DIAMOND IN THE FOREST.
Episode 27.
“You s£nt for me my prince…
I’m sorry I was out on palace
patrol…I just returned…
“You are talking with the
maiden I s£nt out on
suspension, I was told so…
what business do you have
with her..
“Nothing my prince…she told
me that she was suspended
and i wanted to know why…
that was all…
“Leja…I trust you and I hate to
have doubt in anyone I trust
totally…you are close to me
and it was because of your
ha-rd work and sincerity that
made you to become the chief
guard and the Oba has
rewarded you greatly for all
your labour and when you
saved me from drowning at
the river. you have serve well
and you know almost
everything that goes in and
out of this palace…why I’m
saying this is because I have
few question for you and I
nee-d a truthful answer, you
have never lied to me so don’t
start now….Nike c@m£ to me
with the news of being
pregnant and the funny p@rt is
that she said I’m responsible.
the night I woke up and saw
her n-ked in my chamber and
all my cloths were off…that
was the night she said it
happened….now tell me is this
true, did I s£nd for Nike
because I don’t see any reason
why I will do that…I have no
interest in her at all and I won’t
even in my dream…why will I
specifically s£nd for Nike and
then l@ywith her…because I
remember all that happened
that night, you kept on filling
my cu-p until I pas-sed out and
the next thing is a n-ked
maiden in my chamber…and
she is claiming that I la-id with
her…and I’m certain…so certain
that I did not do such…so tell
me the truth…what happened
that night…
Leja breathed in, he wish he
can say everything without
covering anything up, but if he
has to that then the real truth
about Remi’s pregnancy and so
many other things will be
revealed and the prince will
never forgive him, he may end
up being punished or banished,
“may the gods forbids, being
banished and die in the evil
forest is not my portion and
the gods will not allow such
thing to befall me”, Leja prayed
in his mind.
Leja bent his head not knowing
how to start but he has to end
this evil seed that Nike has
started planting before
something else goes wrong, he
will leave Remi’s p@rt out of it,
she is dead and long gone, so
she has become a history but
Nike was running with speed
with this her evil plans and he
can’t bear it any more, he has
to tell the prince everything
that happened that night
“Leja…soro…kilo sele…I asked a
question and I nee-d a sincere
answer…why are you quiet…all
I want is the truth, if you have
lied before to me then say the
truth now before I start
digging, say the truth because
that is the only way to my
heart…you know that.
“my prince… i….i mean…I
uhmmm…imabinu…you are
right my prince…you never
s£nt for Nike that night neither
did you l@ywith her, the child
that Nike is carrying is not
yours…I don’t know how she
sneak into your chamber that
night and I was surprise to find
out when you asked her to
fetch me that night…she was
obsess with you and wanted
you, most maidens admires
you greatly my prince but Nike
took it too far and all I did was
to cover her up and not for her
to get into trouble with you, I
never knew she will come up
with this pregnancy thing…she
took it too far and I am de-eply
sorry for not saying the truth
when you asked me and I did
not bother to come all this
while to clear what happened
that night…I know you trusted
me, I betrayed that trust and I
felt bad after lying to you that
night plea-se for give me my
prince…e joo
Leja knelt down and the prince
asked him to stand up and he
quic-kly did.
“Is there any other thing you
aren’t telling me…Leja…I feel
there is more to this…tell me
more…. Everything I nee-d to
know.
“That is all my prince, if
anything nee-ds to be told you
will be the first to know…this is
all
“Leja…Leja…why will you agree
to such…she pu-ll-ed off my cloth
because I woke up without my
cloths on, what an insult to my
person, she was standing right
here n-ked…real n-ked, Leja…
and she did not make any
attempt to cover up until I
asked her to…why will I see
such thing, you strongly lied to
me and said I s£nt for her
when I know fully well I never
did, you made me look like a
fool and I did not know what
to say except to ask two of you
to leave my chamber that
night…why will you agree to
such, your duty is to the palace
not to a maiden, why will you
even defend her unruly act…
who is responsible for her
pregnancy…
“..i…I don’t know my prince…
maybe is from outside the
palace…but…I uhmmm don’t
know…all I know is that she
was obsess with you and she
took it too far…i am so sorry…
de-eply sorry, I plead for your
forgiveness my prince, plea-se…
I’m pleading…such will never
happen again…I promise…I will
do my work as I’m trusted to
do…with all sincerity…I will…
“enough…when that maiden
returns from her suspension
she will be totally dismissed
from the palace, such people
should not be here…they have
no place in this palace…they
are desperate and dangerous
and before she will be finally
dismissed ask her to bring her
mother to the palace…in fact
go to their house tomorrow
and give her my message, tell
her while she is resuming back
from her suspension she
should bring her mother along,
I nee-d to see the kind of
woman that gave birth to such
maiden, I will love to know if
the woman gives advice to her
daughter at all, that maiden is
wayward and unrestrained
that was why she has the gut
to do what she did, and as for
you Leja, my trust for you has
gone below my legs, I will
have to weigh everything you
tell me next time, until I’m
certain is the truth, it will be
ha-rd for me to believe you…
you failed in your duty and you
deserve to be suspended too
but I will let you be for now,
leave my chamber at once..
Leja bowed and left
immediately, he wish he has
not allowed his jealousy to get
the best of him, he wanted
Remi but when the Prince
started showing interest and
Remi never gave him a second
look, it prompted him to get
involve with Nike and the
result so far has being
disastrous, innocent lives has
being lost and now the prince
has doubt in him, he wish
there was a remedy to
everything he has done, he
wish he can totally confess
everything but that will be
dangerous, the prince is angry
with him for just this, that
means if he has told the prince
everything, the truth about
Remi and all that he has gotten
involve in, the prince will want
to have his head in a platter, he
will do worst things to him.
And Nike may want to get back
at him if she finds out that he
have spoilt the whole plan, she
and her mother will not take it
lightly with him, but she will
also be getting herself into a
bigger mess if she decided to
tell the prince what happened,
Leja knew Nike can not tell the
whole truth. But whatever that
may happens he silently
prayed it will not get worst
than it seems alre-ady.
Remi held Ademide as he feed
in her arm, she watch him with
a smile and suddenly ha-rd
Sipah’s voice who was
watching her from the door,
she startled
“Sorry…I scared you….i just
wanted to know how he is
doing, I was out the whole day
and didn’t get a chance to pla-y
with him…
“He is asleep now, he looks so
beautiful Pah, and just
watching him alone gladdens
my heart…
“Sure, he is, you are beautiful
Remi…so is only normal to
breed your kind…you have a
warm heart, when I say you
are beautiful I mean every
word of it…inside and out.
Remi looked up at him and
they locked eyes for sometime,
the native handmade lamp
burn at one corner, Mikai sleep
soundly, Ore was out, he
sometimes sleeps on the tree
or in the house that Sipah built
for him, Sipah also built a
house for Mikai’s birds, rabbits,
squirrels and other pet animals
that Sipah caught for Mikai
Sipah looked away, as he felt
the heat of his emotions
“I just wanted to check up…i
will wash up and go to be-d,
good night Remi…good night
Emmanuel…I pray the almighty
God, keeps us all safe throu-gh
out the night as always and
may morning bring the
blessing of the new day to us…
“Amen…thank you…
goodnight…
Sipah turned to leave and Remi
spoke again ma-king him to
pause.
“Pah, you are also handsome,
even your scar can not hide the
fine man that you are, you are
a good man with a large heart,
sometimes I mistake you for an
angel in human. Thank you
Pah….i love…I mean I love the
environment you created for us
here…
Sipah smiled, he nodded before
walking away, he washed up
and return to his room, he lay
down in his be-d and watch the
fire from the cl@ypot in his
room, burn quietly.
Remi has occu-pied his mind
and he forgot to pray, he sat
up from his be-d and silently
started praying
“heavenly father, I thank you
for your numerous blessing
everyday, I can’t tell it all, even
if my b©dy is filled with mouth
is never enough to say thank
you father, thank you for Remi
and Emmanuel, thank you for
Mikai, Ore our monkey friend,
the beauty and quietness of
this place, where people
dre-aded most you created a
beautiful home out of it for us.
Night has come and I ask for
your protec-tion over us, s£nd
your angels to surround us, no
evil is allowed close here
because we are un-der your
wing of protec-tion. Thank you
so much for your love and
kindness so far, I tell you
everything because you are a
good listener and a loving
father, today I decided to talk
to you about Remi, my
emotions and the way I feel for
her, I don’t know if this is right
or not but I don’t want to do
things you won’t approve off,
keep me in check and don’t let
me run wild with this, it may
seem normal to be together
but I am not counting on what
seem normal in my eyes but
what you think about it all.
Have your way in our lives and
perfect that which concerns
us….may we find our purpose
in life and live as you want us
to live…this and many more I
pray in Jesus name…. Amen.
Sipah returned to be-d and sle-pt
with peace in his heart
Remi l@ywith Ademide in her
own room, she wish she can
express how she feel about
Sipah, he looks at her the way
she love, she melt at his gaze
and love having him around,
he makes her have this warm
feeling that she can’t explain,
she wonder if Sipah feels the
same way too, she wish Sipah
could just tell her the way he
feels about her, she almost said
that she loves him earlier
which was what she had
wanted to say but caught
herself, Sipah maybe feeling
different from that.
Remi breathed de-eply as she
tried to think of something
else, she thought of the prince
and frowned, she has had same
feeling for the prince, same
feeling that she was having for
Sipah, the Prince has joined
many other to hurt her, only
the princess and Ope stood by
her in the palace.
Remi wondered what life was
like for them, they all probably
thought she was dead.
Remi thought of her late
mother and wiped a tiny tear
off her eyes, she wondered
how her grandma and Dami
are doing.
Her grandma’s riddle has never
left her heart “two will want
you, only one will have you,
then disaster will struck and
the gods will take you far away
with the seed of crown…which
will become a Diamond in
forest…sorted after….
She un-derstand her grandma’s
riddles but not fully, the only
p@rt she is yet to un-derstand
now is “diamond in the forest
that will be sorted after…by
who, Remi asked her self
silently, she looked down on
her son and covered him up
properly. “the only good thing
I got from the palace is
Ademide, the prince broke me
up even without knowing, and
when I thought the world has
come to an end for me I found
a new home here and another
beginning… I’m glad the gods
kept me safe until I brou-ght
my Ade forth. This is my
pres£nt, Sipah, Mikai, Ore and
everything here is my pres£nt
and I find peace here, no
trouble, just us living in our
own world. All I wish is that
Sipah will open up to me on
how he feels or maybe I should
tell him…no I can’t, I will rather
remain quiet and allow
whatever will be to be…but I
feel something strong for him…
same as I have felt for the
prince.
Remi breathed again before
shutting her eyes, as she
allowed sleep to take over her.
Episode 28.
Ope walked round the market
to make sure she has gotten
everything the princess s£nt
her to buy.
As she was about going she
sighted a young boy, she
recognized the boy very well,
despite he has increa-sed in
height and b©dy she still know
who he was
He wanted to buy fufu from a
older woman who seem to be
smiling while talking with him
Ope quic-kly walked up to him
and tapped him on the
shoulder, he quic-kly turned and
looked at Ope with a confused
face before greeting her
“Eka sun (good afternoon)
“Ba wo ni (how are you)
“O wa pa (I’m fine)
“Do you know me…or let me
say do you remember me…?
“Rara o (not at all)
“Are you throu-gh with what
you c@m£ to buy or you still
want to buy other things?
” I’m throu-gh…I just want to
wra-p up the fufu and I will be
on my way…
Ope nooded as he collected the
fufu and greeted the woman
cheerfully and they both Left
the market together.
“Oru ko mi ni Ope (my name is
Ope) I work in the palace…and I
was close to your sister Remi
before she was banished… I’m
de-eply sorry for your late sister
and also your late mother,
Remi was a nice maiden but
she has so much enemies than
friends and they plot together
to destroy her…I am sorry…
what is your name again..
“My name is Dami and I live
with my grandma now, she
s£nt me to buy somethings at
the market, the woman you
saw me talking with use to be
Maami’s friend, they usually sit
together in this market and sell
their fufu but ever since maami
pas-sed on she has never
st©pped giving me and my
grandma free fufu, she refuse
to collect money from me, she
said maami was kind to
everyone including her, maami
will give her last meal to a
total stranger and go hungry…
Maami’s death is still a shock to
her and to those she was close
to, it sound so unbelievable
because she was looking
healthy on the last day she
c@m£ to market and the
following day she was gone…
followed by my pregnant elder
sister being banished, I
thought the world has come to
an end but I’m glad to be
among the living. well, I think
remember you now. My sister
do mention your name
sometimes back then… how’s
the palace and the Oba…we
ha-rd that he is very ill, hope he
is getting better?
“The palace is cold as usual…it
was as if your sister took the
color along when she left… the
palace is never the same but
we all go about our rightful
duty as we called to and as for
the Oba… we are still hoping on
the gods for him to get
better…I ha-rd this morning that
two of the cabinet men are
also sick and the native doctors
has gone to attend to them…no
one knows what is happening…
only the gods sees in secret…
“My grandma said so… she said
many will become sick and the
kingdom will be torn ap@rt…
the seed of crown which
happens to be the diamond in
the forest will be sorted after…
she said the oba Will not die..
he will live to see the seed of
crown…
“What seed of crown and
diamond are you talking
about…I don’t seem to get
what you are saying Dami..
what are you really talking
about…
“I can’t even explain myself I’m
just quoting my grandma…but
she say certain things that ends
up being true. She makes me
to believe that Remi is alive
and well… she has a son and
they live in the forest with
with a stranger…I believe her
because she has the ear of the
gods…
“Can you take me to her, I
mean iya agba… your grandma
…
Let me greet her before going
back to the palace
Dami took her to the house,
the grandma was ma-king
ewedu soup with a short
bunch of broom. She has
prepared Amala alre-ady as
Dami went to as-sist her after
introducing Ope to her.
Ope knelt down and greeted
her before Iya asked her to
stand up
“Remi was my good friend
back in the palace before the
disaster struck… she was a kind
person, I just wanted to greet
you Iya and to also sympathize
with you…it must be very ha-rd
loosing both daughter, grand
daughter and even a great
grand child if Remi’s had given
birth…but the gods knows the
best…Remi was selfless when
she was alive…
“Yes, and she is remain selfless
because she is alive. she
trusted too much but that was
because of the kind of person
she is, enemies in a friendly
clothing were surrounding
her… it wasn’t because she was
cold or foolish that s£nt her to
the forest… my grand daughter
was wise and bold yet too
soft…
“You mean she survived the
forest and bore her child right
in the wild…
“Yes, a son, diamond in the
forest…he is the seed of
crown… a remedy for the
kingdom…
“Oh… the gods be praise…so
Remi will eventually return
back to the kingdom alive with
a son… wow…it sound too
good to be true…I can’t wait
Iya… I can’t wait for her
return… how long will it take
for It to happen…
“The gods did not reveal the
time or hour, I use to guess
maybe it will be upto five years
before all this will take place
but I feel the time is close… she
is not coming alone… she will
be coming with total
strangers… they have shining
light around their feets, they
c@m£ before and built The first
school here for us but the Oba
chased them away because he
felt they brou-ght new strange
teaching that may corrupt the
people’s minds but this time
the stranger coming with my
grand daughter will come to
stay, he will pitch his tent here
and many will come to believe
in his teaching…he is a good
man with a pure heart and so
is the little girl with him… they
will marry our own and
multi-ply… the troubled
kingdom will be peaceful again
because the wicked will not
stand the heat… they will be
expo-sed soon…
“Amin… Iya, even though I
don’t un-derstand everything
but it all sound too good…I am
so happy to know that Remi is
alive and I will keep pleading
to the gods to keep her and
her son safe until there
return…iya I have to run back
to the palace now…I met Dami
in the market and decided to
st©p by and greet you..
“plea-se wait and eat
something my child, the soup
is almost re-ady… you can’t
come over without eating or
drinking from me… the princess
is not in nee-d of you right now
so eat before running
back…you are a good child and
the gods are smiling towards
you… your fight for justice will
be greatly rewarded…but in all
your doing be wise because
the enemies plan is only to kill
and destroy anyone standing
on their way…
Ope nooded and waited as
grandma served her Amala and
Ewedu soup with dry fish.
As Ope silently ate, Dami sat
beside her eating his own
Ewedu with fufu, grandma
kept on talking to her about
things that are yet to be
Ope did not un-derstand every
thing but she nodded anyway
The food was so delicious that
she ate up the plate of Amala
before thanking grandma
Before she Left she promise to
always st©p by any day she
was s£nt to the market just to
check up and to know if iya
agba cooked Amala and Ewedu
They all laugh before Ope Left.
Nike’s mother bec@m£ sick, Leja
c@m£ to give the prince
message to them but found
out that Nike’s mother was
critically ill, he pas-sed the
message anyway and left
without wasting time, he tries
to avoid any suspense or
questioning that will come
from Nike.
Leja reported back to the
prince
Nike couldn’t return to the
palace after the prince
warning, she doesn’t know
what Leja said to the prince
which made him to dismiss her
from the palace maiden, she
was angry at Leja and planned
to find out what he told the
prince ones her mother’s
health improves.
She wanted to be in the palace
where she will get to see the
prince daily but she can’t leave
her mother in her condition
She planned to deal with both
Leja and Ope if she is allowed
back to the palace.
Nike wondered why people
were falling ill in the kingdom,
first it was the Oba, then two
cabinet men now her mother
who knows who will follow
next.
But she wasn’t afraid, she must
try to achieve her aim by
becoming the next Queen of
the kingdom, and Leja has to
help her achieve that other
wise he will expo-se him.
Remi worked with Mikai in
Sipah’s farm, as they harvest
the corn.
Ademide was securely at her
back with the stained wra-pper
which has become almost
everything to her in taking care
of her son
Sipah has gone into the forest
to cut woods for his farm.
Ore was with Remi and Mikai
as he follows them everywhere
they go wanting to as-sist but
don’t seem to know how
When Ademide started
whining and crying, Remi
decided to drop him close by,
she spre-ad the corn ear first on
the farm land before spre-ading
the wra-pper over it to make it
soft.
She sat Ademide on the ground
and asked Ore to pl@ywith him
Ore was happy to have baby
Ademide to himself as he jump
up and down ma-king the little
boy to giggle.
Ademide st©pped crying and
started laughing as Ore started
entertaining him.
Mikai looked over to where the
baby and monkey was pla-ying
and started laughing
“Ore will make a great baby
sitter…he act like a human
atimes…he likes pla-ying with
Ade… The baby is fond of him…
“Yea, Ore is an intelligent
animal, the first day he showed
me the spring I was shock… my
throat was patched…I really
nee-ded water and Ore lead the
way to the spring, it was from
that day I gave him the name
Ore…
“Someday I pray to also have a
baby…I love babies…I grew up
here with Pah, he told me the
stories of my real parents
burning in a house fire set up
by wicked people, Pah saved
me and he bec@m£ a parent to
me, he taught me to re-ad and
write and how to do so many
things like my own weapon, he
is my father and my only
family I have on earth, I’m use
to this environment and I’m
not afraid… I’m use to pah and
the animals untill you c@m£
here, pah has said if I come of
age he will take me to a
faraway village where I will be
able to have a suitor… maybe
marry and have children…he
doesn’t care much about
himself, but I pray every night
that God will protect him and
s£nd a woman who will
become his wife… do you know
that when you c@m£ it looks
like you were an answer to my
prayer… you and pah were
getting close I was happy but
recently i notice that pah
seems to be distancing himself
from you… do you know why?
“Well, not really… you know
pah can be weird and he prays
alot… maybe he likes having
quiet time where he can
communicate with God
without any distraction…
“Maybe you are right… Pah
prays too much, almost all the
time. you said you also lost
your father and mother, the
only people alive is your
grandma and your brother…
you are still blessed to have a
grandma and a brother…I wish
I have a grandma and a sibling
too…but is all good… the Lord’s
ways are far different from
ours… he sees and knows all
things. Pah thought me to be
thankful in everything… forgive
those who hurt us and pray for
those who hates us…
“He is a good man…I mean Pah
and he really brou-ght you up
in the right way but
forgiveness doesn’t come easily
for people like me…I still hate
those who hurt me and I wish
them nothing but pain and
suffering…
“When you forgive you do
yourself a great favour because
hate is a great burden and it
can weigh you down…
“Your words are too matured…
let’s talk about something else.
will you like to leave this forest
someday…I mean with Pah…?
“Certainly, I will love to live
among humans, I will love to
visit the market and see lots of
people, I will like to go to the
stream and see people there…
not just me and pah but living
in the means of plenty people
and blu-shing when a
handsome man looks at me
like you blus-h when ever pah
looks at you…I have seen you
blus-h before…
“Whaaaat…oh mine… do I really
blus-h… was it that obvious…oh
Mikai.. now you have caught
me..
“Yes, you do blus-h and I wish I
can get a fine, God fearing,
ha-rd working, fearless man like
pah who will also make me
blus-h… hahahaha..oh my God…I
sound like a broken record..
“Yes… you really do, but my
younger brother can actually fit
into your description…he can
make you blus-h, he is
handsome, strong,
ha-rd working, God fearing too…
“I’m not sure your brother will
like a girl from the forest but
we are running ahead of
ourselves…we are still in the
forest… let’s wait untill we out
of here first…but this place is so
cool unlike the noisy crowded
world… Pah says that alot. The
hunter he once saved brou-ght
different things to thank him,
like the crops we plant, cloths
and foot wears… many other
things. Is being years now we
never ha-rd from him. Pah told
him not to come to this p@rt of
the forest at night again
because is dangerous for him
and he is an elderly man,
unlike pah filled with h0t
strong blood, he has being
throu-gh alot but I’m glad God
kept him… everything in this
world may fail but God’s word
stand firm forever…look… look…
Ore is trying to lift Ade from
the ground…I think he has
peeled on himself and Ore
want to move him….
hahahaha… this is so funny…
Remi laughed at the scene
before going to carry her son
from the ground.
Sipah was carrying we-t wood
which he plan to use for his
yam and other crops like
vegetables, beans, groundnut
and melon.
Ore saw him coming and ran to
him
He was happy to see him as he
jump up and down.
Remi and Mikai watched and
laugh while Sipah kept on
smiling with the heavy wood
which he later dropped down,
he breathed heavily.
He waved at Remi and Mikai
before leaving again to cut
down more wood.
Tbc