Mteule: Yes I Am The Chosen One

|| WAR WITHIN ||

Mfalme looked upto the mid wife.

"What?" He asked with a sympathetic tone to his voice.

"Your wife gave birth to a girl, my master." She said again.

The baby moved a little bit in the sheets, her eyes still closed.

Mfalme did not move.

"So this was what Hakima was talking about." He whispered to himself and rushed outside, leaving the baby there.

The officials were standing and chattering among themselves. Nguvu was talking to Hakima with a cold expression that reflected a small amount of cunningness within him.

Everyone stopped their activities the moment Mfalme appeared. He immediately looked at Hakima and proceeded towards a small quarter on the side of his home. Hakima Mojo followed him.

"Its a girl." He immediately said.

"Congratulations Mfalme!" He said and hugged him. Mfalme responded by hugging him back half heartedly.

"Hakima." He said.

"What troubles you now?" He asked.

"A girl, Hakima. You know what it means. Nguvu, the officials, the whole tribe will lose their minds. A girl as my child cannot be a successor. You know the law." He said, seeming helpless for the first time in his life.

Hakima looked at him. He knew something odd would happen but this was a grave situation.

"I know, Mfalme. But this is what fate is. She is now your child. A part of your family. You cannot deny that, can you?"

"I cannot and I love my child dearly, girl or boy. But I'm answerable to a whole tribe that awaits this moment. How will I confront them about it? I cannot change their perception about my child." He said with a sigh.

"I see. Don't worry. I will try to confront them but I cannot assure you anything. You swear to accept whatever comes forth after we exit this room, Mfalme?" He said.

"I swear." Mfalme replied immediately.

Both men exited the hut. Everyone turned their gazes at them once again. By now, the whole tribe was at the foothill.

Mfalme cannot let the worry and despair be shown on his face. He stood rigid and beamed with pride alongside Hakima.

Hakima stooped towards the cliff and addressed the people as well as the officials present there.

The sky was covered with the stars and the sounds of night birds was clear in the silence of the night.

"My dear people. Your chief, Mfalme has been blessed with a child." He said.

The crowd errupted in applause and cheerfulness. The officials on the hill hugged and greeted each other before meeting Mfalme.

"Calm down. Calm down. Now. Listen very patiently and carefully. The child.....is a girl." He said.

Gasps surrounded the atmosphere with occasional 'What?' 'How?' from the people on the hill.

"Now I want all of you to calm down for once and for all. I will give my verdict tonight that the stars and the powers above us have given to me."

Everyone fell silent and gazed at Hakima.

"The child is the successor of Mfalme and his family, be it girl or a boy. And..." Hakima was interrupted.

"No!"A heavy voice screamed from behind.

Nguvu was flaming with anger. He had his saber clenched in his hand.

"This is unjust, Hakima Moja! This is treachery. A girl cannot be a successor at all. A man has to take over after Mfalme. So that would be me! Not a filthy girl!"

"Nguvu!" Mfalme took out his daggers from either sides of his belt and pointed at Nguvu.

"How dare you call my child that?! She is the princess. She's the chief's daughter! How dare you?!" He darted towards him. He attacked​ Nguvu with a swift blow which he blocked.

"Don't be a fool, Mfalme. You're breaking a law." He said, pushing Mfalme back.

"I am not. The law says the chief's offspring is the next chieften of the tribe. No one else." He said.

"Oh." Nguvu said, coldly.

Mfalme and others looked at him with a worried expression.

"Then I will kill that child for once and for all. Then there will be no successor other than me!" He said and proceeded towards the hut. He drew his saber and cut the bamboo door in half. His withdrawing motion of the saber was tackled by another sword from inside the hut.

"Stay away from my child!" Kila Mama roared from inside.

Nguvu was taken aback for one moment. Kila Mama pushed him away from her abode and threw him off the cliff by hitting him with her foot in the chest.

Nguvu screamed and fell down the hill.

Kila stumbled, for she had given birth a moment ago. But a mother has an inner strength that always protects her child.

Mfalme was holding her wife and looking at Nguvu at the same moment. He couldn't be dead.

After a brief silence, his body stirred. The muscles on his back clenched and contracted.

"MFALME!" He screamed at the top of his voice.

The people around backed away. Mfalme didn't flinch at all.

"You'll pay for this. You and your wife will pay for this. Hakima your hollow judgements will be the cause of the chaos your gonna bring on yourself.
Our father knew that I was more powerful than you to be the rightful chief of this tribe. I didn't question him but now I will have my rightful place. You'll pay Mfalme. You'll pay!" He screamed.

"Your father was never wrong on choosing him the chief. This tribe needs more than power to be led. You have power. As for your name too, Nguvu. Mfalme is wise, kind and doesn't crave the position. Well off course you don't want to hear any of this. So act wisely, that's my advice." Hakima said calmly.

"You don't tell me, shaman! You are a bias and a fraud. I'll be back. And you'll regret this moment. You'll regret not giving me my rightful position."

"Brother. You can deny this fate and what happened back during our time, was also fate. Mlinzi chose me for Mkuu Simba, I know you're not following to condemn his judgement too for you so boldly deny the fate."

"Keep these wise talks to yourself. I announce today. I will not return to Wengine until I have the power to overthrow you. I swear. I swear!" He said and stormed. At a distance, leopards and cheetahs joined him and he disappeared in the dark of the night and out of the cave.

Kila was frail in Mfalme's arms.

"Can someone take my wife in please?" He said and a female servant came and took Kila Mama in.

Mfalme looked at Hakima. They exchanged a long look.

Their glances were conversation of their minds.

This is what you meant. It seems it meant more than mere my child being a girl. Mfalme seemed to say.

Yes I am afraid so. A girl being a reason of rift in the family cannot be beneficial for her. Hakima replied in his thoughts.

"Chief." One of the officials said, breaking Hakima's and Mfalme's gaze.

Mfalme turned.

"There is a decision to be taken." He said.