Chapter Fifteen: Snake

It was the D-day, and Hayah was ready to go to Ndokula for his formal marriage ceremony to Fantah. He had prepared a dream team of delegates, including the Chiroma and the Waziri, who, to his surprise, seemed to have approved of the whole arrangement.

He presented forty gold coins for the dowry and twenty bales of the finest clothes materials brought from North Africa for his bride. He also presented twenty bags of rice, twenty bags of corn, twenty bags of millet, one herd of cattle, and ten big calabashes of honey as gifts for the family of his new bride. His wife Talatu also seemed excited and happy for him, especially considering what she recently did to him; she had been trying to make it up to him ever since. He gave his wife a lot of lavish gifts of lands, clothes, jewelry, and livestock, as required by tradition, in order to calm her down and as compensation for allowing him to take a second wife.

Snake

The following day, at about nine o'clock in the morning, everything looked good, and everyone was set. "Nothing can stop me now," Hayah thought happily. It was at that very moment that a royal messenger came to inform Hayah and the Chiroma that the Lamdo of Maroua was very ill, and they rushed to Maroua to see him.

Hayah wasn't particularly surprised by the news; he was just disappointed. The king had always been sick. He was very old and frail, and he knew that death was not too far away. But the timing couldn't have been more inconvenient. Unfortunately, there was nothing he could do. As the chief imam, he needed to be there to pray for him and be with him in his last moments.

So, the journey to Ndokula for his marriage ceremony was canceled, and he went to be by the dying Lamdo's bedside at Maroua.

Before leaving for Maroua, after dispatching his entourage, he quickly wrote a message to Fantah:

My dear Fantah,

I pray this letter meets you well. I was on my way to Ndokula with my people for our marriage when I got the unfortunate news that his Majesty was very ill and in critical condition. As his Chief Imam, I have no choice but to go and attend to him. Therefore, the ceremony will have to be delayed. Kindly give my regards to your father. As soon as the king starts to feel better, we will come and fulfill the marriage rites, I promise.

I have some gifts for you and your family. I hope you will like them.

I cannot wait to be with you again, my beloved.

With all my love, Hayah.

He wrapped it in a beautiful skin scroll and sealed it, then gave it to a servant, who was also a student of his, to run to Ndokula and read it to Fantah immediately and also explain the situation to her family. Then he proceeded with the Chiroma to go to Maroua.

"Where is the Waziri?" He asked him.

"He had gone to inform his niece about the news," the Chiroma said.

"Oh, I almost forgot about her. We are fortunate that he was here then."

"Yes, we are. He said it may take a while as he would need to comfort her first. So, we should get going fast. He will meet us there as soon as he can."

"Ok then, let us go," Hayah said, and they left in the company of a lot of servants and guards.

The messenger that Hayah sent was leaving the compound through the servants' entrance when the Waziri intercepted him. He knelt to greet him.

"Good day, young man," the Waziri said. "Where are you going in such a hurry?"

"I have a very important message from my master for the lady, Fantah, and I have to hurry because they are waiting at Ndokula."

"Ah yes. Let's have a talk," the Waziri replied.

A few minutes later, he was at Talatu's apartment, holding the message in his hand.

"Look, I intercepted it before the idiot left. It was not easy. I had to pay him an arm and a leg as a bribe. Now, Fantah and her family will look like fools in front of their whole village after waiting for us in vain. Knowing the Bororo with their short temper and humongous pride, I am sure that would be enough to make the father change his mind and give her to someone else to save face. Do not say that I never did anything for you."

"Are you sure that he is not going to tell my husband?"

"Of course, I settled him handsomely. Besides, if he does, it will implicate him as well, so he wouldn't dare!" He paused. "You don't look happy."

"I am not happy, uncle; my father is ill, and he may be dying." Tears were rolling out of her eyes.

"Yes, my daughter. It is sad. But do not worry; I am sure he is going to be alright. Listen to me." He moved close to her. "I need you to be really strong at this time, ok? A lot of things are about to change within a short time, and you cannot afford to show any kind of weakness. I did all this for you because I love you."

She looked at him in disbelief, a chill running down her spine. Even without saying the words, she knew he was responsible for her father's illness. Of all the despicable things he had done, this was by far the most heinous. She was suddenly more afraid of him at that moment than she had ever been in her whole life.

[End of Chapter Fifteen]