Queen of Queens episode 15 – 16

Queen of Queens – Episode 15

‘Are you sure’? Eka laughed, she could swear her sister was thinking about someone she really loved.

‘You can trust me with anything; when we broke into your hut and found your cowries, I knew a man must have given them to you; fifteen cowries is not that easy to come by, where would a jobless maiden get that from’? Eka scoffed.

‘Alright! You got me, I am in love’ Mma laughed as they neared the river.

‘In love? With’? Eka pressed on, she was curious to know.

‘Onoitem’ she replied proudly.

‘Onoitem? I don’t think I know him’ Eka shrugged. The Kingdom was more than large and a lot of people dwelt in it.

‘You will meet him when the time comes’ she laughed and dashed towards the river.

The rare scent of sand and clay mixed with water lilies slapped her nostrils as she approached the river; the surface of the water was green and weeds grew underneath. The water rushed and flowed unhindered. It was really beautiful to look at.

‘This is so beautiful’ Mma dropped the calabash that contained her soap and body scrub down.

‘I hear the princess has eyes like the river’ Eka let down her fishing net.

‘Yes. It is true, Ono has met her before, he speaks of her great beauty’ Mma smiled and loosened her wrapper.

‘Ono has met her’? Eka’s tone was mocking. The beauty of the princess was legendary, it traveled across town; across kingdoms. People that had seen her called her the “Living Goddess”.

Mma couldn’t miss the mockery and taunt in her sister’s voice.

‘Is there a problem with that’? She scooped some water and poured it all over her body using her calabash.

‘What if he falls in love with her and forgets about you; men hærdly resist beautiful women. I know you will say the princess is already betrothed to Prince Iboro, the heir to Obodom throne, but anything is possible. Do you remember the story of Princess Ekom and Nwonkpa’? Eka asked.

‘Who wouldn’t’? Mma felt weak as she thought of the possibility of Ono falling in love with the princess.

The folktale had it that, there lived a princess, who was the love of her father and the beauty of her land; Princess Ekom was engaged to a very wealthy and young king.

One day, while taking a walk around the village, she saw a very handsome drunk; whose stench was horrible; whose clothes were torn but something about Nwonkpa drew her to him.

‘Just be careful, don’t get your heart broken by any man’ Eka advised and stepped into the river, towards the side where fish was plenty.

‘He loves me’ Mma whispered to herself. Even her own voice betrayed her; she was afraid as she pondered on her sister’s words.

‘I caught a big fish’! Eka yelled happily and rushed out of the river.

‘That is so big’ Mma replied happily.

‘We must go now, we have to cook and eat’ Eka wrapped the net firmly around the fish.

‘I am not through with my bath; can I meet you at home later’? Mma asked she wanted to be alone; she wanted to think about her lover.

‘Out here? There is no one here Mma, I cannot leave you’ Eka was hesitant.

‘Go. I promise to take care of myself’ Mma was resistant.

‘Alright, may the gods watch over you’ her sister smiled and left for their hut.

She scooped more water into her calabash and was ready to pour it down on her body when she heard a loud noise. It was the sound of warriors approaching with drums and songs of war.

Was Ajop under attack?

She rushed to where her clothes lay and quickly slipped into them but she wasn’t fast enough, one of the warriors s₱0tted her and gave a loud command:

‘Stop’!

There were three sh¡ps on the river: one was the royal sh¡p that was carved out of the finest wood and it was made specially for the royals; the second and third were filled with warriors from the Kingdom of Obodom.

‘It looks so beautiful out here’ Prince Udo was awed by the beauty and rushing strength of the river.

‘It is even more beautiful when we land’ Iboro replied. He was greatly excited; he couldn’t wait to set eyes on his princess.

His eyes had scanned the wh0le river; he was a warrior and had to watch out for any attack from the forest.

‘Isn’t she beautiful’? Prince Udo’s eyes fell on the dark-skinned maiden, whose beauty he had never imagined. She was simple but sophisticated.

‘Stop’! He scre-med in a loud voice as she was about to run off.

‘Brother, are you sure about this? She may be a mermaid’ Prince Iboro grabbed his brother firmly by the hand.

‘Let go of me, Udo fears no one; fears nothing; man or spirit’ he yanked his hand away from his brother and jumped out of the boat that had already neared the beach.

‘Please do not kill me, I have done no harm’ Mmaffiong fell on her knees and begged.

She had never seen these men before but from the way they were dressed, they were royal and had come from a far kingdom.

‘Rise up, beautiful one, you didn’t do anything to offend me, your beauty attracted me’ Prince Udo smiled kindly and helped her on her feet.

‘Thank you’ she replied and bowed her head.

‘Tell me your name’ he pressed on, his eyes raking her wh0le form.

‘Hmm…hmm’ Prince Iboro jumped out of sh¡p and moved towards his brother and the girl.

He too was stunned by her beauty; little wonder his brother had grown impatient on the sh¡p; he particularly liked her smooth and dark skin.

‘I…’ Mma stuttered, suddenly feeling afraid as two tall men hovered above her. She cried in her heart, wishing she had listened to her sister.

‘Don’t you have a name? Pretty maiden’? Prince Iboro asked.

‘Mma…’ she replied in a low voice and then scanned their faces.

They seemed to be brothers; the resemblance was striking. The dark skin; the hairy body and their brooding eyes. It reminded her of Ono’s eyes; she needed to see him. Her heart cried out for him more than ever.

‘I must go now, please’ she begged.

‘Where do you live? Tell me, who is your father’ Prince Udo asked.

‘My father…my father is dead’ she stuttered. Why was he asking her all those questions?

‘You can go maiden, farewell’ Prince Iboro gave her a command and she took it.

Anger rose in his chest as he stared into his elder brother’s face; he had just destroyed the opportunity he had to know the girl.

‘Why did you do that? Why did you let her go’? Prince Udo glared darkly at his brother.

‘She is a low life, not befitting of a prince; you must focus on other things; we didn’t come here for love; we came to fight’ Prince Iboro replied.

‘You’re such a hypocrite; all my life, you have never seen me with a maiden; now I find this one attractive enough, you call her a lowlife, who made you a god’? He lashed at his brother.

‘Watch your tongue, don’t insult me before the men’ Iboro warned.

‘I am sorry brother, but next time I see a maiden I like, stay out of it’ Udo replied and moved towards the sh¡p.

Episode 16

‘I am sorry brother, but next time I see a maiden I like, stay out of it’ Udo replied and moved towards the sh¡p.

‘Hide the sh¡ps in the forest! Ten of you should follow me to the palace of the King, while the rest of you would make camp here and watch out for any strange movement’ Iboro announced.

‘Brother, you are coming with me to the palace’ Iboro’s command was not negotiable.

‘No, I would stay with the men, go over’ Udo declined.

‘Are you still angry with me? Is this about the girl’? Iboro scoffed.

‘I am sorry’ he apologized; he didn’t know his dismissing of the girl would hurt so much.

‘I would join you in the palace when I forgive you’ Udo replied and then moved closer to his brother and whispered: ‘End things with Afiama before it gets too late’.

‘I promise, I will’ Iboro replied and together with his men, left for the palace.

Mma did not stop running till she reached the hut. Her legs gave out and she fell on her knees p-nting.

‘The gods saved me’ she breathed hærd.

‘Eka’! She called to her sister who had been busy roasting the fish at the back of the hut. Smoke rose from there and travelled down to where Mma was, infiltrating her nostrils and reminded her that she had not eaten for a long time.

‘I heard you scre-m, what happened’? Eka rushed to the front door.

‘I…I saw some strange men’ Mma begun…

‘Yes? Did they do anything to hurt you’? Eka inquired.

‘No, no but I have never seen such sh¡ps before; what if we are under attack’? Mma wondered.

‘Calm down sister, tell me, how many sh¡ps did you see from the river and what was the peculiar thing about these people, about these sh¡ps’? She inquired.

‘They seemed very expensive; there were three sh¡ps. One was occupied by two men whom I think are brothers and the rest by fierce-looking men that seemed like warriors’ Mma explained.

‘The Princes of Obodom are here’ Eka stepped backward. She had heard stories of their handsomeness and their bravery.

‘You saw them! You saw Prince Iboro and Udo, sons of the ruthless Edidem’ Eka was excited at this thought.

‘So…those men were’? Mma’s throat fell dry.

‘Yes. Princes. Tell me, did they set eyes on you or you just fled at the sight of them’? Eka inquired.

‘Why would you ask that’? Mma was irritated as she knew Eka’s line of thought.

‘Well, what if one of the princes picked interest in you, wouldn’t you go for it’? Eka winked and poked her sister on the belly.

‘No! Ono is mine and I am his’’ Mma replied firmly, nothing and no one could come in between them.

‘The way you champion this “Ono” cause, I hope he feels the same way for you’ Eka snorted.

‘You hurt my feelings, why can’t you support me on this’? MMa moved away from her.

‘Support? Let us face this, Ono, is not a high born and so are you; if he were a rich man, he would’ve come for your hand now, why wait? If any of the Princes approach you, don’t relent. You are a very beautiful maiden sister and you deserve a man that can take good care of you’ Eka advised.

‘I’ll ask for your advice when I need it’ Mma hissed angrily and rushed out of the hut, wondering why her sister was so negative this morning. She had to see Ono; she had to look into his eyes; only his eyes could calm all her fears.

‘May the gods open your eyes to the right man’ Eka muttered to herself as she watched her sister leave.

She was about returning to the fire hearth where she roasted the fish when she heard a loud thud in the house. An object must have fallen.

She quickly rushed into the house to see what it was but to her amazement she didn’t find it. All the baskets were in place and so were all the clay pots and cups.

She shrugged and decided it was nothing. She turned towards the door but was still hesitant to leave; she had this feeling of being watched.

‘Show yourself’ she called her fears to order but there was nothing, there was no one.

Without warning, a man leapt from behind the door with a machete.

‘Ah’! Eka scre-med and hurried towards the door but she was not fast enough.

‘Mmaffiong’! The masked man scre-med and drove the sharp edge of the machete into her belly.

‘No….’ Eka fell on her knees and clutched to the handle of the machete but it was too late. Her blood splattered on the floor, her eyes grew w¡der and her face was drained of blood.

The faceless man hurried out of the hut into the forest where his gang awaited him.

‘Have you done it? Have you killed Mma’? Ekpo rose to his feet.

‘Yes. Your descriptions were accurate, how did you know of the hut at the edge of the forest’? The faceless man asked.

‘My father, he made my sister swear to keep it a secret. I eavesdropped’ Ekpo replied.

His mother had panicked when she couldn’t find Eka’s things in her hut and Eka herself, but he had reassured her that his sister was okay.

He always knew his sister had a soft s₱0t for their half-sister, Eka, and he had a strong feeling they were both hiding out in the hut.

‘Go and fetch me the body, Afiama would like to confirm it before paying us’ Ekpo ordered the men.

He and some other youths from the neighboring kingdoms had formed a cult which was being used by Kings and Queens to fight their opponents, to do their dirty work.

After the stranger beheaded their leader when they had attacked the Princess, Ekpo had assumed his position as the new leader of the group.

Moments later, a body which was covered in a large wrapper soaked with blood was brought before Ekpo for inspection.

‘Open it’ he commanded, they did.

‘No…’ Ekpo took a deep breath, maybe he wasn’t seeing well.

‘Leader? Are you alright’? One of the men asked.

‘You killed my sister’! Ekpo gave a loud wail and fell beside Eka’s lifeless body.

‘I…but’ the faceless man tried to explain.

‘Don’t speak. Don’t you dare give me excuses; my descriptions were brief and apt. How come you found the hut and not Mmaffiong? You were distracted and you must pay for the blood of my sister’ Ekpo scowled at him.

‘Forgive me leader but please spare my life’ the man begged.

‘Spare his life Ekpo, we all make mistakes. You cannot blame him, he had never met your sister before’ Asuquo, the closest in rank to Ekpo begged.

‘Blood for blood, life for life’ Ekpo spewed angrily and rose to his feet.

‘You failed me, now you must die’ without hesitating, he pulled out his machete from the scabbard and dismembered the man’s head from his body.

Blood trickled on the ground; blood splashed on the faces of those that stood near. The earth was pregnant with blood.

To be continued….