"For the last time Nika you can't ask the goddess to make rain right now just for your farm"
"But-but your highness the rice , it needs more water"
"Have the helper boys fetch water from the rivers then"
"…..but are you-"
"Go"
Already at her wits end Queen Enamora leaned back in the cushioned lion skin throne she sat atop, trying and failing to soothe the growing headache.
"Your highness," pipes her advisor "that was the last of them…for the morning"
Queen Enamora breathed a sigh of relief, the tension in her squared shoulders easing, albeit briefly.
With a nod towards her advisor she rose, exiting the throne room, her mood although still a bit gruff lightly at the sounds of the coos and giggles of one year old Àkanní, first daughter of Queen Enamora and late King Akenzua.
"My child," she starts, picking up the excitable child "what is making you so happy hm?."
The little girl seems even more excitable in the arms of her mother, her small hands having impressionable grips on Enamorae Coral jewelry.
Moments like this always seemed to alleviate the stress and headaches that came with ruling an empire.
"Your Highness, there's a line of people waiting" and there goes the moment, it's tiring honestly, but she has to rule. With care she put the little girl in the arms of her hand maids leaving her with a smile.
Enamora pushed through the countless useless questions, unwanted visuals and plain stupidity of the day; how she's done it so far without spiraling into insanity was entirely lost on her. At the moment she'd finally aided the remaining people she was at her wits end, taking a walk around the palace grounds to pull herself back together, she let her thoughts wander to whatever random and insignificant places they wished.
In the midst of her wandering thoughts, the cheers from people pulled her back to the land of the conscious as the surrounding guards rushed to her.
"Your highness! It's rain, the rain has returned your highness"
She stared at the sky in both surprise and relief. In front of the Soul tree- The largest tree in the area, it held the souls of those who had passed and on blessed days, families could visit their loved ones through this— Queen Enamora as well as the rest of the people kneeled before the three in order to place the final offerings— for her husband and their king.
When a person dies , it is said that the skies close and the rain seizes even during the rainiest of seasons, the sky will only re-open when the soul of the deceased has found peace in the land of the gods. If, however, they face punishment from the gods for wrong doings in life, the rain will fall , it will be red as the blood that runs through mankind. This rain fell clean and gently as though it were sent by Olokun herself.
The sounds of river spirits that had gone quiet from the tragedy had returned, soft and reassuring, as though telling them that peace had returned. Enamora finally felt like she could rest easy, placing the final offering by the grave of her husband.
"Tch and where exactly did everybody go, I decide to grace the palace with my presence and nobody shows up? Typical"
"Ewuare, to what do I owe this ... .lovely visit" Enamora pipes as she strolls into the palace, her intricately embroidered Bomba flowing gently as she walks , guards standing at the Entrance alert as ever.
"Ah, my dear sister, I've only come to…see how you've been faring since, our dearest king passed onto the lands of the spirits" His tone held some mockery but Enamora did not wish to deal with her brother's Insolence.
"Is that truly all, or do you want something else" She says standing before him, her confidence and composure unwavering as is expected from one as blessed and powerful as the queen of The Ivory Lands.
"How offensive, you do not believe your own brother could come just to visit you?" Ewuare says feigning hurt.
"If only your intentions were half as good as your acting" she mutters
"How unsavory" he scoffs, "So, have you given a thought to what I said, my offer?" he asks his tone nonchalant, but his eyes shone with an eagerness.
"No I have not," she replies, walking past him.
"And why not?, it was a great offer, you, you hold great importance in the spiritual forces that protect our land, it must be so…tiring" he approaches lightly, the intensity in his eyes telling this was not a casual 'offer'
"Why not let me ascend the Ivory thrones, you would have more time to rest, to focus our- I mean- your, dear kingdom, and off course, more time to raise your…little girl"
"Watch yourself, Ewuare" she turns to face him with an unwavering gaze, "You may be my brother by blood, but do not push your luck" with those words she departs leaving him standing in the middle of the throne room.
"Of course, Iyoba (Queen mother)" he says bowing slightly as though respectfully, but the gleam in his eyes said otherwise.
"Foolish woman, I should take the throne! It should be obvious, only I am best suited to rule this empire to victory" Ewuare paced his Chambers, his coral adornments and beaded armlets jiggled and rattled as he paced.
Ewuare had no rights to the throne not by birth nor by marriage, but that did not stop him from yearning for the power that came with ruling such a vast empire, his greed knew no bounds truly. He yearned what his sister had but he could not take the throne, it would continue to her daughter, and whichever man she married would take position as king, those were the rules.
"My my what do we have here, I haven't smelled such…yearning from a human in a while"
"Are you going to cause trouble again"
"Trouble? No no, I am only wishing to ... .aid a man's Dreams."