Part I

Zùùtowi smiled after the sun had set. They had lighted oil lamps to stay up throughout the dark African night and closed the doors to the outside to prevent the cool desert winds from creeping in. He spoke the following words:

"That was truly a beautiful view, great Burouma. I now ask that you continue the story of your life, as you were talking about your father, Prince Tobunjo of Nijaay, who served King Bádákù of Mágómi against my father Fáwá's invasion. You paused your story at the siege of Bàníkóá, capital of Mágómi."

Burouma gave a single nod, answering Zùùtowi with the famous words:

"Sit down, general Zùùtowi. I will continue my story in the midst of my father's life.

The siege of Bàníkóá seemed dire indeed. General Fáwá commanded the Yellow Banner, an army that was disciplined, unwavering and most importantly very big. He surrounded te city and on the inside Bádákù only held command of a token force that would falter as soon as the walls were climbed. On his turn, my father had a force just as small outside of the city. His only choice was to attack the besieging Yellow Banner because every day that he did not, Fáwá could attack and it would be over for Mágómi.

Tobunjo struck at the height of that year's dry season. Your father did not see the attack coming, Zùùtowi, so I have heard from my father's own words that he could ride up to Fáwá's tent, although the general was protected just in time by some of his noble retainers. With all the blood Tobunjo shed that day, Fáwá had to exact revenge upon the city and he attacked it two days after he had barely been able to repel Tobunjo. The Yellow Banner set the city ablaze and Bádákù was killed in the ensuing fire. It signalled the end of Mágómi for many, but my father was not one to give up. He retreated from Bàníkóá and visited every town and village of the Masèwa Obibo of Mágómi, recruiting boys and men to the resistance.

General Fáwá had not been tasked with occupation. Instead the Yellow Banner, I heard, was used to build new roads, so it was the Orange Banner that had the honour of fighting Tobunjo. My father did not know them well at all, but he had learned that their numbers were similar to his own so he mistakenly assumed that they were equally matched. He was doomed to fail but his defeat taught me about that fearful army. We only made slaves work the fields and Tobunjo never expected such ferocity, such devotion, such discipline among unfree soldiers. The Orange Banner was led by the Alááfin of today, then the daughter of the ruling Alááfin, Olùde. She was, as a princess, the leading subject of their devotion and love so they obeyed her every command to the death. My father had a good reputation, but his army were Mógámi Obibo, not Nijaay, so their faith in him was limited to their faith in his ability to win.

Prince Tobunjo met Princess Olùde on a flat plain in the heart of Mágómi. He had a core of axe and spearmen drawn from the ranks of the commoners but on both of the wings he had positioned a limited number of horsemen, feared Masèwa cavalry. Olùde had her men formed up in a wedge pointing at the centre of Tobunjo's line, hoping to prevent the cavalry from surrounding her main body that was going to deal with Tobunjo's infantry. She had already anticipated my father's strategy, because he had indeed planned to flank around with the cavalry.

Tobunjo went on the offensive, the flying cavalry going around. Olùde reacted momentarily, charging to counter the impact of the Mágómi. The flanks of her Orange Banner waved out, catching the vanguard as well as the flanks of the cavalry simultaneously on both sides. With little oversight, Tobunjo, leading the right flank, inspired the impossible among his men, but the left flank broke down and routed without his rallying power.

The edge of the Orange Banner reached the infantry core of the Mágómi at the same time of the cavalry attack. The wedge drove into the line and began to seperate the infantry, leading to a total rout on the left half when the cavalry on the flank routed as well. Only when that happened did Tobunjo notice the calamity on the left. He fell back to rally his men, but it turned out that the disappearance of my father and his bodyguards broke the back of the right flank too, ultimately leading to his defeat.

The rout was complete and Olùde had her men give chase for an hour or two. It took Tobunjo a week to regroup the remnants of the army and he took it to Mankourou, the last unconquered city of Mágómi. There he found himself depressed because of his failures. He wished to commit suicide but Kaya showed him the light of life and instead he swore an oath to Kaya that he would dedicate his life to fighting against the Alááshu to repent for his failures in the field and by the city of Bàníkòà. I am lucky that I am not my father, Zùùtowi, or I would not be sitting here, talking to you.

My father would have died defending Mankourou if not my grandmother had passed away, Queen of Nijaay. Sonja, my uncle, took the throne and it infuriated my father so much that it gave him fuel and motivation. He went east to the Kingdom of Tazaraga to seek an army from King Hami-Bárú, who wished to give him that army if my father married Marìyen, daughter of Hami-Bárú and my own mother. I was born soon after as proof of their alliance and Prince Tobunjo went north to Nijaay with the army of Tazaraga to take his rightful throne.

I can see that you would like to know what happened in Mágómi after he left. Mankourou fell to Princess Olùde, though not without a fight. Your father Fáwá had to step in to govern the city afterwards and he was made Governor of Mágómi Province too. I am sure you know what happened next, because he married a local lady and you were born from their union, but unlike you I have known a few days in which Mágómi was still not a province of Tozàn.

I will now tell you about my father's campaign in Nijaay and begin my own story, Zùùtowi, but you know it would be almost two decades until a story worth telling in full would begin again."

Zùùtowi nodded after Burouma was done speaking.

"You're right. That was when we first went to battle ourselves."

"Do you recall that day fondly?" Burouma asked.

"Yes, I do. It was a joyous moment to share in my father's glory."

"I suffered a defeat on that day." Burouma said. "Do you think I deserve as much glory as you do?"

"Certainly." Zùùtowi said without a moment of doubt. "You and your father found more glory in defeat than any other man of our age could in victory."

Expansion map

Part III