THE CROWN - EPISODE 35

“Our daughters, sisters and friends are being used for sacrifice. They’re used as sacrificial lambs and why? Because we’re women? Don’t we have rights? Are we that weak? we chosen to be weak, why? We are women, we birth mighty Kings and Queens. We carry children in my wombs for months and we build homes. Why should we be killed for nothing? Why have we chosen to be silent?”

I stood in the middle of a massive crowd in the village square.

I made women, men, girls, boys and young children stop to listen.

Yes! I started talking to one, two, three persons before the crowd grew into many people.

The guards surrounded me even against my orders.

I looked at the faces of the old women and I was starting to get satisfied

I moved around

“I know many of you here have lost your daughters to this so called human slaughter. Why are you so scared to speak up? Many of you had your only child snatched away from you. Many of you went as far as encouraging you daughters to involve in premarital sex just to avoid being chosen for sacrifice. You have rights, this is your land and you deserve safety”

I stopped by the women I could get to, some had started to cry while others were looking sad already.

“Tell me, haven’t you been a victim? Have you been yourself have since? Speak up!”

I yelled again

“Two of my children were chosen and killed for the sacrifice”

A woman said and broke down in tears

“I lost my wife to be to this sacrifice”

A young man said

“My sister”

“my friend too, both her and her only sibling were sacrificed”

A maiden said

“I had to lose my virginity against my will at a tender age to avoid being chosen”

“I lost my only child, my wife couldn’t take it so she took her own life and ever since my only comfort became alcohol”

Tears streamed down my eyes, so much pain.

So many people have been hurting, so many families have lost their loved ones and for what? A meaningless sacrifice?

“You see? Yet you to stone people to death for standing up for the truth. People who condemn this evil act, you condemn them.

We’re humans not mere animals, we can’t be used as sacrifice to the same gods that ought to protect us. We are being used for sacrifice to the same gods we give half of our harvests to”

I spoke more and more

“She is right”

“We have been blinded for us long”

“Our children are being killed for nothing, innocent children”

“The princess speaks the right, why have we chosen to be subjects to this devilish act?”

They all said. I looked around me and more tears streamed down my cheeks just seeing how far I’ve come to getting here.

I wiped my face

“What do you want now?”

I asked loudly

“We want this to end”

“For the Ikeanja sacrifice to be abolished from our land”

“Human sacrifice must stop”

They all replied loudly while few mumbling amongst themselves.

“You’re not saying it like you mean it. I need the energy that I give you”

I yelled back and they gave me what I
wanted, I smiled grinning from ear to ear.

We headed back to the palace, Ngozi and I were more excited than ever but my mood lessened as we got closer to the palace.

Knowing that I will be returning home to Chioma and her negative energy was drowning my thoughts.

We got to the palace and walking pass the King’s court I prepared my mind for what it was going to be.

“Stop right there!” I heard the King yell.

I did and turned back.

I walked into the King and his cabinet of elders.

I was less surprised and concerned with the look on their faces.

I greeted and bowed

“The Ikeanja sacrifice is sacred and should not to discussed publicly let alone by a woman, the crowned princess at that”

He sounded angry

“You’re the crowned Princess yet you go against the laws of the land, what do you expect of your subjects?”

He placed his hand on the chair

“I expect my subjects to stand for what is right regardless of circumstances and consequences”

I said boldly

“Crowned Princess I think you’re biting more than you can chew. Our fathers say that what an elder can see siting down, even if a child climbs the tallest iroko tree he won’t see it”

One of the elders said. I turned to face him

“Our fathers also say that what a child sees while playing in sand, the elders do not see it even if they dig. I will not stop either will I let the villagers stop from pursuing what’s right”

I replied him

“Enough! A child who is on the mother’s back do not know how far the journey is”

“And the mother do not know the battles the child sees behind” I replied yet again

I heard the King sigh.

“Guards! Send Prince Ikenna here immediately” he shouted

“Nothing, absolutely nothing will stop me from this fight. Even if it means taking my last breath to end this devilish act of human sacrifice”

Ikenna walked in

“Greetings Father, my elders” he bowed.

He gave me the *What have you done?* Look

I looked away from him

“Father you sent for me”

“Do you know of the princess’s mission of recent. After almost losing her life to a hopeless mission she still goes ahead to continue stubbornly” the King told him while he kept his eyes on me

“Yes Father I know this and I’m totally in support to her selflessness”

I looked up at him, he had a smile on

“And I am super proud of how far she is coming” he added.

The elders mumbled

“Ikenna, do you realize what you’re saying? She could get killed for this. The Ezemmuo is yet to pay us a visit regarding this and doesn’t that give you a reason of concern?”

The king asked him, I could hear the anger in his voice.

Ikenna and I stared at each other, I don’t think we’ve looked at each other this long since the pregnancy case.

“Let me ask you something Father” his eyes were still on mine

“What if it was your own daughter who was sacrificed to some deity? What if it was your niece? How could that make you feel? Have you ever thought of that?” He turned to face him.

I continued staring at him

“I was there today at the village square, women, men, girls, boys and even children cried while they shared their experiences and their loved ones who had fallen victims. Their daughters, sisters, nieces, wife to be and friends who were slaughtered for what? Some sacrifice?”

He was there? I just stood there and watched them take over the whole room. I felt relieved and happy with him

The King and elders said nothing. He took my hand and excused himself, walked away holding my hand.

I simply stared at him from behind, I still couldn’t get over him, whatever he did in there made me feel indifferent about still being disappointed at him for what he did with Chioma.

We went into our chamber together.

He pulled me to his front, caressing my hand and staring at me with his eyes pleading. I want to forgive him but everytime I think of her in his arms I …. Ahhh. I hate how that makes me feel so angry.

“I know how much you must hate me now…”

I placed my index finger on his lips

I realized myself and removed it

“Adenike I’m sorry, I don’t want us to be like this. It kills me every second knowing that you’re upset with me. I miss holding you and having conversations with you”

I said nothing.

I miss it too, I miss his warm hugs and the feeling I get when he touches me.

I miss our petty arguments and everything we were slowly starting to get

He took my other hand and got down on his knees.

I looked up for a while

“Even when I become the King I will still knee down to apologize to you because you mean much more than my ego and I want to wake up everyday to your smile. I know I’ve wronged you deeply and everyday I would curse myself for that but please forgive me, please”

I closed my eyes, opened them and looked down at him.

I held his shoulders and helped him get up on his feets.

“I want to forgive you so bad that it hurts even more but everytime I think of her in your arms, the kisses you gave her and how tender you held her….”

I stopped and walked away from him

I sighed

“Just thinking of another woman in your embrace, feeling your warmth”

I closed my eyes and held myself, I was disgusted at the thoughts and extremely mad.

“How intense the moment must’ve been that you even planted your seed in her. Ouch! It hurts”

I held tightly to myself.

I heard him walk to him and then hugged me from behind, I opened my eyes

“Stop, you’re hurting yourself. Please stop thinking about that, she is carrying my child only because of my urge to satisfy my physical desires as a man”

“Should I go out too? To satisfy my physical desires as a woman” I asked sarcastically

He said nothing

He kissed my shoulders and blew air into my ears, I flinched.

“Except you want me dead, then go ahead” he whispered into my ear and ran his tongue tip on it. My eyes closed again

His fingers played with my waist beads, I missed this foreplay.

He placed kisses on my bare back, I

Placed my hand on his around my waist.

“I missed you” he whispered again

I smiled.

“Greetings your highness”

We stopped and turned to whoever barged in on us. I knew whoever it was, Ikenna wasn’t going to take it lightly.

It was Chioma

I looked at her, Who does she think she is? to barge into my chamber without seeking audience first.

“Yes? Do you know that this is the palace and not your Father’s house? You don’t just walk into rooms without seeking audience” Ikenna scolded her like a little child

“I’m sorry my Prince, it’s just that…”

She tried to explain herself

“It’s just that what? You obviously learnt nothing about good manners” he gave her no liberty to speak.

I stood there enjoying the scene

She glanced at me

“It’s just that my stomach has been paining me since this afternoon and I thought you could help me massage it” she said whining in some sort of pain.

I stepped foward

“He is the crowned prince not a midwife, go back to your hut. I will come soon with the midwife” I told her

She nodded and turned to leave.

I turned back to the prince, he smiled and took my lips in a peck

“Thank you” he said and I nodded smiling.

We turned and she was still standing there, looking pained as ever.

“What are you still doing standing there?” I asked.

“Hold on, do not ever repeat this foolishness again” Ikenna told her sternly and left the room.

I looked at her with a smirk on my face, her face turned from pain to a frown.

“You seemed to be in so much pains earlier now it seems like you’re fit for a fight” I walked to the bed and sat down

“Pardon my husband, he doesn’t like people interrupting our moment” I added

“I hate you!” She spat and left in a hurry.

“Guards!!” I called

“Your highness” he bowed

“Go for the midwife, on my orders. Quickly!”

Things seems to be falling into place gradually. Ikenna and I are okay now… The villagers has finally realized that they’ve been ignorant for too long. I ask for strength to overcome whatever challenges I will foresee.