Queen of Queens episode 11 – 12

Queen of Queens

Episode 11

He was in love with her, love couldn’t be hidden; they had stared at each other like no other person was there. Like the wh0le Kingdom of Ajop belonged to them.

‘Ah, but you played a part in it’ he smiled.

‘Come, sit’ she guided him to some ancient stools beneath a large Oil bean tree that spread its leaves like tentacles all over the place, shielding the sun from those that took refuge under it.

Ono obeyed her command and sat on the stool, wondering what this was all about.

‘Tell me all about you’ the princess asked.

‘There’s not much to tell’ he was reluctant at her odd request. He was a poor farmer who had to work twice as much to provide for his old father and his younger brother.

‘I must hear it, it is a command’ she replied firmly.

This made him laugh, the Princess was different from the many stories he heard about her.

She wasn’t arrogant or shrewd; she was simple and down to earth and he liked this about her.

‘There’s nothing grand about me, I am a simple farmer with a father and a brother to care for’ he replied flatly.

‘And your mother’? The Princess was more curious.

‘She died while giving birth to my brother’ he felt a sharp pain as he remembered the day she had breathed her last.

She saw the flash of pain in his dark eyes, she felt like reaching out to him and warming his hands with hers, but she fought for control.

‘Tell me about your lover…’ she switched the topic; she didn’t want him to feel pain.

Ono smiled as he thought about the woman that gave him the reason to live; the reason to carry on; whose love was like a pillar that held his wh0le life together.

‘Mmaffiong…that’s her name’ Ono said.

‘Mmaffiong, she is named after the moon goddess, Affiong’ the Princess ch¡pped in, she felt an ache in her heart as she watched his face light up at the mention of her name.

‘She has a very beautiful soul maybe that is the reason the gods chose to spare her life’ he continued.

‘That’s really nice, so when do you plan to take her hand’? Princess Obot asked.

He felt embarrassed to tell her the truth; he had not saved enough cowries for her hand.

‘Soon’ he forced a smile.

‘I have to go now; my father must be worried about me’ Ono rose to his feet. He felt uncomfortable opening himself up to the princess, he felt vulnerable and he hated what he saw glowing in her sea green eyes: pity.

‘Wait, I could help you’ she blurted out without thinking.

‘Help me? I don’t understand’ he scoffed.

‘A reward, your reward for saving my life’ she smiled, this was the only way she could get him closer to her and she had to take it.

‘I want you to be a royal gardener…’ she paused as she watched him decline with a shake of his head.

‘No, I don’t mean it that way, you wouldn’t do it for free, and you would do it for a fee of cowries’ she ch¡pped in.

‘I don’t even want to do it, I saved your life for free, I don’t need any reward. I must go now, my princess’ he bowed his head and walked briskly away from her presence.

She lifted her hands in wave, but her fingers faltered as her eyes strayed to the firmness and hærdness of his bag and his hairy legs. For the first time, she desired to be with a man other than Prince Iboro.

‘Princess’ someone crept up behind her.

‘Afiama? I asked you to stay in the room’ Obot snapped at her, scared that she had been startled.

‘I was tired of waiting, I grew curious…your savior came’ Afiama observed.

‘His name is Ono, a very humble and hærdworking soul’ Obot avoided her friend’s eyes the wh0le time.

‘Am I wrong to note that you desire him’? Afiama decided to play her part.

‘Stop it! How dare you speak such abomination, if you were not my friend, I would ask my guards to throw you out of the palace’ Obot wrecked.

‘I am sorry…I was only…’ Afiama stuttered, she was surprised at her friend’s outburst. She had not expected the princess to react that way.

‘Keep your observations to yourself’ Princess Obot hissed angrily and walked away.

The mischievous smile returned to her l-ips as she watched the princess go, she couldn’t wait for the prince to arrive Ajop land.

‘All I need is time to work my way around you’ she rubbed her chin thoughtfully.

She thought of no other place but Ono’s house, but what would people say about them? It was an abomination for two to stay together if they weren’t married.

She had no relatives and the people were not ready to accommodate her; most of the inhabitants of Ajop avoided her and she understood why.

Her mother had been accused of adultery and her step mother, Nkoyo had gone around the wh0le place spreading false messages about her.

‘Where do I go from here? Whom do I call? May the gods that spared my life, help me’ she wiped her face and let her feet lead her.

She had not passed the tenth hut after her father’s compound when she heard loud footsteps running towards her and the all too familiar voice of her half sister Eka: ‘Mmaffiong’!

‘Mmaffiong! Wait’ Eka hurried towards her.

Mma was surprised to see her sister, what was she doing here? And why was she with her own basket of wrappers and a cutlass?

‘Have you come to inflict more pain on me? Please be gone’ Mma hissed angrily. She had no fight left in her, she was stuck in a confusing maze right now and she didn’t need people to remind her of her situation.

‘My sister, my blood, please forgive me; mother lured me into lying against you; you know how difficult she could get, please have mercy’ Eka dropped her baskets and fell at Mma’s feet.

‘Why are you here’? Mma ignored her cries.

‘Forgive me, tell me you have forgiven me’ Eka begged.

‘I already forgave you all, the gods have spared my life and I have no business holding grudges’ Mma replied and she was being honest about it.

‘Thank you sister’ Eka wiped her face and jumped on her feet.

‘Can I go now’? Mma sighed.

‘I can help you’ Eka replied.

‘How and why would you want to stand against your mother’? Mma folded her hands and regarded her steadily, she needed to be sure that this was not another ploy to endanger her life.

‘I swear to you, I come with pure hands and a clean heart; do not turn me away’ Eka raised her hands upwards.

‘Go on, what do you want’?

‘I want us to live together, I am tired of abiding by mother’s rules, I don’t want to die the way father did for the gods are really with you’ tears welled down in her eyes as she remembered their father’s mysterious death.

‘How did our father die’? Mma was broken hearted. Though the man never treated her like his daughter, though he never showed her love like he did her siblings, she still cherished him and revered him like her father.

Episode 12

‘How did our father die’? Mma was broken hearted. Though the man never treated her like his daughter, though he never showed her love like he did her siblings, she still cherished him and revered him like her father.

At the setting of the sun, there was lightning and then thunder, he was struck by it’ Eka narrated how it all happened.

‘The gods…’ Mma was startled as she remembered that was the exact time the priest had come to her rescue.

‘We don’t have time, we must hurry; soon mother would notice I have eloped, come with me’ Eka fetched her basket and placed it on her head.

‘Where’? Mma wondered.

‘There is a house father built at the edge of the forest, close to the boundary between Ajop and Obodom; it is a very large hut and would be good for two’ Eka explained.

‘Why would father build a hut there? And what if your mother finds us there’? Mma asked.

‘Not to worry, she wouldn’t. It was a secret. My father made me swear by his gods never to tell her’ Eka frowned as she remembered the incident.

She had followed him to the farm and had gotten lost in the large forest, but the mo-ns that came from a lone hut at the edge of the forest attracted her and she caught her father red handed with one of the village maidens, making love.

‘Why would he make you take the mbiam? Those gods are ruthless and vile’ Mma was terrified for her sister.

‘He was cheating on mother but not to worry, the charm would no longer affect me; his death broke their powers over me’ Eka patted her on the shoulder reassuringly.

‘I pray so’ Mma was still not convinced.

‘We must head for the forest now’ Eka replied and led the way.

Mma had many reservations about this hut but she kept it to herself and prayed the gods would keep her out of danger.

Prince Iboro sat on the large wooden table in the throne house where all members of the royal family usually ate; his mind was far off in Ajop as he thought about the woman that he loved.

‘Iboro’! The King called him sternly and he jerked out of his thoughts.

‘You seem lost? Are you alright’? The King of Obodom stared at his son and heir apparent to his throne.

‘Yes. I am very fine’ Iboro smiled.

‘He is actually thinking of the night he would get to deflower the princess’ Prince Udo ch¡pped in and the King burst out laughing.

‘True, true. I had that same feeling too when I first met your mother’ the king laughed and started towards the Queen and her daughters.

‘I don’t have time for your carnalities, I must leave now’ she rose to her feet and her daughters trailed behind her.

‘Father, you sent mother away from the dining table’ Prince Udo laughed.

‘Women! Such complicated creatures’ the King grabbed a gourd and poured himself some palm wine.

‘Father, there was an assassination attempt on the life of my princess, who do you think could be behind it’? Prince Iboro reported to his father.

‘I know son! Word travels fast, the King of Ajop sent word when it happened to thank the gods that the princess was not raped and defiled’ the king wiped his mouth with the back of his palm.

‘I am amazed by the audacity of those criminals; why would they dare to attack my bride to be? It is an insult to me and the wh0le of Obodom. We must do something father’ Iboro was ready to fight for Obot’s honor.

‘I totally agree with you; I have a feeling, one of the Annang rebel kings is behind this; I support every decision you will take. Princess Obot is your bride and you must do everything to protect her’ the King nodded his head in agreement.

‘I want to go to Ajop with my warriors and help with the investigation’ Prince Iboro said.

‘And I am coming along with you’ Prince Udo raised his hand in the air.

‘What about your marriage plans towards her’? The King raised his brows.

‘It can wait. I must solve this puzzle and bring to end our enemies’ Iboro replied fiercely.

‘Go well then sons, may the river gods and goddess ferry you safely to the Kingdom of Ajop and send greetings to the King. I shall give you gifts to take to him and your princess too’ the king offered.

‘Thank you father, I promise to make you proud. Once I solve this puzzle, I shall send word for you to come and grace our marriage’ Iboro rose to his feet.

‘As you wish son’ the King replied and watched his first son leave.

‘Udo…’ he quickly turned to his younger son.

‘Father’ he dropped the piece of meat he held and stared at the king.

‘I am troubled about this journey, swear by the gods that you will never lose sight of your brother’ the King fetched a bundle of tiny carvings of ten idols and presented it to his son.

‘I swear by the mbiam, I shall watch my brother and no harm shall befall him’ Udo took the oath. Only there, did the King feel relieved.

His encounter with the princess had opened him up to reality and he decided it was time to start saving up once again for Mma’s hand.

He was flattered that the princess would offer him such a position as her personal gardener.

His thoughts briefly returned back to Mma; he wondered how she was faring now; he felt her pain and humiliation but was more glad that the gods had exonerated her.

Whenever he approached his father’s Compound; it wasn’t the bleating of goats or the miserable looking raffia roof that welcomed him; that portrayed that people were leaving in such a poor looking hut; it was his younger brother, Onoifiok that would welcome him.

Onoifiok was always outside playing in the sand, building castles or he will play with stones and scraps like other children his age.

Ono’s forehead narrowed in confusion as he drew nearer to the house, where was everyone? And why was the compound so quiet?

‘I am back brother! I met with the princess, your future wife’! He yelled atop his voice.

He laughed briefly as he imagined how excited his brother was going to be.

He thought about the Princess’ job offer, it was a lifetime guarantee of wealth for himself and his family; working for the princess could afford him more cowries to marry Mma, but he wouldn’t. He was a man of dignity and pride and he wanted the princess to know that he had not saved her life because she was a princess.

He would’ve done it for any other maiden he had found in such a predicament.

‘Ono’! He heard his father gro-n.

‘Father’? Ono quickened and stepped into his father’s hut.

‘What is it’? Ono noticed the man was weeping.

‘Your brother…he…he’ the man stuttered.

Ono was too impatient to listen to the man; his eyes strayed to the lifeless body of his younger brother.

To be continued….