The Lost Nation: Nkechi the Renegade (Book 2)

8

Nkechi gnawed on her bottom lip as she stared at the rising sun. The sun had barely begun its accent across the sky and her mind had already been awake and ready for the day but Nkechi was not ready. Her mind had been fitful and her dreams vivid.

A mournful sigh left her lips as she watched the vibrant red hues of the sun cast a luminous glow over her home. Today was a pivotal day in both her and her brother's journey.

Femi would be making an announcement that would shake the foundations of this tribe and with it, Nkechi's part would come to an end. There was a deep-rooted sense of sadness that weighed her down but beneath that all, there was a strum of excitement. Today was the day that both Femi and Nkechi would be taking the first steps in fulfilling their destinies. It was a momentous time and not just for her tribe but the whole Dari Soleen.

The Goddess had been working hard for years, her plans transpiring further then their feeble mortal minds could comprehend. She had been planning and by doing something so small as following their destinies, Nkechi and Femi would be altering the destinies of so many tribes and nations.

Nodding her head in acceptance, Nkechi peeled her eyes away from the beautiful sight that was her home. A wistful smile spread across her face as she slowly made her way through the tribe's land.

The quiet morning slowly came alive as more and more people woke from their slumber. By the time she made it back to her brother's hut, the majority of her tribespeople were making their way out of their homes and beginning their morning routines.

Nkechi knocked on the wooden pane of her brother's hut before stepping through the opening. A soft chuckle tumbled from her chest as she watched Femi scurry around. Her brother was fitful as he tried to salvage what was left of the burnt breakfast.

"I guess cooking will not be a part of your husbandly duties?"

Femi jumped and dropped the bowl of burnt food to the floor. "You made me drop the food. Now, what am I supposed to serve her?"

Nkechi burst out laughing at her brother's distraught face. "I did you a favour. I doubt she would have wanted to eat that."

His face fell as he looked at the burnt food that he made. "Was it that bad?"

Nkechi felt bad but her brother deserved her honesty, "Yes, but don't worry there is still time to salvage this before she arrives."

Nkechi stepped into her brothers cooking area and started cleaning up the mess he had made.

"What's the jury?" he mumbled as he rubbed at the back of his neck.

"Not too bad. The eggs are fine, but the flat cakes need to go because those are burnt to a crisp and whatever this is," Nkechi grimaced at the green slop her brother had tried to prepare, "this needs to go. Don't worry though, I picked up some fruit on my morning walk."

"It was green banana," Femi mumbled.

Nkechi's mouth hung ajar, "Green banana? What did you do? Leave the skin on a boil it to a pulp?"

She burst into more laughter at her brother's guilty expression. Shaking her head in mirth, she began instructing him on the proper way of boiling the hard fruit, starting with removing the skin. Once he seemed to have gotten the hang of the preparation, she left him to that as she went through his limited vegetable and spice selection. She began preparing a spicy vegetable stew to accompany the food. The stew didn't take long, so she began prepping the fruits she had freshly picked.

Once all the food was prepared except for the banana that was still boiling, she began making a small brew of coffee and a pot of lemon and ginger tea. She wasn't sure what Ife would want so she made both.