THE WARLORD AND HIS PRINCESS

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Eyden watched Mora walk away from him, her backside swaying just enough for him to wish he hadn't screwed things up with her. The pain he felt when she left was so new he did not even know what to call it.
He admitted it. He wanted a chance to be with her. Even if it was just for a few days.

As she disappeared into the trees he felt a wave of regret and pain.

You mean nothing to me.

The words cut into him like a lioness' teeth into the flesh of a gazelle. Those few words hurt him more than they should have. She didn't mean it...couldn't mean it.
The way she had looked at him the night of the beer party, the way she was willing to give herself to him...

Eyden sucked in a breath and let a hand rake through his hair. He had messed up. Really badly.

The Mora he had seen tonight was not the chirpy sweet spirited Mora he had grown so fond of. She did not gasp at the sight of him or suck in her breath when he approached her.

Tonight in her eyes he had seen the look of a woman broken into a thousand pieces.

He had said he would break her and eventually he had done as he had promised. Only he had broken right along with her.

***********

I ran to my hut in tears. I hated herself for letting him get close to me. For giving myself to him the way I had. It had felt amazing when he touched me, the way he had made me feel like a woman even if I hadnt slept with him.

The feelings I had for this man couldnt be ignored. Why else would I hurt so much after finding him with that prostitute?

Why would I feel like I wasnt enough so much that he had to find someone else to quench his desires?

Sure I had pride, but pride was nothing in the face of love.

Love? Had I really fallen so far?

********

'The King requests your presnce Witong,' a royal messenger bowed to Eyden the next day just after archery practice.
Eyden nodded and retrieved the scroll from his hands, opening it.
The generals all sat before their witong as he read the message in his large hut. They watched as his eyes swept over the scroll and did not know whether it was good news or bad news.

'Thankyou,' he said to the messenger as he closed the message and then looked to his anxious generals.
'Rwot Alwogi is having the annual festival of Moyan. He has invited 100 men from our camp to join in the celebrations.'

The generals' anxiety turned into excitement and they nodded filling the room with murmurs.

'He also requests the presence of the two princesses and the Prince Ngele.' He announced.

'Is it wise for these women to be present at the festival of Moyan?' One general interjected, 'The Rwot is known to throw very...vulgar celebrations. And the men tend to behave equally as vulgar.'
Eyfen could hear general Bambo laughing, 'When have we ever complained about the Rwot's celebrations? I for one enjoy them immensely!'

The other generals broke into a laugh and Eyden had to quiet them down with a single move of his hand.

'I fear for them as well,' he said when the laughter had ceased, thinking that he feared for Mora especially, 'and in that regard I will personally see to it that they are unharmed.'

The generals seemed to approve as none of them wanted to be tasked with the protection of the women at the expense of their own enjoyment.

'You are all to prepare names of the men who you would like to come with us. Be sure to pick the most loyal and skilled fighters. We want to show the Rwot the excellent work we have been doing training these men.' Eyden stood up and the generals stood with him.
'General Bambo prepare a list of axemen. General Oyam prepare a list of spearmen. General Opyene and General Ba you will prepare the spearmen and the scouts.
And lastly General Elotu you will prepare the archers. Make sure the men are ready by first light tomorrow.'