The Estranged (A Novel)

Chapter 1

She was a slave, an ‘ifon’ in the society, her place was lowly and her fate was ascertain, unknown, just like the rushing river water where she dipped her legs.

‘Abasi di yanga mii’ she hummed a tune she had learnt from her mother who had died when she was very young, before she turned a slave.

It was ‘Atim’ market day and slaves were not to be seen in the village market or any other place where the free born were present, that in itself was an abomination and such a slave was to be sacrificed to the goddess who was being revered on that day.

Afiamma inhaled deeply and let the tears flow freely on her supple cheeks, she was fairest among maidens, her skin blazed like a thousand diamonds and her eyes were twin almonds. Her breasts stood proudly like wine gourds, both were supported by her wide hips, she was truly beautiful, yet still, a slave.

She cried as she recalled the torments she had encountered from her years of slavery, and more to come if nothing was done, but what could she do? She had no one to save her, her old slave master had sold her to a very mean widow, Ufot, she had no choice but to persevere and pray to the gods of the sky, abasi enyong, the earth gods, abasi isong and the gods of the river, ndem mmong, to save her from slavery.

Just as she was about to leave the riverside, she felt a hand on her shoulder, she turned to face the intruder but he quickly covered her mouth with his firm hands and carried her into the nearby bush.

Chapter 2

She struggled to gain freedom from her attacker, she fought, she struggled but he was more powerful.
He dropped her on the floor and untied his loin cloth, he pulled her waist beads apart and readied himself to plunge into her sacredness.

‘Please do not hurt me, I haven’t done anything to wrong you’ she sobbed.
‘Do not speak slave else I silence you forever’ the stranger replied. His eyes were full of fire and his breath was ragged with lust, he didn’t seem like he was from Aswana, though slaves weren’t allowed to mix with freeborns, they still got to know other members of the community.

‘Abasi! Help me’ she cried, why were the gods silent? Why were they deaf to her cries?
Being a slave was enough torture, but more was to come should she lose her maiden head to an uknown man or getting pregnant out of wedlock, even as slaves, they weren’t expected to defile the land.
Only slaves meant as concubines for wealthy house owners where free from that law, but she was not owned by a man but a woman, who would have her head should she discover her maiden head was gone.

‘Get off of her if you still want to live’  they both turned to face the owner of the deep baritone.
‘And who are you to threaten me? You scum of the earth’? the man who attacked her rose to face the intruder.

This was her chance, Afianma quickly settled her beads in order and rose to her feet, she needed to run but one look at the thick forest told her she would get lost or worse she could get bitten by an Ekpe, a leaopard.

‘You better pick up your clothes and return to your wife or I shall make her a widow  this very day’ the man fingered his machete.
Who was this man? That the gods had sent to save her from the savage wild man, Afiamma wondered.
He was tall, with a broad chest, where hairs grew like weeds, whose hardness couldn’t be compared to the Ukana, the oil bean tree, his eyes were vicious and penetrating, just like that of  a serpent, his nose was straight and his lips were soft and plum.
She swallowed hard as she observed him, he was a very handsome man, she placed her hands on her chest to calm her beating heart. Who was this man?

‘I would be a fool to fight with you, now come let me send you to an early grave’ the savage man pulled out a machete from a sack bag that lay next to his clothes and advanced towards the handsome stranger.

‘Stand back now, I warn you’ the handsome man warned but he refused to listen.

‘Over my living body, Abasi Akan! May the gods forbid I turn to cowardice’ he yelled and advanced towards the man.
Odudu sized up the man, it didn’t take him much effort to release his own machete and the wilding lay dead on the floor as the machete came in contact with his skull.

‘Abasi!!!’ Afiamma realized the man was dead.

‘You shouldn’t have killed him, maybe hit him or something, now I have blood on my hands’ tears brimmed her almond eyes but the man looked unperturbed.

‘Blood on your hands? What if he had succeeded in shaming you? What if he had taken your maiden head’? Odudu wiped his machete against the leaves to rid it of the blood stain.

‘What shall we do now? Who are you? You’re equally a stranger’ she noticed the mark on his left chin, he wasn’t from these parts.

‘I am not a stranger, but a warrior’ he turned his back on her and walked deeper into the bush without looking back.
She didn’t know why it hurt, why didn’t he look back? Though she was a slave, men gawked at her, they were touched by her beauty, but this man acted like she didn’t affect him. She inhaled deeply and decided to follow him closely, who was this warrior?
                                                                                                   

Chapter 3

He’d lost his parents to the massacre that happened many years back in his hometown, they both burned alive helplessly before him, he was only a child and could do nothing to help them.
The tyrant king, Okuku Udo Ibridem had released his warriors to burn down his village because their Chief refused to engage in slave trading. The tyrant kind died many years after that but his son, Ekong had taken over the Annang lands and he was more vicious than his father.

He’d heard that Aswana village was the seat of slave trading, that was why he’d come, more so, his spies had informed him about the impending visit of their young King to Aswana in some moon days time, he had his plans, he didn’t just work alone, Ekong, had to be removed as King.

He felt it, he sensed another presence, someone was following him, who would dare spy on him? Odudu was a well known warrior if not the best in all Annang lands. Children trembled on hearing his name, women shivered, and kings feared him.

She knew she was being foolish, what did she hope to achieve by spying on him? he just interested her and she felt like knowing more about him. Afianma paused and hid behind the thick vegetation as the warrior stopped, he must have sensed her presence.

‘Show yourself’ Odudu released his machete from the scabbard. Someone was following him, and he had to find that person before he continued with his journey, he needed to see the guild, they had a lot of planning to do.

She trembled as his scent infiltrated her nostrils, he neared her and could harm her, it had been so easy for him to slaughter the other man, how much more a defenseless girl like her?

‘Please don’t kill me’! she hopped from the bushes.

‘You? What are you doing here’? his eyes raked her beautiful body.

‘I…I got lost’ she lied and trembled inwardly as his eyes found hers.

‘Or you were following me’? Odudu returned his machete and laughed. This time he took a closer look at the slave girl, she was very beautiful.

‘No’ Afianma shifted uncomfortably as he scanned his eyes over her features then settled on her breasts.

‘I guess you couldn’t resist my charms’ Odudu winked and stepped closer.

‘By the gods, you flatter yourself’ blood tweaked her cheeks.
‘Well, women swoon over me, what makes you think you’re different?’ he eyed her wickedly and drew her next to him.

As he was about to kiss her, a thick black smoke filled the atmosphere, an arrow pierced his ankle and he  fell to the ground.
‘I see, the great warrior making love to a woman in my land,What brings you here’? Ekong laughed mischievously.

Chapter 4

 And is that how cowardly a king should be? Why lay ambush for me’? Odudu winced in pain as the arrow had pierced his ankle deeply.

‘Well, I am just making sure you don’t try anything funny in my land’ Ekong replied and moved closer to the warrior and the beautiful woman that stood beside him.

‘Please show him mercy, my Lord’ Afiamma fell on her knees, she had heard stories of these two men but she had never come face to face with them. So the handsome stranger was a warrior? And the ruthless man before her was Ekong? Who was a tyrant?

‘Do not beg for me’ Odudu spat angrily at her. Word must have gotten to Ekong about the guild’s plan to usurp him, this only meant one thing, he was going to be tried and buried alive, according to the Mbet, the laws of the land, whoever tried usurping a leader was to be buried alive.

‘How sweet, this pretty maiden begging for your life, pray tell me? Is she your lover’? the king encircled Afiamma. She was such a beauty, exquisitely unique, a jewel that surpassed other jewels in beauty.

‘I shall end you like you ended my family’ Odudu cried out angrily.

‘Wow, heroic, now you threaten my life before my subjects’ Ekong gestured with his hands.

‘Stay quiet Odudu, please, you must not die’ Afiamma rushed to his side.
He was surprised to hear a hint of concern in her voice, they’ just met, the sadness in her beautiful eyes calmed him and he bit his lower lip. She was right, he wasn’t thinking straight, he needed to play smart to stay alive, much work had to be done.

‘I heard from a little bird that the great warrior, Odudu, had embarked on a journey to Aswana village, this bothered me, because I was also coming this way to see to some slave business’ Ekong clenched his fist angrily, he’d heard stories about Odudu, he was a rebel and so were those that followed him, he’d made the last days of his father’s reign terrible, but he wouldn’t allow that. Two rich slave merchants had a fight, one that could lead to a crack in the slave business, that was why he’d been invited to Aswana to settle the dispute.

‘I have no plans of killing you now, release me Ekong’ Odudu replied.

‘Please….’ Afiamma begged.

‘I see, you have a sharp tongue, an unrepentant spirit, I know just how to treat you and your slave’ Ekong had seen the marking on her body, she was an Ifon, and therefore had no will, she seemed special to Odudu he noticed the way she crouched over him.

‘You dare not come any closer to us’ Odudu knew he was at the mercy of Ekong but he couldn’t show weakness, he had to find a way to escape with the slave, else Ekong would take her with him and turn her into his concubine, thoughts of Ekong ramming her intoxicated him with something he realized as anger and jealousy.

‘Guards? Take the girl and chop off his head, I don’t want no traitors in my land’ Ekong snapped his fingers and the guards rushed forward with their spears to snatch the slavegirl.

‘Abasi! Please have mercy on us, don’t do anything to hurt him’ Tears blurred her vision as the men tore her apart from Odudu.

‘You’ll pay for this’ fear gripped Odudu, he was helpless, if only he had strength, he would’ve slaughtered Ekong and his men.

‘So easy to say for a man who is about to die’ Ekong smiled wickedly and gave his guards the final command.

‘No!!!!’ Afiamma’s terrified screams filled the air.
‘Kill him! gwod nye!’ Ekong yelled and the guard released his machete ready to behead the mighty warrior  when an arrow, pierced his neck and he fell to the ground.

‘The guild!’ Odudu whispered as men came out from all parts of the bush to his rescue.
                                               

Chapter 5

‘How did you know Odudu was under attack’? Obong Asawo questioned the leader of the group.

‘I don’t know, I just felt it in me, I pray our warriors get to Aswana on time to rescue him from whatever danger he may be in’ Obong Ekop replied.
After the death of the tyrant king, Okuku Ibridem, many people rejoiced, hoping and believing his son, Ekong would’ve learnt from the mistakes of his father’s unpopular regime.
Ibridem was cruel and very diabolical, no man could stand against him, even the Priests couldn’t dare him else he’ d have their head, his death was mysterious because he’d made himself invincible.
Having two tyrant kings from the same bloodline had necessitated the formation of the guild, they needed to remove Ekong as king, but that could only be achieved with a group that held so much power.
The guild was a mixture of warriors and men who were highly placed in the society, Obong Ekop, was a cabinet chief, Obong Asawo was a regent chief in his village, so they used the knowledge from politics to create their strategy.

With the help of Odudu the greatest warrior that ever lived, they had trained as many young men as possible, once the time came, the guild wouldn’t lack men to fight the Palace warriors who’d sworn their loyalty to Ekong.

‘I don’t like the way you released all our warriors just for one man’ Obong Asawo voiced out his discomfort.

‘That one man is the strength of this guild, Odudu is very important to our cause’ Ekop replied not understanding Chief Asawo’s objections.

‘Tell me, why do you have so much faith in that young man? It’s not as if he’ll have importance once Ekong is defeated’ Asawo smirked.

‘You make me laugh Asawo, don’t be naïve, you damn well know why I favour Odudu’ Ekop replied.

‘And why is that’? Asawo raised his brows.

‘Well, I spoke to the chief priest and his prophecy backed up my plans’ Ekop smiled.

‘What prophecy and what plans’? Asawo raised his brows, hoping whatever the ambitious Ekop had planned wouldn’t clash with his own personal interest.

‘Once Ekong is defeated, Odudu shall be crowned king’ Ekop replied.

Chapter 6

 Ekambamma shivered as her son was rushed into the palace, he was injured and most of his guards weren’t with him.

‘No, Abasi! Let no harm befall my only son’ her lips quavered as she watched him come from afar. She feared as she recalled the words of the prophecy: ‘When the end shall near,all you’ll have is despair’.

‘No, I would not lose my son, I wouldn’t, I’ve paid all my dues’ she cried as he was brought into the palace.

‘What happened to my son’? she cried.

‘We were attacked at Aswana, ambushed and the lot of us massacred’ one of the guards spoke.

‘Attacked? Who would dare attack my son’? Ekambamma knelt before him, she sighed with relief as she lay her head on his chest, he was still breathing and his heartbeat was alive.

‘Odudu, the bastard warrior’ Ekong coughed out blood.

‘Odudu? Who is this man? He made your father’s rule terrible, he sort to tear this whole land apart’ Ekambamma asked.
Many had seen her husband as a tyrant, but she never shared their opinion, he was a powerful man and did what he had to do. She even had more respect for him for his willingness to save her life and their secret.
Now the same vileness in the nature of a man called Odudu had crept towards her son and was ready to eat him up.
‘Ekong? What shall we do? Now he has attacked you, it is an insult to the throne, if this isn’t checked, the people would see you as a weakling’ she beckoned to her slaves to fetch her some water so she could clean him up.

‘I underestimated him mother, I almost had him, I was this close, but the gods stole my victory away from me’ Ekong retorted weakly.

‘Then the gods are mad’ the queen spat.

‘Careful how you speak to the gods, they have been nothing but merciful to you Ekambamma, they shielded you from their wrath all these years, even after you’d committed a sacrilege’ a strange woman sauntered into the palace.

‘Nkoso!’ the queen gasped and fell on her feet, what was the priestess of the forest gods doing there? Her heart raced, had she come to expose her?

‘You forgot the gods who gave you life and shielded you from shame, you forgot the covenant you made at my shrine, I waited all these years for you to come see me, but you forgot’ the priestess said.

‘Who is this strange woman? And what is she doing in my palace’? Ekong gazed at the woman, she was as slender as the Abangama, the bamboo, and equally tall as that, she covered her loins with a rag made of feathers and painted her breasts with charcoal. She wore a crown made from leopard skin and adorned her face with ndom, clay. She looked scary.

‘I see, the stranger now sits upon the throne’ she laughed hysterically  and vanished.

‘Nkoso! Wait’ the queen called after her, but she had vanished. Why had the priestess of the demon gods paid her a visit?

‘Mother, who is that woman and did she call me stranger’? Ekong was baffled.

‘Pay no mind to her, she is out of her mind, now drink this, it would help you sleep and drive malicious spirits away from you’ she offered him a gourd filled with mmayang, kernel oil to soothe him.

‘By the gods, Odudu and his followers shall pay for this’ Ekong grunted and fell asleep.
                                             

Chapter 7

‘Who are all these men and why did they show up at the right time’? Afiamma eyed the bush which had become bloody.

‘No time for questions pretty one, I have to leave Aswana at once’ Odudu caressed her face.
The guild had sent some warriors to save his life and for that he owed them his allegiance, he would fight side by side till Ekong was displaced.

The warriors of the guild had fought to the death, most warriors from the palace were injured, Ekong himself wasn’t spared the agony of their blade, but they had to plan ahead, Ekong was going to see revenge and they needed to get prepared for that.

‘Leave? To where’? Afiamma asked. It had gotten dark, crickets had resumed their song and frogs croaked in unison that darkness had come.

‘Home, you should do same, I’ll send some of the men to help you find your way, do take care of yourself’ he gazed at her briefly and was about leaving when her soft hands pulled him back.

‘Please don’t leave me here, I don’t want to return to my mistress, she’s a mean old widow and has plans to send me into concubinary, please show me mercy’ she begged.

‘I don’t want you to suffer, I am a warrior, I can’t have someone as fragile as you around me, you have to understand that’ Odudu felt her pain but he couldn’t take her with him, it was too dangerous.

‘It’s okay master, you can take her along, she would stay with Emem’ one of the guild warriors suggested.

‘Emem?’ Odudu rubbed his chin, Emem was his lover.

Chapter 8

She sighed contently as she watched him sleep, whoever did this to her son had to pay, Ekong was so precious to her and she could do anything to save him from trouble, one of the reasons she needed to see Nkoso, the priestess.

‘I guess the gods need their price now’ Ekambamma whispered, her heart ached, sweat broke on her forehead as she stepped outside of her son’s room, what if they needed Ekong himself?

‘No’ she muttered as she sneaked out of the palace, no one could see her, no one should follow her, this was her greatest secret and the burden of keeping it increased since her husband died, he also shared in it.

The priestess Nkoso, was half human and half spirit, she was the eyes of the forest gods and their mouthpiece too, she had been the one to save her family. The woman paused as she reached Akai Ibom, the great forest where the gods danced at night and slept in the morning, no one could enter uninvited.

The sounds of the night scared her, but the shine of the moon strengthened her and gave her courage for what was to come.

‘I see, you have to come to see me, Mother Queen’ Nkoso appeared before her and she gasped.

‘Don’t worry, you shall not be harmed, follow me’ the priestess guided her deeper into the forest.

‘Why did you come to the palace? It was not a good idea, if you needed anything from me, you should have sent a message across’ Ekambamma hissed angrily.

‘Watch your tongue woman, you have become too proud for the gods, that’s why they choose to humble you now’ Nkoso spat angrily at her.

‘What do the gods want from me? I have offered them many sacrifices, I worship them in my prayers, I give to the poor…’ she trailed off as Nkoso raised her hands.

‘Stop praising yourself, your son is a tyrant, just like his father, the people are crying, they need a change’ Nkoso said.

‘Tyrant? How dare you call him a tyrant? All he has ever done is what’s best for the people, just like his father, the late king, if the gods want him removed, then they have surely gone mad’ she rose to her feet annoyed.

‘Watch your tongue again, this is hallow ground, your pride and arrogant have grown as wild as the bush vines, you have spoken the will of the gods, they want Ekong removed as king, that is the sacrifice you must pay, you must listen to the gods’ Nkoso  straightened up.

‘How dare they? I shall not listen to the gods’ Ekambamma replied defiantly.

‘Then I shall tell the whole world the truth, I shall expose you and Ekong shall be buried alive for the abomination he truly is!’ Nkoso yelled angrily.

‘Do not threaten me, you may be the favorite of the gods but they gave me power over you, I am still your queen’ Ekambamma felt weak at Nkoso’s words. How could she say something like that? How could she expose what she’d safely hidden all these years?

‘I swear, by all the gods of the Annang lands, I shall tell them what happened in this forest that fateful night’ Nkoso pounded her fist on her chest.

‘I see, go on and tell them, but you do not have proof and no one would believe you, why were the other gods silent? Why didn’t the chief priest speak? Is it a mere woman like you that the gods could fear?’ Ekambamma scoffed but she shivered within as she realized leaving Nkoso alive after all those years was a mistake, one that would ruin everything.

‘Even if you escape me, how about the famous prophecy about the downfall of your son? Or haven’t you heard about the guild? A group of warriors and political leaders set to usurp him? there is a prophecy, one of doom and dishonor, a new king shall be crown, one that is worthy’ it was Nkoso’s time to mock her.

‘Well, till then, I shall return to the palace’ Ekambamma smiled wickedly.

‘I shall tell the world that your womb produced an abomination, one is sitting on the throne and one is lost, though their destinies are entwined, I shall tell them you gave birth to twins!’ Nkoso yelled angrily, how could the woman be so ungrateful?

‘Fine, go ahead and tell them but you shall die’ Ekambamma pulled out her dagger underneath her garment and plugged it deeply into Nkoso’s abdomen.

She screamed loudly and blood soaked her fingers as she fell to the ground eyes wide opened.

‘Good riddance,now let’see how your stupid prophecy shall come to pass’ the queen spat and stormed out of the forest.
                                                      ***
‘Why do you look so scared even when I’m with you’? Odudu could see she was  frightened by the sounds of the night.

‘I’m not scared, it’s just so dark and I don’t even know where we are’ Afianmma replied.
‘Not to worry, we’ll be home soon’ Ekong rubbed her hand gently, there was something about her that gave him peace and he couldn’t resist it. It wasn’t the glow of her fair skin or the softness of her hands but the glow in her beautifully shaped eyes.

She knew he was staring at her but she couldn’t meet his eyes, he had saved her twice that day and she owed him for it. She felt safer with him than she ever did with her slave mistress, and she knew he was the answer to her prayers.

‘My lord…’ one of the warriors ran towards them with an object.

‘What is it Okon? Why look so startled?’ Odudu wondered.

‘We cannot cross this forest, it is cursed’ the boy replied.

‘Cursed? The gods live here, it’s where the priestess Nkoso stays, I know here, I’ve been here before but only those invited in by her can cross’ Afianmma explained.

‘Are you sure about this’? Odudu asked, that meant their journey could be delayed. They had left Aswana and had stepped into the village where Ekong’s palace was,their home was two villages after Ekong’s.

‘Those rules may not apply anymore’ Okon replied and handed Odudu the dagger he found stuck to the corpse in the forest.

‘What is this’? Odudu hesitated, it was a dagger soaked in blood, what if it was a dangerous charm to lure them into a trap?

‘I found it on a dead woman, I think she was the priestess from the way she dressed’ he replied nervously.

‘Who could’ve killed her? What if Ekong knows we are here and has sent his warriors after us’? Odudu rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

‘Then we are all doomed’ Afianmma sighed, she had heard stories about the king’s army and how numerous they were.

‘No, we are safe, I checked everywhere’ Okon replied.

‘Then who must have killed the priestess and why’? Odudu inhaled deeply, why had the gods brought this mystery for them to solve?

‘Whoever did this is from Ekong’s palace, a member of the royal household, when my father was alive, he served as a butler and I lived in the palace for a while’ Okon said.

‘How sure are you Okon? Do you know what you’re saying’? Odudu asked to be sure.
‘Yes, only royals hold this kind of dagger, with the symbol of an ekpe, a leopard’ he pointed at the emblem.

‘Then we must hurry, the guild must have a meeting, something is going on’ Odudu could feel it strongly.


View some of my other write-ups here:
  https://goo.gl/aKNKWt
  http://bit.ly/2sCE2Hi
  https://tinyurl.com/ycl7u5um
  http://ow.ly/r9NN30cNMjn
  https://goo.gl/TJRVgZ
  http://bit.ly/2sYCF8s
  https://tinyurl.com/y8nlh3vo
  http://ow.ly/fgak30cNMMu
  https://goo.gl/FEgYjd
  https://tinyurl.com/y8uxw6tm
  http://bit.ly/2sTPgcO