DREAM WAKE --- {COMPLETED} ☑️

THE CORONATION - I

Chapter 40

Osagiede

The day loomed bright and clear, but as usual, Eyare was still asleep. If care was not taken, he would be late for his own coronation. I had already had a bath and given Eseosa one too, all that was needed was for us to dress up. I sighed impatiently and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Unnnng!" I rolled my eyes at his response.

"Wake up, sleepy head, your coronation is in a few hours time. Remember you have a meeting with the high chiefs first and that is in about two hours from now." He shot up like a light, looking like he'd just seen a ghost.

It was really amusing seeing him hopping on one leg trying to remove one leg of his boxers. He stumbled and fell, almost giving me a heart attack. He began to laugh at himself and I only joined in when I saw he was okay.

I left him to his business while I went to check on the women who were cooking. The house had been in a festive period the past one week. As I descended the stairs, I admired the beautiful flowers that had been used to decorate the arch ways.

All the lights were blazing and everywhere looked bright and gay. I smiled to myself as I walked out to the compound, heading for the backyard. Canopies dotted every inch of the massive compound and the fountain that had been dried up was up and running.

A huge make shift throne was smack in the middle of the compound, while two smaller one's flanked either side of it. A wide strip of red carpet dotted with beautifully coloured petals, led right from the throne to the main door. I paused to admire it all.

The main coronation was to take place in the throne room, only in the presence of the king's family and high chiefs, while the main celebration would take place in the compound. Some maids approached me carrying trays. They stopped and genuflected when they saw me, greeting me with a title that widened my eyes. "Greetings, my queen."

We had to hire new staff, because mother wasn't sure she could recall the old one's as she didn't know who was working for Chief 'bazuaye. As usual, Imade came to the rescue and contacted a private staff recruitment service and they came through by sending their very best staff.

So how did they know to call me queen? This left me pondering.

What then was my mother in law going to be called?

I continued my pondering as I walked to the backyard wherethe cooking was taking place. On getting there, I saw a cluster of women pounding yam intermittently in different mortars. Some were tending to big pots of soup, while others were frying different types of protein in pots.

I didn't see mother anywhere, but then I heard her voice and I decided to walk towards the direction of her voice. She was talking with a group of women who were showering accolades on her and calling her queen mother.

So that's what mother's title was.

I recognised the women as the wives of the high chiefs who had come to pay her a visit. I aimed to leave without them noticing me, but mother spied me from the corner of her eyes and beckoned to me.

"Ah! Here is my daughter in law, the new queen to the throne." She smiled at me with fondness and I shyly looked down at the ground as I walked closer to her.  I was suddenly embarrassed at the title she accorded me with.