The last of the kingmakers handed him a book also, and proclaimed: “Take heed to the fourth verse of the twenty-first chapter of the last section.”
The book of life was considered the most valuable of the gifts he could receive at his coronation. It was said to contain the truth. Anyone who read it and acted according to its precepts would surely become wise. Okem took the book, kissed it, and tucked it under his arm.
He delivered a heartfelt speech and promised that during his rule, he would bring abundance and harmony to the kingdom. He also promised to right all wrongs. The crowd cheered loudly after his speech, and the whole town celebrated for a whole week afterwards.
* * *
Okem reunited with his mother in an emotional ceremony that resulted in a pool of tears on the palace grounds. The Queen, having been deprived of her child since birth, couldn’t fathom the amount of wickedness she’d been meted. From then on, Okem doted on her as he tried to make up for a lifetime of separation. She became extremely fond of me, cherishing my role in her son’s life. Over dinner at the palace one beautiful evening, she gifted me a vast amount of land and buildings.
“Take it, Ona, my dear,” she insisted after I rejected her offer twice. “I owe everything to you, but I’m only offering you a small portion. Whether you accept or not, I’ll be placing everything in trust for you to access whenever you’re ready.”
“No, your highness, the happenings were not my doing. I can’t honestly bring myself to receive a reward for something I didn’t do.”
“What nonsense,” the Queen countered. “You restored my son and my entire legacy to me. Consider this my show of gratitude. Besides, you can create bad fortune by rejecting anything that comes freely to you, especially if it can be of benefit to you or others. Doing so,” she insisted, “is telling your spirit to withhold further good from coming to you. Is that what you want?”
The Queen made absolute sense, so I didn’t need further convincing. This was a lesson I already received during one of my trips to Luenah. Her endowment—estimated to be a quarter of all she owned—turned me into one of the richest women in Ide and Ntebe combined.
* * *
We got married soon after in pomp and style. Our love had endured many difficulties, but we settled into married life with ease. Okem ruled with diligence and wisdom. He was a natural, having practiced for this role since he was born. He gave the late King a befitting burial, one he felt the late Ideme would be proud of wherever he was. With help from a carefully selected cabinet, he was able to turn the economy around and reverse all the damage Ozumba and Ekema had caused when they controlled the affairs of the kingdom. He placed deserving people in positions of power and revived industries. Bribery and corruption seized.
The months of coaching I received to become Albert’s Queen came in handy as I assumed my new role with ease. I followed Okem’s lead, but I was able to guide him in the right direction when I thought he was making the wrong decision. His regime resulted in an end to the boundary clashes between Ide and Ntebe. He involved the federal government in negotiations to resolve the border disputes and destroy the slums. Properly planned housing projects sprang up in their place. The culprits who orchestrated and benefited from the clashes were tried and punished. A number of them were prestigious members of society. These persons had participated in the original peace talks and purposely created recommendations to benefit their bottom line rather than the wellbeing of the populace. Also implicated were the corrupt judges that handled the past court cases. They were tried and sentenced as well for having received bribes to rule in favor of the cabal.
Chapter Twenty-three
I ENTERED LUENAH one more time. In the middle of the afternoon, when the sun was still high in the sky, I was resting on my bed when I slowly drifted away. I walked triumphantly through the path and landed right at the door of the shrine. As I kicked off my shoes, for the first time since my adventures in Luenah began, I noticed a lovely pair of gold slippers glistening on the floor. They felt like a second skin when I tried them on. Heading in the direction of the throne room, my grandfather appeared and led me before the supreme ruler.
“It’s time to return the box,” the ruler said.
“Which box,” I asked, a little confused.
“The one you received in Luenah the day you turned eighteen. Don’t tell me you’ve forgotten about it already.”
“Ohh!” I exclaimed.
I had completely forgotten about the box, but right before he asked for it, I had felt something weighing me down, so much so that my right shoulder drooped. Don’t tell me I have been carrying this around all this time. I reached for my pocket, and there it was, still intact but much heavier than I expected. It was light and empty when I placed it there. Lifting it with both hands, I noticed Papa’s amused grin as I panted and heaved from the load.
“Open it,” he said.
“Open it?” I muttered under my breath, scared of what I might find inside. It looked like the same box my grandfather handed to me several moons ago, but this one gave me a bad feeling. I shuddered as I alternated my gaze between the intricate designs on the box, the supreme ruler, and my grandfather.
“Go ahead,” he repeated. “Open it.”
I started to lift the cover slowly and glimpsed my grandfather looking at me from the corner of his eye. He seemed to be saying, “What is happening,
