THE CROWN - EPISODE 28

Her voice sounded like nuisance to my hears and her never seem to ending nags disgusted me.

My fists clenching and my eyes roaming everywhere except on her.

She held my arms and shook me profusely like a woman scolding her child.

I could feel her eyes piercing into my soul and the questions in them.

“Are you listening to me at all?” She said angrily letting go of my arms.

“Ikenna I’m talking to you, you don’t keep me silent” she said again

“Ahhh” she groaned in frustration and placed her hands on her waist. Soon she started crying

“Why are you doing this to me? Tell me what I’ve done wrong”

She held my face and pulled it down to stare at her eyes.

They were teary and sad no doubt but it didn’t move me

“Does she frustrate you that much? If you want I can help you break this burden of a marriage. You look so sad, so unhappy since you married that woman”

She searched my eyes and chest

“My marriage is not a burden” I broke my silence

She smiled and more tears streamed down

“You’ve not said anything since you got here but now you open your mouth to defend your marriage?”

She laughed

“What is really going on with you? You don’t come to see me anymore and when I send for you, you don’t show up”

I found happiness, I’ve found myself in her.

“I am just a man madly in love”

She smiled and looked at my lips

“Yet you don’t bother to come see the woman you’re in love with? Is something bothering you my love?”

“What will I gain if I tell you my troubles?”

My eyes gazing at hers and my face expressionless.

My only concern was to go back to Adenike, she seemed troubled at the early hours of the morning.

I curse myself for leaving my wife to be with this woman and for whatever reason.

“Nkem, you always tell me your troubles so why question our bond?”

She questioned with her hands slowly finding it’s way into my manhood. How indecent can a woman get?

“There’s no bond between us, there have never been and will ever be.

I belong to another so becareful with where your hand lands you”

I moved my hands back and held them.

She let go of me shocked

“What do you mean by that? My prince you belong only to me and no one else, not even your so called wife”

She frowned, angry and yelling as usual

“You’ve said it yourself, she’s my wife and not you. I won’t be seeing you again, get yourself a man who will love and appreciate you and who you’ll also love genuinely without seeking for wealth”

“You’ll pay for this Ikenna, I promise you”

I walked and stopped

“You better don’t try anything stupid, if you even think of hurting Adenike then you’ll have the whole village to answer to cause I will make your punishment will be served house to house”

I added and left in a hurry.

On my way I noticed how quiet the village was.

I arrived at the palace.

I walked into Father and his council of elders having a discussion regarding preparations for the Ikeanja sacrifice.

My mind went back to Adenike’s request.

“Greetings Father” I bowed

“Greetings my elders” I added

They all smiled. Father grew a smile on my arrival.

“The first mighty fruit from the king’s groins. Nnukwu dike Umuagwo, True son of his Father….”

They rained praises on me.

I smiled

“Igwe! Igwe o! Igwe!”

One of my guards assigned to the princess ran in. He fell on his knees to greet

“What happened? Where’s the princess?” I asked worriedly

“My..my prince.. the princess..the princess..” he stuttered as he struggled with catching his breathe

“Speak up!!”

I had no patience. My blood was starting to boil

“Speak! What happened? Where’s the crowned princess?” Father questioned

“She’s at the main market square”

“What?!” Everyone exclaimed

“She’s about to be stoned to death for talking about the Ikeanja sacrifice” he said.

My heart raced. What?

“Guards!!” Father yelled while I was already on a run.

Why did she do this? Whoever gave her this idea must’ve also warned her about the consequences so why did she go ahead?

Is this the reason she was restless all night and this morning?

I fastened my pace. gods of our land please forgive her. I hope I get there on time

This can’t happen now that I will give up everything else to be with her.

“Your highness, my prince”

I heard from behind. It must be guards Dad sent to trail me.

I arrived at the market and the crowd was indeed massive

The women stood aside shivering scared while the made a crowdy circle around her.

The guards covered her in the middle.

They yelled all sorts with stones in their hands.

“Everyone move back now!”

The guards said

“We won’t go anywhere today until the law of our land abides accordingly”

“Women are not to speak of it in private let alone publicly and even try to lure other women”

“We will not accept that”

“What if the gods curse our land for the mistake of one person”

“She’ll be stoned to death”

“Yes!”

I ran and passed my way into the circle

“I command you to stop and move back now!!” I yelled

“Your highness you won’t, why should we?”

“Our children and wives might suffer the wrath of the gods for this”

“I SAID STAND BACK NOW BY MY ORDER!!”

They didn’t stop talking and yelling. My heart raced at the looks of their anger and persistence.

“MOVE!!” Emenike barged in with more guards who made another crowd of circle against them.

He turned to me and gestured me to go to Adenike.

I walked and the guards around her gave way. I hugged her holding her head to my chest

“You’ll be fine I promise”

“DO YOU REALIZE THAT SHE IS THE CROWNED PRINCESS OF THIS LAND?” Emenike yelled trying to stop them

“Many years ago the only daughter of the family bearing the Ichie title was stoned to death for this same topic so why should the crowned Princess be pardoned?”

“SHE WILL BE PARDONED BECAUSE SHE WILL BEAR THE NEXT KING OF THIS LAND”

Emenike countered.

The villagers mumbled amongst themselves while some women began pleading on behalf of the princess.

But the men were still so unconvinced

“I COMMAND YOU IN THE NAME OF THE KING THAT PRINCESS ADENIKE BE PARDONED. I COMMAND YOU TO MOVE BACK NOW!” Emenike shouted raising the king’s amulet.

All the villagers moved back and bowed.

I let go of Adenike and held her hand

“Let’s go” I pulled her

I stopped by Emenike and also took his hands. The guards surrounded us as we walked out.

We all stood before Father and the elders, I won’t say we were being scolded but it seemed so.

Mother was present too.

“Aru!”

“This is an abomination!”

“Any commoner in this situation would’ve be stoned to death instantly”

“And why?..” Adenike turned to one of the elders

“Because women are not allowed to speak of it yet women are slaughtered for it, just because we’re women?”

The anger in her voice and the sadness in her eyes

“My princess, this is our custom and traditions but how will a Yoruba girl understand anything about this”

“I wonder”

The elders chorused

“Now you don’t only question my womanhood but also my….”

“Stop it Adenike, that’s enough. You should be pleading not bantering words with your elders” Mother sat out

“You’re a woman yourself mother, you are considered to be the mother of this land yet you sit comfortably and watch your daughters being used as sacrificial lambs”

She turned to the elders

“How do y’all live with your conscience?”

Everyone including myself looked surprised.

I’ve never seen her like this, she certainly means business

“Crowned Princess Adenike, please let go of this mission. It will yield no results”

Father said calmly

She bowed

“I’m sorry but I will not rest until the Ikeanja sacrifice is abolished, even if it means the last drop of my blood”

She said boldly with her right hand on her chest.

What do I do to stop her? This is dangerous. Her tone is like that of a mother in war for her children’s safety.

Her eyes do not look like the calmness I know.