Chapter seven

CHAPTER 7

The air was tense, heavily pregnant with hope and seemingly breaking from the reality that it would even take longer before the news of the new king's spause hit the gossip grounds. Mothers walking to the village well tried hard to breach the subject and while others so openly expressed their expectations, there was still nothing in their talk than mere anticipation.

Some parents were presenting their girls openly to the king citing beauty among other aspects as the distinguishing factors. For was it not the most royal thing having the cream of the land as your in law? Tell me, can one go on an empty stomach if their daughter is at the highest place in the world? No, the father of the queen is second to the kingdom, and that alone spelt the importance of the entire chase.

"Which corner of the world is this, mom, where an old, bend, grizzled old man weds girl the age of his son". Eddy wondered out loud.

"That should not even worry you, maybe the fact that that young girl might be you should scare you more". Hannah cut in.

"Me? Do I look like any other eighteenth century middle age crap who sways with the wind?" She was catching heat.

"You still don't understand the evil that those ignorant bastards bearing the name of elders are capable of".

"I don't care who is capable of what , there are rules which dictate the marrying age and when, I better knock my head with a feather than marry a man thrice my age".

"Then I see you knocking your head with a log". Hannah commented.

"Let's not even think of it, they're tens already offering themselves as free gifts". Eddy answered with a weathered face.

"Anything can happen under my watch, but you marrying that old man". Hannah replied with a tone that seemed to say 'not more of this'.

That evening Hannah went to bed abit early, the meeting was due the following day and she had already decided to take the bull by it's horns. It was during this gay situation when she remembered the fox narrative, it was a story her late mother narrated to her long time ago.

At that period of time, it is said that the fox was the most wise folk on the animal kingdom. One day the lion observed that his beans were being invaded and eaten by an unknown thief. He tried as hard as he could to catch the thief but all his efforts bore no fruit, when she stayed all day guarding, the thief would come during the night, when he was at the night guard, the thief came during the day. So he sought advice from the ostrich.

"Dear ostrich, would you lend me some advice, someone has been stealing my beans and I can't catch them".

"Do I look like a thief, look, go and ask your silly wife for advice. After all I can kick you and run like wind, you old rascal". The ostrich replied and ran. So the lion went to the fox, the fox devised a plan that they would dig a hole on the path to the garden and cover its top with green grass, the unsuspecting thief would then be caught easily. The following day old fox came very early to confirm the thief, to his surprise, his wife was stranded at the bottom of the hole. Ofcourse he could not reach her for help. So he quickly ran to the ostrich who had a long neck, the ostrich pulled mother fox out easily but then the old fox dropped one of ostrich's feathers at the hole. He then told the ostrich to pick the feather to avoid misinterpretation. It was during this time that the fox pushed the ostrich to the pit. He then ran to the lion and told him the trap had worked. The lion was very impressed, they slaughtered the ostrich and made a good soup that evening.

Hannah thought of such betrayal, the following day would determine whether she could be the old fox or the unsuspecting ostrich . It was already late and some late night bird was making frightening sounds, crickets had long gone silent, the night was grave silent.

"I am sure you're surprised that a lady is seated with you here, apologies are in order my lords", Hannah began with measured etiquette.

"Would you please confirm that you're here to offer Eddy as a free gift, because that would save us time", Arafat, now sick with age interrupted.

"Listen, Eddy can never be married to the king", a long pause.

"There's nothing like can't in this summit, the council has already made its decision. Now, go and prepare the groom", another junior elder cut in.

"King Xavier is Eddy's father, the Queen her very mother, remember the evil forest?" Hannah was strangely as composed as ever.

Everyone stared in shock, the striking resemblance between Eddy and someone in the palace came in, the reason Hannah run away exactly at the day the child was thrown by the very council resurfaced.

The sun was burning with vengeance and afew dogs were barking fiercely at the returning herds. The sky was grey.