CHAPTER 16:  THE WALLS HAVE EARS

	Uwezo and Doya were very good at what they did.  They were 
Kinara's bodyguards, but they also were remarkably quiet and stealthy 
for large mandrills.  It was a combination that had helped Kinara 
maintain his power for many years.
	Usually, Kinara's ability to "get the goods" on his opponents led 
to no great mischief.  In fact, there were many members of the troop 
that shared an odd kind of bond with him.  They would ask for advice 
about matters they could confess to no one else, and Kinara would 
usually try to be helpful in return.  In that way, he was the Father 
Confessor of the wealthy and powerful.  And never had he violated his 
confidence.
	Uwezo was very observant, and his hearing was very good.  But he 
wondered about the two sets of footprints he thought he heard as Busara 
walked along.  One of the sets sounded very heavy.  He glanced about 
nervously, thinking a leopard may be spying on HIM.  All he saw was Doya 
behind him, and Doya was doing a good job of muffling his steps.
	Suddenly, there was a loud lioness roar.  Forgetting to be quiet, 
Uwezo charged back toward Doya and passed him brusquely.  Busara looked 
around, but by the time he saw the two mandrills, they were far enough 
away to not be recognized.
	"What's the matter, old girl?"
	"I just don't like it," she said.  "They looked suspicious."
	It would do little good to follow Busara when he was alert.  Uwezo 
and Doya had a job to do, and they did not dare risk the wrath of Kinara 
if they failed him.  So deciding that he was headed home anyhow, they 
waited until evening to quietly and cautiously took up hiding places 
right outside the mouth of the cave.
	"This will always be your refuge," Busara said.  "When you need a 
place where you can come and be accepted for who and what you are, our 
arms are always open for you."
	"Thank you," Metutu said.  "I love you more than I can say!  You 
have been so kind.  You and Kima and Asumini."
	"May Aiheu bless you, my son," Kima said.
	Doya glanced at Uwezo.  "Uh oh!"
	"Shhhh!"
	"Your destiny is a special one, Metutu," Busara said.  "In a small 
way I tried to bring some change about today.  Maybe if I am lucky, 
before I die I will hear Kinara and Maloki exchange a few civil words.  
But you are to be the new chief someday.  You will do more in a year 
than I have in my lifetime.  Freedom will blossom and grow like Alba, 
and worship will be the choice of the heart, not that of the council."
	"Just wait till he hears this," Doya said.
	Just then, they heard heavy footsteps leaving the cave and padding 
through the leaves.  "It's that sound again.  Let's get out of here!"  
	Busara looked up.  "What happened to Asumini?  You'd think she saw 
a ghost!"
	Seconds later, the lioness appeared, very agitated.  "Doya and 
Uwezo were right outside."
	"What did they hear?"
	"Probably everything."
	Busara closed his eyes and tilted his head back.  He moaned as if 
someone had gouged him.  "We are in grave danger."
	"Let me kill them," Asumini said.
	"No, girl.  That will only make Kinara more suspicious than ever.  
We are not judge and executioner.  Not like him."
	When Uwezo and Doya found Kinara, Chief Priest Kasisi was with 
him.  They competed to be first to give their reports, knowing that 
there would be a bonus in it for them somewhere.
	"He's an Aiheuist," Uwezo said.
	"He's teaching Metutu to be one," Doya said.
	"He said he tried to get you and Maloki on speaking terms, but 
that Metutu as the next chief would really clear out the cobwebs."
	Kinara sat stunned for a moment, then jerked to his feet.  He 
almost never showed his temper, but he grabbed a fruit he had been 
eating and hurled it at a tree.
	"My son!  He thinks to turn my own SON upon me!  That triple 
cursed barbaric heathen!  I trusted him.  I gave him my own son!  Oh 
gods!"
	Uwezo and Doya were really expecting a reward for that.  Instead, 
Kinara merely dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
	Kasisi was almost foaming at the mouth.  "We have to wipe this 
thing out!  It is a disease, and it's spreading!  Wipe it out, I say!"
	"I'll have to have a little talk with Busara."
	"You'll have to kill him," the Chief Priest said.
	"Denounce my friend to the council?  Have him put down like a 
thief or adulterer?  I will banish him."
	"Banish him and you make him a hero in your son's eyes," Kasisi 
said.  "The same will happen if you give him a public execution.  No, he 
must disappear.  Suddenly and without a trace, do you understand?"
	"But you're talking murder!"
	"I'm talking the salvation of the race!  Death is a part of life, 
but we can influence our time of death by our chosen lifestyle.  His was 
risky-very risky.  He has lived much longer than he ought.  We are 
correcting that oversight."
	"But Kasisi, Busara is my friend!"
	"Busara is heading your son straight to hell!  When he is 
separated forever from the blessed realm, he will curse your name 
through all eternity!  He will say `My father did this to me!'"
	"But murder him??"
	"God will bless you for it, so it is not murder!  I tell you 
Kinara, there are more in this troop that follow him.  Those who are in 
danger.  Like Makedde."
	"What about Makedde!"
	Kasisi crossed his arms smugly.  "You thought you had the goods on 
me!  You thought you had me under your thumb, old friend?  You do your 
duty before God or as sure as there is a God, I'll denounce him to the 
council the way I should have long ago!"
	"You do that and I'll kill you!"
	"Kill the Chief Priest for following his religion?  Do you think 
that would help?  Do you think you could get away with it?  Do you think 
I haven't told anyone else why I was coming here tonight?"
	"Enough!"  Kinara stood facing the trees for a moment, then slowly 
turned back around.  "I don't have to enjoy it as much as you do.  But 
so be it."
	Kinara recalled his two trusted bodyguards.  He grabbed Doya by 
the chin whiskers.  "Listen well.  Our Chief Scribe likes to contact the 
spirit world."  He scowls darkly.  "Very well.  We must arrange it so 
Busara can spend all his time there, if you read my meaning."
	"Yes, sir."
	"Handle it discretely, but handle it by sunrise tomorrow.  For if 
you fail me--"  He patted Uwezo on the head.  "No chance of that.  You 
wouldn't dare fail."
	Bowing and scraping madly, they rushed off.


CHAPTER 17:  THE DIASPORA

	Busara was terrified.  "Metutu, I must gather my belongings and 
go.  I will take Kima and Asumini far away."
	"Take me with you."
	Busara kissed his cheek.  "In my heart, you are always with me.  
It would not help either of us if you ran away from home right now."
	"Where are you going?  You can tell me."
	"I will send Asumini for you when it is safe.  They can't hurt 
her."  He took Metutu firmly by the shoulders.  "I don't have much time.  
There is so much I would say to you, my son.  For now, you must hide the 
faith.  Not in the way you treat others, but in the way you speak to 
others.  Later it can shine, but something awful is about to happen. You 
must remember what I have taught you.  You are our hope, Metutu.  Don't 
let me down or my sacrifice would have been meaningless."
	He grabs Busara's hand.  "Aiheu give me the strength."
	Metutu put his arms around Busara.  "May the gods see between us 
till we meet again."
	"In case things go wrong, bless me for my death."
	"Oh gods, don't say that!"
	"Bless me, Metutu!  I would ask my eldest son, and you are he."
	With trembling fingers, Metutu drew a circle around Busara's right 
eye and drew his fingertips under his chin.  "May you see God.  May you 
speak with Him."  Tears started down Metutu's cheeks, and he hugged him 
again.  "Father, friend, and teacher!  Don't you leave me!  Don't you 
dare die and leave me!"
	"I'll try not to."  Busara dried Metutu's cheeks.  "Go now.  Tell 
no one you were here."
	Metutu hugged him one more time, then headed out by the long, 
winding path.  He didn't want to be seen.
	Kima was gathering up some food, and Asumini--Busara's daughter 
that is--was taking some herbs and talismans.
	"Don't leave until I come back," Busara said.  "I'll scout out the 
trail and make sure we are not being watched."
	With the lioness Asumini, he left to run the first dangerous leg 
of the journey through the cane field and the scrub bushes.  It would 
not do taking them on the well-worn paths.  That route had served him 
well gathering Tiko root, and it would get them over to Maloki's 
village.  Maloki detested Kinara and would be only too glad to accept 
his wise Chief Scribe as a guest, knowing it would rankle his old 
adversary to no end.
	Asumini stopped and looked around.  Busara, who was a little hard 
of hearing, relied on her keen senses.  "What is it, old girl?  Behind 
me?"
	He looked around.  "Uwezo!  Doya!"
	Doya was holding a large rock.  
	"I used to tell you stories when you were kids!  Please!  Let me 
run and just say you killed me!"
	Doya looked a little ashamed.  "OK.  But swear you won't come 
back."
	"I swear!"  Busara slowly turned around, his heart pounding.  
"I'll never come back!"
	Doya lifted the rock and brought it down on Busara's head as hard 
as he could.  Busara fell and moaned.  Doya hit him again and the 
moaning stopped.
	Asumini appeared, snarling.  In fear and dread, Doya threw the 
stone at the crouched lioness, but it passed through her harmlessly.  
"Don't kill me!  Please don't kill me!  Oh gods!"
	"Maybe I can let you run away and just say I killed you."
	"Oh gods!  Have pity on me!  I was following orders!"  He fell to 
his knees and would have groveled on the ground, but right before him 
was the body of Busara smeared with his own blood.  "For the gods' 
sake!"
	"For the god's sake," she snarled, springing forward.
	The next morning Busara did not come to his breakfast meeting with 
Kinara.  The chief acted impatient and made a token effort to have him 
searched for.  But Metutu spotted some blood on the ground and signs of 
struggle in the grass.  "Come look at this!"
	"The trail is old," Chango said.  "He might have been taken by a 
leopard."
	The chief followed Chango, wondering why his own trusted 
bodyguards never came back.  Then he found them horribly ripped with 
their heads nearly bitten off.  It looked like a lion attack, but no 
meat was eaten.
	"Oh gods!" Kinara wailed.
	There are no lion tracks, but the cuts left no doubt what had 
happened.  "Chango, I trust you.  Right now I need you.  Carry the 
bodies away and bury them, and swear to me that NOT ONE WORD gets out to 
ANYONE about this."
	"I swear."
	Sure he knew what had happened, Metutu headed back.  He heard 
footsteps beside him, heavy footsteps.
	"Asumini, is that you?"
	She appeared at his side.  "Metutu, have courage.  I will be with 
you."
	"Asumini, did my father do this?"
	She looked at him glumly.  "Your heart knows the answer.  Metutu, 
I am so sad, so very sad!"
	"I know you loved him."
	"Not sad for him.  Sad for you!  Because you love your father no 
matter what he has done.  Because hard times lie ahead for you.  But 
take heart, for I will not leave you till my work is finished."  


CHAPTER 18:  IN LOVE

	That evening Metutu returned to the one place he could find peace.  
Coming into the mouth of the cave, he saw Kima standing over the food 
for the meal.  Though she was going through the motions of her old life, 
the look in her eyes was very different.  They were dull and lifeless.
	"Kima?  Are you all right?"
	She looked up.  "Metutu?"
	She looked notably older.  Without a moment's hesitation, Metutu 
went to her and embraced her.  The old fire came back to her face as she 
wept on his shoulder.  "Oh thank God you're all right!  You are such a 
good boy.  No wonder Busara loved you so!"
	"I loved him too.  And I promise you that I always will.  I want 
to help any way I can if you'll only let me."
	"You mustn't come here often.  It might harm you if word leaks 
out.  There are spies out there."  Without mentioning Kinara's name, she 
said, "You know that HE knows everything that goes on.  We must be 
careful."
	"It does not matter if I am in danger.  When I am struck down, I 
will be lifted up like Busara in triumph over death!"  He went back into 
the cave and held a lamp next to the paintings.  He saw a picture that 
represented himself together with the family group.  Metutu fell to his 
knees and wept.  "That must be the last thing he painted!"  He touched 
the painting carefully with his fingertips.  "Oh gods, I still can't 
believe he's gone.  I will see that he did not die in vain, Kima.  I 
will carry on his work, so help me gods!"
	"See this line that connects you to Asumini?  It was his hope that 
you should one day be joined in marriage.  It was my hope too that one 
day you would enjoy a love rooted in truth and beauty."  
	Metutu, understandably, did not want to betray his own father to 
the council.  Not that much would come of it, with suspicions about 
Busara's religion having being confirmed.  But he could not condone what 
his father did.
	"Kima, I am going to continue with my studies with Makedde.  I 
will be a shaman as I had promised."
	Kima smiled, but her eyes were sad.  "Aiheu will bless you.  I 
only wish Busara could have been here to finish your training.  He was 
looking so forward to it."
	"I didn't know him for long, but I will never forget his gentle 
wisdom.  He told me to follow my dream.  I will."
	"You must be careful.  Don't let the ignorant put out your light."
	"I am willing to spill my blood for the love of Aiheu.  Without 
his love, life is not worth living."
	"Still don't count your life worthless.  Don't discard it lightly.  
Remember that some of us love you."
	He hugs her around the shoulder.  "Some of us love you too."
	Asumini was looking at the paintings.  "There is my Auntie," she 
said tearfully.  "She loved us, but she was always my father's.  I will 
miss her."
	"She told me she would not leave until her work was done."  He 
thought a moment.  "Besides, I will always be there for you."  Metutu  
took Asumini in his arms.  "As your father gave up his life to pass the 
truth to me, I will make sure you have what you need even if I must do 
without!  I will be another son to Kima, and a husband to you."
	"Metutu, we do not want your pity.  That is not the kind of love 
we feel for you."
	"Not pity!  I have always felt for you.  You were always so wise 
and as beautiful as I am plain."
	"Your face is not plain."
	"Only because you are beautiful enough for both of us."  He kissed 
her first on one cheek then the other.  "Don't blame me for feeling 
attracted to you.  What son of Chako could look at you and not think 
guilty thoughts."
	She gave him a chaste kiss.  "Someday there will be a time for 
guilty thoughts when grief has run its course.  And they will be of you.  
If you love me, give me time."
	"I give you my whole lifetime.  When you need me, I won't be far 
behind."

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