Journey To The Unknown

Episode 11

The Next day being Nkwo Market day in
Umuanyanwu, women and young ladies were
seen carrying different farm products on their
heads and also on bicycles. Young men also
were moving to and fro with their cutlasses and hoe in their hands and shoulders. Nkwo Market day in Umuanyanwu is usually a busy day as other communities and villages comes to Umuanyanwu for exchange of goods and
services. Morning pleasantries filled the air
amongst by-passers. Anochie and Ada where
already preparing for the market as Ada who
was ready carried her basket o cassava and
came to call Anochie

“Who is around.. Anochie!!” Ada called from the front walking to the backyard

“Ada, my daughter welcome” Mrs. Nworie said carrying down the basket down from Ada’s head

“Cheii!! Your father always have the best of
cassava in Umuanyanwu” Mrs. Nworie
complimented

“Thank You Mama” Ada said and Anochie came out looking more handsome that morning

“Ada, welcome” He said as Ada gazed at him

“Are you alright Ada?” Anochie asked and she recovered herself

“Ooh.. Sorry, just that you look unlike you
today” Ada complimented and Mrs. Nworie
smiled

“That is what I tell him always to be putting a
smiling face to make him handsome but he
wouldn’t listen” Mrs. Nworie said and they all chuckled

“Ada, are you seeing what Mama is saying now”

Anochie jokingly complained to Ada
“Don’t mind Mama, let’s go we are already late” Ada said and Anochie carried his own basket of vegetables and few cassava and they left

“Ahia Oma oo (Make good sales)” Mrs. Nworie said as they left.
*
*
“Dike! Dike!!” Igwe Ebubedike called on his
guard and he came kneeling down

“Go and call Lolo for me” He said and the guard left. Few minutes later he came back followed by Lolo Nwaaku who walked majestically and bowed before her husband

“You may sit” Igwe said and she sat besides him

“Lolo” He called
“Igwe” She replied

“I called you here about our son Azuka. I know I have been supporting him but it’s high time we do something about it” Igwe said and Lolo looked at him in a disrespectful way

“And what is it he has done again?” Lolo asked

“See Lolo, this is not the first neither is it the
second time that I have been getting
complaints about our Son raping and molesting young Ladies in this Community and it’s not a good image of Royalty” Igwe said with a low tone

“And how does that concerns us?” Lolo asked raising her voice

“Even if he impregnants all the girls in this
village, I don’t care afterall he is the heir to the throne” Lolo said

“What??!.. You don’t have to talk that way Lolo” Igwe said

“How then should I talk. And come to think of
it, if you said he has been sleeping with all the
girls in this village, how many of them has
come with Pregnancy crying to you eeh Igwe..
Why are you behaving like this thing in your
head is no longer a brain” Lolo said stylishly
insulting the Igwe

“That’s true, none of them has come with
Pregnancy” Igwe affirmed what she said
“You see, they are all our enemies Igwe. They want to dethrone you” Lolo began to poison his mind

“Hmm.. I see, even the Onowu is amongst
them” Igwe said looking at his wife
“Onowu my foot!! If you like keep calm and
watch them kill you like a chicken. I am going”

She said and stood up to leave
“Lolo, wait” Igwe called her back
“How do I fight back my enemies” Igwe asked knowing she will have an answer

“Ehee.. Now you are talking Igwe” Lolo said
smiling and sitting down
“We will first begin with that evil Anochie
because if they succeed in bribing him just like
they bribed Priestess, we are doomed” Lolo
said in a low tone for the guards not to hear it
“Yes, I know but how?” Igwe asked
“Leave that to me” Lolo said beating her chest in pride

“Hahahha” Igwe laughed
“I trust my Lolo” He praised her
“No one will take this throne from me” He
concluded and Lolo left in smiles..
*
*
On Anochie’s way to the market with Ada, they met Ete who was busy sipping his wine from the bottle gradually staggering besides the bush

“Haa.. Etewine, what are you doing here while others are running to the market” Ada asked and Ete looked at her closely

“Market? What market is better than my wine”
He said sipping another

“Ete, stop this drinking of yours and behave like the man you are” Anochie said and Ete laughed

“Just forget all about that. There is something I want to tell you” Ete said walking closer to Anochie

“What is it again Ete” Anochie asked
“Some people are planning for your doom, be careful.. Shine your eyes Anochie, I smell evil men wanting to destroy you” Ete said looking serious

“What?? Who?” Ada asked in surprise and a bit fear

“Are you asking me.. I have said my own” Ete said and tried leaving as Anochie stood in
thought o his words

“Yes, help me refill my power bottle” Ete said as his words removed the thoughts from the mind of Anochie

“Haa.. Ete, we are still going to the market”
Anochie said in smiles

“Alright, Let me be going” Ete said looking at his bottle of wine almost finished and
staggered out.

“Anochie, what does he mean by that?” Ada asked Anochie

“I don’t know” Anochie replied
“Let’s take it as the words of a drunkard”
Anochie said but Ada still wasn’t comfortable

“Ada, it’s nothing. Let’s go” Anoochie said

“Are you sure, hope you have not engaged in
anything bad with anyone because I won’t like to loose you” Ada said with a gloomy face

“I said don’t worry. He is been controlled by
wine” Anochie said
“Trust me, nothing will happen to me” Anochie added and played the flute for her which made her smile and they went to the market. From the moment they left the spot, the thought of the words of Ete flashed away from Ada’s mind
that she remembered it no more..