Chapter Seven
The long-awaited day was here with them. The chairs where the audience were to sit was made of wood. Yes, some parts of Niyeye were forest region and that's also contributed to their successful farming occupation. Woods were cut from the forests and different materials were made from them. The royal class such as Kings, Queens, Princes and Princesses seats were made of gold. There were different designs used to beautify the palace, they were fabric with a pin used to hold them. The colours were blue and white because that's what the king demanded. He always associated blue with heavens. He believed that if blue was used to design any ceremonial environment it would certainly be a great one. Since he had accessed the throne their festival designs were always blue, unlike the general design which almost all kingdoms used, red. Maids were at the palace entrance dancing, drumming and singing concurrently to be welcoming and entertaining the guests. There were still more hours to the festival with different characters entering and kings arriving. The stage was planted in the middle of where the audience was going to stay and it faced the position of where the royal seats were. Different kings were entering with different kinds of people whom they especially invited. Some people were present because of the contest mainly to make sure they ascertain a point to the royal families. At the training ground were some new faces preparing themselves for the festival contests. The archers who were ready to seize the mantle from Muhu were seriously equipped with different bows.
"This year festival will be tremendous", said one of the kings entering.
There were earsplitting claps outside the palace welcoming different kings. The Kenne market was already filled with the crowd as people were seen coming. If the festival began the market would be empty and quiet. That was the only period the market was always quiet and another when one could see the marker quiet and empty was usually during the period of war. It was such an engaging market and the noise did cause headache to some who did visite. Some were even allergic to visiting the market as they could not withstand the cacophony of the market. Some maids were running hither thither to make sure everything was in place before the hour to begin the festival reached. Deore king brought intruder who used cutlass, axe, hammer, etc. to fight so they could entertain everyone with their funny style of fighting. The festival was going to be a remarkable and unforgettable one in the history of Niyeye as they were going to be a lot of surprises which many didn't see coming. Below the stage; on the ground were also some small gates where the contestants would pass through to the stage. The audience seats were a flat lengthy one having an aisle before another one. The Niyeye blacksmith was also present with different kinds of swords. Though the king of Niyeye had been pressurising him to find the secret of how Kohoe was able to make such strong armour and shield that made it difficult for swords and arrows to pierce. The name of the Niyeye blacksmith leader was Jangogo. He was a great blacksmith who works tremendously to make sure Niyeye was always ahead in terms of warfare even though they were still far behind Kohoe. He tried his best to decode the secret behind the Kohoe amour and shield. He believed that if the time comes it would be revealed to him. He was with some bows and arrows that were for sale to the contestants, a crowd of people were at his front pricing several sorts of weapons. Jangogo had a good relationship with Yon even though Yon was unpredictable, he was the only one that could control Yon. Aside from Kenne market, Yon did spend most times with him. Yon preferred training at the Jangogo blacksmithing house than in the palace. She did experiment almost all the weapons made by Jangogo before anyone else could use it. The relationship between them was like a father and daughter relationship. Jangogo who never had a woman treated Yon like his daughter. Any moment the king was having an issue with Yon, he did call on Jangogo because he had the key to his brain. She did sleep at Jangogo blacksmith workshop some times and would leave the Queen and the King bothered without letting them know of her whereabouts. At the festival early in the morning, Jangogo was already expecting Yon to come and accost him. They were both doing training throughout yesterday. Jangogo was also like a teacher to Yon, he did teach him myriads of skills as a martial art fighter. Jangogo was the leader of the army-trained assassin who did guard the blacksmith workshop. The crowd arriving the palace was increasing immensely. More army men were recruited to the Palace to ensure adequate security. Some army were seen moving up and down like a vagabond. Everyplace in the palace was gleaming like the home of angels. The seats made for the kings were like the seat of the highest. The maids in charge of the decorations were done with it and began packing things that dropped when they were making the decorations. Some shamans were also seen collecting money from people before they could make a prophecy. Most people approaching the shamans were the poor who want to know how they could get rich rapidly. This had been something common with the people of every kingdom. Some even approach the shamans to know about their problem. The merchants did approach to get how they could make more money because they wouldn't be told by the sorcerer if they visit him. The population of Niyeye was growing to the extent that there was great concern over how it could be controlled because it could lead to having additional impoverish people in the kingdom which would affect the status of the kingdoms in all areas. The shamans earned a lot of money to the extent that some robbers were even manipulating them but they couldn't notice because the money was too much. The shaman stole the attention of everyone. The gamblers were also there asking who would win contests of each category so they could know who to place there bet on. Different shamans with different prediction. There was one that seemed to be giving a true revelation, he stole everyone attention. He predicted different contests and the winners, some didn't believe what he said and some believed. The most fascinating out of all his predictions which he said the archery contest wouldn't be won by Muhu this year but he saw Muhu breaking the record of Yongue, the gladiator who holds the record of winning the best archery in Niyeye nine times. He said it was going to be won by a foreigner, they keep pressuring him to mention where the foreigner was from, he did want to provoke the crown because the people don't like the kingdom, but he later revealed the kingdom when he said it would be Kohoe. Everyone was looking at him in disbelief. What would a Kohoe, the enemy of Niyeye be doing at a festival in the first place, some people thought. Muhu who held the title of best archery in the last five years could be defeated? They couldn't believe the words of the shaman. When the shaman made the revelation about a Kohoe winning this best archery some began to him. The last revelation that he made when someone asked him who among the princes and the princesses would win a title among all the contests, he replied, none! that all the main titles were going to be won by an outsider and everyone began to evaporate from his jurisdiction. The crowd was enormous, it could be likened to the days of Moses when he led over five thousand men out of the land of Egypt. The population of Niyeye was vast and the foreigners made it vaster. The kingdom draws the heart of outsiders due to its richness. It is very rare to see a poor merchant in Niyeye. All merchants came to settled down in Niyeye which led to the kingdom is the second most populous kingdom in the west after Kohoe.
The King was being dressed in his room. He was in his favourite colour dress. The crown he would be wearing was a special crown gifted to him by the King of Jojoyo, the newly founded kingdom. His royal gown was designed by Onna. It had some gold embodiments on it. Kinda tight around the waist and open at the bottom. The gown was very lengthy and big. Some stars were pinned on the gown which made it looked sparkling. Guards were entering to inform the Niyeye king of the arrival of other kings.
The Queen even though red was her favourite colour, she opted to wear the same colour of a gown with the king. Onna was also the one who designed the Queen dress but wasn't made by her including the king. She hadn't been good to the extent of making a gown for the King and Queen but could be made for herself. The Queen's face was designed with gold and beads. She wore some on her head. Some were made in form of chains. Some were earings. All the designs on the king's gown were also the same on the Queen's. Perhaps it was made by the same person, Onna.
Muhu was already done with his dressing. He was in the library refreshing his brain before the festival. He was also with a bow in the library drawing it to check its elasticity. The confidence was all over him as it was predicted by many that he would win the title for the sixth time. The bow was made for him by Jangogo. Though they didn't have close relationship they enjoy being together. He was rarely seen at Jangogo blacksmith workshop. Dejoe on the other hand prefers being lonely, his best friend was Bayso, the army general of Niyeye. Dejoe didn't like being around people even his guards, he didn't like them following him around. Some said he was shy but, he did downplay such claims saying it was his nature not because he was shy. The only person he did train with was Yon and she rarely stayed in the palace so they bare trained together. Bayso who was her best friend doesn't spend most of his time in the palace but at the Niyeye headquarters. Dejoe was dressing lonely in his room. Yon was already with Jangogo outside. She didn't dress much as others, she and Dejoe were the less dress among the children of the king and Queen. Always with her sword anywhere she was going like a palace guard. The only thing that differentiated her from the guards were her royal gown. Onna on the other hand was being dressed for by the maids. Wearing his favourite colour royal gown, pink.
The kings, Queens invited including contestants and the audience were already seated and being entertained by dancers before the commencement of the main event. The King and the Queen were seen coming out of their rooms respectively. A crew of maids were behind them, some held their gown at the bottom to prevent it from wriggling on the floor. They were being welcomed by the seated kings and Queens. The princes and princesses arrived at the festival ground. All eyes were on Muhu whom every one was ready to in an archery contest. Dancers were still on the stage entertaining the guests. The prime minister entered as he had been with the sorcerer since the cock crow (cock-a-doodle-doo) praying with the gods to make the day a fulfilling one. Immediately he entered, he sighted the King and susurrate a petty talk into his ear. Tang and the Yoe minister arrived. The Niyeye ministers were entering in a newly made designed gown. The crowd were cheering and clapping for the stage dancers as they were coming off the stage. Everyone was happy to have witnessed such a day.
The Kohoe prime minister entered walking like a gentle Lion looking for crocodile in the jungle. Everyone was shocked because the rod of their king was held by one of the guards behind their prime minister. They were in their usual armour and on their left hand was a sword and right hand was shield-like people who came to fight a war in the palace. Everyone's eyes were wide open in disbelief as they didn't expect Kohoe to be present at their arch-rival festival. The prime minister of Kohoe entering the festival ground went immediately to the King of Niyeye to pay him homage. The prime minister wasn't in the usual minister's gown, he wore armour according to rules laid down by their king. Their ministers weren't allowed to wear the usual gown. Before one could be qualified to be a minister in Kohoe one must formerly be a soldier of Kohoe and would have served in the army for a long period as a teenager before one could be qualified. Half of their citizens were soldier, many had been recruited into the kingdom's army. The Kohoe prime minister was a tall and big-headed man. Kohie ministers did lead their army to the war front. When the King of Niyeye saw them, he knew they were up to something and a spy was ordered to keep an eye on them. The Niyeye king knew they also came to fight in the contest and would be disgraceful to Niyeye if he said they shouldn't participate. It could be seen as a form of the anxiety of their contestants to faced foreigners. For the fact that all kingdom were allowed to participate, it would be crazy to exclude Kohoe because of their rivalry. The king of Niyeye decided in his psyche to let things be.
Onna also came on stage to showcase her multiple talents.
"She has improved tremendously", said one of the Niyeye minister.
Her talent wasn't new to any of the ministers as they weren't surprised by her intriguing moves. But the outsiders were awed by her talent. Some kings compromised in their psyche to marry their sons off to her. There was a time a merchant wanted to marry Yon, the Queen wanted her to be married to the merchant but the king was against it that he wasn't convinced if the merchant truly loved her daughter. Yon on the other hand didn't, she said she wasn't ready, all those made the matter died off. Marrying Onna who was still young off to a prince wouldn't be actualised because Onna was still very young. People who saw her dancing for the first time couldn't stop talking about her incredible moves. She was given a huge clap when he concluded her dance.
Entertainers were already on the stage giving everyone different kinds of a comic. The king of Niyeye kept looking at the Kohoe men and their prime minister. He wasn't really happy seeing them. He knew they must have been sent by their king. The Kohoe prime minister was always seen frowning his face. He rarely laughed. He behaved like a demon. His eyes were always red. Everyone was laughing, he wasn't. Looking like someone who was in Niyeye for a fight. He came with one of their gladiators from Kohoe. He was ready to make sure his army men won all the contests.
Each from the kingdoms and the rulers of regions was there with their respective gladiators. They all registered their respective candidate for the gladiator battle. The Kohoe also registered. The total numbers of the slot for gladiators were eight. The gladiators were from Jojoyo, Duyeo, Deore, Baebo, Niyeye, Kohoe, Tenga and Putu. The audience was curious to see who would win. The dice were rolled and the match was made. The gladiators; Duyeo against Kohoe, the Kohoe gladiator defeated and killed the Duyeo gladiators. The crowd weren't surprised as they expected Kohoe to win. Jojoyo gladiator against Niyeye's; Niyeye gladiator won. Baebo gladiator and Tenga gladiator faced each other and Tenga won. Putu and Deore gladiator against each other, the Putu gladiator won.
The entertainers took the stage with a storm. The crowd was tremendous. A little laughter was caught on the face of the Kohoe prime minister just like an air that blew through one's eyes. The gladiators' match was made again so that they could determine who would face each other among the four remaining gladiators. The matchmaking was great. Putu and Niyeye were matched the king of respective kingdom looked at each other and smiled. Niyeye gladiator defeated Putu the crowd continued to cheer the winner and boo the loser. The Niyeye knew they had made it to the final now remaining to win. Tenga and Kohoe were matched automatically after Niyeye and Putu were matched. The Kohoe gladiator won with ease. People began to place bets. The Kohoe prime minister looked at the Niyeye king from where he sat for the first time and smiled. Their eyes became four and the Niyeye king wasn't smiling at all with the prime minister. Everyone was curious as to know who would win.
The stage was reset for the final gladiator match because blood had painted it red. All other kings were supporting Niyeye. They all knew Kohoe was their longtime enemy and working together for years to defeat them. The entertainers and magicians came unto the stage doing different quirks, everyone was left in awe seeing some unbelievable moves from the magicians.
The crowd cheering them was great! "Huuuuuuuuu! haaaaaaaaaaa! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye! Niyeye!"
The crowd was great! The Prime minister of Kohoe wasn't smiling. The Niyeye king eyes were gripped by his head. The fury of heats in him could devour a hundred Lions. He knew the Kohoe gladiator would win. He didn't want a Kohoe to win as they would become a laughing stock.
Arrrrrrrrrrrrrrggggggggghhhhhhhhh!
The Niyeye gladiator was such a skilful fighter. He dodged all the moves his opponent. The Kohoe gladiator already gave him a cut on the hand and he wasn't ready to give up easily. He gazed at the injury with his eye red. He crooked his sword and he dodged another move. The face of the Kohoe gladiator looking like fire ready to pounce. The Niyeye gladiator gave a somersaulting skill and landed on the ground. The kohoe gladiator skillfully removes his head and the sword hit the armour he wore on the head. His back against the Niyeye gladiator moving swiftly after dodging his head. The Niyeye gladiator gives an everlasting move by throwing his sword and the mouth facing the back of the Kohoe gladiator, as the sword was moving the crowd was already in thunder, the sword was in motion to hit the Kohoe gladiator at the back, some remembered the word of the shaman that a Niyeye would never win any of the contest. He would fail this time they thought as the sword was in motion an to hit the kohoe gladiator, the sword pounce on the armour and fled.
The face of the Niyeye King and other audience were reddened. Many mouths were left wide open surprised. Some couldn't stop jiggling their head in disbelief. The king wishes he could call off the fight immediately but that could lead to war with Kohoe. The people of Niyeye hands were on their head. Jangogo saw the secret of their armour when he heard the sound of how the armour defends against the sword.
"The gods have answered the prayer of Niyeye", Jangogo said.
Jangogo who was sitting somewhere near the king and at the front of Yon. Stand up immediately like someone who wanted to stop the fight and head towards the palace entrance. Move swiftly through the quiet Kenne market and headed to his blacksmith workshop. The gladiator whom everyone was expecting to kill the Niyeye gladiator. He moved towards where the kings were sitting.
"Our match is not in the whole west", the Kohoe gladiator shouted.
The Yoe prime minister was observing all through. He noticed that the Niyeye king feared Kohoe a lot. The best period he could go into friendship with Kohoe was what came to his psyche. At that same point, he made a U-turn on his decision to returned to Yoe. All the kings of the west present couldn't their mouth. The king of Deore knew war was imminent. Anywhere Kohoe were, there was always something about war, they are mostly associated with war. The Niyeye gladiator was spared as he said there wasn't his match in Niyeye. The Kohoe prime minister was surprised by his gladiator decision to spare the Niyeye gladiator, he was angry, his eye was full of fury. How dare you the minister said in his psyche.
It was time for the archery contest. Everyone was registering. Muhu already had an automatic ticket being the son of a king. Muhu was already standing with his bow, drawing it. The Kohoe also registered for the archery contest. Other kingdoms also registered. The archery contest had more slot compare to other contests. Not only kingdoms that they did allow to register but also regions that hasn't become a kingdom yet. It was a great contest that everyone was always looking forward to participating even before the festival day. Most of the regions perform below par expected except kiu. Kingdoms were also allowed to register more than one contestant. A kingdom could register as much as many as she could afford. Kohoe only registered one. The Kohoe prime minister believed they would win everything. The confidence could be seen all over him including in his action. Muhu scale through all the stages, the same with Kohoe archer. All the regions participants performed woefully. Those who did all training couldn't match Muhu as he had improved tremendously.
The King of Niyeye was confident this time around that his son would win. He was just laughing seeing that his son entered the final with Kohoe. The festival was full of cheers and was like a festival of contest between Niyeye and Kohoe. The bet was on again. The word of the shaman continues skipping through the psyche of some audience. The first round was a tie. Muhu didn't miss any target, some already compromised that there was no how the Kohoe won't miss the main target. But, the Kohoe archer pulled a surprise, none was the target. Muhu wasn't feeling comfortable but was still confident going through from first to the fifth round when he lost concentration and he missed a target. He burst into tears as the Kohoe was about to shoot. The crowd was great and the mantle was seized from Muhu. His father eye was full of rage. He used his second hand to hold his golden chair by the left like someone who wanted to tear apart the chair. It wasn't a day he expected. As he was very disappointed that the Kohoe visited and won everything. He called on the Yoe prime minister. He told him to allow Tang to participate in the fighting contest. The prime minister already had the thought to win the psyche of the Kohoe. Muhu face was full of tears falling like river Mississippi. He went straight into his room as he wasn't the day he expected. The prime minister of Niyeye followed him immediately to ensure he didn't commit any harm against himself. The Kohoe prime minister saw the king susurrate into the Yoe minister ear. It was the first time of seeing him. He didn't know who the Yoe minister was and didn't know what they were up to.
Dancers, entertainers took the stage again to put laughter on everyone's face. The crowd were cheering. This was the largest festival in the west without a doubt. Magicians came again. The shaman was also seen on the stage giving different revelation. All the entertainers stopped immediately and turned their attention to the shaman. The king was frowning looking forward to what he had to say. He sent a message to the king to go and implore the Niyeye sorcerer. The gods weren't happy with Niyeye according to the shaman. He predicted there was going to be an all-out war in the whole west soon. The Kohoe prime minister was thinking an all-out war without Kohoe planning any? The king of Deore predicted such at the meeting they held in the palace hall the last time before the festival but it was downplayed. The Shaman never intended to leave the stage anytime soon and troops were commanded to take him away. There was a murmur among the crowd.
It was time for the duel contest two groups were formed to produce one winner who would face each other. All the intruders brought by the Deore king were grouped with the Kohoe Soldier. Tang, Yon, and Dejoe were in the same group. The Kohoe soldier defeated the intruder despite all their axe, cutlass, hammers etc. the Kohoe soldier pulled another surprise by defeating them all to qualify from his group. In the second group. Yon defeated Dejoe when they both met after defeating great numbers of people and she met with Tang. Tang defeated her with ease. It was now a contest between the Yoe soldier and the Kohoe Soldier. It was still more or less like a contest between Niyeye and Kohoe because all the kingdoms in alliance with Niyeye were supporting Tang including the king of Niyeye, he was the one that made the participation of Tang easier. Yoe was the strongest kingdom in terms of warfare in the east while it was Kohoe in the west. Two thoughts were running through the king's psyche simultaneously. One was everything said by the shaman concerning Niyeye and imminent war. The second thought was the fight between Tang and the Kohoe soldier. This time the gamblers were confused on who to bet on. Their chances of winning wwerefifty. The crowd weren't loud this time around. Everyone was waiting for the contest. Every other thing had been done. The fight was the last agenda of the festival.
The fight was about to begin. The face of Tang and Niyeye king became four. Tang was ready to put an end to the domination of the Kohoe. The prime minister of Kohoe was very confident that they were winning this again. And it would send a strong message to the rest of the kingdom in the west. But what would the outcome of the contest be? Even the stones were curious as there was no certain winner.
It was a great contest. The first round was a tie. The armour wore by the Kohoe soldier had helped him strongly. Tang pulled off his armour at the third round. Everyone was surprised. The king was left in awe. The Niyeye king accepted defeat immediately. The Yoe minister was very confident in Tang and the Kohoe prime minister was seen laughing at the movements of Tang, he thought he already met his waterloo. The face of Tang became a fire that's ready to born down a house, breathing like a leopard that's ready to pounce.
" Haaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
The fight for the fourth round began. Tang despite pulling off his cloth hadn't been hit by any of the Kohoe soldier's sword. The Kohoe were confident that they would win. The crowd began to shout. Fewer people were supporting the Kohoe because they were a bitter rival to almost all the great kingdoms in the west. Kohoe believed they were the best in terms of everything. The fight was getting intense when the sword of the Kohoe soldier pierced into the waist of Tang. The Yoe prime minister was already shivering on the seat where he sat. Despite being in an open place he was sweating profusely. Everyone thought Tang couldn't make it through the fourth round. It was still a tie as Tang hadn't given up. The fight was different and more intriguing to that of the gladiators as the Kohoe soldier was after killing Tang.
It was the fifth round. Tang's waist had been banded with multiple traditional bands. A large crowd was behind Tang. His confidence increased. The rage on his face could be seen. The Yoe prime minister was calm. His confidence was back. The fight reached the sixth round. The cheers increased. Tang pulled a miraculous surprise, jumped to a very high level of the sky, coming down he was about to be shooked, he dodges it slit the head of the Kohoe soldier from behind. Blood was gushing out like a released pool. The crowd erupted into a lengthy scream. The King of Niyeye flipped into the air at where he was sitting down. The Yoe prime minister was laughing loudly. And the Kohoe prime minister eye was full of revenge. Who is that man? The Kohoe minister reiterated in his psyche. The maids began to sing for Tang as he had brought victory for the Niyeye people at large. The Kohoe prime minister left the festival in shame and ordered some of his men to investigated who Tang was. All the kings were very happy. They feel they had defeated Kohoe. That would raise the myth of their army. In the end, everyone left for their respective homes. It was a great ending for the Niyeye King.