Battle For Ashina

Chapter Two

On the seventh day of the second month, everyone was preparing for the appearance of the full moon and the gathering. The wives and daughters of the families gathered the finest and richest proceeds from their farmlands: the juicy apples looked so plump, crisp, and bursting with sweetness when tasted, alongside free-range chickens, turkeys, and ducks with juicy meats from their farms. They gave it to their husbands, while the young girls were practicing their dance steps getting ready to dance during the full moon. At sunset, everyone made their way to the palace, the occasion started with a duel. It was a fierce fight, each fighter completely transformed, their ears pointed on one end, with long claws, growling and grappling each other, as they fought relentlessly, each family showing their fighting skills, and winners eventually emerged. The king's sons joined in the duel with the winners that emerged from the other families. The winners fought but for fear of the king, they had to allow his sons to become the final winners of the duel.

It was always fun as the ladies cheered and clapped excitedly as they argued about who the most powerful male was while the young men exuded so much energy to impress the young ladies. After the duel, there was a dance presentation by the young ladies, and the leader of the dance troupe was Ashina, the youngest daughter of Velkan Starlin. She was an excellent dancer blessed with the gift of dancing. The dancers spun and swayed their bodies harmoniously to the rhythm of the songs as everyone applauded them. Ashina, their leader, was as beautiful as a goddess and an angel joined together, fair and fearless, bold and enchanting, and strong-willed. Her skin was as soft and tender as that of a baby, she was on the lip of every man. All the young men longed to be close to her and she knew that they were attracted to her because of her beauty; to her, this was more of infatuations and lust, devoid of any form of true love and affection that she yearned for. She saw the young men who came after her as being proud, arrogant, and undeserving of her.

At the end of the dance, the family heads of each family came forth before the king and made their presentations. They brought the best of their farm produce and livestock and presented two of each of the various farm produce they came with. The Wolf King got up, accepted them, and appreciated everyone for coming. “I have some very important pronouncements to make,” the king said, and everywhere became quiet like a graveyard. “I have increased the number of food produce you will all come with on the next full moon appearance. Each family is to come with three farm produce of their various food crops and two livestock. Secondly, I have decided that every young man who wants to get married should not wait for the response of any lady again, just bring her name to me and I will make it happen. So by the next full moon appearance, we should have more new families, love should not be the only basis for marriage.” The palace was filled with mixed feelings, everyone’s heart was as heavy as a stone, grieving like ghosts that haunt, and the joyful mood of everyone suddenly became sadness as though someone just died.

Some young men were excited, some people began murmuring in anger. “Silence! Silence!” The wolf king shouted, “Is there any objection to any of these laws? Raise your hand and you will be allowed to speak.” He looked through the audience waiting for a hand, little did he know that his brother’s hand was raised beside him. The wolf king was shocked and began to wonder what his brother had to say but he had to allow him to talk. “Yes, get up and say what you want to say.” Adolphus Valdez got up and said with a bold and loud tone: “My king, thank you for the opportunity to air my view on the subject matter. My king, you've increased the farm produce to three without finding out from your people if that will favour them. Some of them have large families to cater to and most times what they get from their farms is not enough for them, yet they still sacrifice some produce for the full moon presentation. In response to your second pronouncement; marriage should be based on love and not by force, if not, our young girls will not be happy in their homes, those are my opinions, thank you my king” Adolphus ended and sat down and there was a little bit of ease in the heated and tensed atmosphere, but everyone’s eyes were looking round like birds that fly about in the sky as they feared for Adolphus.

Some people murmured in low tones [oh spirits of our ancestors, please save him, what will become of him?]. Everyone panicked about the next thing the king would say to his brother. The king, raged with anger like thunder that rumbles in the sky, with lightning bolts ready to strike, as if he was about to eat everyone up, his countenance changed as he got up and roared with fierceness in his eyes: “My words are final and everyone must obey them!” Turning towards the direction where Ashina was, he spoke authoritatively; “Beginning from today, Ashina will come to the palace and assist my wife in carrying out the palace duties daily.”

The king’s sons were delighted because they saw this as an opportunity to become close to her. Ashina’s face became very reddened, with a clenched jaw and tensed facial muscles, her mood changed and she pondered in her heart [is my beauty a blessing or curse?], but no answer came to her mind at the moment as it was filled with so much confusion. The wolf king continued talking, “I have placed my brother Adolphus in charge of collecting all the farm produce before the next full moon and I’ve given him the authority to punish anyone who defaults in this law or bring such offenders to me to deal with as I see fit.” As the king was about to sit down, his brother got up and said “My king, I do not mean to disrespect you in front of our people but please, I will not be able to handle that responsibility. I suggest that you give it to another person or better still, one of your sons.” The wolf king became more and more infuriated about his brothers' opposition. He managed to control his anger although it was very visible in his countenance. In his heart, he said [you’re lucky that you’re my brother; if you were to be one of my subjects, I would have dealt with you now].

As the king managed to keep his countenance under control, he ordered that the food and drinks be served immediately. Everyone collected their food and drink and started eating but the king left the palace immediately and asked that his brother joins him in his chambers. Adolphus Valdez joined his brother in his chamber, Ashina was still displeased and angry she got up and left the palace, uncontrollable tears filled her eyes as she went straight to the house sobbing like a baby on her way home. The rest of the community was still trying to make meaning out of the events they just witnessed, wondering what their fate would be in the coming harvest. These thoughts made the food taste like dust in their mouths and the drink like old socks buried in the woods; having endured many seasons.