Chapter Thirteen

He sends another note a minute later. I tear it up without reading it.
I suddenly feel small, like I’d be wasting my time if I continue entertaining him.
I might as well save myself now before I go in too deep and end up regretting everything. He probably has some perfect looking girl as his life mate in the heavens and I’m just some girl he met in a village shop.
Why has he been following me around?
I suddenly feel angry!
I’m happy the bell rings and Kaseke immediately leads me away, he must have noticed that I don’t want to be here anymore.
These girls, they’re still talking about D'ziko like he's are some heaven sent gift to women.
I don’t want to end up like them.
The walk to my next class is silent.
Kaseke's probably thinking that D'ziko is going to break my heart. I'm thinking the same. He can have any girl he wants. Why me then?
In just three hours he'll be here.
I don’t want to see him. I don’t want to continue with whatever it is that we’re doing. I’d rather be safe than sorry.
I can’t do this. He’s going to have to forgive me. That’s if it’s going to bother him at all that I stood him up. I doubt it will. He’ll probably just go on with his life which I doubt stopped because of me anyway.
I’m sad. And I don’t know why.
It’s going to be one long afternoon.
Before I can enter the classroom, the speakers overhead tell us to all go to the playgrounds which is basically an arena. There's an urgent meeting. I quickly turn around and let the current of teenagers move me toward the doors. I'm glad I managed to lose Kaseke.
The arena comes into view the second I turn the corner and push through the door.
Three wendigos standing guard by the door bow down on one knee when they see me approach. Even though there are more wendigos at the foot of the arena stairs the high pitched crowds are chaotic.
The crowd parts and create a clear path for me. Some stare and point in wonder at my hair, at my eyes, at the fake Bakantwa Sword dangling from my hip.
I take the steps two at a time. Inside the arena, a wendigo shows me the way. Today I get to sit in the VIP section. The lights overhead aim to blind. I squint. Dammit. I want to rub my eyes. The contacts feel heavy.
King Father, Queen Mother and all thirty of their wives and husbands bow down to me. They remain standing until I give them permission to sit. A simple gesture of the hand.
I'm offered a throne so unusual that I blink twice before I study it, committing every detail to memory. Its gold sheen reflects the bright lights of the open top arena. This throne was made especially for me. It's made of pure omuri (metal exclusively mined in Noddon) and surmounted by a canopy of fake Bakantwa swords.
The view is better here; watching from the screens isn’t the same. I'm so close to the podium, I might as well join in and say a few words, except, I don't want anything that will make these people hate me more than they probably will when they learn of my deceit.
“Noddonians, welcome,” a voice says. It's the same high-pitched female from every gathering. Everyone already know the words that will follow. She says the same thing everytime. A national anthem.
I tune her out as she calls out the names of the teenagers that recently got their swords and also tells the crowd which which gift they got.
The crowds cheer and bump fists.
I've never been more relieved to hear the Queen Mother's voice as she takes her stand on the podium. She wears a traditional Noddon hat called Khensa. A thick necklace hides her collarbone from view and she wears a body hugging dress that splits on her right mid thigh, exposing those ridiculously toned, long legs. This is how she looks everyday. No wonder men leave their kids and wives for her. She owns the Lust Sword.
"Greetings from the Royal family." Queen Mother is silent for a long time. At last, she sighs. "This afternoon, we celebrate. Goddess Imani, my stepdaughter, will address ya in a few minutes but let's welcome everyone who recently picked up their sword to the stage."
I won't spend even thirty seconds on that stage. I won't lie to D'ziko's people. My only interest is unearthing and killing the thief, not leading a whole nation. If I tried, surely, the Gods would punish me.
Queen Mother doesn't let them have more than fifteen minutes of fame. The spotlight has to be her.
"Goddess Imani. Join us at the royal table” --I nod and she gives back a curt nod-- “and ya lot can join us at the Royal house, eat and drink to yer tank's full. We have plenty. Oi."
Oi is a celebratory term in Noddon. We say it after every game, every ceremony, even after a sacrifice to the Gods. We are not supposed to mourn. Legend has it that if ya mourn yer loved one, Death-Angel, Adumbi, never leaves yer family.
"Oi. Oi. Oi." We all shout.
This is wishing all those that died this year because of the essence thief a safe journey to the heavens.
"Let's all find balance on our feet and lose our heads in warm welcome to Imani."
The crowds are quick to obey. Standing and bowing as I walk the gold carpet. Blue roses frame my feet. I wave and smile. Smile and wave. By the time I reach the podium my cheeks hurts, my jaw sits tight. For a second I worry about my teeth. But then I remember that like the rest of Noddon, I've been cleaning them with charcoal and mint leaves ever since I was young.
Queen Mother shifts slightly so I can have half the podium. I hesitate for a second then wave.
"Hi," I say. "I am...glad you all got your gifts. Er...Ja. Enjoy the feast."
I'm about to step back down when Kaseke's eyes find mine. He wears a frown and I'm convinced he wants me to say more.
I don't have anything to say to these people.
“Now do good. Be good and we'll be good. Oi?” I ask.
They agree. “Oi. Oi. Oi.”
Queen Mother takes the podium again.
Her smile is sweet and yet it makes me feel so cold. The kind of cold that makes you think of cemeteries and funeral palours.
"Now follow me to the Royal house," she says, the smile gone. “Goddess Imani, if ya will lead yer people, please.”
D'ziko's people.
“We'll give ya a five minute head start. We don't want yer fans clotting the way.”
I lead the way to the carriages waiting outside the arena. The two royal unicorns are a curious white. So white in fact ya might mistake them for glossy pink. Beadwork adorns the horse’s cannons, knees and elbows. Their tails are so long that they sweeps the floor. A wedding dress veil. Their manes equally as long and fall to it's left in a sleek blanket.
The carraiges waiting outside for the rest of the villagers bear the Noddon symbol: goat horns.
Long ago when Leza first came here, she was out in the woods picking wild onions when hundreds of Dutchman came at her with guns. All the goats in the farm surrounded her, presenting as a livestock shield, they gave up their lives for Leza. Now my people use goats to connect with their ancestors.
My eyes find him first. D'ziko is standing a mere foot from my carriage, his eyes darting through the pool of faces going this way and that. My heart starts beating madly, and I have to force the breath in and out of me.
The second D'ziko sees me he smiles and beckons me to him. I never fail to get a thrill from seeing him. I only hesitate for a second before I walk up to him with my eyes narrowed. This guy doesn’t know me, I’m not getting in that carriage, not with him driving. I'm done with him.
He’s leaning on the carriage door, ankles crossed, hands folded across his chest. He's wearing a mask that shows only his eyes and mouth. He looks at me, like I’m a prized possession. Like I'm something that comes only once in one's lifetime.
I stop right up in his face, hands on my waist, eyes fixed on his. “Stop stalking me. It's not attractive.”
He looks like he wants to roll his eyes. “I’ll stop but only on one condition”
“Name it. Anything to get rid of ya.”
He chuckles. “Marry me.”
The smile, again, runs to my lips without warning me. I close my eyes tightly to try and get rid of the itching. My contacts are killing.
"Imani, are you okay?” he asks, alarmed, his voice sounds close to my ear now. I bet he'd be frowning if his face wasn't concealed by a mask.
I nod.