27 - The royal elders

Chapter 27 (The Royal elders)

Twelve years ago, it was rumored the king was sick from an unknown disease the elders of the Yakunko societies never understood. In addition, the king never allowed the actual truth out to the Royal elders. The king was making inappropriate decisions, which confused the Royal elders. Therefore, it took several years before they found out he was not only sick from a plague but also haunted by something strange. 

On his third Inka ritual challenge, the elders found out that, the King was in the possession of some Shorango Olko beads. He was using them to defend himself from the effects of his sickness. They came to think the beads he wasn’t ready to part with were the reason the I’nka seed wasn’t ready to mark him as next Yakunko king in line with the kings of the past. 

When the King realized the Royal Elder’s knew the whole truth, he ordered Thalko to arrest them before they made anything know to other elders. The king made this order after having been discovered unmarked by the Inka seed during his initiation with his fore fathers. 

How? The royal elders always waited from the chambers of the black pool until the king returned from below. When the king got there, the royal elders would bath him in the black pool for cleansing. If the Inka ritual went and the king was accepted and blessed by the Kings of the past, he would rise from the black water with kingly markings engraved in his flesh. The was nothing!

This was not the king’s very first time to perform the I’nka ritual. It was King O’mondo’s third time without any success. No other king ever exceeded the third time but he had failed attracting the blessings of the past kings. 

To their greatest surprise, the king rose from the water without a single Inka marking. And they were surprised to see that he wore Olko beads the Shorango priestess wore before the Shorango and Yakunko alliance failed. Why was he wearing the beads? They needed him to immerse himself again without the Olko beads but he refused. And when they insisted he scolded at them making his plague visible across his whole body.

The elders already had questions about the root of his so-called sickness or madness. They had seen the Halfling plague. Whatever the elders saw, the king knew would bring double problems for him in addition to his haunting the moment the rumor reached none Yakunko tribesmen through these elders. In retaliation, he sought to block the rumors by ordering Thalko to arrest the royal elders. But this was very wrong of him! 

A King, who lacked the blessing of the Inka seed, was not fit to sit on the throne. Reasons were clear that through such a king the empire would fall. The Inka seed’s power was channeled through the king to all his Kurota warriors. A king without Inka markings meant a people without the protection of the Inka seed. No one knew and believed in this more than the Royal elders of the different Yakunko villages believe.

Why? When a king failed to grasp the blessings of the past kings on his third trial, the elders would send him off to check with different healers why he wasn’t succeeding. During that time the elders would take on the on his behalf. By customs, the royal elders took control of the System in case the king did not rise with the marks of the Inka until a new king could be chose.

If the king did not return with markings after one moon, the elders would choose a new king. Nevertheless, Prince Mozia O’mondo was unqualified, young and poorly raised for the throne. However, the Elders were there to ensure his training began. Nevertheless, he failed the Kurotandi games last year due to indiscipline.

He had to participate in this year’s Kurotandi games and if he succeeded the Kurotandi challenges with discipline, the elders would train him to become new king. His son was not a threat but the royal elders were. The king knew the customs and this made him uneasy. 

After the I’nka ritual and the lock up of the royal elders, reports arrived that the new comers were advancing on Nyathiku village. For the very first time Thalko and the king went to war against the Newcomers with guns too. The new comers were defeated and their commander’s head parted from his lower body.

With the war ended, Thalko came with the new comers commander’s head to the king’s tent. He placed it on the king’s table and bowed. The king was going up and down in his tent uneasily as if something bothered him. Thalko saw how confused the King was and knew why! First thing, he requested him to let the elders help.

“Reconciliation is no longer possible…. You of all people must know that!” The king yelled at him. 

“But …” Thalko spoke but the king shut him.

“There is only one thing I can do now… and I cannot do it without you friend. My only friend….”

Thalko listened to him. He sensed fear in his voice like never before. Nevertheless, the king’s plan, he was the repetition of his former mistakes. The violation of Yakunko customs when he had no power to change them as a Yakunko king. What the king needed him to assist him on was the third time the king wanted to violate the traditions and Thalko could not contemplate himself doing so even though the king was his master. Nevertheless, how could he say no to him when his greatest legacy was in his loyalty to the crowns with his life!

Having though hard, Thalko told his master the Kurotandi games were coming and that it would be a great mistake if he placed his left foot on the Yakunko customs once again!  

“My forefathers set the customs we live by and why... why would you then let me diminish with the customs. I’m the king and the elders must honor that.”

“They do and only want to help you…”

“The elders have been raised and watched over by the kings of the past. The king alone helps... and-” The king spoke with such pride in his voice. A black ink-like shade passed over his eyes scaring Thalko.

“You know you are no longer who you used to be before you wore the Shorango woman’s beads.”… 

“The beads protect me from the pain and effects caused by the plague and if I part with them…”

“What if they are the reason why the kings of the past won’t recognize you…” Thalko reasoned.

“You do not know that for certain…,” The king said.

“In addition you can no longer make the best decisions you used to…,” Thalko told him.

“Do not judge because you don’t actually know…!” the king sneered with so much anger and half transforming in glitches all over his flesh. 

“Yes my king. I do not know but I am a loyal friend. And you have said this to me several times over…” Thalko responded as the king took hold of his shoulder.

“Yes…” came the king calming down and smiling. “However, the royal elders are driven by customs. You must keep them locked up through this season’s Kurotandi meeting with your commanders.”

“This is dangerous. It has never happened before and when the commanders realize their absence, it will cause paramount distrust for both you and me.” Thalko reasoned with the king but the king did not want to know! 

 “I made you commander in chief, head of the Kurotandi council and certainly can handle that for me.” The king replied.

“My King. You don’t want to keep breaking the customs once was enough…” he told him.

“Yes, Yes. Yes. The customs were set by the great Yakunko kings and they can be undone…” King O’mondo replied mockingly.

“But you cannot change the customs without the I’nka marking…”

“I’m king…”

“Yes you are my King but…”

“Yes…” came the king in interruption. “-and, and not one elder will part me with my throne from the throne lest they wish to lose their heads…”

Thalko looked confused. The king cannot murder his Yakunko Royal elders whatsoever. 

“That would turn you into an enemy of the council. Without the I’nka markings, they will find confidence to challenge you…” Thalko explained. “In no time, they will tear up the Yakunko Empire or even the Yakunko enemies will try to use this internal confusion as an opportunity to evade Sambura.” 

“Oh yes, I see…” came the king.  

“They generals already thought you had the Halfling’s plague. The elders have proof of it.” Thalko spoke. “Why then continue to rule from the shadows for more years like a bird in a cage when they could assist you with the halfling…?”

“None of them can undo this haunt, nor the plague… not if Naruba couldn’t!” The king replied.

“The plague affects we the Yakunko only. If She has contact with Olkai and the Kuoka is truly alive, he must be knowledgeable about a remedy to one of the two problems...”

 Thalko asked…

“I’ve tried that but she says she cannot summon to him without her Olko beads... I can no longer fool her with the return of her beads in exchange for her assistance…” The king replied.”

“I see. Ow, what if the Halfling’s gift doesn’t manifest for another five years… You won’t take the herbs forever?” Thalko asked him. “You need to do something to make her summon to Olkai. Otherwise the elders won’t wait long to crown Prince Mozia O’mondo as new king…”

“You harden everything. Because what has been a secret between you and I, my son knows. How does he come to hear of his brother?”

“You had the two of them down there at your orders…”

“They weren’t meant to talk…!” the king barks.

“My apologies… there was a clash at the Inka buffet. Nevertheless, I did not say he was your son… I merely asked what if the child was O’mondo as much as he was. And all this was meant to ease the tension there was…”

“You are no longer as trustworthy as we began…”

“I’m sorry my king but I’m very certain he believed none of my words. But would believe what comes out from your very lips…” Thalko said.

“I may be insane but the elders are in search for the truth and you believe I could own up like a fool.” Thalko said.

“I denied him… but instructed him not to mention about these matters to anyone.” King O’mondo said bitterly

“I’m sorry my king…”

“However, I will return to the Shorango priestess and see that we get over with this! Right now, you must depart for Nyathiku at once to organize the council meeting. But don’t let the royal elders out yet…!” The king spoke letting Thalko off.                     

“Yes my King…” Thalko replied turning to leave.

The king turned and looked at the Newcomer’s head Thalko placed on the table. He bent slightly and touched its chin. 

Thalko would head for Nyathiku while the king returned to the Olko hill. Thalko arrived for the council Kurotandi meeting but the royal elders were nowhere to be seen! Thalko knew very well that the different royal elders worked together with his generals from the different Yakunko villages to execute the royal orders. 

And failure of the return of the Royal elders from the Inka ritual to join the respective army commanders to the council’s Kurotandi meeting would be questionable! For that case, the generals would not rest until they got a proper reason from Chief Thalko or the sick king himself!

Unfortunately, the general hadn’t come to discuss about the Kurotandi games only but also about the king’s madness caused by the haunt. They expected the royal elders to attend of the elders showed up. The Council wanted to know if the king was sick of the Halfling plague as they thought or not. Thalko could not open up to them. And the Elders who were supposed to bring back their findings from the most recent Inka challenge were not there to! 

Thalko vowed to protect the secrets of the crown as long as he was Commander in chief. When he saw how demanding and hopeless the council meeting was becoming, storm out! Truth was, the king’s haunting was a major threat to the throne and the Yakunko system. And this was as evident to the rest of the elders as it was to him as the high commander.

First, the king felt that his condition was permanent if the Halfling’s gift went on never to manifest. Besides, chances of healing from the plague and haunt were close to none. And if he lets the royal elders free, they would make it known that the he was sick of a Halfling plague. 

Bad news travels fast like wild fire! None Yakunko tribesmen would storm Marakusha the moment they heard the king was sick from a Halfling plague. Why, the murder of the Halfling child would spread the plague to kill every member of the royal family! 

He had to keep the Halfling child secret until its gift manifested. Nevertheless, if he revealed the child to the elders and its gift hasn’t manifested even at fifteen years of age, they would crown Prince Mozia O’mondo his son as new king in his place! 

His son was not ready to sit on the throne yet until he learned to respect the Kurotandi games. Why? In the last games, he killed a player he hated even after having defeated the player, which was not right. He seemed to take the games and the rule governing them for granted as long as he was the only male child available, taking the games for granted. 

However, the prince was warned about how his attitude toward the rules and customs of the Kurotandi games and how dire the consequences would be in case he made such mistakes twice in this year’s games.

The rain season was ending and something was trying to rob him of his Kurota. It was haunting him. It was fighting his Kurota to be able to take control of him. He had resisted enough and needed further assistance. He has always intimidated the Shorango woman enough for her assistance but it was never enough. And his return to the Olko hill this season was to force the Shorango Priestess to summon for the wise owl.

The generals chose the Master of the Kurotandi games but Chief Thalko had a great Influence in Renso’s victory. Through the Master of the Kurotandi games, the Generals could alter the progress of the Games in any way. They came to the meeting expecting to hear from the elders that the king was not sick of the Halfling plague. 

When the elders failed to show up to reveal their findings, it was like proof there was a royal Halfling child. By now, the child would be fourteen or fifteen years of age depending on the time, they have seen the king sick and abnormal! And no one else but the Master of the Kurotandi games could help them single out the Halfling child on the day of the Kurotandi games.

Thalko knew what the general’s next move and tried to get to Renso before they could. Confused between what the commander in chief wanted from him and what the council of generals. 

Thalko’s messenger returned with news worse than he expected. The news were about the death of his beloved sister, the great storyteller Mama Erusa.

Another messenger arrived with a report that the king was summoning him to his camp south and at once. This would require Thalko returning to Marakusha as fast as he could to meet the king, which he did. Nevertheless, he knew Renso would listen to him but he also would like to remain master of the Kurotandi games. 

In the end he was likely to give in the Halfling child to the generals and this would anger the King. For that case, Thalko thought he had to get Renso out of the influence of the generals this time.

When he arrives to meet the king at the foot of the Olko hill, the king was furious about him and his recklessness and even threatened to relive him of his position as commander in chief.

All about what exactly? The king’s anger was attached to the Halfling child whom the guards claim used glowing magical beads to bypass the guards and followed the king up the Olko hill illegally. He needed Thalko to present the Halfling child to him to be sure the child wasn’t in contact with his Shorango mother but the child was nowhere to be found!

Hence, his meeting with the king was brief and it concerned the where about of the boy. What hit the commander hard was the king’s threat to relive him of his position for the sake of the Halfling child! He returned to Marakusha very annoyed and planned.

He had instructed his shelter guards to let no one in to bother him. He needed to think because there was so much on his shoulders today!

Renso cared about the Halfling child because Chief Thalko trusted him with its safety but what about his position. Was he ready to lose t to keep the child secret? Thalko had the same in mind and so came up with an idea! This would be the commander’s smartest move. 

When Tsote the Halfling child returned finally, Thalko would present Renso to the king. The idea required Renso to join him to meet the king the moment they found the child! He very well knew Thalko left the child in his responsibility whenever he was away with the king!

But he had failed his commander in chief! Why? This wasn’t a matter Renso was going to walk out of so easily! Renso knew Thalko was up to something and so stayed put. If all went as Thalko planned, Renso would be out of the generals reach and late to know whom Renso would have chosen as substitute master of the Kurotandi games. After all any master of the Kurotandi, games had a right to choose anyone male or female to conduct the Kurotandi game if he wasn’t in position to.

The same night, he told Renso he would join him to meet the king when the child returned and this sent Renso’s mind into motion! Renso knew the child was the king’s son and if Thalko presented him before the king as the child’s caretaker where Thalko wasn’t, he may never conduct the Kurotandi games this year. 

***** 

 “The world continues to change but a lot against who we are and what we have become over the years. You know what that is… and so the commanding elders agree the empire will require special young warrior recruitments for a special mission to the lands beyond. And your last challenge will determine what you all become after here.”

Immediately after, she lifted the games commanding spear straight up above her head. And when she lowered it, the last phase of the games began!