Dethroned episode 21 – 22

DETHRONED
Episode 21
By AMAH’S HEART

” Ne.. Nel… Nelo….?” I asked stammering in shock. I was very much stupefied!

” How is this possible…?” I asked myself with my eyes fixated on the person who stood fearlessly in front of me

It turns out that Nene is Nelo my servant maiden.
She is the one who came to inform me about James’ presence in the Throne room on the same day the village stouts came to arrest Eze from my room.

” Ho.. how is this possible…? Nelo you’re Nene…?” I quizzed looking at Nelo from her head to her toe in utmost surprise

To say I was only shocked by this revelation was merely an understatement.
I still found it hard to believe even when the truth was glaringly in front of me.

” Are you surprised Priestess Rana…?” Nelo asked smirking at me

” Who wouldn’t be…,? I mean I don’t even know if I am seeing clearly or not… like are you really the Nene who wants my downfall but then why…?” I exclaimed with my voice slightly crackly

” Yes Rana… My maiden name is Nene Udede. Nelo is my late mother’s name which I had to use in guise as a servant maiden to get closer access to you” Nelo now Nene said to me and continued

” It’s quite unfortunate that I couldn’t get too close to you like I initially wanted to because you had chosen to make that Amarachi your favorite and most trusted maiden… To you nobody else was important except her which kind of annoyed me a lot… but anyways the good thing there is that I still accomplished my mission” Nene expatiated shrugging her shoulders

I was short of words after hearing this words from Nelo.
And honestly, I am still finding it hard to come to terms with everything unfolding before my eyes.

Yes! Nelo might not have been my most trusted maiden like Amarachi but I still loved her dearly and treated her fairly.

So it hurts to actually learn the actual truth that she was a servant maiden in disguise for the quest for my downfall.

” Closer access to me…? but why..? what do you have against me…?”

” A lot Priestess Rana… a whole lot. Firstly, my community which is the Land of Zada has never produced a Priestess which makes other communities especially yours which is the Land of Yada to always degrade and underestimate us…” Nene begun divulging and I kept quiet so I could listen to what her reasons could be

” That’s not true… We’ve never done that” I uttered in defense but Nene ignored me and continued undauntedly

” Secondly, I am more deserving of this position you now occupy because I am more strong-willed than you who is a lovestruck Priestess and not really interested in serving the people…. the third and last reason is that my håtred towards you multiplied after you got emotionally entangled with my man”

” Your man…? what are you even saying..? who is your man whom I got entangled with because I have gotten emotionally entangled with only one man which is Ez..” I was about saying when my words got stuck midway in my throat as a realization quickly hits me

Wait a minute! could it be Eze that Nene is referring to as her man?
no! no! no! it can’t be him. It certainly can’t be my Eze.

” It’s actually quite amusing that even in the midst of this pandemonium… a man is all you care to ask about Rana” Nene replied as she paused to take a quick breathe of air

” That’s not true Nelo or whatever your real name is!” I uttered in a rasped voice

” Really…? Well if truly you were befitting to be a Priestess then you would have focused more on how to save our people who is currently under my torment… instead of dwelling on your førbidden feelings for a mortal man…”

“…so my dearest Priestess Rana… I suppose now that you can see why I am actually more deserving of being a Priestess than you…?” Nene quizzed staring at me without flinching

” Well the gods knew all that yet they had still chosen me over you. Tell me Nene… isn’t that what stings your ego the most..?” I asked sarcastically as I stared back at Nene without flinching.

My aim was to get Nene infuriated and I was surprised when she smiled instead.

” Fortunately for me… that is about to change any moment from now as I Nene is going to be the new Priestess. Whether the gods have chosen me or not I will ensure that your crown is mine Rana!”

My brows twitched in confusion as I looked at Nene with many questions on my mind.

I kept wondering what gave her so much audacity, courage, bravery and confidence to challenge me RANA who is a renowned Priestess.

” What do you mean by that Nelo…? and you said earlier that our people is currently under your tørments.. why..?what exactly are you planning on doing to our people…? I hope you remember that they are your people too…?” I blurted out all at once. I felt so ângry!

” Try to relax Priestess Rana… remember the day had only just begun. I do know that you have so many unanswered questions on your head but don’t worry though.. I believe you will get the answers to all your questions soonest” Nene uttered smiling scornfully at me

” I still don’t understand what your aim are in all this… you want me to step down for you…? Is that what you truly want…?” I exclaimed loudly

Nene bursted out laughing hysterically. I kept my eyes focused on her wondering what is funny about what I said earlier

” Why don’t you come find out yourself at the village… that’s if you don’t actually end up dying here and now in the hands of my men” Nene said smirking as she snapped her fingers and disappeared right before my eyes.

That came as a shock to me as well. how was she able to disappear..?

This only means one thing which is that Nene possess dark powers. This explains how she knew about me earlier and other related things she knows.

There is no time anymore so I know I needed to act very fast so as to take care of these men quickly.

After which, I can hurriedly run back to my community to save my people from Nelo before she massacre them.

Before I could realize it, an heavy blow landed directly on my stomach and I yelped in pain and terror.

I held my belly protectively whilst wondering if the blow on my stomach was intentional or merely a coincidence.

In a couple of seconds, I begun feeling the strong impact of the heavy blow on my stomach and I was feeling very scared for the safety of the unborn child in my womb.

Oh no! my poor baby!

Read – The king stalker episode 73 – 74

DETHRONED
Episode 22
By AMAH’S HEART

I lifted my head so I could see who had hit me that hard on the stomach and I saw the man whom I had presumed to be the leader smiling at me.

” Do you like the pâin…? Priestess Rana you had better start saying your last prayers to the gods…. because you are going to dïe right here and now in our hands!” He said smirking at me.

I observed that he wanted to lift his fist to hit me directly on my stomach again

Seeing this move, I shielded my belly with my right hand and quickly lifted my left hand up the skies.

With my left hand, I ignited a heavy thunder which struck him and he fell down lifeless on the ground.

As the others saw their leader down, their ánger increased and they came running towards me one after the other.

I shut my eyes tightly closed and uttered a few incantations inaudibly.
And almost immediately, brimstones from the sky started falling like rain on the men that came running towards me.

Loud wails of agony from the vibrant men filled my ears and I smiled in satisfaction after I opened my eyes.

I watched without compassion as the brimstones kept falling mightily on the men until all the fourteen men were laying motionlessly.

I made sure that nobody was left alive before running speedily pass the dëād bodies using the path that leads to my village.

I am hoping to reach there on time before Nelo commits irrevocable hāvocs in my community.
And inasmuch as I wasn’t yet there to see what was happening, I still couldn’t help feeling scared for my people.

As I was running within my pace which was slow, I inwardly begun wishing that I still had the ability to appear and disappear which would have made this easier and quicker for me.

On getting to the borders that binds the village with the forest Eze and I ran into, I heaved a sigh of relieve knowing that I am almost there.

Finally, I arrived the Land of Yada whilst inhaling and exhaling very fast through my nostrils.

Oh! I feel so tired, thirsty, and practically out of breath right now! I need a rest but I wouldn’t dare do that, certainly not with today’s happenings.

Stepping into the main village square, I saw there was pandemonium everywhere and yelps filled the atmosphere as adults alongside children were running Helter skelter for safety.

I kept wondering what was chasing them since there were no mob around until I saw invisible hands unruly flogging and pushing my people.

Some fell on the bare ground as they were being pushed and flogged.
afterwards, they got up and begun yelling whilst scampering for safety with their loved ones behind them.

I sighed sadly as I was feeling more sympathetic for the helpless children who kept crying and screaming not understanding what is going on.

The sight unfolding before me was bringing tears to my eyes. And my soft heart was literally bleeding internally at the overly tensed atmosphere.

Thankfully when the pandemonium ceased, I saw that there aren’t much déâd bodies littered around.

There are only about seven old people who fell and then laid motionlessly on the ground, supposedly they are déâd!

” Wow! Look who finally came to watch the show.. so tell me Rana… do you enjoy the show..?” I heard a sarcastic feminine voice behind me and even without turning back I knew it was Nene

I quickly cleaned my tears and comported myself as I slowly turned backwards.

I am now standing face to face with Nene who is beautifully dressed in a brown flowing gown.

” So you escaped alive…? Wow! that’s quite courageous of you… anyways welcome to the show Almighty prégnant Priestess Rana!” Nene uttered as she sarcastically prostrated before me

Deep down I am wondering how she knew about my prégnancy. I later concluded that maybe her dark powers is really potent and powerful enough to unveil hidden information.

” Nelo I don’t know what you hope to achieve by kílling the very same people you want to rule over… this would only sow seeds of resentment in their hearts towards you… don’t you think so..?” I asked annoyed at her childish games

” Well I haven’t harmed anyone yet… these old déâd men on the ground only d!ed because they were weaklings and wanted to join their ancestors. Just one light push from me… dëäth was the outcome as you’ve seen” Nene replied flippantly whilst shrugging her shoulders as though it was no big deal.

” You term a push on elders, a light push..? Nelo! where is your sense of humanity for human lives..? what if there were actually your fathers..?” I blurted out already flaring up.

Normally, I am a Priestess who detests injustice especially when it involves my people and the community.

And unlike my predecessors who ruled with strictness, my compassionate nature oftentimes made me rule my people with excessive love and fairness.

I made sure that nobody got hungry, economically lacking or physically hürt under my reign as their Priestess.

Food was shared equitably between every households both for the young and old, rich and poor.
And as a lover of children, I even made it a norm to occasionally gather little children in a feast and shared my unlimited food items and gifts to them.

I love my people genuinely and wholeheartedly;
This is the reason it hurts to see them being treated badly and unjustly by Nene.
from all indications, Nene would be a dísaster if ever allowed access to my power and position which she desires.

Nene smirked in satisfaction upon seeing the different shades of emotions on my face.

It’s obvious she knows that the agony of my people and my lover Eze are my vulnerable points.
And right now I feel stuck in the middle of nowhere!

I know with my prégnant state, physical combat was not an option at all except I want to endanger my unborn child.

Fighting her with my half powers which I doubt is going to be sufficient considering the fact that she is harmed with dark powers is not an option too.

reason being that it would further endanger my people as Nene would surely transfer the transgression and increase her torments on them.

What makes this present situation worst is that, I was caught unawares hence I am not prepared physically or mentally ready for this turn of events at all.

It’s sad to admit that Nene got me emotionally incapacitated, just exactly how she wanted me to be.

Unable to continue witnessing the pains and yelps of my people, I turned my eyes away from them to focus on Nene.

I watched as Nene’s face gradually changed from being sarcastic to being stoic as she spoke in a commanding tone

” Step down and hand me your powers Rana… If you do I can assure you that your people and the unborn child in your stomach will be spared by me!” Nene uttered staring seriously at me.

I heaved heavily knowing that doing what she is demanding of me isn’t a good idea at all.

I mean from all indications, Nene would certainly be a disaster if she’s ever allowed access to my power and position which she desires.

Honestly, I don’t need a soothsayer to tell me that she will be more dëädly if allowed to rule innocent people.

” Nene I am as good as being dethroned so all this isn’t necessary at all… Please I am begging you… just let my people go!” I said pleadingly whilst looking at Nene

Nene begun laughing hysterically for close to ten minutes.
She soon stopped laughing as she confidently looked back at me directly in the eye

I was caught off guard by the next question from her which followed;

” There’s no free bargain in this world of men.. So tell me Rana… does this mean you agree to my terms and conditions..?”

Tbc