Bewaji

the summon

Bewaji stirred slowly and sat on her bed. She yawned, stretched and winced in pain as she felt a backache and soreness all over her body.

She must have woken up late she thought as the sun penetrated her window and she felt the hotness on her skin. The moment her feet touched the surface of the ground, dizziness hit her, her eyes clouded with darkness and to prevent herself from falling. she was able to stand stable when she leaned close to her wardrobe and gently found her way back to her bed.

Coming to realization, she remembered the queen had assigned her handmaid to take care of her last night but as soon as her mother had left her room, feeling regrets and being brokenhearted, not even food or a bath can make her feel better so angrily she dismissed her handmaid saying she wants some time alone and she should not report to her mother or even come back to her room until she has been called.

Feeling so weak this morning, this is what her stubbornness had caused her, how will she manage and get out of the bed, she's regretted the decision to be so hard on herself and yet she doesn't want to bring any attention to herself. she wondered what her older sister Abefe must have thought of her seeing that she hasn't congratulated her since last night her marriage has been announced.

She has no choice but to get back to herself, she managed to stand to her feet even though she staggered a bit and her eyes are still blurred and because of her ego, she refused to ask for help from her handmaid whom she sent away last night.

she managed to get to the bathroom (baluwe) as her hand came in contact with everything she sees to keep her still, she sat down on a stool with multiple beads on her waist. she shudders as she undressed herself and entered inside the cemented big bath tub filled with water, the water was lukewarm, as it came in contact with her skin, she felt relaxed, she gently stretched her long legs and laid back to relax to enjoy the warmness of the water.

A drop of tear fell out of her eye as she thought of her plight. Not wanting to render her whole day useless, she came out of her thoughts and sat up, stretched out her hands to her side to where her scrubbing sponge and ose dudu were kept, she also uses a bathing gel she got from ibadan.

As odd as bewaji can be, she enjoys washing from the sole of her feet upwards to her hair, it took her 30 minutes to get herself thoroughly cleaned and stood up from the tub and took the wrapper hanged and wrapped herself and it seems the bath calmed her nerves and gave her strength as she noticed her dizziness disappeared.

"Water is definitely therapeutic" she thought.... then she brushed her teeth with chewing stick, she could have used a toothpaste instead she didn't want to upset her already empty stomach. She loved the tasteless and non scented Pako.

She walked out of the bathroom barefooted, coming out she felt warmness of the room with the sun out. She went in to take out her outfit for the day. Some minutes later, after rubbing her dark skin in coconut oil, she wore her under garments and dressed herself in a fitted green iro and buba asooke stiched with beautiful embroidery and compliment it with ipele. she is no mood to tie any Gele as her hair is plaited in suku and adorned with cowries, so she left her hair uncovered.

She also decided to leave her face bare, with no beads around her neck,ears, wrist or ankle.

still feeling weak from starvation, she puts on her beaded sandals to make her way to the royal kitchen.

Suddenly, A voice was came through from her doorway, her heart beat violently as if she is about to receive a bad news, the second time. It brought her out of her thoughts and she went towards the door and lifted the mat reveal the messenger and it turned out to be a maid from the palace whom she recognized.

The maid bowed politely to the princess and said with her eyes downcast.

"Good day my lady, (ẹkù ojumo Omo oba) forgive me for disturbing you, I have been sent here by his majesty, you are summoned immediately to the family's royal court and without looking into bewaji's eyes, she asked for permission to take her leave.

Bewaji stood still as if she has just received a shocking news, she wondered what could be the reason her father had summoned her to the royal court and this scares her a bit because she and her father haven't been on best terms since the event had taken place and she herself felt ashamed and because of lack of communication and silent treatment from her closest ally, the distant between them grew further apart and her father's calmness scares her most.

To prevent herself from over-analyzing, she swore to face her fears, hearing her father's order, her pangs of hunger vanished so she stepped out of her not so tidy room, and hurriedly make her her way to the court.

Getting closer to the entrance, her heart beat faster. As she got to the door, two guards stood side by side and they helped pulled the door rings for her to enter, reaching inside the well decorated family court where it is only meant for private matter, she wasn't surprised to see her grandmother Ajiun, her mother Abefe, her sister Adufe ,her older brother Adewale and the king himself seated.

she knew she had been been summoned for a query or something worse. She had always been the odd one amongst them all and tears threatened to spill as she feel their unforgiving eyes on her, she calmly composed herself and found a seat next to her father and quickly walked towards it in her weak state to save herself from embarrassment by fainting.