The Eye of Reward

A story by Edith Okesinachi Dan Jumbo

1

Mma Sets Out

It was a cool evening, in the village of Ohafia.  Most of the villagers had closed up on the activities of the day and were planning to retire to bed. The night always seemed longer in the village because the villagers slept early and the palm trees almost everywhere made the night appeared darker than it should be.

Mma picked up the firewood she had tied in a bunch for the aged woman who lived some houses away. She always saw Nne, as she was popularly known, most times when returning from the stream.  Mma was the first of three children, but she was known to be very industrious and liked helping people. She followed her mother to the farm, and would push the wheel barrow from a long distance to their house. She often begged her mother to allow her give some of their farm products to some less privileged ones around them. Everyone loved Mma, because she was so compassionate.

When Mma decided to be fetching water and getting firewood for Nne, some of the villagers frowned at it, because they believed Nne had some evil omen about her. Nne was childless and lost her husband the previous year, but instead of the villagers to pity her, they blamed her for being childless and for the death of her husband. They accused her of eating all her children in the spirit world and later killing her husband.  Some even openly called her a witch. Mma knew that it was a mere accusation, probably because Nne was not from Ohafia originally, until after marriage.

Mma’s mother, however, had a different opinion of Nne, in fact, it was as a result of her testimony of Nne that made Mma decide that she would always help Nne as much as she could. When Obiora, Mma’s mother was newly married, Nne stood for her like the mother she lost when she was still a girl. She always advised her and would come to bath her child whenever she gave birth. Mma got to know about this much later as she grew and decided to help the old woman more, after her husband died.

Mma quickly went inside to inform her mother that she was going to Nne’s house.

“Mama”, she called, “I am going to drop the firewood at Nne’s house.”

“Okay Nnenne” her mother replied. Mma always loved it, whenever her mother called her by that pet name. “Make sure you don’t take long, so that you return before it gets really dark” her mother continued.

“I will come back on time Mama don’t worry, “Mma assured her mother. “I hate walking alone in the dark too”. With that, she carefully placed the tied up firewood on her head and started walking away.

                                                               2

Mma Meets the Prince

The crickets were already singing their night song by the time Mma got to Nne’s house. That reminded her that she didn’t need to stay long before her mother would start getting worried. She quickly dropped the firewood where she normally dropped them and looked towards Nne’s sitting room. There appeared to be someone with her, because she could hear a man’s voice.

“Good evening Nne “she greeted, “I have brought the firewood that I promised to bring for you”

“Mmasinachi, is that you?”  Nne asked. Please come my daughter. Thank God for bringing you now and thank you for the firewood. May the good lord in heaven, continue to bless you. Come my daughter, God really wanted you meet with the prince today.

Mma became confused. “Nne, what are you talking about? What prince?”

Nne came out, when she noticed that Mma didn’t move. “The Eze’s son Mma, he is the Prince and we were just talking about you”

“Nne, I don’t understand.” Mma said spreading her hands.

“The Prince came to see me and asked after the girl who always brings firewood for me, and you just came” Nne tried to explain with a kind of smile that said to Mma; “you should understand”

“But Nne, that’s nothing, I do that for my mother and you are like my grandmother” Mma said a bit uneasy, because she noticed the curtain from the sitting room has been moved. “Oh no, he is coming out” she thought. “Nne, I have to go now, Mama said I shouldn’t stay long” she said walking away, when the Prince‘s voice stopped her.

“Don’t tell me that you are running away from me” he said with a smile, now he was standing between her and Nne.

“No sir” Mma replied. “Good evening” she greeted in a shaky voiced. “Mma, what is wrong with you?” she asked herself. She hated meeting strangers and always shrank back from meeting people especially the opposite sex. Her mother believed, that it was a major reason why she was yet to be married like some of her mates. Although she just turned twenty few months ago, Mma still looked younger and  prettier than her age mates.

“I am Eyinnaya” he introduced himself. Mma quickly looked up at him and drew a lot from that quick glance. He was dark and a little bit above average height. He was dressed in a simple shirt and black trousers, one would pass him for just any foreigner in the village, because he dressed nothing like a prince. “He is good looking too “she thought. Mma, although inexperienced, knew a good looking man when she saw one. “ I have to go Sir, my mother will start getting worried if I delayed further” she said looking up at Nne, who was just smiling and saying nothing, hoping that she would help her leave on time.

“She is not just hardworking” Prince Eyinna said to Nne, “she is also beautiful and well behaved” Mma felt like the ground should open, she was now sweating and squeezing her hands. “Is he trying to make me uncomfortable or what?” she wondered.

The Prince looked at her hard for a few minutes then asked: “Will you marry me?”

Mma looked up at him, and suddenly, boldness came into her. “What if I say no Prince? Will you spare me?”

The Prince smiled “ I liked you, because every time I come to visit Nne, I see a big bunch of firewood and when I ask how she gets them, she says “Mma brings them for me”, but with this question you asked now, I see you as someone with a mind of her own” he looked harder at her now. “Of course, I will spare you if you say no, you are not my slave, but I don’t want you to say no, because I think I am falling in love with you.

Mma didn’t know what to say, she kept swallowing salivia. “Please, let me think about it” she said.

“Yes, my Prince, let her think about it, you know she was not expecting it” Nne finally spoke up.

It was a strange proposal and Mma didn’t know how to handle it. She had to let her parents know too, especially her mother. Something told her that her mother would be thrilled.

Mma was right, her parents were happy with the news, it was like a dream for her father, to be associated with royalty. The crowned prince of Ohafia was interested in his first daughter. It was a miracle. Mma finally saw reasons to accept the prince’s proposal after hearing words again from him, through Nne, who also spoke well of the Prince and encouraged her.

Coincidentally, Nne was also nice to the Prince’s mother and the Prince wanted to pay her back somehow, so from time to time, whenever he was around, he would visit her and give her a small gift. As time passed, it was time for him to get a bride, he wanted a girl from his village, who would be his queen and be by his side at all times.

For Mma, it was God at work, who would think that there was someone else out there who was indebted to Nne like she was, and to think that it was the Eze’s son. While she did everything she did  out of a good heart, an invisible eye was watching and paid her back with a man who shared her passion for people. Above all, Prince Eyinnaya was such a humble man, who never put his social class before the people. The people of Ohafia loved him, and it made it so easy for Mma, as future Queen of Ohafia.

Mma had to deal with the Queen's opinion of her social class. Keep following to find out what happened next...