Chapter 23 Affliction
Mbaku, Eyeki, Jabari, and I entered the hut Eyeki spent the night in. Mbaku watched Eyeki cry and didn't allow anyone to console her. Eyeki cried for almost three hours without stopping. I couldn't help it anymore, so I looked at Mbaku who nodded at me.
"Eyeki, it's alright" I struggled for words to comfort her. "Everything happens for a reason"
Eyeki kept weeping. Nothing I said could console her. I sat beside her, held her hands, and watched her cry. Mbaku raised his head looked at Jabari and nodded. Jabari excused himself and went out.
"Eyeki, I promised you I would save Diemo. Didn't I?" Mbaku finally said.
Eyeki kept weeping, ignoring what Mbaku said.
"Right now, everyone thinks he is dead" Mbaku continued.
Eyeki raised her suddenly, looked at me, and we both turned shockingly to Mbaku.
"You mean he's not dead?" Eyeki managed to ask.
"No. He's in a coma. He's likely to be conscious after three days" Mbaku replied. "I remember the King promised to fulfill a wish for you on the day you married. Have you used that wish?"
"No, I haven't" Eyeki said as she wiped her face.
"Go to the King, tomorrow and tell him you want to leave the palace because it holds a lot of memories you want to get away from. Because Diemo is considered a traitor, your children are likely to be taken away from you and made slaves. Use your wish to set them free from slavery and leave with them to Ethiopia"
"Mbaku, are you sure Diemo is not dead?" Eyeki asked suspiciously.
"Even if he is dead, should you go on like this? Do you want your children to be slaves? Eyeki, it's time to think through things" Mbaku replied coldly.
"Alright, I will do as you say" Eyeki said sadly looking at Mbaku.
"Mbaku, how did you fake his death?" I finally asked.
"Do you remember I asked you to exchange some leaves?" Mbaku asked.
"I did it just this morning. How can I forget?" I replied.
"Those leaves which were brought by Feya were poisoned. I had already arranged with one of the cooks to choose the one exchanged" Mbaku replied.
"Feya will never deliver poisonous leaves. Never!" I said.
"Do you trust her that much?" Mbaku asked.
"I have known her since childhood. She's not capable of that" I replied angrily.
"Do you remember what I told you about 'trust'?" Mbaku asked sternly.
"I remember, but Feya is a different person"
"Really? Let's find out later" Mbaku said and turned his gaze to Eyeki who stared confusingly at Mbaku and me.
"If what you said is right, then the King also uses those leaves. Why isn't he dead yet?" I asked trying to prove my friend innocent.
"You will understand these things soon" Eyeki said looking at me. "You will know how people truly are sooner or later. You can't be trusting people that easily"
I looked at Mbaku who refused to look at me. His eyes were dark and deep. I couldn't tell what he was thinking but I knew from the look on his face that he was angry.
"Jabari will dig out Diemo tonight. He will take him to Ethiopia. I will give you directions to him when you get the King's consent to leave with your children" Mbaku said as he rose to his feet. "I will take leave of you two now"
After Mbaku left, Eyeki turned to me and asked;
"Did you know Feya and N'daka were in a relationship?"
"Feya has never been in a relationship" I replied.
"Zui, don't make the same mistake Lady Shui made. She trusted her friend too much and she ended up losing her family" Eyeki said looking at me. "Don't repeat the same mistake"
"What happened to Lady Shui and her family?"
"She trusted a friend, but her friend teamed with the Queen to frame Lady Shui's family. Because of that, Lady Shui is the least regarded among the King's wives even though it is known that the King loves and favors her than all his other wives including the Queen"
"Why was Lady Shui sitting in the far corner during the performance of Mbaku and my marriage rites?"
"It's because of the incidence that occurred many years ago"
"What exactly happened?"
"Two years after she had Mbaku, the King wanted to make her queen. He gave her the golden fan which signifies the power of the highest lady. Little did she know that her friend was very jealous and wished Lady Shui was dead. Lady Shui had only two friends, Rwanwa and Mami. They were the only people, aside from her maid and the King, who could enter her hut without being summoned by her. Rwanwa was already married to Buka, your father but she was childless. On Mbaku's fourth birthday, Lady Shui invited a herbalist over who prescribed some herbs to Rwanwa. Mami was still not married and her family depended on their small farm to survive. After the herbalist left, Queen Abiola went to meet with Mami and promised her she will make the King marry her if she helps her to be queen. Mami accepted the offer. Two months after Mbaku's fifth birthday, Rwanwa had a baby girl. Rwanwa was very grateful to Lady Shui and their friendship bond strengthened. Mami felt left out and decided to hasten the work which has been assigned to her by the Queen Abiola who was then, Lady Abiola. Mami went to meet the herbalist who was invited by Lady Shui, bribed him, and made him create a potion that could make a woman barren. Mami poured that potion in the river which was the only source of drinking water for the palace and went to hide the remaining in Lady Shui's hut when she went to visit her. Lady Abiola also went to meet the same herbalist and asked him to prepare a concoction which could cause a plague for her. She took it with her and also poured it into a river which was the among the few sources of drinking water for the people of Wailand. Soon the King's wives were having miscarriages and couldn't have babies. Besides, a plague had attacked the people outside the palace. The King became very worried and asked the chief of all the shamans to investigate the issues for him. A few days later, the chief of the shamans went to the King and told him one of his wives knew the reason why all there happening. The King summoned Lady Shui immediately. The King asked her why all these were happening and she seemed clueless. The King ordered that his harem be searched immediately because the chief of the shamans had told him the evidence was in the King's harem. The King's harem was searched and a scary potion was found in Lady Shui's hut. The King ordered that the herbalists in the palace to test the potion. They did and went to report to the King that the potion was the reason why the other wives were having miscarriages. The King got very angry and imprisoned Lady Shui. The King ordered his guards to search her family as well. The concoction which was causing the plague was also found there. The King imprisoned the whole family and Mbaku was taken away from her. The King knew very well that Lady Shui and her family have been framed, but he needed to do something to please the perpetrators. He stripped Lady Shui and her family of their power."