The survival

Chapter Six. The banishment part 2

Banishment 2

Uchenna had been summoned into the palace by the king.

"I'm greatly disappointed in you." The king remarked looking directly at her confused her.

"How could you be … get pregnant for him?!" He snaps angrily pushing the blame on her, while she pleads with the king.

"Why … can't a commoner find grace in the sight of royalty?" She asked calmly and angrily.

"Have you forgotten too soon that royalty can only marry its fellow royalty?" The king asks, trying to calm his nerves,afterward she stands up " don't forget by the virtue of custom of the land I belong to royalty by vow made by the late king ! "With this said she walks out only to come face to face with the njoying princess.

" Stop!! " She commanded, looking at her from head to toe in disgust, shaking her head she hissed.

" My mother always said to keep my friends closer and my enemy closer" the princess said, faking her smile while staring at her.

" And my mother always says to be careful of utterances." Uchenna replies, the princess walks up to her "soon you shall be forgotten !!" The princess says as she enters the king chamber, barely reaching the exit uchenna was called back.

"From now on you will live within the palace wall." The princess says with a smirk.

"What if I say no?" She asks, looking at the two .

"Am sorry slut but you have no choice!!..obiora is under my control for the meantime" she replies giggling and uchenna stares at the king who nods in acknowledgement, walking out of the chamber.

Coming into the palace has made her life both living hell and paradise as the prince now spends more time with her than the princess, out of jealousy the princess could order her to be beaten up , she plans on how to get rid of her.

Few months later everything seems to go normal as the princess tends to be nice to her.

The great Mubalato kingdom had visited Uchenna in the dream, preparing her for what was about to happen.

"Be brave … my child for an hour is at hand !" He said.

"Great priest, I do not know which you speak … the revelation of the great goddess is about to come to pass, " she replied , holding her hand as the priest smiled.

" Very good of you my daughter for verily I tell you … my princess that the enemy is closer than you think. "The priest says just as she was in her dream world, the princess was in her own dream world.

"I heard you finally succeeded in possessing the kingdom ?! The priest says more like asking, complimenting her effort in a mockery tone.

" Yes … what about that?"The princess asks, looking at his unkempt hair.

"I just want to let you know that the ear that refuses to hear, once beheaded, follows the head to the grave!" He replies, the princess questions him and his statement but he continues speaking in parables warning her about.

" Guards !!! " She shouts out both from the dream world to the outside.

"Seize this man right now!!" She orders only for the priest to vanish into thin air …laughing to the hearing of the princess alone.

"You are no match for me…as long as you can't fight the dead,gods or goddess of the river …you can't fight me!"with this anger in mind as she storms into the uchenna room ordering her to wash all cloth in the palace including her with no help.

By midnight she finally completes her task,meeting with her daughter Amaka gisting and playing as she pretends to be fine so as not to cause her guidan nkiru to bother about her safety, promising to visit them by noon the following day.

First c**k crow the following day the princess summoned uchenna which refused the call.

"How long will it take you to bring this price… i***t to me! "She slaps the guard she had sent before dismissing him, walking up to uchenna she lands a double slap on her face.

"It's a pity our lover boy isn't here to save you today … I'll destroy that thing in your womb today " she shouted, removing all her bracelet.

" What have I done to deserve this treatment from you ? "Uchenna ask

" You will know when the time comes ! "The princess answered as she began to beat her up out of frustration. Uchenna slapped the princess in anger, blood snoozing out of her nose.

Two weeks indoors with no food and water before her coming out, she was put in the dungeon for having poisoned the king.

The prince was summoned back to the village, after much pleasure from the elders of the land the prince consulted the Ezeomu as the gods were declared sillence on Uchenna's matter .

Secretly the princess visited Uchenna demanding for the half sword she had seen with her.

"What sword are you talking about?" She ask

"Stop pretending … I know you are the princess of Umudike and the sword is a symbol of authority" the princess explained, urging her to give it up so that she will save her if can hand it over to her.

" Is that why you have being threatened and maltreating me all this while? " She asks swallowing her tears, as she refuses to hand it over to her.

" Am not scared of you or that of your Witch mother!! "Uchenna remarks with venom.

" How dare you ! " She land a hot slap on her face, she held the princess hand as she attempts another slap on her she pulls her hand behind .

" If anything happens to me, my unborn child or Amaka … I won't ever forgive both you and your mother. She pushes her to the floor as the princess screams, drawing the guards attention who rushes in.

"We shall see !" She screams as she storms out in rage.

Few days later the prince summoned uchenna gesturing the guards to live as he questions her, as she narrate all her recent ordeal to the prince swearing on her life and on that of her late parent to not having anything to do with the king's death with this he summoned the kitchen maid, he became to question her.

"Did she ask you to kill him ?" The prince asks

"Who ,your highness?" The maids ask confused as she looks between the two.

"I ask again who paid you to do it !?" The prince repeated as she returned it back yet again with a question he slapped her.

" I know nothing about the king's death …this is only an accusation, your highness. '' The maid replied, bowing down in tears, staring dagger at uchenna information got to the princess about the interrogation going on as she stormed into the chamber. " Your highness !!!" She shouts out of anger seeing what is happening .

" What do you seek ?" He asks.

" I came to share with you what I found. " She says calmly, staring at uchenna with a dagger.

" Can't it wait ? " The prince asks not to look at her.

" It's something that might be of help!! "She snapped, ordering the guard to bring in one of the maids beaten mercilessly along with the crying Amaka.

" What is the meaning of this? "He asks the princess who explains that the maid was an accomplice of the deeds as she was caught telling the young child about how they had killed the king and what poison they had found in her room.

"Until we confirm what portion it is, you can't jump to conclusions." The prince orders them to take three of them to the dungeon, uchenna, Amaka and the maid return to the dungeon as they both pet uchenna not to cry.

Few moons later the maid was executed inside the shrine while uchenna and her daughter were tied to the boundary between the living and the dead by the Ezeomu in company of two able guards. "Thus , this is the boundary between the living and the dead … anyone who crosses this boundary as you know is pronounced dead and so your descendant will be called an outcast! "The priest says

" Do you have any say in this ? " One of the chiefs asked.

"I know you all hate me but I want you all to know I didn't do this " she replied looking down with tears.

" If you emerge back alive then we will believe you ! "One of the guards said with venom, as she was untied along with her child she turned to face them.

" Even as I go … I want you all to know the battle is yet to end !!" She shouts in pain as the forest opens to welcome her , watching to see if she is gone the priest did some incantation before dismissing the chief and guards.