Written By Sher Trott-Bailey.

” Ahhhhh yay! Ahhhh yie! No! no! …no!, nooh woah, no! no! no! Chieftess Dedoka is dead oh! Chieftess Dedoka has died.” Riuka lamented at her funeral, tears dripping from his eyes.

He had been the one to find her dead. He had been excited to tell her in the morning, that his cow had given birth to two calves. He had been so nervous about the cows because there were many other herders who had been losing their calf recently.

“ Chieftess Dedoka, Mother! Why have you gone so soon oh! You were so strong.” Riuka kept wailing. Several of the older women and men had to be consoling him.

As the Elder Chieftess’s body was being taken to the burial grounds for burning, Magoba, Kym, Maxine, Shaine and Acidah looked on gleefully in their hearts.

“ That really was so easy Shaine.” Magoba said

” Yes and now we are ready for our next act. Kym and Maxine your up.” Acidah said to her little group.

“ Magoba you also know what to say, when the time is right.”

When Riuka had finally calmed down, the gossip mongers Kym and Maxine began their laments.

” Why are their so many misfortunes now  and disasters all of a sudden now oh!” Kym started

” Yes sister speak your mind. I’m bothered too.” Maxine said

” First it was the death of the twenty babies in their mother’s wombs in just one week. Then it was cows, goats, llamas, zebras, and other animals also aborting their calf in the hundreds. Now it’s Chieftess Dedoka that has died! What is this now.” Maxine said grabbing her head and stomping up and down in front of the curious onlookers.

” Oh it is disaster and destruction!” Kym loudly cried out

” Where is our young chieftess to save us? How can she abandon us now in this difficulty!” Maxine said kneeling now and holding her head.

“ My daughter has always been selfish and dismissive of her people. You all remember how she beat me.” Magoba chipped in mournfully.

” Yes we were there Magoba we saw it” Kym added

“ What is this you women are going on about? You are halting the funeral progression,” Elder Porbok interjected coming from the front of the crowd only to hear and see the women acting up.

” Elder Porbok, they are right. So much misfortune has befallen us of late and now Chieftess Dedoka is dead too. Ask the herders, from the young boys all the way to the Elder men, everyone has lost their calves. The cows are aborting oh.” Shaine said confronting Elder Porbok

” It is true Elder Porbok, we reported it weeks ago to several Elders. Chieftess Dedoka also found out about the deaths of the twenty babies. Four mothers also died in early childbirth because their babies were far along and had died inside the mother.” A Mwebele woman cried out

” What a crisis, this has never happened in our tribe! Where is Chieftess Katya oh?” Kym shouted out.

“ Shouldn’t she be here to help us!” Shaine raised her voice looking around into the crowd of listeners.

” Silence!” A loud and commanding voice boomed out. It was Maxine, her eyes had rolled back into her head and she was shaking violently.

“ My people, it is Chieftess Dedoka speaking. I have come back in Maxine’s body to give you a warning. These disasters are all because Katya is away. Katya must no longer be away. Chieftess Katya must forever live amongst you and not travel or else there will be more disasters whenever she is away. Katya must live in the territory of the Mwebele people, she must return and come away from this new kingdom territory created by her and her husband.She is going against tradition and throwing everything out of order! Heed my warning oh!” By the end of her announcement, Maxine was foaming at the mouth and shaking fitfully on the ground.

A hush came over the superstitious crowd. Both Acidah and Magoba ran to pick Maxine up, holding her head and wiping her mouth. Kym and Shaine also went over and the four together picked up Maxine and brought her under a tree.

” Alright alright, the women will take care of her, let’s proceed. We must finish Chieftess Dedoka’s burial before the evening hour!” Elder Porbok shouted to the crowd while beckoning with his hands for them to move forward.

Their evil seeds planted, the five women watched as the crowd departed towards the burial ground. Fierce whisperings had broken out amongst the crowd. Knowing their Mwebele people, this would be the talk of the tribe around the camp fires for weeks.

“ Hah, come Maxine drink a little bit of the Krufasa drink quickly to cleanse you.” Acidah said.

” What a good acting my girl!” Shaine and Kym said slapping hands

” Ah! ah! are you are saying that Maxine’s foaming at the mouth and the eyes rolling back was all an act.” Magoba questioned.

” Magoba don’t be an idiot now oh, of course, it was all an act. The Dum Dum seeds can give you the foam in your mouth now. And i have always been able to roll my eyes to show only the white part.” Maxine said slapping her legs in impatience at Magoba.

The women stayed by the tree for a short while more basking in their drama. They also had second and third rounds of Kagobe liquid to poison the water sources with. This would continue to fan the fires of fear and panic within the Mwebele tribe.

And so as the months passed more animal deaths continued, fires were also set to the fields of many farmers. These fires were instigated by Queen Nebuli. Anger continued to stir and the gossip mongers Kym, Maxine, Shaine, Acidah and Magoba were daily fanning the fires against Katya and Zolokhan.

Meanwhile at the Mabutu Coasts:

Lucario had finally arrived at the coasts after months of journey. He and Justus rested at a far way location on the outskirts of the Mabutu territory. Dressed as prosperous foreign traders, they were there to pretend to have spices and exotic skins to sell. In exchange they would purchase  salt to carry back to their homelands and inspect Mabutu crafted ships. It was important they arouse no suspicion. Hence King Killin had spared no riches in his objective. Lucario and Justus were well equipped to bribe for a whole year.

“ Lucario do you think they will come?”
Justus asked him

“ Justus i already told you those brothers are the easy part. Of course, they will come.” Lucario said calmly, looking up from his writing.

The men were camped in luxurious tents now that they were finished travelling and settled in. Their soldiers were now dressed as regular looking traders and had bought fresh supplies of food from the markets. The Mabutu people living along the coasts were a more relaxed people and they had only been briefly questioned once by Mabutu warriors as they had passed through Mabutu to settle on the outskirts.

Their men were under instructions from Lucario to go drinking with the people and Mabutu warriors to build friendships.

” Well the allure of all the wealth presented before them and the direct message from King Killin should be enough” Justus continued on worriedly.

” Give it time, they have to be very discreet in their movements as I’m sure they are regularly watched.” Lucario replied.

” They will send us a message in the bars when they have a chance.” Lucario continued talking calmly.

” I will take some rest Lucario, between you and me my nerves are done for.” Justus admitted.

“ Justus i will take care of everything until you get yourself together.”

“ How can I ever get myself together Lucario. That evil thing slit my wife’s throat in front of me. He made me a Eunuch. Why he keeps me alive I don’t know. If I were a better man I would just kill myself.” Justus said

” Stop such nonsense, a man doesn’t kill himself. You still have your son to live on for Justus.” Lucario encouraged sternly

“ My son has abandoned me too. We don’t even speak. He has become so angry. He hates me. Thinks me weak for still serving the man who killed his mother. He is on the brink of manhood and he loathes me!” Justus lamented.

Lucario looked at his friend and thought of the once cheerful Justus. His friend had always been more of an intellectual and dreamy nature. He was once brilliant in managing the affairs of all the agriculture and trade for Cappadocia. But as more and more opium were planted and King Killin stashing it away secretly, there had been less and less need for Justus.

Then even more reprehensible and disgusting was that King Killin had wanted Justus’ wife for his perverse lusts. When t Justus and his wife had fought and refused violently, the King had killed her and castrated Justus. King Killin had placed her head on a platter and sent it to Justus who had been recovering from his injury. He had sent a single message with her head
‘ if you want her you can have her.’

Getting up from his tiny table, Lucario went to his friend and guided him to his bed. Justus laid down closing his eyes. Lucario then went to fetch a vial of sleeping draught.

Sighing, Lucario thought
” This will help him to sleep and not dream.”

After he had given Justus his concoction, Lucario decided to take a walk down to the ocean. He thought of his wife Erbu and pledged that what happened to Justus would never happen to him.

Then he began going over a plan he had been devising in his head. He needed to plant men on the Mabutu King’s royal ship. That would be the best place to do the killing and say the family was shipwrecked. King Killin had not only sent them to the Mabutu Coasts with plenty of gold and luxuries but had also given them the names of the spies in Mabutu who could help them. Spies that had been planted during the old King Xanoz’s reign. King Killin had also given them a box with all of Cappadocia’s best poisons and potions.
Once they planted their assassins on the King Vulcan’s ship then poisoning the family was possible. The Mabutu warriors could be drugged the night before with rounds of poisoned alcohol and killed in their sleep.

But how to get on the ship discreetly? This Lucario pondered over and over again. Not even the cool ocean breeze or the sounds of seagulls could dissuade his clever mind from unending churning. Finally he began making his way back to his tent.

” I will have to see what Tuppen has to report” Lucario thought to himself.

When he reached the tents, he found Tuppen had brought with him a man and a woman.

” Grand Koyan ( Cappadocia’s title for leader of secret missions), these are two of the spies that have lived here for years. They have useful information to tell you.”

” We salute you Grand Koyan” the man and woman said in unity with a small bow.

“ At ease, tell me all that you know.“

“ The Mabutu King has been here over two
months now and the rest of their tribe is steadily arriving. There will be plenty of celebrating over the next months.” The woman spy reported

“ Which will make it easy to blend in and be friendly.” The man interjected

” The Mabutu King has been recruiting new men into his tribe in an effort to build his army. Men from scattered or defeated tribes, wild men seeking refuge etc. However no new recruit is ever given any important posts, especially no posts close to the King.” The female spy continued.

” The King has been inspecting the construction of some five hundred ships over the past two weeks. Meanwhile Queen Kadija and their son are sometimes with him.” She concluded.

Taking over the male spy said

” This is the first time King Vulcan has been to the coast with his family. However I’m sure they will take their royal ship out for sailing soon.”

“Are there any of our spies on the fleet.” Lucario questioned

” No Grand Koyan, only the most trusted and Mabutu born warriors and sailors are allowed on the King’s ship. You would have to have a long family lineage just to be a deckhand on that ship.” the male spy said.

” So what is our way in then?” Lucario asked in frustration

“ Our way in will be through me Grand Koyan. I am a member of the King’s Elite troop of women warriors. Fortunately, when the King was still only a Prince he formed a group for the best female warriors in Mabutu. This time we were chosen based only on who could fight the best, not based on lineage. Really none of those high born Mabutu girls were any good at fighting.” The woman said

” I am amongst the Queen’s personal guards and I will be on the boat whenever the Queen goes sailing. However, there are two of us women who regularly watch over Queen Kadija. I will have to do something about my partner.” the woman said

” You can give her sleeping draught or one of our potions.” The man suggested.

“ Also Queen Kadija has been training with our group for years. She is very good and has beaten me several times as i have also beaten her several times.”

” That is ok, they will be outnumbered by the time we are done killing all their crewmen.”Lucario said feeling much better about their prospects.

“ Good, we have one person on board who is also close enough to the King and trusted by the sailing crew. Perfect.” Lucario said aloud.

“ Tell me, the food to supply their boating excursion, who supplies it?” Lucario questioned.

” All food grown here belongs to the King. Rich families pay him tributes of food regularly. Their meals would be prepared personally and only by a cook named Bertal” The woman answered.

“ But there are some delicacies that the Queen enjoys, there is a particular shop owned by a woman who bakes and crafts all types of sweet treats. The Queen and her son especially love these treats and eat something from this place almost daily.” The woman informed Lucario

” Good, you will need to put the poison in those treats somehow. You can offer to go buy some for the queen or surprise her with some on the day we plan to finish the deed. We can also buy all the treats from the shop for three or so days before we execute our final plan. That way Queen Kadija will be excited to recieve your treats” Lucario suggested.

” Grand Koyan, may I ask what are some of the poisons our King has sent?” The male spy questioned

” He has sent paralysis poison, sleeping draughts, heart stoppers, eye blinders, unending thirst inducers, belly bleeders, penis itchers, and gas poisons.” Lucario stated

Nodding their heads, the two spies became quiet.

” We must still get at least two more men onboard that ship somehow. Any suggestions?”

” The right hand man of King Vulcan is one named Salan. He is beyond bribes and very loyal. However he has a capricious younger brother who if we can curry some favor with as well as bribe, we may be able to get two of our spies on board. But we will have to do something big to warrant such a big favor. Plus have something happen to some of the current deckhands to warrant getting new men.”

” Yes and the replacements would have to be experienced with being on a ship.” The male spy said

” This brother of this Salan, what’s his name?” Lucario asked

” his name is Ratagan” the male spy answered.

” We will have to set up men to attack him and then have the two chosen spies save his life. Then a blood debt will be owed. Make it really bloody. You can also be there to witness it Elite female warrior. With your word and that of this Ratagan, then we can get the men to work on the King’s ship. We will poison some of the crew to create a need for replacements.”

“Won’t we run the risk of the King just pulling replacement crew from his other ships?” The male spy asked

” Well that’s where the fine acting and currying of favor will have to be done by our Elite female here.” Lucario

” We will support you by brokering the services of the King’s ships to keep them busy. A bit of alcohol poisoning will have to be done also to the current crew.” Lucario said

” There is a lot that has to fall into place Grand Koyan.” The woman said

“ Yes! so let’s start with our plan to gain the confidence of this Ratagan. Let’s start to befriend him and set his attack into motion. We will take it from there.” Lucario finished.

” I know where he drinks and we can definitely begin to butter him up. We can use my sister to lure him in further. She is very beautiful and unmarried.” The male spy said.

” Alright follow him and set it into motion. Learn his regular routes and routine. Then let’s discuss the attack.”

” I will speak to you both about this further.  We will set the location for the attack on Ratagan. Let’s have everything ready by the end of the next full moon.” Lucario said dismissing the spies

“ Yes Grand Koyan.” The spies said in unison and left.

Calling Tuppen to him, Lucario waited a  while before speaking to Tuppen. He wanted to make sure the spies were gone.

“ Tuppen what are their stories? They look just like Mabutu people, just as dark-skinned, yet are loyal to King Killin?” Lucario asked

” Their close families are held under arrest in Cappadocia, they were young tributes to King Killin from the now-dead King Xanoz. Their children were then militarized by King Killin. To them, King Killin is their true king”

” Why would King Xanoz give away his people though?”

Sighing Tuppen said,

“ When the Kings are addicted to the opium King Killin supplies, they will do anything he says, give him anything he asks for.”

“And these spies, your sure they are loyal?”

“ They are not like me, made a Eunuch in King Killin’s elite guards. They have been allowed to have children, allowed to love. They have something to lose. The man and the woman spy have two children together. They should be around eight years old now, living in Cappadocia under King Killin’s care. If they do well in this mission perhaps they can finally return to see her children.” Tuppen revealed to Lucario.

Lucario absorbed this information, marveled by King Killin’s craftiness. Sighing, he suddenly felt like Justus right now- in need of a long sleep with no dreams.