CHAPTER ONE

 ONE LAST ARCHERY TRAIN

“Off with the Queen’s head!” She roared. 

“My queen, perhaps you might reconsider! She is your mother!” The advisor begged. 

“My mother? Are you calling her mother, my minister? After all she did to me?” She cackled in a mockery. 

“She is your mother. No matter how much you despised her—!” He paused. 

“Give to me!” She snarled. 

She stood up from his ten horns enormous throne made of gold with sea-blue gem-colored cushion. He marched where the queen was kneeling while guards held her on both sides. 

“And I say off with her head—!” She stopped. 

She decapitated his mother, and her head and body collapsed to the floor with a thud. 

“—That is what you shall do! I have no time to listen to your nonsense excuses. For crying out loud, I am the king!” She roared. 

She marched back to the gigantic throne and sat on it with a wicked smirk. 

Last night, the galloping hooves were like thunder. None of the African community villagers knew that the guards were coming. They lived in a messy meadow that was near the mile-away woods region. None of them would expect such an attack. 

“Everyone must be gathered around the palace’s courtyard. Guards!” The lord ordered. 

“We heard you, my lord. Boys, you know what to do!” One guard commanded. 

After the door burst wide open, six guards came inside like a swarm in the family where Matondo lived. 

Matondo Eleah (Mercedes-Bénisse), 18 years old. 

He is the son of a skillful swordsmith, but he was accused of using sorcery, and the punishment was beheading. 

His astonishing chestnut skin-colored, curly noir hair into an irresistible haircut, and mahogany eyes. He wore a long-sleeved white sweater, a noir navy jacket, jeans, and chestnut leather shoes. 

His thick sea-blue long-sleeved sweater, navy blue protective armory, thick jeans, and black boots were what he was going to wear in the competition to the death. 

His favorite rice porridge and African dish is Fufu. His father taught him to cook when he was eight and to hunt for antelopes. He apologized to it before an arrow would pierce into its skull. 

All he wants is to rescue my people from being wiped out by nobles. All of them have accused us of being responsible for causing drown-out across the earth. 

Other competitors from rich families have colored archery, which symbolizes their noble status. 

His house was burned to the ground, so he only slept in the open field in the meadow where my enormous cabin house used to stand. 

His mother died in labor, but no matter all the painful sorrow he faces in life, few people in their village are generous to him. 

All the family of five, including him, were dragged out of the house. 

They all watched their houses burn to ashes, as they were gathered around on one spot with the rest of the other African villagers. 

“We cannot keep our queen waiting. Make sure none of them escaped!” The lord stated. 

All of Matondo’s people were around like mindless savages in the front of the courtyard of the cabin mansion. 

It was the house of the people who took him in after his father was beheaded by the Queen’s guards for doing sorcery, but it was all untrue. 

Even worse, they were sitting on cold muddy ground; the houses were no more. 

Only smoke was all they could see. 

Many of the younger children were crying in fright, but their parents calmed them down. 

“Matondo.” One of the family boys said. 

“I am listening, my little one,” I stated. 

“Would you mind telling me if you are going to die?” He asked. 

“Um, don’t be frightened. And everything is in God’s hands. If we are going to die, it is God’s will. If not, it is God’s will too.” I said. 

“I see. I am scared. He swallowed. And fear not my friend, because God is in control, understand. I declared. Majesty. And we welcome you into this negro’s unpleasant community.” He said. 

“That’s enough. And how dare you say that word in my presence?” She roared. 

“Forgive me, my queen.” He gulped. 

“Better be.” She snarled. 

“And you boy! Could you be the late swordsmith’s son, isn’t it?” she demanded. 

“I am my queen,” I stated. 

“Marvelous. Guards, bring him to me.” She ordered. 

“Right away, Majesty.” One guard added. 

Later, Matondo was taken to his feet in front of the queen. 

“Here he is, Majesty. And what shall we do?” the guard asked. 

“Take him to the competition to the death. All the lives of these people are in his. If the Holy One of Israel, He is going to use him mightily. Surely, this is going to be the best show to watch.” She laughed nervously. 

The guards nodded, put him on the horse, and rode with him to the palace. 

“My queen, what about the rest of his kins?” the lord asked. 

“Take them away to the palace’s courtyard. If he loses or dies in the competition. Massacres, all of them, understand.” she demanded. 

“Excellent. And all of you boys you heard, our queen. Escorted the rest of them to the palace’s courtyard, fast.” He declared. 

After the guards agreed, they surrounded the innocent African people. They forced them to walk on foot to the palace. 

Two days passed, and Matondo was with all the noble competitors in the competition armory chamber’s mile-away court field. 

All of them were in front of the archery aiming circle target. 

Even worse, they have one week to best their bow and arrow in archery weaponry. 

Meaning that they want to best their opponents because it was their last training. 

Matondo was the first one in the line to aim at the target circle. 

“Nice shot, my boy!” He said. I beg your pardon. And why is savage doing in my domain?” He roared furiously. 

“Um, my lord. It is the Queen that brought him here.” One competitor stated. 

“Brought by the Queen herself. And I must find the underlying cause of this! Would you mind telling me your name, savage?” He shouted. 

“My name is not valuable, my lord. If you insist, I am called Matondo!” I swallowed. 

“Matondo? And what kind of ridiculous name is that?” He snickered. 

“My name means mercy in my mother’s birthplace language,” I answered. 

“Nice. And for now. In my competition, your name is no longer Matondo. Besides, you are in my world you shall be called Mercedes-Bénisse. No traditional name in my competition, understand!” He growled. 

I swallowed hard while glancing at him with a nod. 

“Imagine me calling you, my boy. This abomination is in the highest order. And your kindness is the reason we are in this cursing situation. Our Queen must have a quick solution to eliminate all your kind, Bénisse. Or else blood will be shedding!” He snarled. 

“No need to worry yourself, uncle, I will make sure he loses the competition. Even worse, none of our people across the earth will accept this negro on the throne of Marigold.” His nephew snickered. 

“Um, nicely spoken my boy. And I give you, my blessings. Listen to me Bénisse you do not belong here. It would be best if you go back to whatever gutter hole you came out of it!” He demanded. 

“No can do, my lord. Am I getting insulted by you nobles, but I am not going to disobey my Queen! No more putting my few people in pain, sorrow, and suffering from you tyrants, understand me, my lord!” I shouted. 

“Fine, I am not going to stop you. It’s your funeral, negro. Even worse, it is quite naive of you to be loyal to a person who hates you with passion. I mean, like all of us nobles!” He cackled. 

I couldn’t hold my tears anymore, so I ran away from the enormous luxurious marble stone competitors’ chamber. 

“My good God, oops. Would you look at that, I hurt his feelings. And make sure you are back, Bénisse!” He laughed in a mockery way. 

All my fellow contestants burst out laughing hard. 

In the middle of its pure gold stone floor, was a real fine red cushion line. Only royals and nobles can walk on it, not a commoner boy like me. 

In the corner of a far distance, were all kinds of available weaponry to choose from. 

Bénisse’s archery equipment weaponry was colored white mixed with red. It is a symbol of my common background. 

After he was done sleeping on the open field in the meadow where my enormous cabin house used to stand, he found himself wandering into the marketplace. He was looking for something to eat. 

“My prince, please I beg of you! Would you let go of my daughter? I am pleading with you.” The man’s voice apologized. 

“No, I cannot do, old man. Besides, don’t you want your daughter to marry into royalty?” He chuckled. 

“No thank you. Neither am I going to allow my daughter to marry a spoiled arrogant fool like you! Besides, those innocent African community people the Queen gathered have nothing to do with a drought of water in Marigold. It is nothing but another excuse from those wicked nobles into the royal courtroom!” He shouted. 

“I beg your pardon. And what did you call me? Guards!” He shouted. 

“My Prince. One of them declared. Out with his head!” He ordered. 

“Right away my prince.” One guard said. 

After the innocent man was knocked down to the muddy ground, the prince unleashed his double-edged sword, and he smiled wickedly at him. 

“Even if you cut off my head, I will not stop talking. I will shout the truth for everyone to hear it!” He declared. 

Enraged, the wicked prince raised his sword and decapitated the innocent man. He watched the man’s body collapsing to the ground. As the wicked prince and his guards laughed. 

CHAPTER TWO

NOT A GOOD SAMARITAN

He came to kneel in front of his body and wiped the blood of his sword with the man’s clothes.  

“Typical. And it is surely shocking that I am wiping my sword with the dead man’s dirty peasantry clothes. Even so, he had left me an astonishing daughter for me to spoil.” The prince mocked.  

“Take her away to my court chamber!” He commanded.  

“No! No. Papa! Papa! Papa, wake up, please! Let go of me, my prince. No! No, please! Papa! Papa! No-o-o!” She screamed.  

Bénisse watches the innocent girl being taken away by the guards. My good Jesus. And if you become the king, we will all be in a lot of sorrow. First, my community’s responsibilities are on my shoulders. And what about people who were simple farmers? If he sits on the throne of Marigold, I am not sure what fate a wait for my people, I thought loudly.  

All the villagers' people in their stores of the marketplace watched the decapitated body of the once kind-hearted man lay lifeless there unburied. Others of them were passing by it without a care in the world.  

Later, it started raining down endlessly, but Bénisse marched on the decapitated body, picked it up, and rushed away out of sight. Marketplace villager farmer watched him going further and further away out of their sight. He finds himself digging the grave in the meadow where his enormous cabin home used to be and burying the body of the innocent old man.  

After he had done burying him, he felt something knocking him hard to the ground. 

Abruptly, he felt hands grabbing him on both sides.  

“My, my if it is not a good Samaritan? Responsible for stealing an old man’s body that I beheaded.” He scowled.  

“Classic. And you are most welcome. Besides, it is nice to see you imbecile crowned prince who goes around to take what doesn’t belong to him. Have you ever wondered why the old man you murdered did not want you to marry his daughter? For your information, I have chosen to compete for the hand of the princess. But I do not want that. All I want is to salvage my few African community people. If you do me harm my friend, you will have the Queen, your mother to contempt with, Clueless!” I laughed.  

“Either way, my people are going to die.”  

“Fine, fine. And that is a good one, either way, I will let you be. If you get in my way next time, you will face severe consequences. Guards, let him be.” He cackled. 

“Classic! And next time do not leave the body of a man or a woman that you are slaying lying around. For your information, you forgot to say thank you—!” I grunted. 

When one of his guards beat a lesson out of him where you taste salty blood.  

“My good God. And now look how messy you are. Would you mind telling me who are you to give me orders around?” He asked.  

“Nobody,” I said.  

“Correct, a nobody!” He answered.  

“Though am I being a nobody, but a wise future king listens to his people. No matter their status. And not a senseless mad boy like you. And once you are crowned king, may God help us all because Marigold will suffer severely.” I roared.  

“Forgive me, farmer boy, you are barking at the wrong tree. Neither am I going to listen to a peasant farmer boy like you! Especially, not a chestnut skin color person like yourself, common boy! This advice from you is a hard pass. Why am I even having this conversation with you? I mean, slapping words with you?” He scolded in a mockery way.  

“No idea. Would you mind telling me the reason?” I laughed.  

Infuriated, Bénisse watched the crowned prince unleash his sword but put it back in its sheath.  

“Forget it! And why am even bother?” He uttered.  

After the guards pushed him hard to the ground, they climbed on their horses and rode off to where they belonged. 

Around that time, in the courtroom of the throne, the Queen and her noble people were enjoying all kinds of drinks.  

“Majesty, it has been decades since we set eyes on our astonished princess. And we would love it if she were here,” One asked.  

“Our treasure jewelry of our kingdom she is in her chambers, but she is too petite for older men like you. Neither am I going to bother her with such a thing.” She scolded. 

“I see. Men, we were wondering. I mean, we are celebrating her eighteenth birthday. Isn’t that old enough?” Another one asked.  

“Nope. Some of you men are in your thirties, others forties, and fifties, and some of you are much older. So, it is a hard pass.” She declared.  

“Nice one my queen. Besides, what about those vermin chocolate people? Would you mind telling us what we should do?” The third one asked.  

Everyone is not fond of them. We need to get rid of them!” The fourth man roared.  

“It is an abomination in the highest order, my Majesty. For their children mixing with our children. That is not right!” The fifth one roared.  

“Men. Men! No need to worry your mind. After all, I have chosen one of them to compete to the death. If he loses or dies in the competition, then it won’t be a problem. And then they will end up being wiped out by the death of beheading. So, relax and drink, my friends.” The queen cackled.  

“Excellent. Long live the Queen! And we must eat and enjoy this classic mastermind from our majesty.” All cheered.  

All watched the Queen dash to see it on her gigantic throne with a disappointed expression on her face. In her immersible, the wicked noble people were laughing, shouting, chattering, drinking, and dancing with their partners. All of them were celebrating the misfortune of Bénisse’s people.  

Outside into the evening, all of Bénisse’s few African community villagers were in an enormous circular stadium arena in the courtyard of the Palace. Even worse, inside the circular stadium arena were great rectangular holes with metal bars that were ravenous beasts locked indoors.  

All the noble people wanted was to get rid of the chestnut skin color people because they did not want any mixing color with their daughters. Nor their sons marrying their girls and their boys with the noble families’ girls.  

Adding, it was raining endlessly on them while they shivered to the core, but they had no choice but to stand in the freezing rain. Neither were any rooms for them to hide.  

“Papa?” Bénisse’s friend stated.  

“I am listening to you carefully child. And what is wrong?” He asked back.  

“Um, do you think Matondo will be fine? Or save us all?” He asked.  

“All of us need to have faith because He is the only one who knows that way. And I am sure Matondo is going to be fine for I believe God will use him mightily to save us. But if it is God’s will to die, so be it.” He declared.  

His little boy nodded with a joyous expression, ran out of his father’s arms, and went to dance in the rain. All other children came to join him, were dancing, and singing praises to God with laughter.  

Later, Bénisse rushed into the courtyard competition chamber of the palace. He was wearing his common background color of the competition rainproof trench coat reaching his feet. He observed around but no one was there.  

Bénisse took out his archery weapon, put on the arrow, and released it in the direction of the circling target. He watched the arrow piercing the mark, the red dot in the middle of the whiteboard. Bénisse did it over and over unstopped at the point his arms were sore. He screamed in frustration but continued doing it. Abruptly, he cast the bow to the ground in rage.  

“Easy, easy there my boy. And you should not be hard on your bow. Besides, you should know that it has nothing to do with what you are going through! Apart from that, it is nice to meet you, new kiddo.” The male voice stated.  

He turned around where he met face-to-face with an old man.  

“Nice, nice, you seem enraged about something. Would you mind sitting down? Um, tell me what is wrong?” He asked.  

“Are you asking me what is wrong mister? Seriously? Neither do I want to sit down! For your information, I am in a tough situation.” I roared.  

“Real?” He blinked. 

“Exactly. First, I am an orphan. And my few African communities are in the courtyard waiting to be massacred. I mean if I lose or am killed in the competition to the death. Their lives are upon my shoulders.” I exhaled.  

“Is that the reason you are harming your bow? It seems you are calm now,” He laughed quietly.  

“That is right. Besides, what do you mean I am calm down, mister? And what is talking about having the princess’s hand when you win the competition?” I asked.  

“No idea grumpy boy. And it seems as if you have company!” He laughed joyously.  

Bénisse observed the old man directing the way where he saw a tiny looking at them but hiding at the corner of the wall. He saw the tiny girl before she could hide and burst out laughing hard. Bénisse could still see the tiny astonishing girl's head peeking at him. 

 

CHAPTER THREE

 EVILNESS OF THE PRINCE

When Bénisse saw the tiny unquiet girl’s head at the corner of the wall, she saw all his enraged casting his bow to the ground. She was observing him for quite of sometimes. Even before the old man would come to tell him to take it easy. 

Additionally, the tiny girl might be curious to know what caused him to do such a thing, but now she knows. 

“My new friend was curious too about the reason you threw away your archery weapon. It seems as if you have a fan. And I have known the reason you were furious, so is she. Because you explained to us. Would you mind telling me how you feel now?” The old man demanded. 

“I am feeling much better, thank you very much. And would you mind telling me why are you here?” I asked. 

“Um, I only came to see the contestants who will fight to death in the competition. My good Jesus there was only one of you.” He said. 

“No, there are many of us. I went out for a moment.” I stated. 

“Would you mind telling me what happened that caused you to leave?” He asked. I see. And why do you want to about my problem?” I asked. 

“I am curious that is all. Adding, it is my first time seeing you here in the weaponry’s courtroom. I mean, the competition chamber,” he repeated. 

“And by the way my name is Zayit.” He continued. 

“Huh, are you telling me—? And why is your name similar to our old king?” I asked.

“No idea. Maybe it is a coincidence,” he laughed. 

“My name is Bénisse. Not my real name of course, but Matondo.” I exhaled. 

“Prefect, because Bénisse is a marvelous name.” Zayit chuckled. 

And then you are the first one.” I declared. 

“I am too, Benni.” He nodded. 

“Bénisse, there you are! And my king, you are up?” Bénisse’s trainer gasped. 

Bénisse overhears the running step sound and he realizes it is the tiny girl he had seen from the start. 

“Evening, Lord Nicolas. And I am still stronger though I might be an old man,” he said. 

“Marvelous. Besides, there you are Bénisse. And you are here just in time. Adding, you almost got me into trouble with the queen.” Nicolas scolded. 

Impressum

Tag der Veröffentlichung: 13.08.2023

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Widmung:
This book is based on the truthful Biblical story of Esther.