To Be A Queen✔️

Chapter 23

Edikan's POV

I decided not to spy on Olannna and the maidens today. I will still hear of it since Olanna has taken it upon herself to brief me about her meetings with the maidens.

I was relieved that she briefed me the first time because that would mean that she didn't see me around the throne grounds then.

It was in the evening time and she had sought me out in the throne grounds to brief me. She was in the middle of her briefing when one of the guards informed us that the head of the Ekpa clan had come to see us. I allowed him to usher them in.

In came a fuming Head clan with his wife and a weeping maiden in tow. "Greetings your highness" he said totally ignoring Olanna. I watched the maiden whose weeping had become louder and noticed that she had marks all over her body. Olanna had told me that she had asked the guards to flog a maiden who had returned after she was disqualified. But she didn't say how the maiden was flogged. It would be difficult for a scarred maiden to get a husband.

"How may I help you Chief Ussien?" "Your highness..." he dragged his daughter closer "...look at my daughter. Yes what she did was very wrong, but does she have to go this far? My King my daughter has being scarred!! How would she get a suitor not to talk of marrying!!" His voice was going higher and higher I just kept quiet and allowed him to vent.
"My daughter won't get a husband now. The only option is that you marry my daughter since your wife did this to her"

Olanna burst into laughter immediately. Surprisingly it wasn't a mocking one. By the time she finished she had tears in her eyes. "What is funny my Queen?" I asked her. She pointed at them "They are amusing my King" I smiled. I don't know how I have come to read Olanna so. Because one thing was certain. They were lying. If they weren't Olanna wouldn't be so relaxed.

"My Queen this is not a laughing matter" the Chief said sternly. But Olanna just kept chuckling like he didn't say anything. The maiden came forward "Look at my body my King. These wounds are going to scar."

Now what she did just confirmed that she was lying. For someone in pain she was still flirting with me. I almost rolled my eyes. "Does your parents know that you are lying?" "I am not lying" she said immediately. "My daughter never lies!" Her father said immediately as well.

"You better watch the next thing you say Chief Ussien. Because everyone in this scheme will be punished accordingly after investigation." Olanna said coldly obviously getting irritated.

"My Queen..." Olanna waved him off. "Amaeka, who did this to you?" Olanna asked her very calmly. "It was the guard you asked to flog me. He said you ordered him to flog me all over" she replied.
"Amaeka who did this to you?" She asked again. The maiden became uneasy. Olanna's voice was calm but icy. "Are you trying to intimidate my daughter?" The mother spoke for the first time.
"Amaeka for the last time who did this to you!? Olanna's voice was loud this time. Chief Ussien stood up " This is nonsense. King Edikan the only solution to this is to marry my daughter for you wife made the guards to scar her.!!!"

I kept quiet. Olanna sent a guard to call the town crier. "Announce that all the maidens who haven't being disqualified are to come immediately. The last to come will be disqualified automatically" the town crier ran off immediately.

The maidens brow furrowed. Olannna also sent the guard in question. Who said that he carried out the Queens instruction by flogging her on her palms only.

Few moments later maidens started streaming in. It was weird not seeing most of them with their makeups or dressed to impress. Some of them had baskets and pots with them. Obviously coming back from the stream or market.

Olanna asked a guard to take them all to the spot they used in the morning. I didn't mind she has taken over the matter. I was intrigued to know what she had planned to do.