The King stretched out his hand to pluck an orange from a forest tree when his Lolo suddenly showed up and began fl0gging him.
She beat him without mercy until he fled, running as fast as he could until he finally escaped her reach.
“What is going on? Why is my wife flogging me? And what is she doing here? How did she get here?” King Ebubedike wondered in confusion as she appeared again.
“What are you doing here? How did you get here?” he demanded.
“You k!lled me,” she answered coldly.
“I k!lled you?” he repeated, stunned.
Then it hit him—the River Goddess had warned him he would use his first wife as a sacrifice to restore his life after four market days.
Without another word, the wife raised her cane and struck him again. He ran endlessly until he was drained of all strength. Hunger, thirst, and exhaustion overwhelmed him as night crept in.
He rested beneath a tree when suddenly he heard the cry of a baby.
“Where is that sound coming from?” he asked himself.
The cry was loud, impossible to ignore, so he followed it until he found a baby boy lying alone under a tree.
“Where is your mother? Are you lost too?” he asked softly.
But as he bent to lift the child, a cane struck his back sharply.
He turned and saw his second wife.
“How dare you touch my son with your wicked hands! You evil King!” she shouted.
“I’m sorry,” he begged.
“You are never sorry! You are wicked! Leave now!” she screamed.
The King fled once again.
Panting heavily, he returned to the tree and tried to sleep, but terrifying screams echoed from all directions in the forest.
“What is happening to me? I can’t eat, I can’t drink, I can’t even sleep!”
The noise intensified until blood began to stream from his eyes, ears, and nose. He collapsed helplessly.
Meanwhile in Ndiagu village
The Onowu had already started convincing influential elders to support Chief Ibekwe as the next King.
Some accepted after receiving bribes, but Chief Obinna refused and insisted he should take the throne instead.
“I have served the royal household for years. Since there is no heir, it is my right to be crowned King,” Obinna declared.
“Your right?” the Onowu replied. “You are too old. How long can you even rule?”
“Are you saying I will die soon?” Obinna fired back.
“That’s not what I’m saying, but look at your age,” the Onowu responded.
“Age is nothing but a number! It is my turn, and no one will stop me from becoming King!” Obinna insisted firmly.
This clash quickly turned into a major conflict between Chief Obinna and Chief Ibekwe…