OBIAGERI
Obiageri – Episode 8
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The villagers cheer as the prince move around with me.
under the hot weather I began to shiver, my head was pounding into my ear, then suddenly it turns into headache, I felt like urinating, I wanted to excuse myself to be able to go and urรญnate, is not really my bladder getting filled with fluid, it was the hot tension Iโm into, l my present predicament.
I wish the ground will open and swallow me whole.
My father was sitting among the well respected elders, I can see he was feeling so proud as the men around him gave him a warm handshake, congratulating him for bringing me up so well to be among the proud virgins of the land.
My father was smiling from ear to ear as he received his congratulatory hand shakes.
Ego, my step mother was sitting beside my father with a frown across her face, she couldnโt hide her dรญsappointment and bรญtterness as the prince parade me
The real virgin maidens, the beautiful dancers like Mma just stare unbelievably, they were all shock.
The prince whisper to my ear to try and make me smile, I nodded quietly but was still finding it difficult to smile, how do I even smile in such a situation.
Iโm in a critical dilemma and I canโt think of what to do, I was really afraid.
I have lost my virginity to Ukadike, he deflowered me and I was so stupid to have given in, what was I even thinking, what can I do to remedy the situation.
I canโt become a virgin again, I wish I can, if not for anything but for my fatherโs sake, I donโt want to see him sad or disappointed, it will be a big disgrace if he hears that Iโm not a virgin after all.
If the villagers finds out that I have lied all this while and paraded with other virgins when Iโm not one, it will be a great disgrace to me and my father.
Ego and her daughter Mma will see it as an interesting topic to bank on, they will make sure all the whole village and beyond hears of it.
Where will I hide my shameful face, what of my father, how will the villagers see him?
โnoโฆno..this canโt happenโฆ Ukadike has k!lled meโฆhe has k!lled me o..
โฆchimoooo! Iโm dรซฤdโฆchaiiiโฆIโm finishedโฆUkadike! chineke muoooo”
I cried out silently to myself, the prince who was still holding me and parading excitedly noticed my discomfort and turn to me, he asked me if I was okay.
I swallowed hard and nodded continuously like agama lizard.
He looked at me again and I try to hide the tears rolling down my eyes, he wiped it off with his hand and shouted out again to the villagers.
“my chosen bride, my proud virgin wife is shedding tears of joy, tears of joy is rolling down from her eyes. The gods of our land have blessed me this day with a well trained virgin to be my wife. I am more than excited, just take a good look at my bride, she is calm, so cultured, well behaved, good up bringing, strong and hardworking. I got all the profile I needed about her, and also her name which happen to be Obiageri..”
The villagers cheered and there was a thunderous clap
The prince continued.
“..All the maiden who appeared here today to compete for the office of my bride, i got all your profile but I so much pick interest in Oby, she is not so flashy, not so attractive or well decorated as many of you are here today. I do not look out for those worldly things, I need a strong and a bold wife beside me, I donโt want a wife that will spend all her day making up and decorating herself with ornaments, I donโt want a wife who will spend more time in material things..”
“…i need a smart, intelligent, strong, hardworking maiden beside me…”
There was another loud cheer from the crowd.
The prince waited for the cheering to be over before he continued
“…So all the parents gathered here today, teach your daughters to be hardworking, smart, bold and respectful. Maidens of the land listen to me, Is also good to keep yourself for your future husband, donโt mess up yourself. be wise and intelligent so that your husbands will sing your praises like I am doing right now to Oby, oriakum, obi di ya, nkem, onye nji eji mba, nwaany oma mu(showering praises on his new bride)
“…I am going to follow the traditional rite and not go with her immediately as much as i want to. I will allow her a week to be with her people, and have a good time with family members and friends before I will come for her finally. her father will be well rewarded and every necessary rite will be done for the great man who brought Oby up in an upright way. ka Olisa bi na igwe gozie olu lo di na nwunye anyi, (let the God of heaven bless our union)โฆanyi ka mu nwoke na nwanyi. ka chukwu okike gozie anyi nile (we will give birth to male and female. Let the God of creation bless of us all)
All the people chorused โiseeeeeeโ
the drum started beating as male and female dancers stepped into the dancing ground and grace the occasion with a good dance.
the fine singers and drum players sing and play beautifully.
I kept praying and wishing in my mind that the whole thing will just end so that I can go and hide and cry, I watch as people merry, eating and drinking, there were a lot of merriment in the air.
But I know I was as good as dรฉรขd.
“how do I undo this, how can I escape it, the prince will find out Iโm not a virgin if he tries to lay with me, what will become my fate.
“Uka dike! he has just k!lled me. why me, why did the prince chose me? chaiโฆIโm dรซฤd. my father, what do I tell himโฆwhat am I suppose to do. olisa bi na igwe biko bia yere mu akaโฆ(God of heaven please come to my aid)
And after the whole ceremony was over I was allowed to go home and stay for a week and within this week, my bride price and every necessary thing will be paid and I will officially become the Prince’s wife.
I lost appetite for food, I stay on my own and cry sometimes because Iโm not allowed to go out again, I canโt even go and check my trap or do as I use to do, but I was allowed to visit my female friends if I have any and bid them good bye.
I sat at the backyard and was crying my eyes out one day when my father who thought it was because I was afraid of leaving him alone, came to console me, telling me not to worry that he will be fine, he said he has enough money to give himself a proper treatment now.
the igwe who was old and do not come out often again sent his blessings and also some good gifts to him.
And even the prince, who is called Prince Akabugo, generally addressed as prince Aka also sent down many gifts.
My father said I should not worry about anything because prince Aka will take good care of me and I will also be allowed to visit home sometimes.
My father sound so excited as he told me how I have made him proud.
He began to bless me, saying that my own children will also make me proud.
I couldnโt pay attention to everything he was saying because my trรธuble is far big than me and him, I canโt even imagine.
I was suppose to see my flow that week but it cease to come, I waited until the second day but my monthly flow still did not come, my worst fear came again, as I wondered if I have become pregnant for Ukadike.
“It canโt happen, the gods of the land canโt give me double punishment, loosing my virginity and then pregnancy.
God forbids it!
I tried drinking one of my fatherโs hot herbs mixed in schnapp drink so that it will force my monthly flow out but it did not work, I try different things but I still did not see it.
โheeeyyyyโฆawolam oooโ (heyโฆIโm dรซฤd oo)
Mma have being trying to be close to me, acting all nice and friendly but I seriously do not need anybody close, all I wanted was to be alone, she will still be the first with her mother to mock me when the truth is out.
All those girls that use to insult me then started visiting me, wanting to be my friend but I totally shut everyone off.
I was afraid as different things crossed my mind, I canโt even k!ll myself to avoid the whole mess from surfacing, I was afraid of taking my own life, afraid to d!e but I know my pending humiliation will be fast worst than dยฃ@th itself. But I couldnโt get to do anything.
Something was stopping me anytime I try doing that, I wanted to d!e yet I canโt find the courage to k!ll myself.
As I was not allowed to be seen by any man so I couldnโt even visit Ukadike, I decided to go see the elderly woman who lives at the far end of the village.
I told my father where I was going but my father did not even know the woman as I describe her and where she lives, he still did not know who I was talking about.
my father knows almost everyone in the village, I wondered why he doesnโt know about this elderly woman whom I first met on a bush path coming back from where she went to cut her goat food.
she was kind and warned me that day about the bรขd people in the bush which turned out to be Nduka, i wondered how she got to know that Nduka will attack me that day and he eventually did until the stranger who happens to be Ukadike rescued me from Nduka.
My father allowed me to go since it was a womanโs house and elderly one with wisdom.
my father said I should go and come back on time because in two days from then Prince Aka will be coming for me.
I ran to see the woman and I was so happy to see her sitting outside her hut, as if she was expecting somebody.
I greeted her and her presence alone makes me calm as I sat beside her thinking of how to tell her that Ukadike disvirgined me, and I lied and paraded myself as a virgin when I wasnโt one, and I have being expecting my monthly flow but it still hasnโt come yet, Iโm scared and I wish I can just d!e…
It was as if she was reading my mind as she told me she knows all that has being going on, she knows that I have being chosen by the prince and she knows what happened with me and Ukadike before the virgin parade.
Before Ukadike deflowered me she has asked me to be careful in order not to be shocked or hurt even before I mate with Ukadike but I did not take her word serious.
I was shocked that she knows about me and Ukadike and almost everything that happening to me.
I wondered if Ukadike told her about breaking me but how did she really get to know the rest of the things happening.
It was suppose to be my secret but the elderly woman seems to know everything I did, maybe she is a mind reader.
As for being chosen by prince Aka, almost all the villagers knows that, it was no news and she must have heard of it one way or the other if she was not present at the occasion.
The elderly woman told me not to drink or eat anything that will hurt me and I wonder how she got to know that I was taking different things just to see my monthly flow again and also trying to take my life to be able to escape from the shame.
She warned me not try doing anything stรบpรญd for the sake of my father and the few people who cares about me.
She also said that trouble is lurking around but everything will be fine.
I asked her how will everything be fine because Iโm perceived as a virgin when Iโm not one, the prince will find out soon if he tries to lay with me.
The elderly woman was quiet and later said that I have to be strong, I have great strength and now is time to show it.
“The mistake has been done and there is no remedy than to face the consequences for your actions but in all of this be strong my daughter. I canโt tell you what is yet to come but you will need strength and not tears or fearโฆ”
I even asked her if I was prรซgnรฅnt and she just smile and said, โyou will find out soonestโ.
I silently prayed i’m not and my monthly flow will come.
I asked of Ukadike if she has seen him of recent and she quietly shakes her head meaning she has not seen Ukadike.
โHis real name is not what you were told off, he may not be found in his hut again because he is more than what he appears to be…”
I did not understand but I was determined to see Ukadike and tell him to his face that he has k!lled me.
So after I left the womanโs house, I allowed night to settle small before I sneak into the bush and straight to Ukadikeโs hut.
There was no noise or light, I went into his compound, everywhere was quiet, I entered his hut while shouting his name and I was shock to find out that his things are not as it use to be. Everything was packed up in one corner.
Ukadike was gone.
He has disappeared and I may never see him again.
Ukadike has gone back to where he came from, now I understand what the elderly woman means by Ukadike may not be found in his hut again. I started crying heavily.
โHeyy! awolamuooooo (I’m dรฉรขd)โฆUkadike has k!lled me and disappeared. Ukadike Is gone, chaiโฆ.somebody should help me oooโฆUkadike is goneโฆ”
(Do not take credit or Plagiarize AMAH’S HEART stories)
