01/03/2025
EPISODE EIGHT
Everyone waited patiently outside Kenna's compound as the palace guards searched the entire house.
The surroundings were so silent that even the drop of a pin would be heard. Among those waiting, Ikenna and his wife were filled with anxiety, their minds racing with countless thoughts.
What if the stolen livestock was found in their home?
How would they defend themselves from the shame?
Only the little girl remained relaxed, and suddenly, a wicked idea popped into her mind. With a sweet smile, she asked, **"Princess, what will happen to the person who stole the livestock?"**
**"She will be banished from this kingdom, of course!"** Ada interjected immediately.
Everyone turned to her with a strange look—wasn't banishment too extreme for stealing just a few goats and chickens? And to make things worse, the person she wanted to banish was her own co-wife.
This story is written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
Sensing everyone's gaze on her, Ada chuckled awkwardly and shrugged.
**"I mean, this is a serious crime. Stealing livestock meant for the princess's marriage rites is unforgivable."**
Little Winnie nodded in agreement. **"I completely agree with you, Aunty. It’s truly a grave crime."**
Everyone was taken aback, especially Ikenna and Olanna.
*Did this little girl just call Olanna ‘Aunty’?* Then why was she siding with Ada?
Before Winnie could say another word, the palace guards emerged from the house—empty-handed.
**"My princess, we couldn't find the stolen livestock anywhere. We've searched the entire building, and there is no sign of the missing goats or chickens."**
The princess: "..."
The entire crowd: *"..."
Ada: “..."
Manna and her husband: "..."
Olanna and her husband: "..."
Only Winnie remained unfazed while the rest stood in shock. Since she understood exactly what was happening, she gave them a moment to process the situation.
After a brief pause, she turned to the guards and asked, “Uncles, are you sure you searched thoroughly?"
One of them responded, "Unless the stolen livestock was hidden somewhere else, it’s definitely not in this house."
This story is written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
"You really searched everywhere?" the princess asked hesitantly, confusion evident on her face.
**"Yes, my princess. We turned the entire house upside down and couldn’t even catch a whiff of them,"** the guards replied.
The princess’s face flushed with embarrassment as she found herself at a loss for words. But the most bewildered of all was Ada—she still couldn’t grasp what was happening.
*Olanna was supposed to be the thief, so why…?*
“Could she have hidden them somewhere else? I mean, maybe she took them to their poultry farm?"** Ada suggested.
Everyone turned to stare at her as if she had lost her mind. They all knew that Ikenna's poultry farm was located on the outskirts of the village—a place far too distant for someone to reach on foot so easily.
The head guard stepped forward and asked, **"My princess, what should we do next?"** awaiting her decision.
This story was written by Authoress Winnie . B. Onuh.
Princess Adaeze's expression shifted slightly. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to apologize, but at the same time, she didn’t want to offend the little girl—especially after witnessing a glimpse of what she was capable of.
"Let's return to the palace first,"** she said, turning to leave.
But Winnie wasn’t about to let them off that easily. However, she also didn’t want to draw too much attention to herself, so she discreetly nudged Ikenna, signaling him to act.
Catching the hint, Ikenna cleared his throat. “You may be the princess, but that doesn’t give you the right to walk away without apologizing to me and my family for the humiliation you put us through."*
Princess Adaeze halted in her tracks and slowly turned to face him, her expression icy. **"What did you just say?"
Ikenna let out a half-smile and said, **"Going deaf at a young age isn’t good for you, Princess. You heard what I said."
"You're right, Uncle. Who would marry a deaf princess?"** Winnie chimed in, flashing an innocent smile as she backed Ikenna’s words.
"How dare you speak so disrespectfully to the princess!" Lizzy snapped, raising her hand to strike Winnie.
But before she could, Ikenna grabbed her wrist, his eyes burning with anger. "You dare touch her?" he growled.
Without a word, Winnie lifted her arms toward Olanna, silently asking to be carried. Smiling, Olanna picked her up, holding her close.
“Your husband is truly amazing, Aunty. I hope to marry someone like him in the future," Winnie said with a thumbs-up.
This story was written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
Olanna laughed, shaking her head in amusement.
Princess Adaeze, however, scoffed and turned to Ikenna, speaking in a condescending tone. **"Ikenna, your wife is a thief, and just because the stolen livestock wasn’t found in your home doesn’t make her any less guilty. So, I have nothing to apologize for, and…”
*"Careful, Princess."
Winnie’s voice cut through the air, halting Adaeze’s words instantly. Her sharp gaze locked onto the princess. **"Careful with your words, unless you want to taste my wrath. And this time, it won’t be just an ordinary thunder."**
She ended with a gentle smile, but the warning in her tone was unmistakable.
Princess Adaeze immediately snapped her mouth shut. She didn’t care about the dumbfounded expressions around her—her back still ached from the last thunder strike, though she tried not to show it.
"I suggest we conduct a thorough search of the nearby houses. Someone must have stolen from the king and hoped to escape, knowing my wife would be the primary suspect,"** Ikenna said as he released the maid’s hand and suddenly proposed his idea.
Everyone nodded in agreement—it was a reasonable suggestion.
"I don’t think that’s a good idea! I still believe Olanna stole those livestock!"** Ada objected immediately. "She must have hidden them somewhere!"
Winnie smiled to herself, muttering in her mind, *Digging a pit for yourself, huh?*
Princess Adaeze shot Ada a displeased look before turning to the guards. **"Let’s start with her house. Guards, move out!"* she ordered angrily.
This story was written by Authoress Winnie . B. Onuh.
"Yes, my princess!" The guards responded in unison before marching off. Slowly, the rest of the crowd followed, leaving Ada standing there, bewildered.
*"Why are you searching my house? Isn’t that a waste of time?"** she asked, clearly flustered.
When the crowd arrived at Ikemefuna's compound, they found him sitting on his veranda, a few bags of to***co in his hands.
Seeing the large gathering, he was momentarily taken aback, confusion evident on his face. **"What is the meaning of this unannounced visit?" he asked.
"We are here to conduct a general search by the king’s order regarding the livestock stolen from the palace last night. We would appreciate your cooperation,"** the head guard explained.
Ikemefuna's frown deepened as he turned his gaze to the princess. "My princess, if this is about the stolen livestock, don’t you think you’re searching in the wrong place? Isn’t Ikenna’s house where you should be looking?”
*"Ohhh! That’s exactly what I said, my husband, but none of them would believe me," Ada exclaimed as she rushed from the crowd to stand beside Ikemefuna, shooting a glare at the people gathered in their compound.
This story was written by Authoress Winnie . B. Onuh.
Princess Adaeze, however, completely ignored his words. Instead, she gave a subtle signal to the guards to begin the search immediately.
The moment they received the command, the guards barged into Ikemefuna’s house, paying no attention to his loud protests.
*"What kind of embarrassment is this? The king must hear of it! I won’t be humiliated like this!"** Ikemefuna fumed, dropping his to***co as his attention shifted to his younger brother.
He glared at Ikenna. **"Can you see the disgrace your wife has brought upon this household? My home is now a place where palace guards can barge in and search as they please?!"
Winnie turned her attention to Ikemefuna, studying him closely. She could see the deep envy and hatred written all over him, making her wonder why he harbored such malice toward his younger brother.
*"Humans can be truly evil," she thought, shaking her head. But then she remembered how much she had suffered at the hands of her cousin sister and realized that wickedness existed everywhere.
It wasn’t that she couldn’t put her cousin in her place—she simply hadn’t been interested in fighting her. But this time, once she returned to her kingdom, Sofia would never have the chance to taunt her again.
This story was written by Authoress Winnie . B. Onuh.
Meanwhile, Ikemefuna and his wife continued to rant in anger, protesting the search of their home. However, no one paid them any attention—until, a few minutes later, the guards emerged, carrying all the stolen livestock.
“My princess, we found them!"
Disbelief washed over Ikemefuna and his wife as the words echoed in their ears. “We found them!”
"What did you say…? You found what? Where?!"
Everyone present stood frozen in shock, their mouths hanging open as if their acupuncture points had been struck.
Ada was utterly dumbfounded, staring at the stolen goats and chickens that had just been pulled from her backyard.
Nearby, Olanna furrowed her brows deeply. She distinctly remembered waking up with that familiar urge to steal last night—so how had the stolen livestock ended up in Ada’s house instead?
Then, suddenly, realization struck her. *Winnie!*
The little girl who had been bleeding that morning… Was it because she had woken up to help her?
She slowly looked down at the pretty girl smiling in her arms and instantly knew this was her doing.
But why? What had she done to deserve such kindness?
"Brother, did you send Winnie to me?" she whispered in her mind, her eyes brimming with unshed tears.
This story was written by Authoress Winnie. B. Onuh.
At that moment, the villagers erupted into an uproar.
Ikemefuna stood speechless, his mind spinning as if the earth itself had begun to rotate beneath him.
*This isn’t the outcome of the incantation I performed last night...*
*this is definitely not how it is supposed to be!
*What went wrong?*
To be continued.
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