Chapter 58

In the palace, Havila.

"We'll be asking you three questions," one of the chiefs threw at Ja. The chief's expression was unyielding and, by extension, demeaning. Probably his own way of threatening Ja to give up.

Ja looked at Lailah, who was seated by him. Only in her face did he find his comfort. Several other faces betrayed his guts. His will to survive was always shallow whenever he gave them such a stare. Or vice versa.

Lailah nodded at him, and he looked back at the chief and nodded. Not that he couldn't make decisions of his own, but...whatever. What was the point of explanation?

"Shall we get started?" another of the chiefs asked him. That was the same question he had been asked yesterday before everything went rogue and some of the conspirators broke into the square to ruin him. He didn't want to bring back that memory. Lailah had always been there for him.

Talking about a day before yesterday after the fight in the arena, he had found Lailah by the tree in the forest. She had declared that she needed to address something and had sealed her plea with a kiss.

He was tossed back into reality by the nudge of Lailah in his side. He considered the chiefs closely. They were dressed quite royally, compared to the other days.

And he was slightly indebted to them, if that was the right word, for making the third test and the last happen in the palace. That was for his sake; he needed no soothsayer to crack that open to him. Given what happened yesterday, he should be grateful.

He took a final peek at Lailah. Sometimes he didn't know why he doubted her abilities, like he had just done in his thoughts a few seconds ago.

"The first question," the first chief shot. But another of the chiefs seemed to have a contention.

The rather old man quickly took his turn, deeming permission to be rather irrelevant, "We, the chiefs, will ask you a question. The representatives of the people will ask one, and your brother will ask one."

Ja looked away from the chief who had just spoken to the group of middle-aged men who had been addressed as the representatives of the people of Havila. And then, finally, he looked at Tzu. He wondered why Jim wasn't present. He wasn't so surprised. They both knew what dickhead the youngest of them was.

"Now, the first question will be about the land. A question that no one except an indigenous man of the land would know. Even some of the men of the land, men born and bred in the land, do not know."

Ja didn't know what the chief was trying to do with the unnecessary information and stalling. Probably trying to scare the shit outta him.

Well, if that was the goal of the chief, then Ja would write him a note of congratulations for a job well done. He sighed.

"Go on with the question."

Lailah's impatience had its way. The chief shook in his seat. Ja glanced at her. He didn't know if he was jealous of her. He wished the men would dread him like they did her.

"Who lived on this land before the great development? And who was the first king of the new land after it had been reduced to ruins with five decades of war?"

Not only was Ja crushed by the question but the manner with which the question was delivered. Don't ask him; he didn't know. He was damn sure that none of the men of the land knew it either.

He met Tzu's gaze. He shook his head at Tzu, and Tzu dropped his face. Tzu was disappointed. Ja felt pissed off, what was he thinking? Had Tzu forgotten that they were strangers? How would he expect him to have an answer to such a wierd question?

He looked at Lailah to give her facial consent of his willingness to throw in the towel. He knew she could never help him in this place. Twould be obvious.

But to his dismay, as he looked at her, he felt a voice inside his head and his lips were moved by a force he couldn't define,

"The Chinese used to live here. And the first king was the Chinese son born to Imualekaita, who married one of the Chinese women. The name of the boy was Jin Imuale Taita, whose helmet is still sacred and revered even now."

Ja looked away from Lailah's face to them. Their jaws dropped. He knew what that look was. They weren't the only ones surprised; he was too. Lailah smiled.

One of the representatives of the people stood up. You could tell by the long face he was wearing that he was thinking of a super difficult question.

"How many times were twins born in this land, and who were their parents? Name both the fathers and mothers."

"That's unfair."

Tzu stood up immediately, but he was restrained by the guards and was forced to reassume his seat. The man who had asked the question retired into his seat, admired and given accolades by the rest.

Ja didn't stress it, he looked again at Lailah, and his lips began to move, "Just two of which you know: Jaita and Muaet, a boy and a girl, born by Jamila and Ikiata. Then, from the Wuola's family, the family whose descendants occupy Ikpala to date, two boys: Ika and Ima. Their father was Imuala, and mother, Ataola."

Ja looked away from Lailah to the man who had asked the question. The man's beard seemed to have been set on the heat of a fire, as he itched it ruthlessly.

"But there is a set of twins of which you do not know. A boy and a girl who got married because they were considered taboo in this stereotyped land. But that shall change when I become a king, whether or not my Lailah gives birth to a set of twins."

He glanced at her and chuckled. The palace had been set on the flames of murmurs and displeasure.

That went on for few seconds. Then after the odds, the last of the chiefs called to Tzu to ask his question. Ja stared at Tzu as he stood up. Ja didn't have anything to worry about. If twas Jim, he would worry.

Tzu gave him an ambiguous stare and raised his eyebrows. Ja wondered if Tzu would betray him. Tzu, with a mean face, asked, "What did you eat yesternight?"

That was meant to be payback. Some of the guards couldn't help but laugh at the ridiculous question.

"This is nonsense. What sort of question is this?" one of the chiefs stood up, staking a claim.

Tzu glared back and shot, "I don't remember you telling me what kind of question to ask. You just said, ask a question, right? Or are you forgetful?"

Tzu sat at that. He had never felt so good in a long time.

"Well, I ate venison and wine and berries. And of course, my wife, Lailah."

He chuckled at her, and the place took a new turn as all the chiefs and representatives stood up in disagreement.

Then Lailah stood up, enraged, her eyes full of blood and fury. She reached out one of her hands to Ja, and he held that hand.

She shot immediately, "We'll be back a day after tomorrow for the crowning. Make the necessary preparations or be prepared for a death spree."

She pulled Ja with her through the chairs and off the round table they've all been seated around.

They began to walk away as the guards feigned approaches. But Lailah didn't have the time to waste. Both of them merged with the air.

They disappeared.

Tzu noticed that he was the only one left amongst the prowlers. He walked off the table quickly and began to bounce towards the door.

"Come near me if you have the guts. I have hidden powers too. Just try me."

He meant that to the guards though he knew he was telling lies. Even the threat sounded foolish to himself, but his walk seemed to support it.

He was able to manage his walk past the guards to the door. But as soon as he got to the door, he picked up quite the race.