The Birth of Rekiya: The Gabatha women are angry.

"Reba the gods have taken back your son."

That was the last statement Reba heard before she fainted. While everyone hope she had not given up her life, the moment the delivery women touched her, she opened here eyes, and everyone thanked the gods for bringing back her life. Reba's eyes had swollen, yet tears never run out from her eyes as they rolled down in a gentle manner. "Twelve years! Twelve years! After twelve years, Aku Danju has killed my son. He killed my son."

Everyone believed it was true. The other wives heard the sound of a child truly. The cry was so intense. People saw Otula danced so joyfully telling them Reba his wife had given birth to a son. Only for Aku Danju to step into the room and the baby died. They wanted Aku Danju to explain what was going on or they will forever blame him for Reba's child sudden death.

Mothers who were present felt for Reba. How can a mother who was finally blessed by the gods after many years of waiting suffer this calamity. Even the wives making fun of Reba kept quiet when they saw her state. A new mother who had suddenly lost her child can never be in the right state of mind. It looked like Reba was starting to go crazy. They prayed what befell Reba never befall them.

As the women kept calling upon themselves to come and see what was happening at Reba's place, the women were angry. Why do Kukute, and his men embarrass them all the time? Why? Was killing their female children not enough? How could Aku Danju enter a place where a woman is delivering? Everyone knew no woman carrying a child would deliver without Apata, the one considered as Mother of the children, telling the women the identity of the child they were carrying. She possessed the power that allowed her to see what ordinary Gabatha women could not see. If it was a girl child, it was immediately aborted.

The women came out in numbers and roar!

"Your King Kukute has called us useless! Are you also saying we are liars too! Are you calling Apata a liar!"

"Maybe we remaining women should kill ourselves, and leave the Kingdom for the men alone. So you can cook, take care of the children, fetch water, wash your clothes, and still go to the battlefield!"

"Maybe then they can see how useless we are!"

Before they knew it, the women had started fire, each holding a stick of burning fire.

"Before I put an end to my life and these nonsense, I have a place to burn down! I will go to the hut house my late mother built with her money for men who comes back from Battlefield to rest, letting them have a proper care before meeting their family!"

"And I, will burn down all the beautiful clothes I have sewn with my other seamstresses. If my mother who was the best of the best seamstresses out of all the Kingdoms haven't taught me to sew, how will you chiefs go out there and boast with your clothes being incomparable! Including your King who can't have his clothes taken else where! Or why do you think during my Mother's time, all other Kings would write to bring her over and sew for them and as well send their seamstresses over to learn! Why do you think Akugba Kingdom were threatened by us! Why? I'm tired! No one to leave my legacy behind to. We are useless, aren't we!"

The King had instantly been informed what was going on. The women had gotten angry. The truth was Kukute knew they had been angry for long but they had never spoken up. The husbands had reported many wives refusing to be touched by them. They had withdrawn totally away from their husbands. They were tired of giving birth to male children like soldier ants. Left alone with slaves that came from nowhere, only to be learning their skills when their own female children should be.

Kukute knew he couldn't use his power because the women were determined to fight, and some were frustrated and tired of living, so losing their lives would be nothing to them. He wouldn't want words to go out that the Gabatha people were fighting themselves. Instead, he did what he knew would calm the women down.

"Aku Danju!"

The women turned, and saw Kukute's right hand manservant. "Where is Aku Danju!" He yelled again, getting the women shouting to kill themselves quiet. 

Aku Danju who was short of words came out and bow before the King's staff that was brought.

"Aku Danju, you have made the women angry. You have disobeyed my rule and went forward without my permission. You have misused the power of an oracle position given to you. It is time for you to rest and let one of our young men take up this responsibilities. Reba and her family shall be left alone. I Kukute command you to leave the Gabatha shrine and go to your house to rest. And I the King apologize to the women of Gabatha for Aku Danju has called you what you are not."

The women rolled their eyes. Not like they were satisfied. They knew Kukute only did that to die down the matter, but they were glad Reba had been left alone, and their coming together was not in vain. Though many of them fear what Kukute could have done, while some who were really angry and wouldn't mind giving up their lives spoke up, and at the end were glad they did.

Reba was left alone to rest after being taken good care of. Reba was just quiet. The one whose voice would have gone straight to the King if she was to be among the women was quiet on her mat, her eyes staring at the roof without a blink, her mind gone and lost in thoughts.

Later on, the Mighty men of Gabatha who chased down Ruki were carried down back to the Kingdom as they were beaten down to no strength to carry themselves up. They had told themselves. None of them must tell the King a woman had beaten them. They had to lie. The news was going to do nothing but infuriates Kukute. He believed so much in them, and told them several times no woman had the kind of strength and skills they had. Now telling Kukute a woman had beaten them, they could ended up being killed. But the woman, they discussed in between themselves. She was so skillful that she dodged everyone's sword and would only have few scratches on her body, except that, she had fallen deep into the bush where there were broken and shattered glass spread all around in case anyone trespass the area to enter the Kingdom.

It was the reason they back off, because they knew so well she might never survive if any of the glass pierced into her heart or deep into her neck.

When they met the King, they lied about chasing the men they saw without their weapons. They thought they would only chase them out, but later realised, they came solely to fight them. They couldn't back off, instead they fought with sticks and punches while these people have their swords. When Kukute heard that, he appreciated them for being brave for their Kingdom. And promise his men that when next these people come back, none of them will leave his territory alive.  

And after this day, Reba had refused to move closer to Otula so as never to conceive again. She couldn't bear to go through what had happened to her again, and what if it was to be a girl child again, and this time, no male child? 

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