THE CROWN - EPISODE 24

I sat beside my Father and with his council of elders.

“Igwe, the Ikeanja sacrifice is around the corner and we have to prepare ourselves for Ezemmuo’s visit”

Mazi Uzo said after they offered songs of praises and prayers on the King.

I sat at the right side of my father and Emenike at the left.

The women of the Royal family weren’t present.

“Yes, the sacrifice is close and soon the Ezemmuo will come visiting the palace in full force”

another said

Studying outside the land has made me forget some of our customs and traditions.

The ikeanja sacrifice is one. But to my knowledge it was a human sacrifice, hmm…

“My elders..” Father sighed

“The ikeanja sacrifice is not for the faint hearted and it saddens me” he continued

“Igwe!! Our forefathers have been doing it and so have you so this season won’t be any different”

“Igwe, I suggest we say nothing we’re not sure of and simply wait for the eye of the gods”

“Now that the Onuwu has served his punishment fully and has returned to the cabinet, things will be easier”

They talked on while Father simply listened.

They finished the meeting and we all left, by that I mean myself and Emenike.

Father still had other matters to discuss with his elders.

I haven’t seen Adenike since the morning, I woke up and she was gone

I walked to her personal chamber and went in. She isn’t here, probably she has gone back to our bedchamber.

“Greetings my prince”

I shoved my hand in response and hastened my steps.

I bent my head going into the hut and a smile escaped from my lips.

She sat on the bed with a book in her hand.

I was happy seeing her, during the meeting with the council of elders I couldn’t concentrate fully cause I was missing her.

I walked closer to her, she noticed my presence and dropped the book from her face.

I sat beside her

“you read?”

She looked away from my eyes and back to the book

“I found this in your closet so I took it, hope you don’t mind?”

Her voice was calm and for some reasons it made me feel peace within. The worries of the sacrifice seized for a moment.

“Did you hear?” She asked

I nodded.

We both said nothing after, it was silent.

She looked everywhere except me while I couldn’t get my eyes off her.

“You’re beautiful” I blurted

She turned “Uhh?”

“Have you had lunch?” I asked instead and she nodded.

“Any cravings?”

She nodded again.

“Guards!!!”

“Yes your highness” one of them ran in

“Tell the maids to serve us lunch here quickly” I told him. He bowed and left again.

I turned back to her and she was staring at me,

her eyes seemed like they were searching for something in mine.

If you can read meanings to the way I stare at you then please tell me too cause I think I’m as confused as you are.

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Adenike (POV)

His eyes had emotions that I couldn’t figure out.

The way he stares at me recently is different, the way he talks to me, touch me and everything he does is different.

I bet he doesn’t realize how close he is sitting next to me.

His body against mine gave me all sort of tension.

The maids yelled for permission to come in and he granted.

Ngozi and one of the kitchen maids walked in with trays of food. They dropped it on the stool and bowed

“You can go” he told them

They bowed again and left.

Ikenna uncovered the food, rice.

Only the rich and wealthy can afford to eat rice in the land but I was blessed even before being the wealthy and royalty.

He gave me a piece of cutlery

“Eat”

I nodded and started eating, he smiled and joined me. Why did they have to serve in one plate?

“To my observations, Emenike has stopped troubling you” he said

“Now we can start again properly as husband and wife and have our own family”

What? Our own family?

I choked on my food and started coughing profusely.

What does he mean by that? Like having children?

“Take, drink”

He gave me a cup of water. The cup slipped and the content poured on me. The water soaked me

“I’m sorry” he said quickly.

He took off the piece of wrapper around his neck to clean me up

“Wait” he told me.

He started cleaning my opened thighs. He folded the hem up to clean properly exposing more skin as he cleaned.

His fingers touching me, slowly getting into my inner thighs.

My whole body quivered at his touch, my eyes closed in reflex and my hands held tightly to the bedsheets.

I swallowed nothing down my throat and gritted my teeth together.

He stopped after perceiving.

I opened my eyes slowly and they met with his

We stared at each other for a while

He took his hands off me

“I’m sorry, I.. I” he said

I moved my head forward and covered myself properly.

“Eat, I have to attend to something” he stood up and left

I sighed heavily and cursed myself for not stopping him.

But the way that made me feel, it was new and I swear I could think of nothing at that moment.

I folded the hem of my wrapper like he did and touched my thighs.

Why did his touch make me lose myself completely?

I hate how I feel almost vulnerable in his hands.

I sighed and closed my eyes. I opened and continued my food.

“What is the Ikeanja sacrifice all about?” I questioned

I was having girls time with Ngozi, Mmesoma and few of the palace maids.

It was another afternoon and the weather was pleasing. We broke and ate palm kernal nuts.

“It is a human sacrifice” Ngozi replied.

I chewed and drank extracted orange juice.

“I know that it’s human sacrifice, but I’ve never really understood the whole concept of the festival” I told them

“My princess, women are not allowed to talk about it”

“Yes, it is considered an abomination for women to talk about it”

“Why is it so?” I sat up to understand

“I don’t know but I heard that woman are used for this sacrifice” Chineyre said

She leaned forward and whispered

“Maidens to be precise, pure maidens”

She said lowly with her palm covering her mouth

“By pure you mean virgins” I asked and

they nodded.

When did being a virgin become such dilemma? I have to do something about it.

“But that is barbaric, why hasn’t anyone kicked against such act?”

I asked angrily

“Shh, Adenike don’t be so loud.. Women are forbidden from this topic” Mmesoma said

“Yet women are slaughtered for this same topic. I will have to do something about this”

I completed. I will have to talk to Ikenna about this, he is the crowned prince and his opinions should matter alot in such things.

They have to end this silly ancient tradition of theirs.