Chapter 1
From a distance, there, was the most appealing sight to the eyes of any man. Far left on the way into Kibich City, was the massive and enormous castle. It housed the royal of the royals, His Majesty King Matumu, Kibich’s Viceroy and the serving King of Credonia. Judging from the looks of this giant fortress and the history behind palaces, one could only imagine the beauty within this citadel. Not to forget, the comfort, pleasures and honors involved.
Indeed, this castle was as good as any other but; save for the King’s son, Gatamu. He was Matumu’s only progeny, hence, the Prince of the land and the King-in-wait for the throne. To him, beauty was far much beyond the walls of this fortress. Prince Gatamu saw no beauty within the palace walls. Unlike the wishes of many, his was to get out of this fort.
This Prince, however, did not always have his eye caught by the beauty beyond the walls of the palace and the reaches of Kibich City. These pleasures of the palace satisfied the Prince until after a visit to Ruaki village in the Malaba district. The crown in wait for him to his head had purpose no more but, the one to his heart. As it is said, love and beauty belittles a beast and, so it did to the Prince in wait for the throne.
Kibich City, the capital of Credonia, was in the Kibich district. It was the largest and most developed districts of Credonia. Malaba was one of the neighbouring districts by the south of Kibich. Unlike Kibich, Malaba was slow to development and urbanization. The main reason being, it was majorly occupied by one kinfolk. They shared strong religious and traditional beliefs that ridiculed refinement. Up until few months past, Malaba was an independent district. A severe drought caused by a locust outbreak brought them to their knees.
Kibich, being its neighbor and the heart of Credonia came to their rescue and annihilated the insects but, left behind mass graves of starved people, animals and, a dry barren land. The disaster had softened Malaba people to welcome for help. To salvage the land and life, they agreed on a massive water project around the district. None other was better suited for the job but the Prince, Gatamu. He was chosen by the Regent, his father, to head and oversee the project. His wishes to leave the palace had finally come true. Of course, he had his communication skills and his father’s influence to thank for it.
During this endeavor, while the Prince was on the line of duty, he met a peasant girl by the name Peninah. He had to have someone from Malaba help to mobilize people and navigate the district. He also had to observe some gender balance in his choice as well. Peninah may have been a peasant girl but, an educated one. A criterion that got her the position at the right hand side of the Prince. To this Prince though, Peninah was not just any peasant girl or co-worker but the key to his heart.
Besides her likable morals and a sufficient education, she was the most beautiful of women Gatamu had ever laid his eyes on. The proviso that cleared and permanently secured her the space inside the Prince’s heart and won his love. She was of a fair complexion, dark grey eyes; a model shaped and sized body not to mention, her soft long dark hair. In other words, she was the literal description of an angel princess.
This Prince accredited the saying that, there is love at first sight. More so, he was about to prove that which was formally taboo, a way of life. For a Prince and a peasant girl, more so, from Malaba falling in love, this surely was a bad omen. Their cultures had nothing in common to allow or guarantee such a union. Nevertheless, from the moment he saw this girl, his thoughts were carried away. From that instance, all he dreamt about was Peninah as his queen.
He could not let his manhood and Prince Hood down. Therefore, he made the decision to get what he wanted. On approaching Peninah, things did not go as he thought. In the city, people adored and worshiped those with dosh. Back in the city, every woman could fall for him. They could do anything and everything to win his love, or rather, to be queen.
Here, Peninah had him a new lesson. In these countrified areas, the people here were less civilized and cared not much about money and leisure, save for a few avaricious ones. They also barely understood the meaning of Prince Hood besides a prince being a King’s lad. They knew more about the trinity. This meant; the gods, the oracle and the seniors.
According to tradition, Peninah also knew that, she could only be married to a man from her tribe and with similar values. She hardly had time for this Prince besides working together. After all, girls were not allowed to engage with men in such dialogues until their time of betrothal, especially, with strangers.
No matter how much Prince Gatamu tried to woo her, she made effort to ignore the chitchat. This action was rather strange and therefore, he had to ask about it. He approached one of the village seniors. Since his birth, Gatamu could count the number of times he had to go through someone to get what he wanted. This was with an exception of his father the King of course.
Of all he ever thought of, he could never imagine having to follow a woman like plague. More so, seeking help about one from anybody. Indeed, even the lions eat grass a times. He approached senior Rimberia, the Provost of Ruaki village. Upon inquiry on what was wrong, the senior explained to him that it was forbidden in their culture.
Since that moment, Gatamu made it his duty to break the taboo and bring those people to the light of urbanization; or rather, he had to marry Peninah taboo or no taboo. Upon hearing how serious Gatamu was, and, not to forget his voracity for coinage, Rimberia had found himself a gold mine.
Just like in any other community, there were those that were the enforcers of the law. They were governed by this law and, they would make amendments to it as well. Here in Malaba, the seniors mostly were the enforcers of this law. They also had the power to change them as they deemed right. For the gods, money seemed a better and fast working god. Who could want more?
That day, Gatamu had no choice but to just keep his dream alive. He had to make plans with senior Rimberia on how to get through to Peninah. The easiest alternative was for Rimberia to organize a private meeting for the Prince and Peninah. Nevertheless, a problem needed to be taken care of first.
According to senior Rimberia, it had come time for a new constitution in the canton. Remember, though some of their laws were inhuman, it was not the reason for the change. His greed made it so, and, this time, it was for money. After all, Peninah’s parents could not support this unless there were changes, or, so he thought.
As Rimberia went to work on amending the constitution, Gatamu went back to his land but with Peninah in his heart and mind. He could not tell it to anyone at his home and more so, his parents. Usually, just like there were traditions in the villages, those civilized had their traditions too.
In the case of Gatamu, back at his home, his fate was already sealed. His parents had already chosen a bride for him. She was the daughter of Mr. Mamiti, the assistant provost of Kibich district, a very prominent businessperson and, the richest man in Credonia. Be this as it may, Gatamu knew that the king could never support his love for Peninah. Just as it was unmentionable back in the hamlets, the King could never agree to such a union as well. That was the reason why the villagers thought of such a relationship proscribed.
