THE LEGEND OF KIWAKAAZI

The old man took a few steps backwards, tripped on a small stone and fell. He raised his hands and while waving was crying out, “I swear on the grave of my beloved wife and daughter whom died not long ago that what I say is true. Please do not hurt me.” One guard had drawn his blade and walking slowly to the old man after Bagunasango, commander of Jumapafie’s army, had commanded the old man be thrown out or better still thrown in jail for trying to con the Empress. “Please… Please do not kill me!” begged the old man.

Tinle Ashanti was lost in her thoughts; she remembered the goddess, Fomo, saying the man whom will save her daughter will show three signs – sacrifice, kindness and wisdom. But she expected a man not a boy. Besides, this boy is on trial for crimes against Jumapafie. The savior can’t be a criminal. But what if this boy is the one Fomo was talking about? If the old man’s story is true, then he has demonstrated the first sign - sacrifice.

“Stop it!” yelled her majesty Ashanti at the guard. “None of us really know what happened. I will need a three days to consider everything. I will keep him under strict surveillance in my palace during the three day period,” added Tinle Ashanti.

There was a lot of murmuring in the crowd. The question on everybody’s mind was why would the Empress try to protect the criminal? The elders were not particularly pleased with this decision and met the Empress a couple of hours after she had openly declared she was going to protect a thief. Empress Ashanti entered the court where meetings are held. The elders were all upstanding. She walked past them one after the other and climbed a short stairs to her throne. The court was very silent until suddenly, one elder got up and asked angrily, “Why have you decided to foster this delinquent instead of sentencing him like everyone expected?!” Empress Ashanti did not answer. Then another elder rose and shouted “we wait for your answer your royal highness!” Empress Ashanti sighed. “I have been the ruler of Jumapafie for the past five years and you have all trusted my judgment. I ask you to trust me now like you did in the past,” was her simple answer. That answer was not enough. “What are you keeping from us?!” demanded another angry elder.  

Ashanti was clearly not ready to answer questions but she did not have to. Some elders trusted her and one in particular rose to save her. He said “elders, you should know that this boy could not act on his own. He is probably being manipulated or has other accomplices. I am sure the Empress plans on using the boy as bait to capture the mastermind or his accomplices.” The court became dead silent for a while until another elder finally spoke: “I think we have no more questions. Let us all meet in a three days for our august ruler’s decision.” The meeting was adjourned much to the relief of Empress Ashanti.

After everybody had departed, the Empress alone sat on her throne in silence. Not sure what to do. Life is made or broken by the choices we make. Has she made the right choice or did she just gamble her throne away. It was getting late. The sun was setting. She rose from her throne and entered the palace.

Food was ready and her servants wanted to serve Tinle Ashanti. She did not feel hungry. A lot had happened and all she could do was think. She asked for the boy to be bathed, clothed and brought to her in the royal dining room. She planned on dining with the young savior. A small table for two was prepared. Tinle Ashanti sat across the boy with her elbows on the table and jaws in her palms watching the boy with love while he gobbled up food. Her maternal instincts kicked in and decided that she was not going to harm him even if he was not the savior she had been expecting.

 So let me tell you a little about this mysterious boy. He was not from the Southern Empire or any of the other three great empires. He belonged to a clan known as Asoglis (wanderers). The Asoglis were believed to be natives of the first empire, Nananompofie (Home of the ancient ones) or simply the Central Empire that was destroyed by the other four empires during the Akodindin (Great War). After the war, Nibooman (Western Empire) became interested in the natives of Nananompofie who escaped and placed a hefty bounty on their heads. Greedy people will do anything for money and some people dedicated their lives to capturing the Asoglis. Anyway, this boy was the leader of a small group of young wanderers comprising only boys and girls of his age. He was on the most wanted list of Nibooman – the notorious Asogli nicknamed Ntonka (little spirit) whom freed many young Asoglis from the West.

He was captured and packaged at least six times to be delivered to Nibooman (Western Empire) and each time he escaped. In fact there were people older than him in his group. He was just about thirteen years old and there were a few fourteen and fifteen year olds in the group. But he was the smartest and the strongest. That is why everyone trusted him. That is why everyone followed his lead.

He led his group from Nibooman after his last capture. The holding cell where he was kept was filled with many Asoglis. As a boy growing up he did not know much about the existence of the wanderers until he met these people. When he met them, he did not even know they were his kin. He just felt compassionate towards them and wanted to help them.

They were being held at Yolopo. There were between twenty to thirty children being held there with just about twenty guards. Each cell held about six children. He rounded up the kids in his cell and started a fight inside the cell. When two guards entered to stop the ruckus, they overpowered the guards. They rescued the children in the next cell and split into three teams. Team A comprised of him and about five other strong boys. Team B comprised of four children whom admitted had fast legs whilst Team C comprised of three children whom were relatively weak compared to the members of team A and B.

His team was tasked with using their wits and strength to overpower the guards. The second team was to run into the woods and drag a number of the guards along with them and the third team was tasked to help rescue the prisoners; no fighting involved just sneaky stuff. When all have been rescued, they were to meet at a rendezvous point in the forest that led to the Southern Empire from Yolopo.

The plan was not perfect and had its challenges but it worked and all the children whom were to be delivered to unknown people in Nyansapofie (City of the Western Empire) were rescued with no casualties. All the children felt indebted to him but more importantly felt he was fit to lead them. He led them through the forest into the Southern Empire.

He thought it was important they remain quiet inside the Southern Empire. So first they set camp in the woods and hid on the trees. But shelter was not their biggest problem; food and water was. They tried doing menial work for people but once people started asking questions about their names and origin, they knew they will be figured out. They switched to being beggars but that also attracted attention. The only thing they could do and still remain hidden was to steal.

After spending so much time in the Southern Empire, they knew all the alleys and pathways that led to escape after stealing. You can understand why it was difficult for the boy to accept that the old man was present in that alley at the time.  They also dug up a few tunnels here and there where they hid whenever they found themselves in trouble for a while. They hid their faces and made it difficult for people to recognize them. Their plan was working fantastically well until the kind heart of their leader got the better of him.   

The boy took a break. He was eating too fast and paused for a while. Empress Ashanti knew that was her chance and took it. “Why don’t you tell me where you come from?” asked her royal majesty.  The boy stared at the Empress for a while as if he wanted to say something and turned to his meal. He dug in and continued to eat. Her royal majesty Ashanti was now beginning to understand that this was no ordinary boy. He is only eating to avoid answering her questions; eating and talking at the same time is regarded disrespectful and bad manners. “He is one shrewd boy,” she thought.  After eating the boy rose to his feet and while bowing before the Empress, thanked her for the food. He immediately requested to be taken to his prison. He was tired and wanted to rest.

Empress Ashanti smiled. She wanted to have a son as clever as this one. She told him he was not to be put in a prison. He was her guest and was to be treated like a prince. She ordered him to follow her and took him to the room where he was to spend the night. She looked down at him and asked him how he liked his new room. He still gave her the silent treatment. “Goodnight and if you need anything please ask,” said Ashanti while she closed the door to her guest’s room.

For a second there he felt very relaxed around Tinle Ashanti. He never had a mother and started to comprehend how it would be like to have a mother; a rich one of course. But when you have spent your whole life being disappointed by the people you trust, you tend not to trust any more. The young boy was happy to be treated like a prince for the first time in his life. He was happy to have a big room with many beautiful things and jumped around for a while on his really big bed.

But no one is kind for no reason. No one does good deeds expecting nothing in return. He spent his night covered in sheets and thinking about what to do next. “Should I go or should I stay?” sung Brandy. He turned his head to his right and noticed a door. He was curious. “What is behind the door?” he questioned. He got out of bed and moved towards it. He paused and tried to analyze his situation. His host looks genuinely kind but she seems very interested in his name and where he comes from. “What if it is a trap?” He held his chin and rubbed it with his index finger. Then, he decided.

He turned the knob of the door very slowly and realized it was not locked. He let go of the knob and stopped to think carefully about what he is about to do.