Dethroned episode 9 – 10
DETHRONED
Episode 9
By AMAH’S HEART
When our lips were almost about touching each other,
I abruptly pulled my lips away
I wanted the kíss yet I couldn’t proceed further. It would have been my first kíss but I will rather not do something that will incur the wrath of the gods.
Thankfully a maiden came at that exact time to inform me that my presence was required by kinsmen at the throne room.
The throne room is the place I had handpicked in my compound for meetings and consultations from villagers who usually troop in to see me with their various problems seeking for profound solutions.
To Eze’s displeasure, I had used the kinsmen’s request to see me as an excuse to leave him sitting there.
I later met with the kinsmen who came to discuss a land dispute. I proffered a solution and after the meeting I went to bed exhausted.
A week passed yet ever since that day we nearly kíssed, I couldn’t stop dreaming and thinking of Eze.
We also gradually became close and even made it a norm to go on evening strolls almost every day.
Today’s evening stroll was memorable as always.
I had fun touring round the village, visiting some beautiful places I never knew of its existence and laughing a lot at Eze’s occasional funny jokes.
I felt more like a child without a care in the world especially with Eze’s intentional efforts to impress me.
Afterwards Eze offered to walk me to my compound as were his usual routine.
On the way we begun conversing on random things until he directly threw in a question I have been trying to avoid for a while now
” Rana I know you’ve been trying to avoid this but I am still curious to know your answer….
…it is about my offer of friendship that we had spoken about the other day… have you thought about it and what is your reply…?”
I heaved heavily knowing fully well that there is no way to avoid this anymore. But either ways, the truth still needs to be told no matter how hard it will sound to the ears.
I stopped walking and stood at a spot close to my compound. Eze stopped walking too and stood facing me
” Thank you so much Eze but I do not think that our friendship is necessary. I also think that it is about time we cut off this closeness we have developed”
” What are you even saying Rana..? why would you want us to cut off a closeness we had only begun nurturing..?” Eze quizzed sadly looking at me
” Eze you know how our people can be…? and honestly I wouldn’t want to raise unnecessary rumors considering the fact that you are a male and I am a female, a Priestess for that matter!” I explained my concern
” Leave people out of this Rana.. think of yourself first.. for the gods sake you are going to be lonely hence you need company… Please Rana don’t be this way by turning down my harmless offer of friendship please” Eze pleaded in an attempt to try convincing me otherwise
I shook my head and moved further away in other to keep distance and severe any sort of closeness between us.
Inasmuch as I may not fully understand the feelings developing in my heart towards Eze. I am willing to fīght it with everything within me.
” Well I will be fine, you don’t have to worry about me Eze… anyways it is almost nightfall. I think you should be on your way already” as I said this I kept trying to avoid eye contact with Eze
” Are you pushing me away from you..?” Eze asked moving closer and soon covered the little distance I kept between us.
We are now standing facing each other
” No Eze.. I am just being considerate of the fact that it is getting late and your presence may be needed at home”
” Oh common Rana! I am a grown man and besides I have younger siblings at home… Aside all that, you are so important to me Rana that I don’t mind staying here with you all day” Eze answered trying to touch my arm but I was quick to move away from his reach
” Go home Eze.. I really don’t need you around me!.. thank you for the stroll and for keeping me company for this long.. I do appreciate but please get going now!” I said with a firm voice and an emotionless facade.
” Rana why are you trying to push me away..? why does it feels like you are trying to hide the feelings we are clearly developing for each other…?” Eze queried shocking me with his ability to see through my steely facade
” Eze I am not pushing you away neither am I hiding anything because there is no feelings in the first place.. besides I am a Priestess, have you forgotten that..?” I asked still maintaining a firm demeanor
” Common Rana…” Eze begun talking but I cut his words off midway
” Priestess Rana! that is my new title so please learn to address me as such!” I blurted out to show how serious I am
” Oh! now you want me to address you as Priestess Rana?… I thought you said before that you love how I call your name without attaching the title to it..?” Eze asked staring directly at me with so much emotions in his eyes
” Well I made a mistake Eze… The statement I made that day was as a result of the euphoria of the moment so forget all what I said…” I replied also staring directly at him whilst trying all I could to mask my true inner emotions.
I paused to observe Eze’s facial reaction to be sure that what I said earlier had begun sinking in.
When I was satisfied with the look of perplexity I saw on his face, I continued undauntedly
“…Eze the fact still remains that I am a Priestess so it is only appropriate that you address me as Priestess Rana from today onwards!”
After I was done talking,
I turned to walk out on Eze but he held my left hand ultimately halting any further movement from me.
” No Rana!.. I have fallen so deep in love with you and can not imagine a life without you in it…
“..Rana no matter what it takes to have you by my side I will do it… and whether you are a Priestess or not I do not care!… all I do know is that I Eze Dede will do all I can to ensure that you will be mine because I love you so much to let you slip away from my hands”
I was taken aback by what I just heard from Eze
” You.. you love.. love.. me Rana who is a Priestess..?” I asked to be sure I heard him correctly
Eze nodded vigorously still holding firmly onto my left hand.
And slowly he begun confessing all what he kept hidden in his heart
” Yes Rana.. I love you so much and it started from the very first day I had set my eyes on you back then at the bush… after that fateful day I was hoping to develop something meaningful with you and eventually ask for your hand in marriage… that is the reason I broke down in tears after the story of you being the chosen Priestess came into the picture and disrupted my beautiful plans for us.”
Read – Stuck With An Obsessed Girlfriend episode 22 – 23
DETHRONED
Episode 10
By AMAH’S HEART
Eze’s confessions are more like a shocking revelation to me.
Such that I am indeed taken by surprise by all that he said.
A few couple of minutes has already passed yet I am still shaken to my bones and didn’t know how to start reacting to these turn of events.
I stood there staring at him not knowing how to feel or how not to feel at the moment,
should I be happy or should I be sad..?
I just was not expecting any of these scenarios hence I did not come in preparation for any of this confessions.
Everything Eze said to me took me by surprise and all I want to do right now is to go far away from here so I can at least think clearly.
I keep trying to wrestle free from his firm grip on my left hand but to no avail as Eze was just too strong for my feminine kind of strength.
And already my fingers were beginning to hurt because of how tight he held onto it yet Eze wasn’t willing to let me go
After a while I gave up trying to freed myself using my feminine strength and resolved to use my authority as a Priestess to command him to let my hands go free.
With that final resolution, I looked at him sternly in the eye and resonated in a slightly raised voice of authority
” I command you as Priestess Rana to let go of my hand right this instance Eze… If you choose to disobey my order I’ll have your head on a stake by morning!”
Immediately Eze heard my command, he instantly freed my left hand and went down on his knees as a symbol of courtesy
Oh, surely power and authority can be indeed sweet! it makes stubborn people like Eze obey instantly
” I am very sorry Priestess Rana.. please pardon my ill manners… I promise that it will never happen again” Eze said on his knees with his head bent low
My eyes flickered with series of emotions but I hid them behind a steely facade and I responded to his apology using a stern voice
” Better! I believe you are a man of your words so as you’ve promised right now… make sure to abide by your promise by ensuring that this never repeats itself again…”
I paused to push back the tears that was threatening to come out of my eyes.
And it is a good thing that Eze’s head was still bent low hence he did not see the silent struggle on my face
” Eze from today onwards I want you to stay very far away from me!.. I do not love you nor am I ever going to accept your confession about your love for me… you can now arise and go back home” I concluded and walked away from Eze into my compound.
With each step I took it felt like my soul was torn apart.
Probably it is true that through our occasional evening strolls I had grown to love him as a woman,
that explains why right now my heart feels broken into a thousand pieces.
When I eventually got into the confines of my hut,
I slipped to the ground and allowed the ocean of tears I kept in to come rushing out in torments.
I have to admit that it húrts,
Yes it húrts so very much to lose a love I would love to secure yet there’s nothing I can do about it.
And I suppose this is the actual cross I have to continue carrying as a Priestess.
Throughout that day I stayed locked up in my hut.
I gave an instruction that I wanted time alone and my maidens obeyed.
I kept tossing on my bed unable to sleep as images of Eze were the only things I saw each time I closed my eyes.
I was still tossing on my bed until late at night when I heard a faint knock on my door. I found it odd as I thought everyone was asleep following the dead silence of the night.
normally I don’t keep bodyguards around me because I do know that I have enough powers to protect myself, besides nobody would dare think of attacking a Priestess of my caliber.
” who is there..? Amarachi is that you…?” I asked trying to find out if it is one of my maidens but I got no response
I waited for a while before I moved towards the door and pulled it open.
The person I actually saw standing in front of the door truly shocked me
” Eze..? What exactly are you doing here this late..?” I asked staring at him whilst using the reflection of the moon to admire his handsome face
” I came to check if you are sleeping well after the confrontation we had earlier today… Rana I couldn’t sleep well without thoughts of you filing my mind… I was so worried about you and couldn’t resist the urge to come here tonight….” Eze expounded and right before my eyes he went down on his two kneels.
I was short for words at his show of care and humility which are features that are usually rare especially for men.
“….I also came to say that I am truly sorry if I had hürt you with my confessions…. I was only expressing my feelings from the bowels of my heart” Eze uttered with pleading eyes that were staring at me
I sighed heavily as I looked at a kneeling Eze with eyes staring expectantly at me. At that point I didn’t even know the appropriate response to give him.
I took a slow deep breath before I finally gave my reply and this time around I said each word inaudibly
” I am fine Eze, you should really stop bothering yourself about me… anyways you’re forgiven so please go back home and sleep peacefully…”
I turned to go back into my hut and just before I slammed the door I gave a last command to Eze.
” One last thing Eze… no matter the circumstance you should never come back here again because the next time you step foot in my compound is the day I Priestess Rana will have your head Eze Dede detached from your body!” I concluded sternly and eventually slammed the door shut.
That night little did I know that I had just indirectly made an almost irrevocable law,
and that I also had two eye witnesses in attendance without my knowledge.
Tbc