Oroma had always lived an ordinary quiet life.That was until her village was invaded.After being carried off as a slave, what more did the future hold for her? Never could she have imagined that was only the beginning.
Obuike hurried to the meeting room in the palace; he was late. He had been so absorbed in the hunting with his friends that he had forgotten that he was to meet with the kings that day. Madume, his chief adviser, had come out to look for him. When he had found him, he had scolded him so much that it made Obuike wonder if Madume had any right to as he had become king.
Obuike had been king of Apaba for about six months since the overthrow of the Ikwerre rule and many things had drastically changed since then. Take for instance, Madume. Madume had been his father's trusted adviser. When he was made king following his father's death, he had taken Madume as his chief adviser. Actually, it was his father that had chosen him. It was one of the instructions his father had given him, 'Make sure you take Madume as your right-hand man. I trusted that man with my life and he has been the most faithful man that has ever served me.'
It was not a difficult instruction. He had known Madume ever since he was a child. Madume was a man in his sixties, strict, sage and still strong. As a child, Madume had been the father his father never was. But that was not the only instruction his father had given him. Marrying Ebiere was another and it was a difficult one. He had not known her then and even later on, he still had not developed any feelings for her. He had wanted to tell his father then but he had just kept mute as always. His father had never been the kind of man he could freely talk to. Tall, overbearing, authoritative and not caring enough to show Obuike any love, Obuike had grown up distant from his father. His father, as far as he could remember, had always been obsessed about power and the overthrow of the Ikwerre rule – an obsession that led him to his early demise. He had succeeded in defeating his enemy but had returned with a fatal wound. He had only lived for a few days, instructing Obuike on what to do when he was gone.
This was one of the things he was to do. He was to meet with the kings who had also fought with his father to liberate their kingdoms from Ikwerre colonialism. Until then, they had not been able to meet due to circumstances, to discuss how they would share the Ikwerre power among themselves.
He got to the entrance of the meeting room. He took in a deep breath. His heart kept pounding but he knew this was one of his duties as king. He had never met them before but he would as he entered.
Two men, who had apparently been in deep conversation, stood up in respect as he entered. They had their seats opposite each other. Both were dressed in expensive royal robes. On the left, was a lean tall man, King Wiwa – the Gberemene of Ugbu land while on the right was a fat, pot-bellied, huge man, King Pere – the Amayanabo of Wakiri kingdom and father of Ebiere.
'The Amayanabo, Gberemene, I greet you both,' he said as he walked up to have his seat on his throne.
'Igwe, we greet you,' they replied.
He gestured to them to sit down. He was sweating and wondered if he would be capable of handling this meeting. He was the youngest in their midst after all.
'I am very sorry,' he began, 'I did not mean to be late.'
'It is not a problem Igwe,' King Pere said, 'It gave us time to strike up a conversation and know ourselves better.'
King Wiwa nodded in affirmation and gave Obuike a smile - that seemed sly- just to assure him he was not angry. It only made Obuike gulp. Madume had told him about King Wiwa.
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