"She's not going anywhere," deadpanned Femi. His large arms were folded tightly over his broad chest as he glared down at Rajal.

"I can't keep asking your father for more time. He is becoming impatient," Rajal pleaded.

"I don't care. She is not going back!"

Nkechi huffed in annoyance at this repetitive conversation Rajal and Femi were having. She had been healing at Rajal's home for the past two or so weeks and her father had begun requesting her home shortly after he found out she was awake.

Nkechi was annoyed at the constant back and forth between her brother and Rajal but she knew both their hearts were in good places.

"Femi," Nkechi murmured.

'No," Femi snapped before she could even say her piece. "I refuse to allow you to go back to that man Nkechi. You still need time to heal."

"It won't make a difference Femi. All we are doing is prolonging the inevitable. As much as I don't want to live under the same roof as that man, I know that we have to choose our battles wisely. This is not a battle we will win." She explained kindly.

"So, what am I supposed to do? Just allow you to go back and live under the law of that evil man."

"He isn't evil Femi."

"Sure," Femi guffawed in disbelief.

"He isn't evil. Has his mind been corrupted? Yes, it has, and he has lost sight of what truly matters but he isn't evil. There is still hope for him."

Femi's jaw clenched in anger at Nkechi defending their father. This argument was also a recurring theme between the two siblings. Nkechi tried to speak the growing anger and hatred out of her brothers' heart, but they could never see eye to eye on the matter of Matin.

Sensing the sour turn of the conversation, Rajal intervened. "Razi Matin feels guilty for his actions and would like to have Nkechi back home so he can show her the care she deserves. Your mother would also prefer you to be under her care." Rajal gave Nkechi a knowing look which only angered Femi more.

He was constantly reminded that he was not privy to a private conversation. Nkechi and Rajal would often communicate with their eyes, which would leave Femi being the only one with his views.

"I don't care about his apology, what he did was despicable, and I will carry the scars on my body as a reminder for the rest of my life. However, I think it's time I face reality. Thank you for always defending and protecting me Femi but It's time."

Femi felt defeated. Nodding his head solemnly he left the room leaving Nkechi with Rajal alone.

"He feels guilty," Rajal muttered softly.

"I know but there was truly nothing he could have done to prevent this, except kill Kofi and then that would have left Femi in a worse of situation."

Rajal hummed in thought as he took a seat on Nkechi's bed. "No matter how hard we fight it, we all have a path to follow. If Femi hadn't fought his destiny so hard things may have been different but the result would always be the same."

"I have learnt that the journey never alters our destination, it just gives us different things to reflect on once we reach our final path."

Rajal tilted his head in agreement before helping Nkechi from the bed. Nkechi's body hadn't fully recovered but the majority of the wounds had healed, and a lot of her bruising had been lessened. Rajal had given her herbal remedies to help make the process quicker. She still had pangs in her abdomen, but she was able to move about freely without tearing back open any wounds.

"Will you be going back now?"

Nkechi nodded her head reluctantly, "No time like the present."

"I'll get your father to come and get you. I don't want you walking so far yet." Rajal disappeared out of the room and house as soon as Nkechi agreed.

Sighing despondently, Nkechi sunk back onto the edge of the bed. Her eyes gazed over the small room that had quickly become her sanctuary over the past few weeks. She tried to brace herself for what her departure from this healing cocoon would mean but she always struggled with preparer it for the inevitable. As a Funai, she knew that once destinies were written, not much could change them and yet Nkechi always tried to fight her own.

There was a sadness in her heart that she tried to hide from her brother because she knew that their destinies were slowly pulling them apart. The more independent and self-assured Femi became, the less Nkechi was needed.

Her sombre thoughts were disrupted by the large figure that made its way inside the room. Nkechi's breath halted in her chest as she sceptically watched her father enter the room. Matin moved slowly, his steps unsure as he tentatively approached Nkechi.

His dark eyes pursued Nkechi's wounded form, his gaze lingering on the number of bandages that peeked through her clothes. Her eyes were no longer swollen but a slight bruising and scarring remained under her eye. Wounds that should have healed some time ago, were taking longer due to her bodies pure fatigue.

His lips pursed together as he slowly lifted Nkechi into his arms, his breath hitched in shame when she flinched away from his touch.

They said nothing to each other as he made his way throughout the tribe's land. Nkechi ket her head raised even though the urge to hide from everyone's stares was strong.

Her father handled her delicately as he manoeuvred his way into their home, resting Nkechi down on one of the chairs in their lounge area.

The moment she was seated, her mother appeared from one of the rooms in the back of the house. Zira's eyes were red with tears as she slowly glared at her husband. Her glare turned into a heartwarming smile as she saw Nkechi.

"Mihi aula," my heart, she sobbed. Zira flung her arms around Nkechi, her tears dampening her skin. Nkechi wrapped her arms around her mother in a tighter embrace, but she could not cry. She found that most emotions felt subdued to her these days. Even when she was sad or angry, she struggled to communicate them physically or verbally.

Not wanting to discourage her mother, Nkechi closed her eyes and tried to focus on the true emotions that she had somehow shut away. Zira released her from the hug before Nkechi could even begin to comprehend the depth of emotions she had blocked out.

Zira rubbed over Nkechi's cheek affectionately. Her soft hands halted as the sight of her guilty husband reminded her of his role in this situation.

"Leave," Zira snapped.

Matin's lips pursed together at his wife's command, "Zira, be reasonable. I have brought Nkechi home and now we can- "

"I said leave." Her words sliced like a whip, cutting into Matin's weak ramblings. "I wish to speak to my daughter without you tainting our atmosphere."

Nkechi watched with interest at the new power dynamic of her parents. Zira had never been a weak woman but for years, she had allowed Matin to assume the more dominant position. She had rarely requested things of him, and never spoke to him in this manner. It seemed as if Zira was finally waking up to her power.

"Please forgive me," Zira pleaded the moment Matin left. She gripped Nkechi's hands tightly as tears gathered in her eyes all over again. "I have been such a bad mother and Solah. All that is wrong with your father rests at my feet. I have as much blame in this as Matin. I have allowed Matin to resume too much power. I have allowed myself to become a confidant more than a leader. I found it hard to keep the balance, always putting his needs above the needs of others. Even my own needs. I am to blame."

Nkechi's heart throbbed at her mother's fretful tears. It hurt her to witness her mothers' pain but Nkechi could do nothing to assuage that guilt. Even Nkechi's forgiveness would never lessen this burden her mother carried but still, she tried.

"I don't blame you. Perhaps you could have told him about Kofi, but it wouldn't have mattered. I have seen this moment a thousand times and no matter what you or anyone else did, this was always the outcome."

Zira nodded her head in agreement, wiping at her running nose. "It always had to be the outcome but still, the guilt will always be in my heart."

Nkechi hated that this was their outcome. Her mother was too much of a pure soul to be weighed down by this guilt.

"I hope you don't punish yourself for too long."

"I'll punish myself for as long as your skin is scarred."

Nkechi pursed her lips in frustration. There was nothing more she could say.

Heaving a deep sigh Nkechi asked her mother to take her to her room so she could rest.

The moment Nkechi's head hit the pillow she was out cold. Her mind drifting away into another plane where she felt the most exhilarating highs.

The muffled voices of her parents arguing woke Nkechi from her sleep. Her eyes rolled heavenwards as she tried to prepare her lard for the next few weeks of this constant bickering.

Two weeks later, Nkechi was at her wit's end. In her time of healing, her mother had found every opportunity to berate Matin and Matin had found equal opportunity to try and plead an audience with her. Her days were filled with her mother pottering around her like a buzzing bee. Nkechi couldn't even sneeze without her mother running to her aid. Her nights were always worse, at night her guilt-ridden father would drag his feet into the house and begin his daily ritual of trying to assuage his guilt. He would start by checking Nkechi's room and when he was caught going back there, Zira would begin with the arguing.

Nkechi couldn't take it anymore. She was tired of looking at the same four walls and walking the same corners of her room. Her wounds barely hurt her anymore and her abdomen had healed completely.

"That's quite a solemn face you have."

Nkechi's head snapped up in glee, "Thank the goddess. I can't take it anymore. Take me away from here now."

Femi burst into laughter at Nkechi's antics. "I doubt it's that bad." He chuckled. Nkechi shot him an incredulous glare.

"Can't you hear them? They do this every night. I bet they haven't even realised that I left the house."

"Probably not, Zira seems to be giving him what for. It's a shame that you had to be hurt for her to finally have a voice."

"Femi," Nkechi warned.

Nkechi tried not to take the disrespect to her mother too seriously, but it was something about her mother that made her super defensive.

"Alright," he tutted, "I'm going to let them know you're coming with me. Stay here."

Nkechi nodded her head in agreement. Even if Femi had asked her to follow him inside, she wouldn't. She was tired of hearing the constant bickering and would avoid the chaos as much as she could. A few moments letter Femi exited out of their house. He had an annoyed expression on his face but that was nothing new to Nkechi these days

"What did they say?" She asked with hope in her voice.

"Of course, they couldn't agree and started another argument, but I simply told them you were coming with me and that was it."

Femi had moved out of their familial home a few years ago when he kept arguing with his parents. It wasn't typical for an unmarried person to live alone but Femi had made that decision, and no one had challenged him. Nkechi was glad that he had made that choice because now had somewhere to hide from her parents. Their journey to Femi's home was extremely slow due to Nkechi's still healing bones. A lot of the initial healing had already happened but sometimes she got twinges in her leg when she applied pressure. Rajal's medicine had sped her healing from six to eight weeks to just the four.

"Welcome to my home," Femi smiled, stretching his hands out wide as he motioned for Nkechi to step inside.

"I know Femi," she laughed lightly, "I have been here before although it does look different. Have you had a female come and fix things up for you?"

Femi grinned wild earning a full belly laugh from Nkechi. "Ife?" She questioned.

Femi merely patted his nose in response gaining another laugh from her.

"Come take a seat and I will spill everything."

"You better." She huffed teasingly.

Femi made them a warm brew or herbal tea and then took a seat on one of his floor cushions in the corner.

He slurped on his tea in thought and then chuckled at his sister's glare. "Okay, I have a lot to share with you so brace yourself."