"Elder Anjari?" I understood why Temina was worried. Elder Anjari, felt we had to subjugate the land and be the masters of the others. He has been trying to get the other elders on his side so he can convince Chief Kodji to begin a conquest but for the past thirty years or more, they've managed to ward him off. His followers think we are the superior ones and so they look down on the others and even Natives who believe living in peace with the Others is the way.
"I want you to talk to him, I know he'll listen to you. You've been friends for a very long time." There was despair in her voice. I took her hands in mine. Her hands were trembling slightly. "I will talk to Kamari, don't worry mother Temina," I promised. She squeezed my hands for a few seconds and then let go, it was her way of telling me she was counting on me to help her.
Mmirrikah was home already. She has been abandoning me lately. But when I got home, she ran to meet me. I stroked her ears and she licked my fingers in return. My mother and sisters were already preparing the morning meal. "Kodji!" my mother called even though I was moving to her. "Where have you been all this while?" she asked.
"I'm sorry mother, I know you need these, something came up that's why I'm late," I tried to explain myself. "Excuses Kodji, you know I don't like these kinds of excuses," she said as she entered the kitchen. "The last time you used this excuse, you were searching for honey with Kamari."
I placed the bag down. "Maybe Kodji was with Aamiy," Yamr, my youngest sister said. I shot a look at her and she giggled. "You were with Aamiy, so early in the morning?" Zenaya, my eldest sister asked. "No, I wasn't. Yamr, you always get me into trouble with your big mouth."
"You know how your father feels about this, my son." "But mother, I went into the forest early in the morning and I stopped by Kamari's mother's stall just as you said," I tried defending myself. "Besides, Aamiy is about to join the women warriors. And you know they can't marry or have children and she lives in the garrison now, so that's very impossible, hippo brain."
"Well, we are preparing for a feast, so hurry up and help us with the goats." My mother said to me. "A feast for who?" "He doesn't know," Yamr said. "I don't know what?" I asked. "Eresmi has returned. She returned three days ago," Zenaya replied. "They'll be coming home tonight, her father and your father have something to discuss," mother added. I shrugged and said "I have plans for tonight mother." "We'll see what father has to say about your plans for tonight," Yamr said.
"He plans to meet his warrior Aamiy tonight." Zenaya chipped in. "Dance with her in the moonlight and practice swordfights with her and all." Yamr added. "If word of this gets to their commander, I'll be sent to the eastern border for a year and I doubt I'll survive the entire year." My sisters just giggled. "You should focus on getting husbands for yourselves and giving our poor mother grandchildren." That got them.
"Zenaya, Yamr, your brother has a point," mother began. "Yes, I really need grandchildren, my daughters. Find husbands for yourself or else, I might have to offer you to Elder Jarrik." Sarcasm from my mother, unbelievable. "But he is old." Zenaya spoke first. "He might die soon." Yamr added. "Maybe he'll father some children on you before he does." "That's cruel mother." My sisters said in unison.
"Thank you, mother, I'll leave you to prepare the morning meal. I'm going to feed Mmirrikah." I called Mmirrikah and took her to the stables, that's where we fed our pets, house rules by father. Whilst Mmirrikah ate, I checked on the horses and fed them too, after that I cleaned them.
I had to take really good care of the horses; my father specifically told me to do that. He said it was a way of getting me ready to take over from him when he was no more. I don't know how taking good care of horses translates into being a good father and a respected husband and elder. I still couldn't get what mother Temina told me this morning.
Elder Anjari doesn't like my father, he says my father is too soft. A couple of seasons ago, when I was seventeen seasons old, a year after my initiation into manhood, he tried to convince me to join him. He said the new generation would be the masters of the land and that we would live like kings and queens. But in reality, he wanted to hurt my father, he didn't care about us.
Sadly, only a few of us knew this. He has been able to convince the sons of some elders to join him and. If he's able to convince Prince Viagh, he's going to be very powerful. Other elders, like my father, are also doing what they can to prevent Elder Anjari and his accomplices from achieving their goal. I'll have to do whatever it takes to convince Kamari.
Mothers call brought me back into the real world. They were done with the morning meal. It was time to sit with my family for the meal. I left the stables, washed my hands and joined them in the meal room. Still, Kamari's meetings with Elder Anjari was on my mind and thinking about it, scared me.