You are reading The Birth of Rekiya.
(Olori in this chapter means: The head.)
(The leader.)
(For example: Where is your Olori?)
(Simply means, where is your leader?)

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“All my maids are out.” The Queen’s voice stopped him on his track and he turned back to her.

“Have you forgotten who put you on this throne?”

“You will tell me no such thing, Hakum! That was so easy because the king loves me. Is that not why you all chose me? Did you not send many Ajeles before me?”

Hakum didn’t seem like he came to fight. He understood the pride in the Queen’s voice because the King truly loved her, but he had only come to warn her. “Afe, that is how it has always been done. Whoever the Crown Prince likes, we choose. We have told you. Whomever your son desires now, we take her out until we send our maidens out. We can’t even send them out yet because we do not know where he goes to. Does he not desire a woman sexually at all? He is all grown.”

“I have called her a monster to him. All I have ever done was spoil her for my son. Treat her badly before him.” The Queen said. “You have said that my son shows no interest in any woman. Is there any reason why you all want the poor girl out after what we have done to her mother? Ruki does not bear a son. How will she get in my way Hakum? She's never a threat to me.”

“Afe, how do you think we have been able to live in the Kingdom after Ajabi's death? Ajeles are not humans. Ajeles should be killed. How do you think we have all been able to survive when all we ever do is teach those humans lessons? How Afe?”

“By marrying an Ajele to every Crown Prince in Akugba and making them the Queen.”

“Afe, by having the Kings in our palm. And you have been doing well. Now it’s your turn to save the Ajele Kingdom once again. We were informed how you dealt with Barbra. Don’t be shocked. We have people working for us in the palace. I thought you would take her life instantly, but we heard you agree to send her to the cold palace to keep her alive. Your kind heart is the reason Agbobi fell for you, but your kind heart will not put your son on the throne. Not when your son is weak and not wanted as the King. It is easy to choose anyone. Afe, Olori is changing his mind. You shouldn’t have kept Barbra alive. She seems more desperate than you. Don’t you think she will do anything to put her son on the throne?”

Prince Min heard his mother gasp. He clutched his sword tightly with one of his hands while the other remained as a fist, keeping his eyes shut together. Veins in his hands stood out livid from clenching them to control his anger.  Been called weak and discovered his mother was being controlled all this while, shot a venom in his system and he was mad in his spirit. As much as he tried to get a glimpse of who it was, all he could see was someone covered in a dark material from the head down to his toes.

“What do you mean!” The Queen’s eyes became wide. She was marvelled, piercing stares resting on Hakum. The sudden shock made her voice begin to tremble because she knew what it meant if she was no longer considered to save her Kingdom. Are they about to throw her away? “Have I not done what you all asked of me? Have I not? I know she’s capable of dangerous things but they need their mother-“

“She almost killed your son, Afe. Wake up from your slumber! Wake up! She will take you down if she has the opportunity. And it might come. Olori is changing his mind.” Hakum repeated. He was more sympathetic and benevolent with his voice this time. “I have come all the way from Ajele to tell you this. If Olori takes you down, none of your family will live, Afe. You asked me why you need to take her out. I will tell you because of the sake of friendship.”

Prince Min became more attentive to what the man was saying. His muscles locked momentarily. Almost as if they were paralyzed after what he just heard. The Ajele were the ones controlling the two Kingdoms to save their lives. Damn! He wanted to pierce the man’s throat with his sword. He was going to kill every Ajele if he ever had the chance. They had done more harm than good. Controlling Kingdoms to save their heads! They really were about to do that with him too. Not in his lifetime!

Hakum paused and brought out a short-wrapped paper.

“The truth is, Reba and Ruki's mother was also an Ajele, so by birth, they are also an Ajele. The first child takes half of the mother's strength. And their mother was the former Olori. Who was meant to protect Ajele.”

The Queen was stunned. Her mouth gaped open at the information she has just gotten. The truth is they didn’t know about the Olori until they are young to be used to seduce both Akugba's Crown Prince and Gabatha's Crown Prince. She had met with Agbobi intentionally. But she fell in love with him too because he was kind to her. She knew her mission since the day she walked into Agbobi's life. Make the Crown Prince fall in love with her. Marry the Crown Prince. Be the Queen. Protect her Kingdom. Everything was planned including her family in Akugba. Being the wife of Agbobi made her know what he was thinking. His plans. His actions. And that has protected her Kingdom for years.

Hakum continued. “Some years ago, the warlord of the Gabatha Kingdom saved her life during a war. She fell in love with him and neglected Ajele. She also hid her powers. Afe, you know Olori are always the most powerful, yet this woman hid her powers and lived in Gabatha for few years. The rest of the Ajeles ganged up and killed her because she betrayed them.” Then he rolled the paper down.

The Queen’s brows rested on Hakum when she saw who was in the portrait.

‘Rekiya.”

Prince Min heard his mother say and his ears became alert. He knew they were also talking about Rekiya, but saying her name made his heart skip a beat. As if he would lose his existence if anything ever happened to the girl. His heart was so scared. Suddenly heavy and racing hard.

“That is why she must be killed, Afe. This is not Rekiya. This Rekiya looked so much like her grandmother. It was said she has powers like her grandmother. Afe, even Olori is scared of her. They lied to you that Reba might cooperate with Barbra. Even you should know Reba would never. You fell for it too quickly. They knew if she entered the palace, the things Ruki did not notice for years, Reba will fish it out.”

The Queen was speechless by what her friend was telling her. Her eyes became red and wide. Rage had taken over them but she saw Hakum had more to say. She didn't know how she remained calm. She felt her system was running mad. Her head was banging hot. Hold it Afe. Hold it! Was it a crime to be an Ajele? She had lived her life for this ungrateful kingdom that killed their own like chickens. If they don't end up killing her, they would cast her aside. Nooooooo! My son has to become the King. Min is strong! I saw it myself. My son is intelligent. My son is different. I saw it myself.  I have suffered too much to end this way. Her thoughts were scattered. As if she was running insane.

“Afe!" Hakum yelled, bringing her attention back to him. "You and I know Reba when we used to go to war together, Afe. No one leaves her presence alive. If she had been the one who came to Akugba to marry the King, Olori had plans to take her life because it won't take her long to notice whatever was going on around her, but her sister came to Akugba instead. And since they know the King of Gabatha was impatient and foolish, We kidnapped his princess during the war they had with Akugba and told his Queen the advice to give to him.”

The Queen was trembling by how much she had been used and how much she never knew. Was this exactly what every young girl they had chosen to be Queen went through? To say she didn’t have her children on time all because she was married to a normal man. Few of them give birth immediately to a normal man. But the pain. The agony. The fear. The wait. The fight. The shame. All she had been through. All she had sacrificed. Was to save her Kingdom which was ready to turn against her. At this point, she would choose her son. She would have to tell Min everything.

“You have to—”

 “What! Because of what, Hakum!” The Queen's voice grew hot. She just wanted her friend to stop. At this point, she didn’t want to hear more. Hakum didn’t need to explain to her anymore. He had come to warn her meant he had come to save her. Hakum had been her longtime friend from Ajele and she was grateful. Now she could tell what they were up to. They wanted to erase the woman’s generation for her sin towards Ajele. They pushed the Gabatha King to kill every female child just to kill Reba's children. Olori must have believed in reincarnation. He must be so scared of the sisters giving birth to a female child. Especially Reba.

The Queen burst out laughing. Now she understood the whole thing. Everyone must be scared of dying but they can take lives. The Queen looked straight at Hakum. “I will not...... Will. Not. And no one will touch a single hair of that child!”

“You shouldn’t worry, Afe. Ruki is on her way to meet her mother and sister.” Hakum said, wiping off the laughter on the Queen’s face. “And Rekiya will not be able to protect your son as you have planned.”

Prince Min gripped his sword harder that he almost ripped his palm. It was as if all his powers rose to action to kill. But he had learned to calm himself down and never allowed his strength to control him. If he ever owes his life to anyone, it would be Rekiya. He will never understand why she was always so rude to him, but he would always remember how she saved his life, risking hers.

Now it was his turn.

Prince Min had taken five steps to the back door about to leave when he witnessed it again, for the second time. The arrow. The poisonous arrow. The same arrow that killed Reba flew straight through his mother's window. He closed his eyes to unseen it but it was too late. After counting three to one, he jumped through the fence.

When Prince Min got to where his cousin and Thopar were waiting, he turned to Thopar first, moving his horse towards the palace route. “Go to my Mother, Thopar. Go now!”

Thopar looked clueless. He was about to ask why, but the sudden change in his master’s eyes shut him up. The silent tears that devoured Min's gorgeous eyes made him turn instantly. His eyes were becoming wet and immediately he sped towards the palace gate without a word. He knew something was off.

Prince Min climbed his horse very quickly and then turned to his cousin.

“Min, ” Soto said first.

“Are you coming with me, Soto? This is between life and death.”

Soto wore his black hat, unlike white compared to Min. He wanted to ask why Min was close to tears but instead, he gave up. "I think we are running late, brother," he said but had to join Prince Min who was already ahead of him while he was putting on his hat.

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Author's note.

I slept off. 😭😭😭😭 To say I even begged you, people, not to sleep. I hope this chapter will ease your anger towards me😊 Thank you so much for enjoying TBOR. I will see if I can update today. I just want to put this out before many of you wake up. Have a wonderful Sunday.

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DON'T FORGET THAT STAR BUTTON
😄😄😄 I will be reading yesterday's comments.

What do you think about the Queen now 😄 Sorry, I made you all think she was doing it alone. Where is the fun if every page is not intriguing? I love you all but I'm not promising not to scatter your heads all😄

Will Ruki make it alive?
Will Rekiya make it alive?
Is Barbra safe?
What is going on with Rekima where she is?
Who will make it alive between Hakim and the Queen? One poisonous arrow means one of them is going down.

I will be reading your guesses in the comment section 😄 thank you my loves.
See you soon🥰