chapter 7 war, blood and chaos...

"We have real enemies in the world. These enemies must be found. They must be pursued and they must be defeated." - Barack Obama

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As the sun began its retreat, Arẹwa found herself in her courtyard, where noble sons, daughters, servants, guards, and even privileged commoners had gathered. Seated gracefully, she was encircled by her attentive audience.

"Greetings to you, esteemed teacher and heiress of the Ida clan," they collectively greeted.

"Greetings to you, my dear young lords and ladies, including our valued commoner. A special acknowledgment to the young warlord and my young princes and princesses. Let us not forget the sons and daughters of the royal advisory council, as well as the subjects of our kingdom. Once again, greetings to you all," Arẹwa replied, acknowledging their respect.

"Today's topic is song. We shall weave numeric numbers into our song. Today, as we delve into mathematics and history, let us harness the power of our minds fully. Our intellect is formidable, dear nobles and commoners alike. Pay heed to my words:

If we say 'one,' let it stand as one,

One by one, a child counts coins in the realm of the Oyo Empire.

Twice over, a child plays the game of Ayo in the ancient city of Ìfẹ̀.

If we say 'three,' know it as three,

As the child of the hunter sells the game of the forest,

In exchange for drink and mirth.

If we say 'four,' hold it as four,

And so on, she continued, the children echoing her words in unison. The rhythm of numbers danced in the air, as if to emphasize the importance of the lessons.

However, their concentration was disrupted as a lady appeared, exuding a dark, cold, and ominous aura. The children's attention shifted towards her, and they watched her closely. Arẹwa rose from her seat in concern and welcomed the newcomer.

"What's wrong again?" Arẹwa inquired in a hushed tone, her sister coming to stand beside her.

"War, blood, and chaos... war, blood, and chaos," the lady with the chilling aura intoned, her emotions visibly unstable.

"Maids, take her to her room and inform Mother," Arẹwa instructed the nearby attendants, who promptly escorted the lady away.

"What could be happening to my sister again?" the young lady asked, worry tinging her voice.

"War, blood, and chaos are cryptic words, but they hold weight," Arẹwa mused.

"Dear sister, you know she's the true heiress of our clan. She passed her magic and power to me due to her frailty. Despite her weakness, her birthright grants her the ability to commune directly with the gods, receiving visions, dreams, and prophecies. While I can also sense the gods' presence, I can't interpret their messages fully without the clan's crystal, unless the king's order is involved or the customs and traditions of our kingdom are at stake. However, her interpretations are affected by her emotional state," Arẹwa explained to her young and beautiful sister.

"But when she falls into slumber like that, she remains in a state of dormancy for days," the young lady replied.

"Where is your sister?" their mother inquired as she approached them.

"She is in my courtyard," Arẹwa replied, leading her mother to the lady's room.

"Dismiss all the children now!" the young lady ordered the guard at the entrance.

"War, blood, and chaos..." Arẹwa began to repeat, her voice carrying an air of unease as the implications of those words hung heavily in the atmosphere.