is hardly in a lord¡¯s countryside palace, but rather in a King¡¯s palace.¡±

    If looks could kill, there would already have been a murder and it would hardly have been a mystery as to who the culprit was, or who the victim. Such was the fury that Folarin felt at that moment that he was to go to considerable efforts to compose himself, and even when he did it was not wholly convincing. Neither of the other two before him was to trust in him when he next spoke, with neither of the two doing much more than eyeing him cautiously. Such is the nature of changeable men; they inspire neither trust nor confidence.

    ¡°Milady I insist for the last time, you do as I suggest!¡± Folarin pleaded for the last time, or so the lady hoped.

    Hardly bothering to answer him, Char¨¢ji was to move to step past him, keen to put the whole of the city behind her, at the soonest opportunity. She was to take one glance outside when she came to the realization that the two men had come to the conclusion of long before her. Coinage would indeed be necessary, she thought as she hurried back to the caravan, to the joy of the two men.

    ¡°You see now milady?¡± Folarin taunted her.

    ¡°See what? All that I saw was a larger city than I had expected, and that I will require some of Nibilan¡¯s gold stolen from Kolw¨¦ the Sorcerer.¡± Char¨¢ji snapped evenly, as she took up one of the many satchels to the front of the caravan wherefore she was to seize from the back of the vehicle a handful of coins.

    Once she had deposited them, and tied the satchel to her belt she was to make to leave once more from the stables, she was to once more move to step past Folarin. He was to interpose himself before her, with the noise of their conversation by this time awakening Ayinde.

    In the midst of a dreamless sleep, he awoke to discover the most beauteous lady he had ever seen, attempting to slip out from the stables. At first bewildered, he was to blink several times before he realized it was not simply one of his dreams, and confused he regained his feet as quietly as a panther, and with the same deadly purposefulness. Though, a part of him had no wish to doubt such a woman, he could see the bottle she held and was at once convinced that she was a thief, for he recognized the bottle as being the possession of Nibilan. And if there was one thing that ought to be known about Ayinde, it was that he was married to his duty.

    ¡°Who is that woman? How did she come to be here?¡± Captain Ayinde was to demand of his men, stunned at the vision of Char¨¢ji.

    It was at this time that a wicked scheme came into Folarin¡¯s spirit. One that so alarmed Char¨¢ji that she was to at once make to fly away such was the fright that overtook her. ¡°She is a thief Captain, has sought to steal from that man, Nibilan who hired us to guard his treasures!¡±

    ¡°Liar!¡± Char¨¢ji shrieked only to take flight when she saw the Captain who had just awoken, step up towards after rising to his feet.

    Convinced that she had indeed sought to rob Nibilan, Ayinde was to order three of his men after her, so that though he had liberated her out of curiosity and had sought to treat her with honour Abike it was who soon seized hold of her. Catching her by the waist he lifted her high off the ground, in the middle of the main road through the city. Few were the people who were still awake at this time, and bore witness to Char¨¢ji¡¯s capture and even less so offered any sort of objection.

    It happened that though she might turn liquid, or might otherwise have unleashed untold wrath upon the man who had grabbed her, Char¨¢ji did not do so. Quite why, was beyond the comprehension of those mortals aware, she was a goddess. The true reason though, was that she feared the loss of the bottle-prison that had been used to capture her, feared that they might gain hold of it and use it to once more imprison her.

    And so it was that she clung to her prison as one might one¡¯s life, and she in this way just as it is said many of the mortal races so often do, clung to her doom in this manner. What she could not have predicted as she withheld her wrath, for fear of shattering it unsure of what might happen should it be destroyed, and for their sake that she would be carried off.

    ¡°Take her to the prison for the night,¡± Ayinde commanded sharply studying her intently, a hint of admiration in his gaze as he looked on her then. ¡°Take her away; theft under such circumstances is a terrible crime.¡±

    ¡°What of this bottle?¡± Folarin asked eager to lay claim to it, aware as he was of its great magic, ¡°I shall have it stored away myself.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± Ayinde said surprising his men by taking hold of it himself, ¡°I do believe I saw it earlier with that fellow, Nibilan. It is his and we shall leave it to him, as surely as we shall leave the very last coin this thief took.¡±

    Folarin ground his teeth together, and he might well have liked to say aught more, yet could not under the circumstances. And so it came to pass that Char¨¢ji was stripped of her prison, and escorted off to prison behind the citadel walls after she had dared to hope. Cursing them all the while she was escorted away, she was to give vent to a variety of tasteful insults, as she resisted feebly. Separated from her oasis she was little different from other, more ordinary women. Full of impotent rage, she was to vent her fury as might a caged tiger, not that her attempts to bite or kick her new captors did her much good. Losing patience with her, Ayinde was to resort to slapping her, to tame her violent spirit.

    At last her efforts to resist properly subdued, she now had only muttered threats and prayers to her father Pontus, and for Agany¨² to come rescue her quickly.

 Chapter V: Journey into Darkness

    Quite why her father had taken to showing such pity to him was a mystery to her. Uju had long known her father to be a man prone to pity, one whom often picked up orphans and ruffians whom he would attempt to reform. It was something of a bad habit of his one that Uju had sought to remedy and correct more than once in the past. In this situation though, she had long since come to the conclusion that this might well be the very worst of all the ¡®pitiful¡¯ charities he had taken into his mind to aid. Quite why he had done so was a mystery to her.

    Certainly the man was mighty, by all accounts of those women she often in recent days visited with for their gossip, he was a lion of a man. One who could fight better than any other, and could crush any who might resist his mighty blade. The trouble was that though he spent most of his days shivering, weeping or otherwise hiding from the suns¡¯, he was also prone to lashing out, to losing his temper and otherwise screaming madly.

    The man is daft; Uju was prone to telling herself, and he could no more be of service to them than water was to sand. She could not see what her father saw in him.

    ¡°He is a broken man, my daughter,¡± Owalade told her sadly, ¡°It is only by the grace of the gods that he is still alive, and does that not compel us to aid him and bandage him?¡±

    ¡°Hardly,¡± She would often respond.

    ¡°If a village rejects her child, that child will go on to burn the village to the ground,¡± Her father was fond of saying, it was a proverb he had come along on their many travels. ¡°If we want to be good converts to the faith of Amun-Re and that of Roma, we really ought to do as it is preached in Deshret and the Orissian Empire what we can to help another.¡±

    ¡°Bah, I know that however this man will not help others,¡± Uju exclaimed every time they had that disagreement.

    Usually it was at this time every day that the innkeeper arrived to tell them to be quiet, that brother Kayode was attempting to sleep or that the neighbours could hear them. Frustrated Uju would feel obliged at this time, to go attend after their patient which she would and usually found him asleep muttering to himself, or otherwise staring blankly or apprehensively at one corner of the room.

    That day, something strange happened. It was not the innkeeper who interrupted the argument between her and her father, but rather Kayode. Stepping out of the room he had occupied for the past month, he glowered furiously at the young girl, saying to her with an air of authority that at once destroyed her will to resist. ¡°And just what is this commotion about? I cannot believe how noisy you are so early in the morn¡¯ Uju.¡±

    ¡°I did not mean to wake you!¡± She apologized mortified.

    Her mortification was made all the worse when her father chuckled a little at her expense. The dark look that was cast in his direction stifled his chortles, and made him choke a little, as he hurriedly apologized also.

    It happened that though both father and daughter had high hopes that he might decide to leave matters as they were, Kayode was hardly finished. ¡°I was already awake, but how can a man pray for a safe day, for this lovely community that has taken us into the bosom of their family, if the two of you are preoccupied with exchanging curses and needless arguments. It is true that Agany¨² Prince though he is, has done much wrong over the course of his short life however; to simply leave him to die in such a manner is unbecoming. In particular since he has survived thus far, for a reason, and that is because he has a destiny about him.¡±

    ¡°Destiny? I would venture to say that he has survived thus far precisely because he is a brute, rather than any such thing.¡± Uju snapped with a role of her eyes, hardly impressed by how he spoke of Agany¨².

    ¡°Yes, indeed young girl destiny, not that you would know anything of the sort about it,¡± Kayode snapped at her sharply, before he glanced away to look up the steps. ¡°It is time now for us to check his wounds, come away with me. I would speak with him, as I do believe the two of you intend to leave before the end of the month correct? You intend to leave for Ariluwa to the north of this place?¡±

    Uju was astonished, as was her father. Neither of them had after all spoken of their plans to the monk, who had demurred from discussing his own. Certainly they had spoken of the city of Fadaodi, but neither of them had mentioned Ariluwa to him. ¡°How did you know this?¡±

    ¡°Thanks to the owner of this tavern, whom you told in a drunken stupor two weeks ago,¡± Kayode retorted with a faint roll of his own eyes.

    ¡°Will you be joining us?¡± Owalade asked hopefully, having greatly enjoyed the monk¡¯s company in their journey south-west from Deshret.

    Uju waited with bated breath. Certainly she liked Kayode also, however since they had first left Deshret for the south-west, on this commercial pilgrimage of sorts, he had comported himself with a great deal of sanctimony and haughtiness. Certainly he was a tireless worker, who never asked what he was not willing to do himself of them, however he often took to preaching to Uju in particular.

    It was thus with a great deal of relief that she strove to hide from her face and eyes that she took in the revelation, ¡°No I cannot. My duties pull me elsewhere sadly,¡± something of her true feelings must have shone on her face so that he snapped at her. ¡°And do wipe away that glee from thy face young lady, it is quite inappropriate for a lady to behave so.¡±

    ¡°Agreed, especially when it is an honour to travel with one such as the holy Kayode,¡± Owalade grunted with a sharp glance of his own to his sheepish daughter.

    Spluttering she did not quite succeed in regaining her composure until well after Kayode declared with a glance up the stairs that led to the second storey of the small building. ¡°Unless my ears do deceive me, it would appear that Agany¨² has awakened. Come Uju, we must be away to tend to him. He shall prove instrumental in your own journey north, he and that friend of his.¡±

    ¡°What friend?¡± Uju asked curiously of her father¡¯s friend.

    Kayode did not answer at once. Turning away, he led her up the stairs with a burst of speed that could have impressed even the swiftest of falcons. To the mind of Uju it was as though he was seeking to defy all assumptions that those around him had made in prior days about his bulk when he crossed the whole of the tavern in less time than it might have taken Owalade to drink his wine or Uju to swallow a hunk of bread.

    Staring at one another in alarm, father and daughter were quick to tip toe their way up the steps after the monk. Both of them were to hurry up after him, only to discover Kayode in the midst of severely correcting the shabbily dressed wanderer who stared aghast and in surprise at his interloper. ¡°What-?¡±

    ¡°Kolw¨¦ you viper, I knew it had to be you, and do not think to pull up that vulture-cloak of yours and escape from me,¡± Kayode growled as he caught the younger man up by the arm, leaping forward to prevent the man from leaping out the large window. ¡°I said not to consider it, and there you are keen to leap out once more!¡±

    ¡°Release my wing- I mean my arm, I did naught wrong!¡± Kolw¨¦ shrieked eager to escape the older man, his eyes flashing with madness as he struggled in the manner that might have better fitted one who had gone mad.

    Still though, the monk held firm to the man¡¯s arm whereupon he rounded upon Agany¨² who looked on with a similarly confused gaze to that which father and daughter bore. The warrior broken and battered bore the mark of a number of blows, so that it was at this time that Uju¡¯s heart first began to twist with pity.

    Her heart though was never half so soft as that of her father, who seeing the marks on the face and part of the chest of his charge, and the rod that Kolw¨¦ held in his left hand became outraged. ¡°Slaughter him Kayode, run him through with a knife! A rusty one I say! How dare, he do that to poor Agany¨²!¡±

    ¡°Poor Agany¨² you say? He is a murderer!¡± Kolw¨¦ squawked not unlike a bird that has had a stone thrown at it.

    ¡°As though you Kolw¨¦ the Brigand are much better,¡± Kayode snapped, seeing the startled expression of the other man he sneered. ¡°Yes, I know of you and of thy vile misdeeds. I know of all the misdeeds; murder, extortion, theft, among many other crimes, yes I know, as I have been asking about you since I first heard you visiting my patient.¡±

    Kolw¨¦ looked as though a solid bucket of cold water had been dropped upon him. He did not quite know what to say or do, this much was evident. The plump young man looked on at the monk in bewilderment and outrage.

    It was as he attempted to make a new flurry of indignant excuses for his actions that, the man before him interrupted him once more, this time with a single finger held up to his face. ¡°Did you think I would not notice the fresh bruises that have appeared all over my patient, since that first night we took him in?¡±

    ¡°He is still a murderer! And what I did, I did mostly to greedy merchants and corrupted noblemen.¡± Kolw¨¦ excused himself to the disdain of the father and daughter.

    ¡°That may be so, though I know not how true it is,¡± Owalade snapped having at last lost all semblance of self-restraint, ¡°But this man is under my protection and therefore you have no right to beat or humiliate or degrade him! To have beaten him- why I ought to beat you!¡±

    ¡°As though you could-¡± Kolw¨¦ began to say.

    ¡°Leave him,¡± Agany¨²¡¯s voice cut through the hostile tension of the room with all the firmness of an iron knife.

    Each of them stared at him, startled by this sudden decision on his part. None of them had expected to hear the Prince refuse to punish his tormentor. It was each of their view that the man ought to be punished for sneaking into his bedchambers to lay hands upon him.

    Well they might have punished Kolw¨¦ or proposed that Agany¨² had gone mad in the time since they had rescued him. The latter remark might well have been true, as they abided with the commands of the broken man on the bed.

    Kolw¨¦ for his part, would not hesitate to take advantage of the momentary hesitancy on the part of Kayode so that he was gone before they could do much more. Chortling loudly as he went, with Uju rushing to the window with her father, both of them disgusted to find that rather than falling down to the ground, the young sorcerer had instead taken flight. Kolw¨¦¡¯s shape was now that of a vulture, the sorcerer was swift to disappear high above their heads and beyond their line of sight.

    ¡°He will return on the morrow,¡± Kayode grumbled unhappily.

    ¡°How do you know this?¡± Owalade asked dumbly of him.

    ¡°That is the incorrect question.¡±

    ¡°What would be the correct one?¡± This query was asked by Uju.

    Kayode studied her for a moment, before he turned away to examine the new bruises that decorated the warrior¡¯s chest and face. ¡°Let us first examine Agany¨²¡¯s wounds, and to see if he will soon be prepared for travel.¡±Love this story? Find the genuine version on the author''s preferred platform and support their work!

    Uju sighed long-sufferingly, irritated by the constant unending orders on the part of the monk, who was to bark another four at her, indifferent to her silent frustration. Seeing the stern glance her father threw in her direction so that she let slip another sigh. It felt as though she could never quite have things her own way in life.

    She only hoped the next day might at last see some change, and see them finally begin to prepare for the journey northwards.

    *****

    It was the following day, when Uju would find out what it was that Kayode found out what it was that the clergyman meant by his words. The day began with Uju being asked to bring up to Agany¨²¡¯s room a full meal by the owner of the tavern.

    ¡°Why not have Kayode bring up his breakfast?¡± Uju complained sulkily, still not keen to look after Agany¨².

    ¡°Because he left to go buy some last minute items,¡± the tavern-master replied, only to cast a dark look once more upon her, ¡°Now do hurry up girl, lest I tell your father you have once more refused to do as you have been told.¡±

    ¡°But why must we help him at all? He slew kinsmen of yours.¡±

    ¡°Because Kayode told me to, and has assured me they are at peace in the afterlife,¡± the bald man snapped at her only to point up the stairs with a jabbing finger as though he were attempting to stab a particularly stubborn enemy.

    Reluctantly the young girl was to do as bidden, and went up as though she were headed for her grave. When she reached the room, she was to hesitate. She did not much like Agany¨², he did not strike her as a particularly safe individual, and had a tendency to bark or lash out at all those around him. Add to that, his reputation for murder that had spread or begun to spread outwards to the outlying farms near the town, was not one that made her particularly keen to continue to remain in the man¡¯s proximity.

    Yet would anyone pay heed to her warnings, or worries? No of course not, they were much too wise for that, or so they often claimed. Really, Uju often wondered if it might not be their egos that constrained them to stay in Puppata and look after the likes of Agany¨².

    This led her often to wonder why she remained herself, when she should perhaps seize some of the coin that she had found on the prince¡¯s nightstand. Overlooked by not only the Prince, monk, her father but also Kolw¨¦ the thief, she had seen it and been given to wonder what she might do with it. She could mayhaps, she thought to herself set her father up comfortably. Or maybe she could have used it as a dowry to some rich merchant, in Ariluwa and convince him to help care for her beloved father? Either choice would be preferable to remaining in this strange city, and near so violent a man as Agany¨².

    The young girl leapt up a few feet in the air when she approached the door that she was to overheard the sound of a rod hitting flesh, and that of a loud voice sneering contemptuously. ¡°And what of that? How does this feel O mighty Agany¨²? How feels it to be laid low, and properly humiliated?¡±

    Uju stared in bewilderment at the door, unsure if she ought to push forward and enter the room or turn back, and fly back to her father¡¯s side. Suddenly she wished they had not finished selling what wares he wished to sell in the city of Ariluwa, so that she would have an excuse to avoid entering the room of the prince from across the eastern desert.

    Praying to the gods then, specifically the goddess Bastet for courage, she pressed forward knocking upon the door at first softly then more forcefully. ¡°Prince Agany¨² if I may, I have brought you your breakfast.¡±

    ¡°What? Who is that?¡± the taunting voice from a few seconds prior wondered, with Uju now recognizing that it was Kolw¨¦ the Sorcerer, the man whom Kayode had caught in the middle of beating Agany¨² the day prior.

    ¡°Uju, and I must warn you that if you have taken to beating Agany¨² once more, I shall have to report it to Kayode,¡± Uju told him in a menacing voice.

    The series of curses that she heard, told her more than she needed to know that he had indeed, taken to beating the Prince once more. Quite why the other man allowed himself to be beaten was a mystery to her.

    It was a major reason that she was reluctant to sympathize with him and did not truly perceive him to be a proper man. A man in the truest sense of the word would not allow such a thing to happen to him, with Agany¨² in her view thus with his many crimes, and his broken eyes the very worst sort of man she could ever imagine meeting.

    Why, she asked herself could not more men be like that warrior Lachlan she had recently heard about, the escaped slave who was pillaging and plundering from merchant shops along the coast, and redistributing much of the goods along the poorer villages along the northern coast of Ifriquya.

    The sorcerer stood thereby the straw bed of the Prince, eyes alight with a dark glitter as he stared at her with visible irritation. It was however Agany¨² who attempted to shout at her to leave him, ¡°Away with you, Uju I have no use for you!¡±

    The man¡¯s face was covered by a number of bruises, each of them purple, blue and the size of Uju¡¯s hands. Disgusted she almost took pity upon the weakened Prince, she almost raced to his side when Kolw¨¦ caught her attention when he hissed at her. ¡°Do not scream girl, lest you wish for me to curse you!¡±

    But it was too late, for the young girl had already begun to scream. At once, her loving, doting father raced on forth from far below. Coming up the steps at the same speed that one might have expected from a suddenly unchained lion, he was to in less time than it might well have taken another man to breath make his way up.

    His daughter¡¯s cry awakened in him, as it would have in any father worthy of the name, so that Owalade made his way up the steps three at a time, nary a thought for his own safety in mind. He had just appeared when the brigand shrinking back, stumbling for his staff that he had brought with him that he might protect himself.

    This he did, from the old merchant striking him with a gold light that extended from the rod¡¯s crystal. It caught him up and threw him against the door, leaving him unable to move much more than his eyes.

    Quite what was wrong with him was a mystery, with both Agany¨² and Uju staring in wonder and fright for several long moments, before the latter raced over to her father¡¯s side. ¡°Father!¡± She tried to shake him and help him to his father yet found she could not do so, ¡°Oh what have you done to him Kolw¨¦? How could you hurt him?¡±

    Kolw¨¦ for his part froze, mouth agape and unsure of himself was to stumble over his words, ¡°Well it is just that- you see he startled me, and that is- oh no¡­ I think I hear¡­ Kayode.¡±

    There was a sound not unlike that of a sudden thunder-clap. The door on the first floor, a drab thing made of tree-bark swung open, that the monk might enter once more. A tune on his lips, one that none there could recognize, he stopped mid-step to converse with the tavern-master before he tore his way up the steps. It was the former that Kolw¨¦ had to blame for the explosion of footsteps tearing their way up the stairs, so that the old monk might once more humiliate him.

    Once more, as it was on the previous day and many days before that one, Kayode tore a path across the inn, over the steps and into the room, throwing aside Owalade and Uju as though they were little more than obstacles to him.

    Sensing what was to come, Kolw¨¦ did not hesitate to throw about his shoulders, his vulture-cloak and leap from the window, in a blind panic.

    Coming to a halt by the window, Kayode shook his fist at the terrified sorcerer, ¡°Come back hither, Kolw¨¦ you coward! Get back here, lest I tear those wings from you and boil you in oil, and make a vulture soup to feed to the dogs!¡±

    It was now that he had chased off the brigand-sorcerer, he was to turn his attention to the bruised warrior who stared back at him sullenly. His eyes somewhat unfocused, as though he was not truly seeing the monk or the young girl near the entrance of the room. Still visibly defeated, he was not to at once react to the monk¡¯s defence of him.

    Something in this was to as all present were to see, cause the old monk to lose his temper. Quite why it was was a mystery to Uju.

    ¡°Is that what you want Agany¨²? To spend the rest of your days here, bemoaning your fate? Or will you at last do as your father did before you, and the rest of your ancestors and fight against all those who might stand between them and righteousness?¡± Kayode bellowed furiously as he struck Agany¨² with the heavy rod that Kolw¨¦ had dropped in his scramble to put as much distance between him and the likes of the ferocious monk. ¡°To lie herein bed, taking beatings from a disgraceful lout like Kolw¨¦? You who once dominated nations, once conquered monsters and fought off their minions as easily as some might ward off insects. Is this what you truly wish for? I had thought you loved that water-maiden of yours, what was her name?¡±

    ¡°Char¨¢ji.¡±

    ¡°Ah yes, the harlot,¡± Kayode said while rubbing his chin with a thoughtful hand, only to sneer down at the youth in front of him. A smirk graced his lips when he saw the flash of anger that appeared in the younger man¡¯s eyes. ¡°Does that anger you Agany¨²? If so will you strike me dead? Will you tolerate the insults of another man against the woman you have claimed as your own?¡±

    It was with an unnerving speed that Agany¨² struck. He was to appear then not as a pitiful, weeping broken mess to Uju but as a titan, almost a mountain itself. Rising suddenly, with the blinding speed of a panther he was to throw himself forward. Up he went, from the bed he had not left in nigh on a month hands outstretched as he made to grab at the monk who stood before him.

    He might well have seized him, and punished him for his mocking words, his undignified insults swifter than Uju could have screamed. Her consternated words of warning were to stop midway up her throat.

    The reason for this ought to be apparent, as Kayode though not a warrior was still the healthier man and was to react with a swiftness that startled even Agany¨², who blinked in surprise also. Even Kolw¨¦ was to gape in wonder, as Kayode caught the warrior by his wrists, his lips curved upwards in a mocking sneer as he did so, one that angered sorcerer and prince alike.

    ¡°Is that all? Is that the extent of your love Agany¨²?¡± Kayode demanded of the warrior-prince with no small amount of disdain.

    ¡°Release me!¡± Agany¨² bellowed, roaring in a manner reminiscent of that of an enraged lion.

    ¡°Why should I do that?¡±

    Agany¨² did not answer properly, preferring to look away. Once more he seemed no mightier than a downtrodden child, his shame and grief such that Kayode glared down upon him. It must have been nearer to several hours or so before another word was uttered, or so it felt to Uju who observed the exchange between the two men with keen interest. Hardly convinced that Agany¨² still had it in him to fight the monk, or even Kolw¨¦.

    What also amazed her was that Agany¨² loved another, she had not considered the possibility so that she was even more confused. She wondered to herself, whether he was a criminal guilty of countless murders, or a man in love fighting to reclaim his wife?

    ¡°Release me,¡± Agany¨² grunted once more.

    ¡°Agany¨², is this the extent of your love? Will you give up on Char¨¢ji? You told me you loved her this past month more than once,¡± Kayode retorted sharply.

    ¡°I do!¡±

    ¡°Then why did you murder all those men, Agany¨²?¡± Kayode asked and when Agany¨² did not answer at once, the holy man carried on if in a softer voice. ¡°I must ask, you must realize what you did was wrong. Therefore, what will you do now to atone for what you have done?¡±

    Agany¨² had no answer. How could he properly answer that question? He had done too much, slain too many and failed all too often to properly answer it. It was as Kayode had said; he had sinned and must somehow atone, yet he did not know how he might do so.

    It was with a downturned gaze that he was to answer with nary a trace of the old pride he had exhibited when confronted by others. ¡°I was full of anger. I had to rescue Char¨¢ji it seemed however that all those I came across simply sought to stand in my way.¡±

    ¡°And did you never once stop to think that perhaps, those people had their reasons for doing so?¡± Kayode replied quietly with a raised brow.

    Agany¨² remained quiet for some time. He wished to rebuttal the words of the older male he however preferred to swallow them. He had never previously done so yet at this time it seemed preferable given that he had made mistake after mistake since he had crossed the desert. ¡°I simply longed to have her returned to me.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I know that and recognize that, and you merited her return to you if only by nature¡¯s law. But Agany¨², nature¡¯s law and that of morality are different from one another. You broke moral law when you took up the sword and tore everything that those men who stood in your way had. You took their lives, made widows, orphans and left parents bereft of their beloved children. You tore from dogs the only family they had and left brothers without brothers, sisters with no protector or father, and left naught but broken families. This is what you did. This is why everyone hates you. Why your kingdom was torn from you; you may not be a thief but you stole men¡¯s lives from them!¡±

    Each one of his words left Agany¨² ever more bereft himself. It was all he could do to keep from throwing himself from the window. He longed to do so, if only to escape to lick his wounds in the manner that a wounded dog might.

    He could not help but to ask himself, why? Why was he born if only to be hated, and rejected? Certainly he had been born with a temper that could frighten the very worst of fire-spirits, and reduce a demon to quailing. However, he had never longed, never looked to destroy and be hated by all. I had no wish to betray and be betrayed, he thought to himself, only to be loved so why does every single soul I meet reject me? Even his own father had rejected him, so that he was given over to wondering; how long before Char¨¢ji rejected him also? Would she do it in spirit, or mayhaps she would do it when next they met? He did not think he could endure such an eventuality.

    Kayode though would not grant him any such opportunity to retreat from him though, as he bent the knee before Agany¨², looked him in the eye and said to him. ¡°Agany¨², you may not believe it though it might seem impossible, there is a power greater than yourself that longs to see you set free.¡±

    Agany¨² mesmerized stared him in the eye. ¡°What power is that?¡±

    ¡°That of the heavens, the gods themselves long to see you redeemed,¡± Kayode told him earnestly, hand upon his heart as he took up the hand of the Prince as might a servant before his liege. ¡°I beg of thee, O Prince¡­ will you not turn away from the darkness? Turn away from grief? Why cling to hatred, when you could so easily be redeemed?¡±

    ¡°Redeemed? Do- do you really think I can be, Brother Kayode?¡± Agany¨² pleaded hope blossoming for the first time in his heart.

    Kayode stared him in the eye, looking past the worst grief, the worst of Agany¨²¡¯s anger and pain and his guilt, and all that he had endured in the eye. He did then what the young Prince had always hoped someone might, even if he had never admitted it to himself, and nodded his head.

 Chapter VI: Terror of the Marches

    At last Agany¨² showed himself willing to step out from within his bedchambers. Hardly a man of action it had seemed in the first days since his release, he was to soon regain some measure of his previous strength his once lethargic, broken eyes now blazed with fire and purpose. This change in the man, struck father and daughter at once as the once almost timid Prince now gave regular commands. Mostly his orders involved food or what he might have need of, should he agree to escort them north.

    His initial unwillingness to aid and assist them, was something that Uju had tried not to let irritate her, yet the moment he signalled his intention to travel with them even for a short time, she found herself elated. Certainly, she still found him repulsive and frightening, not at all the soothing figure that Kayode or even Kolw¨¦ could be when at last they persuaded him to speak with them, however if there was one thing she knew he was skilled at, it was fighting. Since she and her father had taken up residency in Fadaodi they had heard a great many tales, about the skill and barbarity with which Agany¨² could fight.

    This knowledge was enough to soothe even her idealistic father¡¯s apprehensions about travelling north. The north as all knew was bandit-infested just as the rest of the kingdom was, since law and kingly authority had begun to break down, and the currency had become inflated and since the last year when a famine broke out.

    ¡°Famines are common,¡± everyone tended to say, morosely.

    This fact troubled not only father and daughter, but also Agany¨² who when he heard of this fact reacted with a dark frown, saying as he did so. ¡°In my homeland, in the distant east famines were once common after my crown was usurped by Dragnar. Yet before then, in my grandfather¡¯s reign there was never a year when a single man went hungry.¡±

    ¡°Your grandfather must have been a great man, and favoured by the gods,¡± Owalade remarked as they prepared their effects for their departure.

    ¡°A clever one who irrigated the whole of his realm, and kept much gold that he might trade what surplus he had, out of worry that his subjects might well starve if he were not careful.¡± Agany¨² explained quietly, averting his gaze as he felt the full weight of his ancestor¡¯s greatness. His grandfather and father had ruled wisely, had never stayed in any one place until old age overtook one and death the other, and had never done as he had.

    The burden and shame that his anger had brought about, were more than he could bear even as he knew he must inevitably return to anger. It was all that he knew. He did not know how to live without it, not unless he had Char¨¢ji at his side, which was how he found himself asking of no one in particular; how was he to live until then? It was a query that he considered asking the likes of Kayode yet somehow doubted that the old monk could answer for him.

    ¡°He was,¡± He said quietly eyes downcast, ¡°He and my father were as Atlas; holding up the kingdoms upon their shoulders, both of them strong and proud, and I threw away my inheritance time and again.¡±

    ¡°Such is the price of anger,¡± Owalade answered quietly, only to add, ¡°I was not always the merchant you see before you.¡±

    ¡°Father!¡± Uju hissed at him.

    ¡°Oh tush Uju, I can speak of what poor fate has befallen us if I so wish,¡± Owalade snapped at her, whereupon he told their newfound friend, ¡°I was once a royal butler. I knew all there was to run the Pharaoh of Deshret¡¯s royal household. It was quite the glorious position; however I was thrown out of the palace, after I squabbled with one of her handmaidens. Pharaoh favoured the other party, and so I was reduced to trading. I learnt from that, anger does not always help you as at times it is best to swallow it or to be careful with it.¡±

    ¡°I see,¡± Agany¨² said impassively, seeking to hide his true opinion of the fate that had befallen the man seated before him.

    ¡°You disagree.¡±

    ¡°I simply meant that-¡±

    ¡°I understand what you meant Agany¨², however it happens that my own anger while justified caused me considerable discomfort nonetheless, as it has you. So know O Prince there is another path for those of us greatest anger.¡± Owalade told him with no small amount of passion in his voice, which shook with such emotion as he spoke as to even pierce the heart of the man to whom he spoke.

    Always, Agany¨² had been hard-hearted. Feeling and sympathy for others had rarely come easily or naturally to him, so that he struggled then for words. Never before then had words failed him so completely and utterly. Such was his apprehension, his uncertainty of how best to answer even as he struggled to understand the wisdom that the other man sought to convey to him.

    Most merchants he had learnt were not necessarily of a goodly character, same went for those officials who worked for a King or baron. And yet here was a merchant, one of those he had come to consider scum conveying to him wisdom that few others had ever given him.

    Swallowing audibly, Agany¨² replied earnestly, ¡°I think I do understand, though at times anger can be necessary for a man to survive.¡±

    ¡°And thrive it is true, however only if he can keep it from consuming him entirely,¡± the older man replied with a weary sigh.

    It took a moment for Agany¨² to realize the old man spoke not to him then, but rather that he was speaking of himself and almost to himself about his past. He spoke of anger that had once consumed him heart, mind and soul so that Agany¨² was given over to wondering about his strange benefactor.

    He had at first thought him simply a peculiar old man, one prone to strange acts of charity and that he was also somewhat feeble, and simply doing whatever Kayode told him to. It was only now as he stared at him, and spoke with him that he realized this was not the truth. The truth was that the other man had lived his own life, experienced his own sorrows and made his own mistakes.

    ¡°No man,¡± the strange merchant carried on with a small smile at his amazed new friend, ¡°Is born without some special circumstances, or without some great tragedies shaping and moulding him into what he is presently. All men are subject to the tragedies and sorrows of the world, and must either succumb to its madness or overcome it.¡±

    Given over to wondering once more, about the old man, Agany¨² pondered at some length the wise sayings of the merchant. He had never before thought to consider what words a merchant might have to say, having always been suspicious of them. And while he still mistrusted them, he was now of a mind to consider Owalade different from the rest, and to treat him as such.

    If he were ever to reclaim the heritage left to him by his beloved father and grandfather, Agany¨² wondered if he might not make Owalade one of his chief advisors. The man was like Kayode wise and special, so that the Prince after having pondered his words at some length nodded his head.

    ¡°Truly you have wisdom that I have never come across in all the time since my first exile from my kingdom,¡± Agany¨² murmured quiet and contemplative.

    He knew not what else to say and so fell silent, with his benefactor smiling earnestly, yet with a puzzled furrow to his brow. ¡°How is it, Agany¨² that you were ever so consumed by rage as to slaughter all those people? You seem entirely different as you stand there before me, from the monster that others have spoken of all month long!¡±

    Agany¨² had no answer. He did not wish to answer, for he was ashamed as he thought back to his father, to his usurper, to Loukas who had each of them, striven to help him. Though two of them had betrayed him, and he still held some hostility towards them, he knew also that he had spurned them and chosen at all times, rage.

    When he considered it, he knew of only one answer; rage was easy, calmness and serenity difficult.

    *****

    They left not long after dawn arose on the third day after Agany¨² had announced his intention to depart with the pair of merchants. Acquiescing to escort them north to the delight of Kayode, who pleased that they had at last helped to restore the Prince¡¯s old confidence and strength back to him announced his own departure.

    ¡°I must extend my congratulations and my hopes for you all,¡± Kayode said to them as he offered up some small amount of silver coins he had. ¡°Here you are Owalade, now do not refuse. This is my thanks, and the payment for your having assisted young Agany¨².¡±

    ¡°There is no need to pay for me,¡± Agany¨² stuttered self-consciously.

    ¡°Yes there is, young Agany¨², but I suspect you shall soon repay us our kindnesses,¡± Kayode replied quietly, with a small smile on his lips.

    Agany¨² pondered those words, uncertain if he truly believed them. It was not that he had no desire to, to the contrary it was all he could hope to do with the time remaining to him. That and find Char¨¢ji of course however, he well and truly doubted that he might ever do so given that they had not only saved his life but had nursed him back to health where others would not.

    It was the view of the young man that not all that he had done was wrong, only the murdering of the locals, anger itself may have led him astray but there had to be a reason for that. Or so he wished to believe, lest he should have done everything he had done in the past year for naught.

    Thinking this as he helped to load the chart, tied it to the camel, and convinced the camel to pull the tarp covered cart out from the stable.

    It was as he finished in this series of tasks that something struck him in the shoulder. Startled from his work of pulling on the truculent animal by pain biting him there, he leapt up fifty feet or so in surprise. The culprits or culprits it might best be said, stared at him defiantly.

    No man or woman in the village could possibly have had the courage, to throw stones at him in such a defiant manner. And that was certainly true as he discovered; for the culprits were several children who glared at him, full of hate and seething anger.

    Ignoring them proved difficult, as the shaken warrior focused his gave on the path before him and his feet on the road that seemed to beckon to him. He had come too far and wasted too much time, abed and had to find Char¨¢ji, he told himself.

    Kolw¨¦ who sat in the caravan holding the reins of the horses, eager to press forward towards Ariluwa, and to put the southern kingdom behind him, even as he cast sidelong disdainful glances at Agany¨². Annoyed to find the warrior ignoring the hatred of those around him, and assuming a dignified countenance, so that Kolw¨¦ was uncertain how affected he was by those around them.

    If the mage was divided in his attention, Uju was not. She was to focus the great majority of her attention upon his handling of the reins. Sharp-tongued and sharp-eyed the young woman was hardly a patience teacher, which was what she considered herself at that moment as they departed from the village.

    ¡°No, no, no you are not doing it right; you really must handle them with greater care!¡± She would burst out every few minutes, or she would say, ¡°You should let the animals move about as they like with greater sensitivity for their feelings and nature.¡±

    Eventually Kolw¨¦ lost patience and was to say to her, ¡°Oh do be silent, I can certainly accomplish the manning of horses attached to a carriage!¡±

    Ignoring their bickering, Agany¨² still pondering the words of Owalade was less than interested in their endless bickering. He also felt burdened by the knowledge that his newfound friend, and beloved mentor of sorts Kayode had left ahead of them. The man had left without a single word of farewell earlier that day, so that Agany¨² felt bereft in some manner.

    He would have liked to have travelled with the monk, so that he might better understand the other man, and might fall back upon his wisdom. It was thus with a great deal of reluctance that he set out armed, with a sword purchased by the likes of Owalade, even as he scratched at his left arm, swatting away this or that fly. He suddenly missed the hauberks and armour he had worn in the distant east, so that his mood soured with each passing day.

    ¡°I shan¡¯t understand why we could not buy me back, my armour,¡± Agany¨² grumbled to those around him most of whom rolled their eyes.

    ¡°Now, now Agany¨², we could not afford such a thing. At the end of this journey, we hope to have armour properly forged for you,¡± Owalade replied from within the carriage, where he was dozing off.

    It was a promise that offered no solace to the Prince then, who continued to grumble and complain for quite some time. His discontent great as it was, led to nothing more than a number of repeated promises that Edo was not far, and had some of the finest blacksmiths and artisans one could hope to find.

    If it was not the flies and bugs that hovered about him that bothered him most, there were the innumerable merchants on that first day that passed them by. By nature a man with a relaxed air about him, Owalade preferred to travel slowly. Certainly he could be made to press forward, faster than any other man, such as when he had travelled from Deshret to the Kingdom of Hausen with Kayode. However, in recent days he had once again begun to prefer the more relaxed pace to travel.

    It was his view that life should be enjoyed, so that he felt more and more adverse to risks, and to venturing out from his home. Born in Edo he had left at a young age for Deshret where he had made his fortune, so that he was of the view that he ought to once he made his last fortune see to marrying off his daughter.

    Later he was to mention this notion to Agany¨² after night had fallen, to which the Prince was to remark to him, ¡°It would be your duty, though do remember that your daughter is a nag and is fairly sharp-tongued.¡±

    This warning was one that any other man might have taken offense at, yet not Owalade. A man prone to always defending his daughter and seeing the best in her, he was however not one to allow himself to be blinded by his affection for her, so as to not see her flaws. It happened that she was to choose that moment to complain bitterly about Kolw¨¦.

    Hearing this, her father was to bow his head in defeat and say to the man whom he had helped rescue, ¡°She has taken after her mother, who was likewise sharp-tongued.¡±

    Agany¨² simply shook his head, adding with a not unkindly air though his tone was still rather gruff, ¡°I would do what I could to convince her to mind her tongue.¡±

    ¡°Oh but it is so difficult, my Prince,¡± Owalade told him with a slight chuckle, ¡°It happens that I am rather too fond of her, so that I cannot bring myself to properly reprimand her. Perhaps, this could be something you might assist with?¡±

    It was considerable discomfort that Agany¨² glanced towards the maiden in question, and realized just what it was that his friend wished for him to do. To reprimand Uju meant having to expose himself once more to her tongue, without losing his own temper. Something that appalled him and that he preferred to demure from, as his own great rage though temporarily far away, he knew might well rise up once more in him.

    That first day ended with Kolw¨¦ volunteering for the first guard duty, with Agany¨² unsure of the wisdom of entrusting such a task to him. It was thus, with more than a little suspicion that he grunted as they established their camp near a great rock that loomed high. It was a stone that was more than thirty-meters high, and twenty meters long, so that it cast a long shadow.

    There were some small bits of grass to be found within this area that allowed for their steeds to eat and when Agany¨² hewed apart a nearby cactus water poured out which the animals pounced upon. While the animals sought to assuage their thirst, Owalade and Uju were to begin cooking some of the rations they had brought along with some of the mutton bought in the southern village.

    Kolw¨¦ having started the fire easily with the aid of his magic, was to then see to doing something that startled the Prince; he leant back against the stone, and pulled from his pack a large tome. Comfortable as he was, he was to devour the knowledge contained within the tome he held, with visible hunger. Hardly interested in him or the book he held Uju who had argued with him for hours, turned away now, with a moue of disappointment.

    Her father for his part was to regard Kolw¨¦ with evident respect and appreciation. Hardly a literate man, he had however considerable admiration for those, who could read. It was thus for this reason that he was towards the end of an hour ask of the sorcerer, ¡°What sort of writing is that? Is it a copy of the Hagios, passed down in Deshret and Orissia?¡±

    Kolw¨¦ for his part when he heard the query was to burst out into a long chuckle that shook him from the smallest of his toes, all the way to the top of his body. ¡°What? Such folly to think me a man who might read such works! No, this is but an old series of annals of the ancient era of our lands from the time of the first Pharaohs up through to our own present era. It is the finest of Cassius Benignus¡¯ great works on the history of the world, and centers on Ifriquya.¡±

    ¡°What could a dead man tell us of any true significance?¡± Uju asked with a grunt of indifference as she threw a fur-cloak over her legs.

    ¡°Mind thy tongue girl,¡± Agany¨² snapped startling the other two men, who stared at him not having expected him to speak up. He had stood apart, towards the edge of their camp as though afraid of joining them near the fire. ¡°History is a noble pursuit, and its recording is a sacred art that has been passed down across the generations in only the finest of empires and kingdoms. Most of those who have recorded what one will find in such tomes, lived centuries ago at a time when men were wiser and greater than we are in the present, therefore some respect for thy betters.¡±

    It was with a great nod of approval that Kolw¨¦ agreed with him. Just as Owalade did, though he seemed to be a little more uncertain of himself. A great lover as he was of great men such as Kayode, he was however uncertain of the importance those long dead. This much Agany¨² could see.

    He wished he could have argued better on this matter, as he took great pride in his own knowledge of his homeland and her lengthy history. He also knew the ancient songs and tales of the Earth-Elves, for it was only with their aid and friendship that his own people had established themselves in the lands of Zingium.

    Just before he pulled up his own cloak up to his shoulders, and drew nearer to the fire, even as he kept his sword nearby, while his benefactors fell asleep he noticed Kolw¨¦ studying him. It was perhaps for the first time that he saw, in the other man¡¯s eyes something approaching respect.

    It was hardly a sentiment he returned, though he had a better appreciation for the man¡¯s intellect, as he could see from his interest in the histories of the past a trait he had once admired in others. Loukas and Mubiru had similar inclinations, he remembered and though he felt somewhat sorrowful for their absence, he was suddenly to remember Char¨¢ji who knew much of history. The memory of her, and the sense of comfort that Kolw¨¦¡¯s interest brought him was one that was to later help him to sleep when it was the other man¡¯s turn on watch.

    *****

    It was as they set out on the second day, from their campsite that for the first time in quite some time, there was a semblance of peace, of serenity within Agany¨², who studied the landscape all about him with evident curiosity. The land was sickly, this much he could see at once. The border lands¡¯ were where a great deal of the crops was supposed to be grown and where there was supposed to be an active thriving commerce between the northern kingdom and the slightly larger southern one. Yet he could see no evidence of these things, could see no real hint of traffic as they crossed the sun-soaked, beaten earth.

    There were no cattle to be found either, to his alarm. It was strange and bewildering how on the previous day they had seen a great many cattle-herders, yet on this day there was no hint of them. It was as though the space between the kingdoms was somehow cursed, as though everyone was afraid that just as they crossed them there might be a sudden explosion of violence.

    The land seemed frightened also, as it had little of the greenness of the distant east from whence came Agany¨², so that he was left to wonder if these really were the most fertile lands as Kolw¨¦ claimed they were. The soil certainly appeared dry and when he descended from his horse to test the soil, he found it rich and dark brown, so that he could see that with a little irrigation or water there might yet be hope for this earth.

    ¡°The river changed course, with another part of it drying up just as more merchants began to move between the two kingdoms, so that the horses and camels devoured all in this place not unlike locusts.¡± Kolw¨¦ explained to Agany¨², with a mournful air about him, one that surprised his former captor. ¡°It happens that this place was once green, not very long ago yet as said it has changed these past twenty years.¡±

    A faraway look entered the bold eyes of the sorcerer-bandit, who was not to speak for some time, no matter how much Uju attempted to guide his focus back onto the road that stretched ahead, Kolw¨¦ however remained distracted.

    ¡°Leave the man alone,¡± her father told her sharply, after a time he added, ¡°We all must contend with our own shadows, just as he does now.¡±

    ¡°But he is simply thinking and daydreaming whilst manning our caravan!¡± she protested irritably, not understanding her father¡¯s wisdom.

    ¡°Look once more on the road that stretches ahead, though unpaved do you observe, how it goes on and on, is without changes or anything at all to attract a thoughtful mind!¡± Kolw¨¦ snapped at the young girl who puffed up with fury.

    It happened that with a great curse she threw herself into scolding him with even more fervour. Neither of the two could resist attempting to gain dominancy over the other, their contest of wills one that served only to annoy her father who in time lost patience and demanded she leave Kolw¨¦ be. Agany¨² for his part was to roll his eyes, and prefer to keep his peace all while keeping his eyes upon the road ahead of him and all about him.

    He might have liked not only for the flies and fleas to leave him be, he began to distract himself with the frustration of being for the first time in some time bored. Agany¨² was never bored on his prior adventure, through the lands of Zingium. It was upon those adventures when he had fought to reclaim the Kingdom that was his by right of succession, due in large part to the great trials that had presented themselves before him.

    A part of Agany¨² wished for a battle.

    Hardly ashamed of this thought, he was to however swallow his frustration, and at last admit to himself that he truly did miss his old friend Loukas. The youth had a tendency to whilst on the road, singing alongside Mubiru great songs to entertain and distract their friends.

    It was with a sigh that the Prince took to mumbling and whistling one of the songs, or at least he sought to do so, if in a quiet manner.

    Hearing him it happened that Kolw¨¦ tiring of the endless arguments with Uju was to say to him with a sidelong glance. ¡°What is that tune? I have never heard you sing before, is it from your homeland?¡±

    Agany¨² had not expected curiosity on the part, of his travelling companion given the man¡¯s steadfast hostility towards him. Stumbling for words, for several minutes he was to at last sigh and admit, ¡°It is a song that one of my friends from the east once sang.¡±

    ¡°You had friends from whence you came?¡± Uju queried incredulously, wherefore her father threw her an angry look.

    ¡°Uju! Some respect for the Prince!¡±

    This was enough to silence the girl, who reluctantly did as bidden though not without several dark looks in her father¡¯s direction. Agany¨² for his part paid her no further mind as he contemplated the past with some difficulty.

    It was true that he had had friends at one time, he had been harsh but it was to reclaim his crown and liberate Zingium from the likes of Dragnar. Certainly, some such as Loukas had turned upon him; however his own anger at the realization had turned more than one soul away from his cause.

    It was for this reason that he blamed him, hated him and still at times wished him harm. Agany¨² could not tolerate betrayal. Especially from a man, he had considered as a brother to him, and in the way of the death of Mubiru, so that to him it was Loukas he most thought of.

    It was thus, with this in mind that he considered Uju¡¯s question. That of whether he had ever had any friends, so that it was with a start that he realized just how lonely his life truly was.

    ¡°Still though, I should very much like to know the song,¡± Kolw¨¦ admitted with a curious glance in the prince direction, ¡°Because of how you never speak of your homeland or its inhabitants.¡±

    Agany¨² thought about those words. He disliked them. Not because they made any implications about him as they brought back a great many memories. Memories of both harder times but also better ones, he did not much care to remember.

    And so it was that with a great deal of reluctance he began to sing. It was with a start that his companions stared at him, none of them not even Kolw¨¦ having known or come to expect how well he could sing. Not only did he sing the song in his own native eastern tongue, but when he had finished it, he began to sing it in theirs so that they better understood it. It was only Kolw¨¦ who understood the song in Agany¨²¡¯s eastern tongue, learned as he was, whereas Owalade and Uju knew only the tongue of Deshret, Hausen and Orissia.

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    ¡°By the sea she waits,

    Bound there by the fates,

    Vast the lakes,

    Upon which she waits,

    At the mercy of he who hates

    All in his realm,

    Long is her hair,

    Dark yet fair

    Is her face, the stars¡¯

    Smile down upon,

    Many the songs spread far,

    And up along

    The road, of her lonely vigil,

    Begun decades back when men strong

    In nature and with many a sigil,

    Sought her defence,

    Her dress long and great his offence

    When he took her up and didst fence

    Her up from the world, and her friends lives he didst dispense.¡±

    When he had finished, he fell quiet. All there was, was the silence of the wind and of the land of the Marcher-lands that separated the two kingdoms from one another.

    The first to speak was Kolw¨¦, who uttered reluctant praise for his singing and the song itself, ¡°I must admit that I did not expect you to sing it so well. Though, I should think an Earth-Elf song such as the lay of Merialeth a great deal more appealing than this one.¡±

    Agany¨² felt his cheeks redden with fury, as his old temper flared.

    It was however Uju who spoke out against the man seated next to her, ¡°What do you mean? He sang superbly, and the song was truly a wonder to listen to, I daresay you have no great love in your soul for others Kolw¨¦!¡±

    ¡°Uju do not be so quick to judge another,¡± Owalade muttered if only perfunctorily and reluctantly, when he saw the wounded look the bandit gave his daughter.

    Grateful to them for their defence, even as he glared at the other man, Agany¨² did his utmost to remember the words of Kayode even as he swore to later strike back against Kolw¨¦. Quite how, he did not know, he knew only that the man deserved some measure of humiliation for his unkindly words.

    It was when he noticed the burning enmity in the eyes of their guard that Owalade, sought to heal the breach that had had begun to be birthed between Agany¨² and the sorcerer. ¡°Really now, even you thought it a lovely song and that is all that matters, is that not correct Kolw¨¦?¡±

    Kolw¨¦ grunted. Reluctant to give praise, dogged as he was by his prior dislike of Agany¨², he was to however fall silent once more. Pouting for he did not much like to be regarded as the guiltier of the two of them, for to his mind there was still a great deal resentment towards the Prince for having slaughtered a great many of his friends.

    Yet if this flame was hard to stamp out, it did not burn quite as fervently or brightly as it had in the past. It was rather more of a candle-flame that had greatly waned in comparison to the great inferno that once was.

    The song though charming as it was, passed from memory the moment that Uju saw in the distance a large group of tents in the distance. Excited she was to point at it, crying out, ¡°Oh do stop there, they might have water! We really must stop!¡±

    ¡°Yes, yes I know,¡± Kolw¨¦ grumbled and reluctantly he moved to oblige her.

    ¡°I have a good sense of that place, the first in some time about any place,¡± Uju declared to her friends and father, each of them smiling tolerantly. Her father soon was inclined to agree with her, while the sorcerer rolled his eyes and Agany¨² hardly interested simply trailed after the caravan.

    *****

    Little could they have guessed at the danger that lay within the desert that now stretched, between the two Kingdoms¡¯, as it was a danger that few even knew of. A danger that had rooted itself into place not unlike how a worm might burrow its way into an apple, a danger that some had begun to become aware of. It was why there were so few travellers on the road there, so few men and women taking to the road. It was also why this place was known as the ¡®Death Barony¡¯, and the reason to why, was a mystery to the frustrated Kings who hated to hear of the problems that haunted the caravans that travelled from Marche land to Marche land.

    The reason though was not a mystery to the men of nearest to that place. The reason it was not a mystery was a simple one; it was they who were preying upon the local caravans.

    Wicked and greedy, the men were vagabonds who had journeyed into the land that existed between the kingdoms years ago. Some in another life were warriors, others thieves and still others farmers. All were dispossessed and had established themselves as the only stop-over location between the two states.

    They ranged far and wide, moving from place to place between them and at times between the other southern Kingdom Ife, due to their fear of being caught by the Kings and their barons. It was by moving from place to place, they held the influence and the force that they did in the lands between the Kingdoms, ravaging everything they came across, and delivering such a magnitude of pain and sorrow to all around them that they came across.

    It was for this reason that when they observed the richness of the caravan, of the clothes of the merchant and his guards that they were to watch them with greedy eyes. Certainly they could see in the eyes of the warrior with a sword girded to his belt, a warrior of some merit.

    Fearful as most men might have been, they were however far too greedy to pay dread much thought. Their leader, the bearded Ikenna studied them with considerable interest from near his tent as several of his men and women gave over water from their wells that the travellers and their camels might drink. Seated in the shade of the doorway to his home made of sandstone bricks, he was to follow Agany¨²¡¯s every movement with darkened eyes.

    When one of his men was to approach him, asking of him, ¡°We will let them pass us by? I do not like the look of that warrior accompanying them, or that mage of theirs.¡±

    The bearded figure spared him but a passing glance, one which was utterly dismissive. ¡°That sorcerer is nothing, I know him.¡±

    ¡°You know him?¡± The incredulity in the other man¡¯s voice caused it to rise, so that he earned himself a sharp glance from his chieftain.

    ¡°Yes, for that is Kolw¨¦ the Fat.¡±

    ¡°Yet he does not appear quite as fat, as I had heard.¡±

    ¡°Still I recognize him, it is Kolw¨¦ the brigand, and he is more a gazelle than a lion,¡± Ikenna informed the other man quietly in his deep baritone. ¡°We shall have need of all our men though, due to that lion he travels with.¡±

    ¡°All of them?¡±

    ¡°All of them.¡± Once more the older man¡¯s voice was firm, and would brook no arguments even as the muscular giant who stood when at his full height a little taller than Agany¨² himself.

    Try as he might to discern the true strength of the man before him, he could not quite ascertain it. Because of this, he was concerned for what the future might hold and would have preferred to first investigate the man or see what the local villagers near the Marche lands thought of him. Yet he also could not risk it. Too many in recent days, had begun to become wary of strangers especially those with foreign accents such as those possessed by many of his men.

    It was thus with more than a little trepidation that he summoned all his chiefs, and captains that they might hear what he had to say once the merchant caravan had departed.

    Addressing them in stern tones, he informed them without preamble as was his way, ¡°We have found our newest target and he happens to be richer than the others we have seen hitherto now, in recent days. It happens though that we shall have to afterwards consider leaving this place, while we have grown comfortable, men have become wary of this road. We must return north west, back to the Marchlands between Ife and Edo.¡±

    ¡°But what of those men who had begun to hunt for us there?¡± one of his captains Ivun asked of him, a hint of wariness in his voice.

    Ikenna could have smiled, he had trained the youth well.

    ¡°We will return there knowing the dangers, but also that the booty should be richer now that at last two years have passed since our departure.¡± Ikenna decided with a nod to himself, convinced this plan might just be best.

    He was not alone in agreeing with this scheme. There was however one lone voice, one lone individual who seemed uncertain.

    Now among these bandits as with those who had belonged to Kolw¨¦¡¯s troop a great many women. Not all of them of a sordid nature or character. Most were, and this could most easily be detected in how many pursued Ikenna with an aggression that one might well have compared to the sort a lioness might wield in the pursuit of her prey. Yet Ikenna was no weak gazelle to fly at the sight of a great feline.

    This was not to say he was without sensitivity for his women, for he greatly liked a number of them. In this case though, his favourite was the likes of Fisayo, who hesitated when she heard of his plan.

    It had been the women who had been sent to welcome their guests, to help pull up the bucket from the well. It happened though, the men who assisted them were the thinnest and where some were concerned the youngest in the small village of some two hundred souls. Those who came to the assistance of the merchants, did so with a great deal of care and did so almost with nary any real thought behind their actions. So accustomed were they to the gleaning of knowledge, and the noticing of small details about them that they did so almost instinctively.

    The only one who gave them pause was Agany¨². Kolw¨¦ they were wary of, for there were those who recognized him though he had lost considerable weight since last they met. Yet once they realized who it was that he was, and that he did not recognize them they felt all the more at ease. It was Agany¨² that they avoided, for they could sense that he was not safe.

    When Ikenna asked them about this, they could only say, ¡°He is not like any other man we have entrapped or ambushed before. He does not feel safe, or peaceable like them.¡±

    Ikenna did not say much more. Ordinarily he might well have resorted to violence against them, or might otherwise have insulted them, yet he did not. Though he was keen to claim what treasure and wealth Owalade had, he felt uneasy.

    He did not like chance and did not like to trust all to it, or trust in the weakness of a man who left him as uneasy as Agany¨² had. He was to turn now to the likes of Eikun, saying to him, ¡°Eikun, my son, we must discuss how we will attack these fools.¡±

    Thankfully he had more than himself or a number of strong men to rely upon, but his sons¡¯ and daughters¡¯ to aid him. The former with their brute force were often used for just such a purpose. Yet they were kept at bay at times, as the latter when need be were used to charm others into a false sense of security, or to cook dinner, so that Ikenna truly was convinced that he was favoured by the gods.

    The only query he had, was where Kelechi had disappeared to, since some time ago?

    *****

    It thus came to pass that the brigands of the Marche-lands resolved to attack the small group. It was a risk to their numbers, and one that they were quite convinced would yield more than enough treasure for it to warrant the risk. Hardly suspicious of the threat posed by them, Owalade and Uju continued on north, following the main road with a great deal of cheerfulness. In contrast to the two of them, their escorts were in a far grimmer mood, with Kolw¨¦ though not entirely of a mind to the identity of the small tent-village they had come across, he knew he knew them.

    Vexed by his inability to place them in his memory, he felt certain he had observed the great bearded fellow at least once. The man was tall, mighty and fierce and of a nature that he knew to be no less dangerous than that of Agany¨². What the bearded fellow lacked though, was the aristocratic air that seemed to follow after the Prince, what he lacked in dignity he made up for in a noteworthy commanding air.

    ¡°That man, he was no ordinary fellow,¡± Kolw¨¦ muttered more to himself, having no intention of being overheard.

    It was thankfully not Uju who overheard him, seated as she was in the back of the caravan with her father. The two of them were in the midst of fussing over something or other, not that this was of any interest to their escorts.

    Rather the two men were more interested in the road ahead, with neither of them speaking to one another. Kolw¨¦ sought to place within his memory the faces of those he had seen in the camp they had crossed through, while Agany¨² cursed the road that stretched on ahead.

    ¡°Those men,¡± Kolw¨¦ was to say after quite some time, ignoring the father and daughter to the rear of the caravan, ¡°They were familiar to me, I know them and yet I shan¡¯t remember them from where.¡±

    ¡°Then do better to remember them,¡± Agany¨² reprimanded him impatiently, ignoring the hiss and the muttered remarks under the other man¡¯s breath, as he told him. ¡°There was a great deal that I found troubling, about those brigands.¡±

    ¡°I am surprised to hear you say so,¡± Kolw¨¦ remarked quietly, a hint of sarcasm in his voice, ¡°Here I had thought you merely liked to play at intelligence rather than actually having any great deal of it.¡±

    Agany¨² ignored the baiting remark, reminding himself that it would not do to kill the bandit as he replied. ¡°That bearded brigand, he was more Ogre than man, I should think it highly unlikely that he is but a mere chieftain or merchant as the rest claimed themselves to be.¡±

    It was thence that Kolw¨¦ let loose a great cry.

    Startled everyone stared at him in surprise, for his yell had come rather from nowhere it seemed, and yet to him it did not as the memory of where he had seen the chief of the clan of bandits ere that day. ¡°That was no merchant, I know that man. His name is Ikenna, and he is the ¡®Terror of Narwali! The most terrible of all the man of the Hausen, he once proposed that we ought to ally together! He wished for us to ¡®rule¡¯ the east of the Kingdom. I refused because he frightened most of my men.¡±

    ¡°Hold, do you mean to inform me that those were brigands that we just so happened upon, betwixt the two kingdoms?¡± Agany¨² demanded worriedly, as he pulled his horse to a stop, with a sudden tug on the reins of his horse.

    Kolw¨¦ avoided his gaze, however he nodded his head in affirmation. ¡°Agany¨², those people were one and all bandits. They post as merchants or as desert folk wherever they could, and pounce on unwary and vulnerable travellers. They are clever and sneaky, and far more brutal than my own men ever were. There were some things I never dared do such as sell men and women and children into slavery, what is more is that I never felt it right to seize women against their will, or to slay them. Then there are the children¡­ what those men if we can call them such a thing, do to them is inhuman.¡±

    Though Agany¨² had snorted at the remark of not seizing women against their will, all else he believed the other man spoke true. He had seen first-hand just how attached many village women were to the Kolw¨¦-brigands and just how many had served in the man¡¯s fortress before he had slaughtered most of the residents there.

    What troubled him most though, was the notion that if a bandit as feared and brutal as Kolw¨¦ could be stricken with such horror and terror, what did that say of these bandits? Shuddering despite himself, he was to turn to scream to the caravan.

    It was at this time as they passed firmly near the oasis, a place that reminded Agany¨² a great deal of that which he had first visited when he had arrived from the east. It made him think of Char¨¢ji and regret what had come to pass. How he had wasted so much time being chained, or recovering from his subsequent illness!

    ¡®Gods,¡¯ he prayed silently, ¡®let Char¨¢ji be alright, and let her still be waiting for me!¡¯

    This prayer he murmured to himself, and was to always remember thereafter, for it was just after he had given it that there was a great cloud of dust that swept over the landscape. It was one that swept in from the south and that startled all present, with the likes of Kolw¨¦ crying, blinded and stunned even as he cursed loudly.

    His own curses were intermingled with those of Uju and Owalade who did not much like this cloud of dust much more. What caught the attention of the equally infuriated Agany¨² was the sound of another voice cursing.

    Bewildered he was not alone in turning towards the caravan, with a stern look in his eyes. As he did so he exchanged a furious look with Kolw¨¦, who was equally enraged by the sound. The both of them aware at once, what the two merchants had done.

    ¡°What was that sound?¡± Kolw¨¦ growled as he threw down the reins of the camels that were pulling the caravan along.

    ¡°Nothing at all,¡± Uju replied nervously.

    ¡°Liar!¡± Agany¨² bellowed with all the fury of an ox that was preparing to charge, as neither he nor Kolw¨¦ were convinced for a single heart-beat by the young woman¡¯s words.

    ¡°There really is nothing at all,¡± Owalade agreed at once with his daughter, if in the same nervous manner as her.

    No longer willing to listen to him, or to his erstwhile daughter sorcerer and warrior both threw themselves forward towards the rear of the caravan. One came at them from the front and served to distract the warrior.

    Neither attempt to keep the men from searching the caravan was a success, as the warrior reached blindly, past the barrels when he saw something dark that was not a shadow. At once suspicious, he pulled what happened to be a young woman from the rear of the caravan.

    ¡°Let me go, release me at once!¡± She commanded desperately.

    The young woman was short and dark of skin, with long hair she was a little shorter than Char¨¢ji and with lips half as full, and with dark eyes that were narrowed with anger. Yet there was something of the familiar about her, with the warrior at once seeing the resemblance between her and the chieftain of the brigands they had left behind by almost half a day¡¯s travel. Dressed lightly in beige and grey robes made from the roughest quality of clothe imaginable, and with her hair bound in a bold of brown cloth, it was with a start even through her thick robes that Agany¨² realized if absently alongside Kolw¨¦ that she was beautiful.

    This hardly affected the Prince though, nor was it enough to save her from his wrath.

    ¡°Out with you!¡± Agany¨² shouted furiously as he threw her to the ground.

    ¡°Agany¨² my Prince you must not harm her! She is but a girl!¡± Owalade shouted helplessly, throwing himself before the Prince.

    ¡°Do you realize what you have done, by bringing her along?¡± the Prince yelled back into the man¡¯s startled face, ¡°Now those brigands will have no choice but to pursue us!¡±

    ¡°Yes, but she was desperate Agany¨²,¡± Uju protested weakly.

    ¡°They always claim such!¡±

    ¡°And it is the truth, Agany¨², I wished to escape my father, to escape from his brutal, horrible ways,¡± the girl protested desperately as she drew herself up so that the she might sit up and glower at him. ¡°I could not fight him, I am but a girl and one with no knowledge of combat and violence.¡±

    ¡°Then steal a horse and begone from his presence,¡± Agany¨² barked impatiently.

    ¡°Agany¨², you cannot be so harsh,¡± Owalade attempted to mollify him, ¡°She was in need of help also, just as you once did.¡±

    ¡°This is not the same, and I will not tolerate this girl¡¯s presence, herewith us,¡± Agany¨² snapped once more, ¡°There is an oasis in the distance, she can find her way from there.¡±

    ¡°All on her own?¡± Uju screeched outrage at what he had declared, ¡°But-but,¡± when she saw that there was no persuading him, she growled, ¡°You have not changed at all, you are the same as you always were! You are still a murderous cur! Always will be, because there is no goodness in you!¡±

    The last accusation was the one that made him flinch ever so slightly. Glancing back at her, it was but for a brief moment however their eyes met and he felt none of the old fury. To the contrary he felt only a kind of hurt he had not felt in some time.

    Turning away to hide his momentary vulnerability, he was to encourage his steed forward searching for the oasis that Owalade had spoken of and that Kolw¨¦ had also mentioned as being near. It was the only truly good thing they could do for the bandit¡¯s daughter.

    ¡°We will leave her at the nearest oasis, for there is naught that we can do for her,¡± Agany¨² told the two of them, his voice stern and harsh. ¡°If you wish to retain my services, do as I command. This girl can only bring doom and peril upon us all.¡±

    Neither father nor daughter was pleased by that statement, as they were of the view that they had a duty to the young woman. In this they might have otherwise been correct, yet this was the daughter of a brigand, and she was Agany¨² could already sense, someone for whom morality was a loose thing; something to be followed and considered lastly after one¡¯s own survival and gain.

    The oasis that lay in the distance was one that they made for, with very little in the way of enthusiasm, with Agany¨² holding fast to the daughter of Ikenna as she struggled to break free from his grasp. The oasis that lay on the horizon but a short time ago, soon loomed ever larger until at last they stood before it.

    ¡°Kolw¨¦ feed the animals and do not forget to water them also,¡± Agany¨² growled as he climbed down from his own all while carrying Kelechi with him, as she struggled futilely.

    The oasis was considerably smaller than that of Char¨¢ji. It was also a place with considerably less sunlight bearing down upon it, even as the tiny font of water drew Agany¨²¡¯s attention to it. He was curious as to whether it might house a spirit like that further south-east had yet he dared not test it to determine if this was true or not.

    Waiting until after Kolw¨¦ had finished feeding and watering their animals, before he announced, ¡°We leave now.¡±

    ¡°But Agany¨², the maiden sought to abandon her father, what will he do to her if we should leave her here?¡± Owalade said attempting to reason with the warrior.

    ¡°Likely nothing pleasant,¡± he replied as he continued to ignore the complaints of the maiden who was still pounding her fists futilely against him.

    Espying the oasis, he studied the water for several moments, wondering once more if there was a spirit that lived within its depths. A quick drink later, and he was ready to depart once more, with nary a thought to the girl still pounding her fists on his back.

    After a moment¡¯s thought he threw her into the water, ignoring her spitting, cursing and bellowing after him.

    ¡°I shan¡¯t believe you did that,¡± Uju cried out making to help the other young girl.

    ¡°Back onto the caravan, young lady,¡± Agany¨² commanded in no mood to converse or to debate with her.

    ¡°No, I will not stand for this-¡±

    ¡°If such be the case, you will die here,¡± he retorted evenly, sword in hand before she could otherwise blink an eye. ¡°Now onto the caravan you young fool.¡±

    Staring at him, it took them another moment to scramble back upon the caravan. In agreement with him about the pair, Kolw¨¦ was to whip up the reins. It was only after the caravan had departed that Agany¨² hurried back onto his horse.

    ¡°You cannot leave me here!¡± Kelechi shouted after him, ¡°You do not know what my father is capable of!¡±

    ¡°I am quite certain it would be worse for us if he did discover you in our midst.¡± Agany¨² retorted evenly, ¡°But know this girl; I do not fear for myself but those you have placed in danger with your stupid actions. Think on who your choices affects before you make them.¡±

    The scream that followed after him hardly affected him, to the contrary amused he could hardly resist a smile as he galloped after the caravan.

    *****

    It was not long after they had left the oasis, only perhaps a few hours had passed since it had disappeared behind them, when in the distance there appeared a sight none had expected to see. It was one that Agany¨² who continued to travel some distance ahead of the caravan was the first to see, then Kolw¨¦ and then the father and daughter.

    The desert winds once more bore down upon them, harsh and unpleasant with Agany¨² studying the figures in the distance, with some interest. It took him a moment to realize who they were, whereupon he was filled with more than a little eagerness when he saw them.

    ¡°Wait what is that in the distance? Is that that young man from that camp earlier this morning?¡± Owalade asked uncertainly from where he now sat to the front of the caravan.

    ¡°It must be,¡± Agany¨² replied eagerly a diabolic grin climbing its way onto his dark face as he glared at the figures in the distance with something that was almost glee.

    ¡°Wait, I think it might be a trap Agany¨²!¡± Kolw¨¦ cried out ever the wiser of the two of them, however the warrior had already begun to charge after the enemy.

    ¡°There they are!¡± Agany¨² howled seized by battle-rage and some measure of relief to be able to once more exercise himself in the art he knew best; battle.

    Battle for him had never been something altogether terrifying, to the contrary it was akin to a mistress or lover he had not seen in some time. Since his recovery he had lain in bed, had bemoaned his fate and had feared what might happen should he pick up the blade. Since that time he had longed and hungered for battle, as another man might thirst for water in the midst of the desert.

    Battle-rage combined with a strange eagerness and hunger for violence fused together, so that he was to throw himself against them with all the eagerness of a lover who has not seen his intended in some time.

    Half mad, he met the flashing blade of the first man with his own, throwing it back before with the swiftness of a jungle-cat slitting the man¡¯s throat. Carrying himself forward, he ducked beneath the swinging blade of another and ran him through.

    Such was the fury he struck at the next man, and the next one thereafter that those he fought against could only marvel at him. They had never seen a man fight as he did then, and none had imagined that there was any alive who could.

    The man after the third to perish, stepped forward, buckler up high and while he parried a number of blows and slashed back at Agany¨² he was dismayed to find he had missed him. The larger man leapt back as another dashed forward to stab at him with a spear.

    This sudden ambush was followed, by a third man stepping forward with the intent to run Agany¨² through from behind. His attempt was to fail disastrously as the man somehow to the shock of his attackers seems to have sensed it and rolling to the side, away from all of his encircling attackers.

    Agany¨² for his part slashed as he rolled and regained his feet, hewing another man who had made to attack him, just below the knees.

    While he fell, the Prince leapt over his corpse to come at a different man, with his long sword hewing apart the man in question even as the Prince rolled about and drew himself up next to the man behind that first one. The man in question stared in shock for too long, his mind racing to catch up with the fact that Agany¨² had moved from being several meters away, and having two men to kill before he could so much as hope to combat him to standing before him.

    The man swung if clumsily so, being more accustomed to attacking defenceless travellers, women and children than he was an actual warrior.

    His assault was so pathetic that the dark-haired warrior could have sniggered, yet he repressed that instinct. Preferring to strike at his foe with all the fury of an indignant lion, he swept the man off his feet.

    Eikun was for his part no less astonished than his companions were, before they had met their untimely end. Never before had he ever crossed blades with such a man, who seemed to be everywhere all at once, blade flashing glimmering silver in the suns¡¯ and tearing asunder with each sword-slash and thrust another man¡¯s life. It was a sight to behold, one that many a men before their life¡¯s blood had been spilled from them, had been given over to wonder about how possible it was for such a man to exist.

    At the start of the battle they had almost completely encircled the warrior-Prince, and had outnumbered him by more than fifteen men. So that now they numbered only three.

    That number was soon diminished by one more, when the sword of Agany¨² cleaved the head of one of the larger warriors¡¯ from his shoulders, in one smooth action after he had parried the man¡¯s blow then spun and slashed with the momentum of his dance-like movement.

    Sword thrust after sword thrust followed, as the young warrior danced and swerved, and slashed here there and everywhere, so that his despatching of those around him, to the realm of Anubis and Osiris.

    Gathering his courage, and waiting for Agany¨² to be distracted by a number of his followers the brigand¡¯s son was to smirk and grin like a hyena while the Prince slashed apart another of his followers, just before stabbing another man through his heart. Ducking below another horizontal sword-slash by the likes of Eikun who stared in amazement at the speed with which the older man had evaded him.

    The final sword-thrust was doled out in due order, as the fiercest of the lords of the East of Ifriquya, pierced the man¡¯s heart with his sword.

    It was however when he went to pull it out from the man¡¯s chest that he found himself cornered. Eikun as he soon discovered was unlike most of those he had fought in the west, willing and happy to trade his life over that his compatriot might dole out, his own killing blow against the Prince.

    ¡°Do it now, Adaugo! Strike him!¡± He shrieked as he clung to the sword pommel of the weapon that had been thrust through him. ¡°Strike him dead!¡±

    Releasing the sword-hilt at once, Agany¨² threw himself to one side, with all the desperation of a wounded ox. Frightened and desperate he was to roll with the momentum of his great leap that seemed to carry him forward, far and away from the last of his victims. The other man was made to endure his disembowelment at the hands of his comrade, who had slashed horizontally in the hopes to sever the Prince¡¯s spine.

    ¡°Adaugo you fool!¡± Eikun howled as his bowels poured forth from within him, and as he lay dying thereupon the ground at the other man¡¯s feet.

    ¡°Eikun! Forgive me!¡± the brigand cried out, stricken by what he had just done if inadvertently to the son of his liege.

    If he had hoped for forgiveness for his accidental misdeed he was to be sorely disappointed as Agany¨² showed how little mercy he had as he slashed so deeply through the man¡¯s throat he almost severed the neck in two.

    Panting, he stood tall amongst the corpses he had made, looking and feeling almost akin to an artist of death. The blood of his enemies once more splattered on him, and his eyes wild as a wolf¡¯s as he searched for more victims.

    Disappointed when he found none, he was to burst into a great laughter when he saw that nigh on twenty men had defied him, had challenged him and still he had triumphed. ¡°Well? What say you all now? I have slain ye, and not a single one of you have so much as cut me in the slightest!¡±

    ¡°Certainly, you have slain me, but what of thy charges?¡± The dying man grunted with a sneer at his killer, who stared down at him.

    Hardly able to understand him for a moment, it was only then that Agany¨² realized that the thirty or so men had not been the main force. ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I am not my father,¡± the broken, bleeding man sniggered, ¡°He is thrice as fierce as I and liable to soon claim his vengeance, this after he has seen to reclaiming my half-sister and punishing thee for your crime.¡±

    The man¡¯s laughter was cut short by Agany¨² growling down at him, ¡°Be silent you worm!¡± and down came the punishing blade through the man¡¯s throat, ending his life.

    Agany¨² did not however remain there for long.

    Racing back, stepping around this and that corpse, he was to return in half the time it had taken him to chase after the brigands. Though it was but a few minutes, to him and his pounding heart it was a number of hours, so hard did his heat pound itself against his chest and his mounting sense of horror weigh upon his very soul.

    While he ran, he prayed. To whom he ought to have prayed to he did not quite know, he knew only that he must.

    At present he had never felt such desperation that fuelled as it did then. His heart almost in his throat as he at last saw the caravan appear in the distance.

    The camels of the brigands as with the horses were gone, having disappeared as suddenly as they had appeared. Their riders had also vanished with the wind, so that one might well have wondered if they had ever been there at all.

    The culprits of this crime had taken all that they could, and slaughtered father and daughter. Owalade had covered his beloved daughter with his body, in a futile attempt to shield her from harm even as she had shrunk behind him. This much was evident from how they clung to one another even in death.

    Falling to his knees, it was to be

    The attention of the two men was diverted though from their grief and the new arrival of the daughter of Ikenna, by the cries of some figure in the distance. Neither of them in any state to combat anyone, not without going mad they were to glance up feeling lackadaisical and world-weary. The screams grew louder, and though at first they could not identify the voice, they soon realized after a few seconds who it was that was calling out to them.

    It was Kayode.

    ¡°Agany¨²! Kolw¨¦!¡± Kayode¡¯s voice was heard to resound throughout the land, as he appeared quite suddenly in the distance, desperation painted into his face and words.

    The holy man when he arrived was to pull himself to a sudden halt, his face pale and aghast. He could barely form the proper words, as he looked on the broken Agany¨² and weeping Kolw¨¦. The two of them were utterly consumed by grief, pain and humiliation at their losses and their failure to protect Owalade and Uju.

    No less stricken with pain and sorrow, Kayode was to give himself over to tears though they were not the wails of pain of the former brigand, he nonetheless clung to the discarded head of Owalade. In time he spoke, and it was to bless the man saying to him, ¡°Go now my friend and brother, to the land of honey, milk and plenty where all good men may go to reside after they have departed this realm.¡±

    As he spoke, Kelechi wept and wailed as she descended into a great sea of sorrow, with Kolw¨¦ shaking and trembling as he covered his eyes.

    While they gave themselves over to great demonstrations of grief and loss, Agany¨² could only stare incomprehensively at the remains of those he had sworn to protect.

    He wished to grieve, to wail, to weep yet could not. He could only stare, all while he knelt even as he soul bled and grieved, his legs and arms and very being unable to move.

    It was as he wondered about how any god could have permitted such a wretched thing to happen, he thought he heard Loukas¡¯ song in the distance.

    ¡°By the sea she waits,

    Bound there by the fates,

    Vast the lakes,

    Upon which she waits,

    At the mercy of he who hates

    All in his realm,

    Long is her hair,

    Dark yet fair

    Is her face, the stars¡¯

    Smile down upon,

    Many the songs spread far,

    And up along

    The road, of her lonely vigil,

    Begun decades back when men strong

    In nature and with many a sigil,

    Sought her defence,

    Her dress long and great his offence

    When he took her up and didst fence

    Her up from the world, and her friends lives he didst dispense.¡±

 Chapter VII: The Oath Under the Stars

    The walls of Ariluwa had stood since long ago, with the magnificent walls known as the ¡®Red-Gates of Arilas. Such was their thickness, such their glory that in all the land of Edo none had ever dreamt to ever attempt to take it. All knew all too well the names of all the great generals since the time of Arilas who had been repelled from those gates. Named after the great hero Arilas, who it was said had lived more than two hundred and fifty years prior. A figure said to have not only defeated an Impundulu, which was said to have seized a local maiden who was said to be the daughter of a tribal-king. Slaying it, Arilas was said to have gone on fight alongside the warrior-maiden Adanna, who led an alliance of more than three hundred tribes in the Second Wars of Darkness.

    The city that Arilas had founded shortly before the end of the wars, was said to have been painted crimson with the blood of the Mazoku and Dark Elves, when they had invaded Ifriquya in their mad war on all the lands of Pangaea. The city¡¯s walls were later painted a permanent rust colour in honour of its name.

    Upon arrival Kayode had guided them to the Goldsea tavern, where he had seen to paying for rooms for them all. He had also made certain to arrange meat, cheese and bread saying as he passed along to them, the food prepared for them by the pub-owner, ¡°Here you are, eat! Eat! The best cure for sorrow is food.¡±

    ¡°No thank you,¡± Kolw¨¦ muttered coldly, which drew a frown from the older man.

    Under other circumstances, Agany¨² might have gaped at the former brigand at present he did no such thing. The notion that the sorcerer did not wish to eat was a shocking one, and yet none of them commented about it distracted as they were with their individual thoughts and pain. If Agany¨² and Kayode were more concerned with their own feelings, Kelechi did not quite know the once plump brigand half as well as they did.

    The pretty young woman had remained near at hand throughout all this time, and was to prove ever solicitous with food and drink or other requests. Scared as she was of being abandoned once more, or beaten she was hardly paid any mind by either of the two men. Only Kayode was at all concerned for her, often giving her what instructions he found the two men too consumed by grief to be entrusted with.

    The tavern that they had found their way into and where the two men had stayed throughout the three days that followed after their arrival. It happened that the tavern-master was to regard them with little more than disdain. Still though, with Kelechi acquiescing to work for him, as a tavern-wench and the men paying him three bronze coins apiece a day, more than enough to dissuade him from getting rid of them.

    Seated in the shade of a large hut just outside of the city-walls, as they had arrived when it was already dark, Agany¨² was almost listless and hardly able to look at his travelling companions. He had done all that he could, had fought and fought if only so that Owalade and his daughter might live and yet they had still died.

    The horror of it was almost too much for him, with the likes of Kolw¨¦ having been quiet the whole time that they had walked for. He was still quiet, though he had at begun to drink what beer was available in the small tavern. Eager to lose himself, that is until Kayode called for the bartender to stop catering to his need to drown out his sorrows and guilt in beer.

    This had won him a great many complaints from the old monk, who had muttered for some time to himself, ¡°Shan¡¯t leave either of you alone, for a single moment.¡±

    Though he complained at some length, there was little in the way of bite to his words. Aware the old man was no less grief-stricken than the two men; neither of them was to take offense, where they might otherwise have. It was however with the utmost effort that after several days of leaving them be, he was to call upon them after being away during that time.

    ¡°Really now, I shan¡¯t believe that I found the both of you in such dire straits, grief has its place however neither of you have done aught else in recent days,¡± he complained in frustration, ¡°Kelechi has also put herself to work as a wench here that the two of you might wait about here all day.¡±

    It was as he had said, yet what he did not know was that Kelechi was guilty of often neglecting her duties to the irritation of the tavern-master. It was because of this that he often came to whine about their comportment to Kayode. By this time, consumed by his frustrations with them he was to inform the monk, ¡°They must either work, or they must leave for some other place. I know not how they comported themselves in the south, yet here I will not tolerate this poor comportment.¡±

    ¡°I will speak to them,¡± Kayode replied at once, refusing to offend the younger man who with his thick beard, bald head and thick eyebrows which gave him a considerably sterner appearance than any other youth his age ought to have had. Dressed in a tunic, he carried himself with a sharpness and self-importance that hardly endeared him to the monk who shook his head at the fellow.

    Turning away from the muscular man, he was to study both of the men under his charge for some time. He knew that he ought to see to Kolw¨¦ as the man was still vomiting to one side, and yet he could not help but lack all sympathy for the bandit. The man was hardly able to handle his liquor and yet he had sought to match Agany¨² drink for drink, it was so utterly disgraceful that he felt only dismay and pity.

    Kolw¨¦ had changed this he could discern but whether it was enough to redeem him from a lifetime of sins¡¯ he did not know. It was however the warrior to his other side that he held the greatest hopes for, as it was he who he knew was destined for great things, greater than even he might well imagine.

    ¡°Agany¨², it is time you regained your feet and saw to thy duty, there is much to do and very little left of our time hereupon this plane of existence to accomplish them all.¡± Kayode remarked to him with the utmost sternness.

    The man he had taken on as a pupil of sorts though had very different notions to his own fanciful ones.

    ¡°All that I have touched have ended in failure,¡± Agany¨² murmured broken by this knowledge, consumed by guilt and grief at the loss of Owalade and Uju.

    Kayode studied the young man who sat beside him just outside the small hovel where they had established themselves if temporarily so. It was in his view, getting to be more and more of an irritant caring for this brash youth he told himself. ¡°Oh you poor thing,¡± He retorted full of sarcasm, ¡°How you suffer so! To have inherited satchels full of coin, and to have so much strength and so many to care for you in such hard times and to have found true love, how my heart breaks for thee O Prince!¡±

    Disliking his tone, Agany¨² rounded upon him full of fury, ¡°What did you say monk?¡±

    ¡°Oh I had not thought you to have turned deaf, allow me to repeat myself if more simply; you have been gifted with so very much, yet you have yet to accomplish anything, let alone to commit thyself to any substantial work worthy of thee.¡±

    ¡°And what would be ¡®work worthy of me¡¯?¡± the Prince snapped almost breathing flames so furious was he.

    ¡°The betterment of this world, and the restoration of virtue to this fallen continent, which has fallen far from the gods¡¯ vision for it,¡± Kayode retorted evenly, with a snort of his nose.

    His words stupefied Agany¨². He could not make sense of them, not for some time. How could he? When at last he overcame his shock, he could not resist a great sneering laugh. It was ridiculous and na?ve.

    Maybe in another life he might well have been moved by the man¡¯s words, or taken them for granted and sought to put them into effect however not now. Now it was far in away beyond him, and beyond his reach as he had no more influence and power in the world than the lowliest of farmers.

    ¡°Why do you laugh so, Agany¨²?¡± Kayode demanded of him, his tone turning waspish as he stared at the Prince as though he had gone mad.

    ¡°Because it is ridiculous, no it is folly to think I could do such a thing! How could a man who has fallen so far accomplish any such thing?¡± the prince retorted evenly, with several more chortles full of scorn escaping him. ¡°To change the world requires royal power and authority, the likes of which I do not have at present nor might ever possess again, therefore how could I possibly do much more than drink away or survive by my sword?¡±

    ¡°If such is the limits of thy understanding there is little I can say or do to dissuade, I have no wish to speak with one who might once have been great, yet now is little more than a wastrel. Greatness can only be exemplified by one who seeks it.¡± Kayode retorted sharply, before he rounded upon Kolw¨¦ who had just stumbled out from inside the hut to begin vomiting just outside the doorway. ¡°Kolw¨¦ as to yourself, why do you sit there drinking and drinking when it only ever makes thee sick?¡±

    The other man grunted irritably, groaning out some reply that hardly pleased the monk who turned his back to the Prince. While the older man began to complain about the sorcerer, who was now decidedly ill to the exasperation of Kelechi and Kayode, Agany¨² contemplated the old man¡¯s words.

    His heart and mind descended down into darkness, as he picked himself up from the ground, refusing to quarrel with the tavern-master as he had countless others. Too wearied to resist, he was to do as Kayode bade and even bow his head slightly before the other man, who harrumphed and raising his nose said to them. ¡°Be certain to never return, I have no wish for whatever trouble you have found along your journey and none of it to follow after me. You lot are a cursed one, and are the worst of all the workers I have ever taken on.¡±

    The man¡¯s rudeness was such that Kayode studied him, and with more than a little sarcasm retorted, ¡°Oh yes, I must say that it is we who ought to be concerned and not the man who lives just outside the walls. Regardless I have no interest in taking them away into the city.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Now it was Kolw¨¦ who spoke up, slurring this one word as he spoke, as he was still drunk, ¡°Where do you intend to take us now?¡±

    ¡°Patience Kolw¨¦, I know this not one of thy chief-most virtues but patience,¡± Kayode replied with a shake of his head as he drew a curious glance from the other two charges he had taken on. ¡°I intend to take the two of you to a place where you might enjoy peace for the first time, in thy lives.¡±

    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

    It was a startling offer and one that immediately awakened in Agany¨² curiosity. While he had yet to see any evidence that his lot in life might improve itself, or that any good might win out in this life. He could not help but desire to know what it was that the monk had in mind. The man had demonstrated himself to be the most stalwart man he had ever met, and one that he could not resist the command of, even if he could not quite understand why.

    Mayhaps, he told himself, he might find the reason thereupon the hill of Obinna. This thought in mind he regained his feet, resolved to do as Kayode had instructed in the hopes he might find the answers to his many questions thereupon the hill.

    *****

    They set out early that morning for the hill of Obinna which overlooked the small town. It was said to have received its name according to Kayode many centuries ago when the warrior Obinna had fought the enemy to a standstill. A great admirer of Arilas he had felt himself to be lesser than the great founder of the citadel-city and had attempted to buy him time until he could receive all the refugees of the land of Edo into his city. Accompanied by a small number of other middle-aged and old men, they had fought as best they could against the advancing Dark Elves. It was after two hours of hard-fighting that these warriors were defeated, with Obinna captured by the monstrous enemy whereupon they tortured him for three days and night.

    Still he would reveal nothing of how the city had been built and how they might slip inside, so that they took him before the city-walls and had him, beheaded before the walls. The corpse was then taken to the nearby hill where it was thrown down and fed to the crows.

    This tale and more was related to the wanderers as they journeyed there to the great hill, shortly after the first rays of dawn began to edge out amidst the darkness of the early morning. Kayode told it to them with considerable gravity, his eyes piercing through each of them whenever he glanced back at them over his shoulders, as he advanced up along the large hill.

    Agany¨² was to glance all about. He did not see what made this hill particularly important enough to warrant a journey of half a day. ¡°Do you intend to have us reach the peak and confer upon us some form of wisdom?¡±

    ¡°No, I intend to have you rest there under the stars,¡± Kayode retorted with a small smirk, his head craning back a little, as he smiled up at the heavens. ¡°I think it important for thou to visit this sacred mount and see what I saw when I was young, and first journeyed here nigh on thirty years prior.¡±

    This correction brought them all to a halt. All save Agany¨². Eager to see what he might find thereupon the summit of the large hill, he remained convinced that there was wisdom to be found there. Kayode had yet to fail him, he mused therefore he would not simply take them there to look at stars.

    If there was peace and wisdom to be found there, he would find it and claim it for his own he told himself with the utmost conviction. It happened that as he brushed past his travelling companions, and the monk he attracted an approving glance from the latter and an exasperated one from the other two.

    Complaining they made to follow him if against their own wishes, neither of them at all pleased by his immediate surrenders to the whims of their guide. It happened that the greater proportion of hours spent reaching the top had been spent upon the road to the hill, so that they were soon to arrive not long after their short argument.

    Once they had arrived, Kolw¨¦ was to grunt, ¡°There you see? We have arrived and found naught save a foothill full of brambles, dried and broken trees and sand.¡±

    ¡°It was not always so, Kolw¨¦,¡± Kayode retorted evenly, his voice sorrowful as he looked up at the darkening heavens high above them. ¡°Did you ever study the histories of the founding of this city?¡±

    ¡°But of course!¡±

    ¡°And did you not take stock of the foundations of this hill? What of the land to the west? Does it not look dried?¡±

    ¡°Yes, because it is a desert,¡± Kolw¨¦ replied not understanding what it was that the monk was hinting at.

    An exasperated sigh escaped the older man¡¯s lips, before he impatiently remarked, ¡°I see now how you failed to keep to the path set before you by thy Master.¡±

    His words won him the attention of the other two members of their group, who looked on both robed men with a great deal of surprise. Neither of them, familiar with this particular detail regarding their traveling companion, with Agany¨² having by this time travelled for some time with him. What fascinated him then, was how little he knew of the other man so that he asked of himself; what did he truly know about Kolw¨¦?

    It was only now with a start that he pondered the question of how exactly had his travelling companion found his vulture-cloak and discovered the gourd with which he had captured Char¨¢ji. Bewildered by his own ignorance, he was to study the former brigand who flustered hardly noticed his intrigued look.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Kolw¨¦ asked flustered confused as he stared at the monk who met his gaze sternly. ¡°How did I fail? How do you know he did not fail me? And how do you know this about me?¡±

    ¡°I know you Kolw¨¦, and I know your Master Orestes, and the pain which you inflicted upon him by turning away from his teachings and fleeing from the Order to which you once belonged to.¡± Kayode retorted sharply, a hint of disapproval in his voice so that the younger man lowered his gaze.

    It was as he did so that he took notice of Agany¨²¡¯s gaze upon him, so that Kolw¨¦ flushed scarlet and he glared at the muscular warrior-Prince. ¡°Why do you look on me so?¡±

    ¡°It is only that I have never heard talk of your past before now,¡± Agany¨² confessed studying the other man for several minutes looking, indifferent to the dark look that the other man directed against him. ¡°I would know more, notably of how you came to possess all the magic trinkets that you have made use of.¡±

    ¡°Indeed, it is interesting but perhaps a discussion for another time,¡± Kayode replied as he turned away once more, this time to lead them up the rest of the large hill, saying as he did so, ¡°What you ought to have noticed is how this land was once covered in water.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kelechi asked dumbly, ¡°I have never heard such talk before.¡±

    ¡°That is because you are a desert woman, and not versed in history, you have not been educated as I have been, nor did you think to do any inquiries into this place as I have, since our arrival into the city.¡± Kayode retorted evenly with a snort, ¡°Mark this place in thy minds my friends, for once there was a great river that flowed from the ocean all across the three kingdoms before curving southwards near to the city of Puppata.¡±

    ¡°What? Is this true?¡± Agany¨² asked of the two of them, with Kolw¨¦ glaring once more at him frustrated by his interest in his past.

    ¡°What difference does it make? How can the past possibly aid us, or do us much more good than to distract us from the present and the future?¡± Kolw¨¦ responded with a great deal of bitterness that the Prince had ever seen him speak with.

    It was with a start that he found himself answering the man before he truly realized it. He soon found his words to be an echo of something that his father had once told him, ¡°How can it not make a difference? It is only through the past that we discover the present, and from it that we can discern the future. We must therefore not turn away from it, for we can never forget it, can never hide from it and must embrace it if we wish to truly be strong. It is only through the completion of past oaths, victory over past enemies and the glory of our ancestors that we might equal their deeds.¡±

    So enraptured was he by his father¡¯s wisdom that Agany¨² did not immediately pay heed to the stares of his friends, so that he was startled by Kayode¡¯s next words. ¡°Where- where did you hear those words Agany¨², for they are uncannily wise and wholly unlike you my friend.¡±

    ¡°My father uttered them once to me,¡± Agany¨² admitted quietly, almost more to himself, ¡°I am but a shadow of him for he was the finest of all the princes who ever sought the throne of my ancestors.¡±

    ¡°Hear hear,¡± Kolw¨¦ murmured sympathetically to his surprise, with the once plump brigand looking no less defeated as he bowed his head in defeat.

    After a moment Kayode spoke up to them, his eyes piercing through them as they looked up at the heavens up above them.

    ¡°Do you see now? It is not by seeking to hide from the world that we find it, but by entering into it, challenging it and seeking to put yourself in the midst of its forging fires that you find it and by extension yourself.¡± Kayode told them all pointing to the great constellations that loomed high over head and the stars up above them. ¡°You ask why I do not seem to be grieving as you do, Kelechi it is because I am not hiding from myself. It is because I speak no evil, and speak no lies that I am able to grieve in such a way that does not subtract from my being that does not make me plunge into the nearest mug of ale. By giving oneself over to madness of this sort, one undermines¡¯ one¡¯s being and turns sorrow into an excuse for indulgences of the worst kind.¡±

    ¡°Then what is the answer?¡± She asked bewildered by his words.

    ¡°Look above thee, and know the beauty of the universe. Look on the stars which have seen and which speak to this day of the finest deeds of your ancestors Kelechi.¡± Kayode replied as he pointed up high above his head. ¡°Up there, you see the deeds of Arilas, and of Adanna of how the former pushed back the attack against his city¡¯s walls, of how Adanna threw back the Dark Elf invasion, pushed them back, with the aid of the people of these lands. You see up high above our heads, also the sacrifice of Adanna of the Second Wars of Darkness, how she perished that these lands might know peace. Of the sacrifice of Emeka the Dragon-Redeemer, who redeemed the great drake Ojuwura, and freed him of the hatred that lay within his heart and broke the great chain that was bound about his throat, with his last sword stroke just before he perished.¡±

    Staring up at the glimmering stars high above their heads, Agany¨² felt then for the first time in many weeks a sense of how badly he had gone down the wrong path.

    It was as he looked up at the shimmering white and yellow dots in an ocean of blue and inky blackness that was more magnificent than anything any man could ever hope to build. It was with a great deal of fascination that his mind wandered to how different the constellations were in the east, from whence he came. So that at this juncture, he mused over what it was that Kayode had told him and resolved not only to find the strength in him that he knew those of whom he spoke had possessed.

    The only thing he could think before sleep claimed him, was that the strength which they had held were vastly superior to his own. He was alone as always, and the only way to access the strength of those who had built the three western kingdoms was by discovering the strength and wisdom of which Kayode spoke of.

    *****

    The previous night had not gone as Kolw¨¦ would have liked it to have. More of his past than he liked had been revealed. It was a source of incredible shame to him that he had abandoned the teachings of his Master, had abandoned the Order of Auguria to become little more than a brigand. He had he knew fallen from the path that had been ordained for him as a child, when he had first been taken in by his wise and kindly old Master, and yet he could not help but also burn with resentment at Kayode¡¯s knowledge and pointed reminders of his having failed the Order.

    It was a point of humiliation. A constant thorn in his eye so to speak, and one that he had no wish to be reminded of, all while a part of him longed for those simpler times.

    Full of guilt and regret for those he had lost in recent days, he was to upon awakening regret swear to himself to never again imbibe so much liquor. He had matched Agany¨² drink for drink, all while knowing that it was a foolish thing to do. Why had he done it, was a mystery even to him until he concluded that the loss of Uju and Owalade had wounded him more deeply than he had originally thought it would.

    ¡°Ah awake at last,¡± Kayode remarked to him, only to snigger when he saw the sorcerer rub his temple with a grimace. ¡°That pain you feel is well deserved, given you ought never to have drunk quite as much as you did.¡±

    ¡°Oh do be quiet,¡± Kolw¨¦ grumbled back to him, relieved to find Kelechi still asleep, snoring softly to one side so that she could not see and snigger at his expense also, as he knew she would. He was however startled when he noticed one thing or rather person missing. ¡°Wait, whither did Agany¨² go to? Has he left to go hunting, or is it that he has gone off to do something stupid within the city and have himself imprisoned once more?¡±

    Kayode smiled a little, visibly amused by his consternation so that the sorcerer growled at him. This only served to amuse the old man all the more, as he commented, ¡°I daresay that for all the trouble and difficulties that he has caused thee Kolw¨¦, it appears as though you have grown quite fond of the Prince.¡±

    ¡°Fond? Nonsense, I only fear having to give chase and clean the mess he will inevitably make for us all.¡± Kolw¨¦ argued at once, unable to believe his ears as he spluttered at those words, hating that the old man did not look wholly convinced.

    It was with considerable amusement that Kayode at last told him what it was that had happened to Agany¨², ¡°He has gone away.¡±

    ¡°Away where?¡±

    ¡°That I know not, I know only that he has decided to venture away whither by himself, in the hopes to find himself.¡± Kayode studying him intently said, ¡°He has left to find his wife and to find the nobility that has gone from his heart for many moons now.¡±