Amadea's fate.

Chapter 4- The wedding......Sort of.

I woke up and stretched my sore limbs from sleeping on the cold and hard floor .
Since I could remember I'd slept on the floor.
The old and worn mattress which was the only mattress in our small home was in my parents' room.
And it had been there since I could remember too.

As I got up and went to the back of our house to wash my face and rinse my mouth I remembered the events of yesterday.

I'm really getting married and to Mallam Riku.

I knew that the my "wedding" would probably take place today as was customary after the festival.

After washing my face, hands and legs and rinsing my mouth I wore my best dress and the only pair of sandals I owned. As I buckled my sandals, I heard my dad call me in a really loud voice.

Oh my God!! He's probably hungover.

After practically sprinting to his room to avoid enraging him, I said in a low voice to avoid increasing the headache I'm sure he has.

" Mallam Riku would be choosing you today so pack all your things.
I don't want to see you in my house after the festival.
Remember he's paying a great deal of money as your bride price so you must do as he says and give him children as soon as possible.
Preferably male children. I don't want to hear any complaints about you from him. Have you heard me?"

Taking a deep breath, I replied "Yes sir".

"Good now leave my room. Your presence irritates me" He concluded and began muttering under his breath how he must have offended someone to be cursed with a daughter.

I couldn't even find it in me to be sad. I had other things on my mind. Like how I was about to be the seventh wife of a 60 year old man and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

I went to my room and packed a few of my clothes into a nylon bag.
I was done packing in about two minutes, after all I had nothing of value.

As soon as I finished packing my clothes, my mum stepped into the room.
I couldn't even look at her so I pretended that our concrete floors and dirty walls were suddenly interesting.

She sighed before she said
"Amadea, I know you're upset with me now but in the future you'll get to know that this is the best thing for this family.
Mallam Riku is very rich.
He would take care of you and help elevate our status in this town.
After all, what is the point of having a child if that child can't be of use to you. This way you can be of use to your family.
Remember to be submissive to your husband and avoid conflicts with the other wives.
Try to get pregnant as soon as possible and who knows you may even be his favourite and then he'll help this family even more.
Get up now. It's time."
As soon as she said this she walked out of my room barely giving me time to process all she just said.
I scowled and wiped the tears that had formed on my face.

This is not the time to cry. It's time for me to perform my duty to my parents.

Putting on a faux smile, I stepped out of the house and walked to the town square where I would be told to queue up with the other girls in my age group where Mallam Riku would officially pick me.

Prior to this, I was a regular visitor at the town square (since all the youths converged here on moonlit nights to tell jokes, sing and occasionally dance) but the distance from my house to the town square suddenly seemed endless compared to its usual 1km.

I gripped the nylon bag containing my clothes tightly trying to get any form of comfort.

As soon as we were all present and on the queue, the picking started.

Different old and potbellied men walked up and down our line leering at us.

I felt so violated but I had to wait until Mallam Riku picked me.

I looked up and saw Mallam Riku still in his seat.

I thought he was going to pick me but I guess not because all the other men were pulling the girls they wanted out of the line and going to speak to their parents.

Some men fought and argued over some girls before leaving the decision to the parents of the girls.

They would decide who they wanted as their son-in-law.

We were twenty girls in total but now we were down to five.

The picking went on until I was the only one still standing then Mallam Riku gestured to me and called me towards him.

Of course. Everyone probably knew he wanted me and no one wanted to go against him. He was after all the richest and most influential man in my small town.
No wonder he wasn't in a hurry to pick me.

I went towards him and knelt in front of him after greeting me.

He began to touch me and examine my body and I felt extremely uncomfortable but I had to stay still and let him finish his examination.

I kept chanting in my head

You're doing this for your parents,Amadea.
For your parents. For your parents.

"Hmmm. I guess you'll do.
You look like you'll be able to give me a male child.
I'm giving a lot of money to your parents for you so I hope you know I own you now.

And I expect you to get pregnant as soon as possible."

I could only nod.

What was I expecting? I'm just going to be a baby factory for him. That seems to be all I'm good for.

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Hi. It's me. The Author. A longer chapter as promised. Please vote and comment on my story. It'll really mean a lot to me. I'd like to see what you think about the story so far.🥰🥰