The Dancing Bride And Her Spirit Warrior - Episode 41

 

Koni kicked a dust bin spilling disposed paper all over the tiled floor. He wanted to punch something. His muscles tensed with tapped energy. The action startled a few people milling around outside the great hall. He glowered at them when they looked at him. He was in no mood to be courteous. The meeting was a total fail. It left them with more answers than questions.

‘’Jasiri,’’ Roiman called him out and Koni grinded his teeth . He was in no mood for Roiman’s petty feud.

‘’What?’’

‘’Close up those daggers of yours am not here to fight,’’ Roiman referred to Koni’s dropped claws. ‘’I am here to introduce myself as your new team player,’’

‘’What?’’ Koni asked again not having heard clearly.

‘’Are your ears full of cotton Jasiri, I said am your new team member. The council has decided am joining you back to Nyati town,’’

‘’No, there has to be a mistake,’’ pairing with Roiman could only end in a disaster. A big disaster. They were on each other’s throat ninety percent of the time. Who had made the decision? The chiefs must be smoking something that was messing up with their heads to come up with such decisions.

‘’I didn’t make the decision, pick it up with your father,’’

‘’Chief Dakarai made the decision?’’

‘’Yes, which brought me back to my next statement,’’

‘’What is it?’’ Koni didn’t like the cynical smile on Roiman’s face.

‘’I am your new team leader,’’ Roiman said triumphantly, when he smiled his scar appeared more menacing.

‘’What’’ Koni spat not believing his ears

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. This couldn’t be correct.

‘’You have been suspended from your Team Leader commitments until further notice,’’ Roiman handed him a white envelope bearing the symbol of Baraza La Wazee. Koni tore through the seal to read the letter.

He had been suspended. The sign below the letter belonged to his father. What in the world was wrong with his father?

‘’I am your direct supervisor, you will report to me of any activities you partake,’’ Roiman said snidely.

‘’Don’t push it,’’ now Koni was really mad. He moved closer to Roiman, now they stood face to face. Their noses nearly touching. Both of them were boiling for a fight and Koni could sense that Roiman had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

‘’Or what Jasiri? Will you go crying to daddy? Oh I think daddy doesn’t have your back anymore,’’ Roiman continued to taunt Koni.

Koni saw red, he raised his hand ready to soak Roiman a punch but someone held him from behind. Koni turned with a growl ready to deal with whoever was holding him back only to see his father’s gaze looking back at him.

‘’Get yourself together and get to my office, now,’’ with that Lion Chief Dakarai was out of sight.

Roiman hadn’t moved a muscle. He still had that stupid look on his face.

‘’See you at the reserve Jasiri,’’

Koni hurried towards a bathroom down the hall way to wash his face and try to control the anger boiling inside him.

The look he saw in the mirror had him stepping back. His beast was staring him back.

Koni had come close to lose control. His hair was in a disarray and his muscles bunched under his tight clothes. He looked wild, like an animal. His beast clearly wanted out but this was not the time to go running around in the bush that would have to wait.

He willed his breathing to come under control. He splashed cold water onto his face and took deep breaths. Slowly his eyes color turned to polished mahogany. The orange disappeared. His protruding canines also sank back to his mouth. He appeared close to normal. He left the bathroom and walked towards the lift into his father’s office.

He would try to make the old man listen again.

……………………………………

‘’I don’t know why I was suspended from my duties Chief, I have done nothing wrong,’’

‘’You are too close to this case Koni, I have to let someone else take charge,’’

‘’Why that is my jurisdiction? Nyati town and animal reserve is under my charge. You can’t give it to someone else,’’

‘’Yes I can and I have,’’ Chief Dakarai insisted, his gaze unflinching

‘’Why did you have to put Roiman in charge of it? You know clearly that Roiman hates me, he had hated me since we were children,’’ Koni voice grew by the minute.

‘’In case you have forgotten Koni, we have been shuffling the teams whenever we agree as elders of the council. Maybe a new pair of eyes will see this from another perspective,’’

‘’I had everything under control,’’ Koni struggled to say, arguing with his father was rising his hackles again. He could feel his claws elongating.

‘’Do you? Look at you now, you can’t even control the beast inside you. How can I trust you to continue managing the whole reserve?’’

‘’I can control my beast just fine,’’ Koni said willing the claws to draw back. Why was he so out of control?

‘’You are yet to mark your bride, that is why you are out of control. The beast in you is restless. Take this chance to calm it down and Roiman will help around the reserve, he is the second best team leader after you after all,’’ the last sentence was said in near silence.

Koni nearly had a whiplash, did his father just admit that he was the best team leader?

‘’Look at me Koni, think of this as a break. You have never slowed down ever since you started your training.’’ Koni’s jaw almost dropped.

 His father walked from behind the large desk and came to stand before Koni. They were the same height. Chief Jasiri put his hand on Koni’s shoulder.

‘’I know your bride is in danger Koni, that is why you want to protect her. That is normal. It is engrained in you to protect her. You heading the reserve and protecting her at the same time is hard. Use this chance wisely, keep her close and eliminate the threat that come close to her as soon as possible,’’

‘’I can’t lose her baba, I can’t lose her the way I lost mama or the way I lost you,’’ Koni’s voice was full of defeat. He had admitted his biggest fear to his father.

‘’I know Koni, I am proud of you don’t forget that. You deserve some sort of happiness and your bride can offer you so much of it,’’ Chief Dakarai’s voice nearly came out choking, ‘’I know because you mum made the most happy,’’

Koni could only nod his head blinking tears away. His father hard gaze had softened.

‘’And something else, you can use any method to help out. Use rainmaker if it is possible,’’

‘’But…I thought…’’

‘’You couldn’t lose your position by pulling such a stunt but now you can do it. I am sure you will find a way to convince Roiman. As I said Koni use this chance wisely,’’

‘’I will not let you down baba,’’ Koni swore feeling re-energized.

His father was on his side.

Chief Jasiri pulled Koni’s head and their foreheads touched. ‘’I know you won’t,’’ with that he walked back to his seat.

‘’Now, how about tomorrow you bring your bride home so that you can formally introduce her?’’

‘’Home?’’ another whiplash. Who was this man and where was his father?

‘’Yes, I know it has been long but I think I can manage to organize a small get together by tomorrow evening? What you like that?’’ Chief Jasiri asked meekly. So unlike him.

He was asking to bring Vuyanzi to a home neither of them had stepped in in years. The house was inhabited with a horde of servants who maintained it. Koni had many good memories in the home but he also had some bad ones. Ones he would never forget.

‘’Forget the bad memories, we should start making new ones. Don’t you think?’’ Chief Dakarai asked and Koni couldn’t help but agree with him.

Koni felt like he was making steps with his father. Progress.

………………………………………………………

‘’Wait? We are under the charge of Roiman Lenku? Koni are you serious? The guy hates you that means he hates us by default. Why would he be made our team leader?” Sudi was hysterical when Koni made a phone call to the reserve to report news of his suspension.

‘’Why were you suspended Koni?’’ Dembe quiet voice asked. Koni was tempted to tell them that it was all a hoax but stopped himself. ‘’I defied the Chiefs’ and apparently mentioning the word rainmaker in the council warranties direct suspension,’’

‘’This is crazy, Roiman Lenku rants more than you in the council meetings how came he was never suspended,’’ Dume stated trying to understand.

‘’I keep saying that the council should be disbanded and replaced with sober minds but nobody hears me now look those old vultures are making decisions half hazardly. Koni you are the best team leader we have ever had and those chiefs and elders can go and shove it up their….’’

‘’We get the picture Sudi, no need to be expletive.’’ Manute chuckled silently in the car. They was driving out of town.

‘’Have you managed to contact Gahiji?’’ Koni wanted to know if the cast out eliminator had been found.

‘’We will tell you everything when you get here,’’ after that the call was disconnected. Koni looked at Manute who only shook his head.

‘’Manute did you do what I asked you?’’ he asked after a pause.

‘’Yes, he is in the secret area. Ready and waiting for you but…’’ Manute started skeptically.

‘’What is it? Don’t tell me you are having regrets now,’’

‘’No, but I don’t think it was a good idea to kidnap the oral narrator,’’ Manute said and Koni released laugh.

‘’You were the one who suggested that we do it,’’

‘’I was just throwing ideas. I didn’t mean for you to apply it. It is a taboo to touch the old man. If the council finds out we are dead men or lions,’’ Manute openly shuddered causing Koni to laugh again.

‘’It is too late now, we have already done it,’

For the next few minutes they drove in utter silence. At last Manute left the highway and took back roads. They left the city lights behind.

After a long hour drive, they reached their destination. An old abandoned meat factory. Seated there were three young over eager warriors guarding the oral narrator who sat midst of them. The moonlight was very bright lighting up the whole area. With their enhanced eye sights they didn’t need more light.

Koni and Manute alighted the car and approached the group. After tipping off the young warriors who quickly left, Koni and Manute were left with the old man who was quietly smoking his tumbaku. (Traditional smoking pipe).

‘’Young Jasiri? Is that you? I never thought you would pull such a stunt.

Read " Jabali's Redemption " by the same author ( Razia Iminza )

. You are always as straight as an arrow,’’ the old man stated even without turning round to face them. His voice remained even. No sign of panic or fear. That nearly unnerved Koni.

Koni sighed and went on to crouch before the old man. Looking him directly at his cloudy eyes.

‘’Well now you know. You should also know that there are bent arrows.’’

The old man chuckled and released a puff of smoke. ‘’Sarcasm young Jasiri, has never been part of your people’s trait,’’ he released a puff again and Koni couldn’t help but inhale some marijuana smoke. Was the old man smoking weed?

‘’We are here for answers old man,’’ he decided to ignore whatever the old man was smoking. It was none of his business.

‘’If you had been patient to day, maybe you would have learned you true history but like your ancestors impatience runs in your blood,’’

‘’What are you talking about?’’ Koni asked.

‘’You are impatient,’’

‘’No, about my ancestors,’’ Koni corrected.

‘’Do you know why the Ukiri tribe warriors were chosen to be lion spirits?’’ Koni shared a look with Manute who only shrugged his wide shoulders a look of puzzlement in his face.

‘’No I don’t, why don’t you tell me,’’ Koni admitted. He needed answers and he had a feeling this old man knew more than he let on.

‘’Listen carefully young Jasiri, this is the last time I will repeat this narrative to you. And a warning, if you ever try to kidnap me again, I will deal with you, understood?’’

Koni nodded his head curtly at the old man and waited for the old man to start his narrative.

...................................................

Hello guys,

what do you think? 

What do you think about Roiman Lenku and Koni working together? Do you think they will be able to break the case?

Do you think the old man will give Koni the answers he's looking for? 

Tell me what you think.

Much love.