The Legend of Hombarume (Legends Series, #1)

73.

'What is wrong? Why all the commotion this early in the morning my friend? The compound is barely awake,' Ushe said.

The man from Makura was still fuming as one of Ushe's workers came quickly to his side.

'They are not in any of the huts, sir, and all their belongings have been removed as well, including the horses,' he revealed.

'Where are they?' Pasi asked.

Hombarume's father sprung up quickly and announced his leave.

'Baba, mave kutoenda here?' Ushe asked.

'Clearly you have other issues to attend to, my son. I shall see you another time,' he replied as he was already leaving.

'What is all this about? I was in the middle of an important discussion that you interrupted,' Ushe said.

'I want to know where the traders have gone, they were here yesterday,' Pasi said.

'I do not know where your friends have gone and up to now, I did not have the faintest idea of their absence,' Ushe replied.

'Are you saying that two men just disappeared from this household without anyone noticing?' Pasi asked.

'I can tell you about several much stranger things that have happened in the last few days,' Ushe replied.

'Indeed, this village has been doing through mysterious times, but it is imperative that I find those men as soon as possible,' Pasi replied.

'Why is it so important? They are two grown men who know their way home and know what they are doing,' Ushe said.

'Considering that they let the young master slip through their fingers, I am not too sure that they know what they are doing.'

'With all due respect, what happened to Anesu was out of their hands, they could not have done anything to stop it,' Ushe said.

'They could have proceeded with their trip as planned for one,' Pasi said.

'Since you have all the answers and know so much about what is right and what should have been done, why don't you go and fix it all by yourself and since your companions are not here, you would do best to leave my compound as soon as possible!' he said furiously.

'But-'

But before Pasi could say anything else, Ushe was already off, going towards his hut as he remembered that he still had a journey to prepare for. As he was about to get into his hut, he remembered Tapfuma and what he had said the day before. He needed to see him now before he left, to clarify some of the things he said, to know that somehow he was not running a fool's errand.

Ushe was almost disoriented, from Hombarume's father refusing to speak plainly, to the man who had come so early in the morning to accost him as if he himself had committed some terrible act. As he approached the hut where Tapfuma had been, he saw him at the door of the far hut where the two visitors had slept.

'Good morning to you, mukoma,' Tapfuma said upon seeing him.

'The morning has been far from good so far, Tapfuma,' he replied.

'What happened?' he asked.

'Hombarume's father was here and it does not look like he shares the same sentiments we do about him and as you may have discovered, the traders have vanished,' Ushe said.

'What did he say?'

'He was not making much sense,' Ushe replied.

'The traders might be gone, but they left this behind,' Tapfuma said, revealing the gleaming golden relic.