Chapter 29 - Mapungubwe Under Seige

The Mapungubwe Kingdom is beginning to be turned to rubbles as the people of Punt are taking whatever they lay their hands on and destroying anything that may seem an obstacle to them. The people in Mapungubwe are beginning to fight for their lives in finding hideouts for their safety. Some have begin fleeing the kingdom whiles the able men are held captive. The women are maltreated, and the young ones forcibly taken away from their parents to join the Punt army.

The king is on the run as he flees to the nearest kingdom, to the Kush Kingdom for respite. The kingdom is finally occupied by the Punts, while some of the soldiers fighting against them were killed and the remaining held hostage. The people of Punt are wicked by heart due to their torturous nature. They torture you to your death if you refused pledging your alliance to their service. Their farms, ports and other important facilities that serves as their sources of income and investments have all been forcibly taken away from them. Their fate now lies in the intervention of the gods or the Ptolemaic army, that's if they successful take them down. But as it looks at the moment, nothing will make them back down as they are determined to take over everything that the lights of the sun touches.

The news of the Mapungubwe Kingdom being taken by the Punt army is beginning to spread so fast through the length and breadth of all kingdoms. The news has spread so fast that it has reached Azurethra while the soldiers who left Azurethra to secure the borders of Carthage have not reach their destination yet. It spread so fast like a pandemic that it got other kingdoms on their feet.

The Kush Kingdom, who have received the king of the Mapungubwe Kingdom, is now wondering who the next target in line will be. Fear is beginning to swallow the kingdom and its dwellers, yet they are not prepared for such attacks if it should happen.

As the news reach Azurethra, Masinissa Linette Duah II, together with his sister Amanirenas, are beginning to be swallowed by fear as well. It was something least expected from the Punt army, since they are not known with such strategies. The king is getting so worried as he has no backup plans to what is happening. The Ptolemaic Kingdom will be under grave danger as it stands now, since they, the Punt arm, are able to overcome the army securing the borders of Mapungubwe and have successfully taken the kingdom under their control.

The news has finally reached the Kitara Kingdom. The Kitara Kingdom is also known for its farming skills as well as security wise. They are good with farming as they produce larger portions of food even consumed by other kingdoms. They have unique farm products that merely grow on the soil of other kingdoms, and that gets them more investments from their respected allies. They are known of the good behaviours and kind hearts, just like the Ptolemaic Kingdom. The Kitara Kingdom also serves as the greatest allies to the Ptolemaic Kingdom, since they both share common motives. They also invest more in security, ensuring the safety of its people on all occasions, and securing the best lives for their people.

Masinissa Linette Duah II is in dire situation at the moment since he does not know the time lost in waiting for the Punt army in Azurethra. He starts to think of his people, his wife and daughter, and hoping they waste more time in Mapungubwe before heading to Ptolemaic. The king knowing so well there isn't any hope or help from anywhere other than the Kitara Kingdom, he quickly sent a message to them to help him secure his borders with the best armies they can provide and secure their borders as well. They all turn to be on the alert for any sign that may come from the Punt army for a quick attack. As things are looking at the moment, the best the king can do is travel back to Ptolemaic with his best fighters, while he leaves Akinidad and Hakeemi with Amanirenas and some of the most elite and capable fighters in the land. This might also be another strategy used by the Punt army to drive the king away from Azurethra then make an unexpected attack on Amanirenas and her people.

The king prepares to make his leave back to his town whiles he places some strict orders on the army he is leaving behind.

King: Amanirenas, this is really a war that if care is not taken, will see us losing our kingdom and rights to a kingdom that do not deserve it.

Amanirenas: (Sounding worrisome) They have really done a lot of work on this attack and are determined of taking our kingdom away from us. I can not stand and watch this happen. That will be over my dead body.

King: As you can see, old age is gradually taking the best of us, and I am afraid there is nothing much that we can do.

Amanirenas: That will not be the reason we will sit and watch our land taken away from us. We will fight through no matter what the consequences might be. The land is ours and belongs to us. All we have to do is protect it and pass it down to our children, just as our fathers did.

King: Surely, we will honour of our fathers and make sure this kingdom does not leave our hands. I will take my leave to Carthage now. Akinidad and Hakeemi together some soldiers will be here with you. and do not forget to alert me on any progress if the Punt army shows up.

Amanirenas: Sure, my king. Do take care of yourself and may the gods ride with you back to Carthage.

As they finished with their talk, the king then whispered some words to his nephew then left for Carthage, hoping they meet no surprises on their way back.

As the king took his leave, Akinidad and Hakeemi took over as the new commanders in charge of the army and will have to do everything in their possible ways to ensure the Punt army does not step their foot into Azurethra.

The sun has taken its peak on the Kingdom, and its light shows almost every corner of every hidden part of the kingdom. The Ptolemaic kingdom is on its maximum alert awaiting ant sign of attack being it in front of them or behind the.

The king has made his majestic arrival at Carthage, as he was welcome by quiet a number of guards, ensuring his safety. He walked into his palace and met a panel of chieft and sub-kings awaiting his arrival. Nowhere seems safe for the people and life has come to a standstill due to the rise in tension amongst the people. It is believed by some of the subordinates of the king, that there surely must be someone helping the Punt army in their coupe attempt on the kingdom. Such thing has never happened and was the least thing that could have come to the mind of the king.

The sub-kings argued that there is no way the people of Punt would have come tis far, to the extent of capturing a whole kingdom under siege, if it wasn't for the assist given to them by someone from the kingdom. That means it might be from the same people siting in the cabinet with the king, or someone from amongst the dwellers. This seems to be sounding a profound alarm to the ears of the king and is beginning to distract the king from the main course he plans to take in dealing with the Punt army.

Things are beginning to take much different course since this might also be a possibility in the success of the army taking over the Mapungubwe Kingdom. Regardless of the people of Mapungubwe not focusing more on grooming their people for war, they are hardly defeated due to the warriors placed at all borders of the Kingdom. The king is beginning to take heed to what the kings are saying to him and is planning on fishing out the perpetrators of such act and dealing with them according to custom and tradition.

The Punt army are still going after the weak kingdoms and having them under their control before facing their main contender. They seem to have high hopes of conquering the kingdoms and taking the Ptolemaic Kingdom by surprise and having it all to themselves.

They are beginning to get closer and closer and are heading to the Kitara Kingdom. They know it will not be easy to take down the Kitara people, since they are more patriotic to their land and their allies, and are strong in army, but still decided to take heed with their intended plans. This is really going to be a tough one for them, since the Kitara people are already informed about their coming and are on their watch for any sign that might seem threatening to them.