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The fight for a worthy bride

Ikem’s daughters finally visited Adanna as one would expect more trouble would follow after the visitation. Under the suspicious eyes of Adanna’s mother, they asked forgiveness for what they did. Kosy and Ofunneka even offered to assist Adanna with sweeping the compound and after that Adanna felt warm and light-hearted toward them. When it was time to leave they requested Adanna to see them off, as soon as they were ear short from Adanna’s mother they started their mission.

It was Kosy who initiated the talk “Ada Ada, you know we are now friends and we can’t hurt each other as friends, we will always look out for each other from now onwards.” Adanna couldn’t help but smile shyly and utter “thank you”. “Anything you want from us, we will make available if we have It, but what am about to say is -” Ofunneka interjected “what Kosy wants from you Adanna is just one thing, please, whatever relationship you have with Ziki should cease henceforth because we can’t be your friends and you turn around and hurt us.” It took a moment of silence for everything to sink in; the only thing that interrupted the silence and sudden air of tension was the chirping of the birds. Adanna was shocked at all these because she was just a friend to Ziki and these girls are now pleading with or threatening her. She quickly found her voice “Kosy, I thank you for your kind gesture, and Ofunneka, I thank you too for your warning but let me say this I am not interested in Ziki nor am I interested in this friendship, the girls suddenly stood and interlocked their eyes at each other then suddenly the gate swung open. Adanna turned to see a grown man entering her compound; it was junior her brother who went to learn in the white man’s world she screamed with joy “mama! Junior is back she ran and embraced her brother and beside him stood a white man with a generous amount of suntan. He smiled warmly at Adanna who greeted him “Onyeocha no! Welcome white man.” Ofunneka kept a stern face while greeting junior it was only Kosy that managed to fake a smile. Adanna’s mother finally came out dancing and praising the gods for keeping her son safe from danger while the daughters of Ikem took their leave after junior gave them goodies brought from the white man’s land. Adanna had so much to tell her brother but she chose to start with the good news she told her brother about the new yam festival which is coming up, and how Kamdili the heir to the throne was humiliated in the wrestling competition and junior laughed so loud, he didn’t like Kamdili’s guts. She also told him how Ziki killed a wild Boar and a leopard and Kamidili claimed the glory but nobody believed him. She finally told him how the girls that just left their compound fought her because of Ziki. Adanna’s mother suddenly entered the room and ordered junior to come and eat the delicacy of fufu and bitter leaf soup.







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Ziki was rounding off by inspecting the last trap when he looked up from the traps and saw Adanna and her brother. He screamed in excitement, left what he was doing, and embraced junior, after exchanging pleasantries Adanna left the boys to talk. She told them she was going over to see Obieze the prince. “She is so in love with that boy,” Ziki stated the obvious; the pain in his voice was perceived by a junior who nodded in sympathy. “You know am worried for my sister as well, I’m surprised she chose a weakling over you but I assure you that any time you are ready to marry my sister I would talk to father to see if I can persuade him.” at these words Ziki smiled.



Adanna entered the king’s palace and greeted the maids who ushered her into the inner chambers. The palace seemed empty because the King went on a diplomatic mission with the royal guards, the cabinet members, and a few dignitaries to the New moon festival in which kings meet to discuss important matters that affect their communities. Adanna was asked to wait for Obieze for a while, he had gone to visit his friend Somto the son of the chief security. After she was served refreshment Kamdili suddenly appear out of nowhere. “Ada, how are you doing?”I’m fine Kam, you look good.” Thank you.” he said, the words encouraged him and he came and sat with Ada. Normally, Ada had no problem sitting beside Kamdili but the problem is that nobody was around and the timing is awkward, so she adjusted and gently moved to create a gap between them, but Kamdili moved closer to her, shutting the gap, then he put a sweaty hand on her thighs. Ada’s blood went cold and almost congealed “Kam!” she managed to find her voice “Where is Obieze?” “Obieze…” he pretended to think, “I wonder where my dear brother went” he continued to manipulate the inner cores of her thighs. “Ada” he breathed huskily “what do you see in that weak brother of mine that you don’t see in me?” He continue to touch them until she begin to push his hands, and soon it turned into a struggle. Adanna started to let out screams, but he muffled her voice with his hands over her mouth. “You know you are beautiful” he continued, “Be mine and I will give you everything you ask for.” She started to sob in protest as Kamdili got on top of her, just as he was about to have his way, Obieze barges in.“What is going on here?” His voice shook. Kamdili stood up and quietly left the room while Adanna sobbed profusely. Obieze knew what happened though he hated to admit the truth, he escorted Adanna home and that was the day their relationship ended.



“Kamdili, can you please tell me what is going on?” Obieze inquired “And if I don’t tell you what will happen? Are you going to beat me or will you tell father what happened?” Kamdili queried.“There is no need for such childish act; all I demand is the truth, nothing more.”What truth? You barged in on me and Adanna while we were showing love to each other and you are asking me what happened, are you blind?”Obieze kept mute and Kamdili continued “See my dear brother, women are all the same, they think they can manipulate their way into anything. She told me she loved me and that I’m stronger and soon to be king. I asked her what if you find out; she said it’s no problem.”I saw her crying while you were showing love to her” Obieze interrupted. “Are you such a fool? Why is your mind so gullible?” Kamdilli sounded irritated. “Look my brother, all women cry when it comes to expressing love because if she gives you her love she is sacrificing all she had, if you were to be a woman, Obieze, won’t you cry?”I will.” Obieze meekly answered “Sorry I interrupted you, so it means all this while she’s been deceiving me.

“Gbam! That is right.” Kamdili answered, “And do me a favor my dear brother, do not let that girl set foot into this compound, she will try to create malice between brothers but united we stand, isn’t it true obieze?”Yes, it is.” Obieze answered lost in thoughts. “She won’t set foot here anymore Kamdili, this I promise you.”

Adanna promised never to go back to the palace, If Obieze wants her, he knows where to find her. She headed straight to Ziki to tell him what happened since he is the only companion she had. After narrating the ordeal that occurred between her and Kamdili, Ziki was in a foul mood, he took up got his machete - Adanna couldn’t stop him, he shoved her off - and headed straight to the palace like a mad dog. Adanna was forced to run home to call junior out to stop Ziki.



“Kamdili! Come out, you coward! Come out, you rapist!” Ziki yelled. Kamdili came out with his brother standing beside him “Oh I see what is happening here, that witch sent you to fight for her and without fear you barged in, because my father not only has a soft spot for you, he wishes you were his son and you insult such great hospitality. You insult the prince, the heir to the throne of Umuenyi. Guards! Seize him!” Luckily for Ziki, the guards present in the palace were not warriors but caretakers of the palace. They rushed towards Ziki who threw his machete to a side and sprang towards the guards and there was a sickening collision between them. The first guard felt the full blow of Ziki’s wrath as he ran into his head butt and went down flat, the others tried to intervene, to wrestle and tame Ziki but he kept disengaging them and lifting them one after the other, tossing them to the ground like they were stuffed dolls. Seven guards all went down and just when ziki locked the eighth guard in a wrestling grip, Kamdili picked up a very heavy stick and dealt a huge blow on Ziki who lost balance and fell. Kamidili then lifted him in an elephantine fury, took three strides with Ziki still struggling on his shoulders, and dashed his waist on a tree stomp nearby. Ziki lay there and didn’t move, he was knocked out cold. Kamdili panicked, ran straight inside and the rest of the guards followed suit. Only Obieze was crying and trying to bring Ziki back to consciousness by sprinkling water on him. Suddenly, Adanna and junior entered the compound and screamed, it was then that people began to gather around, asking what went wrong. The king and his cabinets arrived at the scene and dispersed the people away except for Adaeze and her brother.

The king immediately sent for Oke Dibia of Umuenyi, he sent for Uwago Menkiti, Mr okorie, and Kamdili then went straight into his chambers to freshen up. It didn’t take long for the men beckoned by the king to arrive. Oke dibia arrived earlier and took Ziki into the guest room for treatment. He told the people that tonight, a sacrifice has to be made and at the end of three market days, ZIki would either live or die. Uwago was silent the whole time listening attentively as Adanna narrates her story of what happened, unfortunately for her, Obieze out of fear took Kamdili’s side and told the King that Adanna was nothing but trouble, that she tried to put a dispute between him and his brother Kamdili, by trying to lay with him. Mr okorie rose to the defense of his daughter.

Mr. Uwago finally spoke “My king, I have long served your household, we all know Ziki, he fights for what is right and he is not the type to misbehave. If what your son is saying is true may the gods not spare Ziki but if they are wrong my king I want a true and just judgment and that will be after three market days, I want to move my son to where he would receive treatment, else I’m staying here and I demand to be heavily guarded. The king accepted to have Ziki’s room guarded day and night and gave Uwago permission to stay, he also paid the price for tonight’s sacrifice one of the items involve a white she-goat, a white cock, two yards of red cloth, seven kola nuts and Nzu, white chalk.

https://story.lightreader.com/251444730129350656/1/2189756

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