Princess from the past

Episode 8

Ego went to Princess Anayo's hut as called to meet everyone in solemn mood.

Prince Ubonwa's third wife Uloaku has ruined her dress, she was crying and her maids were around her to console her.

"Stop subbing Uloaku, you are not a child" Princess Anayo cautioned her to stop.

"what are my supposed to do now eh! my husband will be so angry eh" Uloaku cries.

"kedu ife oga eme?" "what will he do?" Princess Ego snapped daringly.

"Oh keep quiet Ego and help out. You are his sister, she is his wife. I bet you have no idea and I don't expect you to understand" Princess Anayo snapped angrily at Ego, she is one person that hated Ego's guts.

Ego smiled snarkishly at her statement

"OK everyone needs to calm down. Please let's not make big issues here with one another, we are her because of our wife Uloaku. Nobody should be vile with words or sort" Ugogbe said calmly to ease the temper.

"Atleast I have never brought shame to the family like. Does your husband know you have a child at home" Ego clapped back at Princess Anayo. She maids had to excuse the royalties and walked away from the heat.

"Don't you dare Ego. I supposed you have forgotten who I am" Princess Anayo warned her angrily.

Ego interrupted "Biko nodu ofu ebe. Kedu ife iga eme" "keep quiet please. What will you do"

Princess Anayo makes a fierce move at Princess Ego but Princess Ego held her and walked her away from the hut to prevent them from fighting. They kept regning abusive words on each other until Anayo was out of sight.

"rubbish" she snapped finally, turned to Princess Uloaku and said.

"Nwunye mu , biko soro mu bia nu ulo mu" "my wife, please follow me to my hut".

Uloaku nods and wipes her face. Princess Ego helped her clean of streams of tears on her face, then storms out and Uloaku followed.

Ugomu and Uchayi were going to find Princess Ego after Prince Awene had informed them that he was no longer with her.

"what do you think transpired between them" Uchayi asked curiously

"I don't know, I thought she liked him" Ugomu replied and Uchayi chuckled.

"Princess Ego doesn't love anyone" Uchayi said and Ugomu replied.

"Yes I use think so but the truth is she likes him, maybe a little but among all the men, he gives him more audience. I see the way she looks at him".

"yea and the way he looks at her. Regardless the fact she is a princess but he treats her like an egg and is always there for her".

"You have a point though" Ugomu concurred.

They saw Prince Akudo approaching them, they kept quiet.

"Ndewo nwa eze" "greetings son of the king" they greeted him, he looked replies them with a smile. Uchayi and Ugomu couldn't withstand his eyes. His eyes were seductive and alluring and he knows it.

"Where is the princess?" he asked

"We are looking for her" Uchayi stammers.

Prince Akudo frowns at them.

"You left Ego all by herself, nor to talk of a day like this. what is wrong with you maidens" He scolded.

"we are sorry she asked us to leave. She was with Prince Awene" Uchayi snapped in defence, Ugomu nods in affirmation.

"Prince Awene?" Prince Akudo inquires curiously and they both nods.

"Okay" he says finally and walked away.

Uchayi and Ugomu paused, then burst out laughing as soon as he walked away.

At the ground of ceremony, everyone were excited and anticipating a thing or the other. Some groups sat together for easy recognition, including the Umuada the kinswomen, Umunna the kinsmen, Ndi nze na ozo the Royal cabinet and the princesses and Princes. Everyone was present except Igwe the king, due to his ill health and his first son Prince Afere acted as proxy. He has been representing his father all this while he has been sick. Prince Afere was the acting king of the Ukwe kingdom.

The Ogene music group never ceased their music even for a blink. They were many other music groups at stand by to perform, including the dancers. It was at that moment Princess Ego made a grand entrance with Uloaku the third and favourite wife of Prince Ubonwa, alongside their maids. People were astonished by their stunning looks, even though they know Princess Ego never dissapoints. Prince Ubonwa was most pleased with his wife's look, he has never seen her this beautiful before. To everyone's surprise, he stood and ushered her in to sit next to him, taking his other wives to sit behind him. He held Uloaku by the arms and never let go all through the occasion. He regularly throw glances of admiration at her, thereby making other wives jealous and envious of uloaku.

Everyone was excited and having fun at the occasion. It first started with the breaking of kola and prayers by Prince Afere as the first son of the King.

Drinks and foods were been served and everyone jollied. The guests were well taken care of.

Princess Ego and her maids were at a corner doing what they know how to do best, gossiping. Her maids were her eyes because she doesn't look around at any event in other not to make eye contact with anyone. She knew every eyes was on her and she really enjoyed the attention she was getting.

"That handsome Prince from Okwa Kingdom is here" Uchayi whispered to Princess Ego's ears. She smiled and inquired.

"Prince Onu?".

Uchayi nods in affirmation and they laughed. Prince Onu was also among those asking for Princess Ego's hand in marriage. He had equally promised to send his other wives home if she accepted to marry him but Ego had turned him down.

"His wives would kill me if they ever got the chance" They laughed again.

"Guess what Princess, Ifebuche and Prince Awene are sitted together" Ugomu informed.

Princess Ego felt a surge of shock but she managed to stifle her emotions.

"Where? How? Why?" Ego stutters in amusement.

"They are talking" Ugomu said again

"Afterall they hold nothing against each other" Uchayi added

"Yea" Ego said awkwardly

"The only person he hates is Prince Ifedi" Ugomu said and they chuckled.

"But Ifebuche is a good man" Ugomu said and Uchayi nodded

"So as Prince Awene" Ego snapped. Ugomu exchanged glances with Uchayi, giving each other an insinuating look. They knew Ego has feelings for Prince Awene but her pride will never let her.

At the night when the occasion was over, and all their guests and villagers all gone.

The Royalties had gathered at a separate hut to discuss and have fun as family, including the princesses, the princes and their wives. The King's wives and older princesses had gone to keep the king company in his hut and to have their gathering.

"Unu afulu omalicha nwunye?" "did you people see my beautiful wife?" Ubonwa said, flaunting his wife Uloaku. They all laughed and hailed his wife, except Ubonwa's other wives, who frowned and throws spiteful gaze at Uloaku.

"Nwunye anyi ncha amakacha" "All our wives are pretty" Prince Afere said to ease the rising tension. He knew other wives were getting uncomfortable. He lifted his cup of palmwine for a toast and said

"Let us celebrate for a successful festival, it is almost time for Ichofo rite to finalise the festival, so the princes get ready dont keep the chief priest waiting". They other's cheered and clapped, then he gulped in some drink.

"What's the point of that. Why don't you let us the women join" Ego snapped. Everyone went silent on her question.

Ichofo rite was a sacred ritual exclusive for men. Women are f*******n to partake or see how is done.

"You know you may go blind if you dared come" Prince Ikedi snapped and Princess Ego began to laughed to everyone's awkward gaze

"I wonder how I can still see because I have seen how he is done". Ego said.

Prince Ubonwa snapped "Stop talking nonsense Ego"

"You think I am lying. Okay what about you all walking blindfolded in a circle, soaked in blood and with human skulls on hand". Immediately the Princes exchanged awkward glances, they were all in shock at Ego's confessions. How did she know about this, they all wondered. It was a taboo. The women noticed the weird tension among the princes, they knew something was not right. Prince Ikedi winked at Princess Anayo, signaled her to lure the women out.

"Ngwanu ka anyi je fu umu akanyi" "Let us go and see our kids" Princess Anayo tells the women so they all leave. The princes maintained their silence as the women stood to leave, Ego stood to leave too but Prince Afere throws her an insinuating gaze for her to sick back as the other women left.

"Don't tell me you told her something Ubonwa" Prince Akudo tackled Prince Ubonwa.

Triggered at his question, Prince Ubonwa bursted out "what are you saying , aru adikwa gi".

"Please you both, dont start" Prince Afere shushed them.

Ego has been silent all the while with her head bent.

"You know Ubonwa would never relate anything to her" Prince Ikedi said.

"Gbo Ego look at us" Prince Akudo commanded and she hestiatedly lifts her head to face them.

"How did you know this?" Prince Ikedi queried Ego.

"I saw it with my eyes" she answered.

"How? Where? that's not possible" Prince Afere snapped.

"But I am telling you the truth" Ego snapped frowning her face.

The truth is Ego had sneaked on them when she was very much younger. She was more stubborn then. She had always been curious to know why it was f*******n for the women. The rite was usually done at back of the palace, under a very old gigantic tree, which was said to be sacred. Ego was traumatized by what she saw that night for days, but she never dared to speak a word to anyone about what she saw because she knew she would be in a big trouble.

"Nwata nwe eme aru" Prince Ubonwa cried, other princes too were shocked in disbelief.

"You see nothing happened to me. They lied to us" Ego said

"Shut up" they all shunned her

"Do you know the implications of what you have done?" Prince Afere yelled.

"There is no implication" Ego snapped daringly.

"I guess we will find our someday" Prince obiako who has been silent all this while, responded.

For the first time, Ego became scared and then she began to cry.