Adaeze

Caging Her Powers

Oluchi sighed in relief as Ogbonna her five years old son bought her lies. She could not afford to lose the position of the Lolo (queen) of Umueze even before she attained it.

She was happy that everything was going according to their plan.

Her husband would present the necklace to his unsuspecting brother's baby once she was born.

Even though it would not kill her, at least it would subdue her powers to enable them to carry out their plans. Oluchi thought with a smile.

" Nne( mother), why are you smiling?" Ogbonna asked innocently.

" Oh my goodness!" Oluchi exclaimed in shock. She had momentarily forgotten that her son was still standing beside her.

" Oh nwam( my child), I just remembered something that was why I was smiling. Let's go inside so that you can have your dinner." Oluchi said with a smile as she led her son into the house.

After eating, Oluchi sent her children to bed.

" Our children must start behaving like royals since you will soon be taking over as the next king of Umueze," Oluchi said pointedly.

" I know but we have to keep things very low. No one must know about my ambition of becoming king. Otherwise, our plans will be destroyed and we could get killed." Okenna said with a sigh.

His greatest fear was failing to accomplish his ambition. Failing to accomplish his ambition was a death sentence, as the people of Umueze did not take treason against their king lightly.

They believed that whoever rose defiantly against the king was against the gods of the land as the king was always chosen by the gods of the land.

Anyone found to be guilty of treason was either stoned to death at the market square or banished to the evil forest where the fate of the person was decided by the gods of the land.

" Ozugo obim( it's okay my heart). No one will know about it. But we are also part of the royal family, we need to dress like one." Oluchi said with a smile.

" You are right, I will get you all befitting clothes. After all, we are royalty and I have made 'peace' with my brother Chibuike." Okenna said with a smile.

Women would always be women. Okenna thought silently.

Days passed by quickly. Days turned to weeks. Weeks turned to months but Okenna was still putting on his facade.

He visited king Chibuike and his wife, Ebubechi constantly with his wife Oluchi and their two children.

One sunny morning, Okenna and his family visited king Chibuike and his wife as usual. They were all discussing and smiling happily when Ebubechi suddenly screamed.

" Ahhhhh! Ewo( lamenting) " Ebubechi screamed in agony as she felt a sharp pain below her abdomen.

" Obim( my heart), ogini( what is it)?" King Chibuike asked worriedly.

He wondered why Ebubechi suddenly screamed out of the blue.

" Ewo( lamenting) my waist! My waist!" Ebubechi screamed again in agony as the pain she was feeling intensified.

" Igwe( king), I think it's the baby," Oluchi said with a smile.

" The baby? What happened to the baby?" King Chibuike asked in panic.

May the gods forbid. Nothing would happen to his baby. King Chibuike prayed silently. At

He could not imagine losing his baby after waiting for five years.

" Nothing happened to the baby. Lolo( queen) is about to give birth." Oluchi explained with a smile.

Oh, thanks to the gods! Finally, he was going to be a father. King Chibuike thought happily.

Obinna, Ekenne! Go to nne(mother of) Obiora. Tell her to come quickly, my wife is about to give birth." King Chibuike ordered two of his guards.

Obinna and Ekenne quickly ran out to carry out the king's order. Soon they came back with nne(mother of) Obiora who happened to be the only midwife in the village.

" Otutu-oma igwe( good morning, king), I rushed here as soon as obinna and Ekenne told me about Lolo(queen)."

" Where is she?" Nne (mother of) Obiora said and asked at the same time as she could not see queen Ebubechi in the throne room.

" She has been taken to her chamber." King Chibuike replied desperately.

Nne (mother of) Obiora nodded and quickly made her way to the queen's chamber.

King Chibuike paced to and fro in anxiety. He was happy that his wife was finally going to give him a child after five years of marriage. But he was also worried for his wife.

Seeing her in agony a while ago had made him disturbed. He could not help but worry about the well-being of his wife.

He silently prayed to the gods to protect his wife and child.

" Igwe Chibuike, can you please stop pacing around? Your wife and child are going to be okay. I'm sure of that." Oluchi said pointedly.

She was beginning to get pissed off by the sound of his feet. But she could do nothing.

" Chibuike, my wife is right. You need to stop pacing around. You are the king, you need to man up."

" By the way, I need to do some sacrifice on behalf of your wife. I visited the ezemo( chief priest) of the neighbouring village and he told me that the enemies of our father are after you and your family."

" He said that I need to perform a particular sacrifice when your wife is about to deliver. If not, your wife and child will both die." Okenna lied smoothly.

" Dalu( thank you) Okenna. I'm very grateful to have a caring brother like you. May the gods of our land bless you." King Chibuike said happily.

"Isee( amen). I need to get going now." Okenna said as he took his leave.

King Chibuike was glad to have a brother like Okenna.

After some hours, Okenna returned to the palace.

" Has she given birth?" He asked anxiously. He could not wait to cage the baby's powers.

" Not yet. I'm starting to get worried. She has been there for hours but the baby is yet to be out." King Chibuike said worriedly.

" gods of our land don't put me to shame." He prayed silently.

" Don't worry she will deliver within the next hour. That was what the ezemo ( chief priest) of the neighboring village said."Okenna said with a smile.

This news brightened king Chibuike's mood tremendously.

" He also said that many enemies are waiting to kill the baby as soon as she is born," Okenna stated with a grim expression.

" What do you mean by that? And who told you that the baby is a girl?" King Chibuike asked in confusion. He could not understand what his brother was saying.

" Yes exactly what it means. But he gave me this necklace and asked me to inform you to put it on her neck as she is delivered to protect her from evil." Okenna said as he handed the necklace to his brother.

King Chibuike collected the necklace and thanked Okenna for all his sacrifices for him and his family.

Just as he was about to sit on his throne, a maid ran in.

" Igwe!! Igwe!! Lolo(queen) has delivered a beautiful baby girl." The maid said happily.

Oh, the gods be praised!! King Chibuike thought with a smile.

"Can I see them?" King Chibuike asked expectantly.

The maid answered positively.

" Obim (my heart) dalu(thank you)." King Chibuike said with a smile as he entered the queen's chamber.

" This will protect you from evil." King Chibuike said as he wore the necklace on the baby.

Okenna felt the decrease in the power of the baby as soon as the necklace was worn on the baby.

" It is done." Okenna thought happily.