7 The boy I

Since then Luna had been trained everyday, everything she would need to be able to complete her mission.

She was trained on the skills of a Wathamban climber, swimmer, runner and even fighter, the cultures and languages of both Wathamban and Saggezian tribes and a lot more from the Wathamban spies working there, she trained from dawn till dusk and hated it.

She wasn't allowed near any distractions, friends included.

Her closest friends were her loving father and elder Lethabo. She was only allowed rest one day a month under great surveillance.

It was really hard and restricting for a child her age and time seemed to flow as slowly as a lazy stream.

Four years later...

Luna's training was the same... All the children she got close to befriending we're chased away and she went through tough theoretical and practical training... At age seven she was learning Matrices and Waves.

There was one boy she was able to befriend though, Selasi, an extremely good-looking nine year old boy, he was very close to her, but they rarely met, he had light brown eyes with conspicuous golden rims, pink lips and was quite muscular for his age. He was also trained like her but for a different purpose...

Luna had always wanted to escape but strategized and took her time, she was a prodigy and knew what she was doing.

On a day of her usual training, she was listening to the legend of the Red Indians the advisor kept blabbing about, even a guard was dozing off.

She used that to her advantage. She snuck through the blind spot the dozing guard left using her petite size and blended into a crowd.

She was so happy, for the first time she remembered, she was free, truly free.

She looked everywhere, entering compounds, crowds and farms till she saw a number of children.

She went to them and saw the oldest boy, around nine, jubilating over another climbing victory.

She went into the group as he asked for another challenger and she rose her hand. Everyone stared at the beautiful girl raising her hand and were clearly surprised.

"I want to challenge you.", She said in Nanumba.

The boy looked at the crowd then back at her, no one else was willing to be embarrassed again so he accepted.

The race to the raffia palms began, Luna kept a pace with him for a surprisingly short time till she slowed down and he sped up the tree trunk.

The edges of her lips turned up into a wry smile as she climbed after him, he was slightly tired from running over 20 meters but she was pumped.

She overtook him and the crowd jeered, she reached the crown of the tree and climbed back down to see no children, but there were guards...

Her trainer went on and on about how disrespectful and naughty she was till her father said he'd talk to her...

"I'm sorry father..."

"Don't be."

She looked at him, confused.

"How did you escape? The guards are very trained."

"I thought about how Advisor Hunter taught and knew he would say one thing many times, then I kept my personal guard awake the whole night so he'd fall asleep during the lesson and then I snuck into a crowd."

"Wow you are amazing!"

"Really father?"

"Yes, when I was your age I would never have thought of something like that, the ancestors have blessed me with a child like you... We will serve your mother justice, that is the truth."

She knew her mother had died but didn't understand justice, she wasn't very fluent in Swedish yet.

Three months later...

Luna had thought of nothing other than running away again, she had gotten a new friend, Elu.

Elu, a pretty and fair maid who was a descendant of Wathamban Masters and Saggezian slaves. She was actually also smart but never got the opportunity to learn so Luna tried her best to teach her.

Luna was learning on her own, this was her free time. She was learning plane geometry when a person in a golden kente cloth came in. It was Elu.

She had Luna's food on a tray and came to place it down and serve it.

"Good morning, your Highness."

"Good morning Elu."

Elu served the food and came to call Luna.

Luna stood up and realized the similarity between her height and Elu's.

"Elu."

"Yes your highness."

"Would you like to learn what I learn?"

She timidly didn't respond.

"Without getting into trouble?"

"Why yes your highness, even for an hour I'd love to."

"Okay then give me your clothes."

"Your highness no, we cannot do that, we may get into trouble."

"I will take the blame, please?", Luna said with her irresistible puppy dog eyes.

Elu nodded, defeated.

"Thank you, you may read any books you like."

She nodded again, mood slightly lifted.

They exchanged their clothes and Luna went out.