THE CROWN - EPISODE 46

It’s been days and for this past days I’ve never felt so lost, so alone. Things has felt out of place without her attention.

The distance is killing me and for the first time I feel her rage.

I walked into the room, it was empty. I heard her in the bathroom, I stood till she was out.

She walked to the shelve and fell her wrapper, I swallowed hard to control the nervousness.

If I lose this woman I’d never forgive myself because everything is my fault.

She tied the piece around her waist and the other around her chest.

I walked to her and helped her tie it properly, she stayed still. I finished and she moved away to wear her jewelries.

“Adenike..”

I called but she ignored.

It has been like this since the incidence with Chioma.

My life has been a complete mess without her. I’m scared to confront her, I’m even more scared to seek help from anyone especially her parents.

I turned and left, I headed for Emenike’s. His guards stood outside his chamber, they bowed and announced my arrival.

I walked in and he was busy wrapping up some fine embroidery wrappers.

“Brother, you’re here. Greetings” he said.

He had a grin plastered on his face. I looked and he was all busy, I sat on the bed and watched him.

“Hmmm, should I start gathering our kinsmen?” I questioned

He laughed “what for?”

“The maiden you’ve gotten this wrappers for”

I teased, he smiled and chuckled a bit.

“Don’t you know already?” He walked to the table and dropped something then back to me.

“The same princess? I thought you said she’s to be married soon”

I questioned.

Emenike met this maiden who happens to be a princess of the neighboring village but she’s engaged.

“Her father wants her to get married soon but she’s not interested in the man. I’m simply doing my best as a friend to lift her burden”

“By sending her gifts? So you two are just friends”

He placed his hands on his waist with his shoulder high up

“Did I mention anything more to you? Besides I think she likes me that way”

“Who doesn’t want the Prince of Umuagwo, whether crowned or not. Our Father is known not only for his great leadership but also for the seeds from his groin”

I smiled, he smirked.

“Brother, Don’t joke around” we both laughed.

“Emenike I just want you to be quick in letting your intentions known, delay lead’s to damage and I don’t want you to go through that again”

He nodded and smiled.

“Enough about me, you look worried”

He sat on the bed too, I laid my back down on the bed and brushed my hand over my head.

“Adenike caught myself and Chioma in an unpleasant manner” I told him.

“What? You are making the same mistake again? I did notice the drift between you two”

He replied

“Who doesn’t? Everyone in the palace is talking about it” I sighed loudly

“But why did you do that? You keep hurting her and I won’t forgive you”

“I did nothing, it was a set up”

All I wanted was to make up for all the times I was neglecting my responsibilities to her and my unborn child.

It was noon and we were having a cabinet meeting with Father and his Elders.
I was certainly uninterested with whatever is was they were discussing

. I don’t know why father makes me and Emenike attend all his cabinet meetings. Emenike is more unconcerned, he feels it’s unnecessary especially since he won’t be king someday.

I looked at me and almost burst out laughing with the look on his face. He was supposed to meet up with the his new found friend of a princess and I on the other hand intended to pay my in-laws a visit.

“Prince Ikenna..”

I jolted out of my thoughts

“You have not said anything regarding the agenda of the day” mazi Okoro said.

I felt Father’s eyes preying at me

“The crowned Princess has successfully abolished the Ikeanja sacrifice. The gods have bestowed upon her to cleanse of all ignorance”

“Now we have to think of a more pleasing way to make sacrifices”

A smile appeared on my face. I felt so proud, yeah! That is my wife. She is my woman and what every man prays for but indeed the gods I’ve found me worthy.

“My prince!!! Igwe!!!”

One of the guards ran to us. I stood up in a haste while everyone disorganized.

“Your majesty!” He fell on his knees

“What has happened? What?!!” Father yelled.

He tried to catch his breathe but I was already worried and anxious.

“It’s.. it’s the crowned princess…”

I stepped down to him

“Where is she?” That was all I wantedto knows.

“At her courtyard, she is….”

I didn’t wait to hear it all. I took on my heels to the courtyard, I found her on the hands of her maids as the guards surrounded her.

I fell on the floor, she was coughing out blood and bleeding from between her legs.

“What has happened? What happened here? Send for the herbalist!!” Father yelled.

“We have already your Majesty”

They responded. For some reasons I felt weak, she looked so lifeless and I felt my bones breaking.

“Your majesty, I heard you scre….” Mother walked in.

She turned and looked at Adenike covered in blood.

“Ahhhh” she screamed and dropped her horsetail.

Emenike rushed and went to lift Adenike up, we took her to our bedchamber and laid her on the bed.

“What happened to her? Somebody speak!” Emenike questioned.

I went and stood beside the bed staring at Adenike. Mother kept crying beside her on the other side.

“Your highness, she requested for some fruits and I.. I” her personal maid tried to explain.

She stammered a lot that it angered Emenike

“Speak!”

“I went and got them for her, she ate and suddenly she started coughing out blood and crying that her stomach hurts and.. and soon she started bleeding too” she completed.

“Her palm is turning black, where’s the herbalist!!!” Mother called.

I bent down and took her hand, indeed it was

What is this? I can’t think straight

“The child!” Mother cried

I raised my head and looked at her “What child?”

“The royal herbalist arrives” they announced.

He rushed in, Mother gave him space.

Everyone left the room excluding myself and mother. The herbalist examined her

“Your majesties, I think she was poisoned” he said after a while

“What?” I exclaimed. Who would possibly have done this? Who?

“I suggest we call the midwife immediately to examine her” he said again.

“The midwife? Why do we need a midwife? I thought you said it’s poisoning” I was getting confused.

Mother stood up and ran outside.

“Get the midwife immediately! Hurry!” I heard her shouting..

She came back inside and stood.

I looked at Adenike and kissed her palm, it had better not be what I’m thinking otherwise I won’t be able to forgive myself.

he started forcing herbs into her closed mouth. She was unconscious and I was scared as hell.

I expressed less than usual but I was slowly breaking apart. I was weak and dumbfounded, I just stared at them.

“How is she?” Mother asked

The herbalist nodded his head sideways “we’re losing her, she’s losing a lot of blood and I think…”

“No no, we can’t lose either. Please do something”

He nodded and squeezed out more herbs. He rubbed her palms with balm and started massaging her stomach. I simply watched.

“The midwife is here” it was announced.

She came in and the herbalist went out to allow her perform her duties.

“She has lost too much blood, your majesty please prepare yourselves for the worst” she said.

She requested for another wrapper and mother untied one of hers and gave it to her.

She covered Adenike and spread her legs wide open. I stood up and walked out, I couldn’t stand the sight.

I sat on the floor and Emenike sat next to me.

The council of elders as well as father all stood outside waiting for news. Whether bad or good, we weren’t so sure.

They called the attention of a few maids and they went in. They ran Helter skelter and I knew something was up but there was nothing I could do but pray. I can’t lose this woman, I can’t lose Adenike.

“Adenike.” I muttered quietly.

The Herbalist went in too.

“Everything will be fine, Adenike is a strong woman” Emenike patted my shoulder. I nodded

“Why is there so much blood?”

Father questioned the maid who walked out with the wrapper Adenike tied around her waist, soaked with blood.

Poisoned? My mind went to Chioma, I looked around and she wasn’t present.

The midwife came out. I stood up

She bowed to father “Greetings my King”

“How is the crowned princess and why did we need your services?” He questioned

“I’m sorry your majesty but the poisoning affected the child in her womb….”

“What? She was with child?” I was shocked to my bones and so was everyone.

“Yes your highness but unfortunately…” She nodded her head sadly.

“Unfortunately what? What happened to Adenike?”

“The princess will be fine but she’s no more with child, she lost the baby”

I ran into the hut, mother was crying.

I went to the bed and fell on my knees beside her. I took her hand to my forehead and cried my heart out

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry. I’ve failed as a husband and father. Please forgive me”

Her cold hand was starting to get wet and warm.

“Ough ough, ah eh” she woke up gradually.

I smiled

“Thank goodness, she’s awake” mother was happy.

She looked around and her eyes fell on me. Tears streamed down and she placed her hand on her stomach

“I…I had..I had a dream and I saw a baby smiling and reaching for me to carry him…” She stopped and smiled. Her eyes closed and more tears streamed to her temples

“But as I was about to carry him, he disappeared. What happened? What happened to your child? Where’s Chioma?” She panicked

Mother burst out crying even louder, Adenike turned to her.

“Why are you crying?..” she looked at herself

“Did something happen? My stomach was hurting so much earlier and… and..”

She stopped and looked at herself again, why does she look so confused?

“You fainted earlier due to food poisoning” I informed her

“What?”

“But it’s nothing to worry about, you’re fine now”

I smiled in order to convince her

“My body hurts so much and my abdomen and pelvis are killing me” she whined

I couldn’t help it, I cried. She was shocked.

“What happened Ikenna? Did something happen to Chioma or the baby?”

She still cares so much, she is worried even though she is in so much pains. She is bothered about someone else when she is the one who has been snatched, the one who is being chattered.

“My dear, didn’t you know you were with child?” Mother asked. She glanced at me and back at mother

“I am with child?” She chuckled and turned to me. She looked so excited

“Are these tears of Joy? We’ll finally we having a child together”

she giggled and winced from pain but I couldn’t stop weeping and either could mother.

She stopped and closed her eyes then she started crying

“The child in my dream, that was mine wasn’t it?”

We all stayed quiet for a while without answering her. I didn’t know how to tell her or what words to use.

“I’m sorry my dear, I’m sorry” Mother said instead

“Ahhhh!! No!! No! Don’t do this to me please! Ahhh! Stop don’t tell me!” She kept screaming.

I sat on the bed and tried to hold her still. Emenike and father ran in.

“Won ti pa mi o! nwọn ti pari mi! Ahhhh!!! emi?”

My heart was breaking at her cries.

Tears poured out her eyes like rain, sweat suddenly covered her yet goosebumps filled her skin.

“They let me know happiness through Sadness, nwa m o”

Is this the feeling? To have everything yet lose the most important

” ti mo ti pa? Ṣe Mo ti ji? who has done this to me?”

She kept screaming her heart out, she struggled herself out of my hold.

“Ahhhhh!!” She fell on the bed and lost consciousness again.

“Ihe ọjọọ abatala n’ụlọ m” Mother lamented.

Isn’t she right? We got to know such great news through bad news.

The child I’ve been longing for left even before I knew of his arrival. The huge appetite, moodswings are all clear to me now.

I should have known, somebody ought to have told me sooner.

I will make whoever is responsible for this pay dearly, I will squeeze life out of that person.