Tabattace, sarkin yanada cikakken iko. Amma masarautarsa ta kasance mai bada yanci, kuma iyayensa sun kasance suna alfahari da baiwa majalisunsu muryan Magana a dukkan lammura, ta wurin wakilansu. Ya kasance a tahirance madaidaiciyar mulki sakanin sarakunan da majalisunsu da bashi da sauki. Yanzu akwai lumana, amma a wassu lokutan akwai tashe tashen hankula da gasar neman iko a sakanin majalisun da gidan sarauta. Hakan ya kasance tsari madaidaici.

A yayinda MacGil ke kewaye dakin da kallo ya gane babu mutum daya: ainihin wanda shi yafi bukatan yayi Magana dashi kuwa – Argon. Kaman yadda akasaba, yaushe da kuma ina za’a ganshi ba a bin sani bane. Wannan yana tada haushin MacGil ba kadanba, amma bashi da zabi sai dai ya hakura. Yanayin sui Druid yafi karfinsa. Saboda rashinsa, MacGil yaji Karin hanzari. Yanason yagama da wannan zamman, domin ya fuskanci dubannin shauran harkokinda suke jiransa kafin daurin auren.

Taron mashawartan sun fuskanceshi a zaune a kewaye da tebiri mai kama da laujen, ararrabe kafa goma goma, kowanne azaune a kujeran itacen oak da aka tsara agwanance da hanayen itace.

“Sarkina, idan zaka yadda na fara,” Owen yace.

“Zaka iya. Amma ka gajarta. Bani da lokaci sosai a yau.”

“Diyarka zata samu kyaututuka dayawa yau, wayanda muke fatan zasu cika ma’ajiyijnta. Duban mutanenda zasu kawo ziyaran bangirma, suna baka kyaututuka dakanka, kuma suna cika gidajen su magajiyanmu da shagunan barasa, zasu taimaka wurin cika asusunmu, ma. Amma duk da haka shirin bukukkunan yau zasu taba ma’ajiyin fada sosai. Ina mai bada shawaran a kara wa mutane haraji, harda fadawa. Harajin lokaci daya, domin a rage zafin wannan babban taruwa.”

MacGil yaga damuwan da fuskar ma’ajiyinsa ta nuna, kuma cikinsa ya murde a yayinda yayi tunanin zarzage asusun. Amma duk da haka shi bazaya sake kara harajiba.

“Yafi kyau a samu talautaten asusu amma da magoya baya masu bada goyon baya,” MacGil ya ansa. “Arzikinmu yakanzone a cikin murnar magoya bayanmu. Bazamu kara harajiba.”

“Amma sarkina, idan bamu---”

“Na yanke hukunci. Mai ya rage?”

Owen ya zauna, bajindadi.

“Sarkina,” Brom yace a muryarsa mai zurfi. “Da umurninka, munsa ajiye dayawan rundunanmu a shirye a fada saboda bukin yau. Nuna karfin zai yi armashi. Amma mun miku dayawa. Idan aka kai hari a wani bangaren masarautanmu, zamu iya kayuwa.

MacGil ya ansa da kai, yana tunani akan lamarin.

“Abokan gabanmu bazasu kawo mana hariba alhali muna kan ciyardasu.”

Mutanen sunyi dariya.

“Kuma menene labarai daga su tudun?”

“Babu rahotun wani abu na faruwa a cikin satutuka. Kaman rundunoninsu sun lafa saboda shirin auren. Watakila sunyi shirin a zauna lafiya.

MacGil bai tabattarba.

“Wannan na nufin shiryayyen auren yayi amfani kenan, kokuma zasu jira su kawo mana harin a wani lokacin. Kokuma wannene kake ganin zai zama, dattijo?” MacGil ya tambaya, yanajuyawa zuwaga Albertol.

Albertol ya gyara murya, muryarsa na rawa dayafara Magana: “Sarkina, mahaifinka da mahaifishi kafishi basu taba yarda da dangin McCloud ba. Domin suna kwance suna barci, baya nufin cewa bazasu tashiba.”

MacGil ya ansa da kai, yana godiya wa bayanin.

“Bayani rundunanma fa?” Ya tambaya, yajuyoga Kolk.

“Yau mun yiwa sabobbin dakanmu maraba,” Kolk ya amsa, da kadakai da sauri.

“Dana na cikinsu?” MacGil ya tambaya.

“Yanasaye yanajidakansa tare da shauran, kuma ya kasance da nagari.”

MacGil ya amsa da kai, sai ya juya zuwaga Bradaigh.

“Kuma menene labari daga loto?”

“Maigidana, yan sintirinmu sungano karuwan kokarin haye loton a satitikan bayabayanan. Zai yiyu ana shirin kawo mana hari daga waje.”

Wani dan karamin gunaguni ya bayana a sakanin mutanen. MacGil yaji wani kullewanciki a kan wannan tunanin. Makamashin tsaron gagarabadau ne; amma, duk da haka labarin bashi da dadi.

“To yaya zai kasance idan aka kawo mana hari mai gaba daya?” ya tambaya.

“Idan har makamashin tsaron na aiki, bamuda fargaba. Mutanen wajen sun gagara ketare loton shekaru aru aru. Babu dalilin tunanin na yanzun zai banbanta.”

MacGil bai tabbattar ba. Andadde da yakamata a samu hari daga waje, kuma ya gagara daina tunanin a wani lokaci zai faru.

“Maigidana,” Firth yace da muryarsa mai fita ta hanci, “Naga yakamata inkara dacewa a yau fadar mu na cike da manyan baki daga masarautar dangin McCloud. Zai zama abin zagi idan baka nishadantar dasuba, duk da abokan gaba ne. Ina mai bada sharawan kayi amfani da yammacin yau a gaisawa da kowannensu. Sun zo da babban tawaga, kyaututuka dayawa – da kuma, a gulmance, yan leken asiri da yawa.”

“Wayasani ko da ‘yan leken asirin a nan?” MacGil ya mayar da tambaya, yana kallon Firth a nisse a yayin tambayan --- yana tunanin cewa, kamar yadda ya saba, ko shima daya ne daga cikinsu.

Firth ya budi baki domin bada amsa, amma MacGil ya daga hanu tare da yin tsaki, saboda ya isheshi. “Idan shikenan zani fita yanzu, domin na shiga bukin auren diyana.”

“Miagidana,” Kelvin yace alhali yana gyara murya, “haka ne, shauran abu daya. Al’adanmu, na ranan auren babban cikin yaranka. Kowane MacGil yakan bada sunan yarimansa a ranan. Talakawanka zasu bukaci kaima kayi haka. Sun fara gunaguni. Bazai yi kyau ka basu kunyaba. Tunba ma dayake har yanzu Twakafin kaddara baya yawo.”

“Zaka sani na fadi yarima alhali nima ina kuruciya?” MacGil ya tambaya.

“Maigidana, ban nufi maka laifiba,” Kelvin yace da rawan murya, damuwa a fuskansa.

MacGil ya daga hanu. “Nasan al’ada. Kuma tabbatace zan fadi sunan yarima a yau.”

“Zaka iya gaya mana ko wayene?” Firth ya tambaya.

MacGil ya harareshi zuwaga zama, yana jin haushi. Firth mai gulmane, kuma bai yarda dashiba.

“Zaku ji idan lokacin yakai.”

MacGil ya tashi, shauran ma suka mike. Sun sunkuyar dakai, suka juya, suka fice daga dakin cikic hanzari.

MacGil ya saya a wurin yana tunani na adadin lokacinda shima bai sani ba. A ranaku Kaman wannan yakan yi tunanin dashi ba sarki ba ne.

*

MacGil ya sauko daga kujeran sarautansa, takalmansa suna kara a cikin yanayin shuru da a ke ciki, ya wuce sakiyar dakin. Ya bude daddadiyar kofan oak din dakansa, da fincikan marikin karfen, sai ya shiga wani daki a gefe.

Yana more kwaciyan hankali da kadaituwa a wannan hadadden daki, kamar yadda ya saba, bangoginsa kasa da taku ishirin ta kowane gefe amma da mafi sayin, lankwashashen silin. An gina dakin gabadaya daga dutse, da karamin, kewayeyiyan tagan gilashi a bango daya. Haske na shiga ta launukansa mai rowan koyi da ja, yana haskaka abu daya tak daya kasance a dakinda ba a samun komai sai shi.

Takwafin Kaddara.

Gashinan a zaune, a sakiyar dakin, yana kwance da gefe akan marikinsa, Kaman wata mayaudariya. Kaman yadda ya saba tun yana yaro, MacGil ya tafi zuwa kusa dashi, ya kewaye shi, ya dubeshi da kyau. Takwafin Kaddara. Takwafin gwarzo, tushin karfi da iko na masarautarsa gaba daya, daga kowani zamanin zuwa nagaba. Duk wanda ya samu karfin ikon daga shi ne yakasance zababbe, mai kaddaran mulkin masarautar iya rayuwarsa, ya samarwa masarautar kwanciyan hankali daga dukkan barazana, daga ciki da wajen zoben. Ya kasance al’ada maikyau da ya girma a ciki, daga gama nada shi sarki, MacGil dakanshima ya gwada dagashi, tunda sarakunan dangin MacGil kawai a ke bari su gwada. Sarakunan da suka gabaceshi, dukkansu sun gagara. Shi kuma ya tabbata shi zai zama dabam. Ya tabbata shi zai kasance zababben.

Amma bai canki daidai ba. Kaman dukkanin sarakunan dangin MacGil da suka rigayeshi. Kuma kasawarsa yasawa sarautansa tabo tun daga lokacin.

Yayin da yake kallonsa a yanzu, ya kalli daguwar askarsa, da a ka yi daga karfen da ba wanda ya taba sanin wani iri ne. mafarin takwafin ma yafi kasancewa abin waswasi, a na gulman cewa haka kawai ya bullo daga kasa a sakiyar wata girgizan kasa.

Yayin kallonsa, ya sake jin ciwon kasawa, duk da shi sarki mai adalcine, ba shine zababben ba. Talakawansa sun sani. Makiyansa sun sani. Duk dashi sarki ne mai adalci, amma duk abinda zai yi, bazai taba zama zababben ba.

Da yakasance zababben ne, yana jin da rashin kwanciyan hankali ya ragu a daularsa, kulekule ma daya ragu. Talakawansa zasu fi yarda dashi kuma makiyansa bazasu taba ma tunanin kawo hari ba. Wani bangarensa na ganin Kaman takwafin ya bace kawai, al’adan ya bishi. Amma yasan bazai bace ba. Tsinuwan kenan – da kuma karfi – na al’ada. Yana da karfi, da maa yafi, na rundunan mayaka.

A yayin daya masa kallo na Kaman dubu, MacGil yagagara tunanin waye ne zai kasance zababben. Waye mai nasabansa zai kasance da kaddarar dagashi? A yayinda yake tunanin abinda ke gabansa, hakkin fadan waye yarimansa, yayi tunanin waye, idan akwai, zai kasance da kaddarar daga takwafin.

“Takwafin na da nauyi sosai,” wani murya yazo da magana.

MacGil ya juya, yana mamakin suna karamin dakin da wani ashe.

Anan, a saye a kofa, sai ga Argon. MacGil ya gane muryan kafinma yaganshi kuma ya ji kyamarsa da bai iso ba tuntuni amma yayi farin cikin kasancewarsa a nan a yanzu.

“Ka makara,” MacGil yace.

“Yanayin kallon lokacinka ba daidai ne da nawaba,” Argon ya amsa.

MacGil yasake juyowa ga takwafin.

“Shin ka taba tunanin zan iya dagashi?” ya tambaya cikin tuna baya. “Ranan da na zama sarki?”

“Babu,” Argon ya amsa gaba daya.

MacGil ya juyo ya kalleshi.

“Kasan ba zani iya ba. Ka gani, ko baka gani ba?”

“Hakane.”

MacGil yayi tunani akan wannan.

“Nakan ji tsoro idan kana bada amsa gaba daya haka. Ba haka ka saba ba.”

Argon ya cigaba da kasancewa shuru, daga karshe MacGil ya fahimci ba zai kara Magana ba.

“Yau zan fadi sunan magajina,” MacGil yace. “Yana mani Kaman aikin banza, na fadi yarima a wannan ranan. Yakan zare farin cikin sarki daga auren diyarsa.”

“Watakila irin wannan farin cikin ya kamata a taba.”

“Amma ina da shauran shekaru dayawa na mulki,” MacGil ya fada da roko.

“Watakila ba dayawa Kaman yadda kake tunani ba,” Argon ya amsa.

MacGil ya matse idanunsa, yana kwokwanto. Ko wannan wani bayanine a boye?

Amma Argon bai kara ko bayani ba.

“Yara shida. Wannene zan zaba?” MacGil ya tanbaya.

“Yaya kake tambaya na? Kariga ka zaba.”

MacGil ya kalleshi. “Kana gani da yawa. Hakane, na zaba. Amma ina son na san ra’ayinka.”

“Ina ganin kayi zabi na gari,” Argon yace. “Amma ka tuna: sarki bazaya iya mulki daga kabariba. Kodama wakake ganin ka zaba, Kaddara nada wani hanyan zaba wa kansa.”

“Zan rayu, Argon?” MacGil ya tambaya agagauce, yayi tambayanda yake son yayi tunda yatashi daga barci jiya da mummunan mafarki.

“Nayi mafarkin wata tsunsu jiya daddare,” ya kara. “Ta zo ta saci hular sarautana. Sai wata kuma ta dauke ni ta tafi dani. Tanakan tafiya danidin, sai naga masarautana a shimfide a karkashina. Ya juya bakikkirin a yayinda nake tafe. Mattaten kasa. Kasa mara fid da amfani.”

Ya daga ido ya kalli Argon, idanun suna cike da ruwa.

Mafarkine? ko wani abinda yafi mafarki?”

“Mafarku sukan kasance abinda yafi mafarki a kowane lokaci, ko ba haka ba?” Argon ya tambaya.

Sanyin jiki ya kama MacGil.

“A ina hatsarin yake? Ka gayamani koda wannan kawai.”

Argon ya matso kusa sai ya kalli idanunsa da zurfi, MacGil yaji Kaman yana leka cikin wata duniyar ce dabam.

Sai Argon yadan sunkuyo zuwa gaba, yadan fada da karamar murya:

“Kusa fiye da yadda kake zato a koda yaushe.”