ALINA

Priestess of Zalwanga

Season 2

SUBTITLE: Mystery of the Scarab

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**** Written by Testimony Amarachi Ndukwe

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Episode 1

"I don't know why I'm keeping this" Fiona muttered as she pulled out her beetle which clung to her gown.

She held it gently and raised it up. Its size had increased even more and more. Fiona's eyes switched to grey, then back to brown. Her spirit was more in control than Zelda's at that moment. She turned the large beetle over in her hand.

"It keeps crawling to Alina whenever she's around. It's been with me all these years, but it sure has been totally useless," Fiona snorted and looked around. She was standing in a bushy path.

She looked at the beetle one more time before she flung it away. She saw it hit hard against a tree, before it exploded before her very eyes. She jumped back in fear as she watched particles of the beetle scattered all around, each enveloped in small bits of fire from the explosion.

What just happened?

She was starting to get scared when Zelda's spirit took complete control of her body again. Her eyes changed to pure grey. She looked at the bursted particles again, snorted and left the place.

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The late afternoon sun could hardly reach the forest floors. Small forest animals were running from one point to another.

Dried leaves were scattered all over and they gave crumpling sounds as Sekani's boots pressed down on them continuously.

He was moving through the forest, separating leafy branches that blocked his path. Maximus was following behind him. He came out to a cleared-out area of the forest and fell on his knees, then placed his hands on the ground. He felt too weak to continue. The information he'd received back in Malou was beginning to weigh him down again. How could King Elmer have taken him far from his hometown?

How would he start convincing the royal family of Zalwanga that he was their own?

The prince that had been assumed dead?

He'd come to Zalwanga as someone that had been banished from his place, Malou.

Where would he start?

And why couldn't he even remember anything from his childhood?

He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again. Maximus came to his front and sat, watching him in an observing manner. Sekani raised his head to look at the monkey. He gave a sad chuckle and leaned up, making him stay in a kneeling position.

"Who are you?" A feminine voice suddenly sounded behind him.

He slowly stood and turned around. It was a young lady. She had a long and tiny tree branch pointed at him. Her dress was stained in a few places and her hair was in a messy ponytail. His gaze moved from her face to the tiny stick she was pointing at him like a sword. He couldn't help but chuckle a little. Was she actually planning to use that for defense?. He looked back at her face as she suddenly dropped the stick.

"Prince Sekani." She looked surprised as she immediately went on one knee and bowed her head, "I'm sorry about that. I didn't know..."

"You must be from Malou," Sekani cut in calmly as he walked up to her and stretched out his hand for her to take.

She looked up at the outstretched hand and bit her lip nervously. She knew Sekani was nothing like Jarrett; but he was the prince too and she was scared to take his outstretched hand for him to pull her up. Sekani sighed in exasperation and pulled her up by her shoulders instead.

"What are you doing here?"

"I... I had to escape."

"From Malou?" Sekani was confused.

She nodded.

"Prince Jarrett. He...took my sister,and killed my Nannitha. His guards were after me as well. I had to escape."

"Why...."

"We knew his secret," She cut in

"What secret?"

"He instructed my sister to poison the king's food for him. She started to have regrets after the deed was already done...and came down to tell us. We suggested she should escape because Prince Jarrett might most likely kill her. But Jarrett was faster than us. I left for a few minutes,and before I could come back,my Nannitha was dead and Nora was taken away to the palace. He might have killed her already" Her eyes were beginning to cloud up in tears

"Jarrett poisoned the king?" Sekani could hardly believe it.

She nodded.

"Through my sister."

Sekani stepped back and moved his fingers into his hair.

"It was so he could become the king and kill you after getting the trident and scarab from you."

"What?" Sekani faced her again. It's a good thing he has found out the truth about where he truly came from. He brought his hand down from his hair. "I'm heading to Zalwanga. Will you come along?"

"Zalwanga?" She looked scared.

"Yes. I know it's a bit crazy but I just found out that King Elmer was never my father. I'm from Zalwanga. The prince, precisely. I'll explain later. I might find a way to get you in. Will you come with me?"

She nodded and picked her bag from the floor. It was better to follow Sekani than to be stuck in the forest.

"What's your name?" He asked

"Jocelyn."

"Good. Let's go."

He was fully rejuvenated as he began to make his way through the forest once more. Maximus followed and then, Jocelyn followed. They walked for hours through the forest, stopping only once to eat from the few fruits Jocelyn had managed to bring along. Maximus switched between walking on land and swinging on tress many times as he followed the duo. Soon, they were separating the last branches of trees. The sun shone on their faces as they stared at the kingdom not too far away. Zalwanga. Sekani turned to Jocelyn with a smile and she too was beaming with smiles.

"Come on." He nudged his head forward and Jocelyn gladly followed as he walked towards Zalwanga.

He made sure that the soldiers at the gate weren't looking as he moved to his usual secret route. They successfully got there and leaned against the walls. Sekani leaned off the wall after a few seconds and made to turn when he bumped into someone. It was a soldier.

"We found him," The hefty soldier said in a husky voice and two more soldiers appeared behind him.

Jocelyn was behind Sekani and she made to turn sharply when she bumped into another soldier.

"He brought a lady along," The other said, grabbing Jocelyn by the arm.

Maximus made to attack but the soldiers easily grabbed the young monkey. The hefty soldier took Sekani by the arm and dragged him towards the gates while the others followed with Jocelyn and Maximus.

As they moved through the marketplace, people watched;all throwing looks of disdain at Sekani as the soldiers dragged him along. His heart rate had increased. Had they found the scarab already?

The soldiers dragged him on till they got to the palace. Some people were even gathered at the palace compound. The soldiers walked further into the compound and finally pushed him forward,making him land on the ground on all fours. His face was down as he breathed heavily,staring at the sand beneath. Soon, feminine feet appeared before him and he slowly looked up. The sun was blocking her face partially but he clearly knew who it was.

Jasmine.

The scenario was perfectly familiar; only that this time,it was a completely different case. Jasmine motioned for the guards to pull him up and they did,but still held his arms as he stood face-to-face with the princess. He gulped as he stared at her face. Her gaze was cold and stern. Not at all like the bright-faced Jasmine he knew. He watched as she raised the scarab necklace for him to see.

"Traitor," She blurted, still maintaining the hard gaze, "I can't believe you,Sekani. You're an enemy." She looked towards one of the guards just as Priestess Fiona entered. The news of the scarab had spread and she couldn't believe her eyes as she saw it in Jasmine's hand.

"For the meantime, take him to the dungeons; and inform my father that he has been found."

The guards immediately began to drag Sekani towards the palace building. Jasmine brought down the scarab as she met Fiona's shocked gaze. She didn't want to look behind her as the guards dragged Sekani away,for fear that she might break down. She couldn't believe it! Sekani! She glanced at the scarab in her hand again. She knew of the prophecy. Everyone in Zalwanga was well aware of the prophecy. What had happened?. She'd fulfillled Babalwa's prophecy. She'd found the scarab and she wasn't even a priestess. Her heart was pounding because of that fact,while her eyes stung with tears because Sekani was an enemy. He must have come from the place where Anoona's lover had come from. He had a lot of explanations to make to Zalwanga,but that would be after King Lotan summons him. She looked around her. Everyone was talking at once. She'd fulfillled the prophecy. She stepped back with the scarab still in her hand. Her head was swimming with confusion and lots of thoughts. They'd all have to meet Gogo Babalwa. She turned and ran into the palace.