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CHAPTER 18
Last Updated:
2021-06-24 01:18:00Related chapters
EJIMA CHAPTER 19
Thick bamboo fences separated the King's compound from the rest of the village. As usual, the urine fustiness trimmed the outer court, bringing back the image of the decayed deer Jide had seen some months back. Old women of different sizes and shapes promenaded to and fro, with royal animal skin, lining their waist, leaving their breasts to flap from side to side like a banana leaf. They were chatting the morning away, obviously unaffected by the stench looming on every corner. Jide has never seen so many old people clustering in one place before. That must be the reason for the stink. Perhaps they rarely bathe or wash. Or was it unanimous with old people? Well, if growing old means smelling like an abandoned cloth that was soaked in a smog of wasted garbage, then Jide prefers to remain a kid forever. He would rather smell like butter every day and remain a kid than have gray hairs and folded skins with flies as a company. “This way,” Maduka said. Taking the lead. Jide hurried behind
Last Updated : 2021-06-25EJIMA CHAPTER 20
Commotion rose from one corner of the rough wall, bouncing on the edge and spreading through every side as Jide and his father stepped into the throne room. It was hard to move a muscle, not with the men, squabbling like little ducks quarreling over a little fish. Standing there did not add any light to Maduka’s ignorance. Too many people were talking at the same time. Too much verbiage. Snorting he pointed to the space on the right, some strides from the throne. Jide lowered the seat and settled it so that it could balance on the lumpy floor. The throne was empty, no wonder the noise from the elders. Even the palace guards were absent. It was not strange but Maduka could feel the emptiness slacking with laxity. This has never happened before, not in a long while. The last time the king had been late to court, was the day his only son and heir to the throne, had fallen sick and had died the day after. Yes, it was not strange for the King to be late, but not to this extent. “Are you
Last Updated : 2021-06-26EJIMA CHAPTER 21
“What nonsense. Who gave this dog the right to speak in this gathering?” Ichie Echefu stood, giving no thought to his wooden stool that flew backward. More crease covered his brow, and the skin under his jaw twitched. All those anger. All those hate. Were they for Jide alone or was the man using this as leverage? “How dare you speak to your elders with such insolence? Ara ana apugi (are you mad)?" Jide looked away, knitting the helm of his pelt with his fingers. He wished he could tell the man to go and wash his filthy mouth in the river, but that would only give him a bad name. Pride is the grease track to the hands of failure, his father normally says. Jide was willing to follow his father's instructions. Out of respect. For all he could tell, Ichie Echefu was nothing but a wealthy old fool. He was prominent among the people. He was one of the wise men whom the villagers bow to, especially when the king was off duty. It was a dangerous game. Yes. A very dangerous one. But right now
Last Updated : 2021-06-27EJIMA CHAPTER 22
The cold wind swirled again, and this time, he held tight the blanket made from the fur of a wild wolf, hoping to keep the cold from bashing his skin. It had rained twice today and even though he was among the many that had prayed for the downpour, he was a bit annoyed. The drizzle was drenching his expensive hood and it would take days to remove all the water. Circumstances like this often make him wish for the dry season. The privilege and freedom to travel into any city without care of being drenched, especially when one was in their ceremonial attire. He snort and tugged the rein, hoping the Zebra would increase its pace. If he had his way he would have remained within the walls of his house, under his roof, and with the warmness of his wife. But comfort was something he had never known since he was a child. Just as the land of the dead was not satisfied with the number of souls it eats, so too the quest for comfort. Solving one problem always brings back another, it was an endles
Last Updated : 2021-06-28EJIMA CHAPTER 23
As always, the language that speaks on the stone wall was the language the dead spoke. At least five torches were hanging in circles on the rough wall. It was a simple room and could have been empty but for the stone chairs. Men in blue gowns sat in silence with their thoughts, watching and observing. Each had the customary chalk and hid their identities beneath a mask. Hawk could not place a name on any of the men. Name was forbidden. The only name that was allowed was the name of the stone, a name given to each individual according to the animal mask they wore. "You are late," Someone said. He had the mask of a bull, which matched the heaviness in his muscles. He was also tall, perhaps the tallest in their midst, and like the rest, he wore a blue vest, twice the size of an average man, but too small for his protruding muscles. Hawk ignored the man at first as he walked towards his seat. Bull, as he was called, was the right hand of the King, perhaps, the most trusted individual w
Last Updated : 2021-06-29EJIMA CHAPTER 24
Jide swallowed the last pounded yam, licking his fingers, one at a time. The wine tasted good, or better than what his father normally gets from the old wine tapper in the village. Life was stunning if one was born with blue blood. Who could have guessed that a nobody like him would one day be a special guest of the King? Breathing in, he leaned on the chair and rested his legs on the stool. It had rained last night and twice the day before. Planting season has begun and not many men have good yam in their barn. The ones who do would probably want to sell at a higher cost. And that's where being rich has its advantage. Jide's lips broadened as a small smile smudged them. He knew he shouldn't be here. He'd heard stories of how cruel the king could be on anyone that fails to play by his rules. These men were brutal to outcasts that crossed their path. But the buffet kept his foot entrenched. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and he was going to grab it with both hands. He la
Last Updated : 2021-06-30EJIMA CHAPTER 25
He held up his snuff-box and taped the edge, hoping to get the content into a homogenous mixture. It was not among the best in the kingdom, but he had decided to give it a trial, partly because Ume had persuaded him that the snuff was the real thing in the seven villages. The other part was the shrill fact that the man was his father-in-law. He had married three of Ume's daughters and while they were still being trained to fit into the court’s way of life, Bozo had agreed to buy Ume’s snuff. Out of sympathy than willingness. This was not their first deal of course. He had patronized the man before, a long time ago, and it was a blunder Bozo was not willing to repeat, not while there were still good palm wine tappers across the district. Bozo hoped the man’s snuff was better than his wine, or else, he would consider Ume as a man who only knows how to bring forth children and nothing more. Bozo frowned as he uncorked the cover lid. The content in the wooden box looks nothing like a snuf
Last Updated : 2021-07-01EJIMA CHAPTER 26
Despite the uneasiness hanging on every side of the camp, Bozo could feel the comfort under his hood—made from an antelope hide—as he walked through the hordes of men that stood, facing the distance ahead. Their hands were clenching their weapons as though their life depended on them, and the torrential drop of sweat that came running down smeared their faces with a glare that almost gave Bozo a skin burn. Pathetic. Bozo thought as he held up his chest, walking through the open space which the surprised men had torn for him. The heavens have parted ways with the golden glows of the beautiful morning and the heat of the maturing day was beginning to show its face. But for the ceremony—usually at night and once in a twelve moon cycle—Bozo has never left the comfort of his palace in broad daylight. He had never liked daytime. Of course, he had been born into daylight and had walked in their comfort at a time. But those days are gone. Too many things have transpired in those years. It al
Last Updated : 2021-07-02
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EJIMA CHAPTER 72
Another east wind drifted through the trees and rested upon him, easing out the discomfort of the last twelve years. He shifted to the side and smiled when the golden rays that tubes from the trees' leaves, seemed to knock on the door of his eyes. Only one word came to his mind. Peace. Indeed, one does not know the value of what they have until they lose it. But it is also true that one does not know the value of what they have been missing until it arrives. Before now it was wars, killing, revenge, and anger. There have been several sacrifices to different deities and for different purposes. But now, everything has changed. It was the introduction of the divine, the coming of the king of kings that has blotted away the darkness which plagued the land for a very long time."Still enjoying the view or should I say the peace?"Jide's smile broaden as he took the cup of palm wine. It was obvious, the peace. Everyone was enjoying it
EJIMA CHAPTER 71
It was his only place of solace, his last resort. Even as he walked blindly through the foliage of green, the word ‘I am your son’ kept his mind awake. It was a bold claim, and for the moment, Uche could have sworn that his powers had turned into water. He wanted to run into the boy's arm and wrapped his hands around him. If Bozo was his son, then everything he had been fighting for was useless. Bozo had the kingdom and the power, which Uche could lay claim to once he took the boy in as his father. He could have amassed the boy’s riches to himself since Bozo seemed to be richer than Ame a hundredfold. That way, he would have control of the land, and everyone would bow to him. But on the other hand, accepting Bozo would also mean accepting Ejima. And that was a curse he wouldn’t wish for his enemy, not while the woman was a bag of misfortune and evil. He would rather spend his days in poverty than accept Ejima into his home again.Uche added pressure on
EJIMA CHAPTER 70
Navigating through the forest was not as easy as the masters had predicted. But that was partly due to the malfunctioning compass which had misled them twice. Goddison had taken charge after the third trial had failed. He was leading them now, through a path in the forest, trusting his nose and ears. Mary on the other hand had said fewer words since they departed four days ago. She had kept to herself, speaking only when spoken to. As usual, there was no age on her face, despite the scorching heat, her expression was plain, yet each time Jide looked in her direction, the woman was always muttering to herself. It was called prayer, Jide had learned from one of the masters, which made him wonder if the prayer is everlasting.Five people had embarked on this journey, excluding Ugomma and Jide. The locale in the village had provided them with horses and supplies and had bid them farewell with the grace of God. Jide had made a few friends though, a man n
EJIMA CHAPTER 69
She thought she heard herself screaming, but that was a thought that her consciousness did not register. Her head was heating, and the sweat that streamed from her body was like a pool. Uche was laughing now, and the triumph in his eyes only dug the anger that Ejima had harbored for the past twenty years."No, this is not happening,"Ejima panted and watched in horror as Kachi and his men, lifted Bozo out of the pit and placed him on the dusty floor. She trotted towards their direction and rested Bozo's head on her lap, using her free hand to add pressure on his wounded chest. It would have been worse, but his metallic armor had prevented some damage."I will do it all over," Bozo coughed and blood dribbled out of his mouth. His brown eyes had lost their grandness, mixed now with tears and regrets."Please, don't die. Please." Ejima cried amid the hot breath that came pouring out of her nostril. Some inches away was the pit which Uche had dug. Ghost, Bozo
EJIMA CHAPTER 68
He kept looking into the bright eyes, lost in the exuberance of the woman he had longed so much to meet. The past twenty years had not changed her much, just the crease that was gliding towards the sides of her face. Despite the age, her chocolate skin was almost radiating like that of a baby. Gray was the song of old age, yet her hair had failed to sing its songs. She fitted the picture he knew since he was still ten years. Nothing about her had changed nothing.She has been through a lot. Guilt crawled through Bozo's stomach triggering regrets and maybes. He should have remained here to help her. He should have found her earlier.“You are my son? You are…Bozo?”“How did you know my name, Mmechi made sure we remained hidden from the rest of the village?” Bozo said as he helped her to her feet. He could still hear the rustle and the crushing leaves, he still remembered the night when Mmechi had smuggled them out of the village, for
EJIMA CHAPTER 67
Cold went through her nape as she went on down the lonely path. Raining season had pathways for the harmattan wind, which fogged the treetops like the smoke of a burning bush. Until today, coming here wouldn't have crossed her mind in ages. It's been a long time and every step into the forest flushes back the memory. How long has it been? Why was the forest notorious for harboring evil?Ejima steadied her hands on her staff. The burning sensation on her side was still there and her head ached. She needed a good sleep. She needs to clear her mind. Life has indeed dealt with her, she could sense the heavy stripes on her soul and the weight crashing on her shoulders. It has always been from one problem to another, one death or misfortune to another. She was the victim. Maybe the villagers were right? Maybe the words of the Dibia were right? Maybe she indeed was a daughter of misfortune.No, that can't be. A voice assured in her head as she continued. She had not met anyon
EJIMA CHAPTER 66
The almond eyes flashed into Ejima's memory and instantly she could place the horny skin and the rich dark hair that had turned grey. "My goodness. What happened to you? You look-" "Old?" Mmechi laughed, "Ije Uwa. Constantly working on the farm, with the sun blistering its heat on your head could leave your hair as snow white as mine." She laughed again. "But those are the good days. It brought me here." "You look fine." Ejima smiled. The woman's hunchback was gone and even though Ejima would love to know how she didn't ask. With the misery that came with the woman's condition, Ejima decided to keep that part aside. Unless Mmechi told her along the line, she was not ready to prey out the information. The past should remain buried sometimes. "I never thought I would see you again." Ejima helped herself out of the bed. Mmechi was already lost in thought. The woman was once her servant. Ejima had taken her in after the villagers had condemned her because
EJIMA CHAPTER 65
She opened her eyes to the pounding noise of the mortar and pestle. It sounded distant at first, yet the tantrum on her head, registered like two stones, rubbing over one another. It was a dark room, candled by a dim light, burning wastefully by her right. Horrible-looking creatures hung on the ceilings. Skull of animals, different types and breeds. The soapy smell also made her rub her nose, she couldn’t help but think of some dead fish, left by the riverside to decay. Not that it affected her much, the headache and the occasional blurring vision left her in doubt. Maybe she had hit her head on something. It was hard to tell. But she remembered lying on the cave bed and begging Uche for her life. He had not freed her, the blood lust had driven him into stabbing her continuously with his dagger. And she had...is this the land of the dead? “You are awake.” The pounding noise ceased as an old woman appeared, smiling weakly at her. Her hands were a tendril of vein
EJIMA CHAPTER 64
Another wave of dust followed the marching feet as the men snailed through the mountain peaks like migrating ants. From one end of the hill to the far side on the horizon, war songs upheld the calmness that once asserted the forest. There were at least a hundred men on horseback and a thousand or so on foot. These were husbands, fathers, farmers, brothers, and uncles. Before now, they were familiar with pitchforks, knives, and other household materials. But not anymore. Years of torture and torment from the Freeborns have drilled them into valiant warriors of anger and vengeance. They were fearless and would battle anything that stood in their way. While some people in the council had argued about their brutality, the truth no one was seeing was the fact that these men had kept the land safe for the past fifty years. It was the will to keep their family and loved ones from oppression that kept them going. That love was so stronger than any force in the universe.Bozo deepened
