His King's men came the next morning to plan the funeral with him, they waited for him in the Palace Court, they all stood up and revered him as he came in to join them, they chorus long live king Hala, the lion of Zomuda!!. With a cold heart, he ordered them to sit down. Now we are to plan the burial, I want to give my mother a befitting burial, that's my king, a man sang his praise. "I want to bury her with seven human heads".
An elderly man was fidgeting on hearing this. "I have spoken, the funeral shall commence after seven days of mourning her and we have just five days away from now, he said and left them".
What calamity has Keith brought to us as a child? One of the men asked, should we stand and wash him feeds us with dust every day? It's time to stand on our feet, but we can't take laws into our hands. Poker said let's see if there will be a turnback as we set a committee to advise him, this they debate as they journey home.
Guards!!! King Hala called to his boys, yes your majesty we are at your service, you know it two days now since my mother died and we have three days left to lay her to rest, I need seven human heads from the kingdom but I want the operation underground, I shall send the announcer to tell my people I need fresh fish to drink my wine tomorrow early and we know our people don't preserve fresh fish so they will likely go and get from the forest, then you will lay ambush for them and bring their heads, am I understood? Ye…..yes your majesty they chorus. Inform the announcer about the fishing, it will be done as you commanded.
People of Zomuda! "The king is hungry for fresh fish and he needs it tomorrow early in the morning, there will be a reward for who will bring the biggest fish to him".
Can this be a prank or a trap? Two men asked to themselves, anyways let's see what comes out of the game but I will stand on the fence in this game one of the men said. Before 5 pm the Palace guards were already in ambush at every strategic point to their fishing streams.
There was a loud cry of women towards the Palace. Hala was aware of their sorrow, but he acted like a white sheep, my people what is the problem? Seven women had already cried out their voices, our husbands are gone, why did you send them to die? One of the women asked sorrowfully. His mood changed immediately but he must play as the wild card. The death of my people must be revenge.
He said, women, I felt your plight, go home. I will send my guards to search every bush for any foreigner and bring his head to us, they must pay for this, he said and he gave them crocodile tears.
Everybody went their own ways including the wives of the victims. A day before the burial he ordered his guards to dig the grave eight fit and Bury the head of the men and cover the grave to six fit. They did a day to the burial, the people believed he was the brain behind the death of the men, so they all planned to attend the funeral and just used that means to eliminate him, but he was as wise as the tortoise.
He sent the announcer to tell the people about the funeral, four hours later the place was crowded with people both adults and children, after performing the rituals for the dead according to Zomuda's culture, they took the deceased to the grave, those that witness the burial saw no human head that accompanied the dead body. Everyone was entertained after laying the deceased to rest they ate and drank with their heart in their hand. The ceremony lasted twenty-four hours, the next day he summoned his king's men to plan ahead for the festival of fruitfulness.
"What shall we do, to make this fest a befitting one?" Great king, in those days we designed the tree with white and red linen, food was made available and a dancing competition was staged by the beautiful damsel of Zomuda for the king to choose a wife sir Poka narrated" a wife? Yes, your majesty, your beautiful mother was married by your father from that event.
Ama... zing!!! I will be glad to have a wife from there, he said, but within him is "I will never stop torturing you people".
All the men applaud his kind speech.
"Get the villagers ready for the fest and also the beautiful ladies in my kingdom, they should be a proper rehearsal for them."
"Noted your majesty Mr Tailer said". The fest shall last for seven days and the last day shall be for the selection of the king wife, no absence! I repeat no absence the stubborn fly will definitely follow the corpse to the grave tell my people it will be a melodious ceremony he said as he smiled and frowned the same time".
"Why is this king unpredictable, what must have been the cause of his frequent mood swing, why did he derive pleasure from the agony of his people I believe it will come to an end someday Mr Harris said".
"Lest I forget, let me hurriedly go and inform the kingdom announcer to inform our people". Good day sir Josh! "His majesty wants you now to inform the entire kingdom about the fest and inform the beautiful ladies to rehearse a dance to entertain him and the kingdom, the best dancer shall be taken as a queen, go now and tell them", okay I will do just as his majesty instructed now.
"People of Zomuda! The fest of fruitfulness is fast approaching and his majesty has chosen to celebrate it in a ground style, all the fresh ladies with good skills in dancing should rehearse well to entertain us and the best dancer shall be married by the king".
Wonderful!!! A girl exclaim, "I will show all my dancing techniques that day, I don't care if the king is cruel or not, if I become the queen I will have dignity and wealth, so you preferred living in bondage than having freedom her friend objected her", poverty is the highest kind of bondage I want to conquer it, through the king her friend's chorus?
Anyways it is your choice, let it be unto you according to your request, Zia told her as they chant towards their various destinations.