DETHRONED
FINAL Episode
By AMAH’S HEART
” Have you heard of anyone with the name Priestess Odika..?” Came Nonso’s question and I searched my memory to see if I have ever heard of such a name.
Nothing came up so I shook my head back and forth indicating that I had no idea of who bears the name.
Wait a minute! Did I just hear of the title Priestess..? The Odika woman was actually a Priestess..? Quite interesting!
I was also wondering how this actually relates to what we were discussing earlier. I looked at Nonso with keen attention as he continued expounding.
” Priestess Odika is the first priestess whose reign was amongst the shortest before you eventually broke the record. By rating, I think she was the twentieth Priestess or there about. And I’ve never asked you… which was your reign…?” Nonso asked looking intensely at me
” I am the twentieth and six chosen Priestess to reign whilst Olamma our daughter is now the twentieth and seven…” I answered flippantly. Nene wasn’t chosen by the gods so I excluded her reign in the history of priestess.
I shrugged my shoulders still wondering where all this questions is likely going to lead us to.
“…but my husband why all this questions and how does it even relate to the discussion we had earlier…?” I asked slowly beginning to loose interest in the talk. I felt like it was becoming boring!
” Well I’m a direct descendant from Priestess Odika’s lineage. Her great grand son happens to be my late grand father.” Nonso revealed and I looked at him wide-eyed in shock and disbelief.
” You’re directly from a Priestess’ lineage…? Ho..how..how..how is that even possible when Priestesses are not allowed to have children..?” I asked with confusion clearly written on my face.
Just then, a memory instantly clicked!.
I actually remember that my parents once told of an historical tale about a certain priestess Odika.
According to my parents, she reigned for a period of eight years before she was dethroned because she ran away from the village.
Many believed that she ran away to a faraway land with a secret lover because she was nowhere to be found around the three communities.
She was eventually forgotten about and another chosen Priestess with powers was crowned.
Only for her dead body to be brought back to the village after a period of one year and yet nobody could truly ascertain what kīlled her.
Could she be the same Priestess Odika Nonso is referring to…?
Following Nonso remarks earlier about her being the shortlived Priestess before me, it appears that she is the same one.
” Priestess Odika fell in love with a man and had to elope with him to a faraway land. Their union brought about the birth of my forefather which subsequently led to my descent. I was told she died during childbirth because she still had her powers in her possession” Nonso explained and this revelation left me in utmost awe.
My husband is from a Priestess lineage..? And the Priestess Odika had made the exact mistake I made!
Wow! this simply means that Olamma is from the lineage of two previous Priestesses.
No wonder our daughter was readily chosen and favored by the gods.
Probably the gods looked upon her lineage with compassion and after seeing that we were the most shortlived Priestesses, they decided to give us second chances to complete our reign using Olamma our descendant.
I sighed tiredly as everything gradually begun adding up. All the same, I’m really glad that my husband finally opened up about his origin to me at least my mind would be at peace now.
” Thank you so much my husband for finally telling me all this but then why did you hide it from me…? What were you so scared of…?” I asked staring at Nonso and he heaved heavily.
” I was scared of yet again bringing out a past that has long being buried because that is the reason I was banished in the first place…” Nonso said and seeing the pity in my eyes he stopped midway
” You were having trust issues…?” I asked softly and he nodded affirmatively as he continued his words.
” Yes Obim. I was banished for my mother’s sins because back at the village of Gada, I had confided in a friend of mine about this secret. To my utmost surprise he spilled the beans to the kinsmen and as expected they decided to punish my family and I for the sacrilege my mother committed by banishing us into the forest we met!”
” Oh no! that’s so bad of your friend. I pray he reaps the bad seeds he sowed. It’s okay my husband but then do you not have any members of your family who still lives…?”
” I don’t have any surviving family members Obim. My grandparents díed at old age in the forest and shortly afterwards, my parents followed them after the serious illness they suffered!” Nonso divulged and I became emotional after listening to his life story.
” I’m sorry for all you had to go through my husband and it doesn’t matter if you have no other family left. Just know that I and the children will always be here for you okay…?” I told Nonso in an assuring manner and at the same time touching his cheeks soothingly.
Nonso smiled as he nodded in understanding.
And for the very first time since we got married, he called me by my first name. Oh! How I love the sound of it in his lips.
” I know that Rana and I will always be here for you and the children too. Sometimes I thank the gods for allowing you default which brought you and Ammon to make my lonely life worthwhile again. I love you Rana and I will always do until dëäth do us part!” Nonso expressed whilst looking at me with so much love and admiration shown on his face.
” Thank you too Nonso for never judging me by my past. You took Ammon as your biological son despite knowing how despicable his father was to me. I wasn’t a virgin maiden yet you didn’t mind… you’ve always loved me for who I am and for that I am grateful. Thank you so much my husband. I love you now and I will keep loving you forever!” I said with all sincerity as I threw myself on Nonso in a tight passionate hug.
Five years gradually came by and I’m proud to say that my children are doing well in all their endeavors.
Ammon is now a father of two children and his wife Ijeoma is still expecting another baby on the way.
How time flies, the young maiden Rana of yesterday is now a grandmother!
Life moved on fine and Olamma’s reign as a Priestess brought many fruitfulness and laughter to the village. Every crops blossomed as harvest multiplied and people had surplus food to eat and marriages were lavishly celebrated.
Liveliness returned to the three communities as people were happy and went about their daily activities with constant smiles on their faces.
People sold their wares light-heartedly and children played around without a residual feeling of féar and insecurities.
My life was also going smoothly. I was living comfortably and Great Uba and Amarachi comes occasionally to visit me. I feel so lucky to have such a selfless father and sister figure in my life.
As for my Olamma; she is doing very fine physically and mentally.
She had later observed that she is talented in singing and dancing which she uses to entertain the village children whenever they visit for folktales.
Not just that, Olamma joins the maidens every weekend to have fun at the stream or other play centers.
My daughter’s simplicity lives everyone in awe as she keeps doing the fun things that makes her happy without neglecting her duty as the Priestess.
And I love the fact that she is maximizing her lifetime as the Priestess of the Land without feeling unhappy or left out.
For Olamma, happiness comes from within and self love brings about joy without the need of a man to avert loneliness. It’s a fact I wish I realized on time but either ways, I can say I am truly grateful to the gods for taking me this far.
Yes! life may not have been too fair to me at first but I’m glad that it isn’t so bad either. I’ll constantly remain thankful for the second chance I was given as well as the kind of family the gods blessed me with because with them by my side I have no regrets about my fate.
The End.