Photo by Jackson David
The rushing sound of the waterfall couldn't mute the uproar in her head. Athena of Atanga crouched beside the rocks, dipped her cupped hands into the crystal clear water and emptied it on her face.
The cold water merged with her tears and streamed down her face. She bit her lips in regret and splashed more water on her hair and neck. The weather was hot and humid. She ran for miles as the warriors of Gayur chased after her before stopping for a moment by the sacred waterfall.
She had failed her people and was determined to make things right by warning her king that the Prince of Gayur was on his way with his warriors to conquer the kingdom of Atanga.
Atanga's army had lost the battle. Their army leader, Tera Ngongo, was dead and it was her fault.
Athena broke down and sobbed like her heart would break. "Ziffa," she whispered through her tears to her goddess. "What do I tell the king? He will behead me."
As Atanga's healer and oracle right from birth, she usually accompanied the troops to the warfront or the king whenever he visited another kingdom.
Against the warning of Ziffa, she befriended the king's nephew, Okipka, who arrived some months ago from a long journey to the new world.
Okipka was the first from Atanga to see the new world. He was sent to study their advanced ways and bring the knowledge back to develop Atanga. The king wanted his kingdom informed and ahead of others.
At first sight, the masculine beauty of Okipka captivated her. The spark was instant. He had grown from a lanky, wild boy to a sturdy and good-looking man.
Athena lived all her twenty-seven years dedicated to the service of Ziffa and Atanga. She never thought herself capable of having amorous feelings for another.
Okipka began to visit her hut every night. She became distracted. It began to affect her services to the people of Atanga. One time, the herbal mixture she sent to a nursing mother gave the poor woman diarrhoea. Another time, a wounded soldier convulsed and nearly died because the poultice she prepared for him inflamed the wound rather than heal it.
"I implore you, my daughter, let this young man be or suffer grave consequences," an ebony-skinned, slender woman dressed in a white gown like a goddess, seated on a rock beside the waterfall warned Athena in a vision.
"But mother, he loves me as I love him. I see it in his eyes and feel it in his touch," she argued.
Ziffa gave her a sad smile. "I gave you powers to see beyond the deception of humans but this lad's charm has blinded you."
Athena set her lips in a grim line. "I have served you since I was born. Will you now deny me that which my heart truly desires?"
A deep rumble of thunder shook the cloudy sky. It was the deep sigh of the goddess of Atanga. "Have it your way, my daughter."
Athena woke up from her vision very sad. Her devotion to Ziffa and Atanga warred with her feelings towards Okipka. When he visited her that night, after their intimate moment, he asked how Tera Ngongo, Atanga's army leader, would infiltrate Gayur with the recent intelligence report they received. Everyone knew a war was coming but no one knew how soon.
With her head resting comfortably on his muscled chest, Athena told Okipka the entire plan. Moments later, the king's nephew wished her goodnight and left her hut.
When the soldiers of Atanga marched silently through the forest in the middle of the night to spring a surprise on Gayur, they were the ones caught off guard. They marched straight into an ambush that cost Atanga some of their warriors and the army leader.
In the chaos, Athena cried out to Ziffa for help but heard nothing. She froze for a moment amid flying arrows and spears. The sight of Okipka whispering into the ears of the king of Gayur shocked her.
An Atanga soldier grabbed her arm and pulled her to safety just as a poisoned arrow impaled itself into his calf. His scream jarred Athena out of shock. The poison spread too fast. She bit her fisted hand to smother her cries as the young soldier quietly closed his eyes permanently.
The only thing left was to instruct the others to retreat and she would go ahead of them to Atanga.
The water dripped from her braided kinky hair onto her face and bodice as she stared at the waterfall, its cascading streams putting her in a hypnotic state.
A translucent form of Ziffa slowly appeared, undulating in the streaming waters. Athena began to sob again.
"Your tears solve nothing, Athena," the goddess said.
At the sound of her name, Athena cried more, snot dripping out of her nose. In all the years she had served Ziffa, the goddess had always called her "my daughter."
"Pick yourself up and race to Atanga. Warn the king that Gayur is at his doorstep. Advise him to gather the remaining warriors together and fight. I will give you victory, this time."
Athena fell to her knees in obeisance, mumbling her gratitude like a mantra.
The king accepted the heartbreaking news with courage, thanks to the assurance of Ziffa. The roar of Gayur's oncoming soldiers echoed all over the kingdom as Atanga soldiers prepared to fight.
Athena couldn't stand to watch. Instead, she trudged home and hunched down in a corner, lost in thought.
"Athena! Are you home?" Okipka called some distance away. Her heart skipped a beat. She went outside and watched as he limped towards her, his breathing laboured. There were bleeding wounds on his handsome face and chest.
"Help me, Athena." He collapsed at her feet.
She scooped a spoon of her special poisons, prepared a warm drink in a bowl and sat on a raffia mat. Okipka laid his head on her thighs and held her hand in a tight grip. He was shaking and becoming delirious.
"Why did you betray me?" She asked quietly.
Okipka gazed up at her, his brown eyes filled with remorse.
"I gave you my heart and soul. This is how you repay me?"
"Athena," he whispered. "Heal me and I vow to spend all my days beside you."
Athena nodded and gently fed him the warm drink. As Okipka closed his eyes, Athena pledged her scarred soul to Ziffa forever.
Okipka was given a traitor's burial as Atanga began to rebuild the places damaged in the war.