Princess from the past

Episode 10

"What do you think the princess would desire?" Ugomu asked uchayi as the await their turn from a good distance away from the shrine.

Uchayi chuckled "what could she ever desire, she has it all. Beauty, fame, money, she is a princess, her life is all my desire. So if she desire anything else, it would be what? I can't imagine"

Ugomu breathes out and said faintingly "everyone always want something"

"What would that be, to rule the Okwe kingdom?" Uchayi teased.

"Not that" Ugomu dims her eyes and whispered "Queen Agbomma".

"No way, I doubt she wants her back to the Palace" uchayi responded.

"You think so?"

"Ofcourse I know so. Ah nne. If you think Prince ubonwa has the worst behaviour among Royalties, wait till you meet queen Agbomma" Uchayi said to Ugomu's astonishment.

"Ezigbo? Kedu ka is mara" "Serious? How did you know. I entered the palace before you and by that time she was queen Agbomma was not in the palace. So how did you know" Ugomu argued.

uchayi looks around to make sure nobody was coming then whispers "I haven't told anyone this before but my mother was a servant at the palace. Her mother keeper precisely" Ugomi opened her eyes wide in disbelief.

"What? Queen Agbomma?" ugomi whispered, uchayi nods and responded

"How do you think I was able to work here".

"Work where?" They both jerked in shock at the familiar voice. The voice belonged to Ego.

"My princess you are out" they stammered.

"How did it go?" Ugomu asked shaking.

"Ogini ne eme?" "What is going on?" "Kedu ihe unu na asi" "what are you gossiping about" "What is wrong with you both? Why are you acting weird?" Ego queried.

"Nothing my princess" they echoed.

Ego looked at them disdainfully and said

"By the way who is going next?" She inquired.

"Are you done?" Uchayi asked.

"Ofcourse not. What can I possibly demand" Uchayi and Ugomu exchanged glances. "He told me to come back when I am ready".

"I will go first then" Ugomu said

"Alright, seems you planned this moment. Make a wise choice" Ego said to uchayi.

"I will princess. Thank you" Ugomi said then tapped uchayi's shoulder and leaves.

At the shrine with the chief priest Aluka. Ugomu was made to stand in the middle of a circle draw with chalk powder. Aluka went behind one of the trees and came holding a clay pot, with a palm leaf in between his lips. He dropped the pot on the floor, put his hand inside and pulled out rounded shaped stones. Wavered it on the air, threw it on the floor and put out the palm leaf.

"Now make a wish beautiful maiden" he said then put back the palm leaf to his mouth then closed his eyes.

"I wish to married to a royalty" Ugomu said faintingly.

Aluka shrugged and put out the palm leaf

"Why are you scared of your own voice" he said smilingly and opened his eyes.

"I don't know if I am asking too much" ugomu answered.

"Good desires are not too much" he backed her and shrugged again. "Only that you would have wished for something else. Only if you knew".

Ugomu panicked and said "How do you mean eze mmuo"

Aluka turned to face her again, smiled, held her hand and pulled her gently out of the chalk powder circle "because a Prince already has his eyes on you".

Immediately Ugomu felt a chill running down her spines. She froze in shock because she couldn't believe what she heard. Aluka snapped his fingers at her face and laughed.

"Go but tell no one".

Ugomu breathed out heavily

"Are you sure eze mmuo?" Ugomu inquired

Aluka nodded, smiled and said

"Just go".

She shouted in excitement and ran out.

Ugomu jumped on uchayi with so much joy to the amusement of princess Ego and uchayi.

"What happened? Kedu ife igwa ya, kedu ife mere?" "What did you tell him, what happened?" uchayi inquired with curiosity, Ego was curious as well.

"I don't think you are supposed to tell anyone Ugomu" Ego said to her.

Ugomu nods "yes my princess" she responded excitedly "but it was good"

"Obviously" uchayi snapped "this suspense is just another thing" Uchayi adjusted her dress and said in sophisticated manner "but chere kwa ka mu bia" " wait I'm coming". Ugomu and princess Ego exchanged glances and laughed.

"Yes you are next, dont keep Aluka waiting" Ugomu said.

"I trust you will make the right choice" Ego said.

uchayi nodded and responded "yes my princess. Thank you". She left.

"Why do I feel she is going to ask something crazy" princess Ego said to Ugomu.

"Uchayi is wise. I know she will make..."

Ego interrupted "obviously she is but one thing about her is that she is unpredictable".

"How do you mean?" Ugomu asked

"Don't be surprised if she comes back and her wish was to know what you wished" Ego said jokingly and they both burst out laughing.

Surprisingly uchayi returned looking all gloomy.

"Why are you back so quick? And why are you sad?" Ugomu queried.

"Ogini?" "What?" Ego asked in concern.

"He said I should call you princess and you too ugomu". Uchayi replied

Ego and ugomu exchanged glances I'm shock

"Why? What happened?" ugomu asked.

"Kedu ife ikwuru" "what did you say?". Ego asked.

Uchayi shrugged, Ego and Ugomu exchanged glances again.

"Ka anyi je we nu" "let's go then" princess ago said and pointed at uchayi to lead the way.

"She asked for a very unusual thing that is why I called you both to witness it" Aluka informed

Ego looked baffled

"Yes princess. I told him I would love to see the future". Ego was shocked at first until Ugomu bursted out laughing and she joined.

In the middle of laughter "I am sorry uchayi I am sorry" Ego said "How is that possible?".

"He said it is, gbo eze mmuo" uchayi asked Aluka

"O yes, it is. No one has, it is brace for her to want to. I am just not sure what to expect" Aluka assured.

Ego exhaled and said "if you so wish, I can't stop her"

Aluka nodded "then let it begin. Come forward and step into the circle" uchayi moved hesitatedly to the circle. "Don't be frightened, you wanted this". uchayi nodded

Aluka smiled, went behind one of the trees and returned shortly holding a calabash bowl, filled to the brim with water. He handed it gently to uchayi, her hands where shaky as she took it, then Aluka said to her.

"Close your eyes and put your face into the calabash, as soon your head is deep inside the water, you open your eyes". Ego looked at ugomu and then back at uchayi.

uchayi nodded, hesitated before she did as she was instructed. Not quite long she put her head inside, she pulled off her head, screamed, and collapsed on the floor, breaking the calabash in piece.

"uchayi" Ego and Ugomu shouted her name is fear, made to rush her but Aluka refrained.

"Stop. Nobody should come close"

Ego and ugomu were already breathing heavily.

"Is she okay" Ego panicked

Aluka ignored her, bent over to, slouched and picked the pieces of the calabash away from her, and then felt her neck with the back of his palm.

"She is fine" Ego and ugomu exhaled in relieve.

"But why is she not moving" Ego queried.

"Go out and find the nearest help, a full fledged young man or men" Aluka said as he stood "because we might need to carry her back to the Palace'.

In bafflement ugomu said "why do we need to carry her?".

Aluka turned to them, smirked and said.

"Because she has fainted".