Chapter One
Everyone who had lived in Nri long enough knew about the feud between Okirika’s Family and Udoma’s family. The feud was as old as Obierika the oldest man in the clan. And as he told it to those who asked the Okirika and Udoma’s family feud was as a result of a son of Udoma named Odili who was killed by Dimpa Udoma.
Odili in his drunken state had attacked Dimpa on his way to hunt. Dimpa at that time was grieving the loss of his wife Amaka who had succumbed to a strange illness. From what those who were present had said Dimpa had tried to ignore Odili but Odili persisted. He finally broke Dimpa’s control when he laughed and said ‘Dimpa’s wife had joined her ancestors because she couldn’t stand being married to a weakling like Dimpa” In a feat of hot rage Dimpa rushed at Odili to give him a good thrashing but unfortunately after just a punch Odili slipped, hit his head a rock they hadn’t realized was there and died.
The Okirirka family were so greatly grieved by the loss of their kinsman that they burnt down Odidli’s house almost burning him to death but for the intervention of his Kinsmn and the clan. The matter was brought before the council of clans who took Dimpa to the shrine to swear an oath of innocence. Dimpa took this oath and was proven innocent much to the pain of Odili’s kinsmen who accused him of killing Odili on purpose. And so it has been that since that day the two families had greatly resented each other. The Okirikas hated the Udomas for killing their kinsman and The Udoma hated the Okirikas for burning down the hut of their fathers which was passed down from generation to generation. These two families fought over everything and anything.
It was on one of such days on which they fought that Mmesoma was coming back from the market with her friend Ndidi.
“I thank the gods that I was able to convince Ikenna to give me some of his utazi seeds, otherwise my mother would have killed me for going late to the market” Ndidi said. Her pretty face light with mischief.
Mmesoma shook her head at the mischief of her friend.There was no one she knew who courted trouble as much as her friend, Ndidi. “What made you late anyway?” She eyed Ndidi suspiciously.
Ndidi had been the one emphasizing the need to leave early for the market because it was Nkwo. And Nkwo market days were always brief because that day of the week was mostly for rest and religious activities.
Her suspicion grew as she saw her friend contemplating her question. Her little eyes thinned. Ndidi only contemplated her reply when she had done something Memsoma won’t approve of “ I can’t tell you” she murmured finally
“So we now keep things from each other Ndidi?” Mmesoma asked. Not bothering to conceal her hurt . “It’s fine. You can keep whatever this thing that has you sneaking around and hiding things from me is.’ She walked away. Putting her basket that had been clutching by her side on her head.
Ndidi hurries after her “ Wait Soma!” she said. Quickly she links her hands with Mmesoma’s hands. “It’s not that I don’t want to tell…” She began placatingly “Okay fine I will no need to storm off again.It’s Ejike”
Mmesoma’s brows raises in confusion “Ejike, what are you talking about?’
“I mean…Ejike… Soma is that not your brother and his friends fighting with Ejike!” Ndidi says, alarmed.
Mmesoma looked ahead and saw the commotion in front of them. She runs after Ndidi who was already ahead as she sees the familiar and angry faces of her brother and his friends and she rushes towards them .
The Okrikas and Udoma were at it again !
Chapter Two
The beautiful sight of the stream as it basked in the glorious fiery light of the sunset did nothing to appease Mmesoma as she paced under the mango tree where she stood hidden from view.
From where she stood under the huge mango tree she had a very clear view of the stream and the path leading to the stream. But she was properly hidden from the view of anyone in the stream or anyone coming towards the stream. Giving up on what appeared to be a fruitless wait she began to leave. Almost out of the coverage of the tree she was pulled back into a powerful chest.
“A word and I’ll snap your pretty little neck,” her captor whispers dangerously. Her captor whispered dangerously. A strong arm on her neck.
She pretended to yield. The moment she felt her captors hold on her loosen, she stepped on his foot with all her might. He groaned in pain, releasing her.
“Soma, what was that for! “ Ejike glared, hopping like a one legged chicken.
She lifted her chin and glared back at him. Ignoring the hammering of heart as her gaze deflected to the power rise and fall of his bare chest as he approached her. She would not be distracted by this handsome warrior.The never of him trying to frighten her. After his display at the market today one would think he would be remorseful… show up early for their meeting but no. But No not Ejike Okirirka.
Her hot retort died on her lips as on getting close to her. He cupped her waist with one hand pulling her gently into his chest “What am I being punished for Sommamm” He said. Gazing at her with that softness that never failed to send flutters to her stomach. She was glad he was holding because her knees that were once firm on the earth felt like melted oil.
“I didn’t like the way you fought with my brother at the market.” His hold on her tightened as though he had sensed her intention to withdraw.
“But that’s what we do. That’s what our families do. Fight and bicker.” He grinned.
“That doesn’t make it right. I hate it when our families fight.” It had broken her to see the two men she loved fight and say such vile things to each other. She knew their families constantly fought but recently she found it harder to stomach it. Maybe because it spoke into her fear that the life between her and Ejike would never leave through the hate between their family. She dreaded the day her parents firmly insisted she chose from the numerous suitors that came to ask for her hand in marriage. What then?
He placed a light kiss on her forehead “Please my heart,don’t look too gloom.I’ll try to avoid your brother and his friends from now” His eyes twinkling “Although I must confess I rather enjoy brawling with your brother”
“I knew it!” She slap his arm playfully. “What was all that talk about you needing a few moment with me to prove that you were a real man”
Ejike darted a glance at the above. Avoiding her eyes. “I knew it was a stupid thing to say the moment it was out. I’m sorry. I never meant to dishonor you, please believe me” . He took her hand and placed it on the left side of his chest. The sincerity of his words shone in his eyes.
They both stayed that way for a while. Just Gazing. Passing unspoken words and promises only lovers could decipher.
Chapter Three
“I said you will stay away from him and that’s final” Ejike thundered — His face, stiff, dark and forbidden. She had never seen him this livid before. And would have been frightened if she was sure that he never hurt no matter the provocation.
Mmesoma had just informed him of her intention to allow Obi to court her. Obi was a childhood friend of her brother Ozundu — the sane one among his friends actually. He had declared his desired court to her brother who had informed her parents… and now everyone was breathing down her neck.
“You can’t ask me to do that, Ejike. My parents recommended him. I should at least –” Every sane word she’d been about to say deserted her as Ejike pulled her unceremoniously to him. She gulped, resisting the urge to caress his fair skin. To—
Soma lifted lips up to his and was glad when he lowered his. But he halted suddenly “You’re mine, make no mistake about that. Your brother’s recommendation be damned” he said hotly.
Her hand rose to her parted lips as a laugh escaped. He had known that Obi was her brother’s recommendation. Mmesoma sighs in exasperation as he fixes her with a hot glare. Clearly unamused by the situation. “What do I do with you” Enveloping him in a tight hug.
For a movement he held himself stiffly and was unresponsive. Soma feared she had pushed him too far but then he melted. Crushing her in a hug that almost knocked the air out of her.”Just…Love me,only” he said softly.
The immersed sorrow in her voice thugged at her heart. Maybe she should have fought her feelings for him harder those many moons ago when he had pursued her relentlessly.“I love you. More than life itself” She blink away the tears that threatened. Rather resting her hand on his shaved jaw line. “I do but sometimes I… I just wonder how far we can go with this. Sneaking around…lying to our family or worse getting caught betraying our families like this.” He released her suddenly —
Walking a few feet from her as though he needed some distance to say what he had to say. Mmesoma moved to close the distance but he raised up his hand stopping her in her tracks “ Please stay there…” She felt an emptiness as he stood apart from her.
“Do..”He stopped. Taking a deep breath as though the words were difficult “ Do you wish that the love you felt in your heart was for another other than me. Someone like Obi”
Mmesoma shook in refusal, her head unable to say the words due to the sudden tightness in her chest.
“Say the word. I want to hear them from your lips” He harshly. His eyes hollow and his proud shoulders slumped
“No. No I don’t regret loving you” She sob
“Then tell me why you’ll call what we both feel a betrayal. I love you Mmesoma and you only have to say the word today and I’ll go straight to your fathers house and asked for your hand” His chin trembled as he spoke”That how much I love you”
She closed the distance between then. Fling herself at him. “What do we do Ejike” Her voice trembled as she caved into the tears. Ejike embraced her tightly.
After a moment Ejike gently pulls her from him. “I have an idea” He responded to the question with her eyes “Come My Heart” he took her hand and led them outside the privacy of the huge mango tree — which has become the secret haven for their love.
He stopped at the bank of the river.The sun had properly set by now.”A moment” Ejike said. Letting go of her hand. For a moment his hand moved under the river then it stopped. And he pulled out something she couldn’t see. Then he approached her and opened his palm showing we what he had picked up —
“A pebble” She eyed it dubiously. It was the most usual pebble with sharp pointy spikes like that of a hedgehog. How was a pebble — peculiar as it were, supposed to help them?
“It’s no regular pebble. Obierika said if one finds a pebble such as this they can make a vow that gets honored by spirit, the river goddess and sunset.”Ejike said happily.
Vow? Could this be be what she thought “What… What do you mean” Mmesoma stammers. Smoothing her damp her on her wrapper.
“I mean a blood oath to my heart” Ejike says softly. Locking his free hands with hers.
“What about our family.. The feud” She questioned
“This will force their hand. This will bring an end to the feud and unite our families” He rejoined quickly when he saw the doubt in her eyes. “They’ll have no choice but to let us be together if they realize that we took a blood oath.This will bring no harm to us. Please Trust me Soma” He pleaded to bring their linked palms to his chest.
Mmesoma contemplates this for a moment. He was right this was the only way. She knew her father and her brother way too much to know even an unproven rumor of her relationship with Ejike. They’ll have her married off to Obi kicking and screaming — but that’s after they killed Ejike. This was the only way “I love Ejike and I will try anything that makes it possible to be with you” She reached for the pebble.
***
That night under the watchful eyes of the spirits, the river goddess and the sunset these desperate lovers cealed and consummated their fate.
Chapter Four
Many fortnights after the event at the river.
The love between Ejike and Soma only wazed stronger. The tension that had existed between them, melted and forgotten. Mmesoma rejected the offer of courtship from Obi much to the displeasure of her family. But as the gods would have no one pushed her into accepting any other marriage proposal as they all believed that she was holding out for love just as her mother, Ezinne – whom she takes so beautifully after, had until she had met Mmesoma’s father Ozundu Obierika.
One evening Mmesoma returned from their safe haven disappointed and worried as Ejike for the first time failed to show up for their meeting. She had tried waiting but had to return home for the fear of her mother sending her brother ,Ozundu —who had been named after her father, in search of her. She had lied to her mother about going to visit Ndidi. The fear of getting discovered if Ozundu went to Ndidi’s home to fetch her had her rushing back home. Mmesoma sighed sadly, stopping in her tracks. It was high time she told Ndidi who the secret man she’s been seeing was. With a resolve to do so the next day Mmesoma
continued.
As she approached her father’s compound. She saw some people coming in and going out.The ones she encountered shook their heads, patting her on the arm. At the gesture her heart sank. She knew something was incredibly wrong. Mmesoma rushed into the compound. The first thing she saw was her mother on the floor surrounded by her kinswomen and friends. She was staring into space — not crying despite the tears on the faces of the women as they consoled her. Her eyes searched for her father and brother among the empty faces . But none of them were in sight.
Mmesoma stood transfixed watching as though in another’s nightmare. Scared to approach— Her mind blank. The tears began to fall without her realizing “I need you Ejike, something terrible has happened” she whispered. Drawing strength from the thought of Ejike she approached her weeping mother.
“Nne” she called her mother. It came out broken, not as brave as she had planned. The women around her mother made way for her. Mmesoma took her seat beside her mother, still spaced out unaware of her environment. The sight of her mother ,shattered Soma’s heart like the pieces of a broken clay pot. But she braved up.
“Nne Soma” she whispered into her ear. This time giving her mother a little shake as she spoke. Her mother at the gentle shake and sound of the beloved pet name from her beloved daughter, looked up gently. As if she slowly waking from a dream. On seeing Mmesoma, she raised her hands to face.
Soma felt the tremor in her mother’s hands before her former serenity crumbled “Soma… Soma… they…they killed him… they killed my son…they killed your brother” Ezinne managed amidst bitter tears. Holding on to her daughter.
Mmesoma hugged her mother. Concealing her own grief but then then her resolve broke when she heard one of her mother’s kinswomen say “ Ejike Udoma shall no no peace for killing you Ozundu”
Mmesoma gaps in pain .
She had killed her brother. She was the reason her mother is in this much pain.
Chapter Five
“You should be ashamed of yourself Ejike” Okonkwo Udoma spat.Snatching the keg of palm wine from Ejike
Ejike looked up from his drunken state at the man who was his father. The look of disapproval from his father was one he has grown accustomed to —being a constant recipient of it. He closed his eyes, visibly shutting his father away.
Growing up he had been a constant headache to his father who had made it his mission to change him . As a young youth, Ejike had gambled, drunk to stupor, frolicked with as many willing maidens as were available but of all his vices the least his father worried about was the fights with the Udoma’s kinsmen. He wished his father had concentrated on changing that. Maybe she would be where he was today.
He’d been so reckless that his father had considered selling him off to the slavers but for his beloved mother who had come to his rescue. His mother, Uloma had packed her bags threatening to return to her fathers people if his father so much as spoke of the slavers again. Okonkwo, a hard man but loving to his wife, had given in to her.
His parents, having tried and failed to make him the first son they’d wished for, had resigned to fate. Leaving him to the gods. The change they had hoped for finally happened but only if they knew that it had been wrought by the daughter of their enemy – Mmesoma. Just the thought of her alone filled him with an emptiness and pain he couldn’t bare.
Mmesoma who had refused to speak to him after the death of her brother. Soma who he had approached at first out of spite for her brother but in no time she’d brought him to his knees and set him straight. His eyes begin to sting “Oh how he missed her. How he missed talking to her. How he missed holding her. How he wished he had not been ambushed by Ozundu on his way to meet her — hadn’t indulged him in a fight.
He had almost lost his life that day when Ozundu’s friends has found him lying ,lifeless in his arms. Before he could explain what had happened they had rushed at him. Using any and everything they could lay their hands on, on him. By the time the village youths had intervened and taken him to the palace he had been beaten to an almost lifeless pulp. From then on he had been tried before the council of elders and made to take the oath of truth. He remembered seeing his mother and sisters crying while his father and brother stood by his side giving a solid appearance. But he knew them long enough and so he caught the fear in their eyes every now and then before they quickly concealed it.
And just like his forefather Dimpa he had been set free much to the angry protest of the Obierikas. Mmesoma father Ozundu had taken one very hateful look at him and had walked away never looking back.
He had been unable to see Soma due to his injury and when he had recovered he had given her time to mourn. Patiently morning with her, offering sacrifices to the gods and Ozundu. Waiting for her. Praying for forgiveness.
One day he had luckily sighted her alone with just her friend in sight at the stream and being unable to resist he had approached her. Coldly she had responded to his greetings as one would to a stranger. He had been hopeful when she had agreed to speak privately with him. Taking leave of her friend, she followed him to the mango tree.
And right there she had shattered his hope and ripped heart into shreds. The coldness in her eyes as she told him that she’d rather die than be with a monster who took her brother’s life still haunted his dreams. Then like her father, she had fixed him with one hateful look and walked away never looking back. The only escape he could find since then had been with his wine and he would drown himself in it no matter his father’s disapproval. Hopefully the wine could finish the work Ozundu’s friends were prevented from completing.
A man had died because of him.
Chapter Six
“This marriage can not take place” a drunken voice shouted
Drunk or not, Soma could recognize that voice anywhere. Because that voice haunted her day and night. Soma turns and her heart drops as she sees Ejike staggering as he made his way to her father’s obi where her marriage with Obinna was taking place.
Pending the death of her brother she had gotten close to Obinna who had been a good friend to her brother but was now a good friend to her. When she discovered she was with child he had offered to help cover her shame by marrying her. Her mother who had been the first to notice the signs of pregnancy in her had gotten out of her grife when Obinna who had come over to pay her a visit admitted to being the father of her child. Ezinne’s anger had turned to tears of joy. She had cried and blessed them. Saying the child Mmesoma carried was a compensation from the gods for her dead son. Her father unhappy about a preganancy less than three months since his son was buried. He finally given in when he saw how it positively it affected his wife. But insisted that the ceremony be small and in secret.
She didn’t know how Ejike mange to find about the wedding when even their neighbor were not informed or invited. The gods indeed were punishing her “How dare you step your cursed soles into my compound, you murder” her father roared. Seizing Ejike by the long wrapper he hung around his neck. The dangerous light in father eyes drained the blood from Mmesoma’s face. He could find out about her betrayal.
Her mother misinterpreting the discomfort on her her face rushed to her husband. “Nnayi, Please be calm, let’s not ruin our daughter’s special day. Have the young men throw him out. He obviously drukinkly stepped into our compound” she said placatingly.
A tense moment passed between them before he said“ Take this drunk out of here before I end his worthless life” Handing him over to the young Udoma Kinsmen who began to carry him out.
“Mmesoma is carrying my child,” Ejike screamed. At those words everything came to a stand still.
Ozundu, not one to suffer fools lightly materialized with his hunting gun and had it pointed at Ejike — who was still being held captive by the men . “Choose your next words wisely, what did you say?” Her father said menacingly.
Mmesoma sent a silent pleas to Ejike as his eyes found her but ignored her.“Father–” Ejike began
“I am not your father. Speak before I lose whatever patience I have left in me” Ozundu roared
“ You may kill me if you want but I speak the truth ask Soma if you think –” Obinna intercepts Ejike
“How dare you murderer lie about my wife. First you kill her brother and now you want to ruin her good name?” Obinna roared. Punching Ejike. The force of the punch freed him from the hold of the young men as he fell to the ground. The young men rushed to interfere but her father stop them.
Obinna throws another punch at Ejike but unlike the first one he deflects it. In a swiftly move he captured Obinna by the throat. But Obinna was sleek and sober, using his elbow he gutted Ejike on his rib and threw over his shoulder to earth. Leaving Ejike groaning in pain but sturbbonly as though his life depended on it he forced himself up and charged at Obinna with all his might knocking the both of them down.
A voice like that of thunder screamed “Stop!” Commanding attention from all present. Even stopping the fighting men. Mmesoma sat slacked on the ground, blood drain from her. As they all turned to see Mmiri, the Messenger of the river goddess in her white glory walked towards them. The sacred bells around her legs jingling strangely as she moved. She stopped before her father she fixing her white eyes on him. “Ejike tells the truth. Your daughter carries his seed. By the oath they took before the river goddess she is also his wife and can not be married to another. Else she dies”
