The Legend of Tafari

Chapter 12 Legend

Within the atmosphere I felt my guilt seem to choke the breath from me as I left Saran in the room where she took advantage of my weakness to her neediness. She had not changed. Feeding solely off of my kindness and need to mend brokenness within others. I was not Komba (god). But surely Jengi (mediator/omnipresent guardian) would punish me for I knew he saw what had just happen between Saran and I. I quickly headed to the garment room making sure none saw me as I changed my ruined attire. Then I headed to Tafari's quarters laying on my palate on the floor. No one must ever I know I thought as the door opened I saw Tafari's feet as she released a heavy sigh.

"So how long have you known Saran, Deola?" she said as I made sure to make no sudden movements or answer too quickly.

"I knew her when I studied at our capital four years ago," I answered with so much sadness. Tafari made no noise.

"You use to love her?" Tafari asked as I sat up looking over her wooden carved bed as she stared in my eyes reading the answer almost as I nodded in response to her question. She looked at me those eyes hiding something as she shook her head.

"Remember Deola, I am an oracle. I may have already seen what you have done weeks before you actually do them," she said smiling softly as she tried to read my face. I made sure to hold her gaze as to not give myself away for fear of what she'd do to me.

"Come here Deola," she said as I obeyed standing in front of her as she pulled me to sit next to her. Within I trembled as her fingertips brushed against my skin.

"I am not as cruel as you think sweetheart," she whispered as I gazed at her in amazement.

"As long as you know to whom you belong what happened earlier is forgiven," she said as my eyes welled up unable to fully articulate what she was saying to me. She was indeed still a mystery I could not figure out I thought as she kissed me deeper than she ever had. Her fingers intertwined in my hair while our lips locked and her emotions flooded me.

"You are mine Deola," she whispered with every kiss as she laid me down. All thoughts of my fear and Saran now gone as I drowned in who she was all over again. We didn't make love but how she continued to kiss me with such endearment rehearsing that I was hers. She branded my heart in a way that no one else could.

As she held me all night without sleep closing our eyes that was when I fell in love with her for the first time where I actually knew they were the feelings of my own without me feeling pressured.

"Deola have you ever heard of how the Oracle came to be with our people?" she asked as I shook my head now intrigued by the subject.

"My mother always told me the story as a little girl. And I always thought she bluffed, but now that I am grown I realize that she told the truth." She whispered gazing off.

"Back when our ancestors were considered specks in the eyes of beings like Komba, born to a simple farmer and his wife was a girl named Lesedi. She was blessed with the beauty that stars only marveled at besides each other. Komba, the creator created a son named Jengi and even at a young age he grew into his purpose. One day while Komba was teaching Jengi how to travel between the spheres of time, Jengi's eyes beheld Lesedi as she danced within the forest. He was smitten with infatuation having never laid eyes on someone as beautiful as she was. Without any training of being able to take man's form Jengi became a boy her age and joined her in the dance. She was startled and hid marveling at the fact she could not sense him.

'Do not fear me,' he whispered as he continued to dance with the branches of the trees. Lesedi watched him and joined as they together became almost as one as the music of the forest pushed them on to move. The song ended as Jengi held a finger to his lips hushing the sounds of the forest.