Chapter 15: Sins and Secrets

"You have to eat, Ruva," Makosi as she placed a small wooden plate filled with boiled cow peas. Ruva had rejected the plate for the fifth time that day alone.

"Do you enjoy working for this evil man? What does he give you in return? Ruva asked.

Makosi chuckled as she sat down before saying, "I do not work for Mutapa. I am the one who anointed him to become the man he is."

"So you are anointed him to become evil? Do you enjoy it when he tells stories about how he destroyed kingdoms and killed innocent people in the process?" Ruva questioned as she raised her face a little.

She noticed that Makosi's face changed a little when she asked such questions. "I am sure you anointed him to become something else, not an evil man who enjoys spilling the blood of innocent people," Ruva added.

"When two elephants fight, the grass beneath suffers," Makosi responded.

"I am sure you are more evil than your beloved son. How can you anoint someone to become a heartless person. It's clear now why he destroys people. He's your puppet and you tell him what to do," Ruva said making sure that they did not drop the subject at hand.

"My daughter, evil is in every man's heart. The difference is that some are not ashamed to demonstrate the evil in their hearts," Makosi responded.

"And then there are those like you who express their evil thoughts and desires by using other people," Ruva responded.

Makosi chuckled and said, "My daughter, there's no lesser evil in this world. The one who steals and the one who kills are the same because someone is hurt in the process."

"Yet you are thieves as well as killers. Why would you bring me food to eat if you are evil at heart? And stop calling me your daughter it feels evil," Ruva said.

"We are evil but we remain human beings. Eat the food, it will make you stronger," Makosi said as she stood up.

She walked a few steps and stopped when Ruva said, "I have seen the real Mutapa. His soul is dark and dirty. Power and control is what matters to him. And I am sure of these days he will exercise power and control over you as well. Woman, you anointed a way to your demise."

Makosi just looked at Ruva for a moment before she turned around to walk out of the cave. Ruva sat as she looked at the plate filled with cow peas. Her stomach grumbled but she felt like eating from Mutapa's hand was like betraying her own people.

Makosi walked into a cave adjacent to that where Ruva was held captive. Ruva heard them talking but what they were saying was not clear so leaned her ear against the caves walls to listen to their conversation.

"Bringing the Princess here was a mistake. Your mission was to punish the king for what he did," Makosi said.

"He will be punished for what he did. But for now, he has to know how it feels to lose a loved one," Mutapa responded.

"You can't keep the Princess here, they will come for her and we will be exposed," Makosi said.

"I hunted them down and killed all of those who dared to come here. I will decide what to do with her when her father is killed," Mutapa proudly said.

"We agreed that you have to make these kingdoms fight on their own. You won't be able to fight them all at once. Let them fight on their own and tear each other apart whilst we carry out the important part of our lives," Makosi explained.

"I am doing that," Mutapa said.

"This time you do everything that I say. Working alone has made you stubborn and foolish. Have you forgotten where your powers came from?" Makosi said as she raised her voice.

"So you want to take my powers? They were not yours to keep. The ancestors blessed me with these powers and I am using them to fulfil their promises. If they were yours then why did you give them to me?" Mutapa argued.

"I am afraid you are getting lost in this mission. Punishing the four kingdoms wasn't our main objective. Our main objective is to do what the ancestors said we must do. That's why you are going to do as I say this time," Makosi said and she walked out of the cave.

Ruva spent the whole day whilst sleeping on a goat skin rug. Mutapa entered the cave when it was almost dark. He roasted a rabbit as Ruva watched.

When he began eating, Makosi entered and said, "Come. It is time."

Mutapa took half of the meat and left the other half near the fire. "Where are we going?" Mutapa asked.

"To the eastern cave. One bantu warrior fell for my lie. I made him believe that he could be one of us and now he has the power to control the animals," Makosi explained as she walked ahead of Mutapa.

"What?! I am the only one who possesses that power," Mutapa said.

"Not anymore. His mission is to control animals and lead a group of Bantu warriors to the Manyika, Zezuru and Karanga kingdoms. He will parade as Mutapa who works with the Bantu," Makosi explained.

"Do you realize what you have done? You have given the Bantu the power to be like us," Mutapa said.

"He believes he's the new Mutapa. He wants to learn more about our ways. I told him to complete this mission first if he wants to be like us," Makosi said.

"And what am I going to do this time?" Mutapa questioned.

"Watch him. Keep a distance. Never let him know that you are watching him. If he decides to fool us, you kill him," Makosi said.

Mutapa stopped and said, "I don't understand your plan."

Makosi turned to face and said, "He believes that I have rejected you. I made him believe that I want to work with him if he completes this mission. Remember, you have the horn in your hands. It holds all the power you need so don't feel challenged by him."

Mutapa nodded and walked to the cave with Makosi. When they entered, Gora was playing with a lion. "Gora. It is time to fulfill the duties of the ancestors," Makosi said as she entered.

Gora lifted his eyes which landed on Mutapa for a moment before they travelled towards Makosi who folded her hands behind her back. "What do I have to do?" Gora said.

"Go back to your kingdom and convince a man that you couldn't find the Princess but you found the power to control animals. Promise to give them your power if they escort you to the Manyika, Zezuru and Karanga kingdoms. These kingdoms must believe that Mutapa is of the Bantu kingdom," Makosi explained.

"But that's impossible. They know that Princess Ruva was taken captive by Mutapa," Gora said.

"The Princess will be taken back to the Bantu kingdom. Her kingdom is the only one which never lost its people because of me. These kingdoms must feel like they were played by the Bantu people," Mutapa responded.

"After fulfilling this mission, kill all the warriors who are going to join you. Also, attack these kingdoms again to make our plan effective. Let the animals kill a few people and demand cattle from them," Makosi added.

"If you fulfill this mission, you will have greater power than this," Mutapa said.

Gora nodded and said, "I will return as soon as I fulfill the ancestor's duties."

"Go well my son," Makosi said and they left Gora alone.

She went back and found Ruva finishing off what Mutapa had left. She smiled and said, "I never thought you were going to eat at all."

"You should be worrying about Mutapa who is beginning to challenge you. I heard you arguing in the morning. There's nothing you can do to change him. You turned him into a dark soul," Ruva said.

"Do you need more?" Makosi said as she ignored Ruva's response.

"You tell him a plan to destroy our kingdoms and he agrees. When that plan is fulfilled, there will be nothing left for him to do. As a man who loves power, he will come after you. Instead of being the anointed, he will love to be the anointer. You know his ways, he gets what he wants by using force and terror. Makosi, your days are coming to an end," Ruva said and slept leaving Makosi in a trail of thoughts.