Bride Price ✔

V

I heard sirens in my head
From the first time we met
Thought it was a false alarm

-False Alarm, Matoma & Becky Hill

...

The chiefs sat on their stools anxiously, as they awaited the arrival of the King. They were all seated in the palace, and the throne remained empty. Maidens served bush meat and palm wine for the chiefs as they murmured amongst each other, eager to see the Kings state. Abebi's brothers were nowhere to be found, and this fuelled more gossip.

"All hail the King! Oba Eniafe!" A loud voice announced as they king came out of his chambers and into the main palace. All the chiefs simultaneously abandoned all former discussions and got on their knees, bowing down. "Kabiyesi oh!"

Oba Eniafe walked towards his throne slowly, with the support of his fifth and sixth wife, and they set him down carefully on the large chair. He dismissed them with the wave of his hand, and turned his attention to the chiefs.

"You may all sit down." His voice boomed inspite of his injuries. A scowl was written across his angry face, and he glared at them all.

"Kabiyesi oh, the great Oba." One of the chiefs praised.

"One with authority next only to the gods." Another said and was replied with murmurs and grunts of agreement.

" Elephant owner of abundant wealth
and a courtyard of sea." The chief head of all women spoke up and was replied with, "Oh!"

"We praise your strength Oba, and we thank the gods for not allowing your enemies to succeed-"

"Bashorun!" The Oba silenced the prime minister. "Do not call my new wife an enemy. She is my wife, and she would be until she bears me a son. Afterwards, she can be called our enemy." He said sternly, and chiefs gasped in surprise.

"But, our King, she has to be punished for the crime she committed." One of the chiefs spoke up and received murmurs of "Yes," and "Exactly," from the other chiefs.

"And she would be, right after she bears me my son- where is the priest? I thought I sent a message to him to be part of this gathering." The King said.

"He is on his way my King, he had some urgent matters to attend to from the gods, and asked me stand in his place for now." A scrawny boy replied, one of the apprentices of the priest.

"Well who am I to question the gods? Tell my chiefs about the importance of Abebi." The King instructed.

"Yes my King. Abebi has been chosen by the gods to bear the great Oba's son. So the only way we can get an Aremo for this kingdom, is through Abebi." The apprentice explained and was replied with more gasps of surprise.

"So you see why Abebi is more important. Boy, consult the gods, let us know how we would get her back." The King said again.

The boy sat on the floor, spreading his white leather and dropping the cowries on it. He murmured some incantations, shifting the cowries as he did so.

"The gods say that they have showed you your wife, they would not help you keep her. You are the one that would keep your wife. But she must not leave your kingdom. Immediately she crosses the boundary, she is no longer yours." The boy said.

"I see. Then I'm going to visit her family." He announced. "Our are-ona-kakanfo is dead. Has the priest picked a new chief warrior?"

"That is the urgent matter he had to attend to my King."

"The guards are searching for her as we speak, and the men of the kingdom, it is very important that we bring her home."

...