Lydia's heart - Episode 27

Sorry for the long silence, here is a long episode as compensation #winks#
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Vicky smiled as he jumped down from his newly acquired acura; he knew that as a bartender there was no way he could afford that kind of car but he came with it planning to reveal who he really is to the love of his life.

He gently pats his breast pocket and felt the ring box there; yes she initiates the meeting but he is going to propose, he grinned from ear to ear satisfied with perfectly hiding his true self from her for a very long time.

A waiter brought the menu to him but he dismissed him, he has to wait for his queen to arrive. He scratched his perfectly premed hair but threw his hand away immediately, he would not want to ruin his appearance; he looked around, but that’s a first, she never comes late to any of their dates and she is already thirty minutes late, he brought out his phone and dialed her number.

“I believe you are calling my friend but unfortunately she is not coming” a lady voice says and he raised up his face but things became foggy, what he could see again was a lady standing backward obviously crying and he begging her not to leave .the lady paid deaf ears to his pleas and starts walking away, he stood up immediately to chase after her but to his disappointment a very big gully demarcated them.

He held his heart thumping very hard and shouts at the lady not to leave him.

His eyes flew open as the thumping of his heart turned to be the knocks on the door and his shout the shouts of the servants outside calling on him.

He cleaned the beads of sweat on his forehead realizing that he is still in his village and today supposedly is his initiation.

“My prince everybody is outside ready waiting for you” his chief guard announces.

“in a minute” he shouts his response and starts writing down his dreams, he couldn’t afford to miss the details on his next appointment with the doctor .

He quickly washed his face with water and tied the sacred wrapper given to him yesterday by their local sorcerer, hanged the red tie on his head and walked out.

“the crown prince of ubala kingdom” the chief guard announces and everyone in the compound bowed down slightly.

Vicky looked around and took in the small population present, his parents, Stacy his assumed wife which their wedding is scheduled after his coronation, the local sorcerer, the few privileged palace maids and guards. No doubt everybody dressed up for the occasion in their native attire

All episodes of this story can be found here >> https://www.ebonystory.com/story/lydia-s-heart

. Stacy shone brightly in her all silver clothing, she is very beautiful and his mother as the reigning queen dressed in all, gold clothing.

“Let’s proceed to the ritual room” came the crooked voice of the sorcerer.

He was handed a calabash tied with red ribbon and it was filled with water .he starts walking behind the sorcerer and everyone filled in behind him obviously tensed and praying for the ceremony to be successful. True to his doctors advice not to force himself into recovering his memory, all the memories about his parents and this very ceremony which he had been prepared for right from his childhood, as the only son always flash to his mind whenever he needs them.

The sorcerer stopped abruptly and everyone paused, he starts his strange incantation running around, from the little he could understand he was asking the gods to accept their offering .Out of nowhere an ugly looking giant bird flew down and drank from the calabash, in a flash the bird disappeared leaving Vicky very much cringing in fear.

Although his mother have been narrating part of this ritual to him, he never believed it to be true not until today. He smiled that means the gods accepted him, they continued walking in silence;

Uju tapped her husband and whispered “I told you this is going to be successful, the gods have not abandoned us”.

“don’t be quick woman, this is just the simple part of the ritual, the important one comes at night”.

Stacy strained her ear to hear what they were talking but they were secret enough that you couldn’t hear a word. She has been uncomfortable since they prevented her from seeing Vicky, for one week now she has not given him the drugs, that’s a risk. He might regain his memories and that will destroy what she has been working for.

She bits her lips as she watches the sorcerer performs the ritual rites on him, opened the door of a small hut and Vicky bent slightly and entered inside. Maybe she will try again next time and then she will increase the dose.

“now we disperse and wait till evening when we face the final step” everyone became silent as they listen to the sorcerer’s proclamation. The sorcerer continued when he noticed them silent

“he will stay in there and interact with the gods, never fail to offer your wishes to the gods to spare him and give him their blessing”. The sorcerer finished his proclamation, bows slightly and disappeared using his back to the nearest hut that she did not notice earlier.

The Igwe turned to address them, he directed the guards to stand and guard him and the maids to go inside with his wife and to be queen while he goes into the palace and interact with the elders. Everyone bowed and dispatched to their various duties.

Stacy confused on what to do went and held the crying queen; she wondered silently why the queen was crying upon his son that will soon be the king but she never voiced it aloud because they the females were forbidden to talk.

Uju(queen) relaxed on Stacy’s shoulder, that’s the only thing she needs, someone to comfort her and she was glad that her son thought it wise to come back with his wife. They reached the queen’s chamber and sat down quietly looking at each other.

The elders stood and bowed as Okike (Igwe/king) walked in. They stared at him expectantly to hear good news; they have tried crowning another person the prince but the champ never made it out of the first rituals. That was why they accepted Vicky immediately he came back. The gods are wise they finally accepted after many unsuccessful attempts of crowning young men the prince.

Okike clears his throat and sat down, the elders does the same. “so far it has been successful, we awaits the final ritual”.

The elders faces eased up happily but not too happy because they know that going in is too easy but coming out is the hardest part.

That being the only words they were allowed to share; they all removed their caps and fell silent hoping to hear god news. The fan going up and down in hands of the guards became the only sound in the room, soon enough it became one with the beating of their hearts and it became one rhythm.

Stacy shifts uncomfortably on the chair she was sitting on, come what may Vicky must succeed. She couldn’t afford to miss the chance of being the queen and the wife of a multibillionaire and to secure her position she will do everything possible to be pregnant.

Read " Jamila " by the same author ( Celestina Oranye )

. She is going to show her friends what money can do.

**A deep sound of the gong pierced through the quiet air announcing the time for the prince coming out.

Everyone scurried out quickly and went to the ritual room. The sorcerer scanned around and found everyone is present. He knocked on the door thrice “son of the soil, come out and show your people your graceful self”

They waited but nothing happened, Uju broke out a loud cry but one of the guards already prepared for this kind of situation held her mouth immediately, Okike bent his head in sorrow but raised it quickly as they heard a creak sound of opening door.

Vicky staggered out looking very tired with the empty calabash. The empty calabash signified that the gods fed from the sacred water he went with. Shouts of joy and victory filled the air, Uju quickly wiped her eyes and looked expectantly at her precious son.

The sorcerer led Vicky to the sacred river and bath him, changed the red wrapper he was tying before to a white one. He was given something to put in his mouth but never to swallow and they walked in a double line to the last hut.

The sorcerer performed his ritual and asked Vicky to repeat after him. They did that for four times and he was asked to swallow what he has in his mouth. A sudden dust hovering around the hut lifted and revealed a door with a giant HEART engraved on it. Vicky walked closer to the door but for some minutes the door never opened, he walked back and forth yet the door never yielded.

Everybody exchanged a silent look cus they knew something is wrong. The sorcerer came closer to Vicky and recited an incantation but stopped abruptly, He walked round Vicky and stopped at his front, peered closer at his biceps,

“he no longer bears the HEART” he announced.

“What HEART” Vicky asked confused. Uju stepped close to her son to confirm, because Vicky has been bearing a tiny engraved HEART on his upper arm and to her amazement it was not there.

“Honey why this little heart on your arm, did you engrave it there”

“No, it’s just there on its own” Vicky’s hand flew to his arm immediately as he remembers the discussion in his head and truly the heart is gone.

“young man have you been in love before that yields to bearing of  child or children” The sorcerer asks Vicky.

Stacy’s eyes popped open and she looked at Vicky hoping he never remembered anything.

Vicky shook his head negatively, Stacy smiled but her smile died immediately as Vicky nods.

“I have a daughter”

Everyone stared at him hopefully “your biological daughter” the sorcerer asked

“No”

The sorcerer bent his head and raised it sharply

“Only the bearer of the heart can open that door and retrieve the sacred box” he proclaims and faces Vicky “young man search yourself, for the HEART to disappear from you means the gods have transferred it to the seed from your loin.

Stacy swallowed hard but held her held high

The sorcerer brought the prince’s Ofo and hands it over Vicky “thankfully the gods accepted you by revealing the hut but not fully as the hut never opened, you can rule as the prince but not as the king until the seed from your loin turns to twelve because of our twelve moon tradition and the HEART is fully engraved on him or her

“but I have no child or children” Vicky argued

“yes; I have not given him any child yet” Stacy support stepping forward.

The Sorcerer flashed Stacy a hateful glare

“Woman, this is not your case to decide; one more word and you will be dumb forever”

He face Vicky “Young man search yourself; ONLY THE BEARER OF THE HEART CAN RETRIEVE THE SACRED BOX” he finished his statement and left

Stacy cringed back in fear, brewing up plans in her head.

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Phewww, I imagined all sorts of Nolly wood scenes just to write this episode

Who do you think bears the HEART?