Brinda

Fauchle

Drops from the open wound made its way over the large gold lion arm of his throne chair, and he cared little about it in that moment. It was best he left the blood drain and hopefully the drugs laced with the cut to fizzle out than attempt to clamp it shut with a covering. More so, his Generals seemed to be deadlocked on what to do with the new army he had just acquired. 

“We might as well just slit their throats right here and now!” General Hakim, the next in command to General Sola spoke freely while he gesticulated wildly with his arm in the air. 

“How many more do we have to kill just so we can gain the trust of the people in the kingdom?” General Sola asked. “They will never trust or allow the Prince’s reign over them if we do nod slowly merge ourselves with their traditions and with their people”. 

Bringing the Kingdom of Brinda to its knees was no different to what he had done with the other kingdoms, but this time around, he had to ensure things ran smoothly since he really needed the entire kingdom for his personal plans. 

“Why don’t we just weed out those who might try to stand against the Prince and deal with them accordingly?” one of the General said. 

Prince Adigun tilted his head to the side, leaned it into his folded left hand and then sighed. “We need the kingdom of Brinda for their gold and riches. We need them to complement Chiroma for our work force or we might as well not be able to make light of our plans of growth”. 

He could not believe he had to spell it out to the Generals again and while he understood their paranoia, he still did not believe anyone or anything within the Kingdom would or could pose a threat to him. 

“Sever their King’s head and have it ready for our march into their kingdom and through their city”, Prince Adigun commanded. “If that does not in any way strike the fear of what we stand for and what I can do into their hearts, then nothing else will”. 

Loud gasps erupted in the room but Prince Adigun had made his way out of the tent and didn’t care. He looked around for Suraj who was tending to some of the Prince’s wounded soldier, before being called over. 

“Clean the wound up and regale me with all you know about the King’s castle”, he fell to his knees in pain and then leaned into a large tree while his loyal servant hurried around to gather the items he needed to cleanse the wound. 

Suraj knelt on both knees, stared into the Prince’s eyes and apologized, “I am sorry this will hurt”. 

He doused the wound with some wine and Prince Adigun yanked the bottle away from him so he could take some lengthy sips. 

“brinds is one of the most powerful Kingdoms in India, and it is my guess the neighboring Kingdoms will not be happy about a Nigerian defeating their King and taking charge of affairs”, Suraj explained. “The King does leave behind a daughter whom I believe is ripe and of age for… “. 

Prince Adigun shot Suraj a glare and a raised brow while he slowly placed the gourd with the wine to the ground. “Be careful of what you speak… tell me something of use and not nonsense”. 

Suraj apologized again with a bow. “Well, their army is simply similar to ours but they have the numbers while we have the experience. Nobody has dared challenge the kingdom or attempt to wage war against it in years until you did. I doubt we have much to worry about from here on”. 

It was the sort of news the Prince wanted to hear; it proved his might and further showed just how much the world at large and the kingdoms therein had to take him seriously. Tales of his exploits would travel far and wide, and those who he had hoes of conquering in the future would know better than to try and stand in his way. 

“I don’t fancy having men who will possibly still have their loyalties for the late King in my ranks”, he got to his feet and grunted. “How many of them are left?”

Sruaj replied, “There are close to two hundred left after the battle, my Prince”. 

Prince Adigun weighed it out for a moment and finally came to a conclusion at heart. 

“I don’t need them… set them free with a warning never to return to the kingdom of Brinda, or they stand the chance to have their heads on spikes if they ever attempted anything of such”, he commanded Sruaj. “Things are falling in place just as I expect them to be, and I will be damned before I let some disgruntled soldiers make life worse for me hereon”. 

He turned his back to them and headed for his horse immediately. 

The young Prince needed a place to calm his raging heart and he knew just where to go. It was his favorite place after battle and while it was miles away, he would ride a full day just to arrive there. 

“Wait for me!” Suraj screamed as he scrambled to get on his horse and tail the Prince as he had been commanded to do. 

Prince Adigun chuckled wildly while he rode faster into the distance without a care in the world for his struggling servant who tried to keep up at all cost. 

“Silly Suraj”, he giggled, forgetting for a moment that he had just laid waste to a good man who had done nothing wrong but try to stand and fight for his kingdom. 

                        ***

The rather odd silence coming from within the building set his alarms off. He stretched, sighed and then took out the little saber around his waist. His banged up right hand was close to useless, but he was certain he could manage against any incoming enemy. 

“Not this place again!” Suraj complained and shook his head while Prince Adigun watched him wear a frown and then stand akimbo some short distance away. 

Prince Adigun snickered and whispered, “You might as well go back to Chiroma, you know?”

He wasn’t heading back there just yet; not after such remarkable battle, and knowing full well what his parents had coming once he went back. It would not be their first, it would not be their last about the subject matter, and he was in no rush to even have to listen to them. 

The young Prince approached the doors of the cranky looking building, gently nudged it open and found himself walking to a rather empty bar as opposed to the bubbly one he often came to after a successful battle and war. 

The bar keep bowed in respect and stuttered, “The… the.. they came and… “. 

Prince Adigun held up his hand and prompted the man into silence. “I know what they could have done to have this place get this empty. Sorry for your loss”. 

He turned around and headed right out; he had things to sort when he got back to Chiroma.