Chapter 2 I WONDER AS I WANDER

"Good morning your highness, your father sent for you". Said the maid. "He is waiting for you in the garden". "Tell my father I'll be there soon". I replied. After the meeting with the eastern and southern rulers, my father's desperate act drove me to consider if this was the best or the only way to rid ourselves of the British and the company.

"You sent for me father?" I said when I walked up to him in the garden.

"Yes, walk with me son." My father replied " Are you angry with the decision I made?" He continued "I assure you I made that decision keeping you in mind son."

I was about to explode when he spoke those words but I managed to keep my cool and decided on my words before I said "Father, there's no need to justify your words and actions to me or anyone even, you are the king and every decision you make is for the greater good of our kingdom".

"Listen to me child, you are my son and I really care about you and your well-being"... "I know father"... I trailed off as my father raised his hand in the air.

"I'm still talking boy and you should know better than anyone that I do not like being interrupted whenever I'm speaking". "I'm so sorry your highness it was my mistake". I said.

"Another interruption son but I'll let this one slide, it seems you have a lot on your plate but that's expected. This is the burden you carry as the heir of the Annang kingdom". "You'll be leaving for Liverpool in two months time, use this time to bid farewell to your friends and after your return from England, you'll be getting married at the earliest, am I understood?"

I was at a loss for words and could only nod as affirmation to father's words.

"Very good then, you can leave, it wouldn't be right to keep you from enjoying the rest of your day son." He said.

After the so called "walk" in the garden with my dearest father, the rest of my day was surely going to be bad.

"As if sending me to faraway lands wasn't enough he wants to force me to get married." I muttered to myself as I went back to my chambers. There was a maid standing in the hallway, I turned and said to her "Hey you, what's your name?"

"I-Idara your h-highness." She stammered "is there a-anything you need my-my lord, I'll bring it to you right away"

"Brush up on your words Idara, I shall have no tolerance for the filth you spew." I said coldly to her still fuming from the talk from my morning walk with the king.

"Bring some food to my room, I won't be eating at the dining this morning." I ordered. After my breakfast I went to meet with my friend Afia who was the son of one the chiefs in Annang. I told him I wasn't happy about having to go to a foreign country not to mention England, the very home of our greatest enemies.

"If it makes you feel any better, my father told me I'll be joining our little expedition in Britannia." Afia said.

"Your father forced you too?" I asked.

"He didn't force me, I volunteered. As much as I detest this decision, the fact remains that we have no other choice." He continued "We have been backed into a corner with barely any chance of escaping so it's best we surrender and then attack when we stand a much better chance at victory. You know what they say; if you can't beat them, you join them, but here's the catch, when the British think they've won and relax their defenses, we attack in such a way that they'll never rise against us in battle ever again.

"Finally someone's making sense today." I thought to myself. "Afia, you know even from the time we were children you've always been the smarter one." I said to him.

"And you're always the stronger one, that's why we make a good pair my friend." Afia said. "And we'll always be friends for life or at least until we die in war." I sadly responded.

*TWO WEEKS LATER*

A message arrived at evening from Afikpo that the forces of the Obong (Lord) of Calabar were defeated at Bakassi.

"Well, that was expected." My father said. "I had tried to convince him that open warfare against the white man was akin to suicide but he would not listen. This wasn't a battle of charms and his spiritual powers wouldn't help him in battle and now only the gods know what will become of him."

"What happened to the Obong?" I asked the messenger.

"My prince, he has been captured and is being prepared for trial and I can only imagine his punishment..."

"That's enough out of you, it's not in your place to think about what punishment will be meted out on the king, leave." I commanded. As soon as the messenger left I turned in my father's direction, I knew exactly what was on his mind as locked my eyes on his.

I didn't even wait for him to speak when I said to the hearing of everyone; "I think it's best I leave as soon as possible."

I could have sworn my mother had something to say about this but she was just quiet. Silence hung in the air and after what seemed like eternity, my father spoke.

"You'll be leaving in three days, we have to make sure everything is set before the British March into Annangland and the neighbouring kingdoms, that's all."