"My lord, Uganda has sent a courier to speak with you."
Mpinga, the tribe's current chief, nodded and waved him in.
"I bring you greetings from my chief, Banori of Uganda," the messenger said with a bow.
"Send my greetings back when you return, messenger. What word do you have for me?"
"Chief MPinga, we believe we have the child you seek."
MPinga's smile could not be contained when he leaned forward.
"Really? Praise Dunia, Mother of the Cosmos! My people have waited a thousand years to hear those words! Tell me about the child."
"He is a unique child, for sure! Even as a babe he exhibited gifts we had never seen before. His mother died in childbirth and his father at war so the women in the village banded together to care for him as an infant."
MPinga leaned back, interlocking his fingers listening intently.
“The boy has golden-brown eyes that almost glow when he looks directly at you. He is stronger than any child we have ever encountered and when he cries…” The messenger paced back and forth as he spoke. “His body changes into animal form until he is calmed! His abilities seem to be enhancing as he ages. He is a toddler now, but…” He stopped in front of the chief.
“Yes?” MPinga urged.
The messenger sighed. “The truth is the people fear him. The women no longer want to care for him. We don’t know what to do. It is common knowledge that the Gandins have been looking for an extraordinary child and we hoped he was it.”
“Indeed, we are, but my tribe has encountered many babies over the years. All special in their own way, but none were the child we sought. However, this child that you speak of seems to have the most unique qualities I have ever heard. This child sounds like the one that we seek. I will send a representative back with you to see the babe and bring him back to us if he is indeed the one.”
“Thank you, Chief MPinga.”
Excerpt 2:
“My lord, my son has only been the leader in our land for the last five years. We live under his rule now. The people are duty-bound to follow him.”
“And I do not believe the old tales my father spouted when we were children!” the chief interjected angrily. “My brother may believe those old wives’ tales the elders droned on about in our youth, but I do not. I am the only lord here! We have no need of the gods. You should fall on your face and pay homage to me!”
“Silence, Muruso, have you gone mad?” his father stated, yanking on Muruso’s garments.
“Be still, old one,” Rubani said, holding up a patient hand. “Let your leader speak his mind,” he added calmly.
The old man nodded and took a step back. Rubani turned and addressed Muruso, his words calm and to the point.
“I have been through your land. It is clear to me now that you are disrespectful to the gods and have destroyed the soil with your lack of knowledge. You make no use of your elder’s wisdom. I have conquered the armies you sent to put an end to the Buganda people, so you could conquer their territory. We are here to claim what is now theirs and no longer yours. Do you wish to challenge me for that claim?”
Muruso’s overconfidence put a smug look on his face as he listened to Rubani. He openly looked Rubani over with a sneer on his lips. It was true that Muruso stood as tall as Rubani with a strong and powerful build, but a mere mortal would never be a match for the god of war. The look of arrogance in Muruso’s eye told Rubani that he would accept his challenge.
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