Amana's POV

The wind blew my hair around carelessly, but I didn't care. In fact, I loved the wind. I loved how it made me feel free, made me feel at one with nature and my surroundings.

The sun was just rising, making the sky come alive with different vibrant colors. I could hear the forest slowly coming alive. The birds chirping nearby, monkeys chattering happily amongst themselves, an occasional roar here and there. Water flowing over rocks in the nearby stream, going to a place where it would come across more water from different places.

I took in a deep breath.

This was life.

I wished that I could stay here for a while longer, but I had to go and train with the others and........... I was hungry.

The fruits I'd come across earlier didn't do my stomach any justice. Only the food that my beloved mother made could only make me feel full.

I got down from the tree I was in and ran to the training grounds, since I was almost late to the place, as I mostly was. This time was no different. Most of the warriors were there, and some seemed like they'd been there for a while.

"Amana, ulikuwa karibu umechelewa. Tena! Wewe ndiye shujaa hodari wa kike tunaye hapa, na lazima uongoze kwa mfano." (Amana, you were almost late. Again! You are the strongest female warrior we have here, and you have to lead by example.)

I looked at the leader of our warriors, Enzi, who just happened to be one of the few male warriors we had in our tribe. Most of the men had gone to help our neighboring tribe, which was being ruthlessly attacked by pirates. The pirates had gotten into their land and stolen their possessions, and, if they were too excited, could even take some females with them. So, women dominated the few warriors left.

I just smiled at him.

"Usikwame sana, Enzi. Tunakaribia kuanza hivi karibuni." (Don't be so stuck up, Enzi. We're about to begin soon.)

He kept on a straight face, but I saw a small smile tug at the side of his lips. I focused my attention onto the warriors who had stood in formation. We went straight into practice, with the usual warm up and occasional sparring sessions amongst ourselves. We didn't have any weakling warriors, which made us very strong and intimidating to fight. Most tribes seemed to be at peace with us, and those that looked for war, weren't successful.

After hours of training, I went back home, where I lived with my mother. She had been the cook of the royal family for as long as I could remember, so we lived in one of the huts that lived those who served the royal family in the chief's huge complex.

I went in search of her, and found her in the place which I usually found her; in the kitchen. I was so happy to see her there. My stomach had developed a mind of its own.

"Habari za asubuhi mama." (Good morning, Mom)

She turned to look at me. After wiping the sweat off her face, she smiled, replied to my greetings and went straight back to cooking. She was a hard-working woman, and that was what I had definitely inherited from her.

No matter where you are, she always knows what to do.

"Mama, nina njaa." (Mom, I'm hungry.)

She pointed at a plate that already had my food in it, not sparing me a glance. I sat down and quickly began to eat. My mom's cooking was the best in the tribe. Always will be.

The food was beyond delicious, and I couldn't help but thank her with a mouth full of it.

"Unajua, badala ya wewe kuja hapa kila siku kwa chakula, unapaswa kuwa na nyumba ya kwenda kufikia sasa, mume wa kuchukua huduma na watoto kulisha." (You know, instead of you coming here everyday for food, you should have a home to go to by now, a husband to take care of and children to feed.)

I stopped eating and looked at her. She kept her head low and stirred the pots which she cooked.

"Unajua, mama, wazo hilo la ndoa halijawahi kunivutia sana. Wanaume katika kabila hili ni wachanga sana au wazee sana. Mbali na hilo, ...." (You know, mom, that idea of marriage has never really appealed to me. Men in this tribe are either too young or too old. Besides,....)

I got up from my seat and put the plate where the other dirty plates are put.

"..... Ninapenda mazoezi na hakuna mwanamume ambaye nimeona hapa atataka mke ambaye angeweza kupigana bora kuliko yeye." (.....I love training and no man I've seen here would want a wife who could fight better than him.)

She turned and looked at me, a small smile playing on her lips now, like she'd beaten me at my own game.

"Nina hakika Enzi hangejali." (I'm sure Enzi wouldn't mind.)

That made me stop abruptly from my almost successful attempt to escape. She continued on.

"Wasichana wengi hapa wangetamani Enzi awaangalie hata mara moja, lakini nimesikia kwamba anakuangalia sana. Anaweza kukuchukua kuwa mkewe siku moja." (Most of the girls here would wish for Enzi to just look at them even once, but I've heard that he pays close attention to you a lot. He might take you to be his wife one day.)

I didn't want to say anything about her findings, so I just walked out of there. I went to our hut and took the clothes I needed to wear after my bath. The sweat from all the training was really starting to get to me. After taking a quick bath at the river place that was only allowed to women, I wore the usual female warrior regalia which was made of a maroon robe that was worn on top of loose pants and an upper garment.

As I made my way to Lakeisha's homestead, my other warrior friend, I saw a maid of the royal family rush towards me, calling my name. When she got to me, she was breathless, and after a few minutes did she tell me that I was wanted by the chief.

I quickly made haste towards the complex. I wondered what he wanted me to do.

When I got to the hut of council, where the chief and his council discussed their business, a servant opened the door for me and I entered.

The chief was sitting at his throne as usual, but this time, there was a change to the usual setting. He had a white man with him, but what surprised me even more was that he was wearing what the men of the tribe wore, not what I'd seen the white men wear before.

I bent forward slightly in front of the chief, as a sign of respect.

"Mkuu wangu, umeniita." (My chief, you have summoned for me.)

I felt a soft pat on my right shoulder, and I stood upright.

"Yes, Amana. I have summoned you here because I have found you worthy of being this man's protectors and escort. Wherever he goes, you may go as well. You will be his guide in this tribe and anywhere else he chooses to go, as he is in my care until help comes."

I looked at the man which the chief wanted me to protect. I had been an escort before, but to the elderly. He didn't look old or sick. His bright green eyes said otherwise. If he wanted protection, then that meant he was in a serious situation.

"Yes, chief. I will do as you command."

The chief was smiling broadly when he turned toward the man.

"There you are, Roland. Your very own escort and protector. She is the strongest female warrior in this tribe. I would have assigned a male but he's busy training the other new recruits and some females who don't know how to fight yet."

The white man nodded to what the chief had said.

"It's okay, chief. You've already done so much for me. I am forever in your debt."

A loud bellow resonated in the room, coming from the one and only chief. I guess what the white man had said was funny to him. I didn't see anything funny about that.

"You can go now with her, and do whatever you do."

He stood up from the place he was sitting, and....wow.....he was tall. Taller than most men here, and had a well built physique. He walked outside and I followed behind him for a while until we walked side by side. After a long while of silence, I looked up to see him looking at me. I just looked back to the road towards his hut.

What was he looking at?

*******

The Wellington ship had been set ablaze and Jiff, the captain of the pirates had a small smirk on his face. It slowly disappeared when he realized that what he'd come for, actually, who he'd come for, was not there.

This made him very angry. He cursed out loud in pure frustration and anger.

He'd almost gotten him!

The moment a fellow pirate showed him movement of a man swimming to shore, he almost took his rifle in order to shoot the viscount's son, but he knew better than that.

He needed him alive, and the moment an idea as to how he could get his quarry came to mind, the sinister smile that had disappeared found its way back onto his crooked face.

★★★★★★

There you have it folks, chapter 2!!! Just a disclaimer that i will not be 💯% historically accurate in this book, but I will try my level best to make it as historically accurate as I possibly can!!!!

Late night projects again. It's way past 1 am right now!

Keep safe and God bless!💞