C.H.E.T.A( (I Am Ugly)
C.h.e.t.a Episode 8
®️Ifeoma Isabella Okeke
Amara woke up and sit up straight in her bamboo bed looking confused.
Queen Amara: (Speaking aloud to herself) What does Mother meant by him ruining our plans? By the way, who is he and how will he destroy our plans? ( Hit her braided hair designed with different beads three times and stop) No, I won't sit back and watch this unknown man destroy where I am already seated (With a determined look) It is now time to do what brings me here.
She didn't sleep a wink all through the night until the cock crows the following morning. She has cleverly drafting out her plans.
Queen Amara: (Hitting her chest to signify her next words) No one can stop me.
Ikenga was the first person to wake up early the next morning. He came out of his hut and look around him, the compound looks as if it has never been swept for days, with just a wave of his right hand, the compound of the old hunter became clean as if it has been swept.
The hut of the old hunter opened and he stepped out and was surprised to see Ikenga and his neatest of his compound. He was holding a bow and arrows and was dressed in his hunting attire. He was holding the dead grasshopper in his other free hand. Her had cut open and clean the guts of the grasshopper the previous night.
Ikenga: (Wasn't surprise on seeing him) Good morning Papa.
Old Hunter: Morning my son, you are already awake and swept the compound.
Ikenga: Yes Papa.
Old Hunter: Daalu (Thank you) you have done well.
Ikenga: I should be the one thanking you Papa and not the other way round, you gave me a place to rest my head, you gave me, a stranger you don't know, a home to call his own. Whatever I do here just know it's my gratitude to you for your kindness.
Old Hunter: (Pleased with his words) Alright my son. I am going for hunting now and will want you to take care of the compound until I return.
Ikenga: Okay Papa, I will.
The old hunter left.
Ikenga went to the kitchen and saw empty three pots and with a snap of his fingers, magically, the pots were filled with water.
He saw there was nothing else for him to do so he decided to have his bath and still wear the same clothes. He entered his hut given to him by the old hunter and went to lie down on the bamboo bed and slept off.
It was towards the afternoon when he heard the approaching footsteps of the old hunter and he get down from his bamboo bed and went outside to wait for him. He didn't have to wait for long when he saw the old hunter entering the compound with some bundles of wrappers.
Ikenga: Papa you are back.
Old Hunter: Yes my son (He gave the wrappers to Ikenga who bore a surprised look) this is for you. I bought it for you Ikenga, you don't have to look so different anymore with your attire.
Ikenga: (Collecting it with a smile and went inside the hut to keep the wrappers before coming outside again) Thank you Papa, how do you buy those wrappers?
Old Hunter: I sold my grasshopper and decided to buy you wrappers.
Ikenga: Oh, thank you once again Papa.
Old Hunter: You are welcome.
Ikenga: Did you not catch any game today?
Old Hunter: (With a crestfallen face) No I did not, it seems they ran away and went into hiding, even my traps could not even catch any.
Ikenga: I see, wait here papa, I will be back (he collected from the bow and arrows from the old hunter and started to go but was stopped by the old man's voice)
Old Hunter: And where are you going my son?
Ikenga: To catch and bring you an animal Papa.
Old Hunter: You don't have to my son, probably the forest has warn the animals about me.
Ikenga: Let me go and check for myself papa. (He left immediately.)
Old Hunter: But you don't even know anywhere around Ikenga (Ikenga has long gone. The old hunter lifted up his hands to the sky) I hope the gods favour you.
****
Queen Amara entered Jidenna's hut and smiled when she saw his condition.
Queen Amara: I warned you didn't i, but did you listen? No. You will remain here all your life, until you are old and you die. The more your father tries to look for a solution to your problem, the more I increase it. No one will save you Jidenna you will rot and die. (She brought out a sharp knife she has hidden in her wrapper and used it to tear his arm open a little. The knife she uses on him absorb his blood turning the shining stainless knife into bloody red knife, once she was through, the cut closes by itself) thank you Jidenna for lending me your blood. (She left his hut, hidding the knife)
Entering her hut, she locked the door and brought out the calabash. She brought out the knife from her wrapper and whispered some words, the blood inside the knife started dropping until the once red knife was back to its original colour. For her to succeed in causing havoc in Ogidi village, she must used the blood of her son.
Queen Amara: (Seated on the bare ground with the calabash on her legs, started saying some incantations and the once empty calabash started bringing out dark smoke from it.) I, the daughter of Queen Ziza command you to rise and destroy the peace of Ogi- (Someone interrupted her by knocking on her door. She stopped and stared angrily at the door, whoever it is has just spoiled her incantations, it can't be continued until another day. Standing up from the ground, she opened the door hoping it is Cheta so she could take all her anger on her but it was Adapuruche.) What is it Ada?
Adapuruche: Father has sent for your presence immediately mother. (She left)
Queen Amara: (Speaking slowly to her earrings) Ofordili, you are lucky today but you won't be tomorrow.
She went to answer her husband.
****
The old hunter slowly stood up from his stool when he saw Ikenga approaching his compound, his eyes widened in shock.
Ikenga entered the compound and drop two dead antelopes at the feet of the old man.
Ikenga: Papa, the antelopes are yours.
Old Hunter: (Still surprised) Ikenga, are these for me? Only me?
Ikenga: Yes Papa, do you want more? I can get more for you.
Old Hunter: No my son, this is enough. But how did you kill not just one antelope but two? And you never told me you are a Hunter yourself.
Ikenga: (Smiling sheepishly) I didn't want to disclose that I am a Hunter and I also went to Mbada forest and these two weren't fast enough to escape my sharp arrows.
Old Hunter: (in wonder) Mbada forest? No one has entered the forest before and come out alive. It is impossible my son, unless you have the backing of the gods.
Ikenga: Maybe I am too special to the gods Papa. But the antelopes are yours Papa, you can kill it, sell it or do whatever you want with it.
Old Hunter: I will sell some and use the remaining ones to eat. In fact let me go and prepare a delicious delicacy with this antelopes you've caught.
Ikenga bend down and pick the two antelopes with ease and took them to the kitchen.
Old Hunter: This is strange, he didn't even stagger when he carries the two antelopes at once.
Ikenga: (Coming to meet the old man) Papa they are in the kitchen, I will cut it and clean up the antelopes for you. And from now henceforth I will be going hunting for you papa.
Old Hunter: The gods are truly with you my son, maybe they are trying to tell me it's time to retire and sent you to me. You can go to the kitchen and once you are through, call me let me take it up from there.
Ikenga left….
Old Hunter: (To himself) He is a strange man, a strange man who seem to have the backing of the gods and I am glad to have him with me.
The Next Day…..
The River of Ogidi village has two paths that leads to it. You can use any of the two paths to go to the river and the paths are being separated by a thick bush.
Cheta has filled up her water pot from the river and followed one of the path that leads straight to the palace.
At the other path coming towards the river was Ikenga in the old man hunting robes.
He came to the river to quench his taste and see if he could find his unknown maiden.
He stopped when the scent of his maiden filled his nostrils. He ran and stopped at the bank of the river searching everywhere.
Ikenga: She was here (Smiling to himself) My maiden was here.
He sniff the air and started following the second path. He broke into a run, he has to meet up with his unknown maiden that has set him free before she escapes.
Cheta saw Adapuruche and her maids and greeted her.
Adapuruche; (To her maids) Don't you know how to greet my sister or are you all blind? (The maids greeted Cheta)
Cheta: (Nearing and touching Adapuruche on her shoulder) Where are you headed this early morning sister?
Adapuruche: I am going to the river Cheta, will see you soon. (And gave Cheta a hug. Once they see themselves outside the Palace and out of the Queen Amara's gaze, they always make some contact with each other.)
Cheta: Okay sister (She continue her way)
Adapuruche and her maids continue their walk to the river and stopped when she saw him.
Ikenga nearly ran into Adapuruche and stopped himself from crashing into her. The scent becomes stronger.
He sniffs the air and went around the princess in slow circle and stopped in front of her with a happy smile.
Adapuruche and her maids were too surprised to move, the strange hunter before them was very handsome and he took their breaths away.
Ikenga: You...You are my maiden.
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To Be Continued..
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