Super Story: Dance Of The Virgin - Full Episode

[Mr. Babatunde]

EPISODE 7

‘Meat shall be plenty, I shall hunt the woods tomorrow for antelopes and grass cutters’ he replied cheerfully, pleased that the Queen showed interest in what he did.

‘Alright then, I welcome you all to my palace, chiefs of Ozodo’ she raised her staff and they all bowed their heads.

‘Many of you may think me an evil queen because of how heavily I have taxed the people’ she stared at Omiro briefly.

‘I had my reasons for doing that; I want all our warriors to be equipped with weapons and horses for the war that is to come’ she explained.

‘What war my Queen? Ozodo is a lone kingdom, we have no enemies, the only contact we have with the outside world is with the Hunani nomads and traders’ Mazi Ekere pointed this out and the other chiefs laughed.

‘I know, but have you ever asked yourselves if there is anything beyond the huge mountain’? She stepped down from her thrown.

‘There is nothing beyond the mountain except wild animals and scanty vegetation’ Omiro cut in.

‘Patient son. Let me prove a point to you’ she snapped her fingers.

At the snap of her fingers, five Hunani nomads walked towards the middle of the throne room.

‘Sacrilege! Why would you let strangers into your throne room Jaja’? Mazi Ekere rose to his feet.

‘Tell them what you told me seven months ago’ she returned to her throne.

The Hunani nomads were dressed in long garments and they covered their heads with turbans of multiple colors; they were all tall and slender with a pale light skin.

‘I greet you all’ the eldest of them bowed and then fetched a little box from his bag.

‘As you all know, we the Hunani nomads are mainly into cattle rearing and trading; we have traveled lands, far and near and in our many travels we stumbled on the land beyond the mountain. One of our men was captured while we managed to escape. Here is what I found’ he opened the box and revealed a stone whose glimmer was like nothing they’d ever seen.

‘That is s beautiful’ Mazi Ekere rose to his feet.

‘It looks expensive’ another chief said.

‘Gold’ Omiro rose to his feet.

‘Here Jaja’ the Hunani man dropped the box before the Queen.

‘Where did you find this’? Omiro asked.
‘The land beyond the mountain, my prince. I assure you that there are inhabitants in the land; they are human and share similar language and culture as you. They are very rich, in gold and honey pebbles’ he brought out another box.

‘What are honey pebbles’? Omiro was curious.

‘It flows from their spring, taste so sweet, melts easily in the mouth’ the Nomad offered the prince the box.

Omiro exchanged glances with his mother, it after she nodded that he fetched the brown pebble and dropped it in his mouth.

It was the most delicious thing he had ever tasted; its flavor was rare, he had never tasted something like this.

‘Do you all believe me now’? Jaja Nana asked.

‘Yes we do, but how do we conquer this land for ourselves’? Mazi Ekere asked.

‘That is a good question; I love realists’ Jaja Nana laughed.

‘He is a right mother; we need to capture them and rule; they are richer than us in gold and honey pebbles, if they realize there is a land beyond the mountain, they will come for us and seek to rule over us’ Omiro replied thoughtfully.

‘You have made a good point, but this Hunani man has assured me that they do not know about our existence, so that gives us great advantage’ Jaja Nana replied.

‘But you told us one of your men was captured, he would tell them about Ozodo’ Omiro faced the Hunani.

‘I doubt it, they must have killed him; the King is fierce and the people are violent. They have weapons and armory and a lot of men’ he returned.

‘Then we have a lot of work to do’ Omiro rose to this great challenge.

He dreamt of being the greatest king that ever lived; he wanted to be better than his mother and his father; he wanted the outside world to hear about Ozodo.

‘Be patient son, we would invade the land beyond the mountain after the Virgin dance; after you have chosen for yourself a wife and crowned as King’ Jaja Nana replied.

‘Why the long wait? Can we invade them now? It’s best to attack the opponent when they are less suspecting and weak’ he replied.

‘I know son and it is also good to tread with caution. We shall wait some more till your wedding is over’ Jaja Nana replied.

 ‘As you wish mother’ Omiro bowed. He would wait, once he had picked his bride, they would conquer the land beyond the mountain for themselves.

‘You may go now’ Roka said to the servant girl he’d just made love to.

‘Did you like it’? He called to her.

‘Yes,  my king’ she replied shyly and scurried out of the room.

‘Phew,’ he released a breath and rose to his feet.

He loved to make love, it relaxed his mind and helped him to take better decisions.

He peeled himself from the bed made of feathers and strolled to his window; he watched the inhabitants of the land going about their usual activities.

The morning had come, another day had been born; the farmers left for their farms; the miners left for the gold mine and the warriors, they resumed their training.

His eyes traveled to the huge mountain that blocked them from the outside world; his curiosity grew in size; he couldn’t wait to see what the land had to offer.

His land was already rich in gold and honey pebbles; all he needed was more people to work in the mines.

‘Fetch me my hammer, I need to train’ he said aloud; he thought one of his warriors had stepped into his chambers.

‘Dress up, there is something I must show you’ Analin stormed into the room.

‘You really should learn how to knock’ He fetched his robe and slipped it on.

‘And you should learn not to wake up naked’ she snorted and walked out of his room with Roka beside her.

‘What is this thing of great importance that cannot wait’? He asked Analin.

‘I found something very disturbing among the things I gathered last night’ Analin replied, with her brown eyes a little troubled.

‘Don’t worry sister, we shall find an answer to the puzzle that troubles you’ Roka caressed her hair.

‘Here, look what I found, does this remind you of anything’? She fetched a golden bead from the bag.

‘I must have picked it from the floor, I think the girl owned this and maybe the men dragged it off from her while they tried to defile her body’ Analin suggested.

‘This looks like it came from here, what business does it have with the land after the mountain’? Roka fiddled with the bracelet.

He noticed his sister looked afraid.

‘What is it’?

‘What if Adoni or one of her followers had managed to escape and they are out there? That bracelet belonged to the ruling class, the royals of these land. Something strange is happening here’ she sighed.

[Mr. Babatunde]

EPISODE 8

‘What if Adoni or one of her followers had managed to escape and they are out there? That bracelet belonged to the ruling class, the royals of these land. Something strange is happening here’ she sighed.

‘So you feel they somehow managed to escape the tight security that had been provided that night? Now, don’t be a ridiculous sister, you are really stressed and I think you need some sleep’ he dropped the bracelet in his pocket and moved closer to her.

‘I am serious Roka! If I could climb down the mountain, any other person could. I am telling you, brother, someone from our land is out there and we have to do something about it. What if they tell people about this place? That would affect all our plans’ Analin was a warrior and she knew this before one went to war, you needed a strategy.

If the people they planned on conquering got wind of the fact that they were people beyond the mountain; it would give them time to prepare and what was an invasion without the element of surprise?

‘You know what? I understand your fears. I take back my words, we would not invade the land today’ Roka announced, he had thought It through and decided against it.

‘Why? What changed your mind’?

‘It would be foolhardy to attempt and invasion on a land that I have not set foot on or seen’ he grinned.

‘Are you saying that you don’t trust my judgment’? Analin felt hurt that her brother didn’t have enough faith in her.

‘I am not saying that sister, but the eyes of a man and the eyes of a woman are different’ he shrugged.

‘So why did you make me the chief of your army’? She gritted her teeth.

‘You fight well; better than all my warriors, I must see this land for myself. I shall take five warriors with me and we will go scouting and be ravaging’ he winked.

‘I am coming along’ Analin’s voice was stern.

‘No you are not. Who would watch the land when I am gone’? Roka asked.

‘The adviser is dead, the wise one is gone, sister. You must stay and watch the land’ he replied.

‘As you wish’ she stormed angrily out of the war room.

‘Always so angry’ Roka laughed and rubbed the bracelet in his pocket.

He trusted his sister and understood the reason behind her fears and he was going to settle it.

One thing was sure, if he found any usurper after the mountain, he would plunge his sword deep into them. Nothing was going to stand in his way of becoming the greatest king that ever lived.

 Zabacha and her mother sung and clapped happily as their enemies were gone but that wasn’t the end of their problem.

‘Mother, what if she still shows up for the dance’? Zabacha stopped in her steps as she expressed her fears.

‘She wouldn’t. Nai’muri know what we are capable of; I will kill her with my bare hands should she show up on that day’ Kamsi was suddenly enraged as she realized they had not done enough to keep Nai’muri away.

‘Kill who’? Mazi Ekere heard part of the conversation as he returned from Jaja Nana’s palace.

‘Welcome my husband’ Kamsi smiled and jumped to her feet.

‘Zabacha, fetch me some goat’s milk to quench my thirst’ he turned to his daughter.

‘Welcome Papa’ she bowed her head and rushed to do as he asked.

‘So who were you planning to kill’? Mazi sat on a stool next to his wife.

‘I was joking, you seem really tired, and how was the meeting with Jaja Nana’? Kamsi asked.

‘Something very strange came up, there is a land beyond the mountains, a king and a people’ Mazi Ekere replied.

‘A land beyond the mountain’? A chuckle escaped her throat at her husband’s ridiculous statement.

‘Yes. And why do you find it funny’?

‘My husband, we both know there is nothing beyond the huge mountain, why would Jaja Nana allow a Hunani to deceive her? I feel they could be luring her into a trap.

‘Here it is father’ Zabacha returned with a gourd.

‘That is why I hate discussing things with women, you are all so small minded’ he said before gulping down the contents of the gourd.

‘What is going on’? Zabacha whispered to her mother.

‘Your father and Jaja Nana say there is a land beyond the huge mountain, isn’t that ridiculous? We all know there is no such thing, I find it difficult to believe’ Kamsi clicked her tongue.

‘I believe father, anything is possible’ Kamsi took sides with Mazi.

‘You take after your father; now I must go hunting, stay well both of you’  he left for his chambers to fetch his hunting instruments.

‘Why are you smiling mother’? Zabacha noticed a faint smile on her mother’s lips.

‘Us. We are now one big and happy family, I pray that evil woman and her daughter never return to this house again’ Kamsi said.

‘You’re right mother, everything feels so right now Nai’muri and her mother are gone, once I win the dance contest, our lives would be much better’ she was confident about this.

‘Yes, and it would make I and your father really proud.

The cries of the antelope and the whistling on the trees was a sign that morning had come for the woods.
‘It’s morning already, I had a wonderful sleep’ Nai’muri yawned and stretched. She had never slept so peacefully even while she was at her father’s house.

Had she always gone to bed in tears or woken up in anxiety? But the night at the woods? It was perfect and very relaxing.

‘Mother’? Her heart raced as she realized she was alone on the furry blanket.

She quickly rose to her feet and scanned the woods, her mother’s belongings were still intact in the basket, where was she?

‘You woke at last’ Adoni returned with a bush animal.

‘Good morning mother, how did you get that’? Nai’muri was surprised her mother could hunt.

‘I was married to a hunter, what do you think’? Adoni replied.

‘We’ll need some fire to roast the meat, so get on with it, while I clean the insides’ she said to her daughter.

‘You are such a strong woman mother, I am proud to have you’ Nai’muri rushed forward and hugged the woman.

‘And you are a beautiful pearl Meekhabash’ Adoni kissed her face.

‘Where is your bracelet’? She noticed Nai’muri was not wearing the bracelet she had given her from birth, the remains of everything she owned back at her home.

‘I…I’ Nai’muri noticed she wasn’t wearing the bracelet.

‘Those men…I must have taken it off while struggling with them’ she suddenly felt afraid as she remembered the event of the previous night.

‘Assura! Have mercy, that bracelet was a golden one, it costs a fortune and it was so special to me’ Adoni cherished the bracelet so much as it reminded her of her heritage.

‘I am so sorry mother, maybe I could go back to the bush, maybe I could still find it’ she noticed this bracelet seemed very important to her mother.

 

[Mr. Babatunde]

EPISODE 9

‘I am so sorry mother, maybe I could go back to the bush, maybe I could still find it’ she noticed this bracelet seemed very important to her mother.

‘No. You cannot risk your life for a bracelet, what if you get into trouble another time’? Adoni held her hands.

‘But it means so much to you’ Nai’muri cried.

‘Yes it does but it is not as important as you, my child’ Adoni replied and drew her in for a hug.

‘I am so sorry mother’ Nai’muri sobbed.

‘Oh, don’t be ridiculous! It was just a bracelet’.

‘Not just a bracelet mother! A golden one’ Nai’muri broke away from her.

‘You know what? I am hungry, go deep into the woods but not too deep, fetch some firewood and let us get started’ Adoni shooed her away.

‘Alright, mother’ Nai’muri hopped away. She felt happy that her mother had pushed her pain away, she wasn’t crying as usual; she had accepted their fate.

 ‘My beautiful pearl’ Adoni smiled as she watched her daughter walk away.

Nai’muri was very beautiful; she was tall and well built. Her skin was a clear and attractive shade of honey; her eyes were round and brown; her nose was smallish and round and her red lips were plum and attracting. It was her hair that was her seat of beauty; it was longer than the hair of other maidens, it fell to her waist and she let it flow proudly.

‘The land beyond the mountain’ Adoni muttered and thought of her people. Nai’muri looked exactly like them; they were mostly tall, fair of skin and with long hair, only that Nai’muri’s skin was slightly darker than hers because of her Ozodo blood.

She crawled towards her basket that contained her belongings and fetched a dagger from it, she would use it and skin the animal, making it ready for them to eat.

She hummed a song while she was at it. A song her mother’s mother had taught her, a song of freedom and hope. A song that brought tears to her eyes; tears of regrets and tears of fears.

She paused as she felt the wind blow so strongly; she turned round but there was no one; a sick feeling crept up inside her that she was being watched.

Roka, the king of the land beyond the mountain had taken five men along with him to scout the new land they had discovered.

‘Stay with me, don’t do anything that I don’t command’ he said to his warriors.

‘We shall obey all your words’ they replied as they reached the foot of the mountain and scurried into the woods.

Roka was a warrior and he had learnt so many strategies on sneaking up on people; he had replaced his clothes with leaves and painted his face with the blood of a bird he had killed. He intended to become, to look, to smell like the woods and he succeeded.

The wind had carried a message to him and he had received it.

‘The gods be praised, I see a human’ he whispered to one of his men.

‘She looks like us, only that her skin is darker’ Saka, one of his warriors said.

‘And she is extremely beautiful’ Roka observed. All his life, he had never seen a woman so attractive.

‘Go to the entrance of the woods and wait for me there, if she is not alone, kill all those that are with her; we must keep our identity a secret’ Roka ordered his guards.

‘Yes, Your Majesty they dispersed into the woods.

He drew a deep breath as he marveled at her great beauty; his dark eyes were tainted with deep desire to ravage her, to take her right there.

She was dressed differently from the girls in his land; two wrapper pieces, the red covered her breasts and the green covered her hips; they covered her entire body leaving her flat belly opened; her waist was slightly exposed and it was covered with heavy beads just like the ones that clung to her neck.

‘Arora’ he muttered, it meant beauty in their dialect.

His eyes strayed to her breasts, they were large and supple like the gourds of the sweet melon fruit. Her hips were well shaped and they bulged out; her laps were long and slender and everything in her rested on long legs. She was very much desirable.

He loved her long black hair that fell to her waist, she reminded him so much of the girls back home.

A thought crossed his mind, what if the bracelet belonged to her? What if Analin was right?

This wasn’t  a coincidence, he finalized in his heart that she was a descendant of one of those that had tried to usurp him and had somehow escaped judgment.

He was going to administer judgment to her; that was what he said to himself to mask the desires that welled up in him.

He crawled from his hiding place and covered her mouth swiftly to prevent her from crying for help.

‘Please, please’ Nai’muri struggled against the strange looking man that had taken her body captive.

He lifted her and dropped her on the floor of the woods; her eyes were even more beautiful than he had thought.

 ‘Arora’ he whispered again while his free hand went to his belt as he released it.

Tears filled Nai’muri’s eyes as she saw the glint of lusts in this strange man’s eyes; she had never seen a man like this before; he was very handsome but that was not what she cared about.

‘Get off me’ she tried to fight him but he was stronger than she was.

Roka paused and listened to the sounds of the woods; if there were other people, his men would’ve alerted him. He let go of her mouth and tore the piece of cloth that shielded her breasts.

‘Please, stop’ Nai’muri begun to scream. Fear gripped her as she realized she had wandered far off from her mother; she was doomed because no one would ever hear her scream.

Roka fondled her big round breasts and dropped his lips on them without hesitation; he fed on her like he was hungry.

Tears flowed from her eyes as she realized that he would rape her and she was so helpless.

‘You would like this’ Roka whispered to her but she said nothing in return.

He untied the knot that held the other wrapped in place; it fell off and revealed her true form, her beautiful nakedness; his hands grabbed her hips, caressed it for a while and then parted her legs gently.

‘Please…’ Nai’muri cried.

Roka said nothing, he was already hard and erect and there was no stopping him. He fetched his hard rod in his hands and placed it at the opening of her sacred mound.

A cry of pain and shame filled the air.

[Mr. Babatunde]

EPISODE 10

She decided that fear had preyed on her; the villagers hardly came to the woods, so what reason did she have to fear?

She fetched her dagger and continued to hum a song while dressing the bush animal she’d killed but then she stopped as a familiar scent stung her nostrils.

This was more than déjà vu, it had to be real. Fear gripped her as Nai’muri had not returned. If her thoughts were right, Roka and his men would ravage her daughter without conscience.

She fetched her dagger and trotted deeper into the woods, leaving their baskets and the dressed animal; her hands were bloody, her breaths were deep; she was afraid.

As she moved deeper into the woods, she heard her daughter’s cries.

‘Asurra, where is your justice’? She called on the river goddess as she rushed to the scene.

‘Roka’! She called her king in a bitter voice as she found his naked form atop her daughter.

‘Mother’! Nai’muri cried.

‘Adoni’? Roka’s eyes caught the woman who had tried to kill him, Analin was right after all.

He leapt up and covered himself.

‘You son of a whore, you dare to rape my child. I would kill you and end your reign now’ she tightened her grip on the dagger and advanced towards him.

Fear filled Nai’muri, she had never seen her mother so angry and so determined. She placed the wrapper haphazardly on her body and rushed to stop her mother. This man seemed like a dangerous person and her mother seemed to have met him before.

‘Mother! Please, spare his life’ she rushed to her mother’s side.

‘Spare my life? I guess you have not told her’ Roka laughed and focused on the usurper’s face.

‘Get away from her, from us, you have done enough’ Adoni cried.

‘Done enough? When Analin found this in the forest, I chose not to believe her but I see she was right the whole time; you are still alive’ Roka fetched the bracelet from his pocket and showed it to her.

 ‘That’s my bracelet’ Nai’muri observed.

‘I will kill you Adoni;  I would not show you mercy’ Roka’s voice was firm.

‘Please, don’t kill my mother…kill me in her place, you have already done enough’ Nai’muri pushed her mother aside and fell at his feet.

‘Meekhabash, please’ Adoni dragged her backward.

Roka observed her swollen and puffy eyes; how could a daughter sacrifice her life for such a vile mother? Something in her eyes spoke to him, it told him that she was a kind young woman, but he was not here for adulation. He had come with a purpose, with intent.

‘Your mother does not deserve to live’ Roka picked his sword from the ground and dragged it from the scabbard.

‘Please…’Nai’muri sobbed.

‘I love you Meekhabash’ Adoni wept, knowing Roka would never forgive her for the things she had done.

‘Mother’!

Nai’muri’s scream filled the air as Roka severed her mother’s head from the rest of her body. Blood gushed from her and trickled down the woods.

‘You killed my mother, you killed her’ tears trickled down her face; pain embraced her as she stared at the monster of a man that had not only defiled her but taken her virginity.

‘And I have no regrets, your mother deserved to die’ Roka cleaned his sword with some dry leaves.

‘What did she do to deserve this? Who are you and where do you come from’? her voice was weak, she felt confused.

Her mother had no relatives, she had no one, she was a slave and from the look of the man before her, he was not from Ozodo.

‘A lot’ Roka observed her quietly, she seemed oblivious of her mother’s sins.

‘You will never know peace, Assura shall judge you and darken your ways’ her lips moved and released curses on the stranger.

‘Funny. Curses don’t work on kings’ Roko scanned the woods and decided it was time to move on with his plan; they had come to explore the land, Adoni’s execution was a stroke of luck.

 ‘My King! Someone is coming, we must return to the mountains before we are seen’ Saka rushed towards Roka with the other four.

Nai’muri was shocked as more men surrounded her; she was even more afraid of what they might do to her; something strange was happening and she couldn’t help but wonder who the men where.

‘We must take her along with us else she tells the others what she has seen’ Saka whispered to Roka.

She noticed they were whispering, so she began to move back as the thought of another man raping her filled her mind.

He saw the fear in her eyes and he realized he was the cause; he moved quickly and grabbed her by the arm.

‘Please…don’t hurt me again, kill me instead’ Nai’muri fell on her knees and cried.

Roka had never felt such sympathy for anyone like he did that minute; a wave of guilt swept over him and he suddenly regretted his action.

‘I promise, I wouldn’t let them hurt you’ he caressed her hair.

‘Who are you and where do you come from’? Nai’muri managed to ask?

‘Why did you kill my mother? What did she do’?

‘Arora, you ask to many questions, swear to me that you wouldn’t tell your people a word about us, about what you have seen today’ he held firmly to his sword, he wouldn’t take any chances.

‘You monster! You act like you care; I would tell the world of your callousness’ she jumped to her feet.

‘And then you shall die’ he clasped the handle of the sword, but his hands were shaking, he didn’t have the courage to use it on her.

‘Go ahead, I am ready to die’ Nai’muri cried bitterly, she wondered what her life would be without her mother to guide her, to love and protect her.

‘Tell me, why are you so eager to die’? Roka controlled his shaky hands and focused on her.

‘You have taken all that I have, there is nothing left for me’ she stared at her mother’s corpse. This man had violated her and her mother.

He scanned the trees briefly and noticed the sudden flight of birds; the trees seemed to pay homage as they swayed back and forth; someone had entered the woods, they weren’t alone.

‘We have to go’ Roka lifted his sword and called to his men.

‘But what about her’? Saka pointed a finger at Nai’muri.

Roka was about to respond his guard but a thunderous voice sounded and had them running back to the mountain.

“Stop”! Mazi Ekere, the great hunter hurried into the woods with his bow and arrow, he shot at the strange looking men but missed.

‘Father’! Nai’muri was surprised to see him. She wondered what had brought him to the woods; had he had a change of mind and had come to rescue her and her mother and take them back home? Had he discovered the truth that Kamis and her daughter, Zabacha were lying?

 

[Mr. Babatunde]

EPISODE 11

‘Father’! Nai’muri was surprised to see him. She wondered what had brought him to the woods; had he had a change of mind and had come to rescue her and her mother and take them back home? Had he discovered the truth that Kamis and her daughter, Zabacha were lying?

‘Nai’muri, what in Assura’s name is this’? Mazi Ekere fell on his knees as he saw the bloody scene before him.

This was his slave wife but her head had been severed from her shoulders.

‘Give me an answer Nai’muri and who are those men’? He snapped at her. He was furious and confused.

‘I don’t know father, they came out from nowhere and they attacked us’ she explained.

Anger shot through him by what they had done, he rose to his feet and followed the direction of the strange men.

‘Father! Please come back, these men are dangerous’ Nai’muri called after him but he paid no attention.

Seeing that he wouldn’t hearken to her, she fell on the floor and wept till she had no strength left in her. Her world was bleak; it was dark; she was confused. She had so many questions to ask but who would answer them.

Her tears soaked the earth; her sobs entertained the woods, her fingers dug into the soil as she gritted her teeth. This pain was too much to bear.

‘Get up Nai’muri, come home with me. I must speak to Jaja Nana’ her father’s voice interrupted her mourning.

‘I can’t follow you home father, it is your fault this happened’? She wiped her face with the back of her hand.

If he had not chased them out of the house; maybe these men wouldn’t have found them; maybe she wouldn’t have been raped by that monster; maybe he mother would still be alive.

‘I know and I do not argue with you; I feel terrible about what has just happened’ Mazi Ekere fell on his knees and cried.

If he had shown Adoni mercy, she wouldn’t have ended dead.

‘This pain is too much for me to bear father, how can I live without my mother’? Nai’muri asked.

‘Please forgive me for the way I treated you and your mother, come home with me. The woods are no longer safe’ Mazi replied.

He had not found the men, it further terrified him; what if they were hiding somewhere in the woods? What if they were being watched?

‘You have to bury my mother here, we both know if we take her corpse back; Jaja Nana would ask you to throw her body in the evil forest, we both know she doesn’t deserve that; my mother was a good woman’ Nai’muri gathered herself, she needed to be strong for what was to come ahead.

‘But that is against the law of the land’ Mazi cut in.

‘If you want my forgiveness, then you must bury my mother here’ Nai’muri returned. She had enough of ill-treatment; it was time to stand up for herself.

He had never seen Nai’muri this way; she was no longer the timid daughter who cowered before him; she was different and he could feel her pain.

He dropped his skin bag and fetched a machete from it, he would bury his wife in the woods just like his daughter desired.

‘Thank you’ a tear slipped from her eyes as her father begun to dig the earth.

She had not told him about the rape and she didn’t plan to; she was no longer a virgin, she would never go to the dance, this would be her greatest secret.

But one thing was sure, she would find that monster man one day and she was going to kill him for defiling her and killing her mother.

‘This must remain between us, should the villagers ask after your mother, tell them she was attacked and eaten by wild animals…’

He raised his machete and cut off a hand from his slave wife’s corpse.

‘Take this, I shall leave it to rot, it shall be used for evidence, should the need arise’ Mazi Ekere lifted the hand he had severed from the corpse and gave it to Nai’muri.

She clenched her teeth and held her mother’s hand which dripped of blood and made her feel nauseous.
The day had come to an end; twilight had accepted the invitation of the sun and spread her indigo curtains across the skies.

‘Hurry with the snails, your father would soon be home’ Kamsi said to her daughter.

‘Here mother, I am done taking off their shells’ Zabacha passed the calabash to her mother.

As the two women focused on the evening meal, the sound of the gong and the town crier brought them to their feet and they rushed outside the compound to hear the message that was to be passed.

“Hear! Hear! Children of Jaja Nana, sons and daughters of Omiro; inhabitants of Ozodo and worshippers of Assura, today is the fifth day of the festival, a week after the seventh day, the dance of the virgins shall be held at Jaja Nana’s palace; prepare your daughters! Prepare the maidens! The Dance of virgins is here”.

 A smile crossed Zabacha’s face as she heard this announcement.

‘It is time mother! I cannot wait to dance before Prince Omiro, I cannot wait to wriggle my waist for him’ she couldn’t hide her excitement.

‘My child, the crown is yours. I will make sure of that, I must speak to your father once he returns’ Kamsi returned.

Now that Adoni and her evil daughter were out of the way, Zabacha had a chance to win the contest as she had noble blood flowing through her veins.

‘Do you think father can do much’? She asked her mother.

‘Yes. He is a member of Jaja Nana’s ruling council, he could put a good word for us’ Kamsi replied.

‘What if we go there ourselves’? Zabacha suggested.

‘No, that would make us look desperate and cheap before Jaja Nana and Omiro; as much as we want this, we must maintain your dignity’ Kamsi started and was about to say more when she spotted her husband far away.

Her heart sank as she spotted Nai’muri walking alongside.

‘Isn’t that Nai’muri? What does father want with her’? Zabacha bit her lip angrily.

‘Let’s return to the kitchen, he has a lot of explaining to do’ Kamsi grabbed her daughter by the arm and led her away.

Nai’muri was quiet all the way, she had nothing to say to her father; so many thoughts plagued her as the scenes of her mother’s final moment on earth played back.

The monster had said her mother deserved to die.  This made her realize that her mother had left out a huge part of her life; she had never told her about her homeland.

‘Did you hear that child? The virgin dance is coming’Mazi Ekere tried to break the silence that hung between them. Her silence made him feel guiltier and he decided he had acted like a weak man; Adoni had paid for his foolishness.

‘Yes father’ Nai’muri replied curtly, she almost told him that she wasn’t interested but she held herself. No one could suspect she was no longer a virgin; she would never get over such great shame.

‘Father…’ she decided to confide in him, he could quench her curiosity.

‘Yes’?

‘Do you know where mother came from? Her place of birth I mean’ Nai’muri asked.

Mazi Ekere narrowed his eyebrows and wondered why Nai’muri would ask him something like that.

‘I don’t really know honestly, but when I found her in the woods, she told me she was a slave to a Hunani man and he’d abandoned her there’ he replied.

‘Hmm’ she pondered on his words.

What if her mother was hiding something? What if her mother was lying?

‘You don’t seem to believe it’ the man observed her quietly.

‘I do believe you’ she replied.

She couldn’t tell him about the man that had raped her and the things he had told her mother; he had spoken of a land beyond the mountains, could there really be a land beyond the huge mountain?

[Mr. Babatunde]

EPISODE 12

She couldn’t tell him about the man that had raped her and the things he had told her mother; he had spoken of a land beyond the mountains, could there really be a land beyond the huge mountain?

‘I am very sorry Nai’muri, will you ever forgive me’? Mazi Ekere stopped his daughter and reached out for her face.

Nai’muri was touched by this gesture; her father had never shown her care or love; she wondered if he was truly sorry and would repent from meting out harsh treatment to her or was he just reacting this way because he was guilty?

 ‘Father…’ she pressed her hand against his. Fresh pools of tears ran down her cheeks and she couldn’t help but let them out.

‘I know how much it hurts, but you have to forget her now. You must tell me everything about those men, maybe there is a way we can find them and avenge your mother’ Mazi Ekere said.

‘There is no need father, if you start looking around, people would question our story. Remember you told me that if asked, I should tell people that mother was eaten by wild animals’?

‘Are you sure we should let this go’? He wiped her cheeks with his hands.

‘Yes, father. Thanks for showing concern’ she nodded.

‘I promise never treat you badly again’ he kissed her hair.

She looked into his eyes briefly and felt he was showing genuine concern; she decided to forgive him and move on.

They both walked in hand in hand into the compound to Kamsi and Zabacha’s shock.

‘What is this evil girl doing here’? Kamsi stood hands akimbo.

‘She doesn’t deserve to live among the freeborn’ Zabacha concurred.

Nai’muri was already used to their harsh treatment so she chose to ignore them; she had just lost her mother and was in great pain of losing her maiden head too.

‘Quiet you two! Nai’muri just lost her mother to wild animals; Adoni was eaten up in the woods; she deserves some peace’ Mazi Ekere yelled at them.

‘And how is that our business? Nai’muri can’t stay here’ Kamsi ignored him totally.

She felt glad that her rival wife was dead, at least one of her enemies was gone, now Nai’muri was left and she needed to deal with her soon enough.

‘Go to your hut Nai’muri, pay no mind to these fools’ her father released her hand.

‘Thank you father’ she bowed her head and left for her room leaving Kamsi and her daughter stunned and confused.

‘Now you two listen carefully if you ever maltreat Nai’muri or starve her, you’ll have me to contend with’ he gave them a stern warning before leaving for his hut.

‘She has bewitched you but I would not let her spell last long’ Kamsi shouted atop her voice, she wondered what had caused a sudden change in her husband?

‘This is not good for us, we have to do something mother’ Zabacha wore a frown. She had always been her dad’s favorite but she wasn’t so sure now, Nai’muri couldn’t steal her father’s love, she needed to be put in place.

‘Don’t worry Zabacha, she will play right into our hands’.

 King Roka tossed and turned in his bed; the midnight owl had cried its cry yet sleep still refused to come.

Reluctantly, he pursued after memories and found the one that had taken place in the woods.

He slipped off bed and decided to go to his war room; maybe a little training would get his mind off the face that plagued his thoughts.

It was her eyes that saw when he closed his’, they were filled with pain; it was her face that appeared when he tried to sleep; guilt wouldn’t let him be, he regretted everything, all of it. He had taken her maiden had forcefully and he hated himself for it.

‘My lord? Should we help you with anything’? His warriors were on guard.

‘I am fine. I need to be alone’ he grabbed a flaming torch from the wall where it was fixed and walked towards his war room.

The dark room came alive once he stepped into it with his light; he fetched two swords and begun to train. Focus that was all he needed to get her out his head.

He reminded himself that he did what he had to do for justice; Adoni was guilty and she deserved to die and he didn’t feel bad about that.

‘Roka, I hear from your guards that you cannot sleep’ Analin, his sister entered.

‘Here, I brought you some wine, it would help you relax’ she dropped a clay jar and a drinking cup on the table.

‘I don’t need wine; I just want to be alone for now, sister’ Roka kept flinging his sword at an imaginary enemy.

‘Alone? Are you okay Roka? You have been acting weird since your return’ Analin sighed. He had not spoken a word to her since he returned from the new land they had found. She had interviewed the warriors that went along with him but she couldn’t get anything out of them.

‘Leave me’! He yelled at her and then threw the sword on the bare floor.

She was startled by the sound of his voice, she felt hurt by the way he had screamed.

‘I am sorry’ he apologized immediately.

‘Talk to me Roka, I have never seen you like this, talk to me brother’ she moved closer to him.

‘You were right about the bracelet’ he fingered the jewelry that he still clung to; it reminded him of the beauty he had seen in the woods.

‘You found a usurper’? Analin’s eyes widened.

‘This belonged to her daughter’ he lifted the bracelet in the air.

‘Whose daughter’? Analin was eager to know.

‘Adoni’s daughter’ Roka replied.

She found herself in the woods, but this time she was alone; her mother was not there and neither was her father.

“Nai’muri”!

She swirled round as she heard her name; somebody had called her.

‘Who’s there? Who called my name’? She called in return but there was no answer, there was no else in the woods except for her.

Tears streamed down her face as she remembered how her mother had died; she was the kindest woman in Ozodo and she didn’t deserve to die like a dog.

‘I miss you mother’ she sobbed and wiped her face.

As she trudged deeper into the woods, she realized that she had missed her way.

A familiar masculine scent filled her nostrils; fear gripped her as she turned round and found him staring at her.

He was there, just like that day in the woods when he had ravaged her. He wore a golden robe and there was a crown on his head.

He was tall, fair of skin and very handsome. His irises were light brown and had an alluring glare; his nose was firm; his brows were finely arched and his lips were sensuous but she reminded herself that he was a monster.

‘What do you want, monster’ she retreated her steps.

‘Don’t call me that Arora, my beautiful one, please don’t’ he advanced towards her.

‘No! You killed my mother before my eyes, you defiled me. It is what you are and what you will always be’ a tear dropped as she moved away from him.

‘Your mother was guilty Arora, for that I can never apologize but for you I can, I was overcome by desire and admiration; you are the most beautiful woman that I have ever seen. But that is no excuse for what I did to you, please forgive me’ he begged.

She watched his face quietly; he seemed sincere, his eyes held regret; his features showed remorse, but she yearned to see his heart, what lay there?

‘I hate you nevertheless, monster’ she spat on the earth.

‘I know. I know Arora, you have every right to hate me but I don’t feel the same about you. I love you very much’ he had reached where she stood.

She tried to move away from him but she couldn’t; she found herself entrapped by his gorgeous eyes; she yearned for her lips to touch her but then quickly reminded herself that he was a monster.

‘Go away from me’ she moved back but he grabbed her immediately.

‘I can’t, we are bone and flesh now’ he stared deeply into her eyes and then dropped a kiss on her lips.

 TO BE CONTINUED...........