Brinda

Betrothed

The rules were laid out as simply as they could be and there was no room for compromise regardless of who opposed it or who wasn't comfortable with the laws laid down.

"This isn't even your kingdom! You weren't born here! Go back to Chiroma!" some had yelled through the crowd after he defeated the menace called Bahadur.

Yet, King Adigun had managed to get back on his feet and replied, "Brinda became my home from the moment I saw its beauty. It became a place etched into my heard from the time I tasted its wonders and I will fight for it as I see fit and as your King! I beseech you to accept me in peace as you had done in the past before the problem about the Sati culture reared its ugly head".

The crowd simmered and yet he could still sense some discord amongst the people therein; nobody was comfortable in any way, shape or form about his rulings and even more because of what he was about to lay out to them.

"There will be new laws in place from tomorrow and these laws will hold firm on my stance against the Sati system", he immediately declared before motioning to a guard to help him back into the castle.

Seated in his throne and with his gaze fixated on his counsel, King Adigun looked away from the events of the days that had just passed and towards what the future could hold for him and for his people. The Sati culture issue aside, there was the disturbing reality that he might in fact have a lot on his plate as regards managing two Kingdoms.

"Your highness", Durga called out for the third time and King Adigun finally looked at her.

He had heard her the first and second time but not really paid attention to the counsel men and women before him.

"We have passed your message across the lands and through the kingdoms but there remains the issues of what will be done with Bahadur's lands and his kingdom", Durga explained. "The lands are quite enriched too and we need a means of properly merging both without conflict in culture or any form of mishap between both sides.

Another conflict in cultural differences wasn't what King Adigun wanted or even hoped to face in that very moment. He would rather ease the process through and then ensure nobody is harmed in the process.

"Find a way to bring both kingdom together without triggering anyone and I want to make it clear again that anyone found or caught attempting to practice Sati will be banned or imprisoned to never see the light of day again", the King reiterated. "Durga, select one who you believe is most suitable to handle this role and do so based on your thoughts and inferences alone".

King Adigun upped himself from his throne with a groan and slowly began to walk away from his counsel. He needed the rest and he needed to see his wife, who through the melee, had continued to stand firmly and remain undaunted by anything she faced. To his surprise, she was tougher at heart than he had first imagined.

"I wasn't expecting you to be up and around so soon", his wife's sonorous voice called out. "Your wounds are yet to heal and you still look rather frail".

King Adigun sighed, turned around and held a bogus smile on his face to protest her worries and thoughts. "Well, what can I say? I hold up well and more so, I wanted to see how things are in the kingdom".

Through the past days, he had feared the worst and it did come. After the melee, he continued to fear things might not pick on as they ought to but something about the battle with Bahadur reiterated why he was the greatest fighter alive and why he wasn't about to allow himself get weighed down by events around him.

"You might be surprised by the reality before you", his woman warned as she walked by his side and they both headed towards the east window overlooking most of the kingdom.