when strength meets love

chapter 15: ikoka village

The sun was setting over the village, casting a golden glow over the fields as Eki walked back from the market. Her mind was heavy with the thoughts that had been swirling around her ever since she overheard the women gossiping. Their words echoed in her mind, each one more painful than the last.

"You know, his ancestors offended the Oba, that's why we’re all cursed. All of us in this village. We work, but it’s like we’re stuck, while the rest of the world moves forward."

"I heard his son is living the good life in the city now. Engaged to a city girl, no less! While we’re here suffering."

Eki stopped in her tracks, the weight of the conversation sinking deep into her chest. She had heard these rumors before—how the Oba had cursed the entire village for the sins of Oduwa’s ancestors. She had always dismissed it, thinking it was just superstition. But hearing it now, it felt different.

The curse, the suffering, the shame—it was all tied to Oduwa’s bloodline. The villagers had blamed his family for their hardships for years, and now, the rumors were spreading that his son, Oduwa, had found a way out. He was living a life of comfort and luxury in the city, while the rest of the villagers were left to suffer.

Eki’s heart clenched as she walked on, her thoughts a jumble of confusion and hurt. She knew Oduwa. She knew the man he was. Or at least, she had thought she did. He wasn’t the same as the men in this village who had given in to the curse. He was hardworking, strong-willed, and full of dreams. But could it be true? Had he really left for the city, leaving everything behind, and was he now engaged to someone else?

Her footsteps faltered as her mind raced. She had trusted Oduwa, believed in him even when he had disappeared without a word. But now, everything seemed to be crashing down. The rumors, the stigma, the curse—it all felt too much to bear.

As she walked past the gathering of women at the village square, they saw her and began whispering louder, their eyes flicking to her as she approached. Eki clenched her fists, not wanting to hear any more. She wasn’t interested in their judgment or their gossip.

But one of the women caught her eye and said, “Eki, don’t let yourself be fooled. Oduwa’s family is cursed. It’s in their blood. He may be charming, but at the end of the day, what good is a man with a cursed bloodline? He can never escape it.”

Eki’s heart raced, but she forced herself to remain calm. She wanted to scream at them, to defend Oduwa, but she knew it would do no good. The curse had been laid upon his ancestors by the Oba years ago, and the village had suffered ever since. Every failed harvest, every bad season, every misfortune was blamed on Oduwa’s family. Even now, rumors were flying that Oduwa had engaged with a city girl while the villagers remained trapped in their endless cycle of poverty.

The whispers were louder now, the pain sharper. Eki felt the weight of the stigma that had been passed down for generations. Could it be that Oduwa’s bloodline truly held such a curse? Could it be that, no matter how hard he tried, he would never escape the shadow of his ancestors’ mistakes?

She turned away from the women, her heart heavy with doubt. The moment she did, she caught sight of Oduwa standing at the edge of the square, his eyes locked on her with an intensity she couldn’t ignore. He had been watching her for some time, waiting for her to notice him.

Eki’s breath caught in her throat. She had been avoiding him, but now, it felt impossible. He walked toward her slowly, his face a mixture of concern and something deeper that she couldn’t quite place. As he reached her, the air between them seemed to thicken.

“I heard what they’re saying,” Oduwa said softly, his voice carrying a weight that made Eki’s heart ache. “You know it’s not true, right? About me, about my family. The rumors... they’re just that—rumors. Nothing more.”

Eki shook her head, not meeting his gaze. “I don’t know what to believe anymore, Oduwa. I heard the women talk about your bloodline—the curse. I heard them say you were engaged to someone else in the city... while we’re here... stuck.”

Oduwa’s eyes darkened with frustration, and he took a step closer. “Eki, listen to me. I never asked for this. My ancestors’ mistakes—” he paused, the weight of his words settling between them, “they’re not mine. I’ve worked my entire life to get out of this village, to change things, to break free from the curse. But no matter what I do, people will always blame me.”

He reached out, gently cupping her chin, forcing her to look at him. “I never wanted to leave you. I never wanted to hurt you. I know I’ve made mistakes, but the rumors... they’re lies. I’m not engaged to anyone. I don’t want anyone else. It’s you, Eki. I’ve always wanted it to be you.”

Tears welled up in Eki’s eyes, and she blinked them away quickly. The doubt in her heart was suffocating. She wanted to believe him, but the weight of the curse—the centuries of pain and suffering tied to his family—made it hard. The villagers’ words were poison in her ears.

“I don’t know, Oduwa,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I want to believe you. I really do. But the fear... it’s too much. The village, the curse, the rumors... it’s all too much.”

Oduwa’s expression softened, and he pulled her into his arms, holding her tightly as if she might slip away. “Eki, I’ll fight for you. For us. I know the village may never accept me, and they’ll never stop blaming my family. But I don’t care about that anymore. All I care about is you. Let me prove to you that I’m not like the men they say I am.”

Eki closed her eyes, her heart torn. She wanted to trust him, wanted to believe in the future they could have together. But the weight of the past, the rumors, the curse—it was a burden she didn’t know if she could bear.

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