THE CROWN - EPISODE 1

Awaken the morning was the loud crowing of the cock.

It was mild Dawn but a silenced night.

The earth slowly awaking and so was the people of Umuagwo.

The animals, plants, women, men and children were are ready to kick off the day.

People already on their way to farms, some to the market, the children running off to school while for some the morning was not too early for family time.

Omo iyebiye

ọmọ ti o mu iya rẹ dun

omo tooto baba

ọmọ pẹlu awọn ibukun ti awọn oriṣa

ọmọ pẹlu ade

Baami praised his daughter in his dialect as she danced beautifully to exercise her nerves before starting her day.

She was smiling, stealing glances at her mother to join her

“Nwee obi ụtọ na Nna gị”

her mother replied instead telling her to be happy with her Father.

She stopped dancing, folded her hands akimbo staring at them both

“Kilode” Baami asked her. She sighed before answering

“It’s exhausting how you both bombard me with your dialects everyday”

Adenike said hitting her left foot on the ground, an habit of hers.

“I’ve told you to stop that, you look like those troublesome market women when you do that”

her mother scolded and she stopped, unfolded her arms and turned to stare at her father

“Baami…”

She called .

A name she called her Father,

popular in the West.

Baba mi.. meaning My Father.

It become a nickname that everybody used since there were few or no westerners aside them in the land.

” You’ve said nothing concerning …”

“Concerning what my dear? It’s been like this for over 19 years” he interrupted

“Now go do your chores”

her mother added with a smile.

She smiled back at them before running along.

She walked to the backyard of the hut and took her pot to go fetch water.

Aside other chores, this was one she enjoyed doing

the long walk to the stream with her friend was always worth it.

On her way she welcomed a lot of stares,

no kidding but she didn’t have the rights to welcome them or not.

She was beautiful, her ebony skin was what everyone envied,

smooth and flawless both in looks and personality.

Tall, Curvy and everything society felt makes a beautiful woman.

“Ah! Mmesoma ain’t you going to the stream with me today?”

Adenike called as the walked closer to her only close friend on her way.

“You know how mama can be, she wants me to fetch firewood instead on our farm. I insisted on fetching by the stream but she refused. I’m sorry ”

she elucidated sadly picking on the piece of cloth she was holding

” It’s okay”

“Thanks for understanding, if it’s Chi, I know my head will be off by now”

She joked and they both laughed

“Ehn ehn, did you hear?”

Mmesoma moved out of the pathway to be comfortable. Adenike gave her a look

“You will never change”

“Abeg listen, this gist is very relevant. So I heard…..”

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Adenike’s Point Of View

I ran down to the stream, the sun was set and i wasn’t back home to drop even one pot.

Mmesoma kept me on the way giving me details that we both weren’t even sure if it was true or not.

I mean..

what business of mine is it if the king’s first son will be returning home.

First son?

Ha.. I didn’t even know he had more than one son.

The villagers see me as an outcast anyway so what’s there to bother about?

Not just my difference in culture makes me stand out,

my beauty doesn’t help either gaining attention that I don’t find pleasing

I walked into the shallow part of the stream to fill my pot.

I stopped when I heard footsteps, turned to look around and no one was there.

I continued with filling my pot,

I heard the noise again and fear suddenly gripped me.

I hate coming to this particular stream alone because I’ve heard stories of how strangers die in the stream.

My mother always told me to ignore because I wasn’t a stranger of the land and I’ve taken to her words but right now I’m scared.

I placed my land on my chest and moved it slowly.

Someone suddenly jumped out of the trees,

I screamed and tried to run then found myself in the deeper parts of the stream.

I struggled with my hands and legs

I could still see the stature of the person standing by the stream.

“I can’t swim”

I managed to voice before letting the water have his way.

Different thoughts on my mind,

I’m my parents only child..

what if I don’t get back home to them?

What if I don’t get the help I need?

Could the person be one of my parent’s enemies?

My parents don’t have enemies,

none that I know of.

Is it because I’m not a daughter of the land?

But this is my maternal home.

I was running out of oxygen.

I felt somebody grab me by my waist probably pulling up to the shores.

I was carried out and dropped on the ground but I was totally too weak to open my eyes or even move.

He pressed hard on my chest till I threw up all the water I had taken in.

I started breathing and coughing profusely trying to gain myself.

“Are you okay?”

He asked patting on my upper back

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you and I didn’t realize on time that you can’t swim”

He sounded remorseful

” I’m fine. My pot”

I searched with my eyes.

He left me and went to fill the pot then brought it me. I sighed softly.

I’ve never broken any of my mother’s fetching pots and I don’t intend to, especially now that I should be more mature and responsible.

I tried to get up and he assisted me

“Thank you” I smiled plainly

“It’s okay, if I didn’t jump out on you like that you wouldn’t have drowned”

I bent down to carry the pot of water,

I was still coughing profusely.

He beat me to it and carried it instead

I decided to look up to his face, he seemed too nice to ignore.

I was mad at him for scaring me but I feel a little better now.

Aside his muscular looks, he had an handsome face and nice hair.

I smiled and started walking at his request.

He insisted on helping me get the water home and more if necessary

” Don’t be jocular…”

I stopped to laugh

” What will a fine young man like yourself be doing helping a maiden fetch water from the stream?”

I turned my gaze to him.

” Fine young man? I can help with cooking too with the way you just flattered me”

He smiled and I laughed again. He’s so hilarious

“We are here” I announced like it is some glamorous entrance

“Why go to a stream far from your house?”

” Maybe so I would get scared to death”

Sarcastically

He dropped the pot before replying me

” I am so sorry about that”

He apologized for the hundredth time, I nodded and smiled. I stood watching him walk away after waving at him.

“Who was that young man?”

I flinched at the suddenness. I turned

“I met him at the stream, he saved me from drowning”

I blurted giving her cause to worry unintentionally

She exclaimed and turned me around to look at me

” How? Why did you try to swim when you know you can’t”

“I’m fine mother”

“No wonder you took so long to get back home,. I and your father assumed mmesoma was keeping you”

She said, partly right.

If mmesoma didn’t involve me for so long I would’ve perhaps gotten to the stream before… Wait! I didn’t get to know his name

” So who’s the young man? What’s his name?”

She asked and I scratched my head

” You don’t know” she looked at me up-down

“My friend join me in the kitchen, your father will leave soon and he needs to eat”

She completed before walking away.

I could I’ve forgotten to ask him his name,

he also didn’t bother asking for mine.

What a waste of all the laughs. I concluded before joining my mother