Morgan Rice - Wani Neman Jarumai

Amma ya gagara. Yanada jerin ayuyyuka kafin ma ya iya fitowa daga gininsa a fada. Aimaa, ranar auren ‘ya na zaman alhaki ne a kan sarki: zai zauna da majalisarsa; ya zauna da yaransa; yayita zama da dagon jeren masu kokekoke wayanda ke da daman ganin sarki a irin wannan ranan. Zai zama masa babban sa’a in har ya iya barin gininsa kafin bukin yammacin.

*

MacGil yasa kayan sarauta mafi kyau, bakin wando, da bel mai rowan gwal, doguwar riga da akayi da mafi kyawun yadin siliki mai launin malmo da gwal, farin alkebba, takalma masu kyalli da suka kai kwanrisa, sai dasa hular sarautarsa – hular kayattacen gwal da babban lu’u lu’u a binne a sakiyarsa – ya cigaba da bin layunkan cikin gininsa, masu hidima suna dukan gefensa. Ya wuce daki bayan daki, ya sauka matakalan saukowa daga katangan kariya, ya yanki ta cikin ainihin fadan zama, ta babban zaure mai shigaye, da silin dinsa mai tsawo da kyawawan gilasai. Daga karshe ya kai ga daddaden kofar itacen oak, da kauri Kaman bishiya, wanda masu hidimarsa suka bude kafinsu koma gefe. Dakin ikon sarauta.

Masu bada shawararsa sun mike da shigansa, a ka rufe kofan bayan shigansa.

“ku zauna,” yace, da sauri fiye da yanda ya saba. Agajiye yake, musamman ma a yau, saboda hidimomin tafiyar da mulkin wannan masarautar da basu karewa, wayanda yake son yagama dasu.

Ya wuce a cikin fadar ikon sarautan, wanda baya fasa bashi sha’awa. Silin dinsa kafa hamsin daga kasa, gabadaya bango daya da kyawawan gilasai, kasa da bango da a ka gina daga duwatsu masu kaurin kafa daya. Dakin zai iya daukan baki dari a saukake. Amma a ranaku Kaman yau, lokacinda majalisarsa ke zama, shi da yan kalilan din masu bashi shawara ne kawai a kayadadden zaman. Babban tebiri mai kama da lauje shi ya dauke mafi yawan dakin, wanda bayanshi masu bashi shawaran suka sassaya.

Ya wuce ta kofar, sambai ta sakiya, zuwa kan kujeran sarautarsa. Ya haura matakalun dutsen, ya wuce gunkayen zaki na gwal, sai ya zauna a kan jan katifan velvet dake kan kujeran sarautan, wanda a ka kera gaba daya da gwal. Akan wannan kujeran sarautan mahaifinsa ya zauna, Kaman yadda mahaifinshi shima yayi da dukkanin yan dangin MacGil kafinshi. Yayinda ya zauna, MacGil yaji nauyin duka kakkaninsa – na dukkanin zamani – akanshi.

Ya kewaye masu bada shawara da suka halartu da kallo. Akwai Brom, janar dinsa mafi girma kuma mai bashi shawara a kan harkokin tsaro; Kolk, janar din rundunar yara maza, Aberthol, tsohon cikin taron, almajiri kuma masani tarihi, mai karantar da sarakuna na nasabi uku; Firth, mai bashi shawara a kan harkokin cikin gida na fadan, siririn mutum da guntun, suma da ramukan ido masu zurfi da basu taba zama wuri guda. MacGil bai taba yadda da Firth gaba dayaba, kuma baima taba gane matsayinsa ba. Amma mahaifinsa, da mahaifinshi shima, sun nada mai bada shawara kan harkokin cikin gida na al’amuran fada, saboda haka shima ya rikeshi saboda girmama masu. Akwai Owen, ma’ajiyinsa; Bradaigh, mai bashi shawara akan harkokin waje; Earnan, mai karban haraji; Duwayne, mai bada shawara a kan talakawa; da kuma Kelvin, wakilin dukan masu matsayin sarauta.

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.