07 |Return To Capital

Two days later...

With the rising sun at the horizon and the sky melting into layers of gloomy colours that shadowed the entire land, the Sah'Jangi warriors finally arrived at the wide entrance road into the main capital city.

Danji, Kamyla and Ajefe led them on their mammals' back as six load carriages drew behind by a group of horses; four carrying the freed hostages and two carrying the corpses and captives.

As they proceeded through the dirt road, citizens from the nearby houses and huts stepped out. They stood on both sides of the road, waving and smiling at the passing warriors with haling shouts.

They waved back.

Some of the children clapped and jumped in excitement, calling to their favourite warrior idols and friends.

Danji and Ajefe smiled weakly at the adorable little ones, hiding the heaviness in their hearts as they passed on.

All expect Kamyla.

Danji slowly lowered his hand and turned to look up at her, sighting the sad distant grimace on her face as her eye locked down on Rhou's neck. Cöfwu's body was wrapped in a white cloth and strapped behind Kamyla.

His expression fell.

Exhaling softly, Danji drew his gaze forward, sighting the large bamboo fence up ahead.

The patrol guards; dressed in long black garments with shields and swords in their clutches, stepped forward to pull apart the long gates, revealing the large building ahead.

They walked in.

The palace building was made of red mud blocks painted white and bamboo lined windows which were all roofed with well-knitted straw.

The large surrounding was decorated with ornamental trees and shrubs bearing bright blooming flowers and wild coloured leaves.

To the left, were the royal horses' stable, having their caretakers walking in and out for their feeding, watering and grooming.

To the right was the servants' quarter, divided into two for both female and male servants of the royal family.

The straight route that led to the main doors was covered with grey shining flat stones, hammered to the ground to make a smooth path.

The warriors pulled to a halt.

Danji was the first to step down before the rest, having the palace caretakers step forward to help collect their horses and weapons.

Kamyla then slid down from Rhou's back, pulling off Cöfwu's wrapped corpse as a guard walked up to her to assist.

He bowed at her in respect before walking away to add the corpse with the others. She then turned to Rhou, "Don't cause any trouble till I get back".

Rhou bowed, lowering itself to seat on the ground.

She smiled weakly. "Good boy".

"Kamy?"

Kamyla snapped her head in the direction of the door, sighting Danji and the rest waiting in a long file.

She patted Rhou's head once more, turning to pace up to them and stand next to Danji.

The army walked in and through the empty welcoming hall, stepping out into the open unroofed square in the centre of the palace building.

The wide space was big enough for the warriors to stand in an assembly of six rows, with the hostages standing far back.

With Danji and Kamyla standing in the first line, they all stared forward at the stage on the opposite portion of the circular structured building; where four thrones of different sizes were set.

Maids, servants and extended family members of the royal family walked out of the building doors to sit at the porches of their rooms whilst staring at the warriors in the centre.

The door behind the thrones suddenly pushed open.

The warriors immediately lowered themselves to a push-up pose as a sign of respect and greeting.

Three beautiful women then walked out. The Emperor's wives.

The first, looking not more than sixteen, was dressed in a short gown made with fine silky red and gold coloured fabric. Her neck and wrists were decorated in pieces of jewellery of precious glittering stone and her hair plaited into two braids.

She slowly walked up to the stage and took a seat on the smallest throne.

The second woman, looking slightly older, walked out in a full-length dress made of similar fabric, having her wrists and neck decorated with silver pieces of jewellery. Her hair was plaited into a bun.

She walked up to the second throne.

The last woman, seeming in her mid-thirties, was dressed in a long red and gold robe that dragged behind her, having her wrists and neck covered in heavy gold and diamond pieces of jewellery. Her hair was plaited into four long braids with long golden chains lined on each braid that reached her waist.

With her nose held up high as she made her majestic way to the second biggest throne and sat.

And last but never the least, a man in his early fifties stepped out. He was dressed in a short-sleeved robe, a golden belt wrapped around his waist and a gold crown set on the top of his head.

The Emperor of Sah'Jangi. Emperor Ado Kalim.

He slowly made his way up and took a seat on the last and largest throne, gazing down at the noble warriors lying almost flat on the ground.

"Ihiwea!" They recited.

He raised his hand, "Raise".

They pushed themselves to stand on a knee, keeping their gazes locked on the ground.

"Commanders?"

Danji and Kamyla stood up with their hands held behind their backs and their legs standing apart.

Emperor Ado started, "I take it that your mission was a complete success?"

"Yes, Your Majesty. Just as predicted, the slave traders attacked all the villages we surveyed". Danji bowed.

"That is good to hear"

"Yes, Your Majesty. The Chiefs and villagers send their gratitude".

"Acknowledged..."

"We also captured the three enemy soldiers and their commander, Azada".

"Excellent". Emperor Ado then crooked a brow, "But if I may ask, who are these people behind you?"

"They are freed hostages the enemies stole from a kingdom outside the Empire. They were already captured before raiding Alabah", Kamyla was the one that explained.

Emperor Ado slowly dragged his eyes over the traumatized crowd of not less than thirty people, clutching onto one another.

They were all women and girls.

He then turned back to Kamyla. "Do you know what kingdom they are from?"

Kamyla shook her head. "Unfortunately, no, Your Majesty. They do not speak our language nor those from the neighbouring empires".

"That means they are from any of our befriended empires?" The woman seated next to the Emperor asked with furrowed brows.

The Emperor's first wife. Empress Rhija.

Danji slowly lowered his head, "No, Your Majesty".

Her brows furrowed, "How do you expect people of Sah'Jangi to then help them without communication?"

Kamyla and Danji remained silent with their heads down.

They could figure something out... Kamyla thought.

"Your Majesty!"

All eyes snapped to one side of the building where one of the female maids ran out, immediately falling to a push-up pose in respect to the Emperor and his wives.

"Speak", Emperor Ado permitted.

She pushed herself to stand upright, hanging her head down. "I... I know where these people are from".

"You do?"

She nodded.

"Which is?"

"They are from a small village before the next empire territory. Called Manku village".

"And how do you know this?"

She bowed, "I am also from that village. And also, I could tell from the tribal tattoo on some of the women's bodies".

"Hm. Very well then. Can you translate for them?"

"Yes, Your Majesty ".

"Go ahead ".

The maid timidly turned and padded up to the foreign villagers, bowing at them.

She greeted them in their language, having an elderly woman respond. Exchanging more words between themselves for a few minutes, the maid then turned to face the Emperor.

She cleared her throat, "She said their village was raided late last night... And their men and boys were all slaughtered that same night. They, the women, were then chained and forced into their and had been on the road till Alabah".

"Hm..." Ado raised his hand to gently stroke his greyish beards. "What about their village? Is it still standing?"

"No, Your Majesty. Burnt to ashes. All of it".

"How disheartening", he shook his head.

The old woman drew the maid's attention, adding more information about their present situation. Some girls suddenly broke into tears, shielding their faces with their hands.

The maid grimaced in pity, turning back to the Emperor.

"What did she say?"

"She said during the attack, some of the girls were sexually assaulted by the enemies. A good number died during the transport and the few surviving are still very weak and in pain".

Empress Rhija gasped lightly, "Those animals! How dreadful!"

Emperor Ado sighed, "It is truly horrifying they had to go through all that in one night. Tell them I sympathize with their pain and suffering. And even though this may not erase all the horror they faced, we offer them a place to stay with the attention of our best herbalist to help them heal both physically and mentally".

The maid nodded, turning to the people and translating his words. They suddenly busted into tears, falling to their knees with their heads down.

Ado waved the women to calm down with a smile, before signalling his guards to come forth. He then instructed, "Take them into the town and have them properly introduced to the people to understand and accept them into our lands".

The guards nodded.

Ado added, "Go with the maid so she can help translate".

"Yes, Your Majesty!" They bowed.

Turning to face one of the women, the maid asked them to get up and follow the guards, reassuring them they were safe and secure in the land.

The women bowed once more at the dear kind Emperor, before following the guards and walking out of the palace square.

Danji and Kamyla watched the crying women exit, unable to stop themselves from smiling at the bright side of the women and girls' safety.

Emperor Ado then cleared his throat loudly, regaining their attention to say, "We will have Azada and his men detained in our cell until a desirable punishment has been agreed on by the Board of Chiefs latest this evening".

Danji and Kamyla nodded.

"And with that, we will also arrange for the burial ceremony for your lost men to be carried out this evening as well".

"Thank you, Your Majesty", they bowed.

Danji then raised his head, "I have a request to make, Your Majesty".

"A request?"

He nodded. "On behalf of I and my two subordinates".

"Go ahead".

"One of the men lost today happened to be not only a good friend of ours but like a brother since childhood".

"My deepest condolences", Ado grimaced.

"Thank you, Your Majesty. But we want to request permission to personally return his corpses to our village and bury him in the presence of his widowed mother".

Ado didn't respond immediately, taking a few moments to think silently. He then nodded.

"Very well then. You may take his corpses back for his burial ceremony".

Kamyla and he bowed.

"But before your departure, there is an urgent topic to be discussed this very morning".

Kamyla and Danji furrowed their brows.

"The rest of you are dismissed!"

The remaining warriors bowed their heads before standing up immediately to exit the square in a single file.

The audience around the square also turned their backs to return to the building and carry on with their daily lives and activities.

The royal guards then stepped forward as the Emperor's wives stood up, leading them down and back into the building and to their respected chambers.

Only the Emperor, Danji and Kamyla were left outside.

Emperor Ado then stood up from his throne, "Follow me", he said, stepping down from the stage and walking into the palace.

Danji and Kamyla followed.