Orisa: Era Of gods.

Chapter ten

The loud chiming of bells coupled with the beating of gongs had her jolting back to life from her sleep, just then the doors pulled open and the eight maids rushed in.

"Good morning your highness," they chorused unanimously.

Adunni rubbed her temples with the back of her palm as her eyes struggled to adjust to the brightness of the room, she motioned her hand towards the open curtains and windows before sitting up.

"Good morning. Someone please close that curtain before I gourge my eyes out," she moaned agitated.

Arike bowed, "yes your highness," with that she ordered one of the girls to have the curtains and windows closed.

The sound of the palace bells echoed again and this time she was forced to ask, "why is the palace bells ringing?"

"The king has opened the palace gatex officially." Ewa giggled excitedly.

Adunni's eyes widened, "eh?! The king did? When?"

"This morning. The gates were opened as per the king's orders."

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Adejoba watched as the villagers trooped in after each other, all with a different case to lay before him. if it wasn't for his queen's wish he'd have called the whole thing off. Olakunle seemed to have noticed his misery he leant closer.

"Should I send the rest away? You can continue tomorrow."

He looked towards the doors at the throne room to the entrance of the palace, nearly running away at the number of crowds that fought their way through. He contemplated sending them away.

"No. Not yet. Let them lay their complaints before their king."

A woman and a man walked in with a child, once they'd gotten before him they bowed, both nearly trembling visibly as they met the king's gaze.

"Kabiyesi oh, ka de pe lori." They chorused.

Adejoba swung his irukere in their direction, acknowledging their greetings. "Greetings my people. Shall we begin?" He turned to the five elders.

"Yes, your highness." Elder Ayobami who looked the oldest amongst them rose to his feet. "Please table your request or complaints before the king."

The couple nodded.

The male proceeded to speaking, "Kabiyesi oh. I've married my wife for five years but the gods had failed to bless our union with a child, of which I didn't hold as an issue against my wife even when my family called her barren. We both continued to pray and offer sacrifices. Then one day, after my return from the hunt my wife came bearing news of a life forming inside of her."

The crowd murmured, sympathizing with the couple's predicament and also jubilating with their success but the wife looked to be uncomfortable with whatever her husband was saying. A whimper rolled off her lips she bent her head.

He paused, eyeing his wife with contempt, "once the child was of age, another man came to my hut to claim the child was his. At first I didn't want to believe but my wife confessed to sleeping with another man because she was desperately in need of the fruit of the womb, then she claimed to have done it for me."

Shouts of "ah!, Ewo!" Echoed throughout the throne room. The king sighed as he leaned back into his seat.

"Silence!" The elder ordered before turning to the king, "we await your judgment your majesty."

"Not until the woman says her own side of the story."

Adejoba saw pain and regret clearly written on the woman's face, not to talk of the sheer embarrassment she was experiencing. He knew it would be unfair to not hear her own side of the story.