Super Story: "Adaora" Season 1 Episode 1

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

"Adaora" Season 1 Episode 7

“Nnam!” His first daughter, Adaugo called to him. She was younger than Ikenna.
“What is it dear?” Chinedum lowered himself, so his eyes could meet with hers.
With a bitter grimace, Adaugo reported her brother.
“Ikenna took all the fish that you had bought for me!”
Ikenna who’d been quiet all along decided to defend himself.

“That is not true. I gave her all my walnuts yesterday because she promised to give me all her fish!”

Adaora who’d been watching the exchange quietly, found the scene amusing. She admired the way Chinedum treated his children. And from their eager eyes, she knew that they loved their father.

“We have a new friend, her name is Adaora.” Chinedum straightened and began the introduction.
At first, the kids were shy to go close to the fair woman because they had never seen anyone like her.

“Papa?” Ikenna whispered.
“Yes?” Chinedum wondered what her son would say.
“I want to marry her. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.”
Adaora smiled, unknown to the little boy, his secret wasn’t secret after all.
His sister Adaugo kept looking into her eyes. The little girl moved closer to Adaora and hugged her.

“You look like the goddess that my mother usually tells me about in stories.” Adaugo smiled.
Though Adaora’s hands were weak, she couldn’t resist carrying this little one. She scooped Adaugo into her hands at once.
“Your mother is right. You are a goddess.”

A gentle breeze kissed the leaves of the mighty udara tree. The magic of Anyanwu, the god of the son, and Itiru, the mood goddess had found their priestess and the last person that could harness their magic.

Only Adaora noticed the powerful presence of the two deities. Their fires lighted the greenish udara fruits that hung solemnly from the tree. The god of the sun and the goddess of the moon were trying to send her a message; like they had always sent her mother. But she couldn’t understand.

“Let us go inside and prepare a fire for Adaora’s bathwater.” Chinedum announced to his children and they all rushed towards the kitchen excitedly.

The sun hadn’t gone completely down yet, so Obiajulu was able to locate Anosike’s biggest farm in the Kingdom. Luckily for her, she found him giving orders to his laborers. The sight of his hairy chest and his exhausted eyes intensified her lust. She couldn’t wait to feel him inside of her. She couldn’t wait for those hairs to prick her naked chest. She would revive him with her kisses. He would find rejuvenation on her breasts…

As she watched from a field of wild guinea grass, she failed to notice that Anosike’s wife was coming from behind. While in deep admiration of her lover, she felt a gentle tap on her shoulders. Her spirit almost jumped out of her body but she chose to remain calm.

“Obiajulu, what brings you to my husband’s farm today?” Oriaku asked in a condescending tone. Right from their maidenhood, Oriaku had never liked Obiajulu. Being the finest girl in the kingdom, Obiajulu had treated other maidens with great disdain. She was as proud as a peacock and she couldn’t stop ringing it in peoples ears that her husband was related to the King. After Okeke had exposed her affair with Anosike to Oriaku, the hatred increased.

But Oriaku was determined to destroy Obiajulu this time around.
Obiajulu’s heart missed a beat.
“Is it a crime for a woman to roam around the farms in Ezeudo?” Obiajulu hissed loudly. She hated Oriaku for being with a man that was supposed to be fully hers.

Oriaku scoffed and gently dropped the basket that she carried on the ground next to her.
“An idle man they say is the devil’s workshop. Aren’t you supposed to be cooking dinner for your children and tending to your husband’s needs?” Oriaku continued.

She knew why Obiajulu had come. But she would make sure that she didn’t have access to Anosike. She wouldn’t allow any woman especially someone like Obiajulu to destroy her marriage.

Obiajulu was surprised at Oriaku’s boldness. The ugly woman had never spoken to her like that and this new found courage bothered her. Unknown to Obiajulu, Okeke had disclosed their secret to Anosike’s wife and Oriaku was capitalizing on that.

“It is a good thing that some of us have children. What makes you think that I haven’t fixed dinner for my family?” Obiajulu taunted Oriaku’s barrenness, hoping that it would hurt her.
Oriaku was hurt by her words, but she pretended not to care. She had allowed Obiajulu to trample upon her in the past, but she wouldn’t let her win today. She needed to stand up for herself.

“Those that the gods have blessed shouldn’t be too comfortable. The gods can always take their gifts away.” Oriaku offered a mischievous response. Just as Obiajulu wanted to reply, she quickly changed the subject.

“How is your new slave? I told my husband that you will like her. And from your aimless wandering, I know who is preparing dinner for your husband. Adaora is the most beautiful woman that I have ever set my eyes on.”

The sudden realization that Oriaku had been the one behind the slave girl coming to her house, hit Obiajulu hard. She couldn’t believe her ears. Well, maybe Oriaku was only saying it to hurt her feelings. Anosike would never allow his ugly wife to push him into making decisions.

From the farm, Anosike had spotted two figures behind the tall grasses. A closer look revealed that the two women were closely affiliated with him; one was his lover and the other was his wife. He jolted from the laborers like he had seen a monster. He couldn’t let his stupid wife to say anything to Obiajulu whose anger he couldn’t contain.

“What is going on here?” Anosike’s arrival wasn’t delayed.

Oriaku looked her husband in the eye, before lowering her gaze to her basket. A painful feeling of jealousy and rejection ate at her heart. The unmistaken fire of love burned in Anosike’s eyes. It was clear that he had chosen to surrender his love and desires to Obiajulu. Everything now made sense. Her husband had not touched her for many months, because another woman was warming his bed.

Oriaku lowered herself and grabbed her basket. She walked away from Obiajulu and her husband without a word. Her silence troubled Anosike because he had a feeling that she knew about their affair.

Once Oriaku was far away, Obiajulu snapped at him.
“Did you tell your wife anything about us?” Obiajulu eyed him angrily.
Anosike smacked his palms together, an action that usually shook off the elements of soil that always gathered between his palms while he planted.

“Why would you even ask me that? You know me better than anyone else. I would never do something that will put us in danger.”
Obiajulu wasn’t satisfied with his answer.

“Oriaku was very rude to me. She has never spoken to me that way before. I just hope she is going mad and that her rudeness has nothing to do with our relationship.”
Anosike shrugged, “Indeed, Oriaku has changed. I have planned on how to divorce her soon, so we could be together forever…” he parted his lips into a smile and looked into her eyes.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

"Adaora" Season 1 Episode 8

Though her heart softened, she still wouldn’t look at him. She was still mad at him for bringing such a pretty slave to the house.

“Why did you pay Okeke’s debt? Why did you bring that vermin into my house? Are you aware that she is a home wrecker? I do not want her in my house!”
Anosike closed his eyes and opened them swiftly.

“It was Oriaku’s idea that Okeke’s debt be paid. And I think she had a point. I, your husband and Okeke have been friends for long. It is a bad thing for debt to destroy a relationship; better anything else, but not a debt unpaid.”

Obiajulu couldn’t believe her ears. Her fears were coming to life. She wanted to be the only woman in Anosike’s life; no other person, not even his wife could have a say.
“When did you start listening to that fool? How could you take her advice? Don’t you know that the presence of that slave girl could restrict my movement? She could even seduce my husband into her bed.” Obiajulu complained bitterly.

Anosike was surprised that she cared about her husband. He felt jealous.
“At first, I thought you upset that Oriaku had advised me but it seems you are still in love with Chinedum. And this makes me question your loyalty. I have abandoned Oriaku’s bed for many months like you advised. Why do I have a feeling that you are still warming Chinedum’s bed?”
Anosike spat on the floor and moved away from her but she quickly held his hands.
“It is different with me, my darling.”

“How is it different? How?” He scoffed.
“I am a woman! I am subject to my husband’s desires and he could be suspicious if I refuse his touch. But you are a man; Oriaku’s submission is yours for the taking.”

Again, her answers calmed him. Obiajulu wasn’t just beautiful; she was smart and extremely intelligent. She was good with words as well. Her advices in the past had helped his farm to bloom in season. Her great wisdom was one of the reasons that he loved her.
“I am sorry then. I miss the warmness of your body. I miss the smell of your hair and your breath…” his eyes travelled from the golden bead that kept her breast in place to her robust waist.

Obiajulu felt her thighs moisten. She ran a tongue over her lips.
“Tonight, we shall meet in this farm. I will ride you to the clouds.” She winked.
Anosike was excited beyond measure. He missed her touch. He couldn’t wait for the call of midnight.

“If you ride me to the clouds, I will buy you the most expensive wrapper in the market; one that your husband will never be able to afford.
She leaned forward and dropped a kiss on his lips. It was swift and unnoticeable. She waved him goodbye and began to stroll towards her husband’s house.

Oriaku had been watching the lovers. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spotted the swift kiss that Obiajulu had dropped on her husband’s lips. The pain was too much for her to bear. The realization had begun slowly but she soon recognized that Obiajulu wasn’t in love with Chinedum.

“If she had an iota of love for her husband, she wouldn’t take the risk of coming to see mine.” Oriaku mumbled to herself. In that moment, she decided to expose the abominable affair between Obiajulu and her husband to the King.

Angrily, Oriaku grabbed the basket of yam seedlings and hurried out of the farm. When she met Anosike by the way, his eyes just roamed her swollen face before he averted his gaze. He walked away from her like she had meant nothing to him. Oriaku made her decision to destroy them both. And she wouldn’t change her mind anytime soon.

At twilight, Ikemba was allowed to rest in the courtroom, before receiving any visitors. He usually sacrificed to Idemiri and Amadioha in the evenings, and after praying to the earth gods, he would sit and rest on the throne. Ikemba was still plagued by the revelation that the oracle of the gods had made.

The words of the prophecy reechoed in his mind. They troubled him and he was forced to sleep to block them out. A wave of darkness supplanted his mind and killed the effect of the words. Ikemba was propelled to a new place on earth; a land where he had never been. And he found himself staring at the face of the sun, and a little hill where yellow flowers grew.

The place smelt of roast goat and spices. From the marking and dark brown stains on the hill, the King could tell that it was a sacred place. It was a place of the gods. It was a place of sacrifice. But why was he here?

He began to move towards the hill, slowly and steadily. He was about climbing the hill when he felt a presence. It was only then that he knew someone else was with him. Ikemba was a man of courage. He was a man of strength, so he feared nothing. He turned around at once, and found a woman behind.

Her face glowed like the sun, and her eyes like fire pebbles. Her hair was silver and reached her waist. She wore a pristine garment and two golden ankle chains. Three white dots made with clay were dropped on her forehead. He knew she was a priestess from her attire. But to what deity?

“Who are you and what am I doing here?”
The old woman smiled, “I don’t know what you have done to gain the favor of the gods. But my spirit tells me that you are a good man and you will be the only one to set my daughter free from the curse of the moon hill goddess.”

The King shrugged and stepped away from her.
“What daughter? What curse?”

The old woman advanced towards him with a calabash that had appeared from nowhere.
“My daughter is the priestess of Anyanwa. Take this calabash and drink from it. You will see more visions and you will be able to locate her for your destinies are entwined.”

At first, Ikemba hadn’t wanted to accept the calabash, but his courage propelled him to. The purple liquid inside the calabash resembled a mixture of herbs which had been crushed together. He emptied all into his mouth. The liquid was the bitterest concoction that he had ever tasted but he hoped it would be effective.

When he was done drinking, he realized that the woman had disappeared.

“Nnam, my King,” the Queen whispered into the night. She had checked the King’s chambers, but she hadn’t seen him. The Queen had come to discuss something very important with Ikemba, but she had found him asleep in the meeting room.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

"Adaora" Season 1 Episode 9



The soft touch from the wrinkly hands stirred him from his evening sleep. Ikemba grabbed the dagger underneath his kingly garment at once. But the instinct to attack an enemy quickly vanished as he recognized his mother in the dimly lit arena.
“You look troubled,” His mother said.

Ikemba sighed, “What kind of man would sleep in peace knowing that he would never father a child?”

“Tufiakwa! You will have a son my child. Your loins will soon be blessed by the gods. All we need is to follow the direction of the priestess. The right woman will come and she shall bear you a son.” The woman tried to dissuade her son from having negative thoughts.

The King drew a sharp breath and leaned against his wooden throne. He was still perplexed by the dream that he had. Ikemba felt strange about it. The dream had seemed so real and surreal at the same time. And why had the woman faded? Was there really a land like Anyanwa?

“Mother, have you ever heard about Anyanwa in reality? Everything that I know about the land is from moonlight tales.”

The woman was skeptical about such a mysterious village.

“I don’t know much about it, but I have heard stories as well. There are good stories mostly. There are stories of a great people who were blessed by the sun God and the moon Goddess, both which they drew their energy from.”

The King rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as he pondered on the dream. He was to find a maiden from Anyanwa who was under a curse. How could he try this when such a land didn’t exist in the physical?

Unknown to the discussers, they weren’t alone. Just in time, Oriaku who had been filled with so much rage and jealousy had walked towards the meeting room. She had come to report her husband to the king, but the news she’d just stumbled on, was the perfect distraction.
I know someone from Anyanwa! She thought. Of course she did, the slave girl that her husband had bought from the market was an indigene

“I still find it difficult to believe that such a land could exist in the physical world. What if I never find her? I would have to turn over the throne to Chinedum.” The King sighed. Although he was the most powerful man in Ezeudo, he was a very sad man. None of the beautiful women that he had ever married could make him happy. He had reached a point where he considered his life meaningless.

The Queen inhaled a deep breath. She knew that her burden on her son’s shoulders wasn’t easy. She had no idea of what it meant to be King, neither did she had an idea of what it meant to be a barren man.

“It shall be well, the gods are wise.” She chose succor in the common saying of the villagers.

Oriaku was satisfied with all that she had heard and learned. A crooked smile danced at the corners of her mouth. Suddenly, the rage and jealousy that she had felt vanished into thin air, and she was left in deep thoughts about the slave girl, Adaora. Her husband had chosen Obiajulu over her and she had no choice but to let him be.

“I will no longer fight Obiajulu with my mortal strength. The gods would punish them both for their sin when the time is right.” Oriaku made this resolve, before she stepped out of the darkness, towards Ikemba with a basket of yam seedlings and other fruits, only fit for a King.
The Queen wanted to say more to encourage her son, when she noticed the shadow that advanced towards them.

“You have a visitor,” she turned to Ikemba.
The King was surprised as he hadn’t been expecting anyone.
“Who could it be?” He fastened his eyes on the approaching figure. When the figure was closer to the throne room, he recognized her at once. It was Anosike’s wife, the greatest farmer in all of Ezeudo.

“Oriaku!” The Queen smiled.
Oriaku bowed her head in respect to the Queen. When she neared the King, she fell on her knees and worshipped him.

“You may rise virtuous woman. You have done well by paying your King a visit.” Ikemba was pleased to see her.
Oriaku wiped away the dust that her knees had kissed. She quickly presented the basket that she had brought.

“I and my husband wish to donate this to the royal farmers. My husband stored the best yam seedlings for the King. I also brought some delicious coconuts…” Oriaku was lying, she had come for another purpose but she changed her mind.

Anosike was free to do whatever he liked. She no longer cared. She was more interested in finding out what linked Anyanwa and the King.

“You and your husband have done well. Thank you.” The Queen smiled at the woman. The Queen had always admired Oriaku from a distance. As the head of all the women that dwelt in the land, she was privileged to have access to information about every woman. From most women, Oriaku was considered a patient, loving and kind person. But her husband was an insensitive and unfaithful man.

There was a point that the Queen had wanted to suggest Oriaku’s sister for the King, but Oriaku’s barrenness discouraged her.
“I must leave now.” Oriaku flashed her teeth.
The King shook his head, “You cannot come into my presence and leave without a proper welcome.”

He called to one of his guards and asked that a meal be prepared for Oriaku.
“Be smart about it. Send the cooks to work at once!”
“As you wish my King,” the guard bowed. He raised the heavy basket and placed it on his hefty shoulders before leaving.

Oriaku wasn’t comfortable staying in the palace. What if Anosike discovered that she had gone behind his back to pay the King a visit? Her husband was a prideful man and he could get upset about this. Well, she couldn’t speak in the presence of the king without being asked. No living person in Ezeudo could challenge Ikemba’s authority.

“So, how have you been? How is the farm?” The Queen decided to break the silence that was building.
Oriaku was grateful for her intervention.

“Um, everything is fine.” Oriaku fiddled with her fingers. She found it difficult to look at the Ezinne in the eye. The dark skinned woman had eyes that were severely penetrating. They were small, round and blackish. They resembled that of an evil bird, and a glance at them always sent a shudder into people.

The Queen smiled, she sensed that Oriaku wasn’t too comfortable with her.
“I do not bite Oriaku; feel free to discuss anything with me.” The Queen cast a glance at her son who was falling asleep again.

Oriaku ran a tongue over her lips.
“I am sorry for what I am about to say. I stumbled on your discussion about Anyanwa….”
The Queen didn’t look upset or too surprised.

“I have heard many beautiful and magical tales about that place.”
Oriaku nodded, “I happen to know someone from there. She confessed that she is a native of the land but it was recently raided by some slave traders. Those who weren’t killed were taken into slavery. But as I speak, Anyanwa is no longer in existence because everything has been destroyed.”

At the mention of that name, Ikemba’s eyes popped open.
“How do you know this? Who is this person?” He asked.
Oriaku’s heart skipped, she hoped that she wasn’t making a mistake.
“A slave girl that my husband had bought for me,” she answered.
“What is her name?” The King rubbed his chin thoughtfully, as he tried to recollect the dream he had.

“Adaora. She is fair as the sun. Her beauty is like that of the moon. She has a gentle spirit. She is Chinedum’s slave now.” Oriaku continued.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

"Adaora" Season 1 Episode 10



It didn’t take Adaora long to adjust to her new role as a servant. Her mistress seemed to have an aversion to house chores and home management, so she had to plan everything for herself.
She had bathed the children and washed some of their clothes. But she would have to locate the stream in a few days, because the massive water pot was almost empty. Adaora had swept the entire compound, including the rooms of her master and mistress.

Adaora pondered on the magical vision that she had seen earlier. She shuddered at the thought of the gods of Anyanwa finding her in Ezeudo. She almost sliced her finger along the Utazi leaves that she had been chopping for dinner. She kept the knife aside and stared at her hands.

She could never heed the call of the gods, because they had abandoned the people when they were needed most. If the gods were that powerful, they would have answered her mother when the slave traders had come.

“I want nothing from any of you! I want nothing at all! Stay away from me!” She pointed at the udara tree as she spoke. Tears dribbled across her cheeks. The pain of her mother’s untimely demise was still fresh. Never in her life had she imagined that she would work as a slave. But here she was, shredding leaves for the next dinner.

While she was crying, Chinedum had heard her wail. He had just returned from setting night traps. He had caught a big animal and he had expected Obiajulu to welcome him with her warm hug. But there was nobody to. As he advanced towards the kitchen area, he had heard the slave girl crying and it pierced his heart. Of all things that he hated, crying was topmost.
“Adaora?” He called her name for the first time.

Adaora’s spirit almost jumped out of her body when she realized that she had been crying, instead of preparing dinner. She quickly wiped her face with the end of the old wrapper that she had been given. She grabbed the knife and went back to work.
“I called you,” Chinedum dropped the dead rabbit on the plantain leaf where the Utazi leaves had been kept.

Adaora bowed her head, afraid to look into her master’s eyes.
“Welcome master, I am sorry that dinner isn’t ready yet. I will make the fire and boil yam as soon as I can.”

“I wasn’t asking after dinner. Why are you crying? What happened? Did my wife hit you?” Chinedum asked calmly. Briefly, he wondered where Obiajulu was. The moon had shown her beautiful face, and his wife was nowhere to be found.

Adaora was more afraid of Obiajulu than her husband. The woman was a complete devil and Adaora didn’t want to do anything to step on her toes.

“Not at all, I am very fine!” Adaora insisted. She couldn’t drag her mistress into this mess.
He knew that she was not being truthful. She wasn’t ready to talk about whatever it was that bothered her. And he didn’t want to press further.

“Where is my wife?” He lowered himself and fetched some Utazi leaves.
“I haven’t seen her since afternoon, but the children are sleeping. I have bathed them and given them evening food.”

Chinedum wasn’t comfortable with his development. He swallowed the bitterness of the leaves and moved towards his room. If Obiajulu didn’t show up in a short moment from then, he would know that she was in trouble. But for now, he just needed to take a bath and wait for his dinner.

A smile played on his lips as he thought about Adaora. The slave girl was extremely beautiful and homely. His children had warmed up to her, and that really pleased him. His only wish was for Obiajulu to treat her like a human being, and not a lesser person.

Usually, the lovers always met at the dead of the night, but Anosike had changed his mind about the whole thing. He had sent a secret message to Obiajulu to meet him. Now that Oriaku knew about their affair, they needed to be more discreet.

Obiajulu had noticed that her husband had given the dirty slave her new wrappers, she had been on her way to Adaora’s hut for another round of beating, when a little boy had showed up with a basketful of bush apples. Bush apples were little reddish fruits which could only be found in the deepest forest of Ezeudo, the venue of her meeting with Anosike. At once, she abandoned her plans to beat up Adaora. Her love for Anosike was greater than all.

As she walked deeper into the forest, she imagined what it would feel like to finally be the Queen of Ezeudo. Her husband wasn’t an ambitious man like Anosike, but she was going to push him to overthrow his cousin. Ikemba was a barren and cursed King. There was no way that he would ever father a child. It was common knowledge that her husband was next to the throne, Chinedum had to arise and take matters into his hands.

The blade of the grasses scratched her skin, leaving reddish marks which were hidden by the weakness of the moon. Obiajulu ignored the insect bites and the uncomfortable sting of some grasses. All she wanted was Anosike. She wanted to love him. She wanted to join her body with him.

Her heart raced as she spotted a tall figure leaning against an oil bean tree.
“My darling!” She beamed with excitement.
Anosike, who’d been waiting for her to arrive, peeled himself lazily from the mighty tree. He had missed her all day. He couldn’t wait to make love to her. At a point, he didn’t expect her to show up, but she greatly surprised him.

“I didn’t know that you would show up…”
Obiajulu framed his face in her hands and whispered, “How could I stay away from your touch? Oh, how I have missed you.”

The lovers adored their faces with their hands. Their eyes were glued together. Their heartbeats matched. They were destined to be together. Anosike pulled his best friend’s wife closer to his body. He wanted Obiajulu to feel his hardness. He was going to make passionate love to her, and he wouldn’t stop until she confessed that he was better than her husband.
“Do you really miss me?” His voice was seductive.

Obiajulu’s breath was rushed, she couldn’t wait.
“Please, don’t torture me tonight. I have waited enough,” she begged.
Anosike smiled. With a puckish light that danced in his eyes, his hands found the knot that held her wrapper pieces in place. He pulled it backward and the fabrics fell to the ground.

He swept her sleek body into his arms and carried her to a shade that he had erected for the sole purpose of their affair. He dropped Obiajulu’s naked body on the raffia mat. He allowed the moon and the stars to gaze upon her beauty.

“I am lucky to have your heart and body,” he dropped a kiss on her neck.
Obiajulu welcome his hard chest, which brushed past her nipple by holding his naked back with her hands.

His tongue was warm at first, but the warmth vanished as he began to trace a line from her neck to the rising of her breasts. Obiajulu swallowed. Anosike was a man who loved details. He hated rushing. He completely understood her body. But tonight wasn’t that night they would take things slow.

“Hurry, I didn’t tell Chinedum about my movement,” she whispered.
Obediently, his lips found the buttons on her breasts. He swallowed one swollen tip and fed hungrily like a little child. His hands caressed the flesh of her belly, the sweep of her hips and her smooth legs.

TO BE CONTINUED

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

"Adaora" Season 1 Episode 11

She couldn’t help but moan out loud her pleasure as he sucked her boobs which were fully engorged with blood. The heat from this passion melted every resolve in her, and she welcomed the moisture that pelted from the sacred fountain between her legs.

Anosike relished every bit of the pleasure he was offering. Her moans were his aphrodisiac. Obiajulu knew how to spur a man on, unlike his wife who would lie like a log of wood. Oriaku was a very boring woman, and he sometimes wondered what had attracted him to her.
“Are you ready?” He whispered.

“Please…” she moaned as his fingers began a journey to the middle of her legs.
Anosike found the golden spot where her nectar flowed from. Gently, he parted the petals of her flower, and began to caress the golden knob which was the centre of all her pleasure.

She writhed and screamed. His hands had found the place that she yearned to be touched. She cried out his name to the forest. Even the crickets and night birds were stunned by such a strange sound. Anosike smiled, Obiajulu really missed him. He could swear on his life, that this woman wouldn’t be able to live without him.

He felt the tension of her tender laps. Soon, her pleasure ride would come to an end, but he couldn’t allow that. He wanted them to mate at once. He wanted them to be complete together. So he untied the wrapper around his waist and parted her legs wider.
“I love you,” he said. But she didn’t respond because her senses were dulled by the intensity of the sexual delight.

He drove his hard shaft into her sharply. Obiajulu gasped and spread her legs to allow him full entrance. She cried his name all through the ride. Anosike was used to the feel of her soft core. But tonight seemed very different, the pleasure he derived from her softness was greater. If he didn’t know Obiajulu well, he would have accused her of making use of some magical plants to sweeten her womanhood.

Unknown to them, the goddess of the moon was about to bless them with a seed. Anosike poured out the seed into her, and her womb was filled with special warmth. Obiajulu cried out his name as she found her release.

“You were amazing tonight. If I didn’t know you well enough, I would’ve accused you of using a charm on me.” Anosike broke the comfortable silence that was.
She smiled and leaned closer to him. Obiajulu wished this was real. She wished Anosike was her husband in reality.

“You always make me happy. Why did we not marry each other?” A rueful smile curled her lips.
Anosike moved away from her and straightened on the mat. He had asked himself the same question all over again. At first, their relationship seemed more of lust, but he discovered that he shared many things in common with her. They were highly ambitious and ruthless. And they loved each other that way.

“Fate, the gods,” he shrugged.
“The gods be damned. The gods are dead.” Obiajulu scoffed, but he quickly corrected her.
“Don’t speak disrespectfully of the gods, my darling.”
She sighed, “I spoke to Oriaku today. I believe that you saw us.”
“Yes, what did she say?” Oriaku’s husband asked.

“Did she ask you to bring that slave into my house?” Obiajulu would take a decision from the manner that he would answer the question. Obiajulu had a feeling that Oriaku knew about their affair but she wasn’t sure.
Anosike could read her face like a book.

“I do not love Oriaku. It is you that matter to me. I had to let her bring the slave to your home else she would have exposed us!”
“Expose us? How did she get to know about us?” Obiajulu snapped at him. She was irritated by weak men who couldn’t take decisions on their own, and Anosike was one of such men.

“You are being angry for nothing. Oriaku is a halfwit. Just leave her to me; I know how to handle her.” He tried to sound convincing.

Obiajulu chuckled, “If you knew how to handle her, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Your wife knows about us and she is trying to ruin my marriage with that slave girl. Adaora is the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen, and no sane man will resist her if she is set to seduce him.”

“I can resist her. Her beauty does not match yours,” Anosike said this proudly.
“That is not the point. My husband is a kindhearted man and that fool may want to use that against him. Do you know that he gave her some of my wrappers to wear?” Obiajulu was still pissed as she recalled seeing her clothes on Adaora’s fair skin.

Anosike was upset that he had failed her, and it was all Oriaku’s fault.
“Do not be angry my Queen, I will handle Oriaku.”
“You better do, she is really getting on my nerves.” Obiajulu warned.

The lovers rose to their feet and began to dress. Anosike’s mind was saturated with anger. He would give Oriaku the beating of her life, until she learned to mind her business.
On the other hand, Obiajulu decided to ignore Adaora for now. She was more interested in convincing her husband to take the throne. She couldn’t wait to become that which she had always dreamt of- a Queen.

“Are you still angry with me?” Anosike pulled her into his arms.
Obiajulu ignored him, “Just handle that wife of yours.”

Oriaku had returned to an empty house, she wasn’t surprised. She had expected her husband to meet with his lover somewhere, as they had planned. The woman was no longer bothered by Anosike’s foolish ways. She had found something else to occupy her mind. The Queen mother had opened up to her when the King had vacated the meeting room. It was a matter of great confidentiality and she felt humbled to beg granted access to such information.

The Queen had given her a job, and she was going to work on that. She was to observe Adaora for some weeks, and give a report on the overall character to the Royal family. They weren’t sure if she was the woman that the oracle had spoken about, but they needed to groom her first.

“I can hardly wait,” Oriaku thought to herself. When she was done pondering on all the events that had taken place in her day, she decided to take some rest. Oriaku’s eyes were half closed when she heard a violent tapping on her door.
“Open this door you fool!” Anosike grumbled.

Only a foolish woman would be unaware of what was about to take place. Oriaku was no longer scared of Anosike. He could rot in the grave, for all that she cared. She had confirmed her greatest fears and she had accepted them. Anosike was no longer in love with her; he was also cheating on her with Chinedum’s wife. She knew Anosike’s secrets and she would use them against him.

Before now, Oriaku had confronted Obiajulu at her husband’s farm. She was quite sure that Obiajulu had put Anosike up to this. Oriaku decided to ignore his raging rants. When he was tired, he would retire for the night.

But Anosike wasn’t tired. His lover had put him up to a task, and he had to accomplish it. He needed to regain power over Oriaku, which was the only way that he would have a smooth relationship with Obiajulu again. He cherished his darling and wouldn’t let anything happen to her.

“Open this door right now or I will break it down and send you out of my house!” Anosike barked.
Oriaku scoffed. At first, she had wanted to ignore him, but his yelling only increased. Sensing that Anosike had come to beat her again, Oriaku rose to her feet and carried her lamp towards the corner where she kept some sharp objects. There was a pestle among the items, so she picked it.

“This would do,” she whispered. She had sworn on her life not to endure Anosike’s beatings any longer. If he was that brave, he should go and beat up Obiajulu.
Oriaku pulled open the door without hesitation, as expected, Anosike had come with seven long canes to whip her.
“My husband, you seem very angry…” she hid her weapon behind her.

“You dirty fool! What did you say to Obiajulu at the farm?” Anosike quickly shut the door and threw the canes on the ground.
Oriaku smiled and shifted back, “Whose word would you rather believe, the word of your wife or mistress?”

She wasn’t done with her statement when she felt a hot and burning slap against her cheeks.
“You have bitten more than you can chew. You have grown wings in my house but I would clip them today!”
He lowered himself and fetched a cane. But he wasn’t fast enough as Oriaku had seized this opportunity to render him powerless. She inhaled a deep breath, lifted her weapon into the air and let it crash on his left shoulder.

Anosike gave a loud scream. The pain was unexpected and deep. With his eyes, he witnessed the river of blood from his hands.
“What did you do?” He staggered and fell.

“I have had your beatings enough. If you knew you wouldn’t love me and be faithful, then you shouldn’t have married me. If you ever lay your filthy hands on me again, the whole land would know about your affair with Obiajulu!”

TO BE CONTINUED

[Miss Ifeoluwa]

"Adaora" Season 1 Episode 12

She marched towards the hut with gingerly steps. She moved like one who was about to steal something in the middle of the night and under the glare of the full moon. Obiajulu’s heart raced with delightful guilt. She smelt of another’s man’s sweat. She also smelt of sin.

Chinedum would want to know where she had gone to. Well, she had concocted a perfectly; one that he could never argue against. She was certain of her husband’s love, and no one could replace her. She had to find a way to convince him to snatch the throne from Ikemba. Once this was done, she would find a way to make Anosike the King that he truly was.

Chinedum had been waiting outside after his dinner. He had found it difficult to go to be without his wife. His eyes were on the stars. He watched as each did a majestic dance in the sky. The moon wasn’t shy tonight. Her light poured down on Ezeudo and his eyes fed from her beauty. It was on bright nights like this that men pondered on deeper things.

Chinedum was considering the words of Obiajulu before she had left the house. Obiajulu was right about the throne. He deserved it. He was a worthy son of the soil. The throne was his birthright, especially now that Ikemba couldn’t impregnate a woman.

“I have a son and a daughter, perhaps the gods had blessed me for a time like this,” he murmured. Before taking a decision, Chinedum did a mental check of all his memories. Ikemba was a good man and had always been nice to Chinedum. When his parents had died, leaving him an orphan, the King’s mother, Ezinne had taken him in. Ikemba had treated him like a brother. Ezinne had raised him like her own son.

Ikemba wasn’t perfect. He was a man of violent temper, but he had the heart of a child. Chinedum didn’t find any fault in him, so he decided to go against Obiajulu’s wishes.
 
“All my life, the King and his family have been faithful to me. I cannot take the throne unless the gods will it so. Ikemba is the chosen one and his reign would be blissful to the end.” Chinedum whispered the words of prayer as he stared into the face of the moon.

Obiajulu wasn’t going to be pleased, but he didn’t care. Some things were bigger than mortals. If they tried to meddle into the politics of Ezeudo, the gods would become angry.
His eyes were still on the silvery ball that lived permanently in the night sky when he heard a sound. The hunter spirit in him awoke immediately, and he grabbed his lamp. It was the sound of rustling leaves.

“Who is there?” Chinedum barked into the night as he noticed a movement.
There wasn’t any answer. Quickly, the man grabbed the machete that lay next to him and rose to his feet. He was a courageous man indeed. He could kill to protect his household.

“It is I, Obiajulu, the wife of your youth,” she announced her entrance.

Only then did Chinedum release the breath that he held. He was greatly relieved to hear her voice.

“You scared me. Where have you been all day? The children missed you. I couldn’t sleep knowing you were still out there.”
Obiajulu grabbed the bushy sides of his face between her tender palms. And with her seductive smile, she melted his heart.

“I am sorry my husband. I should have told you about my little journey to Ogboagu. I didn’t mean to startle you or get you worried. I had gone to pluck some vegetables from the farm, when a good woman sent word from Ogboagu. My aunt is very ill and I had to go see her,” she explained.

Chinedum wasn’t upset at all. He knew about Obiajulu’s barren aunt, Ifeyinwa. The woman loved his wife like her own child. They had a bond. He understood why Obiajulu had to travel to the neighboring village at such a short notice.
“You did well, my jewel. How is she now?” Chinedum asked.
“She has a fever, but she would be better by dawn,” she answered.

He was pleased by her show of kindness. He only wished that she showed the slave girl same.
“How are the children? Did they have anything to eat?” She released his face and decided to take rest on the stool next to his’. Her whole body ached from Anosike’s gruff lovemaking. She relished every bit of it. She couldn’t wait to meet with her lover next time.
Chinedum dropped the lamp and the machete on the ground before joining her on his chair.

“Yes, Adaora prepared a delicious meal of yam. Would you like to have some?”
Obiajulu declined, it seemed having a slave wasn’t such a bad idea after all.

“She did well.”

“Yes, she did. You must be nicer to her. My Spirit likes her, so does our children.”
Obiajulu would have been upset by his words, but for the burden that weighed on her mind. She was obsessed with royalty. All she ever dreamt of was becoming a queen and that’s the reason she had married Chinedum in the first place. She had thought that he would be the crowned prince, but her dreams were shattered when the oracle of the gods chose his cousin, Ikemba.

“I will be nicer to her if she does what is right,” she whispered.

The couple fell into a comfortable silence. The wind spiraled around them, raising a little dust. The mighty Udara tree swayed from side to side. These two were oblivious to the shiny bulbs that grew on the tree. Their spiritual eyes weren’t open to see the goddess of the moon leaning on the tree. She had come to see her own, and prepare her for the journey that was ahead.
“It is going to rain.” Obiajulu finally broke the silence but her husband didn’t offer a retort.

When Chinedum was done calculating the consequences of not fighting for the throne, he cleared his throat; in a manner that silenced his wife, for she sensed that her husband was about to say something important. He inhaled a deep breath and glared at her face. Obiajulu’s dark beauty was the same at night. The darkness couldn’t overshadow her loveliness.

“There’s something I want us to discuss. You may not like it, but as your husband and head of this house, my decision is final.”

Obiajulu ran her wet tongue over her lips. She wondered what it was that sat on her husband’s mind. She said nothing. She waited.

“I have no interest in becoming King. Ikemba is blessed by the gods. He is a man of the people. The King may not have an heir, but the dwellers of Ezeudo are prepared to be under his rule for a very long time. When I had nothing, my cousin was there for me. He loved me and treated me like his brother. I would not let greed and ambition get into the way of our relationship. I will not be the first to betray a King.”

TO BE CONTINUED