Long live, your majesty! Hailed Sibraa, bowing in honor of the empress.
"I sense a bad aura", he said, waggling his fins.
What may have made my majesty frown? I presume that it must have been a very bad one, he continued.
I called you here for a very important reason, the empress cut in with her face long.
This is just my first year of piloting the conduct of the affairs of this empire and what I have noticed is not helping matters.
It is really not helping me at all. She continued as she repositioned herself well and tried to drop her silver staff.
If care is not taken, this incident will keep increasing and as it happens, we all might one day, go extinct by dying off without knowing the root cause of the problem but may the Moon goddess forbid such! She said in negation of the pessimistic thoughts.
This time, her rage has increased.
She stood, facing the west for a while as Sibraa watched her quietly in a confused state.
Go round the whole district, sound the trumpet and inform everyone that the empress wants to see them gathered in her abode immediately, she ordered.
All male and female, including the children must be present.
If any should be found missing in this emergency meeting, such a person will be punished. She concluded.
"Your wish is exactly my command, your majesty!" He responded and waggled his tail in a way that splashed water bubbles in the air and made ripples in the water.
He left in a rush to carry out his duties as was commanded by the empress.
The princess swam in immediately. She sat gazing at her mother like a confused being.
After waiting for a while without hearing any word from her mother, she decided to break the silence.
Mother, she called out in a low tone.
I can see trouble written all over the air, and the frown on your face.
"What's causing her majesty this stress, this time around?" She asked, drawing closer to her supposed seating position that is meant for her as the princess.
Talk to your dearest darling, mum. She teased and majestically sat on her seat.
Dearest darling, her mother called out.
All is not well. I mean, at all. You perceived rightly my dearest darling.
But don't worry too much. You will know that which caused your mother to frown soon enough when all had gathered.
Just relax. She said, smiling.
Bellina, waggled her fins in affirmation.
Puuuu!
Puuuuuuu!!!
Puuupuuupuuu!!
Were the sounds of the trumpet. These sounds continued for a while and after he assumed that he had gotten everyone's attention, he started spreading the message he had for them as was commanded by the empress.
He went round the whole districts in their community and made sure that he delivered his job well while making the message get across to everyone.
It was Mira who first heard the sound of the trumpet.
She had gone to visit her friends earlier.
They were still talking and having some fun when the echoes of the trumpet got to their hearing.
Sheee! She said with her hands crossing her upper and lower lips while her eyeballs moved to the left and right direction. Keep calm y'all and listen.
The trumpet sound is calling on our attention, she continued.
All became so quiet at the moment and gave their ears to hear the message the informant was passing across.
After the trumpet sound and the voice of the informant had subsided, they all heaved a sigh of relief.
"Who knows why the empress wants to see everyone in her abode immediately?"
"I hope that there's no problem anywhere……. "Bella continued.
"Definitely, they should be. For her to summon every member of every district of this community, shows that it's something important and requires everyone's attention. Probably, opinions." Mira, cut in.
"Then we have to go and answer our call since the informant said it is urgent.
Concluded, Gilmore." Raising his arms in a way that directed them out to be on the go.
They all swam out to the empress's abode.
Minutes later, the empress's abode was occupied.
Everyone of the members of each of the districts in the community has gathered to hear what the empress has to say.
The community was left empty as all were in the empress's abode.
They were all quiet. One could hear even the smallest noise that would surface at that moment.
Empress Lulu stood from her seat. One could easily see the frown on her face which got some parts of her face squeezed like an old woman's.
She cleared her throat and swallowed the spittle that had accumulated in her mouth, adjusted her silver staff and began to speak.
"I'm glad that you all have gathered to hear what I have to say.
Without wasting time, I will have to let the cat out of the bag.
Would you like me to go on?" She asked.
"Exactly your majesty!" Echoed everyone in unison.
Princess Bellina was watching her mother while she talked but couldn't say a word. She just gave a listening ear to every word that came out of her mother's mouth.
"Ok, this is it." She continued.
"Even before I ascended the throne, I noticed it but I didn't have any means to take it up and tackle it by myself.
Up till now, I am still noticing it and I believe that it is time and the best opportunity to tackle it.
Comparing the results we got from the last census and the just concluded census, there was a subtle difference.
This difference shows that our members are getting missing as the days go by and we can't continue to lose them to the unknown.
Even though this difference is a subtle one, we don't have to keep our hands crossed because if it continues, we may go extinct in no distant time.
This is why I called you all here to let you know so that you all will be on the alert and as well, your brother's keeper."
There was noise everywhere in response to what the empress said.
"Alright everyone!" Relax, she continued, trying to calm them.
"I do hope that our meeting today will serve as an eye opener to you all and make you to be more cautious and careful than before." She concluded, panting.
She retired to her seat and adjusted her silver staff.
Sibraa came into the picture immediately.
"As you all have heard from our majesty, let's be on the alert and also our brother's keeper.
You all can now go back to your bosoms while we tie the loose ends over here."
The meeting was concluded and everyone was dismissed.
There was much noise and murmurs as they dispersed to several directions that led to their various abodes.
"Your majesty!" Hailed Sibraa.
Please, do not take it to heart or think much about it.
We will definitely find out the root cause of this very problem, the perpetrators, and how to tackle everything.
And by then, this very issue will be a forgotten one.
Sibraa advised.
Meanwhile, as we go back. We'll put our heads to function to enable us to figure out how to tackle this very matter before it gets out of hand and if any of us has arrived at a reasonable idea, we will let you know." He spoke onbehalf of those who had long gone to their abode.
He was still speaking when Princess Bellina cut in.
"Mother...., what Sibraa is saying is true.
Do relax your mind while everyone thinks about it and try to figure out the root cause of the problem.
Surely, they will definitely arrive at something and they will relate to us."
She said, moving her hands to and fro on a strand of her beautiful hair.
"You both have spoken well."
This time, she tried to smile.
"You can go, Sibraa. I will let you know when I need you.
Wait……. don't forget to relate any information you get concerning the issue at hand to me," she added.
"Your wish is always my command!"
"Long live your majesty!" Hailed Sibraa once again before he took his leave.
Princess Bellina also stood from where she sat and gently went inside to her abode.