Loving Boundlessly

Chapter 1

OMA, OMA, OMA, Obinna called to his daughter, yes papa she answered. Obinna smiled as he heard his daughter's melodious voice, his gift from the gods if only the gods had not taken something equally precious from him his wife temi. He turned his mind from his melancholy thoughts before his daughter came up to him. His heart soared at the sight of his daughter, her mocha skin, long ebony black hair braided down her back, she had grown into womanhood at the age of 18 summers with the odd marks around her eyes she looked divine and he planned on keeping her so until someone worthy of her came along. OMA ran to her father kneeling down to greet him and then hugged him, she had missed him so much. She had been worried as she was every time he journeyed out of their kingdom. She thanked the gods that brought him safely. Papa I missed you, come in and wash the dust from your body while I go and prepare food for you. she told her father while ushering him into the hut. Their hut was not like the other huts in their village that was built with the father's hut central while his wives and children's hut surrounded it. Their hut was built in the way of her mother's people her father built it for her mother. The entire huts were incorporated as one and her parents did not have separate rooms they shared a room.

Obinna thought of how he was going to tell his daughter about the king's proposal. Ever since she turned 15, the king had been insistent in winning her affection, but in true Oma fashion, it flew over her head, she was basically oblivious to it all. he had kept the king at bay with the excuse that she was underage and not ready to be a wife, but now that she had turned 18, he was becoming more insistent. He did not understand his obsession with Oma, he already had 6 LoLos (queens). Yes! the men in the villages were also seeking Oma's hand but this were virle young men who were her mates not someone old enough to be her father. Well he would cross that bridge when he got there. But for now, all he wanted was food and rest, he had a long day ahead tomorrow, he had a lot of orders he had to deliver, and most of the wrappers and jewelries would be going to the palace for the LoLos to pick from.

ehn!!! nne, my goddess he called to his daughter I hope nothing happened while I was away? he asked, I hope you did not have any visions. Oma looked at her father, she never could lie to him. papa I did but I don't understand them, I saw our neighbor the Okwunnas losing their child, but that has happened, I saw the Igwe yelling at you but I couldn't seem to hear what he was saying no matter how hard I tried. But the one that seems to bother me the most is one that has been reoccurring. I see myself in a swirling vortex of colour as if I am floating in a place where the stars reside, all of a sudden a very thick and suffocating darkness starts creeping in, first like tendrils then after a while the darkness looms, I am then flung into an abyss, while falling I feel as if I am being pulled in different directions, I hear people screaming, crying, praying to the gods for help, but above all I hear a make voice beckoning me the next thing I see Is a very huge snake before I come back to myself. I have been having this same vision for 3 market weeks. Don't worry my daughter I am back I will get to the bottom of this, Obinna says as he embraces his daughter, go to bed.

Obinna lays in bed thinking about what his daughter told him, Oma had always had visions since she was a child, when she was born with those strange markings around her eyes, he has sought the counsel of the high priest of Amadioha, the priest didn't even look at her, he just told him to go to the priestess of idemili. He remembered that he had just lost his wife to child birth. He didn't even get to say goodbye. He remembered that his wife Oraibi came to him in a dream, radiant as ever and consoled him, he remembers her telling him that he had to look after and protect their little goddess, she told him that Oma was meant for great things, she told him that if Oma ever got Ill he should take her to any river priestess, taking her to a high priest might worsen the illness. she begged him not to arrange a marriage for her but let her choose, she told him that the markings around her eyes were a gift. she warned him to make sure that it was kept a secret and any other gift she might develop must be kept a secret. Obinna pondered over Oma's recent visions and decided that he would go to see the priestess of mmiri as soon as day breaks, the king's wives could wait a few hours to get their wares.