Aláàfin

Chapter 32

ADEDAYO
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    After Agbabiaka's rather inspiring speech, my uncle and I stay behind as we attend to certain elders who wish to converse with my uncle. One of them approaches me with words of concern regarding my venture into Irúnmolè.
" Ogundele gan, can he himself enter that place, with all that his gra GRA. I hope you have been fortified by the Olu Awo because the entities that roam that forest, it is not by spear or sword that
they will fall and you don't have your Ashe yet." The old man says to me.
Ignoring his kolanut scented breath as the baba holds my shoulder for support, I assure him that I have gone to the Olu Awo for fortification. He pats me and leaves with the rest of the elders that were talking to Uncle Ogundele.
          As they leave, I and Uncle Ogundele head for the Osun river shrine for that's where the Akogun were taken for the nursing of their wounds. We move towards the southern path of Katunga where the waters of Osun's Sacred Grove, all the way from Osun cascade onto the land, carrying the essence of the ancient grove. The air begins to thicken with moisture as we near the shrine, the path to it littering with potholes that carry water. Then we start to see denser vegetation with trees sculpted into wooden statues of various figures like mermaids, half naked women and children with some trees bearing attached talismans with no mutations made to their look. We finally reach the entrance with it marked by a wooden construct which has two large irregularly shaped planks that are decorated with engravings, resting on each other as they form a space underneath in which one can follow into the shrine. By its sides are short earthen fences stretching into the shrine and a pretty brown skin lady in a yellow laced blouse and short wrapper tied around her waist standing in front of the entrance, expecting us. Drawing nearer, I observe her hair is intricately braided into cornrows and she has......a generous bust. She regards us with a smile as we reach the entrance, gesturing that we follow her. We then head deeper into the shrine as we start to see waterlogged spaces with large trees filling them. Despite the mud and green all over the place, the water still seems clean and clear to the point you can see the bottom of each of the places filled with it. Huts surrounded by streams of water come into view with Osun maidens in front of them, manipulating it's water with their Ashe as they use it to heal and caress the bodies of various people. The Ashe marks on their bodies flow while they indulge in this activity with glowing ethereal fishes swimming in the streams.
     Leaving the streams, we finally reach the centre of the shrine where various hits are built on moist land with a big one at the centre which is reserved for the head priestess presiding over the Osun river shrine in Katunga. There's a cave behind with a pond in it that is reserved for special cases which require the head priestess and that makes it where the Akogun will be. We enter the cave to see a small crowd of Osun maidens standing outside it, so they can take a peek at the Akogun. Usually, I would be the centre of attention for the poke noses among them but the Akogun are way more rarer and attractive to see than that reclusive prince of OYO.
         Upon noticing us, the maidens make way for us to pass through as they kneel down to greet my uncle and I. The entrance of the cave has small green infested sculptures of mermaids and fishes laying on the ground with carvings of the same look being etched on it's walls. We then move deeper inside to see the whole of the Akogun aside Agbabiaka sitting in a large pool of glowing, steaming water as the head priestess stands in the centre of them, changing incantations.
Adunni Amosun, the head priestess assigned to the Osun river shrine in Katunga like all other priestesses assigned to various Osun river shrines in the OYO empire.  The river shrines are all connected to the Osun-Osogbo Sacred Grove by a series of streams flowing from the grove itself to various parts of OYO. It serves as a point of command for the Osun maidens all over OYO and where they train those blessed with Osun's Ashe as well as the priestesses they send all over the kingdom to cater and protect the sacred waters flowing from the grove. The shrines built upon the Grove's waters all over the kingdom serve as healing spots and training sites for Osun Ashe users with some choosing to stay at the shrine and serve as maidens.
         With the Ashe marks on the left side of her neck glowing, she manipulates the water or the pool, using it to caress the distressed bodies of the Akogun, healing their pain and wounds.
Upon seeing us come in, the Akogun rise to greet me and my uncle as they regard us with the proper salutations but with only Jakuta hesitating as he greets me with a slight look of scorn.
" One that is one with iron , Ajaka's gem ... .my prince...I will be done with healing the Akogun soon."
My uncle raises his hand in acknowledgment as we both sit on a bench close to the pool. But as Adunni is about to wrap up, Jakuta interrupts her by standing up with his hand raised, signaling that she stops using her Ashe on him.
" I WANT TO SPEAK TO THE BALOGUN" He says as he walks out of the pond with a focused look aimed at Ogundele.
          Having reached his front, he suddenly prostrates before Ogundele and shouts with all sincerity
    " I HAVE OFFENDED YOU BALOGUN, I HAVE STAINED YOU, YOU MADE ME THE BLADE OF YOUR SPEAR AGAINST THE OLOSSI AND I SHAMED YOU. I BROUGHT BEFORE YOUR DOORSTEP DEFEAT AT THE HANDS OF THOSE DEFILED CREATURES AND I SEEK PUNISHMENT FOR IT."

    " JAKUTA, I AM THE LEADER OF THE AKOGUN. IT IS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO..." says Ògúnlolá as he interrupts Jakuta while he rises from the pond but Ogundele stops him from completing his statement by raising his hand. He then gestures for Jakuta to continue talking.
     " Since I have failed you my general, I request that you grant me the punishment. I ask that you send me to Erékùṣù Èérí."
Upon hearing what Jakuta said, everyone gasps in shock except the BALOGUN as he stares at Jakuta with zero expression on his face.
" I ASK THAT YOU LET ME WITHER IN THAT DEFILED PLACE UNTIL I KNOW NOTHING BUT STRENGTH. I REFUSE TO LET WHAT HAPPENED IN ILARO TO HAPPEN AGAIN."
     With everyone looking at Jakuta in disbelief , Ogundele says
" I anointed you as the spear to pierce the Olossis'  front. The one to reclaim the lands they took from us for I felt aside I, you are the only one who can give the Akogun the might to do so."
" That is why I say here in Katunga leading this nation because I felt my presence wasn't lacking in the battlefield after we won at Abeokuta then......because you are there with my soldiers. But you have shown that I was wrong. And now,I match again into battle with no one of the crown present to lead the kingdom from the capital since our Prince will head to Irúnmolè."
" And for that, I will grant you this punishment you seek Jakuta ... .but know this. I went there to earn the title of the strongest and I did just that. Don't come back here if that's not the case. It's either you take my seat or you die there. Do you understand me, Jakuta?"
Jakuta then rises from the ground with lightning in his eyes and sparks of it on his fingers as he says while facing Ogundele.
                             " I DO...."