Angel Of Death

Chapter Four

Ayva while arriving in the palace of the king of Sepha could not believe that a lot of people had followed them all the way from the market where they passed and were now on their way to the king of Sepha. The two men who lost their brother and friend were actually the ones holding her on both sides and dragging her even though Ayva was not resisting arrest. The king of Sepha waited until they were in the palace compound and so he raised up his hand to calm them down and the chanting died down. The king looked at Ayva for sometimes and realised that they had beaten her. She pointed at her and began, "What has this lady done to warrant such beating from you?" As he asked this one of the men that were holding on to Ayva stepped forward and stood before the king, "My lord, this lady here used magic and sorcery. She killed one of my friends while administering treatment on him" The young man said and stepped aback. The king paused for sometimes before he walked up to Ayva and stood in front of her and Ayva who had refused to look at him was sobbing her eyes out. The king used his staff to raise her head to look at him. Ayva sniffed and the king could not understand why a beautiful lady like that would involve herself in sorcery. This is exactly what he is fighting against and knowing fully well that the people of Sepha are also showing signs of hatred for magic he swore not to disappoint them. He stepped aside and asked the men holding onto Ayva to let go of her hands and they did. The king then sat back on his throne and began, this time he was trying to know how Ayva did it and what truly happened. As he threw in his questions at Ayva Ayva was not mixing her words as she confessed of actually using magic to want to heal the hunter but she also confessed that it was one of the medicine women of Sepha that gave her the portion which she used to try to revive the wounded hunter. "My king what would I gain in killing that hunter. I am simply but a medicine woman who wants to make ends meet. I am not greedy neither am I wicked. I was doing what I was supposed to be doing when Saya approached me and gave me that portion. I never knew it would be so disastrous. I thought if I could heal that man I would enjoy the smiles in the faces of those who brought him in. They were in need of healing. They really wanted their brother to be well and I was only trying to make their hope come alive. I wanted to see them happy and not to cry. I had initially wanted to use my natural gift as a healer to heal the young man but it was not working and those who brought in him depended on me to save him. They wanted him alive and I was trying to make their dream come true. I am so sorry people of Sepha, I am so sorry king of Sepha but I have not done this intentionally. I had not decided to just torment the people that put their trust in me, people that have loved and seen me as a person they could trust" As she said this she knelt before the king of Sepha and continued to cry. "My lord I am so sorry, please forgive me of my errors" She continued to cry.

The king looked around and asked, "Where is the medicine woman, Saya, is she here in your midst?" he asked and some of the people of Sepha who had gathered looked around and one of the men stepped forward. ,"Saya is not here my king but we can get her if you desire her presence here and now"

"Go and fetch her" said the king and the man and some of other men joined together and began to make their move to the home of the medicine woman Saya.

Inside the home of Saya the news had reached her ears and she knew that Ayva would confess and call her name and so she was already prepared with what to answer the king if she was to be taken to the palace.

The King's men entered and began to search for her in the compound. She stepped out and one of the men saw her and rushed to her immediately. Saya did not struggle but she put up a surprising expression as she inquired to know what she had done that would make the men of Sepha want to drag her. They told her that the king of Sepha demanded her presence and began to take her away. She pleaded and asked to know what she had done but they never said a word to her again..

Inside the palace of the king of Sepha she was told that Saya had been brought by one of the men and the king demanded for her presence immediately. The men dragged Saya to him and the eyes of Saya and that of Ayva met. She could see in Ayva's eyes as she pleaded for her to say the truth. When Saya had been made to stand before the king she knelt and inquired to know why she had brought before him and the king sat back on his throne once before she pointed his staff at Ayva while speaking to Saya. She asked to know if Saya knew Ayva and Saya nodded. "I know her. I mean who does not know the medicine woman that had helped a lot of people in this kingdom" said Saya.

"That is not what I meant. I mean do you know her as a friend?" asked the king further and Saya took another look at Ayva and shook her head. "I do not know her as a friend but as a fellow medicine woman whom I go to when I need help" Said Saya and when Ayva wanted to say something against what Saya was said she was slapped across the face and the force of it hurled her to the ground. She remained on the ground and sobbing when two men lifted her up immediately and forced back on her knees. She remained knelt and crying.

"But then it was said that you know exactly what happened to a young man that died in her home while she was trying to heal him. Is it true Saya that you gave a portion to Ayva to be using to heal people of their sicknesses and wounds?" asked the king and Saya looked at Ayva and called her a liar. She said it was Ayva who had been inviting her all alone to come and have some portions that would make her work easier but she had refused because she knew quite alright how much the people of Sepha are fighting to eradicate sorcery and magic ever since the time of Asa" When Saya had said this the king of Sepha then looked at Ayva and asked with his eyes if she had any more thing to say to defend herself but Ayva was now unable to speak and tears was the only language she was speaking at that moment. The king of Sepha inquired from the people to know what punishment he was to give Ayva. Some said stone her death, others said hanged while a few others said she should be banished. The king of Sepha asked again what they wanted him to do to Ayva and the people repeated the same words. The king knew that Ayva had been a good woman in the past and that she had contributed greatly to the healing of so many people in the land of Sepha. He still wondered and thought why on earth Ayva would tarnish her own image by involving herself in magic. This is what the king had been fighting against and this was why he had decided that the mystery of the cave must be unraveled. He was bent on sending men to that cave and he was not going to be stopped by anyone, not even the Chief priest of the land. He asked the people again what they wanted him to do to Ayva and they repeated the same thing and then he decided that it was better not to have Ayva killed but banished. He was not sure if that was enough punishment for Ayva but owing to the fact that he had heard so much good about her in the past he was forced to tamper justice with mercy. He looked at her again and asked her to rise up and she did, still shaking and almost naked. "Ayva, you have done something that should have deserved your heard on a platter but I won't allow them kill you for I have witnessed your good works. I believe too when you say that you must have made a mistake while using the portion but that does not in any way take away the fact that you have killed someone and the law is the law. You should be dead but I will not have you killed rather I will have you banished and for good. The people who have brought you here will take you away from the soil of Sepha and never you return again to this land for it you do I will then be forced to kill you and kill you I must" After the king had said this it took another while before he then declared Ayva banished and banished for good. The people began to call her a witch. Others refereed her as Asa. Others spat on her and the disrespectful men amongst them molested her by hitting her on her buttocks and breasts. She was taken away from the king of Sepha and stripped naked. Saya who had followed the crowd as they left was watching while the people did this to Ayva. She did not know what else to feel at that moment for she felt she could feel a bit of pity in her heart for her. She remained standing and watching as they took Ayva away. Despite that she envied her she was sad for she had lost a friend.