Women Of Steel | ✔

XXXVIII: TARA

The end is nearer than you think. Buckle up!

The night after the king marched into battle with half the village, the kingmakers arrived. The kingmakers council are people even more powerful than the kings, they had certain powers over selecting a ruler and removing one as they deem fit. Tara spied them last night when they arrived, with their noses in the air and lips down turned and she knew it would not be easy winning over eight old men with ancient views.

Talking them into casting votes for Demilade as the next king is almost impossible. Demilade has a reputation that precedes her and is half hated and half feared by Ile Wura. The council believe in the traditional ways of things and laughed at the Hausa kingdom for letting their women hold important places of power.

Ifatunji's prophesy will not sway their hard hearts. What or who they wish to be king will be king, in this case, they have their heads set on Prince Tobiloba of Ile Alaafia. As far as Tara knows, the prince is the third son of Kabiyesi Obanikoro and has no right to the throne of Ile Wura, but there is no suitable candidate from Ile Wura. Many years ago, Tadenikawo's father, Kabiyesi Gbadamosi had every member of the royal family murdered, dooming Ile Wura to the leadership of his bloodline forever; until now.

While Tara is sure the gentle Tobiloba will be a good king, he is not the solution to the curse on the village. If Demilade dies without becoming king, then Ile Wura is forever doomed to the curse. Hence, Babatunde's decision to join Tadenikawo's army to retrieve the queen before harm befalls her.

The kingmakers council will not listen easy, but while Ifatunji tries to win over the council, Tara's duty is to win over the people anonymously. If the kingmakers will not listen to the revered chief priest then they must listen to the cries of the suffering people, unless, they risk anarchy.

The people may have lost all faith but they will still listen to Ifatunji's words. Hence, Tara's job to spread the word around the village and what better way than to spread it through women -- nature's town criers. At this point, if the gods have deemed a turtle as rightful king, Ile Wura is willing to accept.

So as the sun sets, Tara sneaks out of the palace dressed in her husband's clothes well masked as a man. When Olamilekan, her husband had died, Tara had been sent away from her home with nothing on her but her dead husbands clothes, his family thought it a befitting punishment for the witch who killed her husband. Tara thought and still stinks of it as a small blessing. She cannot remember how many times she has cried herself to sleep breathing in the scent of her love. It is the last things she has left of her husband, the special scent is long gone but branded into memory.

In the afternoon, Tara had sought out Asake who knows enough of what plagues the village to summon a meeting among the women part of the queen's former rebellion that disbanded the moment Demilade left.

Tara does not expect them to show up, but she knows they will because of curiosity.

She is not surprised to find them gathered at the village square, all twenty five of them, some with their babies tied to their backs and on their hips. They are not the same women they were months ago, Tara is not sure even master manipulator; Demilade could manipulate these women now, they have tasted bitterness and it has opened their eyes wide. They look tougher, sadder, hungrier and angrier.

And they don't look surprised to see her. Tara finds her stance lose it's stiffness in relief, they are not throwing stones or curses in her name. Her surprise must show because Bose, a busty woman with a whimpering child on her hips speaks.

"We know you did not do it, have you forgotten, we know you Tara. I know of your strange skill of foreseeing the future and that skill does not come with cursing villages." Bose says. A small smile on her lips.

Another woman who nurses a woman at her bosom nods. At once they begin to speak their concern and worries. Oddly, Tara feels touched by their concern, being worried about is a comfort that has been far forgotten.

Asake, Babatunde's third wife shushes them up, demanding and revelling on the eyes turned to her. Asake is mostly harmless save aside for her tendencies to gossip, this time it is a welcome weapon Tara intends to use for her gain. Asake's beautiful, fair skin has not lost any of its shine, neither has her saccharine smile.

"Will you tell us why you called for this impromptu meeting?" Asake asks. In the dim light of the lanterns some women carry, Tara sights a mosquito settle on Asake skin, ready to bite. A genuine smile spreads on Tara's lips. Asake continues to speak, well oblivious to anything and anyone but herself. "This village has suffered loses and we lick our wounds, it is no time for you and your queen to gather us for your vain uses of revenge."

A few women hum their approval. Tara shakes her head, Demilade has somehow managed to alienate herself among the women too.

"Look around Tara, we have a king who has marched into war with our husbands and sons, our river is still blood red and many of us here have lost families to the black plague." Asake continues, wiping away a tear from her cheek. Tara can tell that the gesture is not fake, Asake might have not lost any one to the plague but she is not an overly bad person.

The murmurs rise. Bose silences it with a wave of her hand in the air. Tara is grateful her reasonable reasoning.

"We gathered here because we still have faith and hope in the queen, in our queen. Let us listen to Tara." Bose says, hushing the girl on her hips. She raises her head again, a now present sad glint in her eyes. "We have little to lose anymore."

The air turns somber and quiet. Tara sees a few men and women returning from the farms, they sneak curious glances at the gathered women and throw feeble greetings as they walk away with almost empty baskets.

"The queen is still our only hope, our village has seen suffering since the late Kabiyesi Gbadamosi ascended the throne, and now his son continues to walk us through fire," Tara pauses to gauge the looks of the women, they gaze at her, attentive. Satisfied, Tara continues. "We know of the king's curse, it is what plagues us, and the gods have spoken to Ifatunji. Demilade must be king or we are forever cursed."

"Now, the kingmakers have decided to make Prince Tobiloba of Ile Alaafia as king."

"It is unheard of!" The woman standing behind Bose screams. "A woman can never be king. The kingmakers council will never allow it."

Tara fixes them with a firm glare.

"They will listen to whatever we want. If you scream it in their ears until it is all they can hear. We have power in our fists and we can use it." Tara says.

Bose shakes her head in disbelief but Tara sees the hope growing in her eyes. "We are the only ones who believe in the queen, the village hate her and they are glad she is gone."

"You are right, they will not listen to me or you. But this is Ifatunji's vision, a message from the deities. The village puts all trust in the chief priest, they will listen to him."

It is Asake that speaks up bravely, surprising Tara. "What do you want us to do?"

"I want to know that every woman here is on the side of the future king." Tara demands.

"We stand with our future king." The women chorus.

It is only then that Tara lets hope bloom in her chest and take flight like a butterfly freed from the clasp of a curious child.

"The men say we women are gossips, let us spread the words of Ifatunji, all round Ile Wura, until the town quakes with this prophesy. Make Ile Wura believe it, make them want it." says Tara, voice rising a strong octave. "Shout it to the hills, the gods say Demilade must be king."