If they don't treat you right, you need somebody
...
You should know by now that you deserve a gentleman
-Gentleman, Ric Hassani
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*Trigger Warning*
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The lips of a woman carried news faster than any town crier in the kingdom, so when the town crier moved around with his gong and loud voice, informing people of the Kings new bride, and the ceremony that was going to take place in three days, most people already knew about it.
Oba Eniafe had already won the hearts of Abebi's parents. His bride price for her was the largest he had ever done for any woman. On top of that, he had made Abebi's brothers chiefs, and made sure that her father would never have to work again.
So when Abebi secretly called Mama, begging her to save her from the fate of being married to the old man that was currently drinking palm wine with Papa in his hut, Mama brushed it off as nervousness.
"Abebi." Her mother rolled her eyes. "What nonsense are you saying? Do you know how many girls would kill to be in your position? Yet you have the opportunity and you're running your mouth like parrot. Better behave yourself. Do not let your Papa hear you." Mama warned.
"But Mama-"
"Listen to me Abebi." Her mother pulled at her right ear, making Abebi wince in pain as she fought the tears that threatened to fall. "You are about to become a queen. The wife of an Oba. Do you know how much this king gave us for you? Your Papa would never have to work again! I am the talk of the town in this kingdom now, highly respected, as the mother-in-law of the Oba. All those useless people that used to scorn us because of our poverty have no mouth to insult me again. Even your Papa has begun to favour me more than Mama Yetunde because of you." Mama dragged her ear again before leaving it, throbbing in pain. Abebi placed her hand on her ear, massaging it.
"So you had better behave yourself. Be a good wife to the King. Obey him, respect him, please him very well, especially in bed. And bear him a son. Do not put me to shame oh! If you do so, I would personally kill you." Her mother finished. "Now get ready, the Oba doesn't want to leave until he sees you."
"Yes Mama."
...
Abebi held herself together, refusing to shed any tears until the Oba left. If she did so now, he might notice the puffiness in her eyes and get the wrong idea.
Not that the idea would be wrong.
She adorned herself in beads and rubbed more shea butter on her face, while she thought of a certain lover.
While she was here, being sold to an old man, he was in another kingdom, fighting with his life.
Oh! She hoped he was okay! To hear of his death would be like taking the sun away from the earth. She said a quick prayer to Ogun, the god of war, begging him to keep her lover for her.
I will come for you.
That's what he had said, but the war won't be over in a full moon, and her ceremony was in two days.
I will come for you.
As she walked towards her Papa's hut, wondering what would happen if she ran away now. When they join her to the Oba, he would never be able to get to her.
I will come for you.
She shook her head in despair. By the time he would come, it would be too late.
And with that, she walked into her Papa's hut, pulling a brave face and a fake smile, sure that she would cry herself to sleep later that night.
...
"Look at her, she's a witch. That is the only reason why Oba Eniafe would ever pick her." Abebi heard the whispers but she ignored them, showing the new slave the stream for fetching water.
When the Oba realised that he was taking Mama Abebi's only daughter, he had given her a slave instead, to take over all Abebi's house chores. Abebi's ceremony was taking place at the palace the next day, and by the last cock crow that day, she would be joined to the Oba.
She pushed her thoughts out of her head as she showed the slave around, ignoring the whispers around her. Ever since she had been proclaimed as the Kings betrothed, she had received diverse reactions.
While some were genuinely happy for her, some didn't care, some pitied her as they also didn't want to be betrothed so such an old man, others were extremely jealous of her.
"Forget her jare. Did you hear the news? We lost the war."
Abebi froze in her tracks. They lost the war? That meant he lost the war!
"What do you mean?" She suddenly asked, turning to them.
Although they did not like her, they were aware of the consequences that came with disrespecting royalty, so the answered anyway. "The war against Matogun Kingdom. We lost, only some of our warriors came back home, most of them injured and half dead."
"And the chief warrior? The are-ona-kakanfo?"
"Him? Nowhere to be found. But you know the tradition, if he is still alive, he cannot come back after losing a war. He must commit suicide and go back to the gods."
...
Abebi had always imagined her ceremony day. She would dance, laughing happily with her friends, dressed in properly dyed fabric, with a gele on her head, her beads shaking as she moved her waist.
She would see her husband, her Lord, and dance to him. The gods would bless them, and they would smile at well wishers for so long, their jaws would hurt.
Food and palm wine would flow freely, and the maidens would present dances to entertain the guests. When it would be evening time, he would take her to the hut, and make love to her, consummating their union, before taking the white cloth outside, showing everyone her spot of blood. The proof that she had been virtuous, that she had waited for him.
Then there would be celebration.
But right then, she wanted nothing more than to run in the opposite direction, away from the King and his smiling face. He wore an agbada over his large frame, but his pot belly was still very much noticeable. He stood with his legs pushed to the back, like a pregnant woman, and the sun shone upon his bald head.
She forced a smile as she danced stiffly to him, although no one seemed to notice as they all rejoiced, the men chugging down palm wine, and the women wiggling their waists even though they wished it was their daughter instead.
They knelt before the priest, who called upon the gods and goddesses to bless them, and bless their marriage.
Then the celebration continued.
...
Evening time came faster than Abebi wanted it to, and she was taken to the hut by the maids to wait for the King. She sobbed quietly, knowing that there would be no hope. He would sleep with her, and then there would be no chance of escape. Her lover was gone, probably dead.
I will come for you.
She shook her head. She was alone now.
When she heard the King walk into the dimly hut, as the people cheered from outside.
"Abebi, Abebi, beautiful Abebi." He slurred, and it was obvious that he was drunk. She could smell the odour of palm wine as he walked towards her, yet she did not have the courage to walk away from him.
"My Lord." She replied timidly.
"I hope you're a virgin." He joked, stumbling on his feet and catching himself, undressing her with his eyes.
"Yes my Lord." She nodded, her hands trembling.
"Good good." He grinned. "Do not worry eh, do not be afraid, you would enjoy it very well." He said although the tone in his voice and the look in his eyes did nothing to assure her. "You would enjoy it." He repeated as he grabbed her upper wrapper, yanking it down and exposing her breasts to him.
She could feel tears well up in her eyes and she bit her lower lip, refusing to cry. "Good good." He murmured as the stench of palm wine hit her nose. He grabbed her breast forcefully with one large sweaty hand, squeezing it hard, causing her to whimper in pain and disgust.
"Very good. It would feed my son very well." He said as he pulled her lower wrapper away too, leaving her completely naked in front of him. She was sobbing now, uncontrollably, but she doubted if he cared.
Could he even make sense of his surroundings? All he could see was the only person that would give him a son. "Lie down." He instructed, and she obeyed, lying down and closing her legs. "Open your legs jare. Doing as if you do not like it. I have paid a good bride price to your parents, and I must enjoy what I paid for."
He removed his agbada and she grimaced at the sight of his ugly chest and pregnant belly. As he knelt in front of her, fumbling with his trousers with one hand while assaulting her breasts, she raised her hand behind her, looking for anything.
A weapon.
She accidentally broke a calabash and she picked the sharpest end, or what she felt was the sharpest end, and as he finally got his trousers down, leaving her breast, she stabbed him forcefully, causing him to fall down on her.
She pushed him off her and moved to get up but he grabbed her leg, pulling her back, causing her to hit her head on the floor, moaning in pain.
At least the people outside wouldn't suspect a thing.
Adrenaline pumping in her veins, she ignored the pain and stabbed him again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
And again.
Then he went limp. He was still breathing, she assured herself as she tied a wrapper around herself. She fastened it, and tied another one above it. Grabbing another wrapper just in case, she looked around her. If she went through the door, they would seize her as a murderer, but behind the hut was the window.
Behind the window was the forest. She would run until she reached the nearest kingdom, which would take her at least a full moon.
Jumping out of the window, she ran for her life.
...
Abebi wasn't sure if she was running in circles or not. All she knew was that she was running.
The night wind was harsh against her skin, she could hear the hooting of the owls, and the whispering of the spirits.
Would the gods punish her for what she had done?
She sat on her extra wrapper, breathing heavily while she hugged her knees in fear.
Suddenly she heard a loud voice, shaking her in fear. "Who is there? Spirit or human, show yourself."
She froze. Could it be a hunter? Or one of the guards.
"Show yourself before I kill you."
...
Gehn gehn. Our female protagonist has entered yawa oh (trouble)
What do you think about Mama 😑?
And Abebi's actions at the end of the chapter? Should she have ran or stayed😯?
Where is my Lord ohhh???😅 or as Townie_A says it, uncle My Lord😆😂😂
For anyone that has gone through rape, just remember that you're still amazing and no one can take that from you.😚
Gele is a head tie. Agbada is a big robe thing that men wear.
The wedding tradition is simple, after the ceremony, the groom takes his bride the the hut to do the deed, and they do it on a white cloth, so when they're done he takes it out to show everyone the blood of her virginity. If the woman is a virgin, she would be celebrated and then go to her husbands house. If she isn't, she would be disgraced and sent back to her father's house and no one would want to marry her again.
We get?
Are-ona-kakanfo is the official title for the chief warrior. I don't know why the name is so long sef, that's why I just use warrior 😅😑. So according to tradition, the are-ona-kakanfo must never lose a war. If he did, he must either be killed in the war, or commit suicide.
Thanks for keeping Bride Price on the whats hot list! Although we dropped I'm still happy that we even entered sef.
More drama coming soon!
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-Olori Timi