The Legend of Cush

King Ukal's Rebellion

Chapter 7: King Ukal’s Rebellion                                                                 

After it conquest, Matella, lay for fourteen uninterrupted years prostrate like a wounded and bleeding warrior without a leader until the return of young Ukal V, causing the surrounding kingdoms, north, south, and east formerly under tribute to Matella to rebelled and in turn attacked Matella near their borders plundering in revenge and celebration. Because the time to regain her greatness has not yet come, the Sun god, the god whose flaming eyes watch over Matella bothered less about its recovery. Nonetheless, after fourteen years in exile in the kingdom of the Seven seas, Ukal V, now 21 years was returned to take over the throne of his father but not as the liberator of Matella but to hold it in store for the hero of Abyssinia, for he shall conquer kingdoms and vanquish gods.

King Ukal V, was a brusque personality, handsome; light/brown eyes, 5.9 in height, black curly hairs, and copper skin, his appearance sets him against the breed of Ukal lineage, but Ukal’s blood flows in his veins so that he shares a resemblance to the unknown hero whose advent is in the time of the gods, a time the wars of the gods of Abyssinia would erupt, and the Sun god has prepared himself ahead of the pack by grooming a human hero to fight his wars. Perhaps, the Sun god has seen that Ukal’s son will inherit among other qualities his hubris, the pride that led to the destruction of Matella, the kingdom of the sun where the gods' seat and has carefully chosen one whose grooming would be out of the hands of humans. But the question he didn’t answer was; what is thicker than blood? He found out later, and sadly so.

However, Ukal V was not left without help. On his return and ascension to the throne, a rallying cry went forth and all the citizens who survive and those who escaped the onslaught returned and gathered at the square to hear their king and to rebuild their kingdom. Regaled in his kingly authority, King Ukal V appeared, accompanied by Harabona the Wizard, Ulele the Priestess, and lords Baniz and Edeniz on his way to address the people. Out on the square ground stood the remnant of warriors who were bruised but not battered on the one side and the commoners bedraggled in their pain and suffering on the other side.

And as the King mounted the podium to address his subjects, out of the sky appeared a flaming ball of fire that circled the square thrice and stood like a pillar over them. The gathered crowd nearly broke into a frenzy but for the timely intervention of the King, who on sighting the strange ball of fire fell on the ground and chanted incantations of praises to the Sun god, the custodian of Matella, and all the citizens followed his actions and as soon as he was up, the ball of fire lifted and circled the kingdom once and vanished in the clouds.

The King spoke, “The guardian’s appearance is an assurance of his blessings. Matella our great kingdom, the kingdom of the sun, shall rise again” and the people responded with shouts and a punch of the air with ball fists. “I know, my lords know, our warriors know and you worthy citizens all know, nothing like this shall ever again happen to our great kingdom. We will rebuild, we will take back and will destroy those who sort to destroy us. And I will lead you to accomplish that”.

“Listen to the son of Ukal”, this well-known voice whispered to the ears of Harabona the Wizard, as he hovers invisibly about him and quickly he turned about and walked briskly out of the podium down towards the exit. “He shall not lead my people, he shall not deliver Matella. Tell king Ukal V, the son of Ukal that I have chosen one who shall deliver the kingdom where I seat”, he kept talking, with no one else knowing what is happening except maybe the Priestess.

 Harabona, surprised and fearful of the Sun god’s concerns knew trouble brews for Ukal’s son and also knew to deliver such a message to the King will mean strained relationship at this point, he has to use his wizardry to gain a favorable audience with the King and wait in his happiest moments and pass news this bad to the King who had seen himself as the liberator of Matella. He will buy his time, but to deliver the guardian’s message he will. He walked back to the gathering chanting incantations to keep the King from any inquiry on why he walked out on the gathering as he speaks.

King Ukal V turned and looked at the wizard, but said nothing and he continued his rousing speech. “As I speak, the great Wizard of Matella and Priestess of the Sun god brought good news, news to cheer us up and keep us at rest that our great guardian has begun his revenge on our behalf against Alonika and Isasda. The kingdom of Alonika is deeply troubled and the people in great fear even before a sword were lifted against it”, roars, angry chants, a mixture of anger and joy shook the square, punching the air with balled fists.

“Our warriors, the pride of Matella will be equipped sufficiently to become the best as always. You, loyal citizens, shall have relief from the throne, a measure of wheat, barley, meat, and clothing to produce more warriors”, he paused by the interrupted cheers of the people, “tomorrow, my lords Baniz and Edeniz with their assistants shall start the distribution in this square.”

“Let me add to this” he lifted his face above the crowd and looked out to the destroyed buildings around, “every house that was destroyed will be rebuilt by the throne. After all these the throne demands loyalty, for any disloyalty will be met with instant death. The king will serve justice without partiality, fear, or favor. Go to your homes, rest, and fear not for we are fortified all around about us as was in time past. Lift the feeble hand, help given to one another, the throne of Ukal is behind you.” He turned and all his entourage followed as they made their way out of the arena.

The citizens huddle together in groups analyzing the king’s welcome speech, the palliatives, and why the feared wizard left and came back without a word from the King, because in Matella when the King is speaking, you only move because you have either collapse or dropped dead.

“I told you so, the King can’t stand the great wizard”, said Aliza, a middle-aged woman who lost her husband and two sons in the invasion.

“We can’t jump to a conclusion”, said her friend, Milia, also a widow, but not widowed by the invasion, in her early 40’s, still looking attractive, “it might be that they have an understanding, after all, he only does the King’s business.”

 “Whichever way, today he spoke well, unlike his late father whose pride led to this disaster.”  “We all pray he doesn’t turn out like his father or even worse”, added Milia.

“But wait”, Aliza said, dragging Milia back who has started moving forward, “is it true, that our great Sun god is angry with his great-grandson, the great king Ukal the fifth?”  

“That, I can’t say, but what I heard is that the guardian god would use another hero to deliver the kingdom of the sun and remove our shame,” Milia said. “Come, let’s go, may the King never hear that or death awaits the one whose lips he shall hear that” and they made their way forward as the crowd thin out.

 King Ukal V became merry from wine as the sun gradually disappears over the mountains of Matella, Harabona approach the king, “My lord, the guardian, has a message for you.” The King sat up, all merry, “Great wizard, what message is it from my ancestor other than more good news? “My lord, he said to warn you, you shall not lead |Matella to her wars, but shall await the chosen hero who is on his way”. His bluntness staggered the King momentarily and his eyelids blinked faster and that all merry countenance a minute ago fell with great turbulence.

 At once all the merry feelings dissipated, his handsome face contorted, got up from his seat, and as he did his lords also stood up, then stood directly facing Harabona.

“Great wizard”, the King said, unsmiling,

“Yes my lord”, answered the aging wizard.

“What misfortune for one to deliver such a message to the King except that you are a messenger of the gods, how dare you deliver a lie? You saw it; all the people saw it, at the square as he gave his blessings to my throne, his protection for the people, and our kingdom. How did he then give you a different message?” He paused, breathing hard, not from exhaustion, but boiling anger. “I smell treason”, he concluded.

“May the King live forever. Harabona plots no treason, but the Sun god has spoken and in rage. My lord, heed the warning and spare Matella your father’s fate. Don’t walk your father’s way. It is a tough message, but it is better to obey the gods than men. You may do your wish, but I speak not, the guardian did, my King.” The wizard has not spoken like this to any king in decades, he had always maintained an admirable compunction in the face Kings’ intransigence or pride or plain arrogance. Today it is different, the young king before him must not disrupt the fragile air of peace Matella has begun to breathe.

He paced the floor, apparently stung by the wizard’s words, and stopped before the Priestess, his niece. He knew it is dangerous to challenge the Sun god and you can easily do by challenging the one who represents him before men. And he is doing just that.

 “And you, my sister, are you a part of the plot to disgrace me, Priestess? It was a question to a woman who could be twice his mother packed with condescending arrogance, but the Priestess, known for her patience and good nature answered him courtly as the king he rightly is, but not with kind words.

“Let my lord the King heed the warning of the guardian god. I had a restless night two days ago as the great Sun-god whom I serve, raged about the desecration of the Seven seas shrine which he blames on your father, and hinted on a hero to deliver the kingdom of the sun, I was happy it may be the sun of Ukal. But now I understand better. Go with his warning.”

 “Now, Wizard, what did he say he wants from me?” He finally asked for the nitty-gritty of it all. And the wizard was ready,

“It’s simple, your majestic; the Sun god, who have in the past guarded your fathers want you to rule and lead your people to rebuild your kingdom for the wars of the gods are near and you are not groomed for it. But don’t lead to war.” The Sun god’s demand was beyond the king’s taking, but he acted calmly.

“You may all retire, I will be alone”, the King said, and one after another the palace guests marched out on a single file and out of the palace as the hitherto lively atmosphere paled. King Ukal V has much respect for these two, who as a child rescued him from Isasda’s death grip on Matella. They are both aged, Priestess Ulele over sixty and Harabona near seventy, and while they respect kings, did fear no mortal, king or citizen.