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15% Loving The Chieftain / Chapter 3: Chapter Three

Chapter 3: Chapter Three

The day Farida was to leave came sooner than everybody in Shakur's household wanted, she stood in their hut looking at every corner of it so she could remember vividly when she was away from home sweet home.

Rahma joined her as she stood by the window, saddened by her nearing departure from the people she loved dearly.

'You don't have to do this Farida, you're still young. Allow me to go instead of you, the debt was because of my...'

'Mother,' Farida interrupted angrily. 'She is my aunt too Rahma. You are asking me to let you go instead, do you think Mona will wait for you that long?'

'Yes he will wait, I told him about the situation yesterday and he is willing to wait for me, he promised.'

'What! Did I hear you say to Mona, an outsider the situation we are in? That's despicable.' Farida walked the few distance between them, livid at her cousin.

'He isn't an outsider Farida, he is my husband to be.'

'Oh yes! He is your fiancé but not yet your husband,' her voice rose angrily 'you think his mother and uncle will wait for two whole seasons for them to have a daughter-in-law? If you know what's good for you, you better stay here and marry who you love.' 'Moreover, you once told me your suspicion that someone set your home ablaze in Odinya. How sure are you that the unknown person won't come after you when you are back there because a person that will go to the extent of setting a hut ablaze when the occupants are asleep will not stop until...'

'Stop' Rahma screamed startling Farida. 'Don't say a word Farida, I'm warning you.' Rahma said, now angry.

'I...I am sorry Rahma, I didn't mean to say all that but I have to go.' Farida said, feeling remorseful. 'I want you to be happy and the truth is I really want to do this for us, please let me. You'll see, it will surely be like a knife through cheese and before you know I'll be back home.'

'If you say it like that I can't say no to you.' Rahma walked to where her belongings sat on the floor and fished around her clothes, pulling out something wrapped with a piece of cloth. She turned back to Farida and handed it to her.

Farida rolled the wrapped item in her palm for a second before raising her eyes to her cousin, in question.

 'Check for yourself.'

She loosened the cloth and found a sharp knife with a wooden handle. 'Oh! The handle is beautiful.'

A smile graced Rahma's lips, 'Yes I know. Have it, Mama gave me three days before the accident. It might come in handy where you are going.' Her voice shook with emotion.

She closed her eyes tightly as the memories of her mother giving her the said knife came rushing back.

'I have something for you, my child, sit beside me.' Salame beckoned her only child to sit by her side.

'Close your eyes and open your palm my dear.' she urged Rahma to do as she said.

'Okay Mama but you know I don't like surprises.'

'I know that but I'm sure you'll like this one.' She said placing the gift in her daughter's palm.

'What is it Mama?' Rahma asked curious to know what was in the piece of cloth her mother placed in her palm. 'Can I open my eyes now?'

'So impatient my child,' Salame chuckled at her daughter's impatience. 'You can check for yourself my dear.' she said to Rahma.

'A knife!' she gasped, 'the handle is beautiful.'

'I know that my dear, your father carved it well. Always keep it with you. It will help you one day.' She smiled warmly, pinching her daughter's cheeks. 

'Thank you Mama'

'Thank you.' Farida hugged her tightly. Rahma closed her eyes refusing to cry.

They heard voices coming from their parent's hut. They both step back from the bone-crushing hug and walk towards the voices, only to see two men talking with their father. 'The debt collectors.' Rahma said in a whisper.

Farida walked closer to where her parents stood with the strangers. Her heart sank seeing her mother's red swollen eyes.

'Rahma go get her bundle of clothes, it's time for her to leave.' Her mother said to Rahma who stood stunned looking at them. 

'Go on, they will be coming with that thing pulled by horses anytime soon.' Her father said, snapping Rahma out of the shock as the men went out of the compound while her mother turned and went to the kitchen.

Farida watched, fascinated, as two black beasts pulled the wooden thing with wheels attached to it to the front of her father's house. She has never seen such a thing in her life. She took a curious step towards it but a hand to her shoulder stopped her. She turned to see her father looking down at her with sad filled eyes. Forgetting about the carriage, she hugged her father.

'Papa, it's time,' she choked back tears.

'Take care my dear.' her father patted her back affectionately before releasing her to say goodbyes to the others.

'Guess this is goodbye then,' Rahma said from behind her.

'I guess so dear friend.' She opened her arms and Farida walked into the hug.

Rahma burst into tears hugging her tightly, 'I'm going to miss you.'

'I'll miss you too,' a tear rolled down her cheek as she pulled back. Taking the bundle from her cousin, she ran and hugged her mother crying her heart out. 'I'll miss you Mama,' she said between sobs. Her mother whispered the same before pulling away wiping the tears from her eyes, 'take this my dear, it's dried and salted buffalo meat with some salted groundnuts. You'll eat it for a while during the journey.'

'Mama thank you.'

'We don't have all day.' One of the men shouted.

'Be safe.' Her mother said hugging her for the last time. Turning away reluctantly, she took small steps to the carriage.

She watched her family cry and waved as the carriage pulled away until everything grew smaller. Farida wept for the family and village she would miss dearly until her eyelids got heavy with sleep.


Chapter 4: Chapter Four

It has been a week and three days since Farida left the comfort of her home and now became accustomed to sleeping on the hard forest floor littered with leaves and broken branches. Always shivering from the bitter cold weather at night with hardly any sheet to prevent the cold from seeping to her bone but her mother's old wrapper whenever the stop to rest.

Sitting in the wooden box during the journey with little food given by one of the men called Katum and the salted meat and groundnuts she had with her was all she had to ease her hunger. Nevertheless, she was happy that she was not walking all the way to Odinya.  

Today, they made camp in this particular dark forest, nothing could be seen through the canopy of the trees around, not even the moon and coupled with the evil aura to it, the hair on Farida's neck stood on end but she tried to get some rest.

In the middle of the night Farida woke up to someone lifting up the hem of her wrapper, she opened her eyes slowly not to alert the person. Looking through her eyelashes, she could not make out the person's facial features but all she knew was that the person was a man as his rough hand made contact with her skin.

Feeling his hand move to her knees, she knew things were getting out of hand. Pretending to be asleep, she turned her body to the right to see if it was one of the men and when her eyes adjusted to the darkness, what she saw made her heart miss a beat. The heartless of the two men was missing from where he laid down earlier, leaving Katum and the coachman sleeping soundly and snoring to the heaven above.

She kicked out instinctively as she felt his hands on her bare thigh, she tried screaming but it was muffle with his hand. Her heart thumped heavily in her chest as he leaned closer and yanked the neckline of her blouse, baring her breast to the cold night air. Farida shivered with repulsion. She searched the forest floor frantically, for anything to hit him with but came up with only dried leaves not even a twig.

Reaching up towards what she imagined to be his face, she scratched with all her might dragging her nails along his face only to be rewarded with a hiss from his lips and a hard slap to her face, leaving her dazed from the pain.

'Don't dare do that again, you bloody wench,' he said in a harsh whisper, twisting one of her nipples until she screamed with pain into the palm covering her mouth.

'Think fast and be smart, if not he will defile you.' A small voice shouted in her head as he kicked her thigh apart with his kneels. Farida bit down hard on his palm making him flinch.

'I warned you,' he said in a tone that made her shiver with fear, before biting her other nipple so hard she almost fainted.

She remembered her mother's words to her, 'Distraction does a lot my dear. Every single thing around you is a weapon, you just have to think fast and act swiftly,' it was one of the advice she gave her when she started growing from her slim boyish figure to a beautiful maiden.

Shifting the dried leaves on the ground, she fetched a handful of sand and threw it at his face. She stood up very fast and gave him a kick between his legs. This time around, a scream and series of curses followed, waking his other companions.

The last she saw and heard was the coachman cursing while Katum hit the disgusting man hard across the face before she fainted.

******

Since that incident, Wahush have been quiet, keeping much to himself and Katum together with the coachman have been keeping an eye on the maiden during the night.

Farida felt very ill, she had been sweating like never before but she dared not say a word about it for fear of slowing their journey and staying in the company of the debt collectors longer than required. However, it was a relief to hear the coachman announce their soon arrival at Odinya.

'May the gods have mercy on me, I'm feeling faint,' she prayed silently, clutching at her neck to keep from throwing up.

Katum looked at her concern, 'are you alright?' he asked.

'I'm fine,' she answered weakly, feeling the bale rising up her throat. Katum narrowed his eyes at her silently demanding her to say the truth.

'I'm just thirsty.'

Although he was not convinced with her answer, he decided to let it be, 'we are almost home, you should not worry you will get cool and clean water to drink.'

'It's no problem, I can wait a little longer," she assured him, turning her head away from his concerned eyes.

Katum looked at the maiden with concern; he noticed she kept to herself since the incident with Wahush, never asking any question as she always does. She hardly sleeps, staying vigil almost all night only sleeping an hour or two during the day and recently she seems sick to him because she has thrown up twice the day before, confirmed his suspicion.

Katum's thought shifted from the maiden to his cousin, the chieftain. He knew the chieftain would not be happy seeing the blacksmith's daughter and realizing it was nobody's fault but his, would make him furious. Knowing his cousin will never ask a maiden to do any of those things he asked of men who were unfortunate to find themselves in the same position, as the maiden sleeping opposite him was laughable.

Wondering what punishment Wahush will receive when the Chief come to know of his vile action was another thing to worry about entirely. He pity the man already because the Chieftain will be very angry and he will surely be ruthless in passing his judgment. He prays Bauma keep his mouth shut and not utter a word when they arrive home. If not, may the gods help Wahush because no one can help him from the fate that awaits him.

Nevertheless, he was ecstatic to know in a few hours he will not worry about the maiden any longer. 'What was her name again? Farida! What a strange name,' He thought to himself.

'I'm sick of this journey, the forest floor, the hard bread and the palm wine that has turned sour. Aren't you tired of all these Wahush?' He tried to make conversation.

'Uh? Oh! Yes,' Wahush replied, not sure what Katum's question was.

Katum smiled at him and waved dismissively, knowing the man's attention was miles away. Turning his head away, he looked out of the carriage at the familiar green scenery coming into view.

After what seems like forever, parts of the village farmlands with different crops growing began to creep into view. 

They rode farther into the village before pulling up in front of a very big hut. Katum stepped out of the carriage and rushed to his pregnant wife standing by the side of the chieftain's meeting hut.

While Wahush waited by the carriage for the maiden to follow suit but unknown to him, she was very weak and unable to move her feet. He reached in to pull her out but she moved her upper body away from his hand, 'what! Even in my weak state I won't allow you to touch me,' she hissed at him.

'I don't have your time young woman.' He said impatiently.

'Of course you won't have my time now but I'm sure you've time to molest…' he didn't allow her to finish what she was saying because he got a tight grip on her wrist and yanked her out of the carriage.

She screamed due to the sudden movement and when she felt her feet on the ground, she immediately smacked him hard across the face before everything turned dark.


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