promoe chai. hapy new year! nawa o. Anyway *grabs a seat* waiting 4 more updates

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The anger in Aneke had made him forgot he had visitors, who came in with him from his early morning trip. It was now that he could recollect, so he hurried to the obokoro where his waiters were, and apologised for keeping them waiting. The people present there were the six ndichies who were family heads of the various six clans of Ozalla-Abo. The nine elders from Umudioga had decided to boycott the meeting, having unconcern about whatever happened to the deceased nefarious king.
Besides the elders, was Ararughi, a powerful medicine man from Item, whom the elders had carried along to the palace. Height was not in his favour, which is to say, he was short, and he was also looking chubby. He spoke with temerity of the heart and the lips. He had a slightly brown teeth with a wide gap which was as a result of a missing canine tooth at the right hand side.
One of the elders was the first to tonguelash Aneke for keeping them waiting,

"Is this how you'll respond to emergency when you become a king?"

"I'm sorry, the matter was beyond what would be taken care of later, so I decided to face the matter first and foremost." he forced himself not to blow up in rage. He didn't want any action that would serve as a discredit to him on the eve of coronation.

"Now tell me what is that issue that is more important than our late king, your father?" Aneke kept quiet, not uttering a word. He'd heard in adages that the best answer to a fool is silence, and he beleived some of them to be fools, so he tried avoiding some of their questions.
It was now time for them to discuss their main reason for their visit to the palace. One of the bearded men who was quite impressive in height, stood to his feet to speak:

"I'm quite sure that by now, our reason for coming here would have been clear to you."

"Yes, i know you're coming to discuss the issue concerning my father's burial and also my coronation, but I still don't get why a spiritualist is involved in this." he said frankly.

"That's what we were going to tell you," he cleared his throat and continued, "we've come to realise some nonchallance in the way you handle this matter about the king's death. We all know that the king was never sick and there was no trace of illness in him when I met him last on Afor day. It is not a mere incidence that our king died in his sleep, and therefore a story need to be told about his sudden demise." he said and sat back on the wooden comfort chair while his speech was been endorsed by other elders.

"Elders of our land, I've heard all you said," it was Aneke that was speaking, "just like anyone else, I'm also distressed by the sudden death of my father and would welcome anyone who finds the real cause of it, so that I would avoid it myself." he said solemnly and sat back on his stool. The elders gave gestures to Ararughi to continue his divination, following endorsement by the prince.
There was silence for some couple of seconds, but there was no worry, because of the famous adage which says, "ọtutu ihe putara na mgbachi nkiti dibia anyanzu" (there are so many meanings to the silence of a native doctor) .
He suddenly broke the silence himself by chanting incantations:

"Anya ụkpaka, Ị nọ n'ekili,
Anya ụkpaka, Ị nọ n'ekili?
Iyo kokoko
Iyo kokoko
Keé ive isi ka fa kọọlu Mama Odogwu o,
Na nwa ịkwịkwị belụ akwa nderi
Nwa ya we ghà ịtete ụla ụtụtụ,
Aya'kpọ nka'fa gini?
Ọdeni ive ichọlu ka nne agu kọọlụ di ye?
Na okehi kpọọlụ nwa agu mgbe ya n'alahu ụla chi ye?
Anya ụkpaka kwaịlu onwe gi uzọ mgbanalị,
Ooooo anya ụkpaka ooo!"

He cleared his throat to gain clarity of the voice, and chewed kolanut and spat it into different direction. He stood to his feet and jumped up and down the arena, he moved seldom forward and seldom backward, and danced a regular "atilogwu" dance, and then proceed into opening a little jar half-filled with black water. He raised it up to shoulder lenght and poured minuscule quantity of juice from starfruit, which he pressed into a small bottle.

"You hewer of the great Iroko !
The belly that swallowed the source of the spring!
The tortoise that stole the lion's crown in the days of his holidays!
You, killer of the great Konaso!
Show forth your wicked face!
Mmmmmmmmm!" there was a visible transition of diabolics, as the black water jar smoked and two beamline of mystery light shone in parallel declivity. He signalled Aneke and the elders to proceed to where he was, to have a look at what was in display in the jar. Aneke couldn't believe what he saw,

"Inene!" he exclaimed. The elders looked inquisitively at him as he called a name.

"You know her?" one of them asked rhetorically.

"Yes! She she she is one of our cooks here," he found himself stammering after a wave of shock rapt him.

"I certainly knew that!" another elder retorted, "I warned Igwe Konaso to stop appointing any of these backstabbers into any position in this kingdom, but he will never listen. Now, is he going to establish one great and vast kingdom in the grave?" the elders shook their head.

"My father only employed people from Ozalla to do his cooking and domestic job, he just employed nine men from Umudioga as the palace labourers." the elders were like totally confused over what he was talking about hence they need to ask further,

"What are you talking about? Then who is the girl?"

"She is a native of Abomgbada clan of our kingdom, Ozalla. And I wonder what issues she must have had with my father."

"I'm sorry to say I don't still understand you." the elder who was precisely the head of that clan asked for further explanation. The culprit must be related to him in a way. He had a daughter that bore that name, but not only his daughter. There were several girls who bore that name in that clan. But the name "Inene" was no unique or peculiar to any family. The name was a wildly used pet name in Aro and other kingdom which it influenced in one way or the other, just like the word "ada" which means daughter, is used all through Igboland to describe the first female issue born to a family. But definitely it was not going to be his daughter, reasons because his daughter didn't serve in the palace. Only poor men gave their children as slaves to kings in exchange for food and money.
Aneke was subconscious with thought, as he was almost unaware about the argument that was uprisen amongst the elders. Three of them were pointing accusing finger to the elder who was head of Abomgbada, his name being Acheru. They believed his daughter had been the girl in question, despite his refutation of these claims. The other two tried defending him, making some effort to shift the reins of blame to the Umudioga backstabbers.
Aneke soon came to his senses, he must have remembered something, having halted the fierce argument that had overridden the palace ambience.

"Yes, I now know," Aneke recollectively retorted, while the elders where still halted in anticipation.
"So it is you......your daughter that.....that killed my father?" he found his tongue stuttering on words, while he pointed to Acheru.
Acheru saw red to his assertions, if that were meant to be joke it was thus an expensive one.

"I swear, I don't know what he's talking about." he rebutted. He hadn't seen the face in display very clearly, in the jar. Even he'd thought he look somewhat like his daughter, but he waved it outside as something not worth the attention. Acheru was a polygamist, who had several children, of which some where unknown to him. Asides his five wives, he had several concubines, of whom he also fathered children from them on occasions. There were rumours that some of them got into act with their manfriends, and get a baby, which would be imposed on him. No wonder, he wasn't too sure of his daughter's face, even if he had the first instincts that they were look alike.
Other elders came in mediation of this appaling revelation.

"Ararughiuraabali, please show him the jar once again, maybe he's still confused." one of the elders spoke calling the diviner by his complete name, which was always abbreviated to "Ararughi". Aneke's suspicious eyes was always fixed on Acheru, wishing he could just pounce on him for the sins of his daughter. Ararughi wasn't too happy that they were asking for that same revelation, when he thought it was all done and dusted. He had to do a redo of what he has done before, and this time around, the result was pervert.

The person shown in the latter was way different from the former, even Ararughi himself was confused at this outcome.

"This does not look like any of my daughters," Acheru protested to authenticate his vindication. The face of the one shown was strange to the elders, seem noone was familiar with it. The lady in the mirror was beautiful facialy and harmless, but in a situation like this noone was to be trusted either. Aneke decided to go and take a closer look at what seem strange to the rest, hoping same would be his reaction. He just wanted to know who was the knew culprit now, he'd already lost interest in the whole thing.
Maybe Ararughi's chi seemed to be confused at the moment, he thought. But getting to see the later face, he was completely dazed, with his eyes wide open in perplexity. His thought was right afterall, Ararughi's gods were confused. He could not hide his rage any longer, Ararughi has dared his patience.

"Now I know you're a joker!" he retorted.

"What!"

"Perhaps you might be unaware that the lady in question was locked up somewhere by my father and had remained there till we heard of my father's sudden death."

"Do you mean to say, she was here with you?" one of the elders asked keenly.

"She had been under my father's detention and there's no way this can be true, even in the next world."

"My son," Ararughi called, "don't dare the wisdom of the gods. There are so many meanings to a puzzle in the spirit realm, which are beyond mortal comprehension."

"You words are still in puzzle."

"A man can appear innocent and harmless physically, but his spirits could be as restless as the whirlwind."

"You're still speaking idioms."

"Allow him to finish," the elders beckoned on the troubled prince.

"The lady I see here, is someone that has influence in the spirit kingdom, and might have risen against your father in spirit since she'd been angry with him for illtreating her." Ararughi said in a hush tone with eyes wide open.
Aneke chuckled inside him, been fully aware of everything that happened that night before his father passed on. How could he say that Uju killed his father, while he'd spent most of his time that night trying to woo her, or do people's spirit now leave their body while they're talking. Indeed, there was nothing for him to believe about Ararughi's assertions.
For the elders, the reverse was the situation. They believed every word wholeheartedly, and were on plot to track down the said lady should they serendipitiously lay their eyes on her. Aneke was afraid for the sake of Uju, because the elders seemed to be serious, on every single statement they made. They were all interrupted by sudden barge in of one of the guards, he had a quick message to give.

"My prince, the lady is running in here, we've tried hard to stop her but she refused" he gave the report following Aneke's order noone should ever force her to do what she didn't want to do, and they all had to respect her decisions.
Aneke stood up swiftly to stop her outside, to prevent her been seen by the elders, but too late, Uju had already barged in. But she halted her steps, seeing that she might have halted an important discussion. She soon regained her lost ego of a princess, and stood and talked to Aneke, ignoring the presence of the elders.

"Aneke, I've heard it enough from you, and I won't take this any further. Allow me go to my people, what sort of tyranny is this?"
The elders were silent with mouth agape, seeing the reality of what they've seen in a picture. She was a beauty to behold, but there are still many things about her untold.
They were now fully sure of whom they'd seen, and wondered what had kept them from carrying out their plot, she was supposed to be captured.

"You bloody witch, you've gone beyond your limits, by killing our own king. I'll cut off your head." a provoked elder pulled out a medium sized knife from his sheath against Uju, who'd become shaky at the moment, but still summoned courage to talk back.

"You'll do no such thing." she retorted, hence the angry man raced towards her to hit her, but Aneke pulled out a sword and stopped him. Uju had taken refuge behind him, but was still shaking, her thought been the likely possibility for the six or seven rather to outpower Aneke and kill her. She hated herself for mentioning a word, see what her ego had caused her. Aneke was there in her defence, she looked keenly at his mouth to know what his next word will be.

"Make no further move to hurt her. If you do, then you're stirring my wrath."

"Aneke, you're mad. You should seeking revenge, not protecting your father's killer."

"Yes, I'm mad if that's what madness implies, I'll do anything to protect my love. Uju here," he crossed his left arms round her with his right hand still holding the sword, "is the lady I want to marry, and anyone who hurts her, hurts me likewise. I don't care if the gods want her dead." he faced Ararughi, "Let the gods come and strike the two of us here and now!" Ararughi shook his head vehemently.

"Young man, you're digging your grave," he said with emphasis on "your grave", as he demonstrated such by pointing to Uju. He refered to her as his grave.
"Elders, lets go away from here now," that was a command. The elders stood up reluctantly and moved, while one of them stood and looked at Aneke in despise,

"You are a big fool for taking this decision, but I promise you one thing. We will give your father a befitting burial as the custom demands, but we will never enthrone you, until you have a rethink about this decision. Goodbye."

Eze Promoe: That's it for today, thanks for reading.


Cute pie, i see you

Hehehe.. This Okoro is back;;; Welldone sire..

Becos i know, the next update would be in November.. No doubt

Nice one

Eze Promoe: Update will be coming today or tomorrow!

is thiz all u hv to say

Luvlystar:
is thiz all u hv to say

That's not all, dear friend. Tomorrow shall tell

Eze plomoe i comment my reserve

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It's been five days after since Konaso died and things were getting no better for Ifenna. It's been six days since Uju's disappearance, and his search for her had thus brought no result. He had made complaints to his grandfather, king of Amihie, about his missing lover, and he'd consoled him and assured him that she would return to him in no distant time.
Igwe Ameruo was an easy going person and kind hearted, but he'd had problem accomodating Uju when she stayed there with Ifenna. Ameruo's children had found Uju's presence nauseating, probably because, she, as stated by them, had no background. This assertions had followed after Uju's reticence about her personal life and family. Uju didn't like telling people about her ordeal of life, especially that of the death of every members of her family. She thought Ifenna to be the happiness she'd found and thus, that would make her forget her past.
Ameruo's children kept pestering and torturing her until she played along with it. She sometimes got into fierce argument with them especially concerning home matters. Uju never liked involving herself in a fight, except for ones that she'd beat like her junior. She would be fast to apologise when the older ones try to get themselves involved, and Ifenna was sometimes her solace when there's much of it on her. Ameruo had fell out with her when she'd badly injured one of his young daughter, that was when she went out from there, and thus went to visit Adaeke, her closest friend whom she'd not seen for long, at which she got abducted on her way. Since then, noone had known her whereabout.
Ameruo's oldest granddaughter, Urunwa, was most worried, asides Ifenna, not because Uju's absence meant anything to her, but because of her missing cloth. Uju had worn one of her best clothes, to go and visit her friend since the owner travelled and would come back in three days time. Uju thought she must have done with it as she pleases, and thus return it back to the hanger after she would come back from the visit to her friend's house. She didn't have a good cloth to pose with, and noone would lend one to her, instead they would even jeer her in the process.
Three days had gone and Uru, as she was fondly called, had gone and come back, and had remained reddened about it. Who else would that be, since everyone except Uju was at home, and the dresses were still nowhere to be found. Uru turned her aggression towards Ifenna, tonguelashing hell out of him,

"Look at the kind of girl you want to marry. A thief that stole my clothing and jewelries and absconded with it."

"She didn't steal it, she'll return it."

"Oh, are you expecting her to return? Bet me, that she has ran away with it, and will not come back."

"Just leave me alone, I don't have your time." Ifenna stood up from his chair and moved to his room, distanting himself from his noisy cousin. She still threw words at him following him behind to make sure he gets every single word of hers.

"You better don't follow me with your gibberish talk, because I'll pull out that tongue of yours." he spake angrily to her, but she still paid deaf ears.

"You'll pull off my tongue? Have you forgotten I'm older than you?"

"More reasons you should respect yourself and be responsible."

"Not that I'm not been responsible," she gave him a look of despise, "you can't bring a thief into this house to steal my precious wears, and expect me to listen to that your advice." this words pained Ifenna but he tried hard to catharsize it. He thought of words to use to make her feel bad, like she'd done to him.

"You suppose to be bothered about your own life not mine. Like you said, you're old, and yet you're still shortening our food here. Why not think of giving out yourself to them on credit, if they're not forth coming. Or you think your father will take you as his third wife?" Ifenna got a slap on his cheek as a reply, he'd really said what had gotten into her nerves.

"How dare you insult me and my father." she said bitterly, almost in tears. She felt a slap wasn't enough for him, so she gave him a rough blow to the cheek. She'd indeed initiated a fight, ignoring that she might possibly be the victim, should a full grown man of youthful exuberance engage her in a duel.
Ifenna, thus reacted as expected, but it was really brutal. He pounced on her and gave her spines a blow from his elbow as she bent her head to grab hold of his feet up, off the earth. But he was able to overpower her with action from both hands and feet, until he'd weakened her by inflicting an indelible mark on her face. She'd tried restraining herself from crying out, having the feeling it would be most embarrassing of it all. Ifenna was able to lift her, and she found herself crashing against the pots of water. The noisy crash got the attention of everyone in the entire household who'd been unaware of what had been happening. They were heading to the scene where the noise came from. The noise from screeching plates made it vivid that there was a struggle going on, in there.
Uru was struggling to break loose off Ifenna's smother by hitting his back. Ifenna didn't get the message, instead he continued until he saw that she was calm. He stood up from there seeing her laying motionless and drenched in water, he moved bit further and saw people whose mouth were opened agape and he was in total confusion. All he could do was to rush into his room and lock the door behind him. Meanwhile, other family members tried to revive her, by making her recuperate, but it was futile, they thereby rushed her to one of the local herbalists. It was then that Igwe Ameruo had gotten to know what transpired between both of them.

*****
Ifenna was insomniac over that day's incidence, he found his thought diverted from Uju to Uru. He hated his action and his conscience always kept pricking him from bed, that he felt like he was on a bed of thorns.
After keeping up for some time, still thinking about that day's incident, or rather accident, he felt his lost sleep coming back, and he 'crashed' on his bed.
He had a dream where he ran all day long on a lonely way in search for Uju, he'd searched all nooks and crannies of Amihie and yet his search yielded no result. On his way, he met Akwanwa moving in opposite direction. He hadn't seen her from afar, but had just seen her, just as if she appeared to him.

"My love, where have you been, why have you kept me worried?" he asked.

"Don't pretend like you come to look for me, go and look for Uju at your father's palace." she said in what he thought to be a strange voice.
He moved away from her, downcasted, but he remembered he'd not ask her something, so he turned back to Akwanwa, but she was no longer there. His depression got worse and he turned back to his right, and lo, his father's palace which was miles away was now few steps further. He went slowly into the palace, everywhere was silent like graveyard, there were no guards, messengers around to there, but he heard noise like that of those merrying. He went in to know what was going on, but to his utmost amazement, he saw 'his own' Uju and Aneke, his rival seated together like inseperable twins, on the backs of Kalu, his father, and Konaso, his rival, respectively, just like they were chairs. He saw also himself, and Aneke, his rival been used as table where they kept their food and drink. He then saw himself crying out, maybe to him,

"Please help me get out of here!" he also found his father, Aneke and Konaso, crying same.
Ifenna woke up from his horrible dream, and felt more worried about what the meaning might be.
While he still thought about it, he heard a knock on his door. He quickly remembered the incident of that evening. He thought it was morning already, so he waked up, stretched himself and brushed up and then went to open the door. He was so sorry to see his grandfather at the door, in sad mood.

"I'm sorry, papa," he apologised, "I've been in deep slumber, I just heard you knock now."
What a lie!

"What is this rubbish that I'm hearing?" the old man retorted, "and when did you become a beast to attack your own cousin in such manner?"
Ifenna saw that there was no need narrating all the incident, instead he apologised more.

"Please papa, tell me that she's okay," he said with anticipation.

"Stop pretending like you care, you scallywag! Even if you intended killing her, why make her go through such torture and ....."

"Papa, i said I'm sorry for everything that happened. It wasn't intentional, whereas she initiated the fight."

"Do you call that a fight? You're wrong. That was murder......." he hadn't finished speaking before Ifenna cut in.

"She died?" Ifenna said with great shock.

"I know you wanted her dead, but I want to break the bad news."

"Bad news?" Ifenna found himself crying and putting blame already on himself. Before Ameruo could say his next word, many thoughts had already ran through his mind at the same time. How could he have taken a life, and that of his cousin for that matter.

"You failed!" that was Ameruo's bad news for him. First of all, he paused to remember what was his last word before this, which made the old man said that he failed. He remembered thus what it was and he brightened up.

"She's alive! I thank our gods. Where.....where is she?" he heard Uru coughed, so he rushed in to her room, where she was. He met her in a subconscious condition, she looked very sick. Ifenna's mind struck him the more seeing the mark he'd inflicted on her. She turned her face to the other side of the bed and their face met, but she quickly closed her eyes and covered her face with her blanket, turning to the other end. Ifenna ceased the opportunity to apologise, he was convinced that she would hear him,

"Uru, I'm very sorry for what I did to you. I know now that I was wrong, having said cruel words to you, which I shouldn't have said to you as my elder. You were very right to have reacted the way you did, which was what anyone in your shoes would have done to her younger brother. I was too proud to realise this then, please find a place in your heart to forgive me. Get well soon, and I promise never to speak back at you again. I also want to........." the door banged, it was Uru's mother that came in, she was in rage, seeing Ifenna sit by her daughter's bed.

"Did I just heard the voice of that beast they call Ifenna?" before Ifenna could say a word, she brought out a small metal gong which was the first object that her hand could reach, and threw it at him. Ifenna rushed out of the room to avoid been hurt by the angered woman.

"Mama," Uru called out in a faint tone, "tell Ifenna that I forgive him with all my heart."

"You need to rest my daughter. Don't say too much word." she rubbed her hands and feet with coconut oil, and covered her with blanket, and proceeded to the sitting room.
Ameruo saw her sad mood, he didn't bother to ask what was the matter. Next, he saw Ifenna coming out from his room with all his luggages.

"Where are you going to at this time of the day?" Ifenna wondered what was wrong with the time, it was morning as he thought, and he did felt it would be the right time to leave before the day becomes brighter.

"But, its.....its morning." he stammered.

"It can't be morning now. This is midnight, as you can hear the owl crying, instead of the cöck."
Ifenna realised he'd misplaced time, so he had to reluctantly move in back to his room. He sat on the bed, deep in thought, since he was unable to sleep. Now he flashed back his mind to his dream, but he still didn't know what to make of it. The dream he had might mean that Uju, his lover and Aneke, his rival, are together in an undisclosed mission. He never wanted to believe that Uju of all people would be one of his enemies, albeit dreams like this could be misleading atimes, or could have another meaning. He tried getting all that out of his mind, as he lay on his bed. And he fell asleep.

Ifenna didn't know when the day broke, until he was awaken by one of his cousins, who'd informed him that he had a visitor. Ifenna didn't even hastened up to see who his guest was, he too tired to speak to anyone. He fell back to his bed and dozed off, not minding whoever his guest may be. He was just sick and tired of Amihie, and everything and every person of the trouble-filled Ameruo's household. He had prepared his mind to live with Ibe, his friend from childhood at Umudioga, and he was ready to bear the inconveniences that may arise, living away from royalty. He thought he must have gotten used to that, after all the times spent with Uju at the isolated area of Ozalla.

Ifenna stood up from his bed, after he felt his heavy eyes relieved of sleep. It was now time to leave Amihie, for good, but he still wouldn't leave without seeing his grandfather and briefing him on his new plan to leave his household where he felt so left out. After the fight with Uru, her brothers and sisters had developed a gross hatred for him instigated by their mother. This mother of theirs had never been in good terms with Ifenna and his mother, especially after her marriage to Igwe Kalu. Ifenna's mother was her younger sister, and she was elder to two other women and the youngest which was the male and successor of Ameruo.
Ifenna stood to his feet, washed himself, oil his skin and moved away.

*****
Ifenna walked along the lonely road of Amihie road, on a Nkwo morning to Umudioga. It would be quite a long time since he had been there. He had to be in his fatherland to get accustomed to the ambience of the place. He felt it was cowardice, for him to abscond from his reginal duties in spite of regicidal threat posed by his arch enemies, Konaso.
Konaso? But he's dead, and he (Ifenna) have no excuse for not taking back what rightly belongs to him. This was where to Ifenna had to find a shade to squat under, because the sun was getting hotter and he needed a place where he could think straight about issues affecting him.
The next thought that flashed in his mind was how he would overthrow Aneke's reign, now it wasn't fully established. He also couldn't help himself, thinking and asking himself what might have been the cause of Konaso's death. Now, Uju comes to mind, and also, HIS DREAM, how it related to the current issue. He started imagining the possibility of Uju, being the regicide perpetrator, been the stranger amongst them, only if Uju was really in that palace.
His deep thoughts made him unconscious of passers-by, of whom some greeted him but he didn't reply. He felt a warm slender palm crossed through his eyes, it was a female hand, and it must be someone who knew him very well, and vice versa.

"Uju?" that was the first name that came to his mind, but the hand still didn't go off his eyes.
"Uju, if its you, please stop this torture." the hand left his eyes, and he was able to see someone who appeared as a big surprise to him.
"Akwanwa!" his shock made him unconsciously drop his bag on the ground. He looked her from her head to her feet, in awe of her fairness, and her succulent body. He still couldn't believe his eyes, but he nevertheless, gave her a warm hug that lasted, that she had to pull away from his embrace.

"Why is Uju not with you? Seems thought of her have been occupying your mind lately," Akwanwa teased with sheepish smile.
Ifenna didn't know what he would answer her, he would be making fool of himself if he tried rebutting it. But Akwanwa didn't seem troubled with his obsession with Uju, not like she was a threat to her either. Ifenna tactically avoided that question, by digressing to another topic, it would look out of place if he tries telling her about her rival.

"Akwanwa, where have you been all this while?" She let out a smile which degenerated into wild chuckle instead of an answer he'd anticipated.
"I'm serious and I need answers only."

"I'm laughing at your confusion."

"Confusion?"

"Yes, and I've been avoiding giving you a difficult task."

"I don't still understand you,"

"Don't understand me until one day I'll catch up with you on one of your escapade with Uju, and will ask you to choose either her or me." she laughed out loudly.

"Then I'll choose the two of you, afterall men marry two wives."

"Me and Uju? Do you want people to call you a god?" she asked with a sardonic smile.

"Which I am already, but you didn't answer my question. Where have you been?"

"I can't tell" it looked as if the expression on her face changed to a moody one.

"You mean you can't tell me, Ifenna?"

"Until I see my mother first. I hate to tell this story twice."

"Is it that bad?"

"No, but bitter."
Ifenna sighed, and they both walked a long way till they arrived Umudioga.

do nd update nw.am gettin impatient nw.#falls on d floor..n..nd cryi..cryingggg#

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The day had been a long one for Inene where she'd been made to stay in, under Agumba's custody. Just like Ulumma, she'd been trapped by one of his animal traps, and it wounded her badly. Agumba treated her with contempt like he did to Ulumma, but unlike the tigress, Inene was humble, and passive to his hateful treatment. She even confessed that she didn't deserve to live for her act, and begged for his mercy. Agumba was so awed by such sincerity, so he kept her and ordered Ulumma to clean up her wound. Ulumma blatantly refused, even when Agumba had used death to threaten her. If he wanted her leg cleaned up and she can't do it by herself, he should do it himself.

"Ulumma, you're daring me!" Agumba warned, but she was adamant. Inene in her pains, still understood Ulumma's feeling and she chose to clean it up herself.

"Are you sure you can do it?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm alright."
Agumba shrugged and called Ulumma to come with him, she answered him reluctantly. He then gave her hot water and balm for Inene's feet,

"I wonder why I find it hard to deal with you for your stubbornness, maybe, because you're still a child." he said without looking back at her. Ulumma gave a long hiss, maybe to spite him, but he ignored her and went away. She saw that he had left, so she carried the water to where Inene was, she was already helping herself to clean up her sores.

"Let me help you," Ulumma beckoned jovially. Inene was however surprised at her offer, she tried to decline because she thought that she had been forced to do it, lest she cause more harm to her, as a result of unwillingness.

"I don't want to bother you with my problems, just don't stress yourself. I'll tell him you did it."

"No! I'm doing this from the bottom of my heart."

"From the bottom of your heart? But not too long, you bluntly refused doing this when Agumba ordered you to."

"Yes, and that is because, he ordered me, like I were his slave," Ulumma said rolling her eyes away.

"Wait! But I thought you were his wife?"

"How? And what gave you that dirty thought?" she tried hard to restrain her anger.

"The baby!"

"What baby?"

"I see it all over you that you are carrying a child," she gave a smile, "or did he say you should not mention a word to anyone," Inene gave a wink to Ulumma, that indicated that she could be refering to Agumba. Ulumma didn't hide her shock either on the sordid guess Inene was doing here. Did she know the implication of what she was saying? No matter how she sometimes, provoked and rebelled against Agumba, she still dreaded the worst of his wrath.

"Stop saying that! Agumba have nothing to do with this." Inene looked at her like she'd swallowed a stone without drinking water. Ulumma was troubled inside by her questions, it was indeed hurting. She just have one way she could shut the mouth of the inquisitor. She dipped a piece of rag into the hot water which she'd mixed with salt, and perched it on her sores, which she did very hard. Inene screamed like a woman under pains of child birth, but she just had to feign remorse for doing it that way.
Good for her, she thought. Now the pains would shut her up, and lead her to take a nap afterwards.

"I now understand your tricks," Inene cried bitterly.

"But I was helping you, isn't it?"

"You helped me alot by shutting my mouth from troubling you," Inene said sarcastically.
Ulumma was striken silent, she looked like she was she was in a wild goose chase, trying to divert her attention. Inene ceased the opportunity to speak to her like a sister she'd never had, "What's your name?"

"Ulumma!"

"Alright, Ulu, I've come to like you like my own sister, I see some traits in you that is hard to find amongst most of our women. I've always asked my chi to give me a fearless spirit like yours. I've known you before now when you and your sister used to come to our village market to trade. We always talked about your sister, and our men never ceased to stare at her amazing beauty. I still wouldn't forget one day you fought with that vigilante who had always pestered our women. We were so happy for you, and wanted to make friends with you, but noone knew where you two lived, so we perceived that you might not be from our village." Ulumma was silent, but deep in thought. She'd thought that nobody knew nothing about her, all through her stay in Ozalla. But it wasn't balanced for her to leak her secret without she knowing that of the other. The only thing she knew about Inene was that she killed Konaso, which she overheard Agumba saying to her outside. But she wouldn't be sorry for a cruel monster of a king, who murdered her sister in a gruesome manner, she even loved Inene more for that step she took.

"Then how did you come to know Konaso, not to talk of murdering him?"

"Its a very long story, but I'll cut it short. During the time Ozalla and Umudioga were at war, men from Umudioga came and burnt down our Igwe's palace and they killed defenseless palace messengers and maidservants. So the Igwe was left with no other servants, so they asked for every family in Abomgbada clan, where I hail from, to produce one person each that will serve the king. The painful thing there is that families from other clans were not asked to do all these, but they had to force this on us because we were the only people that kicked against Konaso's tyranny. Our clan were the only people from Ozalla that intermarried with the people of Umudioga, and Konaso didn't liked that either, so he tried to banish some of us that went to marry from Umudioga."

"So is that why you killed him?"

"Don't be too fast to judge, I've not finished yet."

"Okay, sister," she sounded jovial for the first time.

"There was no way I could hate my mother's people........"

"Wait! You mean your mother is from Umudioga?" Ulumma cut in with a surprise exclaimation.

"Yes, she was from Iruabali clan, and she once told me that her father was the richest man in Umudioga and Ozalla, joined together, and he was the first ever ichie title holder. But he died mysteriously and her eldest brother, took over him. He was the richest Umudioga ever had."

"If your grandfather was so rich, how come noone heard about him in our neighbourhood?" Ulumma countered, been a daughter of Umudioga from that same clan.

"What do you even know about prominent men? If....."

"Do you know my grandfather? He was a famous trader who traded with the whitemen on timber and oil palm, only that he trespassed by cutting down a tree in a sacred land dedicated to Amadioha , and Amadioha striked him with swollen stomach." Ulumma said sadly.

"Ulumma, I'm confused here!"

"Over what?"

"What you said about your grandfather. Does co-incidence happen like this? Or are you not from Ozalla like I thought?"

"I'm not from Ozalla. I'm the daughter of Ararume, a rich man also from Iroabali clan of Umudioga, murdered by a monster of a brother they call Madueke, since then my life have never remained the same." Ulumma cried aloud, as she reminisced the bad days of her life.

"I can't believe this! So you are truly my sister?" Inene screamed.

"How?"

"All the name you mention are the exact name of my mother's brothers."

"Your mother is my dearest aunty, Adaku?"

"Yes!" she jumped happily and hugged her.

"Your real name is Akunyeli!"

"Very true!" she said hugging her tighter.

"Good memories, when we played together anytime your mother brought you to our house. You were really troublesome and very smart also." Inene blushed with a sheepish smile, "I just don't know why death has brought us this misery." Ulumma lamented.

"I just blame everything on my father, for making life difficult for her. My father was fond of taking numerous wives and concubines for himself, and of all his wives, noone was from Abomgbada clan. The four of them were all Ozalla women from other clans who segregated people from Umudioga. They called us all sort of names, and treated us with contempt. And the worst of it all was that my father would do nothing about it, even when my mother complained, instead he'll add to my mother's injury by castigating her, after he had listened to the embellished tales of my step mother. Madueke's greediness and quest for material things, wouldn't let him see the real truth. Instead he threatened my mother never to accomodate her if she opt out from her marriage. Only if your father were alive then, my mother wouldn't feel this much hated that led her to her early grave." tears was dripping from her eyes.

Ulumma had compassion for her, and felt pity for her even if she had the worst story to tell. But Inene hadn't finished telling her story,

"My step mothers and my father, aided by that treacherous Madueke, all killed my mother. And yet they desire to do the same to me. They sold me out to Konaso to work as his slave." This was the part of the story Ulumma was keen to hear about, how she eliminated the tyrant of a king.
"But there was one man from Umudioga who was there for me right during my suffering in the hands of my step mother. I came to love him, and he also loved me, from then on, we married secretly, because at that time Konaso had enforced a law against people from Ozalla marrying from Umudioga. He forcefully dissolved the marriage of those who were already married and sent the women from Umudioga packing to their father's house. Umudioga was very angry with this decision and they also reciprocated and the whole enmity between the two began. It was after the war that we were forced to the palace, and we took up the duty of slaves. Some young men from Umudioga who survived the war were taken as Prisoners of War and were forced to do hard labours, of which my man was amongst them. Konaso kept torturing them, and killing them until there were only nine of them. Thanks to chi that my man was amongst the lucky nine. Then one certain morning, Igwe Konaso lined up the nine of them and whiped them so hard under the scorching sun, he was demanding for answers to the whereabout of his son's killer, but they had no idea of it. He locked them up and threatened to kill all of them the next morning if there wouldn't provide the killer of Mba, his son. Your sister I'm sure, was also locked up as the prime suspect. It was that night when he was having his night meal that I poisoned his food, and ran away. Even if what I did was very bad, I still had no option because I don't want to lose my husband."

"You did the best thing any sane person would have done to protect her loved one." Ulumma said affectionately.

"But I still wonder who might have killed Mba, and I still have the fear that Aneke might take up the issue from where his father stopped."
Ulumma had nothing to hide here any further, Inene had opened herself to her, it was now her turn to open up.

"I did!"

"You what?"

"I killed Mba!" she sobbed louder, "he forced me with the help of his guard, and slept with me. I was so deeply bitter inside losing my virginity to someone who wasn't my husband, and that rage prompted me to stab him to death with his own knife, which my hand was able to reach quickly. His guard came with the same intention and I did stab him too. I never knew it would lead to this, I would have bridled my temper." she cried bitterly. Inene moved closer to her to console her.

"Its okay, sister. You should see that as past. We should be thinking now of how we can save your sister from those evil men. They may kill her on your account."

"Uju is the least person I feel anything for," Ulumma retorted, " I don't care whatever happens to her. She is a betrayer."

"There is no wrong your sister might have done to you, that is unforgivable." she said with a look of perplexity. How bad could Uju have wronged her to warrant this bitter hatred?

"Not Uju's own. Do you know that she was the cause of all this. First, she was the reason Mba came into our hut in the first place. Mba was admiring her, and when she was running away from him, she couldn't even tell me her sister, that there is danger ahead. She left me alone unaware, and," she broke into tears that she couldn't say any further. Inene held her to herself and consoled her, she wiped her tears with her wrapper.

"Don't cry ada , whatever that have happened are all in the past, and that doesn't stops her either from being your sister."

"You don't understand, Inene. Uju had sworn to make my life miserable, I never knew how serious she was until now, Agunna wouldn't have seen me suffer like this, if he was alive."

"What? You mean that strong boy died? How?"

"I can't just tell how it happened. Just in one night, we were mourning the death of my mother. He went outside the compound and got missing. Just like that!" she winced in pain of the mind anytime she reminisced this indelible and aghast part of her story.

"And Oby?"

"That was the one I told you that Konaso killed." she cringed in intense bitterness, "and look at me now, I'm carrying his grandson, will my sister's spirit ever forgive me?" she slumped on her knees to the earth, raving with slurred speech. Inene made intense effort curbing her, and soon she succeeded in making her sit back on the upholstered chair beside her.

"See Ulumma, it was never your fault, and it would never be. You now have me by your side even if you had noone else." Inene held her close to her, and she sobbed and rested her head on her bosoms. Just then, Agumba came out from his room while they held each other. He had compassion for them while they told their bitter story, because he eavesdropped. Ulumma was first to see him come out, and she wiped her face and went to confront him malignantly.

"You mean you didn't go out to see your friend again, because you wanted to eavesdrop on our discussion. What kind of a spoilt silly child are you?" she blasted.

"Me?"

"Don't mind her, she was not too strong," Inene tried to come in between them, but Ulumma was louder this time around,

"Do I blame you? You're just like the proverbial he-goat that was invited for a banquet in the king house, and served expensive food and wine in large quantities but yet it still ravaged and ate up the flowers in the king's garden." Agumba gave her a resounding slap with his left hand, which Ulumma wasn't able to contain. She found herself fall on the floor subconsciously, hitting against the earth. Agumba left her without saying a word, and Ulumma opened her mouth to speak but she couldn't utter a word. She'd gone dumb.

...before my phone battery gets drained...thank you so much for the update, i really hope you will continue this way for a long time.

If i no comment i be abara moore je.......bros......u are 2 much..................more updates jare

more ink 2 ur pen eze, na u baba, i dn spread my mat put here tanda wt my seven raps of ganja wer be say i carry de past time, patiently waiting 4 ur nxt update. Big gbosa 4 u

Hmmmmm, Eze...

This yhur story is somehow ooh...

This one would competite with "Arrow of God" ooh...
I won't tell yhu "you are good" because yhu f.uck our style.., though it's not far from the truth though...






I hope its not till Xmas?