The Legend of Hombarume (Legends Series, #1)

10.

‘Who are they?’ Hombarume asked.

‘Vauya nedoro avo,’ Ushe replied.

He was pointing to the women that had just entered the compound and were causing frenzy with the men gathered around the fire. The gathering grew immensely and by nightfall, the crowd had grown more than tenfold in size. The drummers had been joined by the dancers and singers who were taking turns to grace the stage and perform for the crowd of men who were enjoying themselves as if tomorrow would never come. At this point, Ushe could not control where the gathering decided to go, it almost had a life of its own and that was what made it attractive to every man in the small village.

‘If you ambush my niece I will break your neck, Dererai,’ Ushe said.

The man was gawking at the young girl as if he would disrobe her with his eyes at any moment.

‘Give her to me and you won’t have to worry about me paying attention to her, my friend.’

‘You already have two wives who need your attention,’ Ushe laughed.

‘What is the harm in one more?’

‘You should try those ones, you don’t even need to take them home.’

Ushe was pointing at the women who had just arrived with the wine and had already been gaining traction from the hoard of men at the fire. The villagers had now scattered around the spacious compound like ants and each and every one of them was doing something different, either drinking, smoking their pipes, eating, sitting, sleeping, dancing and singing. Some had even escaped into the fields to perform their less righteous acts with the women that had been ambling about aimlessly looking for attention. No matter what was happening, the drums remained relentless; they did not stop until dawn when everyone had left for their respective homes.

***

Nhakayedenga sat calmly on the tree stump that was just off the path across the field. He was a bit phased but he didn’t want to show his visitor that he was intimidated.

‘What in the god’s name are you doing here, Banga?’

‘Is that how you greet all your old friends?’

‘That doesn’t answer my question now, does it?’ Nhakayedenga fired back.

‘Well, I have come here to tell you that you were right.’

The Chief was now standing right in front of him with tear stained, bloodshot eyes. Nhayayedenga wanted to ask more questions but he already knew the trouble that the Chief was in.

‘Right about what?’

Banga chuckled deliriously.

‘Come on, do you honestly want to say it out?’

‘You would have wasted your energy coming here if you didn’t.’

Banga was now slumped beside Nhakayedenga, the sun had just begun to sweetly rise over the horizon and the birds were already singing their morning tune.

‘I should have properly looked for that boy, Nhaka, I really should have.’

Nhakayedenga was gazing at the sunrise, watching the light slowly stream across the horizon and kiss the mountains that poked out in the distance.

‘I assume Revai and his men have already gone out to search?’

Banga nodded.

‘Last night, by now they have covered most of the village.’

‘May the gods help them,’ Nhakayedenga said, squinting with the sun now in his eyes.

‘The gods are punishing me,’ the Chief said.

‘Did you come here for pity Banga? For heaven’s sakes, the boy has been missing for not even half a day.’

‘When the gods send words, many land on deaf ears, but when they send thunder, someone is bound to be shaken,’ Banga was staring at his companion now, with soulless, cold eyes.

‘What are you getting at? Is there something you’ve actually done that warrants the wrath of the gods?'

There was a long silent pause, Nhakayedenga was waiting for an answer but the silence had worried him beyond recovery

‘Banga, what have you done?’

‘I know you helped that witch run away with my son, don’t pretend to be all righteous. I don’t blame you for that; you’ve always had a terrible saviour complex.’

Banga was obviously dodging the question but his revelation had done way more than was necessary. He saw the surprise in his companion’s eyes and he realised that what he said made the intended effect.

‘What do you want from me? If it’s an apology you’re after, then you’re out of luck. I don’t regret my actions at all. I saved that boy from a future he didn’t deserve.’

The Chief broke off into laughter that was laced with pain and restrained emotion.

‘Are you going to sit here and pretend it was about the boy?’

Nhakayedenga didn’t know what to say, because if he did, he would have fired back almost immediately. Soft chatter broke out behind them, the women were off to the stream with their pots clutched at their hips.

‘You saved yourself from having to see me, and imagine me enjoying her every single night, knowing that you can never have her.’

‘Why didn’t you send me away, why didn’t you banish me from the village? Because people would know that your pride was hurt.’

Banga went from laughter to seriousness in a single moment.

‘You must think highly of yourself. Kuzvikwidza padenga wega so?’

‘I don’t have to think anything of myself or you that you haven’t already proven, Banga. You were a coward then and you’re a coward now. You let an innocent boy disappear into thin air because you refused to offer your help, now your conscience is eating you up and what is the first thing you do? Look for someone else to put the blame on.’

The farmer could honestly have gone on and on but he did not want to alarm the workers who had just grabbed their hoes and were whistling their way toward them. To anyone else, a farmer lashing out to the Chief of the village would look much more different than what him giving a man who was in the wrong a piece of his mind felt like right now.

‘I’ll see you again soon, farmer.’

Glossary.
Vauya nedoro avo – They delivered the beer.
Kuzvikwidza padenga wega so? – Putting yourself on a pedestal like that?