Chapter 20⃣⃣
Continuation from the last episode:
Adapuruche: (Shocked for a few moments before regaining her composure) You wouldn’t dare it Ikenga. I will make Cheta pay.
Ikenga: (Staring at Adapuruche pitiful) Until then Adapuruche.
Adapuruche: (She smiled seductively suddenly) Why can’t you love me? I really do love you with all my heart, body and soul Ikenga.
Ikenga: Love can’t be forced on someone. I don’t love you Adapuruche and I won’t love you, not today, tomorrow or even in your next life. Kill whatever feelings you have for me.
Adapuruche: You are just joking around Ikenga, you must love me whether you like it or not. You are mine and not Cheta’s.
Ikenga: I chose whoever I want to be with and who I choose is Cheta. I will advise you to stay in your lane and wait upon the gods to send you a man you will call your own, because I am already taken by Cheta and nothing not even you and your mother can stop it. I was going somewhere before you stop me.
Adapuruche: (Watches as Ikenga walked past her) This is not the end, it is the beginning Ikenga, you just watch and see.
Ikenga: (Stopping without facing her) Don’t joke with my Cheta if not you will regret it. And for a little advice I am going to give you, do not follow the path you are trending, it won’t come out like you’d expected. A word they say is enough for those who are wise. (He left.)
Adapuruche: (Staring at his retreating back) I will fight for your love Ikenga no matter how long it takes me. No one can have you except me. I won’t be alive and watch you get married to Cheta. (She left and returned to the palace where Igwe Ofordili was anxiously waiting for her)
Igwe Ofordili: What did he say?
Adapuruche: He is still adamant and will marry Cheta.
Igwe Ofordili: (Wondering) But I don’t understand, how can he leave a beautiful maiden like you, the first Ada to an ugly duckling like Cheta?
Adapuruche: I don’t know father, but you have to help me with this, talk to Ikenga on my behalf.
Igwe Ofordili: (Smiling) Adapuruche, one thing you should know is that love can’t be forced on someone, it comes naturally. I suggest you leave the young man alone and hope on the gods to send
you a more handsome one than him, or better still change some of your behaviours, probably he must have heard rumours.
Adapuruche: Father that is none of my business, you are the Igwe of Ogidi village, the one who was ordained by the gods of our land. Whatever you say stays, command the young man to get married to me.
Igwe Ofordili: (Surprising Adapuruche) That will be an abuse of power Adapuruche, try to understand me, you should be happy for your ugly sister and not frowning. I didn’t expect this from you Adapuruche, at all. The young man in question doesn’t love you but love your younger sister.
Adapuruche: Father which side are you supporting right now? Cheta or I?
Igwe Ofordili: (Surprising Adapuruche even more) I am not in anyone’s side Adapuruche. I have been supporting you since the day you were conceived. But once in Cheta life let me give her my support to get married to her choice. I am your father here I will tell you what to do and not the other way round, leave Cheta and Ikenga alone. In ten days from now Cheta will get married to him.
Adapuruche: (Seeing her father wouldn’t support her she left the throne room angrily and walked
towards her mother hut, hissing loudly when she saw Cheta coming out of her own hut. Adapuruche entered her mother’s hut without knocking. Queen Amara was surprised to see her.) Mother you won’t believe what happened just right now.
Queen Amara: What happened, tell me.
Adapuruche: Ikenga was here to see father, he told father he wants to marry that ugly thing called Cheta, he didn’t even look at my face when he said that, can you imagine?
Queen Amara: What? (Gesturing all round Adapuruche) After seeing all these he still went ahead to tell your father it is Cheta he wants?
Adapuruche: Not only that mother, when he left the palace I ran after him and guess what he told me.
Queen Amara: What did he tell you?
Adapuruche: He told me he knows you are a giant and that you gave me powers, he even called the powers ‘little’ and he added he will cut off our wings.
Queen Amara: He saw through my facade the first day he visited this palace, but do not worry, there is always a solution to a problem. Ikenga is yours
from the beginning and nobody not even Cheta can change that, I give you my word.
Adapuruche: (Smiling) Thank you mother.
___
Cheta greeted her father once she saw him inside the throne room.
Igwe Ofordili: Come here Cheta.(Squeezing his face as she approached him)
Cheta: (Going to meet her father fearfully) Yes father.
Igwe Ofordili: I didn’t say you should near me, shift back. (Cheta did as said.) A young man by name Ikenga says he wants to make you his wife, do you know him? He has long dada (dreadlocks).
Cheta: (Smiling widely) Yes father, I know him, we both love each other.
Igwe Ofordili: I have heard what I want to hear, he will be coming in 10 days time to pay for your bride price. You can go back to your hut.
Cheta: Thank you father (She turn and left for her hut.)
******
Ogugu Shrine:
The elders reached the shrine and saw the priestess of Ogugu. Various skeletons head size stayed scattered on the ground, white cowries were used in decorating the idol which represents Ogugu.
Onowu: Greetings the priestess of Ogugu.
Priestess of Ogugu: I have been expecting your visit elders from Ogidi village. (The elders stared at each other in surprise and shock) I was told you will come here. Go back and tell your Igwe that the solution to the problem of your village is there already.
Onowu: Thank you priestess of Ogugu. (They hurried left the shrine and began their journey back home.)
*****
That night…
Cheta felt someone who touched her on her shoulders and she opened her eyes, the oil lamp running lit the room and made it easier to see
clearly. She quickly sit up straight when she saw who it is.
Cheta: Mother? Is that really you or your ghost? (Although she was little when her mother was taken away from her but no matter the years spent apart she could still recognise her mother.)
Queen Amaka: It is I your mother. I am sorry for not coming sooner. (Cheta stood up to her feet and hug the living daylight out of her mother as her mother return the hug, they disperse from their hold few minutes later.)
Cheta: You don’t need to apologize mother, I understand.
Queen Amaka: I am glad to hear that, anyway I came here to tell you something about me.
Cheta: I am all ears mother.
*****
Ikenga who left the palace in the early hours went straight to the village square and climbed the mango tree in the middle, there he waited until nightfall.
When it was close to midnight, the egg appeared and Ikenga suddenly became alert. He watched the egg in knee interest.
The egg cracked open and the hideous scary beast came out of it and started walking towards another hut where it has perceive the smell of warmbloods.
Ikenga quickly jumped down from the tree blocking the beast.
The beast roar loudly that would make anyone scramble away quickly but not for Ikenga.
Tbc
C.H.E.T.A ( I Am Not Ugly)