Chapter 13: Coronation

"Who are you, woman? Why do you follow me around?" Gora questioned as he realized that this was not a dream. When he first met the woman he thought that maybe he was dreaming or hallucinating. But on this particular day he told himself that this was not a mere coincidence.

"Just follow me," Makosi said as she walked.

Gora looked back and saw his companions still sleeping. He did not want to follow Makosi but the fact that she appeared in his life twice made him want to follow her and understand why she was doing so.

Then walked for a while and then Makosi stood by a rock near the river. She turned to face Gora and said, "The ancestors are calling you. That's why we met again."

"Who are you?" Gora questioned as he stood a few feet from Makosi. He did not trust her at all. He had followed her to get some answers.

"Makosi, I am a doctor," Makosi responded.

"You mean a witch?" Gora said.

Ignoring his question, Makosi sat on a rock and said, "Why do you fight a losing battle when you can become a victor?"

"What do you want?" Gora asked.

"Sit down, my son. I will explain everything," Makosi said.

For a moment Gora stood there whilst debating on whether he had made the right call. He hesitantly sat down on a rock near that of Makosi and looked at her.

"The ancestors are calling you, Gora. They want to give you a special gift. One that is greater than that of the man you are hunting," Makosi explained.

Gora raised an eyebrow in surprise and wondered how the lady had come to know about this. "What is this gift?"

"You were born a leader but you fail to see it. Our culture has been destroyed by your kings. And the ancestors chose you to lead those who will preserve our culture," Makosi responded.

"And the gift?" Gora asked again.

"They want you to possess power beyond your imagination. You will use that power to fulfill your mission as a leader. You have the ability in you to lead a kingdom," Makosi responded.

"Of all the people in the Bantu kingdom and other kingdoms, why would these ancestors choose me?" Gora asked.

"We are all born with gifts, my child. But a few are born leaders because it takes a strong heart to lead people. You are one of those few people gifted with the talent of leadership," Makosi said.

"I serve the Bantu king. Why would I betray my people to become a leader of another people?" Gora said.

Makosi chuckled and said, "You ask a lot of questions. But the answers are within you."

She rose to her feet and began walking again. Gora stood up and said, "Where are you going?"

When Mhare and Mukono woke up, they searched for Gora but failed to find him. His belongings were still there but he had disappeared. After looking and calling for him for a while, they decided to carry on their journey without him.

Makosi took Gora to a nearby mountain and climbed to its top. When they got to the top, they sat down whilst looking to the east. Gora was amazed by the power Makosi had. She had never complained about being tired. Yet his feet were already sore because of the journey.

Makosi pointed to the east and said, "This is the land that you will create a kingdom. If you accept the ancestor's calling, then they will give you this land to rule. If you carry out their wishes, then the land and its people will be for you and your descendants."

"It's people?" Gora asked.

"Yes. Once you start dwelling in this place, people who belong to you will come on their own and stay closer to you. You see nothing but I see villages, tribes and many people following you as their leader," Makosi explained as she looked deeply into the land she was showing off to Gora.

He rose to his feet and looked into the land. He then remembered why he had come to the jungle in the first place and shook his head. "I came here to find the king's daughter. And I intend to do that," Gora said.

"Fallen is the Bantu kingdom and all its allies. They have become prey to the one who seeks their blood. I see smoke going up to the sky, women mourning their husbands and children and destruction everywhere. How can you serve a fallen kingdom when you can lead one which will thrive above all these kingdoms? They will serve you when you become king," Makosi said whilst sitting down.

"Woman, I don't trust you. You speak like a mad man," Gora said.

"I see everything clearly. I knew you were coming before that leopard chased you. I even know your name. What makes you think that I am lying?" Makosi asked.

Gora stood there as he wondered how Makosi knew all this about him. She rose to her feet and said, "Come. Your time has come. On this day, you become king of a nation that no one knows of."

Gora found himself following Makosi as they climbed down the mountain. When they reached the river again, Makosi took a branch and entered into the water until her waist was covered.

She motioned for Gora to join her. He hesitantly joined her in the river and stood in front of her. "I have to cleanse you first before you can be introduced to the ancestors."

Gora closed his eyes when Makosi began using the branch to sprinkle water on his body. She washed his face and took him outside the river. They walked for a long time and soon came to mountain in the jungle. They approached a cave inside the mountain.

Inside the cave, Gora saw a number of calabashes sitting on the floor of the cave. He sat there whilst resting and watched as Makosi took a few herbs with her. "A leader maybe courageous at heart but he needs to be strengthened," she said as she approached him.

Makosi took a sharp rock and slightly cut Gora on the cheek. She took some powder and placed them into the small wound.

"Kneel," she ordered. Gora did as he was told.

Makosi took a small horn and stood next to Gora. She looked upwards and began saying, "Today I bring your child before you my ancestors. He is yours. I anoint him to become leader of your people. May you give him the courage to lead your people. Always protect him from the hand of his enemies. And may you put fear in all those who are under him. He's now yours, do what you want with him."

After saying this, she poured some oil on top of Gora's head. She then sat next to him and said, "It is done. But there's a lot I have to teach you."

Soon a leopard entered into the cave and Gora jumped to his feet as he looked at the leopard which was approaching him. Makosi laughed and said, "You now have the power to control this animal."

Gora put his hand forward to touch the animal and it sat before him. He slowly and gently ran his hand along the leopard's head. For a moment he looked at his hands and wondered how he could do this without being attacked by the animal.

"So I can now control any animal?" Gora asked.

"Yes. They can feel the power in you and they obey you. Only those born like you have the ability to control these animals. But they should become your friends. Use them to serve the ancestors, not your own selfish desires," Makosi explained.

Gora nodded and sat down. "What else is there to learn?" He asked.

"You need to be patient, my son. There are forces that are against you. You will have to become strong because they can destroy you," Makosi responded.

"I don't understand," Gora said.

"Becoming a leader is a process. There are things you need to learn. There are forces you have to defeat because they can stop you from becoming the man that you are. But worry not because I am here to teach you everything that you need to know. And what happened here stays between us," Makosi explained.

Gora looked at her and asked, "Why is that so?"

She looked at him for a moment and said, "Because you are the new Mutapa."