Chapter Four
Kesa adorned in white leather and gold ornaments, with a child on each arm, sat on the bamboo raft hoisted up on the shoulders of eight royal Guards, four on each side. Two more walked ahead and two more behind as they made their way through the palace grounds to the ceremonial grounds. The way was lit with torches to commemorate the night of the red moon. The air was drenched in song. The wind carried ululations high into the skies. The women stomped their feet, palpating the ground as they shook their shoulders in rhythm sending swirls of red dust that stained the dew crimson.
Once they arrived at her homestead, they carried Kesa past the row of seats where the nine chiefs and three high priests of Jo-Winga Kingdom sat. On the left were six Kings of the seven kingdoms of the Mabor Empire. Ahead, at the center of the meeting grounds, sat her parents, the King and Queen of Jo-Winga, along with Mali, Tali, and her family. On the right was Twaza. In the middle were The Emperor, the Empress, and their two sons. The royal guards lowered Kesa’s raft and after duly bowing to the royalties, retreated.
Kesa held her babies closer to her. She wished Sila could be there with her. She looked to Twaza for reassurance and he offered her an understanding smile and a small nod. She finally found the courage to face the Emperor and Empress.
The Empress, ethereal in her own ensemble of white leather accented with peacock feathers stood up from her stool and approached Kesa. Kesa bowed her head when the Empress reached her. “Rah-Cheing bless your highness. I’m sorry. I am not able to greet you well.”
The Empress sat down in front of Kesa. “Rah-Cheing bless you Yan-Winga child of Mabor. There is no need to be sorry. We are the ones who have inconvenienced you with this sudden attendance. Forgive us.”
“Not at all. It’s our honor.”
“The honor is all ours, Yan-Winga, to witness the birth of twins on a blood moon, a night no other child has been born since the first ancestor.”
Kesa swallowed a scoff. She knew all too well what this meant. The Emperor and Empress were here to lay claim over her children.
The Empress picked up the boy first and held him up. She then kissed his forehead and returned him to Kesa. She picked up the girl. She smiled and called out to her son. “Taya. Come.”
The prince came over and stood beside his mother. “Rah-Chieng bless you Yan-Winga.” He greeted. Taya’s gaze fell on the girl, then on the boy. He pointed the rubies on his mother’s crown then pointed at the girl “Min-Mabor, this one has rubies in her eyes.”
Kesa’s heart began to palpate. Sila had assured her that their eyes had not turned. She peered at the girl, but the eyes that were glazed over, unable to focus on anything were dark brown.
Taya had now turned to the boy. He pointed at his mother’s opal-beaded necklace and pointed to the boy saying “And this one has opal in his eyes.”
The Empress chuckled at Kesa’s bewildered stare. “Forgive him, The boy is a storyteller. I wonder who he could have gotten it from.”
“He’s a well-mannered child,” Kesa said feeling the tension in her body at ease.
The Empress smiled. “He’s only seen sixty whole moons but talks as if he’s seen a thousand.”
