Queen of Queens episode 23 – 24

Queen of Queens

Episode 23

‘That is a good idea, now we’re talking’ Afiama curled her arms around her friend.

‘Now that Mma is dead, he is all yours’ Afia reassured her.

‘You should come to my tent where I can protect you’ Prince Udo still held firmly to her hands as they reached the edge of the forest.

‘Why? I can stay alone in my hut’ she replied, though she felt uncomfortable as she imagined staying in a hut alone, a hut where she once shared with her sister.

‘No, I saw the way your brother looked at you, his eyes were filled with rage and hate; I do not trust him’ the prince explained his reason for asking her to come along with him.

He had seen the bead on Ekpo’s neck; he was very suspicious of the young man and he had a strong need to protect Mmaffiong.

‘He would never harm me. I must go now’ she drew her hands gently away from the prince’s. She missed Ono, she was greatly devastated by what had happened to her sister and she didn’t have anyone to talk to, she didn’t have anyone to pour out her feelings to.

She needed to be with her love, she needed to see her angel.

‘Where are you going’? The Prince asked. He was worried about her, he didn’t want to let her go.

‘To see a friend’ she replied and walked away.

‘To see her lover, more like’ Emana ch¡pped in, he had met up with Ono after delivering his message to his elder brother, Iboro.

‘I never asked for your word’ Udo snapped at Emana. He had never felt this drawn to a woman; he had only met her and he felt this great need to shield her from impending gloom. This need to wipe her tears away and bury her head in his chest.

‘You look jealous’ Emana cut in, he was teasing his friend.

‘Enough! Let’s focus on finding the Nkuku cultists’ Udo cautioned him.

‘The death of Eka is meaningless, she is not of noble blood, so I don’t understand why the cultists would kill her’ Emana switched the topic.

‘What if they were after Mma and killed her sister instead’? Udo offered a different argument.

‘Why would they be after Mma? She is also a low life…I mean not of noble birth’ Emana quickly corrected himself as the prince’s stern eyes landed on him.

‘That is the problem; that is why we cannot move forward. It doesn’t make sense when I look at it. The Nkuku cultists are hired by noblemen to kill other noble men or women and children of noble blood’ the prince was getting frustrated.

‘Are you saying Mma or Eka have royal blood? Maybe the King had an affair with either of their mothers and wants to kill them to protect the secret’? Emana raised a brow.

The Prince was silent for a while as he pondered on this possibility.

‘No, that is not it. But you have given me something to ponder on’ a smile curled on Udo’s l-ips.

‘What is that my prince’? Emana asked.

‘I think we should investigate the King’s chiefs first; who would stand to gain much should the princess die? We both know the king does not have other children? So it would make a lot of sense if someone was trying to kill her, that way they will take the throne…’.

‘The King’s adviser, Chief Nkwo, Afiama’s father. If the King and the princess are no more, he would be the next in line’ Emana offered.

‘But how do Mma and her late sister fit into all these’? The Prince sighed.

‘This puzzle is really difficult to crack’ Emana sighed.

 

Mma was eager to see the face of her lover again; she had come to apologize for the way she had left him earlier.

Who could blame her? She was a woman in love and women in love were always jealous.

She thought of the Prince of Obodom, the way he clung to her hands and the way he stared at her with desire.

‘I must focus on what is ahead’ she thought to herself as she approached Ono’s compound.

There was no other man for her except Ono and she had realized this; no other man could love her and care for her like the way he did.

‘Ono’! She called his name sharply as she s₱0tted him with another calabash of hot water.

Anger shielded his heart towards her as he recalled how she had treated him earlier; he felt enraged as he remembered the way she had laughed and smiled at another man.

His hands trembled and he lost grip of the calabash, it fell from his hands and split into two.

‘My love…’ a wavering smile played on her l-ips.

He didn’t return her smile. He said nothing but simply stared into her eyes. Why was she mocking him with her adoration? When had she already paved way in her heart for another man, for a nobleman?

‘What are you doing here’? He asked in a gruff voice.

‘I…I came here to see you’ she stuttered and wondered why he addressed her in that manner. She had never seen Ono like this; she had never seen him so angry.

‘Who is that man that held your hands so affectionately’? Ono asked.

‘A man? No man has ever held me affectionately’ Mma was perplexed.

So she now lied? What was her game exactly?

‘I brought the cowries you asked for, you must use it and save your brother’s life’ she fetched a little pouch from the edge of her wrapper where she tied it.

He saw the eagerness in her eyes, the eagerness to return the money he had saved for her hand; his father was truly right! Mma had fallen in love with someone else.

‘Are you not happy to see me? I am really sorry for the way I left in the morning’ she felt uncomfortable with the way he was staring at her.

‘You daughter of a wh-re, the people were right about your mother and here I was thinking that you were of different blood’ the words spewed from his mouth angrily as he snatched the pouch away from her, leaving her shock and despaired.

‘How could you say such words to me? What demon has gotten into you’? Her l-ips trembled, tears ran down her face as she never imagined he would treat her like this.

‘Crocodile tears get out of my father’s compound. I don’t ever want to see you again. Wh-re’! He yelled angrily at her.

His voice was so loud that his father was drawn to it and therefore rushed out of his hut to see what was going on.

‘Ono…please don’t do this to me…What is my crime? Why do you want to leave me when I need you the most’? Mma sobbed and fell on her knees.

This is not what she asked for. She had sought for his comfort, for his love and not for his insults and abandonment.

‘It is over between us Mma, go back to your prince’ he spat on the floor, close to where she knelt before leaving for the hut where his younger brother lay.

‘Ono, what prince? What are you talking about’? Mma rose and ran after him.

‘Stop there! Twak da! You wayward maiden’ Ono’s father called her in a stern voice.

‘Father…how can you call me such names’? She felt broken.

‘I am not your father. My son has found out your true nature; you must never see him again; I warn you, don’t set foot in this compound again’.

‘No…this is not happening’ she watched as the old man left for his hut and banged it loudly.

She sobbed quietly as she stared at the compound she once used to enter freely. Why had Ono mentioned the prince? Why had he des**ted her when she needed him most?

She felt lost and alone in the world; where would she go now?

‘Ono! Please, don’t leave me’ she ran back to the hut where he stayed.

‘Ono’! She kept scre-ming his name, how would she survive without him?

‘Do you want to wake my brother up’? He stormed outside.

‘Ono, why have you forgotten so easily the love that we shared? What is my offence? At least tell me that’ Mma asked of him.

He clearly saw how manipulative she was; perhaps the prince had carnal knowledge of her and had dumped her that was the reason she had come back to him.

‘This is your offence’ he raised his hand and launched it on her face.

‘Stay away from me Mmaffiong’ he scowled and retreated into the hut.

Her cheeks burned, Ono was now a total stranger; this was all she needed to know that he had fallen in love with someone else. Eka had been right after all.

‘You sent for us’ one of the cultists said to her as she arrived her hut.

‘Yes, where is Ekpo’? She asked after their leader.

‘He couldn’t make it, there was a problem with the last mission’ one of the men answered.

‘What problem exactly’? Afiama inquired.

‘I killed my sister instead of Afiama’ Ekpo strolled towards them, the rest of the men lay flat on their faces before him.

‘What? That cannot happen? Why? You have ruined everything’ Afiama was horrified. This was yet another flaw in her plan.

‘I would still kill Mmaffiong but you will double our fees’ Ekpo replied.

‘Good. I have a new mission for you’ she stared at the faces of the men.

‘The Princess would be meeting a man at the edge of the forest tonight; do not kill her or the man, I just want you to bundle them up; and wait there for me’ Afiama carefully instructed.

‘How much will our fee be’? Ekpo asked.

‘A bag of four hundred cowries and more’.

‘If it is successful’ she quickly added.

‘It shall be done’ Ekpo replied.

After Afiama had walked away, he called to one of his men and whispered some instructive words.

Episode 24

After Afiama had walked away, he called to one of his men and whispered some instructive words.

 

Just like the sun had departed from the skies, so was her heart without Ono; she didn’t still take in what Ono had done to her. She buried her face in her hands and cried.

She felt numb, alive yet lifeless; two very important people had left her life that day and she was alone, filled with emptiness and loneliness.

As she approached the hut where she had stayed with Eka; she stopped at the entrance as visions of her sister’s blood in the middle of the room came running into her brain.

She had thought herself courageous, but now she stared at the lone hut in the middle of nowhere, she realized that her courage was gone.

‘I cannot be here’ she started to move back.

Fear gripped her as she imagined what had happened to her sister; her killer had not yet been found and he could return at any time to hunt next for her.

She saw in her mind’s eyes the way Eka was dragged from the fire area into the house; the way she fought and struggled with her attacker and the way he slit her throat.

Blood poured on the floor like rain would w-t the land; Eka’s eyes grew wide as she realized she was no longer alive.

As the vision faded, she suddenly felt she wasn’t alone. It was a feeling of being watched.

‘I must find the prince, he can save me’ she muttered to herself, feeling more stupid that she had not listened to him in the first place.

But she found it difficult to move, almost like she was trapped.

She was greatly petrified as she imagined what would happen next; would the killer show up and slit her throat?

She mustered courage and moved away from the hut, towards the bush path that led to the river; maybe she would find the prince there.

‘May the gods be with me’ her l-ips trembled.

The feeling of being studied became stronger and she broke into a race; she needed to survive but she was not fast enough as she felt a hand clasp over her mouth.

‘No’! She scre-med. Tears welled up in her eyes, she was lost forever; her only thoughts were focused on the prince now, how she wished he could hear her.

She fought hærd as her attacker dragged her deeper into the thick vegetation; she struggled with his hands as they bruised the mark on her face, the place where Ono had hit her.

She cried out for help, she cried out for the gods to help her.

‘Please…let me go’ the words were rough, they weren’t clear but she was sure he heard her.

‘Please…’ she gro-ned but he said nothing.

What had she done to the man? First, it was her sister and now her. What if the prince had been right? What if Ekpo blamed her for the death of his sister?

‘Ekpo…please’ she called his name as she had not seen the face of her attacker.

‘Who is Ekpo’? A familiar voice asked and suddenly, her attacker released his grip over her and turned her around to face him. The man she had started to like.

‘My Prince’? Her eyes grew wide in surprise as she stared into his face.

‘I am sorry Emana was rough on you, I just wanted you to be safe’ he replied.

Anger rose in her chest as she stared at Emana, the man that had bundled her roughly; she felt humiliated and annoyed that the prince had played tricks on her.

‘I am sorry, Mmaffiong’ he moved closer to her.

She was about to say something when she noticed a crowd of flies and a man who was being bound by thick ropes sitting next close to a carcass.

‘Is that a dead body’? She felt nauseous as she stared at it.

‘Yes. That is why I asked Emana to fetch you, we may be in danger as we caught this man trying to steal the body from the forest’ the prince said.

‘I am so sorry for not listening to you earlier’ she bowed her head, the prince had meant well for her.

‘It’s okay’ he rubbed her face.

‘Emana, take the prisoner along, when he is ready to talk we shall feed him’ the prince gave an order.

Mma was curious to know who the prisoner was and who the dead man was.

‘I think we found your sister’s killer’ the prince could read her thoughts and this amazed her. Only one man had that power especially when he stared into her eyes: Ono.

She quickly looked away from the prince’s penetrating gaze, so he wouldn’t notice the mark on her face.

‘What makes you think he killed her’? Mma asked.

‘He has an identical bead on his other hand. I believe it strongly and it confirms my suspicion that the Nkuku cultists were behind Eka’s attack’ he replied.

‘And the prisoner’? She urged him on.

‘I and Emana came to fetch firewood for our camp when we found him trying to lift the body from the forest in a very suspicious manner and then we noticed the same bead on his wrist. That was all we needed to know he is a member of the cult group. We would torture him till he speaks’.

‘You fetch firewood’? She chuckled at that part, she wasn’t listening to anything else.

‘Yes, is that a bad thing’? He grinned, knowing where she was going.

‘You are a prince’ she reminded him.

‘So? If princes eat and excrete, then princes must also help in the cooking’ he smiled at her.

‘You are funny’ she laughed.

He stole a glance at her beautiful face at that moment; her smile meant everything to him, it brightened the dull expression on her face and made him feel alive but not for long. He found a dark patch close to her eyes; it was a mark that someone had attacked her.

‘What is it’? She noticed the prince now wore a frown, he was no longer smiling. Had she done or said something to annoy him?

‘Mmaffiong, who did this to your face’? Udo felt enraged as he wondered the vile creature that would lay his hand upon a woman, upon Mmaffiong.

She opened her mouth to speak but words fled. How could she tell him that Ono had bruised her face with his slap? How could she tell him that the man she loved and trusted with her life had jot turned his back against her?

How could she?

‘Talk to me, I shall have his head’ he glared darkly at her.

‘Please…’ she fell on her knees and crouched at his feet.

‘He is my lover’ she broke down and cried.

You’re reading: Queen of Queens – Episode 24

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Slowly, twilight settled upon the palace; the once bright skies were overtaken by indigo clouds and the once scanty atmosphere was overcomed by blackbirds which had just returned from daily feasting.

She stared out of the window towards the route that led to the forest; she was sure of it, he felt something for Ono and she would pursue it. With her friend’s support, she was going to gain his love.

Her br-asts itched as she imagined his mouth on them; her nostrils flared as she imagined Ono dropping k-sses on her soft l-ips; her heart raced as she imagined him making love to her.

She had saved herself for the prince, but he had failed her by being unfaithful and she would treat him the same.

‘My Princess, open the door’ a knock sounded on the door.

‘Come in…’ she said reluctantly as she knew the one behind the door.

As Iboro stepped into the chambers, it was right there on her face that he wasn’t needed.

He was suddenly filled with rage at this behavior of hers; what had he done to get her upset? He had paid her a visit and he had not come empty-handed

‘Won’t you at least offer me a seat’? Iboro asked.

‘Sit’ she replied curtly, still backing him as she stared outside. Iboro was interrupting her lustful thoughts; why couldn’t he stay alone?

‘And you have your back to me’ he complained. She was starting to irritate him as she had never showed him this side of her.

‘Do you love me’? He asked.

‘Why would you ask me that’? She turned sharply and faced him, had the prince known about Ono? She couldn’t lose him.

‘You have been acting funny since I came here; you don’t talk to me; you don’t want to k-ss me; what have I done wrong’? He rose and walked towards her.

‘I…I still do love you but…’ she faced the window and turned her back to him.

‘But what? What is it that I cannot handle’? He could see something greatly troubled her and he wanted to be a part of that.

‘I feel traumatized’ she blurted out.

‘After those men attacked me, I feel trapped in a cage; I find it hærd to concentrate on other things apart from that day’ she lied smoothly.

He felt her pain instantly; he understood why she faced the route that led to the forest.

‘I swear to you today, I will find those men that attacked you and who sent them’ he replied.

‘From the way you sound, you already have a lead’ she turned and faced him again. Not that she cared, she just wanted to talk and make him leave.

‘Yes. We do have a lead’ he nodded.

‘We’? She raised her brow.

‘Yes. Udo sent word to me that the Nkuku cult group was behind your attack’ the words rushed out of his mouth before he could stop it but he needed to say anything, do anything that would get her attention.

‘Nkuku cult group’? She was now interested. Why would a cult group attack the princess of the land?

‘They are hired by noblemen to attack other noblemen and Udo has a feeling that whoever sent them after you stands to gain a lot’ the prince replied.

‘Who could that be’? She rolled her eyes. She couldn’t think of anyone at that moment.

‘I promise, we would get to the bottom of this’ he placed a hand on her face.

‘Thanks to my Prince, I must sleep now’ she smiled, leaned forward and placed a k-ss on his face.

‘Sleep well, my love’ he returned her k-ss and walked through the door.

‘Abasi! I was almost exposed’ she took off her crown and her royal dress. She needed to appear as an ordinary maiden as she would sneak out of the palace to meet Ono.

To be continued….