The Legend of Hombarume (Legends Series, #1)

41.

The atmosphere was already lively when Hamandishe got up. The morning air was filled with sweet scents of various Rujeko dishes being prepared. All roads led to the village square where some of the drummers had already convened ahead of the contest to prepare their drums. Everything had to be flawless and carefully arranged. Even the villagers that Hamandishe met on the way to the square were already in high spirits and jovially chatting and debating about who was going to reign supreme at the famed contest. The energy and love was different from that of Makura. Back in Makura everything felt like a procedure; like it was done just because it had to be done. Here, people still had the love and they took their culture a lot more seriously.

Today there were more criers out in the village with their faces painted white and red, announcing the contest that would begin at high noon and proceed throughout the day. He had heard the first one just as he was about to leave Ushe's homestead that morning and the second one, the first he'd actually seen was headed toward the stream, his gong producing an irritating after-sound each time he rung it. Everything seemed so official and Hamandishe liked the feeling so much that he almost forgot that he had an agenda of his own that very morning. He almost bumped into the third crier just as he was outside the village square grounds. It seemed like a taboo for him to collide with such a person, although he was less spiritual than other entities in the village.

'Are you ready to tell me where he is now?'

Hamandishe was standing right in front of the bustle of activity that included the drummers singing a song of victory like men returning triumphant from a war, women conversing about the upcoming festivities on their way to the stream. The voice came form behind him and startled him.

'I do not know a better way to say this but he is missing.'

The man, who he had already seen the day before in the market place looked at him as if he had uttered something perpetually impossible.

'Missing? The gods forbid it,' he answered finally.

Hamandishe knew that at this point he couldn't keeping concealing the truth anymore, he had to let it out, no matter what the consequences  were.

'Nomad, whatever game you all are playing, it ends now. Where is he? I cannot leave this village without him,' he continued.

'That makes two of us, Pasi,' Hamandishe said, sitting down.

Pasipanodya was standing, frozen still and trying to comprehend what had just been said.

'What happened?' he said, finally sitting down beside Hamandishe.

'I wish I could give you a straight answer, my friend, but I cannot. He just wandered into the forest at night, I followed him but when i arrived, he was gone.'

Pasipanodya scratched his head then eyed Hamandishe before answering.

'What sort of spirits are at play here?'

'There is a strong darkness in this village, Pasi. I fear our master was a victim of circumstance,' Hama said.

'No, it can't be. His parents will have our heads!'

Hamandishe embraced this truth for the first time since Anesu went missing. His parent had trusted that him and Batanai would keep their son safe but they had failed to do it and soon it would be time to face the consequences.

'I'll bargain for his life if I have to, we have to find him,' Pasi said before Hama muzzled him.

'Do not say such things, Pasi. Madziro ane nzeve,' he said.

'That is true my friend, but what do you suggest?'

'I may know something that can help, but not now,' Hama said.

'So what do we do now?' Pasi asked.

'Now we enjoy the sparring contest.

***

Ushe had gotten up way before anyone else in his household. There was something about this day that just brought the energy rushing through his body. He was up before the first gong went off that morning. He caught up with one of the criers leaving his house just on the path to Hombarume's homestead.

Ushe had witnessed the sparring contest every summer for as long as he could remember. When he was younger, the men used to be really vicious and the fights were brutal. Before his father passed, he used to tell him about his own childhood, when fights were to the death and the grand price for the sparring contest was the hand in marriage of a beautiful young virgin maiden. He thanked the gods that the times had changed since then and no one had to be killed.

He also came to the realization that this was the first time the sparring contest was to be held and the rains had not come yet. It worried him a lot. What would he do if they did not come this year? What if the gods had shut the skies? He looked up while on his way to Hombarume's homestead and the sky was clear, not a single cloud in sight. He decided to let it go for now and just enjoy the day like everyone else was going to. Hombarume was already up enjoying a bowl of porridge at the door of his hut, savoring the sweet rays of the morning sun as they poured from the sky.

'The hunter and the fighter. Are you ready for a big day, my friend?' Ushe asked as he approached.

Hombarume sprung up almost immediately to greet his friend, waiting for the mouthful of sorghum porridge to go down first before he uttered anything.

'King of the harvests, you know I was born ready.'

Ushe was already helping himself with the porridge and enjoying the sun as well.

'That's the spirit, Hombarume,' he replied.

'But I have this overwhelming bad feeling, Ushe. I have been trying to ignore it but I'm failing.'

Ushe eyed him.

'What is wrong, hunter?' he asked.

'I have a feeling that something is about to happen.'

'Hombarume, I know that there has been unfortunate happenings the past few days-'

'People died, Ushe,' he said interrupting.

'It doesn't have to mean that today will be a bad day,' Ushe replied.

When they arrived at the village square, the drummers were already playing their drums, testing them out for tautness while some of the young maidens were rehearsing their melodious tunes. One of the traders, Hamandishe was seated with another fellow evidently also from Makura judging by the dressing and the horse that was a short distance away.

Glossary.

Madziro ane nzeve - the walls have ears.