“That’s true, Mother, she wouldn’t want to upset everyone just for a bit of attention, surely!” retorted Leona.
Queen Eleaza said, “After all if she was seeking attention she would have said this a long time ago to us first before going all the way to Huru to tell Mama Haga, wouldn’t she? There was just something convincing in her eyes when she spoke about her encounter with the Angel. As the king said, better to believe than to take the risk and finding out the hard way.” Mama Kama rose up slowly and left the queen’s house with a slight nod and in total silence to her home. When she got in, she bolted the door behind her and felt a cold shill down her spine. She was petrified of what was going to happen.
That night after a long chat with the queen, the king decided that he would call on his subjects with yet another announcement. He rose up early the following morning and went out without eating his breakfast. Word went around very quickly that all should gather around the centre of the compound for the king’s address. The king was trying to catch everyone before they went about their daily routines.
After a long wait in silence, the king cleared his throat and bellowed, “Beloved subjects, following the news we heard yesterday about the imminent danger we are facing any day soon, I have seen the immense fear that this news has brought upon us.” He said this looking sternly in the direction of where Mama Kama was standing. The king thought she still looked like she had seen a ghost and her face appeared like she had not had much sleep if any at all.
He continued, "This is the reason why I have called of you here that we should build a big room in the centre of the compound where we held the summer festival, to use as a prayer room. I believe you all agree that some of us may be finding it difficult to pray or even have time to pray for that matter. This way we can encourage one another as a family.
“As you know there is strength in numbers.” The king did not look around for people’s approval, but he kept on to say, "I want all the men, young and old to cut as much wood as possible, mix the dung with the clay to make bricks, burn them in firewood to make them strong, the women and the children must fetch water to use for mixing the clay. I want all hands-on deck to build this room as fast as possible.
"The youngest boys will tend to the flocks, and the gardens, the women must stand in the gap in prayer while the men are working. We cannot afford to slack. Some of the young men must run over to the nearest villages with word that all must pray. I have written letters with my seal on them to show that this is a serious matter, lest they think you are messing around. We cannot afford to leave out our neighbours, they also deserve a chance and their families. They are our neighbours after all.
“That is all for now, now let’s get working starting from today, reorganise your routines and put them on hold until this work is finished, otherwise there is no future for any of us, for we don’t know the day or the time disaster will strike.” The king walked away without saying another word.
He walked towards Mama Kama who was still standing there motionless and bemused and he held her hand in his and calmly said to her, "Mama Kama, I am sorry about the way I behaved yesterday, it was uncalled for to take this situation out on you. You were clearly scared and probably still are and the last thing you needed was me bulldozing your feelings.
“I can assure you that everything you said was meaningful and that is what has given me the idea to bring everyone together so that we can all stand strong together when the time comes. We will seek refuge in the room and pray to God to save us. We cannot succeed if we are doing this separately. So your idea paid off in the end and for that I am grateful to you.”
Mama Kama forced a smile and was amazed to hear the king apologising, she thought she had died and gone to heaven and her mischievous smile beamed across her ashen face and said almost out of breath with delight, "Oh dear King, I understand where you are coming from, I am just glad that we are all going to pull together so that no one will be left out or made to feel scared.
“I don’t think my heart could handle it, but this idea is good and I will do everything in my power to support the work of the building and stand in the gap as you said.”
“Thank you,” the king said and politely pulled his hand away, which Mama Kama was holding onto tightly as she spoke. The king sensed that she was relieved although still quite frightened. He went back to his study to discuss some important matters with Tamura.
Mama Kama went inside her house feeling a lot better and she got on with her cleaning frenzy as well as grooming herself to look her usual best. It’s like the king had given her a new lease of life. She spent most of the day rewinding the king’s apology in her head and reminiscing on how strong the king’s hand was and how warm it was. She was daydreaming again in her little fantasy world.
The men gathered together to give each other duties for the building of the prayer room in the middle of the compound. Luckily, there was not much clearing to do as the area was still pretty much
