CHAPTER SIX

The whole of Afudo was gathered at Nnayi odiochor's house to escort the bride to the palace. Hands made drum beats of happiness, and Ada's heart beat respond in sadness as the dancer's and masquerades danced to the rhythm of the music

She looked at her self and saw how beautiful they had made her. The wrapper with beautiful red pattern went around her waist and stopped just a little above her knees. The same material was wrapped around her chest and it stopped a little above her navel. There were heavy red beads around her feet and lighter ones around her waist. Her rich full her was braided and divided into eight parts each part bearing red beads around them. Her light complexioned skin which had always made her the centre of attention seemed to shine even more brightly today.

Ever since she was a child her younger sisters despised her for her beauty. The eldest in a family of four girls. Ada was her father's favorite child. Papa would usually buy her beautiful wrappers and beads with colour that shone on her fair skin. Her immediate younger sister Nneka, was already married to the son of a chief in the neighbouring village Ngozi like Nneka's twin.

Ada sisters and the girls in the village laughed and called her mad when she talked about what she thought marriage should be. They told her that love was for the birds in the sky and not for the people of Afudo. How she wished she were the birds in the sky

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Ikenna watched from his seat in the palace courtyard as Ada approached the palace from a distance. He was groom, but there was no doubt that the centre of attention today was the fair maiden in red.

He wonder what she was thinking. She must be overjoyed to be marrying him-- to someday become the queen of Afudo. As she came closer, ikenna read no emotion on her face. She was blank as a wiped slate.she was beautiful----there was no doubt about that -----tall and fair with full black hair . Ikenna watched as the red wrapper and beads gleamed in contrast with her skin, and reminded himself that she was not the one he loved. As he looked at her, he turned and caught another's stare. He saw tears in the young girls eyes and a depth of sadness only he could understand.

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Ada had made up her mind not make her face a signboard for people to see and read her feelings. She held her head high and decided that if this was her fate, she might as well get on with it. From a distance, Ada could see the royal court . In the last six years of her life, she had never crossed this path, and now she standing in front of the king and the royal family. It was done

Nnayi odiochor (Ada father) beaming with pride, walked over and stood by her as they bowed before the royal family of Afudo.

'Your majesty, the king of Afudo. The lion that protect this land we greet you. I have brought my daughter to the palace as dictated by the gods of this land. May you live long the king

'YOUR MAJESTY THE VILLAGERS CHORUSED.