“Tell me about the physical features surrounding the Ekpona Hills,” the chief asked the envoy.
“There are a number of small villages, but the major settlements start from over the hill and its elevation is high. Our horses aren’t used to climbing those steep heights. By foot it’s a day’s journey to Odagwe’s Haku.”
Directing the next question at the general the chief asked, “How many Omees do we have?”
“We should have four battalions.”
“That was not the question. I asked how many men do you have in each of your battalions?”
“From seven hundred to a thousand.”
“Take your worst battalion and divide it into four parts. Send the first bunch tonight to the Ekpona Hills and the others will follow with day and night. They should not be dressed in Omee outfits from this province, and they should capture those little villages.”
“Odagwe is no fool. Those are the first places he will guard and any attack in any form will be connected to you.”
“How can I explain this to you? Desperate times cover honor. The victor, no matter how dishonorable he is, still gets the glory. Yes, I said that I would attack on the fourteenth day, but even Odagwe knows that is fiction. The war starts today, but there will be no war song or dance until I leave here for battle. These men will leave with the turn of the days and nights. Let them know their mission is suicidal and, if they don’t want to go, place them in the final battlefront.”
Otuturex sighed, looking at the men around him. The beauty of war was that it exposed the people you could turn your back to and those you could not risk such an act with. There were a lot of ways to prevent your enemies from attacking you from within, but the best method was by starting your war from the most important direction, from within.
Odagwe knew he was going to battle with me soon as he stepped into the palace. He has someone on the inside. I have nothing on my general to be sure of his allegiance to me. All I have is his honor and the good name that came from the loyalty of his father and the generations before him. Well, I am a lucky to have let my Tikpapa tell me how to screen through some of his supernatural arts. I have to admit, if I was a Tikpapa even to a King, there are some secrets I would never tell.
Otuturex faced the three men standing and waiting on him.
“Please sit down.”
With a grin he asked the Tikpapa, “Where are you from? I keep forgetting.”
“Are you talking to me, sire?” the Tikpapa asked.
“Yes I am,” Otuturex answered in an unusually polite manner.
“I am a Yere. My people are slaves to the province at the Ekpona Hills. You are aware of this, my chief.”
“With this war, things are getting a little blurred in my memory. I remember you were at the Ekpona Hills on the day the King died.”
“Yes, I was. My people are there and I asked your permission before I left.”
“I did not mean to make you edgy. The thing bothering me is that Odagwe seemed to have made up his mind to go to war with me even before he arrived.”
“I tell you, my chief, my hatred for Odagwe is deep and my loyalty to you is to the extreme,” the Tikpapa said, bowing.
“Yes, but if I understand the code of war, if slaves decide to join a province in war, their people become free.”
“So what are you trying to say?”
“I don’t trust you. Adu, kill him.”
The general drew his sword and struck the Tikpapa’s chest. The sword bounced back as though it hit a stronger metal. The Tikpapa brought out a powder from his fist and blew on it. Fire surrounded the boundary between them.
Otuturex stretched his hand under his seat and brought out an egg. As he raised his head, he saw a spear coming right for him. He swayed, but he was not fast enough, the spear pierced his shoulder. As he fell to the floor, he crushed the egg on the ground and the fire was extinguished.
The Tikpapa ran away as the general threw his knife at him. It struck the Tikpapa’s neck before he got to the door. As he turned, there was a pained expression on his face. He was trying to say something, but the general was too disgusted to give him a chance, so he used his foot to bash his face. Then he took the knife from the Tikpapa and went to attend to the chief, who was already with the envoy.
“We should be able to treat him,” the envoy said, pulling the sword from the man’s shoulder. “I am sorry, my Chief.”
“Why should you be sorry? These are the reasons I am chief.”
“I will go and call the herbalist,” the envoy said.
“I am also sorry, Otuturex,” the general said before stabbing the chief in the chest with the same knife he used to kill the Tikpapa.
The general then turned to the envoy with a demonic look.
“You killed the chief,” the envoy said, stumbling backward.
The general walked toward him.
“I did not see anything. Please, I beg you. I will tell them I did not see anything. What am I saying? I really did not see anything,” the envoy pleaded, now on his knees.
“Will you get up. You are so disgusting. If I kill you, who else would be my envoy? You are the most qualified and if you are a little smart you might become the King's envoy.”
The look on the envoy’s face transformed from fearful into that of a mercenary.
“Did you say the King's envoy?”
“I see I have touched a part of your spine that dances to my tune.”
“Talk, Adu, I am listening.”
“Correct yourself. From now on you address me as Chief or my Liege.”
“Forgive me, my Liege. I was carried away.”
“All we have to say is this: The Tikpapa attacked the chief with a spear when we were not aware. I attacked him with my sword, but it did not pass through his chest. Then he cast a spell and appeared in front of Otuturex and stabbed him again in the chest. That was when I jumped on him, took the knife from him, and stabbed him with it.”
“I don’t mean to sound pushy, but I don’t think the elders will believe that story.”
“They don’t have a choice. As of now, they are all bothered about the war we have with the Ekpona Hills,” the general said, moving the Tikpapa’s body close to the chief’s.
“Yes, that’s a point. What about our war with Odagwe?”
“There isn’t going to be any.”
“What do you mean?”
“Who do you think planned all this?”
“I hope I am confused. Are you trying to tell me that Odagwe planned all this before now?”
“About six months ago.”
“But the King was still alive then.”
“Honestly, I really don’t care because now I will become chief and not answer to this dead piece of rubbish anymore. The animal is not even close to my age and I had to take his order because he was the King’s boy.”
“So what do you have to do for Odagwe?”
“Nothing, just vote for whosoever he wants me to.”
“Then who was the Tikpapa working for?”
“For me. Let me explain. I convinced the Tikpapa to join forces with me because I did not want him using his power against me. I promised to help free his people in the Ekpona Hills. He was a smart man; he didn’t believe me. So I organized a meeting in the Ekpona Hills with Odagwe. It was a coincidence that the time Odagwe asked for him was about the same time the King died. So when we were coming back from the palace, I told Otuturex about my distrust for the Tikpapa and the puppy assimilated everything I said. My striking the Tikpapa with the sword was pre-planned. The spear I threw was supposed to end him.”
“You threw the spear.”
“Are you deaf? Yes, I did. You were too busy running to a safe place when I did.”
“Then why was he running toward the door?”
“When Otuturex squashed the egg on the floor, it seemed his defense mechanism broke, making him completely vulnerable. Tikpapas feel naked without some form of a force around them. He was not run
ning out, but he was looking for a safe place to be until I killed Otuturex.”
“Then if Otuturex had not counteracted his spell, what would you have done?”
“I would have gone with the first plan.”
“What was that?”
“Tell every man in the province that you killed the chief.”
“Nobody would have believed you.”
“With the Tikpapa backing me up and not to mention them continually thinking we are going to war with Odagwe, believe me I would have glided through smoothly. Now, the Tikpapa killed the chief because he has an alliance with Odagwe.” He looked up as though expecting a prize from heaven. “Am I not brilliant?”
The envoy looked at the man with a fake smile. This is the biggest fool I have ever been engaged with. First he tells me everything I can use against him, then he lets me know that he can get rid of me as easily as he did with the Tikpapa. And to top it all, he thinks Odagwe’s plan is his. Amazing grounds we stand on. Everyone knew the man was a dunce, but Otuturex still chose him to be his general because of his time of service. This is how the man repaid him.
“So what do we now, wise one?” the envoy asked.
“Wise one. I like it. Open the door and start screaming for all the Omees while I pull the knife from Otuturex’s chest.”
The envoy walked toward the door as the general went to where the chief was and pulled out the knife. As he did so, Otuturex’s eyes opened and the envoy started screaming outside the room. The chief gripped the general’s neck. Adu was trying to free himself while the envoy screamed louder. As dozens of Omees approached the envoy, he pointed toward the general, then the words from his mouth became clear.
“The general has killed our chief along with the Tikpapa.”
The Omees ran toward the general; when they got there, both he and the chief were dead, next to the Tikpapa. Otuturex had twisted the general’s neck the way he used to break the shell of coconuts.
Chapter 23
Ihua had spent days thinking, calculating what he was to do and what he could not do. He gave specific orders for no one to disturb him, not even his wives. The only people worthy of sharing his momentous time were his concubines. On the ninth day after his meeting with the chiefs in the conference room, he asked his messengers to summon five people—his general, his Tikpapa, two Omees named Ikenna and Tunde, and a shrewd white trader named John Anderson.
Four of the men came at nearly the same time. He asked John to wait while the others were led into his chambers. He watched the general approach and he could see in the man’s eyes that he felt degraded for not being asked for before now. When finally asked to the chief’s presence, he had to be summoned with the two radical excuses for Omees. Ihua wondered why he never accepted the man as his general, and the only time he either mentioned or thought of him was like the son of a palm wine taper. The general walked in acknowledging that the chief wasn’t looking at a palm wine taper’s son anymore but a general.
Well, well, well, you finally realize you need the palm wine-taper’s son, now that there is war. Old fool, your retirement age has overflowed. It’s time for new blood to flow in the people of Ahoda. I can’t wait to tell to the over-grown monkey that the elders have all agreed for him to go. How stupid can a man be? The wrinkled man knew that his people want him out and he still went along to agree for battle with the people of Alloida. I can’t wait to tell him the time is up and this time there is no king to carry his ancient soul, the General thought with a smile.
Ihua looked at the other two Omees who approached him bowing. The two men were excellent choices, both descendants from generations of Omees, generals and even chiefs. The only problem was that they were deep-rooted enemies. Everyone was scared of leaving them together because one of them would kill the other. They were supposed to be generals, but the elders did not know which one of them to pick so they did not choose either.
The hatred the two Omees had was passed on to them from generations. Families of both claimed they stole one another’s land.
The problems started eight generations back, when an Omee wanted to marry a girl who had lots of suitors. The Omee promised the girl’s family the dowry they requested and his land that belonged to both his lost younger brother and himself. They immediately gave him their daughter to marry. After some years, his lost brother appeared and demanded what was his. The older brother gave him a million excuses why he gave them the land and offered to replace it. The younger brother killed his brother and married his brother’s wife. It was custom that when a man’s brother died he married his wife to keep the dowry within the family. If the man was not interested in marrying her, he was free to refuse, but the woman did not have this privilege.
The younger brother took the land from them, claiming his brother had no right to make that decision alone, but gave it back to them after a year as his in-laws. Eventually his wife had six children—a girl and a boy for his elder brother and three daughters and one son for him. The two boys grew up to be sworn enemies and the generations after them fueled the hatred.
Ikenna and Tunde stood with their heads down like they were born together. Ihua looked at his general seated on the wooden bench.
“Are you comfortable?”
“Not exactly, but I will manage,” the general answered with a trace of sarcasm.
Ihua smiled and faced the two Omees.
“I have heard about the two of you always attempting to kill each other. Are you people not ashamed of yourselves? If you could bury this dirty hatred you men have, our province would have proliferated. I will say this once: One of you will be under the other and until then you both have to impress me. If either of you hurts the other, then take it that you have hurt me. I will not only deal with you, but I will make sure that your generations will end. Do you understand me?”
“Yes sir,” both men shouted together.
“Touching speech, Ihua, but I think I am wise enough to give the elders my nominee for general. As sure as the sands of the earth, these two radicals won’t come close. Old man, make this thing nice and quick and tell us you are stepping down as chief…I have people to lead.”
“As for now, there is something both of you will do for me. You—”
The chief was interrupted by the general. “These matters you discuss are of no relevance to me. I would like to talk to you about more serious issues.”
“Take it from me, this next issue has everything to do with you, General.” A smile grew on the chief’s face as he spoke.
The general also grinned. Finally you want to speak my language.
The chief turned to the two Omees. “I have heard a lot about the two of you. Now prove to me how good you are. Annihilate this man.”
It took the general a second to realize that he was the man they were to get rid of. He quickly reached for his sword, but Ikenna was faster. Ikenna cut off the general’s hand, and Tunde gave his head a clean slice.
Ihua wanted to scream flawless, but he knew better than to praise an Omee when he started an assignment or else he might feel he had reached the highest standard. Now he knew why they did not know which Omee to make general. What did he have to lose, now? He had two generals. The only thing was that they could not bear the title. In this situation, both men were now his best protectors, especially against his most unpredictable enemies.
The two Omees still stood, heads bowed, awaiting their next order. He offered them seats, but the men chose to stand.
Ihua told his messenger to ask John in. Upon seeing the general’s head separated from his body, fear took the white man’s composure. He had trade transactions with Ihua. He gave Ihua everything he asked for in exchange for anything valuable in his home like ivory, gold and, on rare occasions, slaves.
“John, take a seat. You are acting like a pregnant woman about to have a miscarriage.”
John tried to smile, but his face could not handle the forced expression.
“Sorry about the place.” Ihua called
for his servants to clean up and then continued. “You are aware that the King is dead.”
“Yes, I am.”
“We are going to war with Vacoura and I need a favor from you.”
“Anything, Chief. Have I ever not answered your request?” John’s confidence rose.
“The kingdom is supplied two types of salt—the local salt from our land and the white man’s salt. The local salt comes from Ndemili and Ahoda, and the white man’s salt is supplied by a white man who knows his way around the kingdom better than our own people. Let me cut this story short: I have always known you were the major supplier of this salt.”
“Ihua, how can you think I would be involved in such a transaction? We have worked together for over a decade and there is no dark secret I have not exposed to you. Believe me from the depth of my soul. If you want me to swear by your gods, I will. I am not involved in any form of trade apart from the transactions both of us have.”
Ihua grinned.
“I knew the source of my information was not trustworthy. They are trying to break the bond we have. They said you are planning to take advantage of the war so you can trade your salt strictly for slaves in the provinces that don’t have this merchandise.”
“Who…” John stammered, “who are these people who want to spoil my bond with you?”
“I know you are the one, John, so stop playing with me because the next question you get will come from these Omees.”
John looked at the two Omees eyes and they were screaming blood.
“Ihua, I am a businessman and I do what I have to do to make profits. I spend months coming here by sea, not to make friends, or eat what your people eat, nor to drink your wine. I prefer my own drinks, my own food and my own lifestyle. Yes, I am the major supplier of the white man’s salt, but I have never been less than a noble subject to you.”
“John, what do you take me for? You have not done anything wrong and I was surprised that you denied it initially. Anyway, for now you will be my guest in the Haku and anything you need will be brought to you here until the war is over.”
John wanted to say something, but Ihua continued.
When Gods Bleed Page 18
