Aisosa- No one is greater than God

There were age old prophecies in the kingdom of Kafachan, after all, it was an empire feeding on the utterances of the gods. Chief amongst them was the prophecy of a king and a Prince, a father and a son. That the father would love his children so much, that he'd give his life for them. And his son, would be so loved by the gods, that he would bring peace back, to his people. It was on the day King Abba died, that the sun shone for a whole day, there was no night. The juju men said it was a standstill of respect shown by the gods for one man. Never had it ever occurred, and never again would it. Whispers said it was unnatural causes, gossips said it was the evil Queen, step mom to the prince, whom many believed had ambitions for the throne. But few, remembered the prophecy.

Coronation was due in a few days, and Timi was unsure of whether he could wield the power that the throne would bestow upon him. Kafanchan was a vast and mighty empire, it required a similar mind to wield that authority. From the hills in the provinces of Plateau, to the Sahara plains in Daura, they all answered to one king. The largest kingdom in northern Africa. Timi was only 3 months into his teachings with his father on juju, mystery and the history orals before the tragedy happened. He remembered his father's eyes before he left. Farewell, was what he said, and not see you at abincin rana as usual, but the early morning sleep fogged his mind, and he didn't read through early enough. Eslah, his advisor and friend, had accompanied his father to wherever they went, and that was why he had to ask him, he would have the answers. Answers to why he had to leave the Palace and go to on a journey of only which one returned. Timi damned the preparations for the event and headed out to find answers.

Timi arrived the residence a little past noon. Eslah was playing with his little girl when he arrived, Naaannaa. He took off his hood and let it fall back behind him to reveal his identity, to avoid an assault from the retired military tactician who was already searching him.

"Yerima," he greeted as he dipped his head, alongside his wife who came dropped what she was doing as soon as she heard her husband. Timi dipped in return, and smiled frayly at them. Naannaa ran to the him and hugged him. His knee was as high as she could get. "Titimi!" She yelled, as she drew him excitedly to come join in the games. Her oiled scalp between her cornwrows shone in the sun as she dashed back into the hut. Her father dismissed her with a pat on the head and told her to go feed the goats.

"I'll get you kwakwa on my way back. Kin ji?" she grinned ever so widely, and Timi noticed the gap at the right end of her mouth. She waved at him and disappeared into the corner of the compound.

"Quite energetic isn't she?"

"I could say I remember you being quite so, when I was her age." Timi said glancing back one last time as they headed to the open plains.

"Why can't we talk here? It's your home." Eslah nodded and urged him forward.

The horizon on the plains were green, as far as the eyes could carry on both sides. Eslah sighed:

"All walls have ears. It's safer to talk where the wind moves, unrestrained. And where the wind is free, there are no walls"

"But don't winds carry the secrets of men?"

"Yes, they do. But no man can tell which secret belongs to waye. You want to know how your father died." Timi didn't respond, but his silence was consent enough. Eslah sighed, and let his folded hands begins his back loose, and sat on the grass. He patted the ground, a sit next to me gesture.

" There is a prophecy, one that precedes the reign of your father. It's so old it's safe for me to bet that the people alive who probably remember it are long dead by now, or close at least."

"The prophecy of father and son? Or the one of the lion and the mole?"

"The former."

"Don't tell me you believe in that shamble too?" Timi scoffed. Eslah knew better than to respond to his folly. He went on:

"You see your father, he was a good king, a few glitches here and there with his madness, but it's a small price to pay when you know the way you'll die from the day that you understand right from wrong. Even I didn't know what was going to happen, until it was too late. I got the messenger rabbit he sent that morning. I knew it was urgent. So I put my jilabia on and headed for the Palace. He was quiet for most of the trip, dropping occasional sullen jokes on the way. He mentioned we were going hunting, but ironically we went hunting just two days back. He insisted that he wanted to catch a zomo. It was in the midst of the hunt, that we noticed a girl caught in a hunter's trap. We rushed to help, thinking it was an ordinary girl, little did we know that she was a princess, from the enemy empire, Edo. Your father in a fit of fear and tension, became a man, and a father, and he forgot that he was king, and killing the princess would tilt the jubilee old war in his favour. It was while we were trying to find out how she got lost, and how to get her back that..." his voice broke off. Tears. He swallowed hard, and hummed low. Timi watched him, patiently. Eslah cleared his throat, and forced himself on:

"The masquerades arrived."

"Masquerades?! But I thought they were only suppose to show themselves once in a Kings reign. To return to the spirit realm after a while and wait until..."

"Yes, yes, or so we thought. But you see amongst your father's many peculiar acts, he refused to offer human sacrifices as was custom to the Kings before him. He said no life was worth sacrificing baselessly, and masquerades don't forgive. Your father told us to run, find safety. As the only mage in the kingdom, only he could take them on. In the commotion, I lost sight of the Princess. Although your father, with knowing eyes, as he recited his chants and the embroidery on his kaftan glowed, one last time, bade me farewell, a goodbye I knew that there'd never be another hello to.... I'm sorry, Timi. I should've been there more. I, I. The whole world should know how he died, a hero, a true king. But the last thing he said to me was not to tell anybody about what had occurred with the princess. And I saw reasons with him. For one, our people would call it an ambush, and seek revenge, blood for blood. But your father, he knew better the costs of war than anyone else. He was tired, he..." No sooner than the words left Eslah's mouth that the first arrow whooshed past them. They ducked, searching for a source. Timi hissed, the grey hairs on his head glowing white now, juju.

" Find cover, Yerima."

"Where? It's an open field out here! Ba wurin boyewa" Eslah hissed. They got up, facing their oncoming assailants now, at least 20 men, a few archers, and a lot of leaf-chewing men, Babalawos. There was no escape. Eslah made to block Timi, but Timi pulled up the earthern boulder quick enough to intercept the next arrow. He clenched his jaw. He hadn't eaten all day, juju required strength, the mourning in the kingdom came with fasts. No food for the royal family till sunset. Timi had to think fast.

"How many more boulders can you put up, if we run into the fields and cut them off?"

"I haven't had abinci today, I'm afraid this is the best I can do."

"I can't let them take you."

"And I can't let you return without kwa kwa to Naannaa" Eslah clenched his jaw. He wouldn't forgive himself if he lost this second royalty.

Timi had to think fast, if he could open a loop, and transport Eslah back home, he could make a run for it before the men arrived. Good thinking. While Eslah looked around for an alternative, Timi drew three progressive circles in each other behind his back to escape gaze. The portal appeared, behind a tense unsuspecting Eslah. The men drew in closer now, another arrow crashed against the boulder. As the portal whizzed silently behind him. A quick shove, and the last thing Eslah heard Timi utter was an apology, "Ka yafe ni." He was gone before he knew what had happened. His assailants arrived, and in a swift motion they struck the joint of his neck, outcold. Royalty, born with the power of juju, his low endurance was proof enough of his low ranking in the realm of the supernatural, novice. The grey glow in his hair faded slowly, and the beads of sweat that formed on his face shone weakly in the sun. The prince had been kidnapped.

When Timi would awaken, it would be inside a hut, tied against a bamboo stick resting in the walls, hands akimbo. There were two spears on both sides of the door, two guards. The room was cold, and his neck stung, he hissed. One of the guards peeped in and saw him, he jogged off. Timi tried to summon juju, but there was no use, it only worsened the pang. By the time he raised his head, he eyes were met with a stern gaze, then a slap across the face. Flushed red. It was a good thing he was at least seated, else he was headed for the floor, or against the wall.

"Where is Princess Aisosa? You took her captive. The more time you waste, the lesser the time on this side of the duniya." An interrogation. Timi winced, then giggled. It seems his father's touch for madness had passed on to him.

"So that's what this was all about, hmmm, mutane. A good afternoon to you too."If there was any truth to this prophecy of theirs, Timi wasn't seeing any light to it. Never had he heard of men making peace while shackled in chains. He was going to die, and he was slowly coming to peace with it.