PRIESTESS OF KEbr@.
Episode 7.
By Amah’s heart
Dembe was in his slave quarters when he heard someb©dy calling his name.
He has chos£n to remain alone after his usual daily task.
He retired to his quarters and remained there.
The person kept calling him and he decided to go out.
” br@mi… what can I do for you?.
He asked the lady who was in charge of the house welfare.
“Are you alright Dembe? You have been inside all day. You haven’t eaten anything…
“I’m fine br@mi.
“Lady Aprin was asking of you earlier.
Dembe sighed sadly before saying.
“Why? Why is she asking for me?
“I wouldn’t know. You are going to be her husband so is very normal if she ask. Dembe, listen… i know how ha-rd all this most have been for you because is obvious you don’t want it. Many young men will jump on this offer… plea-se cheer up. a whole priestess of Kebr@ wanting you as a husband, is a dream come true for many. Especially since it will also mean your freedom. You will no longer be a bond servant but a husband to the daughter of the soil and not just any daughter but also the next priestess of Kebr@. You will officially become a priest after getting married to her. You should be jubilating and st©p putting up all this saddened face.
“I don’t want it br@mi. I don’t want to get married to a priestess of Kebr@ neither do I want to become a shrine priest. Right now…I will rather remain a slave boy than all this trouble that comes with such a freedom. Getting married to lady Aprin doesn’t make me free. I’m still bonded to them… forever. I’m going to be a servant to their gods and goddess therefore dedicating my entire life into services to them and to their pagan temple. How exactly does that make me a free man? But it does not matter what I want or don’t want. I must do as they say. br@mi… I wish I had a choice. I strongly believe in the unseen and ever pres£nt God of all mankind will save me from the clutches of the wicked.
br@mi looks confuse, she was about to ask more questions when Aprin showed in the hallway.
She greeted her before walking away.
Dembe waited with his head bowed as Lady Aprin c@m£ to stand right in front of him.
“Greetings to you my lady!
Dembe greeted.
Aprin smiled, she took a step closer to Dembe while he took one back.
“You should begin to get used to me Dembe. I’m going to be your wife few days from now. Try to get used to it. You can’t avoid me. I expected you to be happy because it also means your freedom from slavery. You supposed to be rejoicing over what I’m about to do for you. I also know you will make a good priest of Kebr@ far more than Bash. Dembe i took a risk for you… plea-se cheer up and don’t disappoint me. You saw how much I have to fight in your defense because I really wanted you…
Dembe’s head remains bent he did not say a word. Aprin continued.
“…I guess you are trying to get used to this whole new life. I un-derstand and I know you will adjust with time. The seat fits you perfectly and you will make a good priest. You will no longer be the abbatoir boy. slaughtering animals for sacrifice will no longer be your duty. you will appoint someb©dy else for such task. By tomorrow you will be moving out of the this slave quarters to the main big building. You will stay there until our wedding ritual is over and you will be able to move in with me. My vir-ginity, b©dy and soul belongs to you and the gods. You should thank the gods for the many blessings that they bestowed on you throu-gh me…
Aprin waited for Dembe to say something or maybe thank her but he never said a word.
She quietly nodded before walking away.
Dembe returned to his quarters and remained there.
He was not allowed to go out, he must give a solid reasons if he must step out of the gate.
Dembe wish to see Lydia, he wanted to visit the tent makers place where he feels at peace but he nee-ds to lie and convince either the priestess or Aprin on where he was going to.
Before the marriage ritual commerced Dembe managed to come up with an excuse. He lied about going to the hill t©p to collect some sacrificial leaf.
He went to the tent makers place. Lydia wasn’t there and it was neither a fellowsh!pday.
Only the tent maker’s wife was home.
He decided to wait for the man because he doesn’t know when again he will be allowed to go out.
“We all are praying for you Dembe. God may have a better plan than any of us can see. Remember his ways are higher than our ways. We can’t question him on why unexpected things happen but instead we will remain steadfast rejoicing in every circvmstances that we found ourselves. Me and my husband, Jon, are married for many years now and yet no child. We have every right to question God because we obe-diently served, risked our lives and opened our home up to other believers to fellowsh!ptogether. We try to obey every commandments but God is not a respecter of person. He does things in his own ways and time. Sometimes is ha-rd to keep trusting or believing but Jon makes it easy for me to remain focus in God alone. Jon’s faith can’t be shaken despite every challenge that Life throws at him. He is a true man of God and I’m encouraged with his strong faith. God remains true. If he can take care of the birds in the air, the lilies in the field how much more we, his special people who he created in his image. Dembe trust in no man but in God. We humans don’t have all the answers, our knowledge is limited but is not so with God. I know you love Lydia and is really a ha-rd time for two of you but the almighty plans and purpose will come to past in your lives…
The tent makers wife was praying with Dembe when her husband Jon returned.
He joined them, re-leasing more encouraging words and also prayed for Dembe before he left.
Aprin was outside waiting for him as he returned.
“,I know you lied about going to the hill t©p to fetch the sacrificial leaf. Dembe I forbid you to ever lie to me again. I know you went to see your slave girlfriend who lives close to the market…yes, I know about her but let today be the last day that you will see her. I hate betrayers don’t try to pl@ythat game with me. You are going to be my faithful husband and no other woman must be seen with you. I believe I’m cleared enough.
Dembe apologize with a nod of head.
He had wish to see Lydia but couldn’t.
Yesterday was the fellowsh!pday and he has been told by the tent maker’s wife that Lydia c@m£ and also joined everyb©dy in praying for him.
It saddens him that he couldn’t see Lydia but he was glad that he spent quality time with Jon and his wife.
The marriage ritual commenced and after a week he will be married to Aprin.
The next initiation will be into the shrine priest.
Dembe will moved into Aprin’s big chamber after the whole wedding is over.
his slave identity including his belt and sash was alre-ady burnt to ashes even before the wedding commenced.
He was no more a slave but a free man but still bonded to the household of the priestess.
Sheila was not happy and she did not hide her disapproval over the upcoming union between a slave boy and her sister.
She planned with Bash to get Aprin drun!kon her wedding night so that instead of Dembe to have her vir-ginity which was supposed to be taken by her husband Bash will be the one to disflower her and he will make sure Dembe watch as it happens because he doesn’t deserve Aprin vir-ginity.
Sheila was the chief planner and also Bash who felt betrayed by what Aprin did to him.
They sat to plan on how to either get Aprin drun!kor make her fall into a de-ep sleep so that she won’t know what was going on.
Episode 8.
Aprin looks happy on her traditional wedding day. She laughed so ha-rd and sang along the traditional song with Dembe who was by her side.
The guest were leaving one after the other as evening settles. Even the priestess left the occasion for the young once to merry.
Aprin was tasting and eating every dish that was pres£nted. Dembe did not join in eating all the strange delicacies which includes gizzard eggs, fried premature oct©pus, a day old lamb and many other traditional food su-cked in honey sauce.
Many strange food was all pres£nted on the table and pas-sed round to few people who c@m£ for the occasion. Aprin was really happy and couldn’t hold back her joy of getting married to the man she truly love.
Everyone can see that she was happy while Dembe on the other hand looks lost. He did must of what he was asked to do and ignored the less important ones.
Sheila saw Aprin free spirit as an opportunity to carry out her plans.
Bash was pres£nt at the wedding, it was becoming obvious that him and Sheila were an item after Aprin left him for Dembe.
Sheila gave Bash a signal as she walked out of the gathering and later returned back with a drink.
She concluded that she will make Aprin sleep for so long, she won’t wake up until the following noon.
Dembe saw Sheila coming with the drink, he noticed the exchange of eyes signal she did with Bash and began to suspect that they are probably up to something bad.
Sheila got closer to Aprin, she began to laugh, pretending to congratulate her sister. She gave Aprin the drink.
Aprin collected the drink and was about to drink but Dembe quic-kly took it from her.
“Why did you do that…? Sheila my sister just gave it to me. I had only taken little drink today and the drink she gave me is not intoxicating….give it to me…today is the final day of the wedding and I really want to celebr@te till mid night after which we can retire to my chamber and I will give my vir-ginity to you as it should be….
Dembe said in whisper to her Aprin.
“I don’t feel right about the drink. You can have anything you want my Lady. There is something about your sister’s sudden kindness and bringing you a cu-p drink when there are a lot of drinks around you…
Dembe stood and threw the drink away. Sheila was watching with Bash from one side of the big room, she bec@m£ very upset at what Dembe did and c@m£ up with another plan.
Aprin also frowned at Dembe throwing off the drink her sister gave her but she quic-kly let go and continue with her normal spirit.
She stood, dance and cl@p her hands with few of her friends that was around.
Sheila c@m£ to join her sister in dancing, even though she was very angry with Dembe throwing off the drink and spoiling her initial plan she still manage to pretend all along.
After sometime she left and later c@m£ back with some pieces of fried oct©pus su-cked in honey. She took one out of the plate and ate while she gave the remaining one to Aprin who quic-kly collected without thinking.
Aprin ate everything in the plate and continued her dance. Sheila looked at Dembe who was watching and smile mischievously before leaving with Bash.
Dembe saw Sheila taking out of the plate and eating, even though he was not convince with such action from Sheila, he remained seated to avoid causing further trouble.
After sometime, Aprin felt tired and dizzy and said she was going to rest. Dembe took her to their big chamber and she sle-pt off immediately her back t©uçhed the be-d.
Dembe covered her up. He was so exhausted from all the event and was glad that it was finally over. He sat on a chair beside the be-d and was alre-ady slee-ping off when he heard a knock on the door.
He awaken from his shallow sleep and went to the door. It was Phatsy that was at the door.
“The great mother asked to see you at the visitor’s lodge. She said you should wait for her right there and she will come and meet you.
Dembe wondered why the priestess will want to see him by that time. It was not a day for an evening sacrifice and he was no more in charge of doing that. It was late and darkness”>darkness has settled in.
He walked out of the chamber leaving Aprin alone in the room. While he was away Sheila was able to sneak Bash into Aprin’s chamber.
Sheila has ordered Phatsy to lie to Dembe that the mother asked to see him so that they can carry out their plans.
Dembe waited and kept waiting for the priestess to come. Despite he was tired and nee-ded to sleep for some time before day break. He kept waiting.
After an hour of waiting, Phatsy was s£nt to inform him that the priestess changed her mind about seeing him that night. Dembe decided to go back to Aprin’s chamber.
When he entered he was shock to see Sheila and Bash who was on t©p of a sleepy Aprin.
Bash has alre-ady accomplished the planed deal and was just waiting for Dembe to come and see them.
Dembe was shock at first and try to un-derstand what was going on. Sheila started laughing. Dembe rushed to Bash and pushed him off Aprin.
He noticed that Aprin was still lying still without moving. There were stains on the be-d too. Dembe got all h0t with anger. He was determined to pounce on Bash but his main concern was why Aprin was still asleep with all that was happening.
“She was mine before you charmed her. Her vir-ginity, her b©dy and the priest title was all mine but you used whatever charm you have to deceive her and turn her face away from me. She decided to choose a common servant like you with no background. A total nob©dy. Well….i only took what belongs to me. If I can’t have her fully, at least I had the chance to take her vir-ginity before you did and if anything should happen to her it will all be on you. everyb©dy will hold you responsible. And don’t even think of telling the priestess because she won’t believe you. She is not even happy that Aprin chose a slave over a free and royal son of the soil. You are in for many trouble Dembe or whatever you call yourself and you will have a lot of it to chew….
Bash said with anger to Dembe while Sheila sat on a chair with her legs cross while she looks on with a smile plastered on her face.
When she stood up to leave she looks at Dembe and said.
“You are a slave and you will remain a slave. You might think Aprin saved you and gave you freedom throu-gh marriage to her but as far as you remain in this household you will be a slave. And the funny thing is that your first child will be sacrificed to the gods. Aprin has agreed to that alre-ady. You have the gut to throw away the drink I gave to Aprin….you thought you are wise. Listen to me, you have a lot of sad days Dembe. You don’t deserve anything good and Aprin’s vir-ginity was too good for you to take and a free son of the soil took it. Don’t worry Aprin is not dead…she is only in a de-ep sleep and will be up by tomorrow. Don’t bother to stress yourself in telling her what happened or who deflowered her because she won’t believe you. That spell you cast on her won’t last for long. Dembe you will have a lot of sad days because your type does not belong to people like us….you are a slave in my house and you will remain one to me. slave boy….
Bash and Sheila walked out of the room leaving Dembe alone to clean up the mess they made.
Tbc