Chapter 3 The Escape

I will escape tonight when everyone is asleep. How can I leave without alarming Nana? She was a light sleeper and would be wide awake if she hears any sound. I have to be extra careful. How I wish it was midnight! But the sun was still up.  

"Can I come in?" Nana asked. I knew she was there to tell me to calm me down. She was afraid I would cry myself to sleep. After all, I was going to escape. Why do I have to keep her waiting?

"Yes, Nana" I replied unable to hide my displeasure.

"Let me sit beside you on the mat" she said and tried to sit beside me.

"Ok, Nana"

"You have been crying for so long that, I was afraid you would pass out." She paused when she heard no reply, she continued.

"Why are you crying instead of jubilating? This news calls for jubilation. You should be proud of yourself."

"Nana, I don't want to marry the King?"

"Every woman wants to marry the King. Why don't you want to marry him?"

"He is too old for me. He is even older than papa, I guess"

Nana smiled and asked, "What did Buka tell you?"

"He told me I was going to marry a prince, not the King!"

"So, you feel deceived. Has he ever deceived you?"

"No"

"Cheer up! Even if you marry the King, you will be better off"

"Don't cry too much. You don't have to look miserable. You have to look your best, especially now. I will let Mbola bring you something to eat. For the three days ahead, you have to stay in your room. You will have to come out of your hut only at dawn and at dusk. Make sure to have enough rest. I am going to pay Buka a visit tomorrow. Do well to calm yourself down. Help me get up"

"Ok, Nana" I said and helped her get on feet. She walked slowly out of my hut. Was she going to intercede on my behalf? Or was she going to assist Buka in the preparation?

  "Is anyone here?" a husky male voice shouted.

"Yes!" Nana replied. Nana walked out of her hut to meet him.  

"Mbola, bring our guest a seat and something to drink" Nana ordered.

"No need, Nana. I have to go back as early as I can to handle an affair" the voice replied.   The voice was familiar, so I wanted to clear my doubt. I stood up and looked out of my window in an attempt to find out who it was. Of course! It was Ndaka, one of the princes. He is the son of the second wife of the King. His mother's family was very powerful and his family was in charge of most of the affairs of Wailand. With him, were seven palace maids, four palace eunuchs, two palace elders, Buka and three loaded horses.  

"I have been asked by my father, the King, to deliver these things in preparation for the marriage rites. Please, do accept them." Ndaka said and continued "the palace maids and eunuchs will be left here to live with you till the marriage rites have been performed. Seven men from the army will be selected to guard the bride-to-be until the rites are over."   After saying that, Ndaka looked in the direction of my hut and saw me looking at them from the window on my hut. He smiled shyly and looked back at Buka and Nana and said; "Without much I do, I will take my leave." "Thank the King on our behalf!" Buka said with a smile "and thank you too, Your Highness, for bringing them"   Ndaka nodded, climbed his horse and set off with the elders following closely behind him. The palace maids and eunuchs began to unload the horses and they carried the things into the hut of my grandmother. I sat on my mat and began to think. With the palace maid and eunuch here, escaping will be difficult. And it will be even harder to escape when the palace guards arrive. I can't lose my guard now.

  "Mother, Gjala and Nwa will come here to help you with the preparation" Buka said.

"I have already sent a messenger to inform them. They will be here, very early tomorrow morning to help you. Keep an eye on Zui. Don't let her do anything stupid. I will send the guards as soon as possible"

a"Ok." Nana replied with no emotion.

"Take care. Send someone to Mjoka's house to tell Feya and her mother I need their help"

"I will, mother" he said and set off. It would be very difficult for me to even leave my room if my two stepmothers, Gjala and Nwa, arrive. They never liked me and never cherished seeing me. They will go strictly by the rules and will have me locked up in my hut. I need to think about something right now. I looked around took two clothes I hardly use, wrapped them around my body so that no one would be able to tell I was wearing two sets of clothes. I walked out sadly to prevent anyone from knowing my intentions.  

"Where are you going? Nana asked me.

"To the toilet" I replied.

"Let two the palace maids accompany you" "Nana, who has heard of such a thing before? I don't want to be ridiculed. I can go alone"

"It's either you go with the maids or you stay in your room"

"Fine, let them follow me!"   Nana looked at them and suddenly two of the seven maids stood up to follow me. They accompanied me in silence until I got to the toilet.  

"I want to enter alone" I said.

"Ok, madam" they replied in a chorus and moved a few steps back.   The toilet had two entrances. I would leave through the other entrance I thought. I unwrapped my clothes and unwrapped the two clothes from my body. I wrapped the cloth I was wearing earlier on my body, went out through the second door, and hid the two clothes under a cave-live rock. I went back to the toilet and went outside through the door from which I entered. The two palace maids were still there, waiting for me. I can't escape in the day. Because it will be easy for me to be trailed. I would have to leave at night. I knew escaping will be very difficult but I was determined to give it a try. I walked back home with the maids following closely behind me. I washed my hands and went back to my room. I have completed the first plan successfully. I looked around for Rwanwa, my sword. It was given to me on my sixteenth birthday by Buka and I named it after my late mother, Rwanwa. I have kept it safely and never used it. Maybe time is up for me to use it.  

"Rwanwa, keep me safe. I don't know how to do this but I will succeed because I have your blood and Buka's as well" I whispered silently to myself.   I hid the sword under my mat and decided to sleep so that I will be able to wake up at midnight to start my journey. I laid on the mat for more than two hours and was still not able to sleep because my mind kept roaming. I felt excited and afraid at the same time. I couldn't control my ambivalent feelings. I woke up late at night and began to wonder when I slept. I pushed that thought away and began to execute plan two. I looked through the window to see if anyone was outside. I suddenly remembered that the guards were around. I also saw three maids and two eunuchs at the entrance of my room. How will I escape? I shook my lantern and realized the oil in it was not much. I looked into a pot in my room and realized there was enough oil in it. I took my sword and placed it on a table. I poured the oil on my mat and spread it across the room. I took the lantern and dropped it. It worked! Suddenly, my mat caught fire. I took my sword and stood a few steps away from the fire. I was waiting for the fire to be more intense before I would take my next step. When the fire got to a point, I shouted;   "Fire!" and ran out of my room. Suddenly all the eunuchs, maids and guards went to fetch water and were focused on putting off the fire. Nana walked out of her room and shouted,   "Where is Zui?" she looked frightened.

"I am here Nana"

"Are you safe?"

"I am alright, Nana"  

She walked to me and said, "when you get to the toilet, there is an oak tree on the left of the cave-like rock. Feya is waiting for you there. Leave before they notice it"  

"Nana, how did you know I wanted to escape?"

"Hurry, Feya is waiting!"  

I set off at once in the direction of the toilet.