21 - Lost and found

Chapter 21 (Lost and found.)

“How long have I been up there…?”

“This is the second morning. The day when Tsote, son of King O’mondo was born.” The Owl replied. Tsote looked at the owl and smiled.

“That weird.” Came Tsote.

“Time beyond the fog passes faster than within the fog.”

“That’s new.” Came Tsote remembering one last thing. He needed to know for sure.

Ask…” Olkai interrupted when he saw him hesitating. For the first time however, he felt afraid of his quest but the sound of the birds seemed to lower his tension! Besides, if only Makita was a part of this, there would have been nothing to be afraid of! Olkai perched on top a dead log.

“Retrieving the beads…” he began out of the blue. “Does that mean I can fix the mistake my people made in the past…?”

Simply, he reached out one of his great winging and stocked Tsote on the back slowly.

 “Absolutely, though not all at once. It is a process child. Come on now you will take a leap of faith into the water and you will be back just where you began.”

He stepped forwards. Glancing back a little with a small smile and the owl. Olkai nodded him forwards. Just before he could jump, the beads yelled.

“Oh the coldness. I hate the water. Why doesn’t our most gracious feathery friend offer us a wing across? I hate the water r I hate the tides and…!”

“Shut up Olkai. Shut up…!” Tsote responded and the beads were silent like they were not there no more. This is when he jumped. The water was indeed as cold against his body. His head went under water. Good enough the bottom of the river was not so far below! The moment his feet touched the base, he pushed himself back up at once. There after swam toward the banks of the river. He did not swim long when his knees rubbed down against smoother and shallower sands. He immediately stood up and walked straight towards the shore fortunately those most familiar to him. 

He rose from the water back to the same spot opposite the king’s camp. He remembers leaving his sandals here. He shivered from the morning coldness but the moment he stepped where he left his sandals and they were not, his heart paced. What he saw instead where a collection of grown up Yakunko warriors and Kurota foots prints? He immediately came to conclusion they did find out and more to that could have even got his names. The King’s warriors might have searched Marakusha almost turning it inside out for him! 

His heart pounded faster before he started to run. He needed to return to Marakusha as fast as his legs could carry him. Maybe get back into the shelter and fake up something they all could buy.  Just then, he remembered he had beads. And the beads were very capable of anything! He smiled cunningly, as he ran. 

Marakusha was busy today morning. Tents were erected across the outskirts of the training field and in front of each, there was a large fire. The tents would accommodate Military generals from Sambura and other Yakunko towns as well as representatives of the Kings and visitors from the edges of the emperor and loyal to the crown and wished to watch the games. The Kurotandi games would start today for two days and they happened once every year.

There were guards and caravans packed here and there. It is as if people were awake the whole night organizing for the games. Some children seated around fires listening to stories from storytellers traveled with the caravans from a far. Tsote made his way sneakily towards Renso’s shelters. 

He needed not any one see him yet. When he got to Renso’s shelter, he slinked in only to bump into Sakitha who dropped a jar of milk and other foods. They poured everywhere inside the shelter close to the entrance.

She looked angry just when she noticed who the boy was. 

“Tsote…!” Came a voice from inside past her. It was Makita.

“Sakitha…” Came Tsote started apologetically the next second looking confused and craning his neck to the left in confusion. Sakitha could not talk. And whoever called to his name, sounded a lot like Makita’s. “You are back…!” She added running to him and hugging him so passionately. After a log moment of affection and the ‘I missed you,’ they released each other. 

Tsote immediately reached up and concealed the Olko beads around his neck. Neither of the two realized what he was up to but Sakitha hurried up to him and looked him in the eyes. She did a sign and this was to mean…

“What in the world happened to you…?” Forgetting she just lost her breakfast meal. Unfortunately, Tsote could hear her mind. She was talking. The beads made this possible for him. He always had a problem with reading her sign language even after all the time they spent together. Makita translated much to him and much of the time, they rarely communicated due to this difference in language.

“This was my breakfast you just spilled. Makita just brought it to me.” She made another sign at one point motioning at Makita.

“She was peeping out to make sure her father Renso did not bump into her when most of the food reservoirs are empty from the number of people and visitor we have flowing in for the Kurotandi games. But…” Makita told him.

“I’m so sorry Sakitha.” Tsote replied hurrying over and helping her pick up some of the broken pieces of the jar of milk he just hit broken on the floor. Makita joined them.

“And where have you been all this while. You have been missing two days.”

“Since the first of this season when Mama Erusa passed on.” Makita added. “Father and the king’s men have been looking for you everywhere since then…” She said. 

“-everyone. Renso. Even Makita have been here almost every after an hour asking if you were back…!” Sakitha concluded with a quick sign.

“King O’mondo’s men!” came Tsote with wide eyes glancing at the two in surprise.

Sakitha glanced down at his feet. He saw her. He was bare footed and the sandals he lost at the banks of the river were a gift to from her. She made them. He looked down at his feet too before he thought of an excuse. 

“Where are the sandals I made for you…?” she made no sign for this but he heard her.

“I, I lost them…” Tsote responded without her ever asking. Sakitha looked puzzled.

“I know.” She made a sign but. “-tell that’s by coincidence.”

“What...?” Makita asked the two seeing their eyes gazing fixedly at each other.

“Why I saw you looking at my feet. The sandals…” Tsote played up to cover the strangeness of the moment.

“The king’s men found your sandals at the banks of the river and tracked you by scent up to your bed using those Basha guard dogs…”

“I had no idea where to find you…” Makita told him pausing a second.

“And Thalko. Does he know anything yet…?” Tsote asked.

“Very worried about you…” Sakitha told him in a sign. 

“Father was in Nyathiku planning the Kurotandi games with the rest of the generals when the king summoned to him at once but what they talked about, we don’t know. He however has sent out three search teams to find you.” Makita explained adding. “What you need to know, father is very annoyed…”

Sakitha turned away and started dressing up. Her breakfast was spoilt and there was no time to waste. She had to join her father at the games. Before she turned away, she made another sign, which Makita simplified, for him in words.

“And ever since he returned from the king, he has not left Marakusha again now two days or even stepped beyond his shelter compound.”

“Two days…?” came Tsote in disbelief. “But-“

“Now, you need to tell me everything!” Makita said taking hold of Tsote Ear. “-where have you been all the past two days…”

Sakitha nodded in agreement to this. Then moving quickly to get dressed in her games clothing.  

“What where you doing the last two days Tsote?” Sakitha asked in sign language.

Tsote looked puzzled he did not know what to say. He wished the beads could speak to her but how would she ever understand. Well. He couldn’t say it all in front of Sakitha! Maybe Makita. Besides that, what was he to say to commander Thalko!

 “Well, I, I did not intend to go that long but…” Tsote stared stammering.

“You went past the Kings guards up The Olko hill…” Sakitha made a sign that Makita translated direct. Tsote swallowed his breath. He did not know how to begin or where from. He looked in Makita’s eyes and begged not be questioned lots before he uttered.

“It’s a long story Sakitha. Very complicated too.” He began interrupting him. “Can we talk about this later? Pleaseee. Makita!”

“Well, your sandals reported you…” Sakitha told him turning to Makita q1uickly. “-and you need to go let your father know he is back.”

“Uh..!”

“Father…” Makita repeated for him. “Everyone was warned to report to him at once the moment you return.”

“We heard you went up The Olko hill past the King’s guards…” Sakitha made a sign with a grant in her throat. 

“-which I greatly doubt.” Came Makita. “Its common knowledge the hill is enchanted and impassable to all in possession of the Kurota and the owls up there...” 

“If the king found means to reach the top, someone else, somebody might have found a way too…!”

“You?” Came Makita.

“Have you tried…?” Tsote asked next.

“Many times. But there is a cursed Kuoka roaming the in the fog along the slope and has been taking Kurotandi boys eyes for the last thousands of years...” Sakitha responded.

“It’s just a crazy tale like all the rest…” Came Makita. 

She nodded taking hold of her bows and arrows. She walked towards the exit seemingly unsure whether she needed to say more about this. Nevertheless, Tsote knew whom she meant and he needed not open up yet.

“Go let your father Know he is back…”

“I can’t.” Makita replied. “Father plans to deliver him to the king. And the king we know is sick. He is running mad and…”

“Shhh...!” Makita wared turning to her sharply. “Don’t-!” 

The two looked at Sakitha blankly before some seconds before Makita hurried over to her. Silence filled the shelter. Makita took hold of Sakitha’s hand and said.

“I’ll give you my night share of meal. Please do not tell Father yet… “

“It’s for his own good…”

“I’ll go to him…” came Tsote. They both turned and looked straight at him when he repeated. “Il go and see him.” 

Makita turned to face him surprised! He stepped forwards and then faster towards him. He spun her around having his back at Sakitha. 

“The king won’t spare you Tsote and, and I…” she stammered. “-I do not want to lose you-”

He took both her hands in his, and looked slightly up at her. He looked her deep in her eyes as she completed her warning with teary eyes and said. “I’ll be well friend. Do worry much…!” 

Unfortunately, she was slightly taller than he was and it was she to bend her head slightly lower. She feared for him and he felt it! One of his hands rose to the back of her head. She leaned forwards their foreheads meeting.

“Let him go Makita…” Sakitha told her over his shoulder using sign language. 

Finally, he started past the two towards Thalko’s shelter glancing back once at the two, Makita and Sakitha. They did not look good or feel this was safe. Nevertheless, it was required of him. Tsote came to Thalko’s gate just a few feet away from the tent. Thalko sat with seven other generals and two grey lead Elders of Marakusha under his tent leading to his shelter. 

The moment the guards outside the compound spotted Tsote, they surrounded him. He did not freak out. He stayed calm. All this while he felt Makita was following at a distance. Commander Thalko sat at the head of the table with his generals having his back against the compound entrance. Renso was leaving the compound when he froze. He hurried up to Tsote and immediately motioned them back from the Boy.

He gave Tsote such a piercing judgmental look before he summoned him forwards.

“Come…” 

Tsote feared Renso more than he did Thalko. He grew up in his hands where Thalko was not and he attracted such unwavering respect and fear for him. Tsote’s heart pounded unlike before when Renso motioned to him. He turned around and led him back in. the generals saw him appearing seconds after having taken instruction from Thalko. Why? They looked in his direction followed by Commander Thalko. And there was the runaway Halfling child.

There were whispers among the general instant. They looked surprised at seeing him. There was a wave of whispers and nodding of heads like they all heard about who he was to their king. He overheard one uttering. “The Halfling child?” 

Thalko stood up and walked up to the center of the tented compound. He eyed Tsote and following that, he nodded to Renso to leave with thank you. At once, he turned towards his shelter. He went around and sat facing Tsote. At the center of his shelter, was a wide table-like wooden setting. Curved out of the base of a very big tree. He heard the tree stood in this very spot many years ago and chopped down by his father when he moved to these parts.

What surprised Tsote most were his sandals, which Thalko placed close to the edge of the table opposite the entrance. His eyes moved and this is when he knew everything was as serious immediately, his hands rose to touch his neck. He needed to be sure the beads were not with him. They were not. He swallowed hard followed by a long moment of silence.