Chapter 10⃣⃣
Continuation from the last episode:
Ikenga: (Staring at the hideous face of the queen) Who are you?
Igwe Ofordili: (Confused) Who are referring to young man?
Ikenga: (Pointing at the Queen) She’s the one I am talking to your highness not you.
Queen Amara: (Surprised and pointed at herself) You mean to say that question is for me?
Ikenga: Yes, as I am staring at you, I see a giant face instead of the Queen’s face. Is that your real face? Are you are Giant?
Queen Amara was shocked and tried not to show it on her face which she succeeded. Igwe Ofordili didn’t take it calmly.
Igwe Ofordili: Hey or whatever is your name, do you know who are talking to? My wife, not just my wife but the Queen of Ogidi. I won’t take such nonsense from you. (Stared at Amara and didn’t see anything out of the ordinary.) Your eyes are deceiving you.
Ikenga: My eyes can never deceive me your highness, I see things which you can never
understand because you see things with the eyes of a mortal and I on the other, see things with the eyes of the gods. Your wife has the face of a giant an ugly one at that.
Queen Amara: Just because you came here for something doesn’t mean you should open that mouth you use in eating toasted yam to talk to me. I am not a giant and can never be one tufiakwa.
Igwe Ofordili: (In support) Exactly, my queen is not a giant. Now young man take your leave before I change my mind towards you.
Ikenga: (Smiling and face the Queen squarely) I am watching, not the gods this time.
Ikenga walked out of the palace.
Igwe Ofordili: (Watching Ikenga retreating back) Who gave this man the impetus in telling me right to my face that my beautiful wife is a giant? Who gave him such guts for him to stand before me and utter such nonsense?
Queen Amara: Who else that causes it if not for this ugly child called Cheta.
Igwe Ofordili immediately descended on Cheta breaking the water pot she still carried on her head.
Amara make use of her magic to make him beat Cheta black and blue until Cheta couldn’t take the beating anymore, she ran out of the palace.
For the first time in so many years Adapuruche smiled and was contented about the beatings Cheta received. Her lips curved into a deep beautiful smile.
*****
In An Unknown Place (Bird Kingdom):
Queen Amaka was seen in the presence of 10 maidens all wearing white wrappers and white beads all around their waist and head.
She was staring at the back of an old lady dressed in white long wrapper that was sweeping the ground. In one hand was a staff in bird form.
Queen Amaka: (In anger) I have sit enough and cannot bear to watch them treat my daughter like that.
Nganga: You have been patient for many years, why do you want to take action now? I have told you she will be saved and no harm shall come to her.
Queen Amaka: I need my daughter with me, and I don’t care what consequences it will bring.
Nganga: Do not forget without my help you would have been dead in your so called marriage.
Queen Amaka: Mother I appreciate what you have done for me but no mother can sit and watch her child suffered. Cheta is my daughter, my blood I won’t neglect her.
Nganga: No one said you should neglect your daughter Amaka, the one that will save her is already in Ogidi Village, do not complicate things my daughter.
Queen Amaka: I have heard you mother.
Nganga: Only if you had listened to me and not blinded by love all these wouldn’t have happened. I warned you against getting married to Ofordili but you wouldn’t listen. Now see the outcome of your results.
Queen Amaka: I went to meet Ofordili as a mere mortal how would I know Amara would be a thorn in my flesh? How would I know that Amara will make my life miserable? How would I know Amara married Ofordili for her own selfish interest? How would I know she will make my daughter Ugly?
How would I have known she is the daughter of Ziza?
Nganga: Like I said before, Love blinded your eyes and you couldn’t see her true colors. Now, she wants to do something against the village, on no account should you stop her, do I make myself clear enough or do I speak my language for you to understand more clearly?
Queen Amaka: I have heard you mother, in fact what Amara want to do with Ofordili and his village isn’t my concern, my only concern right now is the welfare of Cheta and Jidenna and not Ofordili or anyone else.
Nganga: You have spoken like the true daughter of your mother. I can assure you no harm shall befall on Cheta or Jidenna, After all Cheta is my granddaughter Amaka.
Queen Amaka: Thank you mother, I appreciate a lot and I appreciate your help you’ve rendered to me all these past years, and you helped me even though I didn’t obey you.
Nganga: Do not mention my daughter, like you said before, no mother can sit and watch her child suffered unless she’s stupid. (Amaka smiled and Nganga smiled back at her) You can now go my daughter.
Queen Amaka: Thank you mother (Amaka changed into a huge white eagle and flew away)
*****
Ogidi Village:
Cheta was running for her life ignoring the blood oozing out of her wounds. She was running towards the only place she could finds solace.
Great Chief Priest: (He appeared and block Cheta’s way, what he did prompted the running maiden to halt in her movement) Young maiden do you know who I am?
Cheta: (Very surprised on seeing the man who looked and dressed like a chief priest) I don’t know who you are wise one but with the way you are dressed shows you are a great dibia.
Great Chief Priest: Correct, I was sent here to tell you that your crying days are coming to an end Cheta.
Cheta: Do you know me wise one? You speak as if you know me.
Great Chief Priest: Yes, just know that you have nearly reached the end of your trials, but the end
will be very tough for you, but do not worry for those who are strongly behind you are far more powerful than your enemies. That is my message to you young maiden (He disappeared)
Cheta stopped her running staring around her in wonder.
Cheta: (To herself) Did I just had a vision right now? Or was I day dreaming? Who is the wise one? And what does he mean the end will be tough for me, what end is he talking about?
She continued her running and entered the forest where the wooden statue is.
****
Queen Amara excused herself from her husband and went to Jidenna’s hut and like she did before, she took his blood with her knife and walked out of his hut entering her own hut making sure she hides the knife away from the guards eyes.
She brought out the empty calabash and allowed Jidenna’s blood to touch the calabash. She started making incantations and thick black smoke was seen coming out of the calabash.
Queen Amara: Now, I command you to rise, rise and cause destruction and havoc in Ogidi village.
Deaths shall be their potion, the villagers will die a horrible death. (Using that same knife to cut her left arm and allowed her blood to enter the calabash. Her eyeballs changed into deep red as her head grew in size) go now my servant and let the cries of the villagers gladdens my heart. (The dark smoke from the calabash disappeared and the calabash became empty once more, no trace of blood was seen. Her wound closed. She said some words and her mother face appeared)
The Giant Queen: Amara, you summoned me after so many years. If I hadn’t appeared in your dreams you would have forgotten that you have a mother.
Queen Amara: I am so sorry mother, it wasn’t intentional. I have always remember you. Anyways, a young man came here in search of Cheta and he could see right through me. He knows my true identity mother, he knows I am a giant. I was glad Ofordili didn’t pay any attention to him.
The Giant Queen: He is the one I spoke about.
Queen Amara: Then let’s kill him immediately. I won’t rest until I eliminate him.
The Giant Queen: It is not as easy as you think Amara, he is a strong bone that cannot be broken easily. We have to make him an ally before he exposes us.
Queen Amara: How mother, how can I make him our ally?
The Giant Queen: Your daughter, Adapuruche. Use her and through her we shall get him. Make her fall in love with him and she will in return make him work for us.
Queen Amara: Will it work? Adapuruche doesn’t know anything about me mother.
The Giant Queen: Then you will have to change it, open up to her and tell her everything, once you do that bring her to me after all she is my granddaughter.
Queen Amara: I will do as you have said mother, and what about Jidenna?
The Giant Queen: Forget him, he will die soon. And do not forget the reason why you are with the mortals.
Queen Amara: I won’t mother, in fact I have taken the first step.
The Giant Queen: Good, now Ofordili will dance to my tune. He shall pay for what he did to my family.
Queen Amara: (Very satisfied) Thank you mother, I will summon you once I have told Adapuruche everything that she needs to know.
The Giant Queen: I will be waiting, my daughter.
The calabash cleared.
Queen Amara: (To herself in thoughts) Soon the news of a new calamity will reach Ofordili and, now, how to convince Adapuruche and bring her to my side.
*****
Cheta entered the forest and walked to the place she kept the wooden statue man. When she got there she couldn’t see the statue anymore. She was surprised and shocked.
Cheta: (Confused and spoke to no one) Does it mean someone saw me talking to him and took him away when i went home? Where is my wooden statue?
Ikenga who has been patiently waiting for her to come to the forest came out of his hiding place.
Ikenga: I know you would come here.
Cheta: (Surprised on seeing him) You again? What are you doing here? Are you with my statue I kept here? Please if you are with it, please return it to me I beg you in the name of the gods you serve. (She suddenly remembered her face and uses both hands to cover her face from his view)
Ikenga: Cheta, why do you love covering your face when you see me?
Cheta: My face irritates everyone so I don’t want you to feel disgusted right now. Please just give me back my statue and leave me.
Ikenga: I can’t leave you Cheta, and for your statue, I am your statue. You freed me and I came looking for you.
Cheta: You are lying, it was a mere statue I picked and cleaned up.
Ikenga: (amused) Really? Well if you are not hiding your beautiful face from me you can look at me, you will see that I am your statue. Trust me, your face doesn’t irritates me okay (He smiled) I just can’t help but fall in love with you more, your voice do wonders to me Cheta. Just take a good look at me and see if I am not your wooden statue.
Cheta slowly removed her hands from her face and her eyes went immediately to his huge chest.
Slowly she moved her eyes upwards ignoring the sudden blood rush coming to her cheek. Finally she got to his face and stared at him.
He looks so different as if he was from another world entirely and she couldn’t help but see his handsomeness. He was very handsome, his ebony colour was as if it was glittering.
Cheta: (Her eyes widened after some minutes) Y..you are my statue.
Ikenga: (Smiling, he covered the distance between them and at that moment he saw the cuts inflicted on her by Ofordili. Cheta was surprised when he called out the name of the one who had given her wounds) So Ofordili has the guts to touch what is MINE! (He shouted the last word in anger almost scaring Cheta) I will teach him a lesson he won’t forget in a hurry.
To Be Continued.
C.H.E.T.A ( I Am Not Ugly)