THE WARLORD AND HIS PRINCESS

CHAPTER THREE

'My father will be safe at the palace?' I asked Ngele as we left for the unknown. 

'Of course ,' Ngele said cheerfully,'The medicine men will take care of him until whatever strange sickness that plagues him subsides.' 

I sighed, of course the ritual father had performed with Seleng was the cause of the strange illness. An illness mere mortals could not cure. An illness of the gods. 

'When do you suppose we shall arrive at the Witong's lair?' Anora asked trying to ignore the pain in her feet. Ngele smiled,' It is said you do not find the Witong, but rather the Witong finds you.' 

I cursed in Ateso. Useless legends about mean grim-faced warriors made me sick. Did they have to make him sound so powerful? 

'We will find him in no time,' I assured Anora, 'We just have to continue going West.'

It was about five days and six nights after we had set off to find Witong Eyden. It was getting exhausting and annoying. All Wan Pacio Obbo told us was to go west until we stumbled across the Witong and his army. And we had gone west for as long as I could bear. 

'This is getting pointless,' I told Ngele as we sat by a fire in the evening of our seventh day. 

'I don't like this as much anymore than you do but it is the only chance we have of finding your brother,' Ngele replied.  

'He is right,' Anora said, sitting down in the dry grass, 'Let us get some rest and maybe tomorrow we'll be lucky,' she sounded optimistic and lay still as a board on the ground. I watched my friend sleeping peacefully, and I wished I had that kind of peace.

It was a dream. It must have been a dream. The strong hands grabbing me and the cloth over my eyes, not to mention the constant bumping. It took me a few moments to notice that I was being carried. Everything was black and yet I could have sworn that the heat was excruciating. I struggled against my abductor, but my hands were bound securely and he kept me held firm in his steel hold. 

'Let me go!' I demanded. 

The man did not say anything.  

'Let me go at once or you will be sorry!' I attempted once again but to no avail. I could hear Anora kicking and biting, somewhere to my left. There were more than three men, I noticed in dismay. Where were they taking us?  

My question was quickly answered when I was dropped like a bag to the ground. 

'Where are we?' I looked blindly in Anora's direction. 

'I don't know,' she answered. 

The blindfolds were removed and I couldn't help but blink at the sun. It was hot, and I mean really hot.  

I forced myself to my feet and looked around. 

Soldiers, thousands of soldiers. Tall ones,short ones, dark and light ones, even those who looked like beasts. Anora was safe, and so was Ngele. I breathed freely. 

'I think the Witong found us,' Ngele whispered to me.  

I turned back to face the really large hut that stood before us, the type that could hold a Witong. So when he came out, I did not understand why I was both awed and shocked at the same time. 

He was tall, at head or two at least, taller than I was. His entire being oozed power, from the wide shoulders and large arms to the muscular thighs and firm calves. Much more shocking, is that he had hair on his head. Long thread-like hair that seemed years old. His face was even more intriguing. He bore white sharp eyes that seemed to look right through me, and yet there was no feeling in them at all. Just a deep scary emptiness. His square jaws moved as he studied us and I could not help but notice the lion's mane he wore over his chest and the heavy weapon that he carried at his waist. This man was as mighty as the stories had said,but was he really..... 

'Who dares wander into the lair of Witong Eyden?' he spoke, and the entire world stopped. 

'Prisoners we found sleeping at the outskirts of the camp,' the man who had been carrying me said. 

The Witong looked down at us and I dared to hold his gaze. It was almost pain looking into his eyes. The soldier forced me to my knees and my face to the ground. 

'Tie them up and take them to the prisoners' hut,' he commanded, and looked away from us. 

'What?!' I nearly screamed. 

'Sir, we have no prisoners' hut,' the soldier said once again. 

'What?!' Anora nearly screamed. 

'Then make one,' he ordered.  

The men bowed and proceeded to take us away. 

'Witong,' I begged ,'we come only in peace,seeking your help,' I said to his back. 

'The princess is right,' Ngele cut in. 

He stopped, 'Princess?' 

'Witong,' I continued, 'The least you can do is give us some water and food and hear our plea!' 

Eyden turned around and faced us with an expressionless look, 'A princess surely cannot need my help,' he breathed, 'Iam sorry but I do not believe you. Take them away!' 

The man began to drag me away. 

'You worthless man!' I cursed, 'Have you no heart for the helpless?' I shouted, getting angry, 'We are tired and harmless!' 

The man did not turn around as I sent my bag of curses in his direction. He just continued walking away. 

I had met men who had no shame, even those with no remorse, but I had never met one who lacked both.