The Hunter's tale

CHAPTER 3: The Betrothal

It has always been a custom in the Adanawa tribe that male royals had no choice as to whom they marry for their brides were to be chosen for them by the chief himself and his council. Adanawa had 13 clans and brides for the royals were to be chosen from just 3 of those clans, Fobah, Momaka and Ndonchi Clans. Girl children born to families of these clans where presented at the palace and the baby girl chosen as the betrothed of the prince will henceforth be under the care and protection of the palace and the girl will be groomed to become a queen or princess and so it was up till the time of Taku Kibeng II. His wife Chimeda of the Ndonchi Clan was 17 when she came to the palace to stay when Taku took the throne as Chief after his father's passing. She was submissive, elegant, quiet and pretty, she was perfect as a queen.

Although this custom of betrothal had been observed and followed through out the years it still did not stop Taku from abolishing it. During his reign he made it clear that this tradition no longer had a place in the tribe of Adanawa, this met so much resistance from the council who were made up for hard-headed old men who were not open to change and from the three clans that royal brides came from but Taku being the strong willed man he was still got his way. He knew first hand the pain this system cost him and he did not want his generation to go through the same ordeal. He decreed that royals will be given the choice and the chance to choose a spouse for themselves. Taku had lost the love of his life and a part of his heart stayed back with Visi the day he left her with that last kiss crying under the large iroko tree which was their usual meeting place. He played his part in his marriage to his chosen bride Chimeda, he was kind to her and respected her as his partner and wife and often sort her opinion in making some decisions in the kingdom, he even had two children with her, a boy and a girl but it was clear to everyone that he didn't love Chimeda. He always had that faraway and unhappy look in his eyes and was often caught day dreaming. The only person who knew about his love Visi was his second in command and best friend Ajum. Chimeda had long come to terms with the fact that her husband Taku married her to fulfill a duty but as a Queen she was taught never to complain and so she didn't. Taku was a just and fair chief and over the years a gave his all to his tribe and to the great Baturi as a whole, but he lost a little bit of himself everyday. If only he knew his heart wasn't the only thing he left with Visi that day...