She sat there, chewing gingerly through her evening meal, she didn’t wanna get through it let alone have it at all. It had been a terrible season so far for her, the heavy rains completing the foul mood she had clawing within her, she used to love the rain, especially when he danced with her in it, now she just sat and watched it fall like her whole world had that afternoon, now the rain was just a reminder of the love she had lost, like a gnawing bear claw right through her soul. In a way, she was actually glad for the raid that took her from her home, it gave her enough distance to grieve away from him. Now, she was supposed to be worrying of her looming responsibility as queen of Ezebe, Ayooh, despite her unforeseen abduction from Emukhaba, found herself betrothed to the prince and only heir of her rival village. Ezebe had just lost their king last season and Zarami, the one and only heir to the throne was forced to get a wife sooner than he had anticipated, perhaps it was plausible coincidence that she would find herself taken away just when she wished it most, not as far as she would have liked, but it was good enough. As she went to bed that night, she thought of their crowning ceremony the following day, as she lay there in those fine linens made for queens, she felt more like a beggar at the mercy of a hopeless lover, surely she felt more royal in his arms than she did now, Joromi would always live in her heart, even though he had thrashed and trashed it. After a lifetime of brain wrecking, she finally caught a drift and went by it, it was the last night she would spend alone, come tomorrow, she would be a wife, that came with responsibility, she had to get enough rest.
That night, he lay facing away from her, the pinching cold not something to change his mind, he wouldn’t touch her, Lucia had already started begging for him, every night turning into a prayer session for a woman and his church. Ever since he’d let go of her he couldn’t stand his own existence, it wasn’t worth it, he should have fought for her but instead he pushed her away, now further from him, he could still feel his heart struggling within his chest, looking to be let out, begging to follow its home. Lucia was a beauty, that was undeniable, actually she wasn’t at all what he had expected of a King’s daughter, she happened to be one the very few, intelligent and responsible, his father now on his deathbed after suffering a vicious attack from a leopard seemed so very proud of his choice for him. Lucia would have made a great queen for him, she already was, somehow his mind forgot that he was already a married man, she just wasn’t what he needed though, Ayooh. His mind raced back to those memories, a tear across his face as he remembered her, a shudder then two and he found himself shaking, slipping out of bed carefully not to wake Lucia, he walks to the door, he was breaking a sweat by the time he to the riverside, his tears now flowing more freely. It hurt him so much…so much he couldn’t stand at all, kneeling there at the same exact spot, he wished for her arms around her like they were that afternoon, he wished for her gentle touch, her soft coos to calm him down, that voice that always had his demons calm in a dance. So he wept and screamed his heart out, he knew it wouldn’t bring her back but he wished, he even prayed to those gods he’d heard of, it was getting harder to keep sane, even tougher to rule his kingdom. He lay there, in the wet grass, hoping that somehow the cold would numb his pain, he almost wished for death, but he wanted to see her one last time, he knew she’d never forgive him, but he still wished to have it all back. If only he knew where, he would’ve gone right through her door.
The morning found Zarami a nervous wreck, both his coronation and wedding were today, it was like all the weight was waiting to drop on him just today, an axe just a sway away from his neck. He was a well respectable man, authoritative yet friendly, his people loved him but he still found himself doubting his leadership, he was young, inexperienced and totally unprepared. But that was just the minor issue, he knew he had the whole council of elders to guide him, what really nicked at him was his wife to be, Ayooh was a mystery for him, she was always sad, he understood that, after all he’d hauled her from her home and sat her in his home without asking, not that this wasn’t a normal issue around here but he couldn’t help feeling guilty, she always smiled for him, but it was never true… but he knew it wasn’t her wish, he could see the tear in her, she was a broken soul reaching for salvation from something she couldn’t seem to find, like a baby whose own mother had turned against them, Zarami didn’t want to care but he couldn’t help it, she was supposed to be a tool for his kingship, like the ink to his pen, but he found himself wishing to write with her, to write her. He wanted to hold on to her and heal her, wipe the pain from her eyes, always afraid that she would break and lose it any minute, but somehow she always held on, like small feet with the whole world upon it, she just rolled on, always the good soul. Now that he thought about it, he found that he actually loved her, more than he would ever care to admit but sure that it was really love.
The rivalry between Ezebe and Emukhaba was long lived and maintained since the ancestors of Joromi and Zarami, the two kingdoms always clashing ever since the last great war that left both kingdoms crippling and blaming the other, it wasn’t an easy thing to bring such enemies to any collaboration or understanding but Lucia had dug deep enough into Joromi and had him considered a treaty between the two kingdoms, three weeks had passed now and he still was not all for the idea, but Zarami was to be crowned king this very day and he had to attend as a show of good will since the young king was all for peace and a new reign for both their people, he didn’t see a problem with that so he had prepared to go, he’d also heard that Zarami was to get a new wife, and sadly he hoped that he at least got to marry someone he loved, if only he knew huh?
The journey to Ezebe was long enough for Joromi and Lucia to arrive just after the celebratory mood was set, well received they were sat near to the now almost king who appeared quite impatient and almost like he was scared of what lay ahead, Joromi couldn’t help but chuckle as he understood what it felt like in his shoes, looking at him he seemed a good man, he’d heard his people speak highly of him, a brave and merciful prince…he’d make a great king, should he find a good wife. After they ate, Joromi stood to greet Zarami, as custom dictated he wouldn’t bow before him despite this being his kingdom, he wasn’t crowned yet, so the two ended up exchanging a weird shake that left them both cracking from the awkwardness of the situation, but this also did well to get the two along for this was their first meet. The two men sat side by side sipping from a pot of traditional beer as they chatted, it was going to be a long day and they had to be merry, especially Joromi. His looming darkness just edging closer and nearer, some would have said he was holding a torch that would burn him down from inside.
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