"What's going on?", The commander asked.
"Dad?!", Helen said in shock.
"Were you not told that I sent for you?!", The commander said obviously pissed.
He turned to me and added: "I knew you were trouble from the moment I saw you!"
"You've been awake for just a day and have successfully hooked up with both my daughters!", He added.
I stood there speechlessly watching the furious commander.
"Dad, I was… I was the one who…", Helen spoke and kept quiet.
"Who what?!", He asked aloud.
On hearing him shout, she kept quiet.
"You have 5 minutes to get prepared!", The commander said and stepped out.
"I am sorry", Helen said as soon as her dad left out.
I said nothing and left.
……
After looking for a spot to dress, I went to the feast.
There, lots of people were drinking and eating. Some had already gotten drunk even.
"Isn't that Derick…", just like before, the whispers started yet again.
"Yes it's him!", One replied.
"The one who almost killed Goshen?!", One asked.
"Yeah!", Another replied.
"Shhh! Don't let him hear you!", One added.
"Derick!", April called aloud as she hastingly walked towards me.
"Wow!", She said and paused looking at me with a smile.
"You look great!", She complimented.
I smiled back and said nothing as Xender walked passed us with an obviously masked straight face.
"Let's go, I reserved a seat for you!", She said as she pulled me through the crowd.
"Who's coming?!", I heard a familiar voice say.
"Derick!!", Another replied.
"Derick?! Where?!", The voice replied seemingly in a panick.
"Hey!", I said tapping Goshen's back lightly.
For a moment, he froze solid like a statue.
Gently, he turned around shaking.
"Derick sir!! Sir Derick!", He trying to avoid looking straight into my eyes.
This tall guy now had some bandages on his neck.
"Like before, I mean no harm… you simply misunderstood my intentions", I said with a smile.
"Helen, is possible for us to sit here?!", I asked.
"But…", she said staring towards a direction; seemingly where the seat she reserved was.
"We don't have chairs here!", She added.
"Chairs?!", Goshen said aloud.
"Go get Derick chairs!", he commanded.
"I'll have two please.", I added politely.
"Two chairs!", This guy spoke authoritatively.
And in seconds two chairs were brought.
I sat down as soon as the chairs were dropped, while April watched for a moment in a daze.
"April…", Goshen spoke and quickly added: "Ms. April, please sit!"
This obviously made April alot more stunned.
She looked at me and with a smile, I spoke: "April, this gentleman just offered you a chair, it would be rude for you not accept such an offer. We don't want offend master Goshen."
"Sir it's just Goshen…", he added politely.
"Aren't you a sub commander?!", I asked.
"Not officially sir…", he replied.
"What do you mean not officially? You have so may people subjected to your authority…", I added.
"The commander hasn't made it official yet.", He replied.
Just then, he heard the bell ring.
"Attention to all!", The commander spoke aloud, as soon he noticed the decorum.
"I officially welcome you all to the feast of thanks!", He said and everyone cheered. Some lifting up their drinks while others slammed theirs against the table.
"Before we go on with our merriments and special announcement, I want to make known some new Sub commanders.", He added bring out a sheet of paper as everyone murmured.
As soon as he was about to speak they kept quiet again.
"Harrison. Sub commander of royal affairs!", As soon as he spoke, the funny guy stepped forward.
"Harrison! Harrison! Harrison!", His name was changed from end to end. They seemingly all knew and loved him.
It seems everything's being played to my favour. All those who have pledged allegiance to me are notable and important in this fort. So having them is like having the fort.
Harrison stood there smiling and looking at the crowd like one searching for someone as they chanted his name some more.
Finally, our eyes met and his smile increased, like one who had found a lost coin.
"Thank you commander for this awesome position, I hope I won't let you and the fort down…", he spoke looking at me.
I understood and nodded with a smile.
On seeing this he bowed and left the stage.
Aside April and Goshen who were sitted directly beside me, no one understood his gestures.
They looked at Harrison and then at me, and repeated the exchange a couple of times.
"Next we have Judith. Sub Commander of health affairs!", He added.
Not many people chanted, but the one who did, cheered and clapped with all their might. Most of them either had a disability or bandages.
"Thank you very much commander!", She said and turned to the crowd, facing my direction, seemingly already spotted.
"Thank you very much… if it weren't for you, I probably wouldn't be alive. I pledge my allegiance to you.", She said looking towards my direction.
Again, only Goshen and April seemingly noticed this; the rest seemingly think she is referring to them.
Just like, Harrison, she bowed and left.
"Next we have Mike. Sub commander of construction!", The commander called and from whence Judith was, came Mike, her husband; now walking fine.
As soon as he got on stage, he looked up, seemingly counting something, until his eyes got directly above my head and then he stopped, looked down straight towards my direction, like one who was given a description as to where to I was. As soon as our eyes met, he smiled and so did eye.
"Master Derick…", Goshen said as he bowed completely.
"Please accept my allegiance… your power far exceeds that of the commander…", he spoke with all humility.
Seeing this, I quickly pulled him up to sit up right as I looked around at the people watching.
"He must have had too much to drink!", I said hitting his back hard while laughing.
"Yes…", Goshen who got the message and realized he f_cked up said and belched to sell the story.
Goshen is a good guy, his earlier reaction, even though extensive, was as a result of his wife's broken leg. Even I might've reacted in a similar way if my mom's legs were broken by someone I feel I could deal with.
After Mike's speech, similar to rest, Goshen was called as well.
"Goshen. Sub commander of brutes!", The commander said and yet again from end to end
He walked up to the stage with a straight face.
"Ahem…", he coughed and everyone kept quiet.
Such dominance…
"I don't deserve this title…", he said in a somewhat sad tone.
"Why?!", Everyone Chorused.
"There's…", as he was about to complete his sentence I nodded no.
He quickly understood and continued: "…There's so much it entails and I don't know if I'll be able to handle it…", he added.
"Goshen?!", The commander said in a surprised.
"Modesty? Tell me what's wrong?", The commander spoke with a bewildered smile.
Goshen smiled back and added: "but with Allah, I will give my all, to serve you and the entire forth!"
This time, the commander looked at me when he heard Goshen say "you."
With a changed expression, he looked back at Goshen who was already have way of the stage.
"…And finally, the one who kills and saves, the one most love and most HATE!! Derick. The sub commander of war!", He said trying to keep keep his chill.
Any who paid in-depth attention to his speech should know that he wasn't okay with me.
He obviously has a motive for doing this… nevertheless, even death's motives could not be achieved in me, how much more flesh and zombie blood.
With a smile, I stood up and walked majestically up the stage.
To be continued....
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