She looked up and saw a man fighting with his spirit to remain upright. In his hand was a small gourd, no doubt whatever was in it was responsible for his swaying and not the wind. She shook her head and smiled.

“Why are you following me?” she asked.

“Me? Follow you? Enhe, stretch out your feet and place them against mine, do they fit? Does it look like I can step where you have stepped with those tiny feet?”

“Well, then, it was nice meeting you, do not follow me if you want to keep your throat!”

“Enhe! Wait…just wait daughter of the most beautiful one, you should not go back right now.”

“I see, so you are following me and where do you think I am going back to?”

“You are as stubborn as the donkeys that we whip! Look, I don’t care what you think of me, but I find it easier to be dismissed by fools not by wise ones. So I will tell you again, you should not go back right now, if you like, you can ask me why.”

“Why?”

“Because it is not yet time and why would you leave the one you love in the hands of the one who wants to sway his heart towards her?”

“That, like the rising and setting of the sun is none of your concern, what worries me is why you hide behind the drink when you do not worship it.”

“Ah, I always knew you were a smart thing, but Enzi is the kingdom of fools and do you know what happens to anyone who thinks otherwise? We bind them, pour ash on them and strike them until they go mad and then we summon the entire kingdom to prove we were right.”

“Shoka, son of Imara…it is a pleasure to finally meet you.”

“Naima, daughter of the most beautiful one, Queen of Enzi, ruler of the four kingdoms, daughter of the sun, friend of the moon and fearer of none…the pleasure is all mine.”

“Just call me Naima and would you keep that gourd away? You are neither a drunk nor a mad man, now tell me why I should not go back to Enzi and do not remind me of the plot between Zuriand the Queen of Yajayo to keep Zola in custody until I return. I know all too well when a girl yearns for a man, or have you forgotten that the wicked witch of Enzi has four daughters?”

“Princess, you sell yourself short…sometimes we have to fight ourselves to get what we deserve.”

“Zola can decide for himself.”

“Have you made yourself an option my Princess?”

“Do I have to?”

“Oh, beautiful one…many men may fall at your feet, but the one you want to look into your eyes should know that you choose to lift them off the ground. The one who so yearns to be with you needs to know that you’ll fight for him just as much as you are fighting for yourself, the memory of your mother and the women of Enzi…didn’t anyone ever teach you that?”