The birthday story

"Zia! Zia!! Lila called",  they paused their discussion to trace where the voice was coming from. 

"The voice sounds like the queen voice, Tashia said". Zia,  yes your majesty, she hurried out to Lila. "I need all of you in my chamber Lila said". 

The Queen was so acquitted of her maidens, she no longer see them as messengers but as siblings. 

"My son birthday is at hand, I want a proper plan for it, did any of you have any experience of how a birthday was celebrated in the Palace?" 

Lila's question left all the maidens thinking of the one they had experienced.  "I can remember the birthday of his highness when he was still a Prince, Tashia began". All of them became calm and attentive to listening to the interesting narration from Tashia. 

Tashia was supposed to be the chief maiden because she has been in the Palace right from when Hala was a boy, but it was strange she was not the head of the maidens. 

In the Palace to be the head was never manipulated to the favour of anyone, it is done by voting. Tashia wasn't the oldest but in Palace, she was, just as the saying; "the old age of Methuselah has nothing to do with the wisdom of King Solomon. Zia was smart, brave, wise and always composed, for this her fellow maids loved her so much including Tashia. 

Zia was voted as the head maiden, not only did she win by voting but they were still afraid to be the head because of King Hala character. 

Tashia continues the narration, "when Hala was a crown a Prince when he was a year old, a mega party was thrown for him, attracting different dignity including the strongest man in a notable kingdom kosoko", 

Tashia was twenty-four years now, Hala the king tormenting his peoples was twenty-seven years and Lila was twenty-three a year younger than Tashia.  

Before the party day message was sent across the kingdom to inform everyone who has any talent to display that day to get involved in effective practice. 

"There were a lot of dancers, singers, flute players including magicians I remember there was a magician who turned water into a basket without linkage not only that one amazed me another who brushed his mouth with fire. It was a remarkable day that his highness will never forget even though he was a child then". 

The diviner with the king will process into the arena including the queen bearing the celebrant on her shoulder, varieties of rituals will be done, the diviner would invoke different gods. 

"The almighty is not the only god this kingdom has, they were other sub gods in Zomuda also, the god of war whenever they were making out for war, because you birthed the swordmaster, the god of war shall be invoked first and also last". 

"The god of rain and peace, the god death and live. All this deity would be invoked that day to be with your son". 

"The god of death and life?"  Zia asked to gesticulate, why the god of death they were curious to know. 

Yes, he was invoked because we the people of Zomuda believes we were created by him and one day he will take us back to himself. 

After all the ritual activities a wristband will be given to your son the Prince, the diviner would say, "I gave you today the band of protection against evil and untimely death no man born of a woman can harm you". 

"Do you mean Hala my husband has this band too?  Yes, he has it, it baffles Lila why he has not outgrown it. 

" The band is spiritually fortified, it grows as your son grow". 

He will be given numerous things by the diviner, then he will declared the party open for everybody who has a gift to present to come forward and drop it under your feet as you will be seated with Prince Zea. 

Then, there would be dancing and eating until down. 

Your majesty, "our kingdom is the strongest kingdom, no kingdom could defeat her in battle because the almighty always protect and fight for them on the battlefield". 

They were all amazed at how Tashia could touch the storyline step by step they never knew when they all stood up and gave her the best Clapp she has ever received in her life. Lila gave her a hug and a kiss. "You are amazing she said".

"We shall now go to our various duty posts let me have some time for myself and Prince Zea". 

They all left excluding Zia who is the chief custodian of Prince Zea. 

"Now I know why Hala was full of himself because he knows no man can hurt him, hmmm....will it last?"

Men make laws and break the law too, how much more spirit beings who are very much dedicated to their words and promise. 

"Hala should be very careful not to die before his time, or is it that the almighty is indirectly punishing Zomuda?" For what offence?. 

"Who knows what they might have done, I am just a baby in the land of the living, hmmm"...

Zia couldn't help with a word because she never had an idea what was running in the queen mind, Zia remember very well the day the queen was angry and yearned at her for interfering in her privacy, "Get this into your head, over-familiarity brings contenpt". 

"I wouldn't mind dealing with you", since this encounter Zia was always conscious of her smartness whenever the queen is having a mood swing. 

There was a knock on the door, "it must be the king Zia said, should I open the door?" Know I will do that myself", behold it was Tashia. "Your majesty, the king wants you in the garden now". 

"What so paramount do we have to talk about this evening?" It has skipped Lila so soon that Zea birthday was at hand. 

She makes haste to meet up with Hala. 

Hala was seated beside a fruit tree swinging in a chair suspended by a mighty branch of a tree.