The last dawn

The Surprise

"Over my dead body!" You and your thrown can go to hell for all I care!" She fumed.

"I WILL NEVER BE YOUR WIFE! Not even in your dreams you jerk, read my lips" She gets getting angrier.

That seemed to touch a nerve as Kofi came rushing to her side with a force that made me nearly reacted but I realized he had a hold of himself and stopped mid-strand. Better for him I thought.

"You will never, I mean ever repeat those words to me again do you understand me?" He said between clenched teeth and the sense of danger behind his words made us both shiver.

"The next time you speak to me like this I won't take it likely, sweetheart" He continued somewhat calm, but it is that calm before the storm. "My love for you is what is keeping me under control at this moment, so thread with caution." He vanished out of sight after his confession.

Love? How can such a jerk and heartless guy be in love with my Fafa? He must be joking to think that I'll let him fool my best friend who I also consider a sister.

"Did..did you hear tha..t?"Fafa stammered and just sat flat at the foot of the nearby tree. "Fafa," I said softly trying to console her.

"No no no! This cannot happen to me?" Dropping her face in her palms and sobbing uncontrollably.

"Why would the ancestors choose such a horrible fate for me? Have I wronged them in any way?" More sobs

"I am sure there is some kind of a misunderstanding here, the best person that can clear all this is your mother," I told her

"Let's not let this get to us Fafa, okay?" She nodded at my words. I helped her wipe the tears and unto her feet.

"Don't worry everything will be fine, have faith in the ancestors." She nodded

"Should we go and talk to your mum?" I asked her knowing very well that I would be in hot soup by stepping in her house. But I cannot just let her go home by herself in this state.

"No don't worry, I can go home alone. You know what will happen when you follow me home right?" She asked feeling somewhat guilty about it. I just nodded in agreement.

"Don't worry I'll be fine. Just go home, I'm sure grandma should be worried by now."She continued.

"You are right, but let me escort you to your house first, I promise I won't enter." She sighed in defeat. There is no way I am leaving her out here to that monster to prey on.

I walked her home and kept my promise of not entering the house.

"I'll see you first thing tomorrow morning, and promise to tell you whatever happens okay?" She was rather consoling me? I wonder how such a delicate human being could possess such a big heart. I am just too lucky to have such a person in my life. How I'm gonna miss her if indeed what Kofi said is true.

"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow morning, promise?" I raised my index finger and she connected hers with it.

"Promise," I hugged her before leaving her by the house. I wonder what is going to transpire between her and her parents tonight.

....................................

I entered the house and met grandma nursing an injury cut on her foot. "When did this happen, grandma?"

I instantly went on my knees and took the heated stone from her to help her massage the cut.

"How did this happen, grandma? How did you get hurt?"I asked

"Ouch! careful" she winced from the pain.

"Sorry grandma" I apologized. I'll leave all the questions for now and concentrated on nursing her cut.

"Done" I announced "Yeah, I'm feeling much better now, you have magic hands" We both burst out laughing.

"Thank you for being in my life my angel. You're just like your mother," she said wiping away a teardrop which made me nearly drop one too. Just that it is hard for me to do that. Grandma has missed my mum, the mother I have never seen in real life but only appears in my dreams.

Without knowing what to say, I just hugged her to give her the comfort she deserves. We stayed like that for a while until I remembered the cut.

"How did you get hurt grandma?" I asked once again.

"At the castle's gate. Someone accidentally placed a metal scrap near the gates and my leg scratched it by mistake." She explained

"I'm sorry grandma" feeling sorry she has to go through all this pain for my sake. " I will clear the land and start farming soon."

"You will do no such thing," Grandma abruptly said

"But grandma ..." I started but she cut me

"No buts and I don't want to hear anything about this again," Grandma said rising with difficulty and I helped her retire into the hut.

I went back outside reflecting on all the recent events with Fafa, the mystery behind my parents, and my childbirth which grandma never talks about.

Sometimes I wonder who my father is? Why do I look different from my people? Why do I look like the white men in the castle? Could my father be one of them? Is he still alive? Too many questions running in my head and nowhere to get the answers

.

I finally retired into the hut and laid on my mat, I fell asleep instantly.

..............................

I woke up at dawn, as usual, to complete my house chores before waking grandma up to prepare for work. She winced while getting up from her bed and unfortunately for her, I saw it before she made any attempt to hide the pain she felt.

"Why don't you rest for today grandma? The stress isn't good for your health" I complained bitterly but the old lady is just too stubborn for my liking.

"I'll just go and prepare breakfast for the masters and return after I ask for their permission," She explained trying to reassure me.

"That sounds good, but what if they refuse to give you permission to leave?" I asked still worried.

"Don't worry they would. Just make sure to get water from the river and come back home in one peace," She gave me a knowing look. "and make sure you don't break your promise to me."She continued

"Do you have to preach to me every time before going out? I've always kept my promise to you." Assuring her.

"I'll wait for Fafa. I'm sure she should be here at any moment and then we'll go fetch the water together. Will that be better?" I asked.

"That'll be awesome, dear," She said. "I'll come back home soon okay?"

"Alright, grandma bye," I waved her as she left.

I laid outside waiting for either grandma or Fafa to appear but none of them did. I wonder what has happened to Fafa, she should have been here by now. I just pray to the ancestors for everything to be okay.

"Yaa" I jolted from my thoughts thinking it was either my grandma or Fafa but it was rather Aunt Maggie. "Yes aunt, good morning" I greeted her standing and walking towards her.

"Good morning my dear, I'm afraid there's an issue and you must go to the castle with me immediately," My heart skipped upon hearing that. 

"What happened to grandma, please? Is she alright?" I asked panicked that something bad could have happened to grandma.

"No she is fine and nothing bad has happened to her," I sighed in relief.

"However, the issue is that the masters refused to grant her permission to return home unless she brings a replacement" She continued sadly. I was at this point angry that those people cannot even give a single day to an old lady to rest home due to an injury she acquired while working for them?

"My sister Stella is the only one I can count on to help your grandma in this situation but she is heavily pregnant and cannot move about, and that is why I came to you because your grandma needs rest," She stressed. 

"So if I go with you they will allow me to replace grandma?" I asked somewhat nervous.

"Exactly so, I'm on my way there so I can lead you to the quarters she works in," She continued.

"Alright I'll go with you," I finally decided to follow Aunt Maggie. I paused when we got to the barrier but Aunt Maggie just crossed it without a second thought. She turned and found me still on the other side of the border.

"Hurry up already, we are behind time and the masters hate lateness," she said in a hushed tone.

I finally mustered the courage and crossed the line to the other side and we headed towards the castle.

As soon as we got to the gates I realized there were men in uniform by the gates holding rifles. Some of them were standing still, I wonder if they're even breathing from their posture. Others were moving about as if seeking for intruders. Intruders like ME! I held Aunt Maggies's arm and watched her questioningly. She just reassured me and whispered "don't worry" while dragging me to hell's gate. A beautiful hell. 

"Stop!" a guard shouted at us by the gate. I guess he is in charge here. "Where are you taking that girl? and who is she?" He asked sternly but he cannot fool me for I saw something else in his gaze which I cannot explain.

"She's the replacement for Lizzie, please." Aunt Maggie replied

"Who is she?" He asked once again with that same look I saw earlier.

"She's Lizzie's granddaughter" They all got surprised looks with the news. I wonder why they are like that. And grandma is Lizzie? That's news to me. He gestured for us to go in after a while.

The castle is a beautiful hell indeed, it's beauty is just fascinating. How I wish Fafa was here to see what we have been admiring from the distance.

We passed through a certain door into a hallway with so many doors.

"This is the only door you are permitted to enter, do you understand?" She asked and I nodded.

"Your grandmother is inside, go I'll get my stuff and join you soon," with that she left me by the door where grandma supposedly is. I opened the door and came right face to face with my grandma.

"Grandma," I said excited she's in good health, but she was surprised to see me at first. All of a sudden her surprised look turned deadly, in fact, the deadliest I have never seen.

"What are you doing here?!" I froze with shock.