Said the Slave to the Master: A Conversation

By Akili'Ka Mbonisi

Said The Slave to The Master is a conversation between two men, one being Master Hawthorne, and the other, a mild mannered slave by the name of Roman. Hawthorne’s curiosity regarding Roman is piqued by his recent odd and curious attitude. And in a bold move to investigate the matter, Hawthorne gives Roman the permission to speak with equal frankness on philosophical and political matters. Hawthorne, however, finds it far more challenging than he expected. His political and philosophical views clash tremendously with Roman’s. And during the heated discussion, Hawthorne begins to discover something very unique about Roman, perhaps even dangerous.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Akili'Ka Mbonisi
• Release date: Nov 3, 2011
• ISBN: 9780978842062

Book preview

Said the Slave to the Master: A Conversation

By

Akili’Ka Mbonisi

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© 2012 Akili’Ka Mbonisi

Published By: Poetic Blasphemy

An Imprint of  Mbonisi Graphics™

Virginia Beach, VA.

The sale of this book without its cover is unauthorized. If you purchased this book without a cover, you should be aware that it was reported to the publisher as unsold and destroyed. Neither the author nor the publisher has received payment for the sale of this stripped book.

This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

A Publication of Poetic Blasphemy

An Imprint of Mbonisi Graphics™

www.poeticblasphemy.com/books

Copyright © 2012 by Akili’Ka Mbonisi

All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever. For information, address [e-mail]

Mbonisi Graphics™ logo is a registered trademark of MbonisiGraphics.com.

Cover Art Designed by Mbonisi Graphics™

Library of Congress Control Number: 2011942590

ISBN-13: 978-0-9788420-6-2

ISBN-10: 0-9788420-6-5

Printed in the United States of America by Lulu.com

Slavery is so vile and miserable an estate of man, and so directly opposite to the generous temper and courage of our nation, that it is hardly to be conceived that an Englishman, much less a gentleman, should plea for it.

—— John Locke

Dedication

For my father Fredrick, who has often given food for thought.

And to my brother Charles, whose advice has been and remains invaluable.

Preface

One might ask, to what do we owe this creative account of two men engaged in ardent discourse. The inspiration for this work comes largely from one source and inspired by another; The first, Two Treatises of Government, by John Locke; And the second, the inspiring book From Superman to Man, by J. A. Rogers.

The author of this work (Said The Slave to The Master) had the pleasure of reading J. A. Rogers' From Superman to Man. He was particularly taken with the interaction of two starkly different characters discussing their political and philosophical views of the time. What was revealed between the two in Rogers' book was quite fascinating. This work attempts to capture the spirit of which J. A. Rogers' work represents.

The other piece of fascinating work read by our author was by John Locke (Two Treatises of Government). Much of the argument in this work is based on Locke's assertions. Locke's work is a compelling letter that debunks Sir Robert Filmer's Patriarcha, his premises of right to rule by divine succession or a civil society that is based on natural rights.

Although Said The Slave to The Master does not contain the historical significance Rogers' and Locke's works possess, it does, however, manages to stand in the presence of both and to hold its own by offering a unique story and perspective.

Akili'Ka Mbonisi

Author of Moments In The Sun

Introduction

The journey you are about to embark upon, is a conversation between a master and his slave. It takes place in a time when the East Indian Company was heavily involved in the capture and transportation of Africans from the east coast of their homeland by way of the Indian ocean and sold as human cargo for the purpose of servitude. This servitude was much unlike the servitude in the Americas. The Atlantic Slave Trade transported mostly West Africans to the Americas for the purposes of working in mines and on plantations. Whereas, slaves were used far more in a domestic capacity in India. There, many of these slaves were sold to royal courts, and they were often set free or became important members of India's royal courts. Some even became rulers, and others ––– if they survived usurpation of an invading force ––– were returned to servitude, no matter the skill, the education, or their accomplishments.

Prologue

Screams pierced the thick walls of the royal palace. The sound of battle was everywhere. Mina was calling out for her son over the battle cries, the dust filled air, the smell of blood, and the clash of steel that assaulted the senses. Panicked and confused nobles were scattering everywhere, but she was focused and determined. Mina had a small sheathed sword in her tightened grip that clashed dramatically with her fine silken garments. She was meticulously searching the crowd for her son, calling his name over and again. Frighten for his life, his safety was the only thing she could think of. She must find him. He has to be near. He has to be alive. And upon that thought, Mina offered a silent prayer for his protection. However, when despair threaten to cloud her presence of mind, there he was, plucked by luck out of the many bodies clashing into one another. He was trying to escape through the massive entrance of the palace along with the cue. He would surely be killed by an arrow or some swordsman, were her thoughts.

Romanos... This way, Romanos, she cried, her voice barely audible over the tumult.

The near miss of hissing arrows from overhead passing her, found new homes in the panicked crowd of nobles trying to escape emanate destruction. Many people were struck down and trampled under the full weight of pandemonium. And pushing her way through the growing throng, Mina grabbed a hand full of Romanos garments and pulled him in the opposite direction. Once free of the panicked group, they veered off into a dead end of a passageway, ominous and lit with a single torch. A