Finding Contentus

Chapter 138: Loyalty

"Don't be fooled by appearances at face value, Musa. The people aren't happy. Not one bit. I've heard them when you aren't listening. Chief Renero is one thing, a needed thing, long overdue for the Racaans, that we can all agree upon. Ramela is another type of beast entirely that has disrupted all our momentum that we've spent close to a decade building. Ramoth... I'm not even going to start with him. At least he helps us win, that's all I can say. But Ramsis? Heyi! No. Unacceptable. He's culled too many of our people. And for much longer mind you. Isn't he responsible for the most deaths all around Constantia? Metro? Membus? Fountain? Petora?"

Musa stood still, adopting the soldier's pose for attention as he received the full weight of Ayanda's honesty. He had been expecting her to scold him. In truth she had kept herself in check longer than he thought possible over the month.

"He is." Because that was the facts. He could say that Ramsis was merely the blameless weapon employed by Ra.

Musa could say that Ra was actually responsible for the most deaths all around Constantia, which was definitely the case, no doubt about it. However, he could not defend the weapon that was a sentient human being, could he? He could not say that Ramsis was automatically exempt from his kills, both directly and indirectly just because he was a slave to the Ra curse. He could not excuse the emotionless followers and brainwashed armies Ramsis had used for nearly three decades as human shields to be disposed of like locusts. He could not disregard the innumerable lives lost as a result of his conquests in each province he invaded.

"I hear you, Ayanda. And I have been listening, even when my back is turned. I have noticed the unease, mounting, each day, reaching a boiling point."

He was in his royal bedroom, standing by the wooden blinds that shielded the outside from being seen, dimming the commodious chamber. Ayanda's glare stoned his back, reminding him of the time he was stoned all those years ago by his people, before Ayanda and Ehit saved him when he could have saved himself if he really wanted to.

Liquid gold was the colour of the painted walls. Several stone carved sculptures decorated the room like inanimate soldiers ready to receive their orders and die for the cause of artistry if need be.

Musa would occasionally join the miners himself whenever he could, digging up a wide range of opal stones, springstones and serpentine stones. It reminded him of his time as a slave when he would mine for gold and other valuable resources as Ra's sun beat down on him and his brethren with a vengeance, to where it was common for the weakest to drop dead in the mines and pits.

"So what do you expect us to do? Just accept him back into our society without any kind of compensation for our plight?" Ayanda demanded that he face her, judging by the tone in her voice.

Musa took a moment to turn around. "I do not."

Ayanda nodded. "He has to die."

"And who, is going to kill him?" Musa asked.

"You or the Chief. Whoever. I'm not saying it has to be now, but it must be done eventually. Our people won't be at peace until that happens. That's the only compromise. If the living god of death wants to atone for his deaths, then surely granting him the thing he has craved for more than any of us will suffice?" Ayanda stared at him with wide eyes.

"Under normal circumstances I would say he should be punished for his crimes, but one look at his face tells me has suffered enough, as have we all. Better to put the Killing Jackal down before it puts us down following the wrong commandments. Kamilah couldn't fix him in life. Hopefully she can do that when he is sent back to her in death."

Musa blinked slowly. Ayanda hammered the logic right into the nail. It would have been easy to sentence Ramsis to a life of... well life, to make up for what he had done. But Ramsis didn't want that. The Shonas and Indians didn't want that either. They wanted him dead. For good. Ramsis wanted to be dead. For good. Who was Musa to blame their wants that rightfully differed from his personal feelings?