His Queen

Chapter 33 - What Does It Mean?

I'm so sorry for my sluggish updates. I have been stuck up with tests and assignments. Please understand 😘🤍

Narratives POV;

"Just confess! Where were you on the said night!?" A guard screams at Muyiwa's mother, and the unfazed woman looks up at him.

"I have already told you. I was in my bedroom. "

"Really? Your husband, the father of both your children and the man you've been married to for about twenty-three years, left the house with his concubine, and you just went to your bedroom? "The guard screams and Muyiwa's mother shuts her eyes.

Her husband's secret wife had been let go as she was seen to have no logical reason to kill her husband, and she had more than her children as witnesses that she was at home the night Mr. Abiodun was murdered.

It's been days after her husband's burial, and she has not been let go, she is a suspect, and to make matters worse, she has no other eyewitness except her children, that she didn't step out of her house the night her husband was murdered.

"I have told you already. I didn't do anything to him. He died as per the goddess wishes, but I never stained my hands with his filthy blood! " She screams at the guard, and he glares at her.

"Fine. I know it's because you're enjoying the comforts of this room. Very soon, you'd be moved to a cell and when the king gives his orders to torture you, I will painfully force the truth out of you! " The guard screams back before marching out of the room.

The king ordered that she'd be kept in a room and not in a cell as he can't confirm that she's guilty, and would not want to rub her name in the mud. His reason for doing so is because he for some reason believes she's innocent, but he can't act on that belief, as he wants to avoid appearing as a biased king.

Abimbola sighs in exhaustion and shuts her eyes as she leans against the wall.

"He deserves the death her received. Don't bother me. " She says to herself as a tear escapes her eyes.

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It's finally the day that the *Iya Oba is meant to return. Drums and *shekere are being used to welcome the gracious old woman.

*Iya Oba = The king's mother
*Shekere = shaking rattles

The king and his family are standing at the entrance of the palace, and the people who want to watch have formed rows on both sides of the family. Creating a long wall on both sides with a clear path in the middle to lead to the royal family.

Adebiyi cannot stop smiling as he anticipates the return of his precious grandmother. The woman he so much takes after.

Six men appear with a beautiful carriage on their shoulders. Two men on all four sides, holding up the carriage. They uniformly set down the carriage, and Ajinke holds her breath for a few seconds.

She, Ronke, and Wonu are watching from a window up in the palace. They can't be with the royal family now as they are royal, personal maids to each member of the royal family, and this is a family occasion. Not for maids.

So, they have been graced to watch from a window where they can see everything.

Two of the men who carried the chariot move towards the almost transparent curtains facing the crowd and blocking the inside, then they pull it open, and an elegant old woman steps out.

Her Beauty is remarkable. She is fair like the inside of a freshly, cut new yam. Her hair is all white, and she is adorned in royal beads.

Her face is void of any makeup, but she's still irritably gorgeous. The old woman bends over and begins to roll her waist effortlessly to the beats of the drummers, and this makes them happy as they increase the tempo of their songs.

The precious, much-respected woman continues to dance, and Ajinke smiles at her flawlessness. How could one human be so powerful, and yet so graceful?

History has it that during her time as queen, her husband was brutally murdered by a rivaling village, and when they thought she'd be a broken mess, she stood as queen.

She shaved off all the hair on her head and dressed in all black for months. But she didn't step back for anyone to take over. She ruled powerfully with her son strapped to her back.

When her husband was still alive, he loved her so much, her taught her almost everything. How they go into war, how he ran the kingdom, and what not?

His teaching and love were the things helped her and lead her on to win the battle against the people who rendered her a widow, and many other enemies that arose over the years.

She led Akomojo for years until her son was old enough to take over, and that made her one of the best kings Akomojo has ever had, and the very first and only female king the village ever had. Sure, the chiefs and other people stood against it, but she stood firm on her ground and didn't even flinch against her decision.

Ajinke has always admired the woman. Her grandmother told her so many tales about the woman, and now she can see the woman. Dancing just a little distance away.

"Keep looking. Watch what you won't ever be. " Ronke says, and Ajinke rolls her eyes and keeps watching.

The Iya Oba gets to the king and the king makes to prostrate, but his mother stops him halfway through.

"A king bows to no one. " She says to her son before pulling him into a sweet embrace.

She then moves over to her daughter-in-law. The queen.

"*Iyawo! " She exclaims as she cups the queen's beautiful face. Calling her by the pet name she had given her right from the first few days she got married to her son.

*Iyawo = Bride

In some Yoruba tribes, when a woman just gets married, they keep calling her Iyawo as a sweet pet name to denote that she's no longer single and now off the market.

The queen plants two soft kisses on the queen's cheeks, and she moves over to her grandson.

The elegant young man stands still with his hands behind his back, and his broad chest raised. His grandmother smiles at her grandson, and he throws a full prostration at her.

Going down completely and only having his palms and toes keeping the rest of his body from touching the floor. The traditional way for a male child to greet in the Yoruba culture. His grandma taps his back and pulls him into a hug.

"My sweet child. You have transitioned greatly from a little boy into a man. The soon-to-be king. " His grandma says, and he blushes as he's now taller than the woman who used to bathe him and turn him over to give him a good whooping when he was much younger and used to step out of line.

"Very soon I'd be a part of that family and the first thing I'd do after I become queen is to throw you out of the palace. " Ronke says to Ajinke and Ajinke acts like she heard nothing as she stares in awe at her icon.

The Iya Oba notices Ajinke as she's embracing her grandson. She sees so much admiration for her in the girl's eyes, and she smiles, as this isn't the first time she's seeing such.

She lets her grandson go, and then faces her people. The people she once ruled many years ago.

"Let the celebrations begin! " The king's announcer yells and the crowd cheers as everyone makes it into the palace after the royal family.

What does this woman's arrival signify?

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