The loud chiming of bells coupled with the beating of gongs had her jolting back to life from her sleep, just then the doors pulled open and the eight maids rushed in.

"Good morning your highness," they chorused unanimously.

Adunni rubbed her temples with the back of her palm as her eyes struggled to adjust to the brightness of the room, she motioned her hand towards the open curtains and windows before sitting up.

"Good morning. Someone please close that curtain before I gourge my eyes out," she moaned agitated.

Arike bowed, "yes your highness," with that she ordered one of the girls to have the curtains and windows closed.

The sound of the palace bells echoed again and this time she was forced to ask, "why is the palace bells ringing?"

"The king has opened the palace gatex officially." Ewa giggled excitedly.

Adunni's eyes widened, "eh?! The king did? When?"

"This morning. The gates were opened as per the king's orders."

                        ™†~†~†~†™

Adejoba watched as the villagers trooped in after each other, all with a different case to lay before him. if it wasn't for his queen's wish he'd have called the whole thing off. Olakunle seemed to have noticed his misery he leant closer.

"Should I send the rest away? You can continue tomorrow."

He looked towards the doors at the throne room to the entrance of the palace, nearly running away at the number of crowds that fought their way through. He contemplated sending them away.

"No. Not yet. Let them lay their complaints before their king."

A woman and a man walked in with a child, once they'd gotten before him they bowed, both nearly trembling visibly as they met the king's gaze.

"Kabiyesi oh, ka de pe lori." They chorused.

Adejoba swung his irukere in their direction, acknowledging their greetings. "Greetings my people. Shall we begin?" He turned to the five elders.

"Yes, your highness." Elder Ayobami who looked the oldest amongst them rose to his feet. "Please table your request or complaints before the king."

The couple nodded.

The male proceeded to speaking, "Kabiyesi oh. I've married my wife for five years but the gods had failed to bless our union with a child, of which I didn't hold as an issue against my wife even when my family called her barren. We both continued to pray and offer sacrifices. Then one day, after my return from the hunt my wife came bearing news of a life forming inside of her."

The crowd murmured, sympathizing with the couple's predicament and also jubilating with their success but the wife looked to be uncomfortable with whatever her husband was saying. A whimper rolled off her lips she bent her head.

He paused, eyeing his wife with contempt, "once the child was of age, another man came to my hut to claim the child was his. At first I didn't want to believe but my wife confessed to sleeping with another man because she was desperately in need of the fruit of the womb, then she claimed to have done it for me."

Shouts of "ah!, Ewo!" Echoed throughout the throne room. The king sighed as he leaned back into his seat.

"Silence!" The elder ordered before turning to the king, "we await your judgment your majesty."

"Not until the woman says her own side of the story."

Adejoba saw pain and regret clearly written on the woman's face, not to talk of the sheer embarrassment she was experiencing. He knew it would be unfair to not hear her own side of the story.

"Your..your majesty?" She stuttered through series of sobs.

"Raise your head and look at me woman." Adejoba ordered with a stern voice.

She nearly cowered at the sound of his voice but managed to lift her head, locking eyes with the king momentarily.

"Now, please speak if you may. Or do you admit to the charges laid against you?"

Tears cascaded down her eyes continuously, her voice echoed through the now quiet throne room and after she had managed to pull herself together she spoke again.

"Thank you your majesty." She sniffed, "yes I admit to the charges laid against me."

Shouts filled the throne room again as people laid accusations on the poor woman and blamed her for her infidelity. When the guards eventually silenced them again she began her lamentations.

"All I did was for my husband. The babalawo we visited last assured us all was well and that the orisa ibeji would soon favor my womb with it's own fruits in due time but before we left he called me into the secret chambers and told me the problem was from my husband but I loved him dearly and kept the truth away from him, that was when my friend suggested that I find a solution to our childlesness and I did."

Screams of pity and sympathy erupted from the crowd again, the woman turned to look at her husband who stared at her shocked and dumbfounded.

"Don't look too surprised now, we both know you knew about your impotence and kept me in the dark."

"Ah! Abeke!"

She snapped, "don't Abeke me! Since we have come to wash our dirty linens in public, let us solve this matter once and for all." She turned back to Adejoba who stared at them with profound interest, "my king, even though I knew he was impotent I tried to bear him a child. My only sin is letting him father another man's child." 

Ashamed and embarrassed the man fixed his stare to the floor, avoiding the gaze of anyone who felt it necessary to look at him. The king on the other hand pondered on what decision to make.

"Your majesty, the couple awaits your decree." Elder Ayobami spoke again.

Adejoba stroked his chin, he fidgeted with the ornate gems that lined the chair he sat on, his flitting gaze flickered from Olakunle to the couple.

"Forgive me your majesty, if I may speak,"

His gaze lifted towards the entrance and amusement floated in his blood red irises, his lips quirked up into a smile.

"My queen. The throne room is no place for a woman," his smile grew wider when he noticed the frown on her face.

As she walked closer the white tunic she wore made her look more like a goddess than human, on her wrists were white bracelets that complemented the ivory one. On her legs were anklets of brass with little bells that tinkled when she moved, white beads adorned her head and her ebony skin glowed, right there he nearly fell to his knees to worship her as she approached.

She was a true goddess, Osun herself. Her glory radiated around her and shone as bright as the sun. Then and there he knew she was a woman who could make him fall to his knees, she was trouble. That much he could tell, but he was too far gone to care.

Even the mortals felt her presence, they involuntarily fell to their knees, worshipping her and hailing their queen. Adunni on the other hand was unaware of whatever was happening, she stared wide eyed.

"Please rise, do not kneel before me. Please," she hurriedly helped those she could back up to their feet.

"Her powers is growing, the amulet will no longer be able to contain it soon enough. Did you for once think of what will happen when it does?" Olakunle whispered to the king.

"She will either kill me or not. But until then, I will not worry myself with trivial things such as that."

The elders rose to their feet and curtesied.

"Your highness."

"My elders, please rise." They acknowledged her with a smile before sitting back, she turned to the king. "I do not intend to stay in the throne room. I would not dare, this place is no place for a child like me, it's for men of valor and honor." She bowed to the king.

Adejoba nodded, pleased.

"I overheard the case of this couple and though I did not want to meddle, my curiosity got the best of me. Please permit me to speak my king,"

He hesitated at first, Olakunle was clearly against the whole thing, it was written on his face.

"This is not my decision to make. If the elders would allow their queen," he turned to them, awaiting their replies.

After several whisperings between the elders they turned back to the king with a pleased smile on.

"It will not kill to hear what the queen has to say. Even our adage says ogbon ologbon kìi je ki a pe àgbà ni wèrè." one of the elders said and the others nodded in agreement.

"Alright then, speak my queen."