66 THE REQUES

The road was dusty as the air blew red dust and dried leafs, people were going back home mostly from their farms as you could see some riding their bicycles with cassava stems or tubbers in their baskets tied to the bicycles seat or the baskets balanced on their heads with their hoe's and cutlasses right on top of the baskets, walking in pairs or even in groups.

Ehijiator took the Princess and her group through a foot part towards his parents home as fast as his little legs can carry him through as people raised their heads from their chores to see him and Princess Ayanna they wandered if he has offended the Princess or just why is he leading the Princess to the route leading to his parents home?

Soon enough some curious children soon followed behind them and not long they reach a massive compound, which was obviously a family compound their were different families perhaps different brothers separating their families for privacy sake with bamboo walls.

This is my own house let me go and call my mother and father out, Ehijiator said and took off to the back of the big hut.

Almost immediately a very pretty woman came out front to greet the visitors and looked shocked to find the Princess and her people there, looking flustered she gently greeted the Princess and asked if she was the friend Ehijiator was talking about?

Yes, I am his friend Ayanna answered.

I hope he has not offended you my Princess?

Not at all, he told me something and I will like to discuss it with you if you don't mind.

OK with me, what of my husband? she asked making a face.

His presence is important too, Mrs ....?

Pardon me my Princess, am Mrs Rukewe Erharuyi.

Princess Ayanna could hear this woman's worried taughts and erratic heart beat as she worried that her only son must have definitely done something that made theRoyal Princess come visiting.

My Princess Ehi has gone to call his father they would soon be here, he just went to see his elder brother just at the other hut, Mrs Rukewe said.

Ayanna only nodded.

Please Princess come to the back of the house so you can sit down while I get you drinking water.

Thank you that would be nice, Ayanna replied.

As the were about to sit down under a tree at the back of the huts Ehijiator came in with his father Mr Erharuyi who welcomed the Princess in the customary way knowing her double identity as the one holding the powers of the revered queen Idia.

*****

Now that we are all relaxed I want to do something for you because of Ehijiator my friend here, but for better understanding, I will tell you what I know and you will tell me what you know then we can look for a lasting solution.

Ehijiator is your only son right? Princess Ayanna asked

Ah! yes! he is, Mrs Rukewe answered with a sigh.

But before him you have had other kids at least three times and he happens to be the fourth?

Yes! that's through, before Ehi we had two other boys and one girl but they all died at exactly seven years of age even now we are worried for Ehijiator will soon be seven years old, experience has taught us to forget it and let it be for no matter what we did they still died, there is nothing we have not done and gone for solution to no avail, Mr Erharuyi narrated.

Do you know that my friend here is also worried about the situation? Princess Ayanna asked.

He knows? but how come? his father and mother asked staring at each other.

Ehi informed me that its both your faults, you are the reason he can't stay even if he wants to.

Ogheneme how? please tell me how? I will make amends am getting old and soon my woman cycle will stop and I won't be able to bear any more children for my dear husband, Mrs Rukewe wailed.

Calm down madam Rukewe this is not a time for crying and wailing am here to grant his wish to stay, do you know he wants to be an Engineer?

Tell me about the first child, how did you get pregnant? I know you understand what am asking you, i know you had challenges with getting pregnant so how did you finally get pregnant the first time? Ayanna asked.

Mrs Rukewe Erharuyi looked at her husband and started speaking, when I was seventeen years I met Osaro my husband I was about to finish secondary school and he was working as at construction company then it was love at first sight for us, we will always meet regularly by then I was already getting so many suitors seeing as I was pretty during my time, we agreed that immediately after secondary school we will get married, luckily for us both our parents agreed and everything moved smoothly until I came to his family compound to stay, we were staying with his brother also married with a child then we were trying to finish our own house so my husband was busy with that, everyone soon started to wait for me to fall pregnant but nothing happened for the first two years when my fellow wives started mocking me with it at very little misunderstanding, my mother in law then soon joined them. My husband had to leave his brothers house by the third year to move into our own house then the quarrels reduced, then it started at other giving opportunity, like at the part to the farm or market soon I lost my peace and cried my hearts out Osaro my husband was worried and we started seeking for solution.

Everywhere we went we were told that we will definitely have a child but we should go and wait, hahaha! wait! we have already waited for four years and my mother in law and co wives were driving me crazy but we were told we had to still wait.

Then during one of the festivals of the river goddess Etinosa as I was returning from the market I met with one of the Priestess who I assisted and she informed me that I can make a request of anything I wanted and for assisting her the goddess will grant me my wish, I got home and informed my husband and he said we should go give it a try, we then dressed up and went to the festival as we were able to get close to the river as there was a huge crowd in attendance we walked into the river as much as we could and requested for a child, any child in fact we had tears in our eyes as we requested that even if the child will come and go no problem as long as it will stop people from calling us barren not long after that, I mean that same very month I got pregnant and as the gods will have it Ihad a baby boy it was such a celebration and my enemies finally shut up.

My first son stayed with me for seven years before he suddenly took ill and died I was drenched in sorrow but exactly seven months later I took in again and joy returned to my home.