Hello guys, there are some words that aren't understood in the book. It's because they are mostly yoruba words from the african culture. I'll try to drop meanings of some words to avoid confusion.
Ankara: It's a clothing with different types of patterns and colours on it.
Koroba: A hairstyle which is weaved downwards just like an umbrella.
Ofi: a woven clothing made from thick threads.
Iro and Buba: A dressing, just like a top and wrapper.
Gele: cloth tied on the head to cover the hair.
" I told father to buy me the most expensive Ofi from Agbenro for ifa festival "
Adetutu sat on a local stool while a woman in her early twenties weaved her hair. Her two friends Anike and Remi sat on the ground facing her.
" You are the princess, you deserve the best " Remi said and the girl smiled.
" of course I am" Adetutu slightly squeezed her face before turning to face the hairdresser.
" I'm sorry princess" the woman quickly apologized to the girl.
" What you have done is okay, you can leave " She turned to face her friends and waved her hand to the woman.
" Yes princess" The woman picked up a small basket beside her and left.
Anike stretched an Ileke to Adetutu. The girl took it and wore it around her neck.
" Where is your cousin? I haven't seen her around the royal palace for a week now" Anike asked Adetutu which earned her a slight glare.
" She should be in one of the huts with father's aunt " Adetutu replied with sight irritation in her voice.
" let's leave here, I heard Tejumola will be going to the market to sell today"
Adetutu suddenly smiled sweetly
" My dear Teju "
Remi frowned at her friend's expression. If not for her dad who was a chief and needed the king's assistance to promote him, she won't be here being the princess's friend. He father specifically told her to be close Adetutu because she's her father's favourite daughter and the king will do whatever she says.
The girl enjoyed being the princess's friend until she was told that the princess started to develop feeling for Tejumola, someone she had planned to get betrothed to.
" Why do you like him that much? He's not rich, the only thing is he's attractive. How does he want to take care of a royal like you?" Remi spoke when her eyes met with Anike's eyes, she set her lips in a thin line.
Adetutu sighed and talked.
" That's what you girls don't understand, I plan to talk to father about making him a chief or even a rich merchant."
Remi frowned more, just as she had thought, this princess was going to ask her father to make Teju rich.
Just as they were talking, Ewade appeared holding a folded Ofi in her hands. Someone sent the clothing to her grandmother. She walked past them like she didn't see them but she did.
" Speak of the devil " Anike chuckled.
" Ewade!" Remi called. The girl turned to look at them.
" Even if you were blind, you can't be deaf to hear the princess was talking"
Ewade walked to where they were, she stopped when she was just a few meters away from them.
" Greetings Adetutu "
Adetutu frowned.
" Where are your manners?" Remi spoke.
" What do you mean manners?" Ewade tilted her head and looked at Remi.
" You can't call the princess by her name " Anike replied and Ewade chuckled.
The girls looked at themselves confused while Adetutu said nothing. She knows her cousin so well, they've been like these since they were younger.
" Have you forgotten what happened the last time? I promised never to respect her after what she did"
Ewade was referring to when she was punished because of Adetutu. The princess had taken her father's staff to flaunt it to her friends and when it was time to return it, the king had started to look fo it so she had no other option but to hide it in Ewade's backyard.
Royals are not supposed to be punished but Ewade's case was different. Most of the royals in the palace hated her except from her grandmother.
Adetutu cleared her throat and walked towards her cousin.
"I told you many times, it wasn't me"
" liar " Ewade deadpanned.
The girls gasped
" I think you are crossing you boundaries Ewade, calling me a liar "
Ewade said nothing but turned to leave before she spoke.
" You should be the one not to cross your boundaries princess. Don't forget your position as princess and your father as king is originally mine and once I get what is needed to get my throne back you might regret it.
The girl walked away giving them no chance to speak. Adetutu could only ball her fists. Her hatred for her arrogant cousin was growing everyday, not to mention the girl talking to her as if they were in the same royal category.
" Princess, you shouldn't listen to her." Remi did her usual thing as the princess 'friend'
" yes, she's just jealous her family wasn't made the main royals" Anike chirped in.
The princess walked away from them without saying a word.
She wondered why Ewade spoke to her rudely all the time. Was it because they are age mates or she had the same hatred as her.
Ewade walked into the little hut that the king had 'generously' gifted to her and her grandmother. She hissed when she placed the Ofi in her hand on the bamboo bed. Shortly after, her grandmother walked in. The woman was wearing a iro and buba made from Ofi. There were red beads on her neck.and wrist. There was also a gele on her head. Seems like she just attended the king's gathering.
Her grandmother was supposed to be queen mother but for some reasons, she isn't.
" what is it?" The woman gently removed the gele from her head and folded it. Grey hair had already filled her head that it was difficult to know if she weaved the hair or not. Sometimes, Ewade would wonder what she would do if her grandmother died.
The girl hissed and spoke.
" Adetutu and some of the chiefs daughters"
" The girls from that day?"
Her grandmother walked slowly towards a calabash which was placed on a moulded table made from clay just like the hut. She removed the red beads on her neck and put it inside the calabash which was meant only for jeweleries.
Ewade nodded her head.
" They were trying to make me call Adetutu princess"
The girl walked towards her grandmother to assist her in putting off the buba.
" And what did you do?"
The woman's upper body was now naked but only her back was visible to Ewade.
" I can't call her princess mama, I reminded her of how the throne and all their positions are mine"
The woman widened her eyes and turned to the girl. Her breasts dangled. They were already shrunk and saggy. There were some cut marks on her stomach. Someone who saw would think it was a special design but it wasn't.
" Why would you tell her that?"
" I had to so she would know her place"
The old woman sighed. She picked a wrapper that was folded on the bamboo bed and tied it round her chest.
She walked towards the girl and pulled her ear. Though it wasn't painful but Ewade couldn't help but wince.
" You can't go around telling people the throne belongs to you. Especially the royals"
"Mama... ah! can't I say what I want so they would respect me before I become queen"
The woman squeezed her ear more and the girl couldn't help but wince more.
" No you can't. If they hear you saying this, they would think you already have what it is to become queen and that is calling for death"
" but..."
" you do as I say..."
The woman released her ear and massaged it.
" please, I'm begging you. It's for your own good, our good"
Ewade looked at her grandmother's face and nodded.
" About what we discussed last night, never mention it to anyone. Royals don't worship the goddess so you should be careful. Also, I'm going to arrange a ritual for you as quick as possible. Once you do the ritual once, you are going to do it every time the full moon passes. I mean a day immediately after the full moon leaves that everywhere is completely dark"
Ewade could only nod her head. Deep down in her, she's going to do what she's going to do and not listen to some goddess who just came from no where. She's quite stubborn and that's what's going to put her in trouble very soon.