Way of The Pride

4| The Mystery

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Igala Village
Ibezim's Compound
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Sounds drifted deep into his conscious, pulling with a stubborn persistence. His mind slowly became aware of darkness clearing to give way to light. From the abyss his eyes struggled to open in a rush to escape its cold depths. His body stirred to life, alert and conscious as familiar scents drifted into his nose.

The scents evoked strong memories. Father. Home. Herbs.

Could he—

Agada woke with a startled cry in a bright, wooden hut as he took shape of his surrounding. The shaded portion of the room housed dried leaves and potent roots hanging on the wall in a neat order. Arranged at the entrance were crocks of freshly brewed herbs that filled the hut with a potent smell, the same smell that roused him up. Spread out on both sides of the room were straw mats for treating patients, one of which he was sat upon to his greatest surprise.

His eyes widened at the implication for he was in the last place he expected to be.

His father's healing hut.

A glance through the window told him it was already morning, to his disbelief. The last thing he remembered was fighting with a beast of the Forest of the Wild and then fainting. The-the man!

Why was he here and not in the forest? Did the man flee after he had fainted? What had befallen him? How did he arrive at his father's hut and most importantly, was it all a dream?

Questions upon question rose in his mind and to his frustration he could not find the answers to them.

''The foolish son rises.'' A deep voice chided.

His father, Ibezim, stood at the entrance with arms crossed and lips pressed in disapproval. If not for the worry lines on his forehead his expression was completely unreadable. Despite his cold demeanour, Agada was certain that he had been worried.

His mouth suddenly ran dry as he attempted to fill the silence, ''Nna I-''

''Drink up that concoction and meet me outside.'' He left fuming. So it was not a dream.

He deserved that. Guilt-ridden, he pushed down the dread of the upcoming confrontation and grabbed the water bowl placed beside him. The concoction was warm, its content dark but clear. From its smell it was boiled Abua-Ocha leaves used for healing body pains.

Without wasting time he downed the contents in a single gulp and stepped out to meet his father. His eyes swept over the compound until it found him. There he was sat in front of his hut on his favourite chair, legs spread apart and eyes closed, talking to himself.

''Nna.''

His words pulled him out of his soliloquy. Deep eyes opened and he was confronted with a look so piercing it compelled him to look away like a difficult child being reprimanded. He did not need a soothsayer to tell him his was father upset.

''Sit.'' He gestured to the mat in front of him.

His inner guilt made him obey, quietly lowering himself to the mat in an effort to appease. However, curiosity over the present matter plagued his thoughts and without thinking he blurted the first question that came to mind.

''Nna, how did I get here?''

Ibezim leaned forward, eyes narrowed in disbelief, ''We will get back to the reason why my foolish son disobeyed my direct order and also discuss a fitting punishment for your actions.''