PRINCESS AMARACHI Episode 19 by Okafor Erasmus Ugochukwu

PRINCESS AMARACHI Episode 19 by Okafor Erasmus Ugochukwu

Without hesitation and seeing that the staff of authority had disappeared and possibly gone back to Ubulu and sitting on the throne to announce the impending arrival of the king, HRH King Omekannaya and her children made plans to start heading back to Ubulu while his beloved wife already gathered the people and making necessary arrangements for a grand welcome that’d be accorded the king to shame the entire enemies in the kingdom that kept hiding in shadows.
Before the King and her children left from Onitsha, the hired and ambulance that took the corpse of Anyamuo to the hospital morgue; instructing the diener to take proper care of the deceased until they come back for the burial.

Amy took her dad out on a royal shopping at Orajiaka (Orajis) traditional wears and artefact shop, bought a lot of royal apparel as well as different kinds of ornaments to beautify the handsome kin. The king felt so happy being in the midst of his daughters as the shopping lasted. After the shopping, they for the village, taking the time to discuss a lot of things on their way back.
The king and the flutist were with Amarachi in her car while Chisimdi followed in a convoy. The tradition demands that the flutist must always be with the king to give him the best music; especially when he’s either troubled or thinking.

The flutist had mastered (from late Akilika) most of the songs needed to be played on different occasions depending on the mood of the king. He is bound under law to remain by the side of the king until he’s dismissed by the king and no other, no matter how placed in royalty.
News spread like wildfire, making Osisioma, Uremma, Chibunna, Akunna and other friends in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka to start celebrating the victory as Amarachi finally reached the zenith of her quest and destiny.
Professional decorators were already hired to take care of beautifying the palace while cooking pros took care of the sumptuous meal under the supervision of the queen mother.

Many traditional rulers were already informed using emissaries sent to them, and other important personnel, making all and sundry to be prepared in the celebratory mood waiting for the great king to arrive.
Filled with uncertainty especially after missing her hubby for over two decades, Mkpulumma tried to arrange for special security forces aside the already existing palace guards and Oganihu Eze group but Oduenyi’s arrival and intervention changed everything. He made the Queen–mother to shun any external securities because the gods had taken over power and rendered other powers powerless like spineless jellies. Oduenyi’s intervention gave her hope since whatever preparations being done were backed by the powers of the Supreme Being. It was almost a perfect moment for her as her happiness knew no bounds.
The red carpet was laid from the entrance gate to the palace as the queen and the entire cabinet waited for the lion of the Ubulu kingdom to arrive.

After about an hour’s plus drive, the king arrived Ubulu; observing the grand welcome accorded him by the Ubulu people that lined up along the road leading from the junction to the palace. As Amy navigated to the palace, the king was so impressed seeing how happy the citizens were, even though he knew that all lizards lie prostrate; therefore hard to know the one suffering from a bellyache. Getting home, the king was so surprised that everywhere was so busy and filled to the brim as if his ofalla festival was going on. He was so proud knowing full well that his wife was the brain behind everything.
He couldn’t imagine that the palace was even more beautiful than it was when he left, making him so proud that his noble home had felt the touch of a noblewoman.

All that king Omekannaya wanted was just to see his beloved wife just as Mkpulumma who couldn’t imagine how she’d feel seeing the face of her beloved husband was busy crying shyly in advance while standing before everyone in that uncontrollable ecstatic mood.
As Amarachi wanted to drive into the compound, the king touched her by the shoulder from the rear seat where he was and said: “I think I’m okay here. It’s time for the king to dance for his people,” looking by his side and seeing the young flutist of 12 years old that was dressed in an all-white robe like a royal boy, he mouthed: “Ogbuoja inokwa nso? (the flutist, are you with me?),”
Ogbuoja nodded and smiled, placing the flute on his lips and ready to give his best.
Seeing that the car had stopped while the people were filled with eagerness to see the king alight from the tinted car, Otaisimbe and Aju Une suddenly came forward dressed in their best warrior’s apparel, genuflected by the door and slowly opened the door for the king while they waited with their heads bowed.

The people on sighting just the king’s special golden crown even before seeing his face began to roar and chant songs but the king didn’t show his face immediately but waited without saying or doing anything.
Ogbuoja suddenly got down and began the native Aja-Nsuleoku dance ( a dance that is only danced by someone whose blessing of the king is protecting at the time of the dance, and it’s only danced in Eke market day). Fortunately, it was Eke market day and the entire people were dressing in their traditional attires.
The people on seeing the special skills of fluting and dancing displayed by the young boy, they all started cheering, roaring and crying with joy. The boy really knew his onions in terms of displaying the dance steps (dancing and bending so close to the ground, shaking the waist so hard and kneeling at intervals as the dance progressed).
After about five minutes, Ogbuoja danced to the door of the car that was already open and began to dance in a circle while the king nodded repeatedly while fanning himself with the royal traditional fan.

Putting one foot on the red carpet and revealing his unsullied white stocking in the all-while royal robe, the people began to make a series of noises and jubilating as the lion showed up.
The king suddenly placed the second leg on the ground, stood up, arched forward, and began to dance the Aja-Nsuleoku dance as he gradually approached the throne already decorated.

As the honourable dance lasted, her majesty waited and watched her hubby proudly; with tears of admiration taking possession of her eyes.
As the king danced, he shook his head in style just as the Ogbuoja closed in fast as he sweet sound of the flute blared to everyone’s hearing.
As she couldn’t just take it anymore, Mkpulumma suddenly got down from the podium and rushed to her dancing husband. While she was coming, the king already spread his arms with tears in his eyes as he welcomed his darling wife.
Getting to the king, the beautifully dressed queen embraced him and continued crying and sobbing so hard that she couldn’t even stop or disguise her glee.
As the embrace lasted, Chisimdi and Amarachi that were dressed in identical royal gowns adorned with ornaments, gold and jewels came closer to their parents and stood around them; all crying as the emotional moment lasted.
Olaedo who was dressed in a royal gown too, looking so beautiful like the princess she was, remained calm and but with feelings of fright and happiness battling inside of her; therefore, she couldn’t come close.

On sighting Olaedo, Amarachi signalled to her to join but she was developing a cold feed to do that.
The king kissed his wife before everyone, with his Oji raised up to heaven and attracting a strong breeze.
As the joyous moment lasted between the couple, the king looked up and saw Olaedo who was meant to be his favourite maidservant dressed in a royal gown, making him feel that something wasn’t connecting or he must have missed a lot.

Still having his hand wrapped around Mkpulumma who couldn’t even raise her eyes to behold the face of the king but kept resting on his shoulder, the King muttered: “Darling, why is Olaedo dressed in royal wears?”
Being that she was still speechless and shocked in the arms of her husband that she missed for ages, Mkpulumma couldn’t talk, except for some tears of joy and nostalgia rolling down on her cheek.
Chisimdi went straight to Olaedo and said: “I know you’re happier than you’re afraid. Why not come forward and be introduced to your dad?”
Hearing Chisimdi address the king her dad got Olaedo giddy, so she tried to maintain her balance in that standing position. It was then that it dawned on her that the king whom she respected and revered so much was actually her dad. On convincing herself of the inevitable truth and reality, she began to cry without controlling herself, even to have tried to run away but Chisimdi held her.
The king didn’t need any explanation this time because, even in the past, he’d been having the feeling of blood connection with the young girl but couldn’t explain what he felt until that day that it became obvious and glaringly true.

After a while of waiting to have Olaedo come closer but to no fruition, Eze Omekannaya wailed: “This is my blood, and I think I can now remember some part of the history that formed her, though not vividly but what transpired eighteen years ago just appeared like it was yesterday. You’re such a wonderful woman to have accepted her without…”
“My love,” Mkpulumma called snatching the speech from the king and making it the first time of talking since her hubby’s return. Through her sobs and tears, she voiced: “I haven’t met a virtuous man like you, even to the point of running away from the kingdom you protect just to avoid getting married to another woman. I have no reason to chase Adaoma away because anything that is produced by the lion must surely be either a lion or a lioness,”
“Utu dike mutara odogwu (the manhood of a strong man has birthed a great child)” The king hollered to the hearing of everyone and beckoned Olaedo forward, “Come closer nwam (my daughter) and fill the bosom of your father, ”
Still feeling uneasy and happy, Olaedo suddenly conjured the lost courage and ran as fast as she could until she got to her dad and embraced him.

Adaoma, who didn’t want to be seen, stood far away among the crowd that veiled her from being noticed, began to cry softly with joy as she watched her beautifully adorned child got cuddled by the great hands of the man she respects so much.
Amarachi and Chisimdi had to join too since their dad already gave the signal of welcome, making all of them be encircled in each other’s arms; crying joyously and thanking God in heaven for finally reuniting the great family.
As this happened, Mmesoma (a.k.a Asamma, the most beautiful maidservant) suddenly rushed to the king and his family with the poisonous Taba-aja (eat grass) powder while every other person’s attention wasn’t focused on her; even the guards because they were all overtaken by merriment and joy.
Before she could get close to them to spray the powdery substance that would kill the entire family, Chisimdi felt the danger just as Oduenyi did; making the two strong spirits to join forces that made the evil girl remain still without making any move as if she suddenly became a statue.
The king immediately cuddled his wife and children to protect them from the impending danger but was surprised seeing Chisimdi’s eyes glowing as if there was a furnace in it.

Oduenyi rushed forward without delay and held Chisimdi, embraced her and the clouds suddenly began to change different colours. This time, there was fear in the people but they were assured by Amarachi to be still because evil powers and the good ones were in a serious battle.
As the Mmesoma remained there, four members of the king’s cabinet headed by Ichie Omego and Chief Innocent (Onyedika’s dad) came forward and revealed their rings by brandishing them in the air; making untold rain to start dropping while thunder claps ensued as a consequence.
The King raised his Oji while his family gathered around him except Chisimdi that was embracing Oduenyi as their eyes began to glow with fury and power.

As the evil cabinet members joined together in a full force and tried to overpower the diviners, Asamma suddenly began to have some energy so that she could spray the poisonous powder on the king but the diviners persisted steadfastly.
The powers of the evil traditional chiefs grew stronger when Ozo Odenjinji who was supposed to be in DSS detention suddenly appeared with two strong native doctors he hired from Aguleri and Umuleri in Anambra state. This time, the diviners knew that Ugosimba couldn’t help them anymore, so they began to lose control but still got determined to die instead of allowing the royal family to be touched by the evil Taba-aja powder.

The entire Oganihu Eze group warriors that tried to form protective guards around the king and his family couldn’t even move because the powers that Ozo Odenjinji came with made every other person including the king to be still without movement except Oduenyi and Chisimdi that were trying to fight off the forces that were already defeating.
When Oduenyi and Chisimdi were about to throw in the towel since their spinal cords were beginning to be affected by the stronger powers that merged in contention, they suddenly heard a loud cry coming from the entrance gate, making Pastor Quintus of Obi-Ajali lineage enter the battleground with a bible raised to heaven to draw some powers from above.

“If I am the man of God,” Chike shouted and began to advance to the scene, “If the powers from above ever touched me and made me who I am, may any evil force in this holy ground disperse and be rendered useless. Foxes have holes, birds of the air have nests but the son of man has no place to lay his head, Luke 9:58 made us know this. But today, I command all you evil forces because you can never nest here but in the abyss…”
“Who is that can challenge the powers of Obum deity?” The Aguleri chief priests blurted angrily and joined hands with the chief priest of Umuleri, even Ozo Odenjinji joined them too but the singular powers of the Pastor couldn’t be contended with. The tried but didn’t succeed until the cabinet chiefs joined the already existing strong negative forces, making Pastor Quintus start losing his strength and focus.
As they were about to succeed, it was so surprising that Rev. Fr, Augustine suddenly entered carrying a large crucifix and speaking in different tongues as he entered. Getting where Pastor Quintus was, the priest touched his shoulder twice, making the celestial powers that were about to depart to be restored fully in the battle arena. The pastor and the priest held their hands and began to speak in strange tongues, making the entire evil forces to start being weak.
When the forces of light began to win over the forces of darkness, Oduenyi and Chisimdi gained their full strengths, came to the clergies and supported them by placing their hands on theirs, making them stronger and powerless four. At this point, the evil ones became so weak, making the maidservant with the powder to suddenly fall on the ground. When this happened, the evil senders knew that they just lost the war.

Suddenly the entire evil people that came to kill the king, even those in the background among the crowd began to fall on the ground and acting as if they were caught up in an inferno.
The entire people that were numb and stilled suddenly gained consciousness.
Everybody was surprised to see many notable and unsuspected faces to be evil members as they all began to fall and confess.
The priest brought out his bible and read Psalm 35, Pastor Quintus read Psalm 59, while Oduenyi and Chisimdi read out the final Psalm being Psalm 109. After the recitation of the Psalms, the entire fifty-two evil people gathered together and began to beg to be spared. They begged for their lives and pleaded not to be killed by the strange powers that they never understood how it came to be.
Song of praises was heard from the king while others joined declaring the battle close and won.

Seeing how helpless Ozo Odenjinji lay as he gaped at his elder brother, the king freed his grip on his wife and children and then went to him and said: “Omenka, popularly known as Odenjinji, I’m sorry for you. I already resolved that I’d use my connections to ensure you get a presidential pardon but you just proved that evil is innate in you and you can never be separated from evil. Into the prison, you shall go even if it requires getting the best lawyers in this country. I took you as a brother but you ended up rendering my life useless for a while but I’m glad that everything is back to normal,”
At this point, sirens were heard while force men filled the entire palace and arrested the fifty-two evildoers.
Everybody was surprised because they never involved the forces. They were surprised that Dave was the one who did that; with the help of King Akajiaku 1 of Okporo who came to Ubulu palace with his son.
Seeing Dave’s dad, his old friend, king Omekannaya walked towards him to welcome him just as the king of Okporo came to his old pal too.

When they hugged, the people began to clap as they watched the evil men taking out of the compound by the DSS, the Police, and the soldiers.
Looking at Asamma who was supposed to be a trusted maid, Amarachi remembered when Onyedika met her by Eke Ubulu stream and told her that there was a mole in the palace. She then smiled and said: “the gods are wise,”
King Akajiaku of Okporo did the needful by walking with king Omekannaya to the throne where the latter collected his staff of office, raised it to show the people that the authority was finally back to the owner, and then sat on the throne with valour.
Mkpulumma sat beside her husband, formally taking the position of Ugoeze as the wife of the king; with her crown resting gloriously on her head.

Amarachi was so glad to see Dave looking so cute as always and smiling at her at intervals. She was so surprised seeing Dave’s dad for the first time. As she tried to get to Dave’s position, King Akajiaku 1 of Okporo beckoned her forward.
Getting to the king, Amarachi knelt before him while Dave went to King Omekannaya and knelt too.
“Today!” King Akajiaku said with pride, “I met a woman who cannot be equalled because of her role in her family and especially in the life of my son, Dave. I am so happy, and I hereby give my consent to them to be husband and wife. I think that the marriage engagement ring has lasted on her finger and needs to be upgraded,”
The people began to clap and laugh at the funny words of the king.

“Before my daughter becomes the lord of the ring,” Eze Omekannya said jokingly and placed his hand on Dave’s head: “I give my consent to you and my daughter, to be husband and wife, love of love, the flesh of flesh, and bone of bone. Son,” he called and caressed Dave’s shoulder with happiness, “You’ve protected my daughter in my absence. Don’t ask how I knew because the reply would be that she told me a lot on our way back to here from Onitsha, making me demand your phone number from her. Thank you for being there for her and thanks for responding swiftly immediately I sent a text message inviting you and your dad to this occasion,”
King Akajiaku held Amarachi and took her to her dad.

Dave and Amarachi knelt before the two kings and waited for their blessings but king Omekannaya raised his voice and said: “This union wouldn’t be complete without joining the two divine forces that started this battle that saved us all because, without them, we’d all have died before the clergymen show up. I don’t need anybody to tell me that they’re in love already, because, Anya ka okenye ji ama oka chara acha (the elderly knows an ear of ripe corn with the first look),”
The people started clapping as Oduenyi and Chisimdi came forward and knelt before the two great kings.
The two traditional rulers placed their hands on the heads of them all, brought out two traditional ornaments that show a sign of union, tied Dave and Amy’s hands together while that of Oduenyi and Chisimdi were tied too; a sign of divine engagement that can never be separated.

“By this time next month!” King Akajiaku said aloud, “The entire world would know that our sons and daughters are having a great wedding that would even attract the personalities that we’d least expect to come. Today,” he continued, “I witness a great understanding between tradition and the modern religion, and have seen that it’s the same God that controls both, except for the evil ones that got their powers from the devil,”

“I hereby promulgate a decree,” King Omekannaya began with smiles, “that every Nkwo market day would be set aside for special worship by all religions as a way of thanking God for his mercies in our lives. I am the custodian of culture in Ubulu and will never condone evil but support goodness. I and the link standing between the old religion and the modern one but one thing I know for sure is that I must be upright, abhor evil and embrace goodness. Those who worship traditionally aren’t to be stopped once they do it according to the dictates of God in heaven, but if you ever try to bring the evil in your religion, banishment would be your portion. His Royal Highness, Eze Omekannaya has spoken and so shall it be…eeeee,”
“Iseeeeeeeeee (amen)” The people chorused and began to applaud the king’s promulgation.

“The merriment can now go on,” Eze Omekannaya said and smiled, and then looked at his beautiful wife and added: “If you will excuse us, there is an important oversight function that hadn’t been done for over two decades that is waiting for your king. Continue the enjoyment while the king goes to perform the most important kingly duty of cultivating his secret fallow farmland,”

The people started clapping and cheering their king while he bowed before King Akajiaku, whispered some farewell words into his ear and took his wife into his chamber for more important duties. As the king entered his chamber with Mkpulumma, the Ogbuoja introduced a special song known as Egwu Omumu (the song for fruitfulness) that graced the background until the king and his wife disappeared from the eyes of the public.
The enjoyment and merriment began in earnest as the happiness existing among the people knew no bounds.

PRINCESS AMARACHI episode 19
#OpraDre

To be continued

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