10 The pain, the agony
Even the eldest priest has not a word to say as they all sat in the palace and silence overwhelmed the entire hall. If any slightest move was made would definitely conquer the silence as the cough of Balogun broke the quietness ruling over all of them.
Osabiegun in his dilemma laid the responsibility of the shrine on the eldest priest's shoulder as his words pointed out that he was the eldest priest and must definitely be the one to carry this burden.
To reject the command of the King was a grave sin that can't be looked over in Ifa-ile as the eldest priest had no other choice than to ask his deity; Ifa, for how they can build the shrine for the witches.
But even Ifa had revealed his unconcern pity for Ifa-ile in his words which told the tale of a shark living its best life in the sea and suddenly wants to rule the land.
That, Ifa-ile belittled the bees and lifted their nest even as she suffered from the mistake of her ancestors, who shall then deliver them from their shackles?
While the eldest priest was still in his consultation with Ifa. Osabiegun dabbled into his chamber of power where no one can enter but him lest, struck down by the thunder of Sango.
Sango as the god of thunder which Osabiegun served must always have his shrine coloured in red, and his statue must always have some portion of palm oil on its head which must never dry off.
The statue of Sango was always recognized by the double-headed axe in his hands, which represents swift and balanced justice. As it was noted during his reign and time that Sango was the greatest king and the mighty man of valour that he became a deity as soon as he rested his human body below the grounds.
In his frustration, Osabiegun wag himself out of the wrapper he before tied around his waist as he put on a red garment. He threw down his staff of office and his horsetail whisk to carry the gourd to which Sango must be consulted with.
The praises of Sango he sang, with his story, he told as the most powerful ruler of Oyo Empire in his days to which no man could confront. The only husband of three notable goddesses who bowed to his feet and whatever he did both right or wrong cannot be challenged by anyone lest, die of the death he would send to them.
That, his request was simple, if only Sango would come to their aid and destroy the witches for the sake of Ifa-ile who is now dwelling in shame and reproach from the witches even since the time of their ancestors.
But no matter how he shook his gourd only few words had Sango spoken to which he heard quite right that he was known during his days as a man of his words.
Since Ifa-ile left his deity to make covenant with the principality they felt would deliver them from their problems, let her find a means to save herself and leave him out of it.
Even his continuous plead has not made him utter another sentence as he, in his shame put off the red garment and the gourd to tie back the wrapper as he marched out of the chamber.
On his seat, among the elders and the chiefs, and all the priests including Oranmiyan who sat at the right hand of his throne looked dissatisfied as Ifa only told the eldest priest how they would build the shrine to the taste of the witches as even Ifa had honored their ancestors covenant with the witches.
In this range and frustration that rested on the authorities of Ifa-ile has Osabiegun with the use of the royal guards ordered the presence of the birth attender whom he believed gave them the wrong details which caused this problem.
The royal guards as the command of Osabiegun noted marched out into the village directly to the house of the birth attender.
Even if it was still the middle of the night has not stopped the royal guards to execute the command of the King. The sound of the knocking that persisted on her door was what woke the birth attender from her sleep as she spoke with her grumpy voice; a question which asked for who was at the door.
The shout and command for her presence to be made in the name of the King was a germane reason that left her in a state of shock that she immediately, carried her staff to balance her feet as she walked as fast as her feet could carry her to the door.
The presence of the royal guards at that time of the night was still a reason that baffled her as she asked in her most gentle voice if there was not a problem.
But the condescending sneer and the horrible look that was given to her from head to toe answered the question she asked as she can quickly deduce that indeed something terrible was about to happen.
And what if there was a problem was the question another of the royal guard barked at her as she remained frozen on her feet. But even if she thought about walking on her feet she lied as one of the royal guards lifted her unto his shoulders even though she struggled for a little while to prevent herself from being lifted. Definitely, the weight of a cockroach cannot be compared to that of a frog.
Not a sound she made, not a cry for help she wailed. Definitely she was an old woman with the experience that nothing could have saved her from this mess she found herself.
Even as quietly as she had been carried to the palace, her neighbors could not help but notice this event which caused their jaws to drop and a thought for a solution shrouded their mind.
But who would save her from the hands of Osabiegun. To think of rescuing her was a sin, to attempt the rescue was easily seen as a treason and no one dared to take any step that will cause them their heads. The only help they could render was to spread the gossip of her capture throughout the village to make everyone remained alerted for their day to come.
Even so, not all villagers who were aware of this event pitied her for what happened to her, aside the malice that surrounded her hunched back to be a witch, few believed she had a hand in the spilled blood of the pregnant woman. And as fast as the gossip had spread even as it was the middle of the night, while some were nonchalant about her condition but prayed for themselves not to fall a victim, a few prayed she never returned alive.
The instant she was thrown to the ground before Osabiegun and the chiefs and elders, all the priests and Oranmiyan, she quickly gathered herself to her kneel.
Osabiegun whose eyes had warped into a miserable black will not take a look away at her face. Even as she paid her respect to Osabiegun, Oranmiyan, the chiefs, elders, and priests, Osabiegun has not blessed her as he would always do.
The continuous rumble of the chiefs and elders and the attitude they began to display even in her presence confirmed her thought that indeed she chewed the bones that choked her throat.
The instant she opened her mouth for a question has the order of Osabiegun gushed on her face to which she was thrown in the dungeon. Even this hasn't satisfied the intention of Osabiegun towards her which was definitely to see her blood spilled to the grounds.
No one should dare him, no one should trample on his feet were his words which was backed up by the support of the chiefs and elders but not the eldest priest who spoke about her importance in the village.
That a tiger lost a claw doesn't make it less fierce. That a king should be respected by what he stands and not feared by what he does. Definitely if she lied, would have caused each and every one of them as a replacement for the sacrifice because the witches purposely would not let them go and always looking for their fault to use against them.
No matter how reddish Osabiegun eyes had gotten, there appeared to be wisdom in the words of the eldest priest which caused him to order one of the royal guard to bring the birth attender out of the dungeon.
The royal bard this instant began the appraisal of Osabiegun; the King of Ifa-ile whom not a bird that flies in the sky, or fish creeped in the sea or human that walked the earth can challenge.
The story of the war with the village of Olofaina the royal bard had reminded him. How he totally destroyed the village and what was left was it was not even the swath of their political confusion. Definitely, if the village of Olofaina had not dared the leopard, the leopard will not tear them into pieces as they no longer exist; all of them with their children children.
