Aruma didn't help the situation, as she on her part, paid more attention and devotion to Uju, she wouldn't mind whether the other was there hence making her feel marginalized. Even as she was sick, she didn't gave her explanation of what happened to her except that she fell to the ground, instead she demanded that Uju must be present to say further, Ulumma rather felt humiliated, even if she was much younger than Uju, she wouldn't like to bear that feeling of inferiorïty in her. She had just crossed her years of adolescence and was growing faster in physique, that she and her elder sister were begining to look like mate. Ulumma took advantage of her fast growth to deride her elder sister in every stance, but Uju would in some case, simply make complaint to the old woman. Ulumma yet wouldn't let her be, she saw her complaints as from one who is playing the underdog with the sole motive to gain sympathy.
Mama had simply seen her as a misanthrope and simply avoided her in some stance, afterall she wasn't her daughter. Since she had no other relation in the world except Echezona her nephew, she chose to open her secrets with the one who won her heart with her good attitude, albeit she was also a relation. Uju was so open-hearted that she wholeheartedly took the woman just as a biological mother unlike her sister who rather saw themselves as visitors to the old woman's abode. Though she call her 'mama', but in a very casual way.
"Mama, you'll stay alive and healty for our sake," Uju said pleadingly, the woman gave a feeble smile and stretch her hands towards her, Uju drew closer to get to her reach.
"I have something for you."
Uju cheered up, with eyes wide open in anticipation, the woman signaled her to get closer for her to whisper into her ears.
"Go to the door of my barn at the right end and take the box you'll see there." she was panting heavily like she was struggling to keep up. On Ulumma's side, she watched as they whispered to themselves, even if it may not concern her, yet she felt isolated. Stream of tears gushed down her eyes, but she tried hard to hide it from being noticed. She couldn't believe that even her blood sister could be keeping secret away from her hearing.
Maybe she would tell her later, she tried to comfort herself. Uju noticed her sister's tears but ignored her, she was bent on catching every glimpse of what the old woman had to say. She brought a wooden box that was up to a feet in all sides, that is it was cube in shape, of which its content was unknown. Aruma coughed vehemently, Uju rushed and got her drinking water. She was watching Ulumma with one eye and the sick old woman with the other. Ulumma seemed to be absent-minded, she almost didn't know what was going on. The last thing she could recollect if she were called back to reality would be Aruma whispering to Uju, she probably didn't see Uju coming with a box.
"This box contain the beads and jewelries bought by my mother during my youthful days, but i didn't wear them because i didn't felt good on them. Take it and wear and remember me for this. But first, you'll swear to me with that, that you'll take me out of this cursed land and bury me in my father's compound. I wish in my reincarnation, i'd be at your royal table to dine with you and your king." Aruma said finally and bowed in death.
"But how............" Uju spoke but was cut short by her instinct when she came to realise that she was talking to a lifeless woman. Astounded she was from the ball of her eyes to the sole of her feet, she collapse inadvertently to her knees, and raved aggressive on the bare floor.
Her weeping for the old woman did not lasted long, and she didn't shave her hair to mourn her. She opened the box and like the woman told her, she saw an exquisite embroider of beads, and glittering jewelries that was more than enough to adorn a princess. Many questions began running cross her mind, one of how the woman came across all these and how come she hadn't worn it all through her lifetime like she had said, and yet didn't sell it to take care of herself. Definitely she valued it, Uju made a solemn vow not to sell it, but to kept them to herself.
She remembered her sister, Ulumma, she heard her sobs, she wondered if she wept for Aruma or for someone else. She squatted close to her and placed her right arm across her shoulder, with the motive of consoling her if she was actually weeping for the dead. But far from it, she was amazed as Ulumma threw back her arm at her. She was definitely mourning for something else. Something unknown.
"What is it, Ulumma." Uju inquired but Ulumma ignored her like there was noone there. Uju was embarrassed even if it was nothing worse than the other sulky mood she had put up in the past.
Uju didn't make any further move to comfort her, or say some encouraging words to her soul, like she would had done if it were then. Uju counted her fury as sheer jealousy, and was ready to do anything to rekindle it. Ulumma had pushed her sister to the wall enough for her to take a decision to give her a harder blow in turn. Ulumma had seen a different Uju within this few moment. When she ignored her sister, she had, at the same time, anticipated a certain kind of warm approach from her like she'd always done. She saw her sister going back in like she never saw anyone. She was indeed surprised. She had called her back, not because there was anything she wanted to say, but just to get Uju's attention.
"Uju, what were you and that woman hiding from me." Uju revulsed as she winced to her sister's diffidence.
"Its a secret."
"So i'm not qualified to share in your secrets, right?" Ulumma said bitterly.
"No cause for alarm we didn't discuss you," she gave her sister a heart-wounding mischievous grin. Ulumma couldn't swallow this again, she had had enough of this. She had thought Uju to be dwelling on the strata of their rivalry under Aruma's roof, but whatever it was she was ready to prove to her that she would have the upper hand in any case of rivalry or misanthropism. She stood up and dusted her sandy butt and gave her a look that bore so much hatred.
"I can see the true reason why that woman was banished from her land, and she finally succeeded in poisoning your brains against your own sister, but i assure you that you and that woman have finally lost it as far as I, Ulumma is involved." she beat her chest in emphasis.
"You better watch what you say or I'll command her spirit to strike that your stinky mouth."
This wasn't getting funny any longer, Uju had amazingly changed in character, her voice that was once cool and assuring to the soul was now hostile. This Uju she unlike the former was ready to beat stars outta her eyes at any provocation. Ulumma feared a possible possession by evil spirits in her sister. Ulumma had a phobia for spirits, hence she hallucinates in some circumstances especially now they were in the inn with the dead body of an old woman, supposedly a witch.
"It's dark and I want to luck the door." Uju called from inside, that almost startled her. She shrugged and stood up, staggering a bit because she had prolly spent much time sitting. She went in with her hands folded and she walked sluggishly and collapse on the bed like a woman who had been jogging all day long with heavy load on her head. She felt a moment of insomnia, she faced the roof staring at nothing but going deep in thought. First, she thought of her sister's new behaviour, and her greatest fear was the possibility of her sister abandoning her in that hut. She felt that the spirit of the old woman would harm her for saying evil against her in her death. She began to fidget, and goose bumps broke out in her skin, and she was sweating profusely despite the cold night.
"Ulumma, you aren't sleeping?" Uju's sudden call startled her.
How had she seen her unclosed eyes in the dark.
"You are going to accompany me to Agbu-Ukwu tomorrow morning so I can inform Mazi Eche on the latest development." Uju's word made Ulumma wonder why she humbled her voice just to ask for favour from her. The same Uju that was like set for fight few moments ago, and now she comes with her tortoise approach. The whole drama displayed by Uju was begining to look like something done voluntarily. If not, how come the sudden change of attitude.
What hypocrisy!
"If its all about that woman, count me out!"
Uju smiled to herself, she didn't persuaded her further to succumb, she just shut her eyes hoping that in no time, she'd be in dreamworld.
She saw Aruma walked down to her while she sat on the bed, she looked really different, she didn't smile as she passed by her and Uju watched her as she took the box of jewelries and was walking away, Uju looked depressed on seeing this.
"Where are you taking that to, please give it to me." Uju cried. She watched the woman as she turned towards her, all her body moved uniformly without one lapsing the other. She looked at her as if she was a corpse invoked to move to where the invoker chooses. Uju shivered at her fearful looks, and finally she said,
"Sorry my gifts were not meant for strangers, it was mean't for my twin daughters. If the girl you are with is of the same mother with you, then its not yours. It belongs to someone else." the old lady was out of sight.
Uju woke up in shock. In just few minutes she closed her eyes, she had this trance that appeared so real. She thought about the trance, it was so plain and clear, she was indeed the wrong person for the gift. But Aruma she'd known was childless all her life and here she was talking about twins.
Maybe there could be another meaning to it, definitely not as pointed out in the trance. She simply waved it aside and went back to sleep. Ulumma was already sleeping peacefully.
Her sleep was suddenly terminated by a loud bang on the door, like as if a log of wood fell on the door. The two ladies jumped to their feet having been startled by the noise, they scrambled in the dark looking for lantern but it was out of their reach. The sound was more than as the figure creeped in towards the door of the kitchen, it hit part of its body on the door to Aruma's yam barn which guided the giant pestle which Aruma used occasionally to prepare akpu (cassava meal) in large quantity and oil palm kernel. What they thought to be either a wild animal or apparition was actually a man, as the assumed creature groaned in a human voice after the giant pestle had hit him on his arm. Ulumma felt a bit relieved, since it wasn't an apparition, but the case was different on Uju's side. She feared it could be one of those ruthless archers she encountered on her way the day before.
"Who are you?" she gasped. The man thought it was also very unsafe to give them an information about himself. He had thought that the house he entered was a farm boot. He didn't expect anyone to live in that kind of secluded area. He actually felt a bit unsafe, but from the voice that just spoke, that of a young lady, he could be safe. But who was the other?
"Don't come nearer because i'm with a sharp object and i will use it on you if you do anything funny." Ulumma threatened in order to keep the young man from coming closer. The man was actually scared by her threat that he drew step by step back to leave the hut where he had thought noone occupied having been out of human settlement. He was now having double mind whether to leave the hut or remain, but the later was prevailing. The ladies seemed to be harmless, even if they were spirits, his amulets would neutralise all diabolic influences. But all they just required him to do is not to do something silly. He could see. Maybe he could try a more friendly approach, instead of that of a little boy in danger. But he still felt it was unsafe letting out his identity. He voiced out for the first time.
"Please, i've come to do no harm. I just want to lay my head here until dawn then i'll go back to where i'm coming from." his voice was reassuring, it sounded harmless.
"But who are you?" Uju insisted.
"I'm from Umudioga." Uju was shaken at this word. He definitely must be among those nefarious warriors who derived pleasure wasting human life, as they were seen in the market place. He better not be among those wicked crime perpetrators.
"And you're one of those archers, right?" he could feel some sort of bitterness in her voice especially when she mentioned "the archers." May be she had lost a loved one as a result of their strike. It would be safe for him to deny it at the moment.
"No, i'm not"
"I don't believe you."
"Please put on the light so that we can see each other, maybe you would know me after then." he pleaded. Uju groped in the dark for the lost lamp and the igniter, she was still leery of the strange man in the room. She slowly lit the lamp with the igniter.
What a surprise!
"UJU!" the man exclaimed. Uju was too slow to mention a word out of amazement. He lifted her by her arms why she still squatted to put on the lamp. He gave her a warm embrace that Uju lost her words and clove to him like she wasn't in control of her movement. The lamp she fell of her hands and got broken because it was made of clay, and gross darkness returned.
No more worries even if they stayed in the dark, since they were sure of whom each other was.
"Ifenna, this is you?" Uju said in her usual soft tone, that sounded to softer to him, especially as he had known her.
"It's I and...." he was cut short by Ulumma's snoring that grew louder. He was amazed how someone who was awake few moments ago had gone into a deep and untroubled sleep. He chuckled at the thought of it.
"Please forgive my little naughty sister, that's what i encounter everyday and I manage to live with it." she giggled.
"I like the way her chi created her, I wish I could sleep like her at night."
"You mean you would want to be as good as dead in the name of sleep." the two of them laughed hysterically.
"I told you she's dead until morning, she wouldn't shake out our wild laughter."
"Please leave the little maiden alone and don't be jealous of her special gift."
The two of them chatted and laughed all through the night concerning many issues, including their ordeals living apart in a secluded area, being part of the war against own wish and so on. Their discussion took another dimension when it get Akwanwa's name had to get into the topic of discussion.
"How's she?"
"She's doing well, just like you are."
Uju gave a cool smile. Maybe he thought she was actually in a house just like any other person.
"I like your flattery, it's reassuring." she giggled.
"Flattery? I'm not flattering you. Is just the plain truth that you look unchanged after all these days gone by."
"But Akwanwa still looks better than I am." Uju pointed out sadly.
"Don't say such again," he rebuked her, "you're better in your own ways."
"Funny it sounds but true, that you'll quite turn the tables when you speak with Akwanwa. I wonder how you're going to address both of us in a coincidental clash." she smiled. Ifenna was lost of words, what she said wasn't far from the truth either. He found it more difficult to choose one and let the other go, but he wasn't going to remain undecided forever. Ifenna took the excuse of feeling sleepy in order to avoid more shot from Uju about Akwanwa. He hated discussing such. Not that he hated Akwanwa, but that barrier to Uju's heart. He felt like a loser going to bed, he begged to share the bed they lie on. Uju accepted wholeheartedly and did her best to keep him at arms length.
Both sides at loggerhead acted foolishly in the ephemeral clash. Umudioga sent all its armies into the battleline in order to commit the offensive but neglected the defensive role leaving the entire kingdom unprotected from invaders. So was the same case with Ozalla, they invaded Umudioga leaving their own territory blank. Umudioga paid the bigger price for these careless acts.
While Umudioga were doing their offensive, Ozalla archers had invaded the insecured palace of Igwe Kalu, where he was having his peaceful siesta and he was guarded by not more than few guards and messengers who ran errand for him and his wife. Lolo was in the inn with Oby, she was teaching the young damsel how to sow and make beads, which she thought it will be of great help. Oby had shown much interest in sewing, when she saw one of the maiden's make a very beautiful overlength buba for the queen. She liked it very much and swore to herself to be an expert in the field.
They were all going on with their normal day work when, suddenly, a barbed four feet arrow hit the wall of the room where Ifenna usually slept, after it has missed its target who happens to be one of the king's prison keeper. The five feet dark complexioned man, heard his heart in his mouth as he deliberated with himself whether he would move left or right. But the assailant didn't give him a chance, as they sent another which went through his lower abdomen, and dead he laid instanta. Pandemonium broke out in the palace as everyone making all efforts to save their skin, but they were already surrounded. The guards decided to take their fate into their hands, they got to the kitchen and gathered all the kitchen knives, because they had no arrows, and they shot it. Two of the opponents were down already. Okojie, one of the guards was at the forefront because he made an impressive shooting. He was also a hunter and made a good target, he hardly missed his target. It seems he was the only one firing, as others were firing and missing target, which was a bad for a war where they had limited weapons of warfare. They were rather advised to feed Okojie who was becoming a hero as he had hit another two. He fought tooth and nail making sure he brought the opponents down. The weapons were getting fewer, and the guards lips were jittering with fright. And worst their fear grew when Okojie, their saviour was down in pool of blood, been hitten at his side. Seeing all hope were lost, they made a surrender cry but their assailants paid deaf ears to their pleas, they all went down one after the other until none was remaining. The messengers were all busy breaking the palace wall making an escape route, the wall wasn't all easy to break through, thus it was too late, the enemies had advanced to their door steps. All of them were all including Lolo were down except Kalu, leaving him in the position to kneel down and beg the villains. Oby wasn't hit, one would wonder how she miraculously sneaked out of the butcher ground and move out, even if she never knew her destination.
"Hahaha," the ugly looking archers all laughed at him. Their leader thought it would be wise for them to perform the rest of the regicide ceremoniously. They danced round him, pulled his crown and then his robe and put it upon Keduru, their chief warrior and he posed with it around the palace and then sat on the throne putting his legs on Kalu's head. What an insult? Its better he was killed than this blatant disgrace.
"I'm now the new Igwe of Umudioga," he joked.
"Igwe i gadi!" they replied the sarcasm and laughed at it. They all begged to pin Kalu.
"Please let me do this, I promise not to strike two times." one of them said.
"You lie, i'm the eldest and I should do this not a suckling toddler like you." the other said.
"No, since I'm your king, I'll take the responsibility of killing my fellow king", Keduru finally said.
Contrary to their anticipation, Kalu was already lying on the ground unshaken. The archers were baffled at what they say, and moved closely to where he laid with the thought that he was pretending or he just fainted but how wrong they all got it. Kalu was lifeless. Kalu's heart had failed him on hearing their conversations, and he collapsed and died.
"He isn't breathing", one of them announced when he felt Kalu's side.
"Is that a joke or what?" Keduru bursted out angrily.
"You can come and feel him."
Keduru bit his lips in fury. How could they have let him escape. That was what he termed it. Kalu had indeed escaped a painful and shameful death through the door of heart failure or so, as he had thought.
Keduru was really angry even if he never knew where to direct it to. Someone was coming from outside and they were all at alert, but were brought back to relief when they saw it was one of them.
There was a sudden facial expression of shock in Keduru, as he stood mouth wide agape watching the man who just came in, as he played around with the corpse of a young damsel on royal attire. The murderer murdered the murdered in a gruesome manner, he had forced the spear in his hand into the girl's uterüs through her vägina. It was really a bad sight seeing the corpse. Keduru's anger fell on him and he went and grabbed him firmly, grabbing his hips upwards as in a wrestling competition.
"What sort of murder is that supposed to be?" Keduru blasted.
"Will you go against our king's command, that we should wipe every living thing off?" He returned his question with another to the fury of their leader, that he raised a sword to strike him only to be stopped by his fellow warrior,
"No, this is not the time for this. We're not to celebrate our victory with misunderstanding." he said.
"I had my reason for letting the poor girl go. I saw her escape and let her be." Keduru's eye was now deep in red like it was soaked in blood.
"You won't kill your fellow because of the opposite side, its not wise. Let's just leave it and see it as one of the mistakes in war. She was a princess afterall, and would have joined in mocking our corpses if we were killed."
"We're done for today, let's go back home." Keduru dismissed them.
"WHAT!"
"We've achieved our aim, lets go!" they all started dragging their feet reluctantly on the ground. But along the way there was little grumbling going which later developed into side talks and then a strong discord among them.
"We must finish the assignment, we must go into the villages." some of them couped against Keduru while some but few still sided their leader. The rebellious faction took off against their leader's wish and zoomed into the villages and went on rampage. They met Ichie Memkpa and Eriobu who just settled their dispute barely the day before. They were moving peacefully discussing nothing but politics and other social related matters, when they met the raging archers. Before they could mention a word, they were both killed. The invasion of the territory had already been known by the villagers, so they had vacated their homes before they could reach, the few sluggish ones were caught on the hop. The warriors went to some abandoned gardens and ate some fruits and vegetables that are edible raw. Madueke and his family had absconded to Agbu-Ukwu already.
GLOSSARY
Igwe i gadi - King, may you live long!
TBC TOMORROW AT 11AM
