Page 106 of Firstborn of the Sun
‘Why do you keep calling her that?’ L’?r? asked.
‘It’s her name,’ he replied, irritated.
‘Okay, everyone, sit down!’ Ìyá-Idán said, taking her usual seat at the head of the table.
‘First, tell me what happened?’ Ìyá-Idán said to Mj?.
Mj? sighed. ‘I was at a bar house when a warrior maiden came in asking for anyone who had seen the prince,’ he glared at Alawani. ‘I was about to leave when she noticed Márùn and said she recognized her. Márùn put up a much better fight than I could have, but still, the maiden nearly killed her. I stepped in and only managed to escape because the entire bar turned on the maiden. They only attacked the maiden as an act against the Holy Order; still, without the chaos of their rage, we’d have never gotten out alive. It was horrible. The maiden killed them all and set it all ablaze. It’s mayhem outside.’ He paused. ‘They need to leave now. The entire city will burn you alive if they discover they are losing their homes and loved ones because you’re protecting the oath-breaker’s son.’
L’?r? saw Alawani look away, and she understood his shame.
‘I am not protecting him,’ Ìyá-Idán quietly said. ‘I am protecting her.’
‘And who is she?’ Mj? spat back.
‘Look at her and tell me.’
Mj? frowned, squinting his eyes for a moment, then sighed. ‘We don’t have time for this. I’ve never seen this girl in my life.’
‘Yes, but whose eyes are those?’
Mj? peered again, straining his neck as if trying to see inside her.
L’?r? knew the exact moment the realization hit him. She noticed his eyes growing wider and his lips parting in surprise.
‘Mremí,’ he said the word like he’d seen a ghost. ‘It’s not possible.’
‘This is L’?r?. She is Mremí’s firstborn,’ Ìyá-Idán replied slowly.
Mj? swung his head so fast that L’?r? thought it might fall off his neck. He brought out a cigar and lit it with his fingers as if he couldn’t comprehend what he was hearing without taking in a swag. He let the smoke pour out of his mouth and said, ‘Queen from the north. I’ll be damned.’
‘Queen of Oru,’ Ìyá-Idán said, standing to her feet.
Mj? shook his head. ‘No, no. Don’t do that. I’ll not swear allegiance to this girl. The Holy Order will find her tomorrow, and what then? I will have to jump in front of the sword headed for her neck? Duty or not, I don’t want to die for the wrong heir.’
‘Your life is hers whether or not you pledge it,’ Ìyá-Idán said. ‘You don’t get to choose who wears the crown, but you must protect them, as we all must. She is our queen.’
Mj? got up from his chair and threw it against the wall. He let out a deep groan, hands on his knees. ‘I’m too old for this,’ he said, looking to Ìyá-Idán.
L’?r? could only watch as they discussed her. She didn’t understand what was happening. Why did this man feel he had to pledge allegiance to her? She’d asked him for nothing. She’d never ask him to die for her or ask anyone to. This bloodline meant nothing to her other than all she’d lost even before she had it. The crown meant nothing to her. With Baba-Ìtàn and Alawani by her side, she’d never return to these cursed lands.
‘I don’t understand. What’s happening?’ L’?r? said to Ìyá-Idán.
‘My father named me Àdùk. My girls call me Ìyá-Idán, but my duty to this kingdom is to be Méje. I am Seven. This is Mj?. He is Eight. We are twelve. We are –’
‘Don’t tell her!’ Mj? shouted.
‘She is our queen,’ Ìyá-Idán replied. ‘She is our duty.’
‘We reveal ourselves only to the sovereign after the coronation and never in front of another living soul!’ Mj? said, eyeing Alawani.
‘We don’t have time for that, Mj?. Without us, that crown may never sit on her head. And she refuses to part with the prince – they are in love,’ Ìyá-Idán added almost mockingly.
‘This just keeps getting better!’ Mj? laughed. ‘The others will never believe this or accept her as their queen, and you know that.’
‘We will make them believe,’ Ìyá-Idán replied firmly.
Mj? shook his head. ‘Heads will roll for this.’
