THE CURSED LANTERN Episode 15 By Okafor Erasmus Ugochukwu

THE CURSED LANTERN Episode 15 By Okafor Erasmus Ugochukwu

The unexpected presence of Mmirimaraugo at Ngene River with Nneka, her maidservant, was a shock to the entire people of Umudike. The people were once again reminded of the days of Mmadiche, the healer.

The entire villagers began to gather in numbers because they never expected to see the priestess. They had that nostalgic feeling because the presence of Mmirimaraugo reminded them of one of their own that served the Ngene River.

When Arunne heard that the priestess was around, she felt that she could use her help and heal her husband.

Without delay, she ran into Ojiugo’s hut and saw her dressing up.

“I think you’re wasting time, nwataa (this child),” She hollered at her while fidgeting, “Ichozikwara ka nna gi diri (do you still want your father to live)?”

Ojiugo didn’t reply to her but hastened up and followed her.

As they were about to leave the compound, Arunne went into the hut where Obidinazu lay and touched his shoulder gently. “My husband,” she called sorrowfully, “I know you can hear me. I am going out to seek a solution for your problems. Don’t worry, I am fortified with the charm, so relax and have hope. Very soon you’ll get up from this bed and we’ll continue with our…”

Ojiugo cleared her throat making her mother jittery.

Arunne didn’t know she already had an audience. She ensured that the charm she hid by her waist region was intact. She didn’t want her daughter to notice anything. She looked suspiciously at Ojiugo to know if she heard or saw something.

“Aren”t we late already?” Ojiugo asked and hissed, “I will stay back oo…”

“Shut up, ewu (goat)!” Arunne barked at her, “Well, you haven’t married. Ataam gi (Do I blame you)? Can’t I pet my husband before we leave for Ngene River? Don’t you know he’d be lonely when we leave?”

“Pet?” Ojiugo said with a peal of scornful but controlled laughter, “I wonder when my mother started petting anyone. Only you know what you were whispering to him,” After saying that, she ran out of the hut because she knew that her mother would look for a stone or any object to throw at her.

“Better for you,” Arunne yelled at her. And to her husband, she said: “I will be back with the priestess to make you well again,”

Ojiugo didn’t have to wait for her mother but started leaving. She then remembered she hadn’t seen Anuka that morning, so she knocked at his door. “Nwokem (my man), go and look after your father,” she shouted at him; making him jump up from the bed. “Keep sleeping,”

“Ignore that snail called a son,” Arunne said disgustedly casting an evil look at Anuka who just came out of his hut. “Leave your father to die, inugo (have you heard)? Then I will come back here and roast you like a chicken. Do you know that this father of yours is holding the key to a lot of things in this house? You need him to wake up and reveal some things to you before he joins his ancestors. So, if you like, allow him to die,”

Anuka and Ojiugo looked at each other and shook their heads.

Arunne observed their looks and hissed. “If you like, keep looking at each other like two fowls that want to fight. I have said what I have said,”

Ojiugo shrugged; with many questions on her lips. She was trying to figure out the kind of mother she had.

Anuka couldn’t just keep calm this time, so he said: “I now know why you want our father to wake up. It’s just for him to tell you about his properties and the rest. Then, if he wants to die after that, he can go to hell,”

“Ika kwu (are you still standing there)?” Ojiugo said hastily to Anuka. By then, Arunne was already coming after him.

Anuka took off so that he wouldn’t be within the reach of his woman.

“By the time we get to the river, the priestess must have gone,” Ojiugo reminded her mother.

“It’s true ooo,” Arunne shouted and started running out of the compound.

Ojiugo saw how funny her mother looked as she ran with her fat body. She couldn’t help but start laughing. She went after her.

“Gini na-ato gi (what’s amusing you)?” Arunne asked looking at Ojiugo steadily, “Oh! You’re laughing at your mother. See those hips of yours bulging out already,” she pointed out to Ojiugo, “This gift is from your mother to you, so expect to be fatter than me when you’re at my age,”

“Upe (impossible)” Ojiugo replied as they continued to stride to the stream.

“But wait,” Arunne said lowering her tone; “did you hear anything I told your father when you entered his hut?”

Ojiugo knew that whatever her mother wanted to find out was definitely because she wasn’t meant to be privy to that information. She knew that her parents were partners in crime, so she wasn’t surprised.

“Ndi ikpa nkata (plotters)” Ojiugo murmured, “I can’t even wait to hear the end of the story of the elephant and the lion,” she added making her mother so angry.

Arunne couldn’t believe that her daughter said that. She was beginning to understand that Ojiugo may have known that Mazi Esomchi was talking about her when he narrated the folktale.

“All I can say is that I was simply telling your father to be well soon and have hope,” Arunne said in defense even when she wasn’t being accused. Her conscience was overladen with guilt.

“And who asked you to explain to me?” Ojiugo asked making Arunne speechless at the moment, “If what you just said was the exact thing you told my father, why are you curious to know what I heard?”

“I am a concerned mother, that’s why,” Arunne said; even though she knew her daughter didn’t buy that cheap lie.

Ojiugo simply snorted and increased her pace until they came to Ngene River where people gathered in large numbers.

The priestess was already healing many people of their sicknesses and revealing some things that would make the kingdom move higher.

As this was going on, two of the Umudike palace guards came to the river with anger.

When the crowd saw them, they were speculative and afraid. The mood of the guards made it obvious to the people that something was not okay. The crowd created a path for the guards to pass since they were possibly coming with a message from the king.

The guards went straight to Mmirimaraugo and tried to capture her but the way she looked at them made them move back. They were determined to capture her but the aura of dignity that enshrouded the priestess apportioned a tinge of fear to them.

“And what’s this madness?” The priestess asked looking angry and inquisitive, “Is the king not happy that I’m helping this kingdom get better?”

That question was unanswered but the people started murmuring; mostly in support of the priestess’s question.

“The king summons you to the palace!” The first guard blurted.

“And you must go with us right away!” the second guard supported.

The priestess looked at the guards one after the other and then looked at the people. Raising her voice, she said: “The voice of the people is the voice of the gods. My people of Umudike, what do you have to say to these two? Should I go to the palace and leave the sick or should I continue my good work?”

“Continue your good work,” they all chorused and started clapping for the priestess.

The guards knew they were outnumbered, so they couldn’t do or say anything. They simply turned and started going back to the palace.

Looking straight ahead, the priestess sighted the three special chieftaincy titleholders respected in the village. She smiled and said: “Here come the people with a pure heart and excellent spirit. Even when many are corrupt, they are unsullied in the heart. But unfortunately, the calamity that is crippling this kingdom has affected them too,”

The three chiefs heard the voice of the priestess and smiled. They came forward to her location and bowed before her.

“The great priestess of our time,” Nze (chief) Onuchukwu said with cheerfulness, “You’re a very young priestess; the youngest since many ages past. The gods chose you for a reason. And until today, you remain so pure and dedicated to your duty,”

“Even though it wasn’t easy for us to convince you that you had to answer to the call of the gods,” Nze Omemma entered and came forward. He placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled. “May the hands placed on your shoulders make this mortal body be healed of arthritis,”

“Iseee,” the people chorused.

It was like magic when the chief that couldn’t walk well felt like a baby and danced around as if he was still a youth.

The entire people cheered and applauded the beautiful priestess for healing the man. They felt that what they’d missed in Mmadiche came back to them with triple action. They were all happy and started dancing and praising the priestess.

As the dance continued, Nze Nnebue came to the priestess amid the noise and said: “We have a surprise for you. The announcement may make you stop whatever you’re doing. That’s why you haven’t seen the chief priest yet. But soon, Ijiji ana esolu mma n’isi will join us and reveal something that will blow your mind. For now, let the divine work continue,” After saying that, he looked at the other two chiefs and nodded to them; signaling that he finally delivered the message.

The priestess couldn’t guess anything even in her wildest imagination. She was so keen to know what the chief priest was coming to tell her. She just had to focus on what she came for as she awaited the surprises. As she looked up, she saw numerous guards this time, as if they were prepared for war. They were all fully girded with amour and thronged the Ngene River.

As the warriors advanced, Amandi and Osinachukwu were sighted coming down to the river.

It became obvious to the priestess that the king was infuriated, so she had to brace herself for whatever was coming. Instead of her being afraid, she stood there with her staff of office raised to the sky. She was at that point ready to strike them with the black thunder from the gods.

The people dispersed to avoid being killed or hurt by the fierce-looking warriors. They simply observed from a distance as they silently prayed for the priestess to be spared.

It was only the three eze eriri ihe (special chieftaincy titleholders) and the priestess remained.

Nneka hid behind her mistress as she whimpered in grave fear.

When the warriors tried to capture the priestess and take her forcefully to the king, Amandi raised his voice and said: “If you must touch her, then you must pass through me!” He continued to come closer to protect the priestess.

That statement made the guards turn to know who had the effrontery to say that. They were surprised to see someone they’d been looking for. They were happy that they’d finally capture the most wanted individual and deliver him to the king. Being that a handsome reward was placed on finding Amandi, they all wanted to catch him and get the royal reward.

The people of Umudike had the belief that it was Amandi’s disappearance that made the gods angry at the kingdom. They had to capture him and end whatever calamity that had bedeviled them. Even the crowd that was against the guards supported them just to end the untimely deaths and ominous things happening in the village.

“Now is the time to make history,” Udoakpuenyi, the warlord shouted and went to meet Amandi.

Ojiugo was so terrified seeing that Amandi could be hurt, so she tried to rush to him but Arunne pulled her back. “Onye nzuzu (foolish person)” the woman said gruntingly to Ojiugo. “I thought that this infidel is dead, but now, let me enjoy how swift his death would be and report to my husband. I don’t think I still need the priestess. The news of the death of Amandianeze will revive him immediately,”

Ojiugo pushed her mother so hard that she fell to the ground. She had to save Amandi; after all, she did it before and she could do it again. She ran as fast as she could to stop the warriors from killing Amandi. She was ready to die, for him to live.

When Udoakpuenyi wanted to hit the spare on Amandi, Ojiugo blocked him.

“Do not touch my brother!” Ojiugo outcried, “You can capture him and take him to the king but you can’t spill his blood at Ngene River,”

Osinachukwu looked at the priestess and said: “Now is the time. I think that the gods have made it possible that the wrestling would start in the land of the one who is to be challenged,”

Mmirimaraugo hit her tingling staff angrily on the ground making the warlord remain pinned to the earth. She was surprised that she did that which she had never done before. She simply wanted to invite the black thunder and not to pin anyone. It was very surprising to her to see that it wasn’t only the warriors that were made static and lifeless like statues but the entire people. It was only Amandi and Osinachukwu that weren’t affected.

“What just happened?” Osinachukwu asked the priestess, “How did you do that?”

They were all shocked as they observed the people.

The priestess was even more speechless than others because she couldn’t explain what just happened. She knew that whatever happened, took place as she invited the black thunder, but how it happened, she couldn’t explain it.

“I can’t say,” the priestess replied and went closer to Udoakpuenyi. She waved over his face but he didn’t respond. “Are they still alive?” she asked trying to figure out what she did to them.

“Yes, they’re not dead,” Amandi replied smilingly even when he was shocked too, “Ikem is here, or somewhere. He’s the one controlling whatever that is happening here,”

Mmirimaraugo was surprised to hear that. She didn’t understand what Amandi was saying. “I don’t understand why you said that my son is responsible for this,” She said in great awe. “How can he do this?”

“I am so surprised that I wasn’t affected too,” Osinachukwu said with amazement as she observed herself, “that means that truly, the gods chose me,”

“Yes they did,” Amandi replied, “but Ikem could still do the same to you, to me, and everyone. He simply chose to spare those that would take part in the cleansing,”

The priestess went around and watched how static everyone was. She couldn’t believe that Ikem had such powers that she never heard of. She was still in doubt and believed that whatever happened was by her power and not from Ikem.

“What if I strike the staff to the ground again and all this ends?” she said trying to be sure of where the powers came from. “Maybe there are some powers in me that the gods never revealed,” she added boastfully.

“Well, since you’re the mother of the great Ikem,” Amandi said excitedly, “You could do it. Maybe Ikem got that gift from you,”

Osinachukwu came close to the priestess, held her by the hand, and said: “I suggest we perform the cleansing ritual as fast as we could before bringing these people back to the present. What do you think?”

The priestess concurred; even Amandi nodded approvingly to that.

“Let’s begin forthwith,” the priestess said and took Amandi into the River.

Amandi knelt until the water almost covered his head. He simply raised his head so that he’d still breathe.

The priestess used the water and washed Amandi’s head. As she did that, she closed her eyes to communicate with the spirits. It was surprising to her when she started seeing those kids that Amandi used to see. She was taken aback to discover that her hand wasn’t laying on Amandi’s head anymore but on Chinualumogu. She saw how beautiful the girl looked. The tears of the girl grew so large that they made the river overflow its bank. The priestess was frightened but was still filled with courage to continue. She saw the lanterns lying casually on the shores of the river. When the banks of the river became much overflown, the lanterns were all carried by the water back into the river. The river suddenly became fired up. There was an inferno as a result, so she tried to run but couldn’t. She was surprised to see Amandi with another person fighting the fire until it got to the barest minimum. As this happened, she opened her eyes and saw that she wasn’t even in the water again but lying in the hands of Amandi panting.

“What happened?” The priestess asked and got up sharply, “did I collapse?”

The woman of the lantern nodded. “Yes you did,” she said with a smile, “But it’s for good. I saw everything too. They saved you. But I couldn’t recognize the second person with him,”

The priestess was surprised that Osinachukwu saw the vision too. She was contemplating who the second person with Amandi could be. She looked around and saw that the people were still not in physical motion, so she took her staff and struck to the ground. She thought that they’d regain their freedom but nothing happened. She did that about ten times but nothing happened still. “I think you’re right, Amandi,” she said and smiled, “my son is at work. I can now feel his presence around me. I didn’t notice this before, that was why I doubted if he did that,”

“Ikem told me that he could stop time but Ozioma and I didn’t believe him,” Amandi revealed, “I simply thought he’s too fast in doing things that made it seem as if he stops time. But now, I have seen it. May the name of the gods be praised,”

The priestess closed her eyes. With her mind’s eyes, she saw Ikem smiling. She’d never seen him that vivid and clear before. She was surprised to see Ikem playing on the sand. After playing, the boy disappeared before her. Soon after that, she started hearing noises. When she opened her eyes, she realized that the noise was coming from the people and the warriors.

Everything was as it was before because none of the people noticed there was a time lag. To them, nothing changed.

“Before you capture Amandi,” the priestess said to the angry warriors and villagers, “you need to understand that he isn’t the source of your problem but the solution,”

Udoakpuenyi didn’t listen to that, so he went straight to Amandi to capture him but Amandi resisted, so the fight started.

The people gave some space so that it would be a fair fight. It didn’t take Amandi much time to defeat Udoakpuenyi. He defeated his deputy too and ten other warriors. He didn’t kill them but overpowered them and made them feel humiliated.

Arunne couldn’t understand what happened. She still looked down on Amandi but found it hard to believe that he was so strong. Even the body builds of the young man amazed her. She was beginning to feel that he wasn’t the same Amandi that left her house chickenhearted.

Ojiugo was so proud of her brother. Even her friends, Ojinigbo, Ijeoma, and Okwuoma joined her to celebrate. The ladies admired Amandi so much that they wished he was a husband to each of them.

Udoakpuenyi felt so humiliated. He couldn’t believe that even with his fighting weapons, he couldn’t defeat someone that fought with his bare hands. He found it hard to go back to the king and tell him that his entire warriors couldn’t defeat one man, or even capture the priestess. He was filled with shame that he took off his amour, handed over his entire fighting weapons to his deputy, and resigned. He already knew the consequence of his resignation, so he took the machete that’d be used to behead him and started heading to the palace.

The deputy general to the warriors resigned too. He handed over the position to the third in command. This continued until it remained the last warrior. He had no one to hand over the mantle of leadership to, so he left everything on the ground. He started heading to the palace for his execution.

The people were surprised, so they all bowed to worship Amandi but the priestess stopped them. “Amandi is still one of you but favored by the gods,” she started; making everyone listen attentively, “He had been going through tough times in the hands of this wicked woman and her husband,” she said and pointed at Arunne who felt so ashamed on hearing that, “the sacred python wasn’t killed by Amandi but by Amandi’s wicked uncle; he used to be good though. He’s bedridden because his sins are many. The gods had to stop him from more treacheries. He was ready to commit more. Obidi has a powerful man in Umundanda that protects him. But he didn’t know that his downfall would still come from the same man. This is all I could see. With time, we’ll all know more,”

The people began to make noise as they chattered with arguments and reactions to what the priestess said. They were all surprised that Amandi had been innocent but facing the pains he knew nothing about. At this point, most of the women began to cry and beg Amandi to forgive them. The men felt so sorry.

At the moment, it was as if there was no king in Umudike. The king and the chief priest weren’t found, and it seemed so unusual. Even though the ritual of the cleansing and fortification of Amandi was something personal, the presence of the priestess wasn’t. So the chief priest and the king were expected to be in attendance.

The priestess felt that something was wrong; especially for the king who was supposed to be happy for her intervention ended up demanding her arrest. Since she felt that nothing was left undone, she turned to Nneka and said: “It’s time for us to depart. The king of Oduma will take up the rest because the fight would take place in the Oduma kingdom.

As they were about to leave, Arunne had to talk to the priestess to help her heal her husband. She came forward and dragged Ojiugo with her to use her to gain favors from the priestess.

“Amandi is like a son to me,” she began, making the priestess stop and listen, “I know we treated him badly but if there is no sin, there won’t be forgiveness. Can you help my dying husband that is at home?”

The priestess looked at the woman and smiled. She knew that the wicked woman was still filled with evil, so she simply smiled pitifully at her. “When you’re ready, we’ll know,” she said to her and continued to move.

“But I’m ready now,”

Arunne said and bowed respectfully to her.

“That charm you have tied by your waist wouldn’t seal your lips to complete the story of the elephant and the lion. You came here prepared with the charm that your husband brought for you. But I must tell you that today isn’t your day, so go now. Flee from me to avoid striking you dead. The only thing still keeping you alive is the revelations you have to make. And if you must know, you and your husband have a contribution to whatever that is going on and ravishing the entire ten villages. Depart now!” she hollered at her, making her start running home.

The crowd that heard what the priestess said turned into a mob and started running after the woman to lynch her but Amandi intervened.

“Allow this woman to be,” Amandi said to them, “killing her with my bare hands can’t solve anything. Her days are numbered. I will also like to look at the face of the man that made my life miserable and ruined. But the gods are wise. Obidi must tell me all I need to know before he dies; except if the gods want him alive. I can’t stop them from fulfilling their wishes. Secondly, he must return all that is mine that he confiscated. Let this witch be so that they would be alive and see what I’d become very soon,”

Arunne was surprised to see how audacious Amandi was. She couldn’t understand how he transfigured into an outspoken and bold man. She expected the same timidity to thrive in him but she didn’t even catch a glimpse of that. She remained speechless and continued to go home in shame.

The people booed Arunne and continued to sing ‘Ihe onye metara’ (what one has brought upon himself) song as they followed her home. The village women used palm fronds and brooms made from thatches to sweep the prints of her feet as she went home.

Ojiugo couldn’t help but broke into tears as she imagined how the womb that gave birth to her was being ridiculed before the entire villagers. If not that the people knew that she was never in support of her mother, she’d have suffered the same fate.

“Now that everything is as it’s meant to be,” Osinachukwu said with smiles and happiness, “let’s go back to our village,”

“Our village? Here is my village,” Amandi reminded her with chuckles, “but all the same, I will depart to come back later. Let’s say that I’m now the one representing Umudike in the proposed fight since their greatest warrior is defeated,”

The people laughed and started clapping for Amandi. They were so happy to have such a strong fighter in their midst.

“You made sense with that,” The priestess said and smiled, “so can we go now?”

“No, you can’t, the great priestess of Ngene,” Ijiji said and entered with a very cute man beside him. “I long waited for this day but I had a delay because I wanted to make right what I made wrong,”

Seeing the chief priest, the three chiefs smiled and looked at each other. They were excited. Being that the matter about to be talked about was delicate, they instructed the entire people to depart to their homes. Being that the chiefs were respected in the village, the people didn’t hesitate to leave Ngene back to their different homes.

The priestess was surprised that the chief priest came when the ceremony was over. Looking closer at the handsome guy with him, she felt as if she’d seen him before. A further look from her made the man smile.

“Oh, Ijem!” she shouted and tried to rush at him but then realized she was dressed as a priestess and was forbidden by the gods to have a man in her life.

“Go ahead and hug your husband,” Ijiji said smilingly, “you can hug him,”

Ijele didn’t waste time but rushed at Mmirimaraugo and pulled her into a long and warm embrace. He was filled with tears just as the priestess cried in his arms.

The priestess was too emotional that she didn’t know when her staff of office fell from her hand but Amandi was fast enough to catch it so that it wouldn’t fall. The priestess didn’t know when she started weeping profusely in Ijele’s arms. She was overwhelmed with emotions and regrets. She couldn’t imagine not having him as a husband even after the embrace.

As this moment lasted, the chief priest brought out some trinkets, and then red and white cloths.

He joined the hands of the priestess and Ijele, and said: “Today, I renew that marriage bond and wish to pronounce and declare you two, husband and wife,”

The priestess was confused because it was the same chief priest that made her lose her marriage even to have made the midwife switch her baby with Ozioma’s.

“I don’t understand what is going on,” Mmirimaraugo said looking so confused.

“I didn’t too,” Ijele replied and held her by the shoulder, “but I later realized that we were tricked just because of royal orders,”

“Royal orders?” Mmirimaraugo asked seeking clarification, “Whose orders?”

“Yes, he is right,” Ijiji said with sadness and ruefulness, “I regret listening to the king instead of listening to the voice of the gods. I am a part of whatever silence that overtook the supernatural world. The king married many wives,” he began while everybody listened, “It was as if the gods never favored the Umudike kingdom. None of the women produced a child. The king was infuriated by this. He was always known as the wise king but having offspring was a huge problem to him. Even after the fifth wife, he still had no child. He decided to have a divine connection with the gods as a way out. That was why he secretly started dating Mmadiche, the beautiful priestess. The priestess never wanted to have anything to do with the king but I convinced her to have coitus with the king. The gods were silent to a solution for the king, so I took it upon myself to help the kingdom. That was why I intervened. The priestess became pregnant; thereby making the conspirators so happy. I began to feel like a demigod when this happened. The priestess was hidden from the eyes of the public. We lied to the people of Umudike that she was on a spiritual journey, but in the real sense, she was hidden in the chamber of the king. The king had to send the entire five queens back to their homes so that no one would hear about his involvement with the priestess until she delivers her baby. We planned to reveal the truth to the people when the baby is born. Unfortunately, Mmadiche died while giving birth, and the baby boy died too. This jinxed our plans. The king remained so heartbroken because of this. The incident that led to the death of the priestess was concealed. It was revealed to the people that the priestess couldn’t return from the spiritual journey alive. But before the death of the priestess, she revealed that Mmirimaraugo of Oduma kingdom would succeed her. After her burial, the king came to me and said that we had to carry out the plans again on the new priestess. He was so positive that it was going to work out. The gods never revealed if they were in support or against it. They remained silent. I accepted to carry on with the plans just to become a hero when it works out. Because of this, I lied to Mmirimaraugo by saying that she wasn’t meant to marry anyone. I wanted to come back and inform her that the gods chose the king to be her husband. It was surprising that she married; against the instruction of the king. That was why I had to make the switch of the babies just to make her think that the gods were fighting against her. But in an actual sense, it was the king and me that were fighting the innocent and chosen one. It was surprising that the young girl disappeared to nowhere. The eyes of the king and I couldn’t see her again. The gods stole the priestess away from my eyes. Even in the spirit realm, I couldn’t find her. I was surprised when Ijele came to me and told me how his baby died. He said he was afraid that he’d die too, so he had to take off and allow the priestess to answer the call of the gods. I kept him in my house just to make him stay away from the priestess forever; this was to perfect the plan of being married to king Ozuruonye. I told Ijele that I was protecting him from evil and doom, but in a real sense, I was killing him. I told him never to go anywhere but stay in my house. With time, I began to notice that he was always moody and unhappy. I even began to discover that he started sneaking out when I wasn’t around. I knew that he’d someday find his way back to his wife, so I had to tell him to be patient; that I’d reconnect him to his wife when the right time comes. The reason why I did that was that I noticed that I was acting alone and not under the influence of the gods. The gods weren’t with me,”

The priestess was speechless. She couldn’t believe that it was the chief priest and the king that were behind her emotional torture. She couldn’t believe what she heard. She never knew that she was meant to be with Ijele but was denied that access by the mortals. She didn’t even know if she was to express her anger or appreciation. She simply burst into tears and started weeping like a child.

Ijele cuddled her and made her rest her head on his shoulder. “My love, I have always come around to watch you,” he started, “I knew your location at Azummiri but I never knew what to do because the chief priest could find out. I never stopped being a strong hunter. Those animals that you used to see at your doorsteps at your shrine, I was the one dropping them and not the gods,” Mmirimaraugo couldn’t believe this part because she thought it was the gods feeding her for serving them, “I never took my eyes off you,” He continued, “Even the day Amandi fainted at the village square in Oduma kingdom, I was the one that helped Ozioma to carry him to your shrine. That was the day I revealed myself to Ozioma. She was surprised to see me. I told her not to talk to anyone. You could have asked how possible it was for your sister and Ikem to be able to carry Amandi to Azummiri. It was with my help,”

The sobs from the priestess couldn’t allow her to talk. She simply held him closer and never wanted to let him go.

“Ikem is your son,” Amandi said to Ijele making him shocked. “I am yet to know the full story, but from what the chief priest said, I just got a clue. There was a switch but I think…”

“I know the entire story. I will tell him later,” The priestess said tearfully, “but for now, I want to remain glued in the hands of the man that I’d always loved,”

“And I’m so happy for you,” Osinachukwu said and embraced the couple. “I guess we didn’t just come here to fortify Amandi but to reunite the lovers. The name of the gods must always be praised,”

The chief priest wanted to apologize to Amandi for the misjudgment that made him take off from Umudike but Amandi didn’t allow that.

“You didn’t know, Ijiji,” Amandi said to him with a grin, “the person you owe an apology to is the priestess. I am glad you didn’t follow the dictates of the king but finally did the right thing. In no time, all these troubles would end. I believe that,”

“I believe that too, my boy,” The chief priest said and embraced Amandi, “I am so proud of you,”

“I can now understand why the king wanted me captured by force and be returned to the palace,” The priestess said and smiled, “he wanted to make me his wife by all means,”

“And he’ll end up killing you just as he killed Mmadiche,” Ijele said and stroked his wife’s hair while looking into her eyes. Looking at the chief priest, he said: “May I have the permission of the gods to carry my wife in my arms. We have an unfinished business at home,”

Everyone laughed on hearing that. They were cheerful and glad for them.

The chief priest smiled and patted his back. “You are still wasting time,” he said with laughter and shook his head in dismay, “let me handle the Oji (tingling staff) while you go ahead with your plans,” He collected the priestess’s staff of office from Amandi and waited for Ijele to fulfill his heart desires.

Before everyone, Ijele carried Mmirimaraugo in his arms like a baby and started leaving while others followed in a celebratory mood.

The priestess rested in Ijele’s arms feeling so relaxed. She didn’t care if she was a priestess or not. At that moment, she felt that the world was complete and everything was perfect. Her eyes were filled with tears of joy as she continued to smile on their way back to Azummiri.

#OpraDre

To be continued…

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