four walls of that dungeon of a house. Could Inene too, like her sister, have betrayed her and left without sending any message to her?
And oh, the baby, whom she had been bearing the pains, carrying to and fro under such suffering.
In summation, a destitute, a mother to a bàstard and a dumb all equates to no life.
She wept bitterly as she opt for some strings of tow snaps interwoven like hair embroider, in a way that it would also thick and tensile to go swinging with her body in between heaven and earth.
What thought she bore, terminating her life, the one that has caused much sorrow.
It was now action time, and not time for thoughts. She bore sorrow in her heart and pain as she reminisced once again the life she had lived, the good and the bad, which the later was the prevalent.
She remembered that she had forgotten something. The log of wood she would use as a step to get to the branch where she would take the final resort.
She closed her eyes so tight so that she could summon the morale to embark on the journey to the land of the dead. It wasn't really easy for someone of her type who'd always dreaded death from childhood, though the phobia diminished with time, but traces of death phobia still lingered.
The courage suddenly came from nowhere, while she made her way close to the branch of the ugiri tree step by step, as she had arranged the log of wood, defying the discomfort of her protruded stomach, until she got to the peak of the steps.
Hastily, she made the woven rope go past round her neck, and gently she let the wood on the top roll off its support and she close her eyes in the land of mortals to re-open it in the land of the spirit.
She was suppose to be in the spirit world sitting next to her father, mother, brothers and sister, but she was still feeling the rope tied across her neck, and her leg wasn't free either, someone was holding her legs pushing it upwards making the rope ensemblement loose on her neck. She thought she even heard her name been mentioned,
"Ulumma please, don't do it. Come down please." the voice pleaded.
She manage a squint below her, it was still that same girl, Inene again. She would always be the one to stop her on a mission like this.
Her throat was already hurting, and tight as if been stocked with foam. It was as a result of the minuscule moment she had swung before the saviour, or rather the obstacle came in between her and death.
Agumba was seen from afar coming back, Inene gestured him to come to their rescue. He saw them, though not knowing what was going on between one person on the tree and the other beneath her.
He ran speedily like he had never done before, the closer he got, the more glaring of what he had seen from afar became. Was it actually Ulumma trying to commit suicide? For what reasons?
Hastily, he ascended the ugiri tree, with quick pace and untied the rope. The gravity of Ulumma's weight was telling on Inene's stamina and on the balance of the log of woods. And like a poorly constructed hut, they crashed on the floor.
Inene was injured but whatever the injury it was nothing compared to someone's life she had saved.
Uju was still muddled by the turnout of events at Umudioga, how she was openly rejected by Ifenna, and to her complete nailing, Akwanwa was made the crowned princess right before her. Not forgetting the insult she'd also from the disrespectful follow.
Akwanwa, on the other hand, had threatened to eject her and Aneke out of the palace and Ifenna kept mute, only nodding in concurrence. She had nothing to do with Aneke and yet they took it like she was already his wife.
Now, she knew better who the better enemy was. Akwanwa. She had stolen Ifenna from her, she is going to do all in her power to frustrate their union. The only way this plot could be actualized was to be at the helm of power.
Now Aneke's proposal comes to mind. Though she had turn him down severally even amidst prostration and pleading. She hated herself for playing so hard to please, thereby making a man in the calibre of Aneke prostrate before her. Here is someone who loved her very much and would be ready to give her anything she wishes to get. She didn't know if she would be able to reciprocate such magnitude of love shown by the son of the late king. She would give a try.
Going into the palace, she received a cold welcome from the palace workers. She wondered what happened that the face of almost everyone was moody, she didn't bother to ask anyone what the matter was but she proceeded to where she was sure Aneke would be.
Uju sauntered round the edifice, looking for him. He was suppose to be at his comfort zone, which is the shade he built under a fruitless ukwa tree. Since the tree couldn't bear seeds, he chose to make it a shade because hewing down of the tree could have some spiritual implication.
The last place he could be was either on his throne or his room, if he wasn't out on a reginal assignment.
She headed straight to the room and she ran into his troublesome sister once again. Olieze eye was dilated in surprise and then winced back tightly in anger.
Why would this 'man hunter' not stay away from her brother's life, she thought. She still felt that Uju killed her brother, Mba, and she still bore that in heart, now it is her only brother left. She has to do something to stop her.
She crossed her arms to stop her from proceeding,
"You can't go further, the king is not in good health to see anyone now."
"That is why I've come to pay a visit." Uju replied with a look of disdain.
"And I say your presence is repulsive to the king."
"I'm sure he wants to see me."
"I said you can't enter here," she said stubbornly.
"If you block me, I will push you to the mud," while she was still talking she went in pushing her away from the door. Olieze rushed to draw her back but she pushed her in a way she stumbled roughly upon her feet, almost falling to the ground. Uju locked the door behind her leaving the poor girl throwing jibes at her,
"You murderer, man-hunter, reprobate, witch, bastärd, destitute" and so many others she could think of.
Aneke felt a bit relieved seeing Uju coming to him. Though he didn't expect her presence, he hoped it will all turn out for good this time.
Uju expressed concerned about his ailment,
"What happened to you," she asked softly.
"You made me sick, Uju. You decided to take me as nothing, and I will have to be what you've made me to be."
She expected such response, therefore she wasn't surprised by his reply. If what he said is the problem, then there she was with the much needed solution.
"Is that the only reason why you have been sick?" she asked once again even though it wasn't necessary for her to ask.
"Yes, that only. Nothing else. Uju you won't understand how I feel right inside me every single time you reject me." he said as he rose from his bed energetically with enthusiastic advance.
"I know very well how you feel, more than anyone else, but you don't have to get yourself sick because of me. You have the kingdom too remember."
"My kingdom is nothing to me without you, you are my kingdom, and everything. Please, be my wife, I beg you with everything on this world," he said looking deeply into her eyes. She lost her strenght of refusal this time around, but still she wasn't going to give him a direct answer.
"Alright, why not get well first for your wife," she said patting his neck down across his spine. Aneke was turned on, and his body response appeared silly.
"You, you, you will marry me?" he stuttered.
"I wasn't saying about myself," she beat his shoulder gently, "I was talking about your wife." she said in a tone that changed his mood suddenly. He fell back on his bed facing the wall in sadly. Uju put in sharply,
"Don't get upset, my king. I was talking about your wife that is sitting before you." Aneke's face lit up once again as he chuckled to himself stood up from his bed with much energy like he never experienced sickness of any sort in the first place. He suddenly graduated into laughter where he praised himself,
"YES! YES! I'm now a fulfilled man. She agrees to marry me." he lifted his right hand above his head as Uju watched him also smiling at his excitement, "O land of Ozalla and Umudioga, here comes your king and your queen," he pointed to Uju has he drew her up from the bed and gave her a long lasting hug. He felt like not letting her part from him. Uju, however didn't ask for a pull off, she remained clinged to his body until he was willing to let her go.
Aneke soon released her but not fully, he still held her by the waist, still staring into her beautiful eyes.
"Uju, you are very beautiful." he said softly.
"Thank you, my lord," she said with a smile.
There was still another moment of silence as Aneke took a up to down, back and front view of the exquisitely made damsel, whose beauty could be likened to that of only a goddess.
Uju broke the silence,
"My lord, I heard you refused to eat, and you must be hungry now, what should I serve you."
"No, princess, my maids would be preparing something."
"What is wrong if your wife prepares something special for you?" she said guyishly, "I'm going to make it delicious so that you will know the calibre of woman that you are showing to your people." she exit the room for the kitchen immediately.
Not too long, someone came knocking belligerently on the closed doors. The door was too hard though by knocking just with the knuckle, except the fist is involved, but yet this shouldn't guarantee such disrespect. Aneke was worried about what could be chasing a rabbit in the daytime. That kind of knock on the door can't come from a guard of the palace.
He needed to be leery of himself and the entire household, it could be one of those enemies, possibly from Umudioga, who had come to attack him. He was very aware that his father had garnered much opposition from many villages, and any could be hunting for his head.
He rushed to the pillow side of his bed and drew out his sword from the sheath lying there, and tiptoed back to the door. Carefully he unlocked the door bolt and let it slide open gently as he held his sword at alert.
The door was jammed open, and the person behind it staggered with the door. Aneke expressed anger,
"Olieze!" he screamed, "are you mad?"
She mooched furiously from side to side, biting her lips.
"Where is that witch? Let her come out and face me." she chestbeat.
"I hope you are not refering to my wife as witch?" Now she didn't hear that very well. Did he just say his wife?
"Your wife?"
"And the queen of our kingdom." he said smiling. He called Uju aloud for her to come to where he was. She was already adorned beautifully in beads and sequined palatial apparel. He crossed his arm round her shoulder and she let out a sardonic smile at Olieze, the one that debilitated her spirit. Her brother didn't make things any better with his rules.
"You've had your fair share of comfort as the head princess. Now, you have to tune down your authority and accord Uju the maximum respect as the head queen."
That was the worst thing she ever heard her brother say to her. She grew red over his command, that was really absurd and there was nothing to consider in it.
"Over my dead body!" she walked out of their presence.
Aneke looked back at Uju pat her and rest her head back at his shoulder,
"Ignore what she said or did, she will soon get used to it."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes." After a short pause he said again, "I will summon the elders here this evening and inform them of my intention." he smiled.
"That will be very nice." after saying she frowned her face.
"What?"
"Won't I look inferior?"
"Shhh! Don't say that. You look superior even amongst spirits." Uju laughed loud, but she was cut short by a guard who worked in.
"My king, the princess is leaving with all her belongings."
"To where?" he asked bemused.
"To her mother's place in Aro." he looked around and thought of what next to say.
"Let her go!"
Ulumma had been recumbent all day, albeit recuperating. She had refused to taste anything given to her to eat, especially if it came from Agumba. Inene had been by her side all day encouraging her to eat something, but she was still mute not wanting to pass any gesture. From her mood, it was obvious that she was very angry. Still angry that she was stopped from taking her life?
Inene was confused, she didn't know how to persuade her any further. It isn't safe for a pregnant woman to starve her, else where would she summon the strenght to give birth to her child. On the other hand, she gave a bigger fraction of the blame to Agumba for being the progenitor of the whole problem. Why could he use dumbness to calm someone who didn't do anything to him except for the fact that she disobeyed him which any girl in her shoe would have done. Every thought of this made her develop bad blood for the young spiritualist.
She even refused answering him when he called from within. To her, he didn't deserve even the least of her attention.
After a while, Agumba came into their room, both hands filled with concoction. He was surprised to see Inene right there, then how come she didn't answer him when he called?
"Inene!" she rolled her eyes part him not minding even if he gets angry. Agumba just allowed that slide. Perhaps, someone could be looking for whom to kill her, or a way to smear him into taking action that would result in a murder scandal.
He looked back to where Ulumma was, but she turned her face away from him,
"Ulumma, take this medicine and drink." she paid deaf ears to him. Agumba was still insistent,
"Take this Ulumma, it's for your own good."
She still remained cold to his request.
"Ulumma, for the last time, take this." Ulumma saw seriousness in his tone that she didn't object him any longer, else he comes up with another mischief.
Reluctantly, she took the concoction from him, squinted into the dark liquid, she stared at his face, to know if he was actually his mind was clean. One might wonder how she would be able to decode his mind. She drank the mixture she had in her hands, thus it was very bitter. She almost wanted to spit it out but he have her a stern look.
She managed to swallow it into her belly. She kept the remaining liquid on the floor not wanting to get any more taste of the bitter tasting liquid.
"You have to finish it!" Agumba ordered.
Finish what? Did she actually heard him said this? She would have asked this question aloud if her tongue were freed.
She frowned, rolling her eyes once again from his presence.
Agumba felt weakened by her defiance. He knew he was quite capable of making her taking the drink unconsciously, but it would only have effect when the patient takes it out of her own will.
"Ulumma, listen to me." he beckoned, "I would never had gone this extra mile if it was someone else. What I'm giving to you is going to help you to recover from your illness. I'm not going to say this again."
TBC AT 5PM
