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CHAPTER 37
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2022-05-15 16:36:05The drums continued to frazzle the night. It was the third beat of the normal traditional cycle. Well, maybe not the third, but his eyes dazed through the curtains of darkness when the music suddenly stopped. Sitting up from the floor, he strained his weak ears. Waiting, and listening.
Could this be the redemption he had hoped for? Ah, of course not. There was no redemption. His father was dead. No siblings, no uncle. It was foolish to think anyone would come to his rescue.
His stomach knotted as he lazed back on the pole. Not that the music had returned, but the footfalls of silence was the only proof he needed. He was not going home anytime soon. They would not let him return, not while he remains the son of their enemy. Not while he was the child of the best warrior in the land.
Do all you can for the king, but never trust him with your life.
Jide closed his eyes to the voice of his father. If only he had heeded to the advice of the old man
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EJIMA CHAPTER 38
The sound of the ikoro had woken her. It was rare. That wooden gong was never beaten unless something bad has happened or was about to happen. It was hard to tell which of the two was in play. But one thing was certain. The ikoro was a drum of the spirit. It was never sounded in vain. The last time she had heard its sound was a long time ago. She was probably ten or eleven years old then. The kingdom had lost the greatest diviner, the Dibia of the seventh generation. Ejima hurried towards the sandy path, making her way to the village square. The day was young, but the fact that she didn’t see anyone on her way to the square, made her wonder if the enemy had wiped out the entire village. For all she could tell, the village could have turned into a ghost town. Not even the noise of a domestic animal could be heard. Silence and emptiness had mended the crips of the birds. Ejima rested her hands on her sling as she roamed the narrow path. As a novice in the shrine, she w
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Uche picked the first arrow and sauntered towards the line. His lips parted when he saw the glee in his wife's eyes. He was taller than most men in the camp and the muscles that streaked his body made his skin glow. Looking at him, Ejima could not stop thinking about the smooth feel of pottery. His hair was long too, and had been braided into two delicate strands, with their dark color, contrasting the cowries that dangled on them. It was an unfamiliar look, that one was strange. Ejima never liked Uche wearing long hair or beads. But seeing them on him made her... She swallowed. To be honest, he was beautiful. The braids brought out his masculine nature and attractiveness. It was hard to take her eyes away from the man that had won her heart. Seeing him created a bubble in her stomach, sending a frigid chill down her spine and making her shift on the seat. All their years and adventures together, it was obvious how fragile and fluffy life could be. This moment you have every
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Counting his fingers did not work, so Jide kept track of time by paying attention to the cocks, whose voices were announcing the break of dawn. He had given up sleep since the princess brought him here and that was because his racing heart would not let his body relax. The guards might be looking for him; it was hard to tell. But Jide hopes they would not find him. Deep down, he prayed he had left no evidence or sign for the palace guards to track. He couldn't imagine what they would do to him if they find him here. And this place was comfortable, but for the... Jide stood and dusted the straw from his body, trying to keep down the nauseating feeling. The straws were old and soaked with urine that could almost draw tears from the eyes. Looking at them, Jide could not help the thought of the decaying antelope his father had shot dead some months back. If someone had told him otherwise, he would have argued with them, but now, he was not sure. Were there no servants in the kin
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The drummers and their music took the lead again, with the old women dancing in circles, following the Diviner who was behind the King’s guards and the warriors of the village. The palanquin of leaf and wood danced with the sack clothes of the hefty men who had rings, going through their nose and ears. There were six of them, dark-skinned and with scars all over their body. Each side of the palanquin held some white wool, looking sleek and smooth, it was hard to tell which animal skin it was. And, this was the first time Jide had seen a royal palanquin. It also made him wonder why the princess had decided to ride on an ostrich instead of joining the family in their ostentation of wealth, power, and prestige. Well, maybe she was different from her father. Maybe she was not as foolish as Jide had presumed initially. Golden glows herald the gentle wind that came rushing in. It was comforting. The heat was by no means backing down and the afternoon might last for another six to
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She swam through the wet foliage, using her free hands to keep the wetness from her skin. It was a futile effort since the wetness drove a chill from her barefoot to every part of her body. The sun had given way for the dark clouds, and the drizzling rain was just too cold on her skin. Since she assumed the role of working on the shrine, she has not been drenched by a downpour. And that was partly because she hated the rainy season for some odd reason. Plus, her experience with these people the last two years, was not a pleasant one. Even as she walked through the familiar path, she could feel her muscle and strength turning to water. If she had her way, she would have forgotten this mission and focused on winning the hunt. That would change the world. It would change her world for good. Wining the hunt would make her the rightful heir to the throne. It would be an amazing experience. A delightful splendor crawled through her stomach and she wanted to swell with the alluring
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It took one last flash of lightning for Ejima to see the empty streets. The drizzling rain had fogged into a mist but was spirited by the torches slitting from the windows. Her wet clothes were glued to her body and plunging cold into her soul. Save for the lack of water and food, she preferred the dry season to wet season. It did not ruin things and activities like this. "It's been like this all year," the muscular woman said as if reading her thoughts. "But we thank the gods for their mercies. Better to have wet season than live like a desert rat" Ejima did not respond, they had crossed the muddy parameter and were breaking away from the heart of the village. Not even a dog was outside. If the torches burning inside every house were not lit she could have sworn that this village was inhabited by ghosts. “Dry season is like its name, dry. But it's time for harvest. A time for plenty of food.” Ejima said. “Ah, what about water?" The woman asked just a
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Ugomma swam through the bodies and screams of the people who kept jumping and calling out to the eleven gods. The ceremony had eaten deep into the evening, breaking the sadness that kept meddling with her soul. Nothing will remain the same, even though the happiness on the faces of these people seemed to keep the fear at bay. She knows deep down that the world would change after today. It was politics like her father would say. This was the last blow that would give the heated iron its shape. The king had pried with the affairs of the people; he had stretched his hands into a furnace and only time will tell if he will get burnt or not. Rubbing off the smell of sweat, Ugomma shouldered past some group of men who were drinking away what was left of the evening. They seemed not to care, even though her struggle had spluttered the wine on their clay mug. She didn't care either, her eyes just kept track of the red and white animal skin, bouncing back and forth on the princess's s
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
