Adenike (The Crown)

Awaken the morning was the loud crowing of the cock. It was mild Dawn but a silenced night. The earth slowly awaking and so was the people of Umuagwo.

The animals, plants, women, men and children were are ready to kick off the day. People already on their way to farms, some to the market, the children running off to school while for some the morning was not too early for family time.

Omo iyebiye

ọmọ ti o mu iya rẹ dun

omo tooto baba

ọmọ pẹlu awọn ibukun ti awọn oriṣa

ọmọ pẹlu ade

Baami praised his daughter in his dialect as she danced beautifully to exercise her nerves before starting her day.

She was smiling, stealing glances at her mother to join her

"Nwee obi ụtọ na Nna gị"

her mother replied instead telling her to be happy with her Father. She stopped dancing, folded her hands akimbo staring at them both

"Kilode" Baami asked her. She sighed before answering

"It's exhausting how you both bombard me with your dialects everyday"

Adenike said hitting her left foot on the ground, an habit of hers.

"I've told you to stop that, you look like those troublesome market women when you do that"

her mother scolded and she stopped, unfolded her arms and turned to stare at her father

"Baami..."

She called .

A name she called her Father, popular in the West.

Baba mi.. meaning My Father.

It become a nickname that everybody used since there were few or no westerners aside them in the land.

"You've said nothing concerning ..."

"Concerning what my dear? It's been like this for over 19 years" he interrupted

"Now go do your chores"

her mother added with a smile. She smiled back at them before running along. She walked to the backyard of the hut and took her pot to go fetch water. Aside other chores, this was one she enjoyed doing

The long walk to the stream with her friend was always worth it. On her way she welcomed a lot of stares, no kidding but she didn't have the rights to welcome them or not.

She was beautiful, her ebony skin was what everyone envied, smooth and flawless both in looks and personality. She was tall, Curvy and everything society felt makes a beautiful woman.

"Ah! Mmesoma ain't you going to the stream with me today?"

Adenike called as the walked closer to her only close friend on her way.

"You know how mama can be, she wants me to fetch firewood instead on our farm. I insisted on fetching by the stream but she refused. I'm sorry"

she elucidated sadly picking on the piece of cloth she was holding

"It's okay"

"Thanks for understanding, if it's Chi, I know my head will be off by now"

She joked and they both laughed

"Ehn ehn, did you hear?"

Mmesoma moved out of the pathway to be comfortable. Adenike gave her a look

"You will never change"

"Abeg listen, this gist is very relevant. So I heard....."

ADENIKE'S POV

I ran down to the stream, the sun was set and i wasn't back home to drop even one pot.

Mmesoma kept me on the way giving me details that we both weren't even sure if it was true or not.

I mean.. what business of mine is it if the king's first son will be returning home.

First son?

I didn't even know he had more than one son.

The villagers see me as an outcast anyway so what's there to bother about?

Not just my difference in culture makes me stand out, my ebony beauty doesn't help either, gaining attention that I don't find pleasing

I walked into the shallow part of the stream to fill my pot. I stopped when I heard footsteps, turned to look around and no one was there. I continued with filling my pot, I heard the noise again and fear gripped me.

I hate coming to this particular stream alone because I've heard stories of how strangers die in the stream.

My mother always told me to ignore because I wasn't a stranger of the land and I've taken to her words but right I was scared.

I placed my land on my chest and moved it slowly. Someone suddenly jumped out of the trees,

I screamed and tried to run then found myself in the deeper parts of the water.

I struggled with my hands and legs, I could still see the stature of the person standing by the stream.

"I can't swim"

I managed to voice before letting the water have his way. Different thoughts filling my mind, I'm my parents only child,

what if I don't get back home to them?

What if I don't get the help I need Could the person be one of my parent's enemies?

My parents don't have enemies, none that I know of.

Is it because I'm not a daughter of the land? But this is my maternal home.

I was running out of oxygen.

I felt somebody grab me by my waist pulling up to the shores.

I was carried out and dropped on the ground but I was totally too weak to open my eyes or even move.

He pressed hard on my chest till I threw up all the water I had taken in.

I started breathing and coughing profusely trying to gain myself.

"Are you okay?"

He asked patting on my upper back

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you and I didn't realize on time that you can't swim"

He sounded remorseful

"I'm fine. My pot"

I searched with my eyes.

He left me and went to fill the pot then brought it me. I sighed softly.

I've never broken any of my mother's fetching pots and I don't intend to, especially now that I should be more mature and responsible.

I tried to get up and he assisted me

"Thank you" I smiled plainly

"It's okay, if I didn't jump out on you like that you wouldn't have drowned"

I bent down to carry the pot of water, still coughing profusely. He beat me to it and carried it instead lifting it on his shoulder.

I to looked up to his face, he was unfamiliar, I've never seen him around. maybe he was from the neighboring village

I was mad at him for scaring me but I feel a little better now. Aside his muscular looks, he was handsome.

I smiled and started walking beside him.

He insisted on helping me get the water home and more if necessary

"Don't be jocular..."

I stopped to laugh

"What will a fine young man like yourself be doing helping a maiden fetch water from the stream?"

I turned my gaze to him.

" Fine young man? I can help with cooking too with the way you just flattered me"

He smiled and I laughed again. He's so hilarious

"We are here" I announced like it is some glamorous entrance

"Why go to a stream far from your house?"

"Maybe so I would get scared to death"

I replied sarcastically.He dropped the pot before replying me

"I am so sorry about that"

He apologized for the hundredth time, I nodded and smiled. I stood watching him walk away after waving at him.

"Who was that young man?"

I flinched at my mother's voice. I turned

"I met him at the stream, he saved me from drowning"

I blurted giving her cause to worry unintentionally. She exclaimed and turned me around to look at me

"How? Why did you try to swim when you know you can't"

"I'm fine mother"

"No wonder you took so long to get back home,. I and your father assumed mmesoma was keeping you"

She said, partly right.

If mmesoma didn't involve me for so long I would've perhaps gotten to the stream before... Wait! I didn't get to know his name

"So who's the young man? What's his name?"

She asked and I scratched my head

"You don't know" she looked at me up-down

"My friend join me in the kitchen, your father will leave soon and he needs to eat"

She completed before walking away.

How could I've forgotten to ask him his name, he also didn't bother asking for mine.

What a waste of laughs. I lifted the pot from the ground and trailed behind my mother who was headed for the kitchen.

The weather felt warm and I wasn't hearing crowing of the early cocks meaning it was late hours of the early morning.

I scratched my index finger on my eye and stood up from my bed stretching out.

It is the market day and surely mother must be out to the market and Baami probably to the farm.

Blessed I would conclude to have such parents who bother not their child against will.

I've grown to do things right even without being asked or forced because of the love I've grown in.

I bent myself out of the small exit of the hut, sometimes I wonder why they've made it a tradition to build huts with such unbefitting passage.

I walked to the sideyard and took one of the two brooms we have and started sweeping the compound.

Even after sweeping before going to bed one would always wake up to dry leaves caused by the night's breeze.

Baami always tell me to omit sweeping the compound before bedtime since it was no use at day time but I'm still keen on it.

I stopped sweeping and dropped the broom when mother walked in.

"E kaabo"

I welcomed her on my knees. I stood up helping her with the basket on her head.

She nodded and went ahead to sit down.

"Kedu ka ị mere"

She asked how I was doing.

Imagine the troubles of giving pleasantries in one dialect and receiving in another.

"adị m mma"

I replied before continuing my thoughts.

While growing up, my friends will worry about me on how I was going to struggle learning my local dialect considering my parents difference in culture and origin.

I never thought it will be an issue cause they both did well in offering me both untill they insisted that I started to communicate with them as they did to me.

It still isn't much of a big deal and I'm grateful that I get to speak two out of the three major ethnic groups

"Your Father isn't back?" She asked while taking the cup of water from me.

"How was it at the market today?"

"It was okay, I saw nne Mmesoma.."

She stopped to drink water and I knew what was coming after that

"She was her usual self"

She chuckled.

I smiled and carried the basket to the kitchen.

Mmesoma's mother is a head full, can be trouble when she wants to but she's also nice when she wants to.

Mmesoma believes herself and her brother inherited more of their father's traits.

Speaking of Mmesoma, she will be waiting for me on the path to the stream by now.

I slept in late, I should hurry up with...

"Good morning Mama"

She's here, she must've waited so long and so decided to come here.

Her and mother exchanged pleasantries before she asked of my whereabouts

"I'm here" I walked out

"Your highness" she bowed sarcastically indicating that only royals kept people waiting the way I did.

I laughed

"Come on, don't be dramatic, I'm going to get my fetching pots so be patient"

I said before leaving.

I overheard her gisting with mother.

I nodded my head listening to Mmesoma talk to my mother. Mmesoma knew all the gossip in the village

I grabbed my pot from the day before yesterday when I met that young man whose name I forgot to ask.

"Don't bother my mother about news of some Prince returning to his land, it's no deal"

I walked in Mmesoma telling mother about the prince returning.

"I can't believe you still think it's a rumour"

She stood up

"If it isn't then the town crier would've stormed the village with the king's announcement... My dear focus on what's important, mother we'll leave now"

I completed and dragged Mmesoma with me.

She still kept blabbing on the rumour and I ignored her, she turned to take another route

"No Mmesoma, let's go to the main stream" I insisted

"Why? It is far from here, this stream is closer"

"Come on, it's not like you're in haste to get back home" I said

"We both know you do almost all your chores before going to bed but I on the other hand have a lot to do at home" she rolled her eyes. I kept wait staring at her

"Okay fine, let's go to the main stream"

She gave in

I smiled, crossed my hand on her shoulder as we walked. There was nothing special about the main stream, we only went there to avoid going back home early at bad situations sometimes maybe after receiving a scolding or similar but this time I wanted to go there in hopes of seeing that young man again.

I just want to know the name of the man that saved my life.

"Yesterday at mild day, my father saw Emeka with a maiden under the tree close to the square..."

Mmesoma kept talking about her brother as we fetched water while I was busy roaming my eyes in search for the young man.

"Nike?"

She called and I turned

"Yes?"

"Are you looking for something or should I say... someone?"

"Someone? Why would I be looking for someone?"

I turned to my fetching pot. Mmesoma tapped me on my back twice and I looked at her.. she gestured

It was the young man, he stood a bit from the stream and smiled at me

"Who is that? I don't think I've ever seen him around"

Mmesoma whispered softly.

I carried my pot out and dropped it by a corner

"Wait here.. "

I told her before going to meet him

"Beautiful one"

he smiled

"Hi young man"

I waved and he chuckled staring deep at me, he had a good kind of bold.

"It's a miracle to see you here today, I couldn't get your name the last time"

he smiled still.

His both hands were at his back, his clothing beautiful and so was how he talked.

"Adenike"

I said boldly,

I've always loved my name, the meaning is beautiful and my parents thought it out well.

He looked speechless at first and couldn't find his words

"You're Yoruba?" He said with a scoff

"Is that a bad omen?"

I took offence to his reaction and was ready to defend if he said more.

"No no.. I didn't mean it that way.. it's just that you look too beautiful and endowed to be a..."

"To be what?"

I folded my arms and held the Hem of my wrapper so I could control myself from hitting my feet

"No my dear, don't get be wrong... The East has a reputation and I'm just keeping up"

His hands were still behind and his broad chest upright.

I snubbed off the idea of starting a meaningless argument over such mere words that was probably taken wrongly.

Even if it wasn't taken wrongly, neither his words or argument will change who I'm proud to be. I smiled and unfolded my arms.

He smiled and moved his gaze to Mmesoma who walked closer to us.

"This is my friend, Mmesoma" I said

"Mmesoma, this is...."

I stopped to look at him, he chuckled watching me trying to find his name

"Emenike.. nice meeting you Mmesoma"

He smiled

"You too" she replied

"By the way, you look beautiful. They say it's rare to see two very beautiful friends, I'm honoured"

He brought his right hand to his chest and bowed his head slightly.

We smiled.