?Beautiful??
(Ifeoma)
Written by, Rejoice Jeremiah. C?
EPISODE 7
The Nightmare?
(?Two days later)
?Ifeoma?
I woke up, sweating furiously and my heart pounding fast with fear.
‘I just had a bad dream and it’s about the Princess.
I’ve never had a bad dream about the princess.
This has to do with the bracelet and where she went two days ago.
I can’t sit back here. I need to go to the palace and find out about the bracelet’
I got off the bed and was heading to the bathroom but halted.
“No, there should be another way”
“”””””””””””””””””””
(At the palace)
?Princess Ola?
“Ahhhhhhhh!” I screamed, waking up from my dream, breathing heavily.
Immediately, the bedside lamp light flickered and kept flickering.
I switched it off but it came on again.
Shocked and frightened, I switched it off again but it came back on, flickering.
“What’s happening to me..why aren’t you going off?” I asked the lamp, confused. “Go off” I said and before I even pressed on the off switch, the light went off.
“Oh my God..” I gasped and drew back in fear.
I stared at the lamp for a minute then said. “On”
I freaked out in fear as it did.
“What’s this?” I asked myself.
“”””””””””””'””””””
?Ebuka?
I woke up and for no reason, I felt like going to the window and looking at the gate for awhile.
But as I did, my mind was only going to that weird maid, Ifeoma.
I can see her coming into the gate in her color riot dressing.
I chuckled.
‘She’s abnormal. Who wears such kind of dress?’
My mind wanders farther to when she pulled that drunk off my leg and walked me all the way to the palace.
The table, it definitely has something to do with her.
But I wasn’t able to confirm it because she grabbed the knife instead and got hurt.
I hope she’s fine and healing fast just like I am’
“”””””””””””””””””””
?Ifeoma?
I had been standing for a very long minutes at a bush path, waiting for Ujunwa.
Finally I saw her hurrying towards.
“Ifeoma, how are you?” she said as she got to me.
“I’m fine and you?” I asked.
“I’m fine. How’s your hand. Hope the pain isn’t much any longer?” she asked.
“Yes it isn’t, how’s the palace” I asked.
“So so busy, preparing for the welcome of the ten maidens. Two had arrived this morning. You know the prince return is tomorrow so the maidens has to be in the palace to welcome him,” she said.
“I know that…” I said.
“I’m so curious about what you have to tell me. What is it?” she asked. “and you have to hurry up so I can head back to the palace. I had to throw a big lie to Mrs Ugo so she would let me out of the palace.”
I took out the new android phone that Princess Ola gifted me two days ago? and stretched it to her.
“Wow is this your new phone?” she asked.
“Yes..” I answered.
She took it. “Wow, I’m so jealous. Should I just steal it?” she asked with a smile.
I chuckled. “If you want but let that be later. You need to help me Uju,”
“With what?” she asked.
“There’s a new bracelet that Princess Ola is wearing. It’s very tiny. We are next to her so we know everything she wears. You know the Princess takes a lot of time while having her bathe and she takes off all her jewelries..”
“So what do you want me to do?” Uju cut in.
I took her hand. “Uju you have to do this for me. I think the princess would be in trouble because of that bracelet. I had a nightmare about her. All I need you to do is sneak into her room and take a close picture of the bracelet. Just that, please Uju,” I said.
She stared at me for awhile then smiled
“I can do it but you have to tell me how you got to know about the bracelet and the nightmare you had,” she said.
“Of course I will but not now cos it would take time and you have to hurry back to the palace. I promise to tell you about it in the evening when we meet here,” I said.
“You can’t tell me now?” She asked.
“I promise to tell you in the evening,” I said.
“Okay, then I should get going now,” she said.
“Thank you Uju,” I said.
“Don’t thank me yet until I succeed in my mission,” she said.
I smiled. “Alright till then. Uju, please this should be a secret between us. Don’t let anyone catch you okay?”
“Of course I know. Then see you in the evening.”
“See you”
I watched her until she went out of sight then I turned and headed back home but met Obinna on the way.
He was on his bicycle.
“Hi Ifeoma, I heard you hurt your hand… What happened?” he asked.
“I’m fine now. You don’t need to know” I said.
“Really? But I want to.. Just tell me na please,” he said.
“I thought you work, why are you not at work?” I asked.
“I stopped working there,” he said.
“Why?”
“Nothing. I just felt like not working there anymore,” he said.
“So then you prefer riding on bicycle from morning till night right?”
“Yes I mean no, I don’t ride bicycle from morning to evening. The thing is that, I’ll be traveling to the city in a week time,” he said.
I halted and looked at him. “Really?”
“Yes.. My uncle who lives in France came back to Nigeria and had been in Lagos for two months now, he want me to come over and start a job at the city or I might also go with him to France if possible,” he said.
“Oh that’s good. I heard your sister, Zara is one of the contestants in the palace. I wish her good luck,” I said.
“Yes she is but let’s not talk about my sister, let’s talk about us Ify,” he said.
“Us?”
“Yes us Ifeoma. You know I have just a week left to leave this kingdom.
“Yes you do.”
“I want us to be at least friends before I leave to the city,” he said.
“Okay,” I said.
“Did you just say that?” he asked.
“Yes”
“Oh my goodness.. Thank you so much Ifeoma,”
“But don’t think otherwise. I’m not accepting to be your friend because you are going to the city or whatever. You’ve tried hard to make me accept your friend request and I’m finally doing that,” I said.
“Of course there’s no otherwise thinking. Thank you Ify, now I can talk casually with you right?” he asked.
“Just behave” I said.
“Of course. Ify hop on the bicycle, let me ride you home,” he said.
I chuckled. “No. I would walk home”
“Really? You’ll be tired”
“Shut up… This road has been a part of my everyday life. ” I said.
“Oh that’s true… I’m so excited”
‘Ugh I can’t wait for you to leave… You are such a disturbance”
“So tell me, when are you going back to the palace. The prince would be arriving tomorrow and there would be a welcome celebration next tomorrow for him. All the villages are invited, both young and old”
“””””””””””””””””””
(Hours later)
?Ifeoma?
Uju handed the phone to me.
“I got a good picture of the bracelet,” she said.
“Thank you so much Uju.” I said.
“Now, keep to your promise and tell me about the bracelet and the nightmare,” she said.
“Of course I will,” I said.
“When we got to the saloon, Princess Ola went through another door to God knows where but I was sure it wasn’t outside the building. She didn’t come back until I was done with my hair and everything and when she came out, she was putting on the bracelet. The thing is that, I suddenly felt something bad about the bracelet. I don’t know why but I just did.”
“So what are you going to do with this pictures?” she asked.
“I will try to find out about the bracelet and trace everything about it,” I said.
“Really?”
“Yes. I trust you that this would be a secret between us,” I said.
She gave me suspicious stare. “Tell me Ifeoma, do you possess some kind of power?” she asked.
‘What?’
I chuckled. “What are you talking about? You are not serious. I just have a bad feeling about the bracelet.”
“Are you sure?” she asked.
“Of course.” I said.
“Alright…so are you going to be at the Welcome celebration of the Prince next tomorrow?” she asked.
“I have to,” I said.
” Then, we would see then,” she said.
“Yeah we will… All the ten maidens have arrived the palace right?” I asked.
“Yes they have.. The palace is so big that each maidens has her own room,” she said.
“I’m not surprised. The palace has plenty of rooms,” I said.
She smiled. “Well I can’t wait to see the Prince. No doubt, he must be really handsome, tall with a sweet accent.”
“I think so too” I said.
“Ehe, I just remembered. How did the new manservant Ebuka get such an accent? He speak like oyibo (white man) at times” Uju said.
I scoffed. “He said that he worked for a white man for ten years”
She smiled. “No doubt.”
‘Why’s she smiling. What’s there to smile about’
“Ehe another thing, You haven’t told me about the nightmare o,” she said.
“Oh that’s right.”
“””””””””””””””””””””””””””””
(Twenty minutes later)
Heading home, I felt remorse about lying to Ujunwa.
Lying to her about my power and lying to her about the nightmare I had.
The nightmare I told her wasn’t the nightmare I had.
The nightmare I had wasn’t the type I could just tell anyone, not even Uju.
I need to figure it all on my way without telling anyone.
The nightmare was terrifying.
It was a really cold night and there was no light but the little light from the moon in the sky.
The princess was in her red night gown and was slowly walking towards the Prince.
The Prince was backing her so I couldn’t see his face but everything he wore and the crown on his head showed that he is the prince.
As the Princess was slowly walking to him, careful not to make a noise, I saw a hidden knife which she held strongly to and the bracelet was on her wrist… she was almost close to the Prince so she raised the knife and just as she was about to stab him, I woke up.
‘It was such a terrifying nightmare.
I don’t know what to do. The princess would never think of doing such a thing.
Where could that bracelet come from ‘
I stared at the picture of the bracelet.
“Ifeoma, you are back. What took you so long? You told me you just want to go and buy airtime,” My father said as I entered the living room..
“Papa I decided to visit our stream. It’s been long I went there,” I lied.
“The stream? Okay. I prepared soup, go and eat something.” he said.
“Of course Papa, I will. Thank you for preparing it.”
“”””””””””””””””””””””””
?Princess Ola?
The door opened and a maid brought in a glass of water.
She dropped it on the table and bowed.
“My princess, The ten maidens are waiting at the living room for you,” she said.
“Tell them I’ll be with them in few minutes,” I said.
“I will my princess,” she answered and left.
I picked the glass of water but it slipped out of my hand and fell.
No! It didn’t. It hung on the air just before the tiles.
I flinched back with wide eyes.
“Oh my goodness. What is happening to me… This must be a dream…” I wondered, staring at the glass of water still standing on the air.
Just then, a knock came on the door followed by the opening of the door and at that instant, the glass finally fell and broke.
My mother, the Queen walked in.
“My princess, What’s taking you too…Oh my goodness Princess, are you okay?” she asked, rushing towards.
“Yes, I’m I’m fine.. I’m not hurt,” I said, staring at the broken glass.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes mom,” I answered.
“Let me call the maid,” she said and went to the landline.
My eyes were still on the broken glass.
My heart beating.
I felt goosebumps on my skin.
“””””””””””””””””””””””
?Ebuka?
“How’s Nigeria after many years of leaving your mother land?” I asked Charles.
I was on a call with him again.
He had arrived the country but would be arriving our Kingdom tomorrow.
“Same question goes to you.” he chuckled. “Well, I’m proud of my mother land. Though a lot of things don’t seem right here. The leadership aren’t fair to the nation. No much change,” he said.
“That’s right.”
“The ten maidens, they are at the palace waiting for the crown Prince right?” he asked.
“Of course. Everyone can’t wait to see you..” I said.
He laughed. “Stop joking around. What about your life saver, the beautiful maid?” he asked.
“Shut up. I never mentioned she is beautiful,” I said.
“Pardon me my prince. But she’s your life saver, isn’t she?”
“You should have a goodnight rest now. See you tomorrow”
He laughed. “You know what Eric, I’m kinda scared”
“Why?”
“Acting like a prince when I’m not, that’s pretty hard. You are going to pay me in cash. A whole lot of money,” he said.
I chuckled. “Of course I will.. You don’t need to worry about anything. We practiced well for this.”
“Yeah we did. So how’s your sister, the Princess?” he asked.
“She’s looking beautiful” I said.
“Of course she is,” he said.
“What did Katherine say again about it?” I asked.
“I didn’t want to tell you though but anyway, she broke up with me. We broke up” he said.
“What?! How did that happen?” I asked.
“It happened before I left to the airport. Come on man you don’t need to worry about Kate and I? I’ll act really well from tomorrow” he said.
I sighed. “This is all my fault. She never agreed to let you come to Nigeria. I never knew it would get to the extend of ending the relationship”
“Come on man. I told you not to worry. I’m good, I’m good. Like seriously, I love this suite..” he said.
“I’m sorry Charles,” I said.
“I’m fine, I told you that”
“I’m really sorry about this. I can’t let you do this. You have to go back to Katherine. She’s the kind of woman you can’t dare to loose. I will make sure you get the possible flight tomorrow back to London. I can’t let you loose Kate. You guys are meant for each other, together forever,” I said.
“Eric don’t say that. I’m not going anywhere but your kingdom tomorrow”
“No man, I’m damn serious and I’m going to show up as the Crown Prince tomorrow,” I said.
“Come on man don’t be serious”
“I’m d@mn serious”
“What the h.eck?!”
__________
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