After that, I did not see Obuike for days which stretched to weeks, then months. I wanted to see him but at the same time I did not want to. Time had helped heal my wounded heart but deep down, I knew I still felt something for Obuike. I sometimes wondered if he felt the same thing for me and what he did about it.
One day, Aunty Nwibari came home with all smiles. 'Obuike has done wine carrying,' she announced happily.
Wine carrying was a rite of passage before marriage. It involved the suitor presenting before the family of the girl he wants to marry, some wine. Because it was most definitely followed by marriage, some viewed wine carrying as good as marriage.
I wish I could have shared in her joy that day but I could not bring myself to fake it. Instead I forced a smile and said, 'I wish him the best.'
Aunty Nwibari did not notice my odd behaviour that day. I made my way outside to take in some fresh air. In a way, I felt dejected but I knew it was stupid to feel that way. He was a king while I was a slave. He was a son of the land while I was only a stranger. Above all, his father had contributed in destroying my land and separating me from my mother. Instead of love, I should feel hatred towards him. I braced myself. I was determined to forget Obuike and suppress every iota of feeling I had for him.
* * * * * * *
A few months had passed since Aunty Nwibari told me of the wine carrying. She had been so overjoyed then, humming and singing as she went about her business.
Strangely enough, I noticed her spirits dampen over time. She became somewhat sad and stayed out more. I wanted to ask her the cause of the drastic change in her mood but decided not to. I only assumed it was perhaps a temporal mood swing.
One day, she returned home terribly exhausted. I asked her if she was hungry but she replied that water would be just fine. I met her crying, her face buried in her hands, when I returned.
'Ma!' I exclaimed rushing to her side and holding her comfortingly, 'What happened?'
'They want to kill my son,' she croaked tearfully.
'Obuike?' I asked to be sure.
She nodded.
'Ma, I do not understand.'
She explained how Obuike had been very sick for the past one month. At first, it was a mild fever then his health began deteriorating. Obuike was no longer himself. He had become dangerously thin, laid in bed all day and could hardly utter a word. The only thing that showed he was alive was his slow steady breathing. The best native healers including Aunty Nwibari had tried all they could to revive him but all to no avail.
'They have finally got him. They have tried to kill him many times before and now they are succeeding. They want to take away my child!' she wailed bitterly.
Timidly, I asked, 'Who are they?'
She shook her head. 'I do not know my daughter, I do not know. Whenever I go to the palace, I feel this aura of bitter envy and hatred but what can we do? He is the king and the palace should be his home. Madume told me he suspects that the step-mother, the witch is behind this. She had been eyeing the throne ever since. She has even started taking control of the palace and wants to participate in making decisions that concern the kingdom but Madume and the council of chiefs are watching her carefully...'
She finally stopped crying and requested for her water. I gave it to her.
'Maybe it is his time to leave this wicked world but why now in the prime of his life? He has been made king, his kingdom is peaceful and he is about to marry a beautiful princess. Why now?'
I did not know what to say. I hoped Obuike would get better; I wanted him to live. He was a good person after all.
'My daughter, I cannot even bear to watch him suffer. There is nothing more painful than a mother watching her child die. Oroma, this is what you must do. You must go to the palace each day and give him the medicinal herbs I would give to you. Treat him as best as I have taught you and always report back to me on the progress his health is making.'
I nodded. I really wanted to see him and hoped against hope that Obuike would not look as bad as I imagined.
* * * * * *
The following day, I went to the palace - she had given me directions and I had asked around when I got confused. When I had got to the palace, I explained to the guards that I was the slave of Aunty Nwibari the native healer and that she had sent me to give the kings some herbs. They had not only let me in, but had also taken me to his chamber. There were two guards when we got there. After I had also explained to them, they let me in.
His room was neat but stuffy and dimly-lit. I pulled wider the curtain to let in more air and light. I saw him shiver a little. He lay on his mat and I sat down beside him. He looked peaceful as he slept but he was just as Aunty Nwibari had described. I placed my hand on his neck, it was very hot. I knew I had to feed him but I wondered how I would do it.
'Obuike, it is Oroma. Please try and take your herbs,' I whispered into his ears.
He did not move a muscle or make a sound. I was getting worried. I brought close to his nose, a hot herbal concoction. I hoped that at least he would breathe it in and feel better.
'Chokike please help me,' I prayed under my breath.
After some time, I tried feeding him. I was able to make him eat but after some time, his tightly shut mouth said that he did not want to eat any more. I spent the rest of the day, covering him when he shivered, fanning him, often placing on him some hot compress, tried giving him food and some medicinal herbs until dusk finally arrived. Packing all that I came with, I whispered into his ear, 'Obuike, get better. Chokike would heal you so do not be afraid. I will come back tomorrow. May the day break.'
I left his chambers and the guards nodded at me as I left. I was so deep in thought worrying about the health of Obuike that I bumped into somebody. It was a male slave, I could tell from his dressing, but it was not just any male slave, it was Wami. He too had just realised whom he had bumped into.
'Wami!' I exclaimed happy at seeing him.
'Shh!'' he hushed dragging me into a hidden corner.
'Oroma, I have missed you.' He said giving me a tight embrace.
I hugged him back tightly. 'Me too.'
He released me.
'What are you doing here?' I asked immediately.
'I was brought here as a slave,' he said flatly, 'Some other boys and I are under training. They want to train us as warriors to fight for this land. What about you?'
'I was sent here to help nurse the king back to life,' I said without a second thought.
Wami gaped at me with surprise.
'I have a mistress,' I hurriedly explained after realising what I had said, 'She is a native healer and she trained me as one. The king is like a son to her and she cannot bear to see him like this so she sent me instead.'
Wami regarded me as he digested this information. 'This is perfect!' he exclaimed.
'How?' I asked lost.
'Oroma, I thought that you had died that day so when they had separated us and taken me away, I had lost all hope. The arrow was meant to have killed you but look, you survived! No doubt, the gods kept you alive for a purpose, to help us reclaim our freedom! With no king, we can easily rebel and have our revenge on our enemies. Then return back to our lands.'
My eyes popped out. 'You mean I should kill him?'
'Of course! You have access to him. Besides, he already is as good as dead. Truth is, you are helping him to end his suffering and pain. Oroma, I hope you remember he is our enemy?'
I did but....
'Look, we are planning a rebellion. For some months now, the Ikwerre slaves have been meeting secretly for this purpose. Our leader is one man, Ebulu. He said the time is ripe; the kingdom is shaky. Many people are after the throne. With little unity among these people, we can easily take them unawares.'
He looked at me as if to be sure that I understood. Then we heard the sound of approaching footsteps.
'Oroma, you have to go and promise me that you would do this. Remember you promised you will fight for your land. This is the time.'
There was no time to make more promises. The patrolling guards were getting closer so Wami and I quickly went our separate ways. On my way home, I thought about all Wami had said. Should I kill Obuike? He was our enemy after all....
* * * * * *
A fortnight had passed since my encounter with Wami and I wished with guilt that it would continue that way. Each day, I went to the palace to treat Obuike and prayed I would not meet Wami. As much as I wanted to see my childhood friend again and ask him if he had heard anything of my mother, I knew it was best not to. He wanted me to end the king's life but I was doing the exact opposite - nursing him back to health. Rebellion or no rebellion, I recoiled at the thought of murdering Obuike.
One day, on my way home from the palace, I remembered something. When I was little, I had accidentally eaten a poisonous vegetable. I was on the verge of dying so my mum took me to the house of a native healer to stay where I would get proper treatment to recover. The native healer had given me a particular herb claiming it was the antidote to all poisons. It had worked for me then so I decided to search for that particular herb and give it to Obuike. At first, it was very difficult to find; even Aunty Nwibari was not familiar with such herb. But days after venturing into the bush in search for it, I finally found it. I gave it to Obuike and slowly but surely, his health improved. When I had told her of his progress, she had come and was very pleased with what she saw, she decided to let me continue until he had fully regained his health. Eventually, Obuike recovered and was strong enough to go about his business but that did not stop me from going to the palace each day. Nursing Obuike was a perfect excuse to be with him, something I could not help looking forward to.
Once again, I was on my way to his chamber. By then, the guards had become familiar with me. They not only greeted me when I came, but also gave me a knowing smile. Obuike was seated casually on his bamboo bed staring at the window, his brows furrowed.
'I thought you were supposed to be lying down?' I asked sarcastically as I entered.
He turned to look at me. 'You came late today,' he said giving me a frown.
'You are not talking like a sick person.'
He smiled. 'I know. Only seeing your face is enough to make me better,' he teased.
'Better get up from there and stop pretending to be sick so that Madume can rest.' I replied grinning.
I sat down beside him and we began talking excitedly. We were so absorbed in our talk and laughing without caution, we did not hear someone enter.
'Obuike!'
I turned to look. I had expected the female authoritative voice I had just heard to have come from his step-mother but I only saw a young girl about my age. She was indeed beautiful and well adorned. I assumed her to be Ebiere. Obuike seemed lost for words as her sudden appearance had taken him by surprise.
'Ebiere,' he fumbled.
'Who is she? What is she doing here?'
'She is the girl the native healer sent to treat me.'
'Treat you indeed,' she sneered.
Obuike got up at this. 'Where were you when I was sick? As soon as I was bedridden, you disappeared to your father without even bothering to see me!' he flared.
'It was for your own good,' she retorted, 'I went to see my father and got very important information from him. My father told me that King Wiwa is using us for his own selfish gains.'
'King Wiwa? How?'
She sighed impatiently. 'Obuike you have been pretending to be sick while things are happening. Do you know your step-mother has plans to remove you from the throne? Do you know that the slaves are planning a rebellion?'
'How did she know all these?' I wondered.
'This girl could be a traitor, after all we are enemies of her people,' she said pointing at me, her eyes full of fury, 'Send her out of here now! I do not ever want to set my eyes on her!'
'Oroma stay!' Obuike told me, 'You are not leaving because of her.'
'For goodness sake Obuike, I am your wife. Will you chose a concubine over me?' she cried.
At her words, I began leaving. Obuike tried to make me stay but I resisted. He would have to face Ebiere. I hurried out of his chambers leaving behind the raised voice of an angry Ebiere and the low voice of a guilt-stricken Obuike.
My eyes welled up with tears. I was so confused and after meeting Ebiere, I felt dirty. Not only was I a slave but I had also become a concubine and I was sure I would never see Obuike again.