"Everybody, gather round", General Atap cowed as he held out his staff which was forged from years of erosion to become his staff of authority. Atap was feared and by many, revered by few and had the mandate of the Queen. Of course he knew the Queen trusted him and he was not going to fail his Queen. He knew even other generals envied him for having the Queen's ears and he threaded with caution knowing fully well he had more enemies than friends in the colony.
Atap looked pitifully at the colony as everyone scurried to assemble at the court. The workers quickly left their errands and loads and gathered to listen to Atap for they knew his words were straight from the Queen.
"Her Majesty the Queen wants the young and virgin Queen brought forward immediately", he thundered giving the court a pin-drop silence as fear gripped everyone. This came as a surprise to many as slight murmurs began to build up among the workers and men within. General Atap could read the expression of some agrieved generals that showed a smirk as they were partly glad a virgin Queen existed and could perhaps help them overthrow the long reign of the Queen and ultimatly the right hand of her Majesty, General Atap.
"So, there is a Virgin Queen?" General Tipa asked rhetorically almost in a sarcastic whisper and loud enough to cause a stir with the intention to infuriate General Atap.
"I would not stoop to answer your pretentious curiosity. The Queen will have the Queen Virgin brought forward before noon tomorrow and all accomplices who decline to bring forth the Virgin Queen shall experience the wrath of her Majesty, the Great Queen. You may all be dispersed!" General Atap ordered as he watched everyone disperse from the court. He saw Sika his young cousin with his childhood friend Kida murmuring to each other. He wondered what both of them were up to this time around and hoped it was not going to be for trouble for Sika almost always landed in trouble especially with Kida his friend. It amazed him how both have remained friends till date as Sika his cousin was popular for being mischievous and his friend Kida being the timid one. He had hoped Kida would have influenced Sika to be well mannered but rather, his cousin seemed to be influencing the poor boy.
Memories flooded his thoughts as he vividly remembered his youthful days when he behaved like Sika but quickly tamed his obstinate attitude after he pledged allegiance to her Majesty, the Queen while she fled their former colony which was fast becoming uninhabitable as giants whose heights intimidated them and would rather stamp them out than let them live in harmony soon began to raid their homes. These giants known as humans ravaged several colonies, erected tall structures and made bare their habitations. General Atap had helped the Queen locate this cave and this is all he knew as his home, likewise most in this colony. He knew uprisings have begun to rise as some factions are displeased about the Queen's prolonged reign. Whatever the plans were, he was not going to let the Queen be dethroned easily. The cave had began to show signs of weakness with the cracks getting more obvious and he knew it was only a matter of time when the need to relaocate would arise. He hoped the Queen would be safe as conspirators even among the workers began to uprise.
He watched Sika and Kida disappear beyond the court's walls. He wondered if actually the virgin Queen would be brought forward by those that hid her. He needed to ensure the reign of her Majesty, the Queen was not threatened by any young and virgin Queen. General Atap withdrew to his chamber to freshen up. As dusk beckoned, he sent for his trusted soldiers and workers who he relied upon to feed him information from uprising conspirators. Tonight would prove if the rumors were valid or otherwise.
After instructing his spies to relay any unusual movements to him without delay, he dressed up casually to walk the corridors of the workers' quarters. This he did occasionally to feign as a commoner perhaps he would get the information he so much craved for. As night fell, he took a path that led him through a secret path. He took this path leading to the cave's exterior which gives him a spot to have one time view of the cave's entrance and surrounding. He missed the soothing breeze that blew whenever he enjoyed the view from his top. This was one secret path he was unwilling to disclose to anyone. The path was rough and his vision quickly adjusted to the darkness that ensued.
General Atap let out a sigh of relief as the breeze at his sacred and secret spot welcomed him to the cave's exterior. He looked at the far distance and could barely make out the huge trees that stood against the winds that blew hard on them. 'How long has it been since he went beyond?' he thought to himself. He had always scared the workers and men of tales of giants that lived beyond the forests. Perhaps the tales were true but he would not risk any of his men or workers venturing into the world of unknown. He laid on his supine and stared into the far distant stars in the sky imagining a world up there and wondered if any living being lived up there.
General Atap heard whispers that sounded familiar and just then, he woke up. Could he have slept off at his usual spot? He heard footsteps approaching and he could make out his young cousin's voice, Sika.
"Quickly Kida, we must get the virgin Queen beyond the forest", Sika whispered to Kida as a third figure lagged behind both of them. It was dawn already and day was beginning to break as the far distance yet hoarded the sun from shining in the horizon. General Atap swiftly hid behind a huge rock as he saw his cousin and friend lead the Virgin Queen down the slope and into the forest. 'How did Sika discover this secret path? And Sika was the one that hid the Virgin Queen? Is history repeating itself?' General Atap had many thoughts run through his mind like the rush of many waters. He followed the trio secretly behind till they were all at the boundary of their territory. This was the farthest General Atap had gone. He wondered if Sika and Kida were running away with the Virgin Queen to set up a new colony or if they feared the wrath of her Majesty, the Queen.
General Atap increased the space between him and the trio as the day had broken and it would be easier for him to be sighted while following the trio. Just when he felt he needed to confront them, he saw them fall into a hole which looked familiar. This hole was deep and wide, made in the sands and were multiple, leading to a direction ahead. General Atap froze in shock 😲, 'FOOTPRINTS'. His naive cousin, friend and virgin Queen had fallen into the giant human's footprints and gone ahead running without stop. Was this an adventure to them or were they going to make a colony close to where the humans lived? He yet stood there frozen as he dreaded the giant human's encroachment into their territory. He needed to hurry back to the colony to alert everyone the human's were closing in on their habitation. General Atap staggered back as he fled into the forest leading to the cave's entrance. He knew he can't go through his secret path in the daytime and climbing such heights would only limit the time he got to his colony. He prayed his cousin Sika would find a suitable colony for the Virgin Queen as he dashes into the cave with the sound of alarm, 'FOOTPRINTS', the humans are upon us!
Thank you for reading through, I hope you enjoyed it?
Would love your comments and contributions 🤗