21 June 2017

Kalahari Herald Chronicles 21 June 2017 3#58

DAILY NEWS FROM MAMLAKAT KALAHARI

(http://mykalahariblogaddress.blogspot.com)
((see dara's video of Queen Vi's party  https://youtu.be/EtOflO7KktA))

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NADA'S STORYTELLING CONTEST

"THAT NECKLACE IS ..... MINE!"
AND THE WINNER IS BEAUTIFUL AND TALENTED AND err
(also writing this article! ahahaha)
Afraa al Abid!
BUT
the real winners were the entire audience who honored Afraa, Rose Purple, TinaWo, and Roxe with their applause and remarks, and 
Lady Nada Syuhada who managed everything superbly!


(And thanks to all who attended: King Hassan ibn Trrrol, Queen-to-be Dara, Princess Nathalie, Lady Nada Syuhada, Lady Nilasso, Lady Samaira, Lady Stephanie Brown, the Blackhearted Sailmaster Thorgrim and Captain Minghus, the mysterious waqas, Shayla Rhagreb, and slaves Roxe, TinaWo and Rose Purple, and Minister Afraa al Abid.)



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The cream of Kalahari society gathered in a beachfront setting, as the creative artist Lady Nada Syuhada introduced the Second Kalahari Storytelling Contest, posing the question "Whose was the necklace Nada discovered in the Tavern?"

The stories in order were read and performed by Rose Purple, slave TinaWo, slave Roxe (alias Lady Roxelana Chronander,) and Minister Afraa al Abid.



Rose Purple

ROSE PURPLE

This necklace the famous necklace with the inlaid violet stone: I know it ... Yes, I know it perfectly well. I can feel every beat of this magic stone that shines like a black sun.

My name is Rose Purple, this necklace is mine, and here is the history that explains why.

Long ago, perhaps even a year, I traveled with a caravan in the desert of Tahari. We were on our way to a city named Oasis Kalahari.

On the journey, we were experiencing frequent sandstorms and in these vicious storms, scorpions and snakes attacked the caravan. During this long trek, we lost half of the men in the caravan and when Kalahari came in sight, the last of the men died, and I was the sole survivor.

And bad luck!--just when I remained as the lone survivor, a group of slavers came upon the Caravan, and I, weak, exhausted, hungry, thirsty, was no match for them. Quickly, the experienced slavers, captured, cuffed and collared me. In my weakened state, I fell asleep, but when I awakened This is fucking embarrassing!) i had been stripped and forced to wear the silks of a slave! And the thieving slavers had stolen my necklace!

This gang of slavers was commanded by the internationally known slaver Amy Damster, and she took me to Kalahari and sold me, where I was forced into slavery. Fortunately, Minister Afraa al Abid. gave me my freedom after my good service at the Tavern. Of course she made me dance naked for her, and then kiss her feet to earn my freedom.

And so that is how I heard that my necklace has been found, and that Kalahari seeks its proper owner. And that is ME, and that is my MY PRECIOUS NECKLACE! 

The proof that this necklace belongs to me is clear. Look, dear observer, at the inlaid stone surrounded by pearls, its purple color. Now look at the shimmering purple color in my eyes, … look right into the depth of my eyes,  .. see how similar the color is to my eyes, observe, feel sleepy. Let the color surround you, embrace you. 

It’s clear now, isn’t it? The necklace is MINE!

Princess Nathalie with the evil Captain Minghus
Dara watches the King encouraging the seductive TinaWo

TINAWO

“That necklace is MINE!!!” Tina shouts out, “It was a gift from my regular customer from the Garden of 1001 Pleasures, where I work! After three nights in a row, doing my duty for the kingdom of Kalahari, in the Garden, the Sir gave me that Necklace!”

(looks around at the gathering who is here to hear my story.)

“After the third night in a row of my pleasing him, he gave me that generous gift, He knows I like necklaces, especially one of shining  pearls. I had a shiny box, though unused so it was a bit dusty, to keep the pearl necklace in when he gave it to me. After he left, I bathed, put on new silks and went to the tavern, for I was famished.”

(Giggles to myself, knowing that only my belly had not been filled.)

“I also had no service at the tavern, so I made my own dinner. While it was cooking, I looked in the box and smiled at my new necklace, hence the box was slightly opened. When I retrieved my dinner and the tankard, the gravy was spilling over my plate onto the table and the tankard I filled too full and it was spilling over as well. I put the necklace on the shelf, so the gravy and drink did not spill on it.”

(looks at the gathering again to see looks of approval, smirks at some rolling their eyes)

“After I finished my meal, I went to get up, and found another customer for the Garden lurking behind me. He grabbed my wrists and bound them with rope! I tried to scream out, saying that I needed to get my necklace, but he muffled my screams and used a silken sash to silence me, pulling the gag tight between my teeth. I could not scream out, through the gag. He then dragged me back to the Garden annex, where he cuffed me to the slave post, and used me! I would still be cuffed to that Slave Post, if it had not been for Miss Nila, who came and released me from the post. Miss Nila had me bathe, washing away what the Sir had left on me, then she inspected me. Seeing I was clean, to Miss Nila's satisfaction, I put on new silks and returned to the tavern to retrieve my gift BUT IT WAS GONE!!”

(Looks suspiciously at the gathering, then remembers Nada's honesty)

Smiles, and says in a matter of fact manner, “I heard that Nada had found my necklace, so I am here to get it back!”

Lady Nilasso applauds the story of her Garden Girl TinaWo

Lady Samaira, Market Manager Anette CapriHorn, and the evil Sailmaster Thorgrim
Roxe with Stephanie Brown in the Background

ROXE

I am Lady Roxelana Chronander, though you all might call me by another name now.

(shoots a dirty look at Minister Afraa.)

When I heard of the necklace found in the tavern, my heart skipped a beat. Could it be? Not all my possessions vanished into the pockets of that thief?

It is a matter of public record that I fled Sweden with my dower consisting of several pieces of jewelry. I sought to find a buyer for those pieces here, to pay for a small home in which to spend the rest of my days as a quiet widow. Some sticky-fingered scoundrel broke into Lady Malika's locked chest, where the bulk of my dower had gone into safekeeping.

In those days I could be seen often wearing a string of pearls, to match the pearl-ended hairpins in my coiffure. Oh yes, not too long ago I was not barred from wearing my hair up off my shoulders like a respectable lady, and not down like it is now like a maiden girl or wanton.

My theory is that the the thief snuck into my room at the inn but as he made his escape there was a crowd around a table in the courtyard before the tavern. Does it not then make sense that he would hide it for retrieval later? But then after he managed to make off with the much greater amount from the locked chest and ran to get a head start on any pursuit by the forces of law and order.

It is only right and just that this necklace be returned to me, though some would say I am entirely too vocal about what would be just.

(glances over at the Minister again.)

Please return to me the last thing I have of my proper station of nobility. It's the right thing to do.

(curtsies in an almost regal manner as she returns to the audience.)

Shayla Rhagreb views the performance of Afraa.

AFRAA AL ABID

“Is there anyone less appreciated than I am?” complained Afraa al Abid, as she staggered toward the Delicious Syrup Tavern after another long day of signing papers, spending money on jewelry for “Royal Miscellaneous,” and keeping track of the King’s romantic errr “affairs of state.”

“Well, I’ve had it, it’s Friday night, and I am going to the Tavern to see if I can drink enough ka-la-na that I see Allah!” muttered Afraa, as citizens moved out of the way of the mumbling minister, used to seeing the steam coming out of her ears at the end of a work week.

Amazingly, the Tavern was empty. Little did Afraa know that the King was sponsoring a Maypole dance at the Palace, with free food and drink provided to the citizens and their slaves, and the Grand Prize: a hot bath with the Maypole winner! The Tavern paled by comparison to that particular thrill.

Trifles such as no drinking companions had never stopped Afraa before, however, and she rather looked forward to a night of solitary drinking when she realized she was alone in the Tavern. “Let the good times roll,” thought Afraa, as she pried open the barrel of ka-la-na.

Six drinks later, the drunken Minister felt the need to play, and losing track of all discretion, took out of her secret pouch the glistening treasure that had been smuggled to her by her long-time secret love, the Emir of Fatsonia, who undoubtedly had acquired this beautiful pearl necklace by entirely legal means.

Rubbing the pearls against her cheek, Afraa concocted the ridiculous but entirely understandable fantasy that the Emir was in the Tavern, and being the romantic god that he is, was seducing her (in between bites of grape cake and croissants!) Fantastic apparitions merged with drunken hallucinations and before long, Afraa was in the throes of what we in Kalahari know as a “Monarch Moment.”

“Mmmmm” thought Afraa, who by this time had forgotten where she was, and what she was holding in her hand. “Why am I holding these eggs, and why do they have a string through them?” Looking around to see if anyone noticed, and being consoled that she was totally alone, Afraa shoved the “eggs,” (and I know all of you clever people have figured out that they were not eggs, but the PEARL NECKLACE!”) on the shelf. But in her drunken state, the top of the jewel box popped open, which went unnoticed by the inebriated Minister, who turned around and immediately passed out, face down, into a sack of flour.

When the Tavern crew came in the next morning, they immediately dusted off the Minister, and allowed her to stagger home, all memories of the previous night gone with the last of the flour dust, with one exception: 
THE NECKLACE IS MINE!

Stephanie ponders Afraa's drunken tale.

Though all the stories were fabulous, the judges came to a conclusion that Afraa al Abid had won, and Lady Nada made that announcement to an audience thrilled by the clever stories, and the witty remarks they themselves had made!

Sultana of Stories Nada Syuhada

Glory to Kalahari!


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COMING EVENTS

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Royal Wedding, Friday, 30 June 2017, 12 Noon SLT

Grand opening of Kalahari Market and Garden Games Pavilion

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Afraa al Abid

Kalahari Herald

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