coincidence were bound to occur anytime.
"Uju what about your people, don't you care how they may feel about your absense?" he said with sad countenance. Uju laughed hysterically at his word as she twisted gracefully to his turn on, she looked at him in a funny way and gasped saying nothing in particular.
"Where are the people that care, are they in the land of the living or land of dead?" she said after a moment of silence.
"Uju, if noone cares about you, i do." Ifenna said affectionately.
"Alright, can i go, before you implicate me." she said to him with hands akimbo, and roll her eyes as if everything he said didn't come to her hearing.
As if she saw it coming, going past her was three girls muttering words to themselves and chuckling, it must be her they were discussing. She paid rapt attention to what they were giggling at, and her guess was right. Uju felt shame and fear in her, she blamed herself for standing there with Ifenna for so long when she had all the time to leave there in a jiffy. Ifenna's case wasn't different, but he didn't see anything shameful in what he did, but he was regretful for subjecting the lady to such risk, going ahead also to defy the rules that forbids any free-born to have anything to do with an outcast, not to talk of being so close to her and holding her in sensitive regions of her body. He was of royal lineage and was expected to be someone his subject will look upon for examples to follow.
"Ifenna, what is this that i'm hearing?" the voice startled him and he turned to see Akwanwa walking quickly towards him, Uju had left immediately she sensed possible danger after the gossips had gone past them. Ifenna saw anger and suspicion written all over Akwanwa's face, she still looked beautiful though even in her frowning. His mouth was shaking as if he was bathing with ice under the harmattan wind.
"Ifenna, why? Why did you do such thing? Do you know my half-sister have started running her mouth about this? What are we going to do now? The rumour is all over." Akwanwa said in tears. Ifenna had the look of "are you serious" written on his face, but he couldn't even mutter it out, he was also surprised about the concern Akwanwa showed instead of blame and curse. He didn't expect this approach from her.
How fast and wide gossip spreads! Just few moment ago, three ladies who were going to the stream with their jars met them on the lonely path and this moment the story had spreaded so far like explosives.
Too bad, it was too late to run after them to stop them, the only possible thing was to pay them a visit and teach them the lessons of their life. The best place to get them was in the stream, were they'd probably spreaded the story to their peers. He thought again of how it may feel being mocked openly by those wide-mouthed girls. He resorted to wait for them on the way.
He suddenly felt the touch of a cold, rigid palm beckoning on him, he trembled and turn to see four heavily chested men with rough and unkempt beards. Their stony face speak the possibility of how harmful they could be. Ifenna recognised them, they were guards from the palace, so he felt more secure and moved with them to the palace.
"Ifenna, what's the meaning of that?" the infuriated king barked at his son in complete disgust.
"He is to be stripped off his heirship to the throne." Okakpi, the new diviner from Ohafia said strictly not minding what anyone else was saying, he was the new diviner brought as a replacement for the 'troublesome' Omemgbe. He was a powerful seer, and many tales of his indestructibility have always been an interesting one. He was believed to have reincarnated seven times, and that he was as old as time itself.
Though, many still didn't believe this story and demanded proof for his claims. Asides being a diviner, he was also a magician, thereby making the whole villages wonder the kind of person he is. There was a tale of how he came to a village he had never been to before, and saw a goat, he said the goat was human but the owner laughed at him because the goat had lived with him for nine years. Okakpi did all his abracadabra and lo and behold, a lady was standing were the goat should have been and wondering where she was.
Aggressiveness and bellicosity grew like mustard seed, in the veins of Konaso, king of Ozalla-Abo, and his armies. They always thirst to acquire other kingdom's land to add to their landlocked kingdom.
On the other hand, Umudioga had rich, fertile and vast land, which made them to be respected among other kingdoms, the peace in the land also played a role or two in attracting non-citizens to come to buy and sell in Umudioga.
Eke Umudioga was one of the biggest markets around the kingdoms east of the great Aro kingdom, spreading half a mile from its starting point at the village square centre.
Every market day there was not only a day for buying and selling but also for entertainment. Masquerade dancers and drum beaters graced the occasion, not leaving aside soloists, flutists and also drama fest. Okoro the wag was also there making people laugh and forget any forgettable sorrows.
These are few among many things other kingdoms don't enjoy on market days, some would leave their respective places and come to the scene just to catch glimpse of the occasion.
Ekpo Oron was entertaining the populace today, it did wonders which involved swallowing fire and breathing it out, filling baskets with water and dancing around with it on its head without the basket shaking and so many others to mention only few. People clap and open their mouths agape in amazement, after the masquerade had gone another came which was assumed to be from Aro because it ascended from the hollow soil near the palmwine joint, making a horrific ooze sound from where it ascended from. It was so tall like a palm tree with height of above 10 feet. Children were ordered to go back home at the appearance of this apparition and women were pushed to the back scene to watch it at a distance.
This occasion was surely different from others, the appearance of this rare apparition proved its uniqueness of the occasion.
It was getting to evening, and the occasion had ended, but only low sound of drum could be heard from afar, people who came from far and wide had gone and others who were there were busy packing the remains from what they had sold for the day. There was enough sales today, especially for those who sold food item especially cooked foods, and also palmwine sellers.
Ozalla warriors have been spying the all day long and they deemed it the right time to strike, they had waited so patiently for Kalu to come, but just as the marketers were disappointed at his absense, so were they, more disappointed that they may not get such opportunity again. They held their elastic bows and barbed spears to make a uniform shoot at their designated targets.
Several were hit by the spear particularly young men, pandemonium broke out in the crowd and there was chaos, people running helter-skelter to no direction in particular. The warriors proceeded to the roadsides of Umudioga, scattering and ravaging crops, burning down houses. They didn't went door to door because they were careful not to be ambushed.
Not too long, a spear flew the air and hit one of them on the waist, he fell down instantly and the whole warriors took to their heels, sensing that it could be the host armies that are after them.
**************************
The news of the tragic incident in the market place spreaded far and wide. Igwe Kalu was not left out. He was so dejected, many people of Umudioga had criticised his numbness to this issue, even some elders challenged him to take that bold step.
Igwe Kalu dreaded wars and was making out all necessary means to avoid this but the pressure was now on him to take the decision.
"Elders of our land," he began, "its quite clear to you all that we have no formidable army for this battle, so every man of this kingdom will give us his sons, especially the matured and strong ones for this battle." he said.
Grave silence grew amidst them that a pin that drops, could be heard from a distance.
"I have only one son and he's so precious to me", Eriobu lamented.
"There's nothing except that, you asked for solution and bold steps, so i came with this, or do i manufacture soldiers?" Kalu said angrily.
"Alright, there's no problem, but we're going to pick the strong ones that............" Memkpa said but was interrupted by Eriobu.
"Exactly what i'm talking about, my son is not strong, he can't even hurt a fly," he said panting heavily as if he had run a marathon race all alone.
"I still stand on my words that all families must take part in this" Igwe Kalu said and stroke his staff to the ground meaning that it's seal.
The armies of Umudioga assembled at the village square chanting war psalms, jumping up and down, and beating their chests. They had all the confidence to go into the battle, they had all the weapons. Ikeagwu the leader of the armies speaked with full confidence to encourage his fellow warriors.
"This day is the day," he began, "which each an every one of us have been waiting for, the day in which we shall avenge the defiling of our women and the amputation of our men in the stream. Like everyone of us knows, we've always been the overdog when it comes to war between Umudioga and Ozalla Abo. In our three war encounters, we've won all and lost none, but still yet Igwe Konaso will never take lesson from all these, he's still stubborn just like his predecessors. Now this is the time to rise like the super warriors we've always been. No mistakes at all. We must bring Ozalla down to the dust it had been before Abo dwelt there. Make sure you wipe every living thing you see there, man, woman and children, they must be paid in their own coin. Do you get me?" he said in his deep baritone voice.
"Yes leader," they replied in harmonized hoarse voice.
"Please, leader, i have something to say," one of the men interrupted raising his hand up for him to be seen. Ikeagwu nodded his head in approval, for him to say on.
"Let us not be fooled," he began. "the Igwe is forcing us into the battlefield while his son will be at home, are we now the people who are now worthy to die?" Ikeagwu was surprised at such effrontery.
"Yes, he said the truth" another added in support.
"Will you two shut up your mouth and stop calling Igwe." Ikeagwu rebuked them, "and who told you we're going there to die?"
"See, leader, i respect you as much as i respect the Igwe, but if his son doesn't go with us, i personally, i'm going nowhere. You can do to me whatever you wish." he said keeping down his weapon and almost wanting to uncloth himself from his wardress. There was noise in the camp, notably that of arguement, but majority supported his ideas and they went with it. Ikeagwu was helpless in the situation that he had to concur even if it went against his own wish, but majority will always have the say.
Igwe Kalu was distressed at hearing their demand, and the ichie also supported the youths in it. He wanted to say Ifenna is his only child but how could he when Ichie Eriobu was also present watching his son going into war with others.
He regretted placing that order but it was too late, he called Ifenna out and told him about the latest development, he blatantly refused but the loud voices of the youths' protest made him join against his wish. He was stripped off his princely regalia and was quickly dressed in war clothing.
After their preparation, Anyike was invited to administer blessing and fortification to the keen warriors, he was dressed like a seer even if he wasn't.
"You shall go and conquer with ease," Anyike blessed.
"Iseee", they replied.
After the blessing, Anyike mixed some concoction and rubbed it on the skin of each an every one of them. He also gave them agwu to tie on their waste as protections from the strike of their enemies. They all jumped and gallivanted the whole places as if each person would be able to face a thousand opponent on his own.
They zoomed off still chanting their war songs, until they got to Mmiri Adoko, the river that seperated the two kingdoms, they crossed the boundaries and laid ambushes to strike whoever that unlucky passerby may be, but there was none, so they invaded the kingdom, first getting to the village square which was full of children who came to play under the cool weather that have hidden the face of the sun since the dawning of that day, they were playing all kinds of game in the dry sand like kpakangolo, ikpa oga, ochokokwa and so on.
Suddenly, spears begin flying like birds to the playground and a good number of children were hitten and smitten in a gruesome manner, they also smote as many who tried to escape the scene.
Many of them were in shock were to go, that day was actually the ugliest and most unfortunate for them.
Uju's heart beat fast as she ran home nervously to avoid the flying spears, she had being to Afor Ozalla that day where she went to sell cocoyams and vegetable, an arrow had hit someone beside her few moments ago and she was put in shock. She ran home all alone in that lonely path. The day was still young and she had not made much sales that day, so she had much cocoyams in her basket which slowed her pace.
"Stop there!" a voice that struck her nerve half-dead sounded from behind, it was that of a huge, dark man with unkempt beard, one of Umudioga's fighters, his name was Opuji. Uju fidgeted at the huge figure that approached her, she must had be thinking of death as the next thing that would happen to her. But she was in a way wrong. Opuji was feeling hörny rather seeing the lady.
Opuji licked his lips seductively to make his rough look appear cool, he made a step closer to her, but each step he made, Uju made two steps backward.
This made Opuji angrier as he drew closer and held her tight to himself, Uju shivered without uttering a word, sweat was flowing like spring. Opuji raised his spear and pointed it towards her neck,
"You either let this in," he said pointing to his manliness, "or I let this in," he pointed to the spear already close to her neck.
Uju shook her head at quick interval, Opuji was already on her föndling her brëasts which she wasn't getting comfortable with, she wanted to let a scream before Opuji noticed,
"Any scream from you, you're going to your grave right now." he said sternly with wicked grin.
"Please I beg you in the name of the gods and my ancestors, don't do this to me." Uju pleaded, but Opuji was now hard on her, almost undressing her.
"Opuji, you're mad o," a voice behind him said, his focus on his pleasure made him thought it was one of the voices in him. But he came to realise it was Nweke, he'd been with him all but excused himself from Opuji to go and defecate. Opuji himself had forgotten so soon that he had a company.
Nweke disengaged Opuji from her with a sharp kick, and Opuji responded to stimuli.
"Opuji, i say you're mad." Uju had already ran some distance away, Opuji took his bow and spear to make a shoot at the running lady, Nweke intercepted.
"Nweke, you're a devil. Look she ran away." Opuji said angrily and almost felt like trusting the spear in his stomach.
"Opuji, how would you want to defile a daughter of Umudioga, are you sane?"
"Did you say she's from Umudioga?"
"That lady you wanted to defile was my cousin."
"Was your cousin?" he asked bewildered,
"and what is she now to you."
"Osu!"
"What? She's an outcast?" Opuji couldn't believe what he just heard, he shook his head, regretting his action, he revulsed.
"And you were almost bitten by a snake before i disengaged you."
"And you let it go alive?"
"It was smart enough to escape my stone." Nweke said as Opuji shrugged.
They proceeded into the villagers settlement, were it was likely that most of their noblemen lived, and laid ambush for their adversaries.
Someone was coming, and looking from afar, the person coming was a royalty looking at her dress, because she was a woman. But coming closer, she was appearing more younger, accompanied by a guard and another lady. It was their lone princess, Konaso's only daughter and her personal guard became prey for the blood thirsty avengers. Opuji grew hörny once again, he had missed the other, no thanks to Nweke, but this NO, he thought to himself. Opuji, Nweke and three others were there, so they hid themselves, waiting for them to get close.
The ready-to-be preys fell into the hands of their assailants, the guard brought out his sword and fought with his might, he must have been a trained one because he fought and wounded two of them, the lone princess, who was Olieze by name, Konaso's daughter and her friend took on their heels, but were overtaken by the ever-hörny Opuji and Nweke, the remaining three had succeeded in killing the guard.
Patience was nowhere to be found anytime Opuji was sexually excited, he did everything hastily as if the victim would disappear anytime. He hurriedly unclothed her waist bead, and buba, she made all effort to break off his grip but to no avail, Opuji forced her legs with open and thumped in and out at close interval, she screamed in pains but Opuji held her mouth open by filling it with cassava stem and tied it, she tried using sharp objects from the ground to stab his back, but he grabbed her hands and held it together with his knees making sure she didn't move her hands. Her friend couldn't watch with her eyes what was been done to her friend. Nweke kept on his grope on her, she fidgeted. He was anticipating to lay with the princess, but Opuji was riding like a power horse.
Ikeagwu and Ifenna heard the scream of what sounded like that of a lady, they traced the voice to one of the ambushes. Ifenna was deeply disgusted by what he saw, he cut a branch of cassava and stoned Opuji who was out of the world, he was startled. Noone has seen when Ifenna and Ikeagwu came in.
"Opuji, why?" Ifenna queried.
"Prince, you should have told me you had a crush on her and we'll respect that." he was panting heavily.
"Will you stop that joke," he said angrily, "you were so careless, i can't believe also that Nweke of all people will stay here and watch why all this is going on".
"I told him but he wouldn't listen," Nweke lied.
"Oh, don't tell me that. You guys are so heartless that you couldn't consider a tender damsel and let her go in peace. Your enemies are the warriors whom you're supposed to be fighting not innocent ladies."
Olieze's friend felt a bit relaxed as Ifenna spoke. she was lucky not to have fallen prey before Ifenna arrived. Ifenna was still talking, Opuji felt unconcerned, he moved away from his position leaving Nweke only to be spoken to by Ifenna.
"Nweke, you have a sister and you wouldn't like this to be done to your sister, would you?"
"Please, spare me all this, it seems you've forgotten that we're revenging what they did to our women, of which my step sister was also a victim, stop pretending to please the ladies, no matter how innocent they are, they're still our enemies." Nweke said angrily and walked out of his presence. Ikeagwu was confused on who to side, Ifenna looked at him. They were now alone with the ladies.
"Imagine, what excuse he's giving." he said.
"He may be right." Ikeagwu said and walked out. Ifenna squatted beside Olieze, and watched her intently as she sobbed, her friend also watched out for what he'll say.
"My princess, i'm sorry!"
Sorry? Is that all he could say? Olieze's friend was angry at this word, she shaded him out of her way and made for Olieze's hand.
"Come, let's go, he has nothing to say." Olieze stood up reluctantly as she held her hand to lift her to her feet. Ifenna kept on pleading as they walked out on him. They came out on the pathway luckily they saw three hunters who had just caught a grasscutter and were rushing to the market to sell it before it gets dark.
"What happened to our princess," they asked uniformly with shock, because blood was flowing from somewhere that aroused their suspicion, and right in the bush was a man standing, which could prove their suspicion to be right.
Olieze and her friend were embarrassed seeing this, they had wiped the little that flow after Opuji had finished with her but it stilled gushed out.
Olieke pointed towards Ifenna's direction. Ifenna wondered what they were discussing and why she pointed at him.
Is she now pointing the accusation to him?
He sensed that everything may not be alright when the men were advancing towards him, he retreated gradually, they were still coming closer, he took to his heels.
Uju ran home without looking back, she had nearly been molested, thanks to Nweke. She left her basket of cocoyam where her assailant was, she didn't bothered what she had lost for that day because she did it to save life and dignity of course. She ran like she wanted to overtake the moon. Reaching home, she panted heavily and breath a sigh of relief. She looked around the surrounding, it was dirty, probably no work have been done to keep it clean. What has Ulumma been doing all day long that she couldn't even pick up a broom to sweep the surrounding, she asked herself. She went into the hut to really get answers to this question. The only excuse she would take is that she was pregnant. Idleness was a rare phenomenon especially now they found themselves in an unfriendly environment.
Uju went inside the hut, and was shocked beyond speech at what she saw. It was Aruma critically ill on her bed, she hadn't shown any sign of illness before she left for the market. The way things were happening was becoming like mystery to her, she looked at Ulumma, worry also written on her face, she wished a medicine man was present to take care of the poor old woman, but that can't happen after her adventure on her way back from market.
"Mama fell on the ground," Ulumma said when she saw that Uju couldn't utter a word, she had to speak to break the silence. Aruma squirted to see who she was talking to. It was Uju. She hadn't expected her so early but she then remember the ordeal at the market place.
"I thank the gods that you're here and you aren't hurt," she managed to say in faint voice.
"Mama, you won't believe it o, i encountered them on the way and they almost molested me, but someone my cousin saved me." Uju narrated in brief, making Aruma cough roughly, she was coughing again and again, Uju being worried asked Ulumma to get water for her to drink. Ulumma rushed and get water and raised her neck up and gave her water to drink, she did and the cough stopped.
"But why did mama fall, was she running or what?" Uju asked rather the right question at the wrong time.
"Uju, if you have nothing good to say, just keep shut," Ulumma sensed stupidity in her question.
"Ulumma, watch what you say." she returned back at her angrily.
It was unusual for Ulumma and Uju to get at themselves like that especially when they're alone or when they are in distress, but now they had a woman who took care of them, they felt like the kids they used to be under the watch of their mother. This attitude was peculiar to Ulumma, she would not regard her elder sister in high esteem when there was a higher authority, but her contumaciousness was laid to rest whenever she's alone with Uju because had a visceral feeling that Uju would abandon her to her nagging if she dare rebels. Ulumma dreaded staying alone, no matter how bellicose she was, she dreaded the unknown so much. Sometimes at night, she would make a preposterous flinch to Uju's side where she lay, the disturbed Uju would ask what the matter was, only for her to say that something was eating her leg, or something struck her side. That something could be rat or cockroach, anytime Uju finds out. The passive Uju would give a jovial smile and joke at her reverie and insomnia. Ulumma would just make an incomprehensible grunt and retire back to bed. Ulumma was obedient to Uju during the first eight days (2 weeks), but her temerity grew as they got accustomed to the environment.
Aruma played her part in restoring order, Uju never liked her to get involved so she would try to keep their quarrel discreet, but her sister unlike her would make it loud hence attracting the old woman's attention.
Now the woman is sick, they wrapped her in an overlay wrapper to prevent her from getting exposed to the evening cold.
Uju still needed answers to her question concerning how the old woman fell but she didn't have the strenght to enter another session of words exchange with the garrulous young lady. She couldn't endure the silence any longer, so she opened her mouth and asked once again, she was insistent this time around.
"Noone is telling me anything, what happened to mama," Ulumma kept quiet and looked at her in a funny way, in a way that surely annoyed her, but Aruma soon broke the silence.
"Some assailants were throwing spears, so i was running to avoid being hit," she said with a wince of sharp pain.
"Let me go and get a medicine man," Uju wanted to go but she refused.
"Stay my daughter, don't put your beautiful and promising life for my fulfilled life," Uju didn't understand what she actually meant by 'fulfilled', the word scared her, it was obvious that the old woman was now indirectly talking about death.
"Please mama, you're scaring me with your words, please look at us." Uju said in a fading tone, already in tears.
"Don't cry my daughter, the gods are with you and nothing shall happy to you," Aruma assured her.
TBC AT 10PM.
