WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

It was already dawn when Ocen come to his senses and realized that all the men he come with were no where to be found.

He called them out loud and even looked for any trace of them but they were to no where to be found.

Could it be that the spies in this forest killed all of them at night? He thought, or could it be some tricks played by them to escape, but no way. I saw them all fall asleep before me. He continued to wonder what happened.

As Ocen could not solve the mystery of what happened the day before. Could it be the spirits in this forest that took all the men l come with? he thought.

But if l say so then why didn't they take me too? . He asked himself. Could it be that am so contaminated that even the spirits can't take me!!. He continued asking questions that have no answers.

He then left the jungle still wandering what could have happened ,

Meanwhile the freed captives returned to their village marvelously in praises of the forest spirits.

As the villagers from the kingdom Ocen raided were mourning there loved ones, kid started shouting out loud with gleefulness.

Our people are back.....our people are back... They sang while jumping and running around.

With cought the attention of everything one . As they glimpsed at the round, only to see the kinsmen taken by Ocen were back, which called for a celebration.

But then the question remained.

What happened?

How did they escape from Ocen's captivity?

Does Ocen know that they are still alive?

That alone puzzled everyone till one of the freed captives narrated the story of how they managed to leave the forest.

But just like Ocen, none of them knew what exactly transpired that night, and how they reached along the road side.

Upon hearing this, the village priest then responded confidently .

It has to be the great gods of our ancestors that saved you all, so we have to give thanks and sacrifices to the gods of our ancestors especially at that very forest every month.

The whole villagers were all having a feeling of joy and where on top of the world jubilating with excitement.

As Ocen was filled with disappointments and fear of how to face the king since he warned him but because of his pride he didn't lend an ear to the king's advice.

What will l tell my king? That l lost again to the unknown in the forest? Then l will loss the respect and dignity l earned for decades in one occasion! No way! l won't watch that happen. He thought as he treked with his head down on the ground putting on a frown face.

Greetings my king. He saluted the king upon reaching the palace.

Greetings the great warrior of my kingdom, so where're the captives you went with? Asked the king anxiously.

They didn't make it. What was in the forest " what my eyes saw my mouth can't speak".. He replied.

Which made even the king to get so curious about what he saw in the forest that he can't speak. But he feared to tell the truth on how they slept off cause even himself what transpired after they slept in the jungle remained mystery to him.

But tell me my great warrior, did you win or you lost? Asked the king.

My king, all my men died and am the only surviving person, he said and my king, "what is in that forest is not human, it's spirits.

Since he didn't want to go down deep to details of how it happened he concluded by saying

Thanks to the gods of our ancestors who protected me otherwise l would be a feast for the spirits.

Meanwhile Maria is still curious about the young boy they saved from the forest.

Maria! Why exactly did you stop this boy from going with the rest of the captives we freed? Asked Okirror out of curiosity.

Okirror it's obvious you nolonger know me as you used too when we were young. She replied.

Well if you must know just observe that little boy and tell me what you see so familiar in your eyes?. She said while jiggling and mocking Okirror for unable to understand her anymore.

The waist bangles and the necklace. He replied after a vigilant observation. Yes your right, it looks like one from our village and only worn by the royal family, she said while looking at an innocent quiet kid seated under eucalyptus tree playing with stones.

She then stood up and headed towards the boy with accompany of Okirror, she sat down and began to play with stones just like the boy.

After seeing this the boy immediately stop and observed her vigilantly.

Who are you people? And why did you stop me from going back with the rest of the captives? Are you going to kill me just like Ocen used to say? Asked the boy with so much eagerness with a dreadful expression.

Am not going to do anything bad to you , the only thing l want from you is to tell me who your parents are? And where're they? Replied Maria politely.

I don't know my father nor my mother , immediately the boy spoke tears rolled down his chics.

What do you mean? asked Maria as she wipes away his tears with her hands.

My parents were killed in a war ten years ago and l was only two years old, but the person who found me in the bush said he found me with this necklace and this waist bangle, so l've been looking for it's origin but all in vine. Said the boy pitifully.

If am not mistaken this boy is a son to the late king Emorimori. But he only had one son whom l , Uben and Epiru escorted to Abela kingdom. This can't be it! Then who is this boy wearing royal jewelries. She thought.

Not realizing that Okirror has been calling her out yet she was lost deep in thoughts.

Maria... Ongatuny!.. he shouted loud that Maria had to come back to her sense.

Why did you call me that name? She asked angrily. Well l've been calling you multiple times but you didn't respond.

But to their surprise the boy after hearing that name Ongatuny, he asked. Why do you call her Ongatuny? That name is of a boy. She immediately drew her attention back to the innocent boy sitting down.

How did you know that he's a boy? Though l was young but l clearly remember that name and my mum used to tell me about a boy loved by everyone in the village and that's he's name. He sneered

After hearing this curiosity cought Maria to unravel the identity of this Mysterious boy. She immediately called the former village chief and the midwife asking them about the boy

When they arrived and saw the boy, the chief immediately unraveled the boys identity to be the king's second son from another maided.

I know this boy, if am not mistaken his a son to late king Emorimori' s second wife. He said. Second wife....? They all asked at once as if they had agreed to say the same words with their eyes wide open, they were all flabbergasted, their hearts filled with shock.

What do you mean Chief? We all know that the late king had only one wife and one son, so when did it become two wives. Asked the midwife an Expression of surprise in her face.

Well not everyone knew about this, cause it was a top secret. Only few of the cabinet chiefs knew about it but their all dead apart from me. He said.

So many years ago, after the king's wife gave birth to their first son, she was unable to bare him kids anymore, so he decided to get a second wife but the wife didn't allow him to remarry which forced him to marry a wife secretly and she had a son for him. He said.

But tell me chief, in ablink of an eye you have solved this kid's mystery but for so many months you have failed to unravel the identity of the man who got injured and brought here, why? Maria asked .

Should l lie to you that l know him yet l don't!! He replied.

As the prince was gallivanting around he bumped into them talking while observing the little boy seated down which attracted him to go near them.

Immediately he saw the boy, he got curious too.

Hey little boy... Why do our jewelries look alike? Do you know me ordo you know where they bought your jewelries from? He said in eagerness to know who he is.

Hahaha... A loud laughter come from his sides, it was non other than Maria.

What is fanny? He asked.

My dear, you better pray that he doesn't know you because if he knows you, l personally will feed you to the beasts in the jungle especially the snake that almost bite you last time. Maria said with a frown look on her face .

But why? I didn't do anything bad to you! He responded disappointedly.

Well , if you know him and he knows you then your father did. And as we know a son pays for the sins of the father. She said

This alone left the prince who couldn't recall his past puzzled wanting to recover his memory so fast. He then walked slowly deep in thoughts towards the river banks where he and Maria usually sit when they're troubled.