BENIANDU

Bebiandu walked brazenly into Tha forest as the Council of Disbandment, twenty villagers of fifteen men and five women, a few family members of hers; Aunties Fathdu, Cathwa and Shareende, and Uncles Boro and Gora watched her disappear into the forest. The watchers were forbidden to wail, groan or express their feelings, while outcasts were forbidden to look back as they journeyed through the passage of the forest. Like many other Exiles before her, Beniandu could not tell whether her watchers were enthusiastic or apathetic.

After Beniandu disappeared, Aunty Fathdu, an unattractive unmarried woman in her thirties clutched twenty-year-old Aunty Cathwa’s thin hands and whispered into her ears:

“Tha has meted out justice. Lakosi would not rule forever.”

Aunty Cathwa nodded and walked away from the scene with Aunty Shareende, while Uncles Bora and Gora approached Aunty Fathdu:

“Fathdu have you considered the stranger’s proposal?” Uncle Gora asked as the other villagers dispersed.

“You are not getting any younger Fathdu and we need you married off before the Villagers accuse us that our family is under a spell.” Uncle Bora added.

Fathdu, stung by Uncle Bora’s statement responded:

“We should be celebrating Tha for meting out justice to Lakosi. Or is my marriage now worth more being celebrated than our god?” She asked rhetorically.

“See, the stranger came into town last night and he claims he is from beyond the East of the forest. Lakosi believes him because he speaks our dialect and tells him stories about the East that our Ancestors told. I just sense this man is dubious because the old storyteller claims he was exiled when she was five.” She tried to convince her uncles that the stranger was phoney.