The Conqueror Series

THE STORY OF REGA (EP 9)

Yara remained on the balcony of the palace of the king of Meha and continued to watch down the kingdom. She could still find herself think of Rega every now and then and she wondered where he might be by now. She knew that Rega was deeply hurt by her decision to marry the king Meha, King Zaz and she knew he would never forgive her for doing do. She sighed and continued to sip her drink which she was carrying with her left hand. At that point Chere, one of the officials of the palace and best friend to her father Mezie (father she was not yet aware was her father) Chere stood beside her and asked her how she was doing after the wedding with the king of Meha and she nodded and told him that it was a good thing and she felt good and still feeling good. The official smiled and then asked if she still thought of the young man Rega and she looked at him and shook her head. She sipped her drink again and Chere bowed and before he could leave she stopped him and turned to face him. "Who is Mezie and what is his story?" She asked.

Chere looked at her for sometimes and having no reason at all to betray his friend's confidence in him he decided to forge a story but all of a sudden he had to change his mind for he did not know if the Queen had discussed with Mezie about his past and of he (Chere) was to tell her a different thing it would prove him a liar and the Queen might not trust him again. He kept quite and waited for the Queen to speak again when he realised she was not going to say any more word he decided to break the silence, after all it was his turn to speak. "You speak about my friend Mezie and would want to know things about him through me but I would suggest mg Queen that it would be better you ask him yourself for my friend would not like if it if I go behind his back to reveal something about him to someone else?" said Chere.

"Am I someone else? You yourself told me that I can always confide in you. He told me the same thing and I am willing to do just that. You have got to tell me the truth about him" said Yara. Chere thought for a while and then was forced to ask, "Why do you want to know him that much. What does it matter to you?"

"I can not say but I feel this... I do not know how to explain it but I want you to know that I feel white alright with him when he is with me. Do not misunderstand me. I do not mean to say that my mother who died of asthma did not train me well and that I would have anything to do with a man old enough to be my father. I would like to know him well. When I ask him he does not tell me and then I am worried that there is something that he should tell me to make me stop worrying"

"What is it you are worried about?" asked Chere.

"I do not know!" said Yara with frustration written all over her.

Chere then decided that he would rather tell her the story about himself instead and when he proposed this Yara smiled and told him that he was too clever.

'No, I'm not trying to be clever but my own story would help" they laughed.

Back in the land of Ugodu Rega was through with his fruits and had stood up, thanking Zirima and stretching his body at the same time. Zirima equally stood up and asked to know where he had in mind to go from there and Rega told her that he would go West and continue until he dies. When he made mention of death Zirima was about to ask a question when they heard a shout outside and they ran outside to see the people of Ugodu scattering everywhere and then there were dragons with fire raining fire on the people. Zirima could not believe her eyes. Those were the witches of Akpara and she could not believe that they had actually came looking for her and in that manner. They were killing innocent children and Rega who was shocked whispered something. Zirima looked at him and wanted to know what he said. "I never believed that truly dragons exist. They are real and these people must have offended the dragon queen" said Rega before he held the hand of Zirima and was about to escape with her but Zirima removed his hand from hers and then looked up to the sky and to the dragons as they flew and then called out, "Mother!!!" The leader of the witches of Akpara, Zirima's mother began to fly down to where Zirima was with Rega. When Rega saw the dragon descending he was scared and he tried to run but Zirima held him. "Stay right here' she said.

" Who are you?'" asked Rega.

"Stay right here I say" insisted Zirima and Rega waited while the dragon landed and began to walk towards them with her mighty wings spread. Rega closed his eyes, expecting death to come but when he opened it he could see beautiful women everywhere and there was no dragons. The people of Ugodu were still running but the beautiful women were nor moving. Rega could see that the dragon that was coming towards them had turned into the leader of the witches and he was stunned. He kept looking from Zirima and then to the woman. The woman hugged Zirima and kissed her. "I thought we had lost you. Why would you come here to stay all alone and by yourself?" asked the mother.

"I was not alone and by myself. I am with a friend" said Zirima and he introduced Rega to her mother. The mother looked at Rega and Rega having realised himself but was still scared presented her hand for handshake and the woman hesitated before taking his hand. She nodded as they shook hands and then turned to her daughter. "But he is a human and will not be able to protect you. Get ready Zirima, we are going back to Akpara right away" said the mother as she started going back but Zirima would not want to go back. This is the life she had found so enjoyable. She went after her mother and drew her back while Rega was watching. "Mother I will not return to Akpara with you. I want to remain here. Is it wrong if I chose to remain here and live my life here and not in Akpara. I find myself more connected with people and do not call them humans as if we are not humans as well" said Zirima.

"You do not want to go back to Akpara because of this young man?Good I will have him killed right away and you will regain your senses right away" As her mother moved to have Rega killed Zirima drew her back and said, "Stop it mother, okay fine, I will follow you back but I would love to have a minute with him" begged Zirima.

"A minute then" said the mother and then she went to inform the rest that they would soon move and go back to Akpara with her daughter. The rest nodded and waited.

Zirima walked back to Rega and said "These are my people and they have come for me and I must follow them. If I do not my mother would kill you and I would not want that because I would still want to meet with you again. Help me and stay where I will be able to see you when I come visiting again"

"You are not visiting again Zirima! dismiss him now!!!" said the mother from after and Rega wondered how she was able to hear what Zirima was saying. Zirima then assured Rega that she would always come visiting whenever she could and Rega nodded and stepped aside because all the witched were now turning to dragons and some of them were turning to some other creatures. Zirima's mother approached her and held her back the hand, saying, "Let us go now?" Rega was actually watching to see what Zirima would turn to and Zirima who did not want him to see her turn to a beast grew her hand and before Rega could see what she was doing she had already used the hand to knock him off at once and Rega fell and fainted.

"Why did you do that?" asked the mother and Zirima did not answer instead she turned into a dragon and flew away at once. The mother then followed her suit and they flew away from the land of Ugodu.

Rega was still lying down there when the people of Ugodu began to gather round him. Some were pointing at him and accusing him of being the one that brought the witches to their land. As they talked some had already seized stones to stone him but others stopped them saying it was better if they waited for him to wake up and then they would question him before doing anything to him. The rest agreed and they sat near him and waited for him to wake up.

In the land of Akpara the witches were back and Zirima was seated alone. The mother walked up to her and stood beside her. "I did what I had to do to save you" said the mother.

"I did not need saving. All I wanted was to be allowed to have my peace and the people of Ugodu did not deserve what you did to them today. You showed them no kindness. Show an animal no kindness and he will grow wild teeth and bite you with it" said Zirima.

The mother sighed and sat close to her and told her that if the people of Ugodu had noticed that she was a witch they would have killed her. She made to understand too that they did what they had never done before by leaving the land of Akpara and made her to understand that she did that for her sake.