The Conqueror Series

THE GREAT WARRIOR 27

The guard that Ube had commanded to get him a cup of wine immediately rushed to get it and when he got it and came back he handed it over to him and helped some of his fellow soldiers to stand up and they waited on Ube to finish with his drink. As Ube drank he thought about his lovely and beautiful wife Ruty and chuckled with frustration and then handed the empty cup back to the soldier that had given him and then turned to face the rest and as he spoke they paid attention. 'I am not here...I have not come here to rule over you or to determine what happens in Ubiam. That is not my mission for I seek only comfort and rest and if you would not mind I would like to meet your ruler. Where is he?" he asked and one of the guards pointed towards the building of the healer where the ruler of Ubiam, Onowu was receiving treatment. When Ube asked to know what happened to him they told him that some strangers they welcomed in their land did it to him and nearly killed him with a big whip. When Ube heard this it sounded funny in his ears and he looked up and told the guards to go and fetch their ruler at once. When they wanted to complain that he was still receiving his treatment Ube stood up and he did not need to speak any more word before they went at once to bring the ruler. When they reached the place where the ruler was with his healer they told him what had happened and he was alarmed..He immediately got up from the bed and looked around and then asked the guards that had come to know if the man they spoke about were actually humans and they told him that the man they speak of single handedly defeated the men at the palace and that he was seated on his ruling seat and had refused to move an inch. They made him to understand that he had threatened to come by himself and bring him out of he did not follow them back to him. The ruler asked the healer to stop for a second so he could peep out of the window to see the nature of the man the palace guards were speaking about and when he did he returned to the rest and then sat on the ground dejectedly. The rest wanted to know what the problem was and he told them that his own had ended. He made them to understand that the person seated on that throne was the name every soul knows. "He is the Ube, the god of war of Mozo and I can not begin now to imagine why he had come to my land. I cannot even begin now to think about it for I can not remember the last time I had any issue with the king of Mozo for why would he decide to send a warlord, not just a warlord but a great god of war to my land and the way he came with authority and anger the people of Ubiam are finished for good" As the ruler regretted this he was then made to understand by the healer that it was better he stepped outside there and go and see Ube by himself without thinking twice or wasting any more time. They made him to understand also that the more time he wasted the more grave the punishment. The ruler then had to stand up at once and began to follow them without any more hesitation. He went outside with the palace guards and the healer. When then they reached outside Ube saw him approaching and got down from the throne. The Onowu reached there and stood before Ube, to hear what he had to say but Ube was not saying a word. After a long pause Ube pointed towards the throne. "There is your seat. I did not come to make trouble. Rather I came to have rest and then your men did not want to be respectful and polite. That pissed me off" Ube said and sat on another seat and the ruler sat on his seat and then dismissed the rest and cleared his throat so he would speak. He made Ube to understand that his people did not recognise him or rather they did not know him for if they did they would have accorded him the respect that he deserved. When the ruler said this Ube made him to understand that he needed to inspire fear in his kingdom and that when a ruler inspires fear his subjects and even strangers won't take him for granted. After Ube was through with his words he asked the ruler that he heard that the injuries he sustained was at a result of the beating he sustained from a visitor and then the ruler began to tell him the whole story. While he was telling him the story Ube could not believe it. The ruler was actually talking about the Queen of Getu and when he asked to be sure the Onowu nodded and said, "Yes, they had come here to nest during the war between Mozo and Getu. I can tell you that that woman is rude and she gave her daughters some of her traits. it was actually one of her daughters that did this to me" said the ruler and Ube rose and without more words began to walk to the place where the ruler said his cell was and where the wife of the king of Getu and her daughters were. When Ube got there he asked the guards there to open the cell door and they did at once. He walked inside and stood before the three women. They did not know who he was at first. They had initially thought that the person standing before them was one of the officials in the palace of Ubiam but unknown to them that the person standing before them was actually Ube, the god war that sacked them from their kingdom and killed their husband and father. Ube continued to stare at them and after sometimes he asked, "Who amongst you did what she did to the ruler of Ubiam and Golibe raised her hand up immediately and begged Ube to release her mother and her sister and don't allow them partake in her punishment. " The punishment is mine and mine to bear alone. I should not be sharing it with anyone. I was the one that actually messed up and not my sister nor my mother. Please as an official in the palace of Ubiam beg the ruler that he should listen to me and set my mother and my sister free"

The request of Golibe had touched the heart of Ube. He could understand the love and the bond. He stepped closer to her and said, "Do you know who I am?" Golibe shook her head and Ube took few steps backward and then spoke again. "My name is Ube, the Ube of Mozo" When he said this fear gripped the three women and they held each other and drew backward. Ube hissed and then paced in the cell, making them to understand that he had not come to the land of Ubiam to bring them discomfort or anything of that sought rather he came here to find rest and then as fate would have it he met them here and he had no intention of hurting them, instead he only wanted to see them after the ruler of Ubiam told him that he had them in his cell.

"Why would you want to see us Ube of Mozo. You of all people coming to see us. Your king accused our king of holding his wife hostage and then he sent you to go to Getu and lay my kingdom to waste. I have also thought that since you were the one the king of Mozo chose for the war that you would have killed my husband. It is who you are and what you can do" Sad the wife of the late king of Getu.

"You are right when you say that I might have killed your husband for yes is the answer. I killed him and I presented his head to the king of Mozo as confirmation but then why am I here. I sent myself into exile because the king I served went behind me and stabbed me to the core. I can no longer trust him and having sworn my loyalty to him I could not do anything to him. I had to leave as soon as possible. I know that you on the other hand is hating on me already for what I did to your husband but like I said, none of this is my fault. I was a soldier following orders and if the king of Mozo had not betrayed I would still do the same for him today" Ube stopped saying for a moment and then began to walk out of the cell.

" You are hunted" said the wife of the late king of Getu as hot tears circled in his eyes. Ube gnashed his teeth and then turned to face her. "Cry all you want with your daughters but I am Ube!!! My name is Ube, the great warlord and I have always wanted to be the best version of myself each passing day. I tried and here I am. You are right women. I am hunted and I do not have rest and I know it will continue like that till the day I will die" He chuckled and the added. "Hate me all you want Queen of Getu..."

"Do not call me that. I stopped being one the day you killed my husband and made my daughters fatherless. They will not forget what you did and what you did will follow you till you die" said the wife of the late king of Getu and then Ube laughed and left the cell and banged the door after him. The two daughters began to cry and to mourn their father. Their mother covered her face with her cloth and tears flowed like river. They had taken that opportunity to mourn the great man of Getu. The man that did not do what he was accused of.