His Queen

Chapter One- Fresh Mangoes

Ajinke's POV;

I wake up to the crows of the neighborhood hens. I roll about on my tattered bed mat, before finally opening my eyes and fixing my gaze on the ceiling.

I sit up and say a quick pray to goddess Yaremi for making me see another day. I stand up and idly place my hands on my waist as I reason what I'd do today.

The only thing I have at home are bananas I bought from a farmer yesterday, and there are only three of them left. That won't be enough to last me a day, and I'm completely out of money.

I head for the washroom at the back of my house and clean myself up with the water I fetched from the stream last night.

The only thing my parents left for me when they died, is this house of ours. It has worn-out furniture and a termite-infested gate, but it's still home.

My father left a small farm at the back of our house. Weeds have taken up most of it, but I've been able to make do with little space I could clear...

The *ugwu* leaves I planted haven't fully developed, and I can't feed on leaves alone. I need a job, but no one wants to hire " the girl with bad luck. "

I have borne this title for as long as I can remember. I'm 18 years old and that title is a stigma that has stuck to me like a very stubborn mole.

Fate is responsible for the tile though. My father died at war a few weeks after my parents discovered my mother was pregnant with me, and my mom died on delivering me.

My grandma raised me till I was 15, and died of stress. Since then, I've pretty much been a lone wolf in this village.

Some people are courteous enough not to show that they fear my presence as they believe my " bad luck "will rub off on them, while some don't care at all and are straight-up rude to me and treat me like some stray animal who's come to depend on them.

I walk out of my hut and stare around my huge compound. I look over at where my parents lay in rest. Side by side, six feet deep in the ground.

I smile bitterly at them. I love them, although I'm still hurt that they left me alone to fend for myself.

I run my nails through my itchy hair and proceed out of my compound. I greet every elderly person I see on the road, as my legs keep moving. I have no idea where I'm going.

I know this village like its map was carved in my brain, but right now, I have no destination in mind. Boredom and hunger are the things moving my legs.
.the only thing I've eaten in three days, are the over-ripened bananas I bought yesterday.

I'm hungry beyond words can tell. My grandma used to have a friend who has also passed on now, but that friend's daughter, allows me to work for her sometimes.

I helped her sweep her massive compound, and she paid me ten cowries for the work. It is a small amount for the work, but as they say, beggars aren't choosers.

The bananas I bought yesterday were eight cowries so now I'm left with two cowries, and that won't even get me a cup of water.

I stop in my tracks when my nostrils are hit with the sweet scent of something fresh. I begin to follow my nose and freeze when my gaze lands on a mango tree. The tree is fully decorated with yellow ripe Mangos, and my taste buds begin to water.

It won't hurt this person if I take just three mangoes from the dozens on the tree. I look around and move towards the compound when I notice the streets are isolated.

I find the gate is open, and I slip carefully into the compound. Taking care for my anklets not to jingle too much.

My mates are preparing to go to work, and I'm here planning to steal mangoes so early in the morning. Who can blame me though, fate hasn't given me any option now, has it?

This is Mr. Adiguns compound. The rich man is just as selfish as he's rich. He won't even give a mango seed if I beg, and I can't let hunger kill me.

I skillfully climb my way up the tree while praying to goddess Yaremi that there are no snakes in the tree. I balance myself on a branch and begin to help myself to the fruits.

I put two Mangoes on my breast tube.  One beside each breast, and one between my legs. I'm about to pluck the fourth one when someone's voice causes me to freeze.

"Who's that!? " The person screams, and my blood freezes in my veins.

"òle, òle!! " (Thief, thief!! ) The person screams, I see it's Mr. Adiguns who has caught me.

I need to get out of here before I'm apprehended. The punishment for theft in this village isn't a light one.

You're either made to dance naked in the village market, face punishment from the royal family, or are paraded around the whole village. Depending on what you stole.

I jump down from the tree, and just then, I hear him shout to his daughter,

"Kunbi, release the dogs!! "

Thunder strikes in my head on hearing this, and I begin a devilish race. The barking of dogs behind stops me from turning back to see what's going on.

I'm running so fast, I doubt my legs are touching the floor. I keep running and hearing  Mr. Adigun screaming *òle *( thief ) from behind me.

I keep running. Bumping into people in my way. My anklets creating desperate jingles. I soon pass where people's houses have stopped, but I can't stop running as these dogs are hot on my trail.

However, I'm forced to a halt when I'm faced with a cliff. I turn around and find three hefty, black dogs running towards me with saliva dripping from their mouths.

Oh, no. I can't die like this. I take a leap of faith and throw myself off the cliff. I know it's water that's below the cliff, so there's no harm.

I can't let that man catch me. Later, I can lie to people that I was running because of the dogs and that I didn't steal anything. After all, he will have no evidence that I stole after I'm done with the mangoes.

My brain suddenly draws a clear line when I'm close to the water, and find a few people in it.

Sacred goddess Yaremi!! This is the royal lake!