To Be A Queen✔️

Chapter 2

Edikan's POV

When I had told the elders that I am to take a wife from another tribe there was chaos in the throne room. But they all calmed down once I told them that it was the previous King's wish that I do so.

According to Eno - Obong the village was a wailing ground for the maidens that night. I was happy, not because the maidens were wailing of course but because I felt chocked in my own home.

Few nights after my coronation, I woke up one morning to be informed that a wife to one of the Head families in my cabinet wish to see me.

I had rushed to the throne grounds thinking that it was an emergency. I spent almost the whole morning listening to the said woman sing praises of how I was going to rule our Kingdom even more than my father did. And how a real King needs a woman who would rule the kingdom beside her.

She brought gifts as well varying from food stuff to hand made objects. But anyone with eyes would know that the real gift she brought was her daughter.

It was obvious that the said daughter has gone through the Mbopo ritual. This made her to look more beautiful and fleshy in some areas.

She is very beautiful as well, with a round face, small and timid eyes with a small nose and a small mouth to match. Everything about her was perfection.

The way she sat upright and composed, not talking except talked to. She knows her place will be after mine and that she needs to respect her husband. She would make a good wife. I would have taken her as one if I wasn't promised to another. So I declined the offer by saying that I wasn't ready to take a wife.

I later found out that the said woman has seven daughters. How did I know? She brought them one after the other still under the pretense to wish me well. I politely declined.

I had thought that my disinterest in taking one of her daughters as a wife will be a message to others not to bother about who am to be married to. They got the message alright but it seems they misinterpreted it.

Eno - Obong woke me up one morning in a not so Kingly manner, dragged me to the bathing and back to my room. If not for the gods anf the fact that he is my friend, I would have strangled him. It was when he finally dragged me to the throne grounds that I paused.

Mothers and daughters had almost turned the throne grounds upside down in the bid of who would see the King first. I even saw a mother that was so old push a much younger maiden to the ground so that her daughter will be able to queue up first in line.

It took the guards half of the morning to get them together, well after I threatened that who ever caused anymore havoc would be banished from setting foot in the throne grounds.

I spent the whole day receiving gifts. Some made crafts like beads and crowns. Those who didn't make any hand work looked disappointed that they didn't think of making anything for the King.

An outsider would think that a festival was going on in the palace. All the maidens wore colourful clothings and colourful markings with native chalks on their body.

Even thou I felt very entertained that day I knew that I had to put a stop to this frequent visits. So I called the Head Families the following morning and told them of what I consider my predicament.

Uncle Mfon had mentioned my to be wife's name but I can't recall it. Don't blame me, I can't even pronounce it properly.

We arrived at Umunri village at the early hours of the morning. My friend and interpreter Eno - Obong, Uncle Mfon's son had being groaning for the past few hours. He had complained non stop when I decided to have a look around the village.