Kanaka
“Kanaka? Kanaka?!” Came an earnest whisper from a weeping young lady. “Come out! Kanaka!”
Kanaka came and stood beside Sapas, “I went to take a bath. Wha –“
“Kanaka, run! Run away!” She started saying. He pulled her into the room. The other palace guards that shared the room were on duty and were not in the quarters.
“What is the matter?” He asked, already sensing the fear and urgency in her words.
“Kanaka, I don’t know how, I don’t know why, I can’t explain this now, but all you need to know is that King Greda has accused you of killing King Mogg and right now, he is giving the other guards instructions to find you, dead or alive! Better dead!”
“But –“
“Kanaka, please…”
“I did not… What did I do?!”
“Kanaka, things are unfolding quickly! Kanaka, they’re coming! Let’s get out of here!”
Kanaka looked around as though looking for something to pack, then he looked at her, “No, Sapas. If I must, do not go with me. You are risking your life!”
“Are you not my brother? Let’s go!”
Kanaka looked around having a deep knowing, that he might not ever come back to the palace again. He fought to understand why all this was happening, but he gave up and put his attention to escaping the imminent danger. They did not use the entrance to go out, they broke through the fence at the back of the line of nucleated mud and thatch huts called the servants’ quarters.
Kanaka came and stood beside Sapas, “I went to take a bath. Wha –“
“Kanaka, run! Run away!” She started saying. He pulled her into the room. The other palace guards that shared the room were on duty and were not in the quarters.
“What is the matter?” He asked, already sensing the fear and urgency in her words.
“Kanaka, I don’t know how, I don’t know why, I can’t explain this now, but all you need to know is that King Greda has accused you of killing King Mogg and right now, he is giving the other guards instructions to find you, dead or alive! Better dead!”
“But –“
“Kanaka, please…”
“I did not… What did I do?!”
“Kanaka, things are unfolding quickly! Kanaka, they’re coming! Let’s get out of here!”
Kanaka looked around as though looking for something to pack, then he looked at her, “No, Sapas. If I must, do not go with me. You are risking your life!”
“Are you not my brother? Let’s go!”
Kanaka looked around having a deep knowing, that he might not ever come back to the palace again. He fought to understand why all this was happening, but he gave up and put his attention to escaping the imminent danger. They did not use the entrance to go out, they broke through the fence at the back of the line of nucleated mud and thatch huts called the servants’ quarters.
Edongo
Sapas and Kanaka ran haphazardly, not knowing exactly where they were going. They only knew from whom they were running.
Edongo was on his way to Tandoop’s hut when he saw from afar the palace guards, a band of thick men with plastic frowns on their faces bust through some trees close to a stream and jump over some thorny plants chasing something; unless that ‘something’ was the two persons – Kanaka and Sapas – he had seen take the same route. He turned and started running too.
Edongo was on his way to Tandoop’s hut when he saw from afar the palace guards, a band of thick men with plastic frowns on their faces bust through some trees close to a stream and jump over some thorny plants chasing something; unless that ‘something’ was the two persons – Kanaka and Sapas – he had seen take the same route. He turned and started running too.
Sapas
Sapas and Kanaka had reached the cove of a short cliff at a stream near the village burial ground and decided to catch their breath for a moment. Before they could, they had to gasp, because someone had caught up with them. Edongo.
Edongo
“Why are you running?!” Edongo found himself saying before fully confirming that they were the ones who had entered the cove to hide.
Sapas started talking, “The K…th…” still gasping for air, “The K… King’s guards –“
“What for?!” Edongo beckoned. Kanaka shot him a hostile glance.
“Can’t you see we are out of breath?” Kanaka barked.
Edongo was shaken. After a moment, perhaps of letting them recover, he said, “Let me take you somewhere safe.”
Edongo had thought of going down the slopy hill at the South of the village, but realized that they probably still regarded it as forbidden. He led them to Rubinto’s house, bewildered as to why the guards were chasing one of their own, with a servant – judging from the way the servant was dressed.
“So that is how we got here. They are looking for us now.”
“No. They are looking for me.” Kanaka corrected Sapas.
The story had not ended. “But why?” Rubinto, feeling uncomfortable that his one-time superior at the palace was now in his home, had butt into Edongo’s conversation with the two.
They both looked at each other, Sapas and Kanaka. Each did not know where the story would start from, but they knew where it would end.
“King Greda accused me of killing his father – which is just simply outrageous.”
“He did?” Edongo was surprised.
“Did you?” Rubinto asked, not seeming as surprised as Edongo.
“I did not!” Kanaka defended.
“He did not!” Sapas supported Kanaka’s defense.
“And I had wished this would never have to come up again, but,” they paid rapt attention to Kanaka’s next words, “I was once the son of King Mogg.”
“Once? How is that?” Rubinto asked, so astonished, he almost slapped himself inadvertently.
“King Mogg took me as his son because the Queen could not give birth, but the gods favored her and gave her a son, Greda, so I had to be sent away, as the gods demanded.”
Sapas started talking, “The K…th…” still gasping for air, “The K… King’s guards –“
“What for?!” Edongo beckoned. Kanaka shot him a hostile glance.
“Can’t you see we are out of breath?” Kanaka barked.
Edongo was shaken. After a moment, perhaps of letting them recover, he said, “Let me take you somewhere safe.”
Edongo had thought of going down the slopy hill at the South of the village, but realized that they probably still regarded it as forbidden. He led them to Rubinto’s house, bewildered as to why the guards were chasing one of their own, with a servant – judging from the way the servant was dressed.
“So that is how we got here. They are looking for us now.”
“No. They are looking for me.” Kanaka corrected Sapas.
The story had not ended. “But why?” Rubinto, feeling uncomfortable that his one-time superior at the palace was now in his home, had butt into Edongo’s conversation with the two.
They both looked at each other, Sapas and Kanaka. Each did not know where the story would start from, but they knew where it would end.
“King Greda accused me of killing his father – which is just simply outrageous.”
“He did?” Edongo was surprised.
“Did you?” Rubinto asked, not seeming as surprised as Edongo.
“I did not!” Kanaka defended.
“He did not!” Sapas supported Kanaka’s defense.
“And I had wished this would never have to come up again, but,” they paid rapt attention to Kanaka’s next words, “I was once the son of King Mogg.”
“Once? How is that?” Rubinto asked, so astonished, he almost slapped himself inadvertently.
“King Mogg took me as his son because the Queen could not give birth, but the gods favored her and gave her a son, Greda, so I had to be sent away, as the gods demanded.”
Fonjam
Fonjam was certain that Kanaka did not kill the King. He was not sure, but for all he knew, Mama Yuttputt had been the one who signaled him to take the King’s crown off on that day. She could never have done such a thing as kill the King, because of her nature. Right now, it did not matter as much because he was already long dead judging by the nature of his deteriorating health at that time.
But she killed him.
I did not see her kill him. It is impossible.
Besides, he knew that King Greda did not love his father as much so it did not make sense, unless King Greda was not being honest. Not even with him.
Kanaka had been gone a week, and King Greda was livid. His mother tried to calm him down, but he threw tantrums all day before nature soothed his angry contracted bones with sleep at night. Fonjam had sat him down one of those days to ask why he was really after Kanaka, and he retorted angrily, with the same claim,
“The slave killed my father so that he can take the throne from me!”
“But, my King, we both know that the King was ill when that happened. I was here. Kanaka was here in the throne room. And he certainly was not in the room when your father died.”
King Greda, seeing that he was cornered, simply lowered his voice and said, “He is after my throne; that is why he came back.”
“Came back from where?” Fonjam was stunned at King Greda’s behavior.
But when King Greda explained everything, Fonjam was both stunned and mollified. What, he understood, was driving Greda was jealousy of Kanaka, and hatred for his dead father.
“Can you imagine, he used to call that slave Oontab, and he could not –“
“Could not what?” It was Queen Shere, but her voice had hardened. There was a large gash across her wrinkled face. Maybe that was what made her voice harder. “If he wanted to take the throne, he would have done that long ago!”
Fonjam stood up instinctively and wanted to leave, but she made him stay so he just stood. And both of them stared wide-eyed at the Queen.
She spoke again, “Look what the anger that is consuming you has done to me!” Pointing at her face.
“Your highness, you should rest.” Fonjam said politely, now kneeling.
“I will, as soon as I go to rest with the ancestors.” She said, the expression on her face showing that she really wanted to die.
Nobody could object to that.
“Look, Greda, you do not have to turn every stone before you move on with your life. Some of them are best left as they are, or they are not for you to turn.”
“Are you saying that I should just let him go without at least making sure he does not kill me eventually?”
“The question is has he done anything to you? The best way to solve a dispute is by avoiding it, Greda.”
“That is what I am ensuring. Avoiding potential threats.”
“So you know that that is what you are doing? And you are going about it by throwing false accusations at an innocent man?!” Even she was surprised at herself for supporting someone she had not wanted anything to do with.
Fonjam knelt there, doubting his relevance to the conversation while King Greda thought of another way to eliminate Kanaka silently after finding him.
Somehow, the anger faded slowly as days went by, and as the blur of activity overwhelmed the young King, he did not notice the little things; the dogs falling of the cliffs, the trees shedding their leaves, the streams becoming puddles, the servants whispering to each other; the gods trying to speak.
But she killed him.
I did not see her kill him. It is impossible.
Besides, he knew that King Greda did not love his father as much so it did not make sense, unless King Greda was not being honest. Not even with him.
Kanaka had been gone a week, and King Greda was livid. His mother tried to calm him down, but he threw tantrums all day before nature soothed his angry contracted bones with sleep at night. Fonjam had sat him down one of those days to ask why he was really after Kanaka, and he retorted angrily, with the same claim,
“The slave killed my father so that he can take the throne from me!”
“But, my King, we both know that the King was ill when that happened. I was here. Kanaka was here in the throne room. And he certainly was not in the room when your father died.”
King Greda, seeing that he was cornered, simply lowered his voice and said, “He is after my throne; that is why he came back.”
“Came back from where?” Fonjam was stunned at King Greda’s behavior.
But when King Greda explained everything, Fonjam was both stunned and mollified. What, he understood, was driving Greda was jealousy of Kanaka, and hatred for his dead father.
“Can you imagine, he used to call that slave Oontab, and he could not –“
“Could not what?” It was Queen Shere, but her voice had hardened. There was a large gash across her wrinkled face. Maybe that was what made her voice harder. “If he wanted to take the throne, he would have done that long ago!”
Fonjam stood up instinctively and wanted to leave, but she made him stay so he just stood. And both of them stared wide-eyed at the Queen.
She spoke again, “Look what the anger that is consuming you has done to me!” Pointing at her face.
“Your highness, you should rest.” Fonjam said politely, now kneeling.
“I will, as soon as I go to rest with the ancestors.” She said, the expression on her face showing that she really wanted to die.
Nobody could object to that.
“Look, Greda, you do not have to turn every stone before you move on with your life. Some of them are best left as they are, or they are not for you to turn.”
“Are you saying that I should just let him go without at least making sure he does not kill me eventually?”
“The question is has he done anything to you? The best way to solve a dispute is by avoiding it, Greda.”
“That is what I am ensuring. Avoiding potential threats.”
“So you know that that is what you are doing? And you are going about it by throwing false accusations at an innocent man?!” Even she was surprised at herself for supporting someone she had not wanted anything to do with.
Fonjam knelt there, doubting his relevance to the conversation while King Greda thought of another way to eliminate Kanaka silently after finding him.
Somehow, the anger faded slowly as days went by, and as the blur of activity overwhelmed the young King, he did not notice the little things; the dogs falling of the cliffs, the trees shedding their leaves, the streams becoming puddles, the servants whispering to each other; the gods trying to speak.
Shere
Sapas was just sitting there one day, minding her own business when Queen Shere called her to the backyard.
“Where is Kanaka?” She asked.
“Your highness?” Sapas ricocheted with another question.
“You know what I am talking about!” The Queen pushed.
Sapas froze. She did not know what the Queen was up to, and could not trust that she would be doing the right thing by telling her where Kanaka was.
“I d…don’t know, your highness. I am s –“
“Sorry for yourself! I know that you are close to him and –“ Her own tone of voice was scaring her. But she needed to do this. “Listen my child, you have to trust me, I just need to tell him something very important.”
Sapas swallowed a hard lump in her throat.
“Please.” Queen Shere added. Sapas could not bear to see the old woman beg.
“I can take you there…”
The Queen smiled. “Thank you.”
When they got to Rubinto’s house, Kanaka, Edongo and Rubinto had panicked, but she calmed them down, explaining her mission to them and assuring them that she was on their side. Kanaka’s mind raced back to the past, when he was a boy. He remembered how she used to shove him off when he often came to her for help or for company. He remembered how she had complained to Mogg about him, and how they had argued and cried, waiting for their own child. He remembered that even he had prayed to the gods to favor her and bless her womb with a child.
She apologized and it was difficult, but Kanaka reasoned with her and forgave her finally.
When she told him why Greda was trying to kill him, and the story she had told Greda, Kanaka was broken. Sapas stood mouth agape and did not seem to be breathing smoothly. Rubinto, Edongo and Tandoop who had joined them just sat and watched, trying to take it all in. Sapas told her own story and shocked them all with the news that Kanaka was her half brother and that Rotyuk, was also their brother. She told them how Rotyuk had put a spell on Kanaka, and how his death had caused it. She told them about Kanaka’s nightmare and the reason he had come back.
The Queen realized that she had forgotten Rotyuk, shocked to the marrow that he was connected to Kanaka and Sapas.
“There is something else I have not mentioned; what really happened to Rotyuk. I warned Mogg to stay away from the chosen one of the gods but he was stubborn. At the time Kanaka was 5 years of age, Rotyuk became the Spokesman. Yes, I do remember that the very young Rotyuk had referred to Kanaka as brother and treated him as such, but nobody saw it as a cause to take it exactly that way. Rotyuk had found a way to enter the spirit land that Mogg had taken the…err… had taken Kanaka from, so he went there. Only the gods know what kept the creatures from coming out, but they did not. Rotyuk began to see strange visions about the King… or about a King, and about the creatures. I don’t know what he saw, but he must have been frightened, because he was so consumed with preaching about it. His message was chaos and death, and when Mogg had warned him to stop, he persisted. Mogg had expressed his discomfort to me, and I advised him to pray to the gods for help, but he wanted to put matters in his own hands, so he appointed another man as successor to Rotyuk, telling the people that Rotyuk was mad, and eventually, when Rotyuk died, I knew it was him. Even now, many things don’t make much sense, but what I know, I have told you because my soul will not have rest unless I expose the workings of Mogg’s dark past that have sent ripples through time to all of us. I should have done more –“
For the first time, someone spoke, cutting her off. “My Queen, you did what you could, and you did it well.” Sapas had taken everything in and was no longer surprised, expecting to hear the worst.
Nobody, not even Edongo noticed that Menabi was in the house, because she had not made a sound.
“Where is Kanaka?” She asked.
“Your highness?” Sapas ricocheted with another question.
“You know what I am talking about!” The Queen pushed.
Sapas froze. She did not know what the Queen was up to, and could not trust that she would be doing the right thing by telling her where Kanaka was.
“I d…don’t know, your highness. I am s –“
“Sorry for yourself! I know that you are close to him and –“ Her own tone of voice was scaring her. But she needed to do this. “Listen my child, you have to trust me, I just need to tell him something very important.”
Sapas swallowed a hard lump in her throat.
“Please.” Queen Shere added. Sapas could not bear to see the old woman beg.
“I can take you there…”
The Queen smiled. “Thank you.”
When they got to Rubinto’s house, Kanaka, Edongo and Rubinto had panicked, but she calmed them down, explaining her mission to them and assuring them that she was on their side. Kanaka’s mind raced back to the past, when he was a boy. He remembered how she used to shove him off when he often came to her for help or for company. He remembered how she had complained to Mogg about him, and how they had argued and cried, waiting for their own child. He remembered that even he had prayed to the gods to favor her and bless her womb with a child.
She apologized and it was difficult, but Kanaka reasoned with her and forgave her finally.
When she told him why Greda was trying to kill him, and the story she had told Greda, Kanaka was broken. Sapas stood mouth agape and did not seem to be breathing smoothly. Rubinto, Edongo and Tandoop who had joined them just sat and watched, trying to take it all in. Sapas told her own story and shocked them all with the news that Kanaka was her half brother and that Rotyuk, was also their brother. She told them how Rotyuk had put a spell on Kanaka, and how his death had caused it. She told them about Kanaka’s nightmare and the reason he had come back.
The Queen realized that she had forgotten Rotyuk, shocked to the marrow that he was connected to Kanaka and Sapas.
“There is something else I have not mentioned; what really happened to Rotyuk. I warned Mogg to stay away from the chosen one of the gods but he was stubborn. At the time Kanaka was 5 years of age, Rotyuk became the Spokesman. Yes, I do remember that the very young Rotyuk had referred to Kanaka as brother and treated him as such, but nobody saw it as a cause to take it exactly that way. Rotyuk had found a way to enter the spirit land that Mogg had taken the…err… had taken Kanaka from, so he went there. Only the gods know what kept the creatures from coming out, but they did not. Rotyuk began to see strange visions about the King… or about a King, and about the creatures. I don’t know what he saw, but he must have been frightened, because he was so consumed with preaching about it. His message was chaos and death, and when Mogg had warned him to stop, he persisted. Mogg had expressed his discomfort to me, and I advised him to pray to the gods for help, but he wanted to put matters in his own hands, so he appointed another man as successor to Rotyuk, telling the people that Rotyuk was mad, and eventually, when Rotyuk died, I knew it was him. Even now, many things don’t make much sense, but what I know, I have told you because my soul will not have rest unless I expose the workings of Mogg’s dark past that have sent ripples through time to all of us. I should have done more –“
For the first time, someone spoke, cutting her off. “My Queen, you did what you could, and you did it well.” Sapas had taken everything in and was no longer surprised, expecting to hear the worst.
Nobody, not even Edongo noticed that Menabi was in the house, because she had not made a sound.
To be continued...
- Telsum Bini
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