The queen returned to the tree house that was about fourteen feet above the ground. She went in search of the king but she could not find him inside. He must be somewhere down and she had to find out where it is. She hastened to the balcony, she held the rail and looked down the compound. Up there, she could take the view of the whole thing. Including some nearby compounds. Though, trees hid some. Her pupils rolled in her sclera in search of her husband. She saw him eventually sitting under one of the umbrella-like tree, resting while his servant stood motionless beside him. She was certain that her husband was not only resting. He would probably be waiting for visitors.
She heard faint distant voices. She looked at the direction it was coming from. she could see prisoners working cooperatively in the arena where the festival was to hold that night, but the scene was not vivid, for the waving verdant foliage of the large tree and that of those far, near the arena were obstructing her view. Looking from the balcony the leaves of the tree bearing the cottage shields the entire compound.
Clearing of the bushes in the arena was done by the prisoners and by that time they were through with it. Each one doing what he could and according to size. They were led to their rocky caves down the Eastward slop by the officers in charge. The rhino was the chief officer in charge of the prisons. He was the only surviving rhino in the community. He lost his family in a battle and ever since then he’s been living a lonely life which contributed to the reasons they made him the prison chief-- for compensation. So that there will be people around him. Yet, life has been sour for him without his family. And he refused to rebuild another family of his own.
He took the prisoners as his family and they respected him as a father. He was like a king there and they, like his subjects. He doesn’t maltreat them. Sometimes he defend or intercede on their behalves. Only what could not be granted to them was freedom to movement, choice, association and work. Rodents dominated the cells. And their major crimes was pilfering. There, crimes determine how long one would stay in captivity. There were some who only few elders of the community could remember how long they have been jailed. Those have taken the prison as their home due to there’s no hope of discharge. Their crime might involve deliberate murder, rape, demolishing or snatching of properties or spouse. For those were the crimes considered worse and has a longer term imprisonment.
Whoever attempted escaping from the prison or that’s fond of causing more trouble while still in the prison is banished and if ever found anywhere around the boundaries he or she is to be terminated. Penalty for some crimes involve ostracizing, stoning, hanging, drowning, throwing down from a high cliff, torture etc. Jailing was better than most of the penalty.
She had to run down the stairs to remind the king that the time for the show was fast approaching and he had to start preparing himself earlier so that he don’t end up hurrying. Not that there was no servant around to do that, she just wanted to go by herself. It was mandatory that the king must be in the arena not because he was going to partake in any entertainment but it is expected that he must be there for the show to kick off. There is a good purpose for that. Therefore, he comes when almost everyone is there, waiting.
The purpose for this gathering was mainly to draw the community together at least once in a while whereas promoting peace, unity and also familiarity. It was designed for everybody whether rich, poor, old, young, male or female. And whoever that’s talented is given a chance to display or present. And the first three winners receive a big reward at the end. Through this festival the life of many have changed for good. Some of the king’s servant won the swiftest runner few years back and the chimpanzee as the best crafted animal. There are many other animal who sometimes won for their unique or outstanding skills.
Reaching where the king was, she discovered that the king was not there with only the antelope. The secretary was there too, with his smallish and colorful body. The parrot has smooth feathers painted with bright blue, red and yellow colors, with a nicely curved beak. He’s the king’s closest cabinet member, the secretary. He was given the post because of his retentive memory, fluency and adroit.
“Oh you are here!” the queen exclaimed.
“Oh yeah. Greetings your majesty” the parrot did as suppose by standing and a slight gentle bow. But his standing and sitting showed no difference.
“Greetings my honorable secretary. You’re welcome”
“Thank you”
“You are welcome once more. How’s your family?”
“We’re all doing great”
“That’s our daily prayers” She said smiling. The same smile that made her mother for all. The smile she gives to everyone irrespective of age and level. Answerable to everyone. She’s humble, respectful notwithstanding her royal status. She’s compassionate and benevolent too. The secretary honored her presence by pausing his discussion so that she can say or do what she had come for.
“Sorry I interrupted your discussion. I never knew you were with him. Now that I’ve known I will reverse”
“You don’t have to. I can excuse you”
“Don’t bother. It’s just to remind him about time”
The magic was that everyone’s face brightened up with a smile. Which the queen initiated at the end of her last words, after which she did not wait up to a second to leave.
“Your highness” the parrot continued where they stopped. I’ve pondered deeply about it and I have come up with this idea which is to reward the highest food producer every season of the harvest to encourage hard work”
“that’s a wonderful idea. That’s just the best thing to do. And in addition to that, in every gathering that will draw more than fifty attendants or guests, food should not be served there. It will be wasted when it’s prepared in large quantity. Attendants should feed at their homes before coming or bring food from their homes. Instead, the food supposed to be prepared in such an occasion should be given to the needy”
“Good too. But, not everyone will agree to give out his food”
“Not when it becomes a law. And see, I will put it in a way that in fact, before anyone can organize anything in this community I will tell that person what to provide according to one’s level. That won’t be much a task. For instance if I see it as an occasion that requires about ten baskets of food, one will have to give half or less than half of the quantity. But that will be my decision to make. By so doing, we’ll reduce the level of scarcity in our community and we’ll never lack whether in winter or in summer”
“I got your point. But, do you really think some occasions will be exciting without food?”
“Anyway, there maybe food, a given type in a moderate quantity. That’s after the person must have given what was demanded of him”
“Better”
“I haven’t concluded it. We ought to deliberate over it with the others in our next meeting and see what opinion they have before deciding”
“wisdom, your highness!”
The secretary examined the weather, knowing time by the length and direction of shadows and temperature. It was gradually getting dark. In less than one hour one cannot walk without light as a guide therefore, everyone tries to round up whichever activity they have engaged themselves before night falls.
“I need to go and prepare for the night” the parrot said as he sip the last drink.
“Likewise me”
They stood at once to part, then the parrot flew home with speed.