Diamond in the forest Episode 9 & 10

DIAMOND IN THE FOREST.
Episode 9.
From the writer of morenikeji
 
 
Leja was staring at Remi as she
dance with other maiden, she
wore the Ankara that Leja
bought for her.
Leja was so happy as he watch
Remi, dancing and laughing
with other maiden, he
remembered that he has
pleaded with her not to reject
the gift when she said she
doesn’t want any gift from
him, he had begged her
continuously until she finally
collected it
And today being the fourth day
of the p@rty she did not wear
the normal aso ebi that most
maiden wore, she decided to
wear the fine Ankara that Leja
gave her,
Leja was admiring her as she
dance and serve drinks and
food to visitors, she look so
happy and cheerful, the men
smile as she serve them the
women look on at her in
admiration while some in envy
She filled the whole place with
her pres£nce just like a
goddess, Leja looked on from
where he stood, he felt so
proud and wish Remi was fully
his, he knows the gods are
alre-ady favoring him, and just
a little time Remi will be his.
Leja smile quic-kly turn into a
frown as he saw the Prince
who was alre-ady drun!k
beckoning on Remi to come
She walked up to him and he
whispered something to her
ear, she blu-shed before
walking away, the Prince was
looking at her with de-sires in
his eyes as Remi went back to
serving the guest.
Leja swallowed ha-rd
wondering what the Prince
told her that made her to
blus-h, he started moving
towards Remi
Nike who has being dancing
and shaking all her b©dy close
to where the Prince was, just
for him to notice her felt bad
that the Prince did not even
bother to look at her side, she
got tired and went to Remi
asking her if she can serve the
guest too, Remi told her that
her turn to serve will be
tomorrow, the fifth day.
Nike saw Leja moving toward
Remi who was serving some
group of young men and they
were all admiring her
Nike wish she was Remi, so
that she can get all the
attentions that Remi was
getting
Nike st©pped Leja from mid
way, with a big grin
“se iwo ma aba mi jo Leja?
(Would you like to dance with
me?)
“I don’t know how to dance..
“se mo le so pelu re (can I
practice with you)
“Nibo…Nisisiyi…where…right
here?
Beeni…nisisiyi (yes, now)
Haa…wahala wa…the Prince is
just right over there…he will
see that I’m not in my duty
post and may tell the Oba…
“The Prince is not like that, and
merely looking at him he look
drun!k, ko le e ri wa (he can not
see us) or if you want we can
move out of here so that
people will not see us…
Leja saw that he couldn’t
escape from Nike and decided
to follow her, he planned to
spend little time with her just
to make her happy, he will
then return to be with Remi
Remi saw that the Prince was
drun!k, he has whispered in her
ears “ mo nifee re Remi (I love
you Remi) she blu-shed but she
knows that it must be a sign of
being drun!k, he doesn’t even
know what he was saying.
She admire the Prince and love
his humility, the way he looks
at her as if she was the most
special being in the palace, she
was gradually falling for him
because of his sweet nature,
she has wish the prince wasn’t
drun!kand clearly declared that
his love for her, it will be a
sweet feeling, she knows
almost all the maiden will be in
love with him, it seem very
normal to fall for such an
important man, but to her it
wasn’t like the general feeling,
it was something that makes
her have bu-tterflies in her
stomach anytime she sees him
staring at her.
It was different from what she
felt for Leja, anytime she sees
Leja or any other man looking
at her it feels normal, no
bu-tterflies or any sweet feeling
like she do feel when she sees
the Prince staring at her like a
precious diamond.
She was watching him closely
and has told every other palace
worker not to pour more drink
into his cu-p, Remi looked
around for Leja but couldn’t
find him, he wish Leja was
close by so that he can esc-rt
the Prince to his chamber.
The Princess was sitting with
her mother and doesn’t nee-d
her now until maybe later in
the night.
Remi saw that the Prince
staggered as he stood, he sat
back down immediately, and
she wondered why he drank so
much drink today unlike the
other days, he has not being
drinking much except today.
Ope c@m£ to her and
whispered that the Prince was
calling her, Remi went to him
and he asked Remi to take him
to his chamber and she did.
When the Prince got into his
chamber, he started speaking
to Remi as he staggered round
his chamber
“I told you earlier that I love
you, I whispered it into your
ears and you didn’t take me
serious because you thought I
was drun!k, am not drun!kor
maybe I am, the fact still
remain that I love you…yes…is
true…you got into me right
from that first day at the
festive dance…when I first set
my eyes on you…I have always
wanted to tell you this but I
don’t know how you will take
it…so today I decided to drink
so much…yes…I drank enough
to get high…so that I can find
my boldness and voice to
declare all my sto-red up feeling
for you.…I wanted to tell you
this when you c@m£ to clean
my chamber the other day…
that was more reason why I
told my sister to s£nd for you
but I still couldn’t find my gut…
but today I have a full gut to
tell you that I love you Remi…
and I will tell the Oba that I
want to marry…marry you…
you will be my queen…come…
come closer to me…are you
afraid of me…don’t be afraid of
me because my love for you is
real…it can cast fear out of
you…aaah…look at you…ni fe
mi…emi ni ore re (my love, I am
your friend)your real friend,
don’t see me as a prince, son of
Oba of this great kingdom, see
me as your friend, if I have a
son with you I will call him
Ademi, my crown…because he
c@m£ from a beautiful maiden
who is after my heart. oruko
mi ni Aremo, yes that is my
name because am a heir to this
great Oba’s throne, and I nee-d
a queen like you to
compliment my kingsh!pwhen
the time comes…with you by
my side I will rule with honor…
you said you love your
grandmother because she was
also a good dancer when she
was young…right Arewa…
(beauty)
“Remi…my name is Remi, you
are drun!kmy prince you nee-d
to lie down, I will tell them to
bring cold water for you…st©p
talking…the drink is taking too
much effect on you…you don’t
even know what you are
saying again…
“shhh…I know what am
saying…I still nee-d more drink,
I was talking about your
grandmother…one day you will
take me to her…I will like to
meet her and I will also love to
meet your father and your
mother…
“Babami oti ku (my father is
late) you know that alre-ady, is
time to relax your head…plea-se
st©p talking..
“oopen that cabinet and give
me one bottle of drink there…I
want to get real drun!kbecause
of you nifee mi (my love)…
don’t say no to your Prince…do
it, bring the drink to me here…
am in my chamber…not
outside there, the p@rty is still
going on…but I can’t even carry
my own legs…is so heavy, I
wonder the kind of heavy bata
(sandals) that is heaving my
legs like this…everywhere is
blurred in this chamber… I will
just stay here…I don’t want
people to start saying “the
prince got drun!kyesterday and
fell down…all those normal
gossip…don’t really care…Oba
will be angry if such happen…
that was why I specifically ask
you to take me to my chamber
and you did…thank you…what
was I saying before…what did
you say now…about your
father…ooh I have forgotten…
plea-se come…stay with
meeee…uurrggghhhh….
He started throwing up, the
bottle of drink that Remi gave
him as he ordered her fell off
from his hand and the drink
spilled everywhere, he was
vomiting, Remi stood and held
her mouth not knowing what
to do, she went out and
brou-ght cold water to wash his
face and sprinkle some on him.
He re-moved his we-t agbada
and was only in his trou-ser and
singlet, he was still talking but
Remi wasn’t paying attention
to him as she cleaned up the
whole place
He gently pu-ll-ed Remi to
himself, Remi thought that it
was because he was drun!kthat
is more reason why he was
misbehaving around her, the
prince held her in his arm and
not wanting to let go of her,
Remi loos£n from his grip.
He smell of alcohol but he his
b©dy felt so warm, the prince
pu-ll-ed at her again as she tried
to walk away, she fell into his
l@ps,
“duro nbe” (st©p) she silently
cried, but he wasn’t listening to
Remi’s quiet plead as he
ca-ressed her b©dy and kept on
saying, “ aro re so mi…mo nifee
re” (I miss you… I love you)
Remi wanted to leave but it
was as if something kept her
there as the Prince t©uçhed
every p@rt of her b©dy, she
struggled a little before
relaxing back, the Prince put
his hand un-der her cloth and
pu-ll-ed out her b—-t cloth, he
m0@n and gently l@yher on the
be-d and muttered “mo nifee
re” again to her before digging
into her.
it was until the deed was done
Remi realized she was in
trouble, blood stained her cloth
and the be-d too. she was a
v!rg!nand the Prince just broke
her up, he did not f0rç£ her,
she can’t even explain why she
couldn’t run out, push him
away or fight ha-rder as she
would have done to any man,
she just l@ythere and watch
him do it without st©pping
him, and when he was done,
he sle-pt off without wasting
time, and began to snore
loudly.
Remi stood up and saw all the
mess, she started cleaning
everywhere, she clean and
adjusted her cloth, she
wra-pped up the blood stained
wra-pper so well into a bundle
so that it won’t be noticed.
She was almost done when she
had a knock on the door, she
felt pain in between her leg as
she walk to the door after
ma-king sure everything was in
place.
She opened the door and it
was Leja, he looked at her
suspiciously before saying
“I did not know that you are in
here…I was looking around for
you at the p@rty ground but
couldn’t find you…what of the
Prince…
“He is asleep…he…had too
much to drink and when I
helped him up here… he
vomited everywhere so…so I
have to clean up the place…
Leja looked at Remi, she was
shaking, he tried to t©uçh her
but she moved away from
him…
“are you alright…you are
shaking…I guess is from
working too ha-rd , you nee-d
rest Remi before you break
down, you could have called
me to come and take the
Prince to his chamber…you
look so pale. Are you sure you
are okay…
“Yea, am fine Leja, I will just
leave now…since am throu-gh
with…with the Prince…I mean
cleaning his room…I will take
some of this and wash…they
are dirty…
Leja tried to collect the cloth
that Remi wra-pped up in her
arm but she refused
“Your work is with the Princess
not with the Prince…give me
those stuff I will tidy it up
myself…
“Don’t worry Leja…i…I will do
it…I have to go…
Leja watch as Remi walked out,
she wasn’t walking properly,
no matter how she try to
pretend something wasn’t
right, she walk as if she had a
broken leg, she was still on the
Ankara cloth he bought for her
“Are you sure that you are
okay…did you hit your leg
somewhere…can I see it…
“Am fine…I just stumbled my
feet on a chair…I will use ori on
it…
“Okay…if you say so, by the
way the Ankara look good on
you…do you like it…
“Yes Leja…thank you…
Leja said something else to
make Remi jealous but she was
more concern about her
pres£nt trouble than anything
Leja was saying
“I was with your sister, Nike,
she was teaching me how to
dance and after which we had
a good time together…she is so
funny and lively too…
“Okay…that’s good, I’m glad
you had fun with her…
“I prefer to be with you over
anyb©dy…you are more lively
and fun to be with than….
Leja was saying something else
but Remi ignored him as she
gently walk away.
She had wish the Prince will
not remember any of the
things that happened, because
she feels so terrible and
covered in her own shame as
she walked away.
she nee-ds to speak to
someb©dy about the incident
with the prince. someb©dy
who is trustworthy.
and Nike has proven to be real
to her, and she has being
acting so close and nice, like a
sister would.
maybe talking to Nike won’t be
a bad idea.
 
EPISODE 10 )
 
Remi walked to the wash room
but couldn’t wash the stained
wra-pper because of the pain in
between her l@ps was
excruciating, she wra-pped up
the bundle up and hide it
away, she Will Wake up early
in the morning to go wash it,
she thought within herself
The guest has all Left to
prepare for another p@rty
tomorrow, the maidens were
sweeping and cleaning the big
Oba’s Compound
Remi washed up herself and
changed into her night wear,
she prepared The princess bath,
made her be-d and set out her
night wear before going out to
look for Nike
She saw Ope and beckoned on
her to come
“Have you seen Nike…she is not
here… where could she be?
“I saw her following the Queen
like fly follows corpse, she just
want the Queen to make her
among her personal maidens,
who knows all The lies she’s
telling the Queen mother just
for her to be recognized, that
your sister is too desperate, all
she wants is to start robbing
shoulders with you, she is a
pretender…she is not humble
or real like you…
“Is okay Ope…alright, I know
you two are always fighting
each other and is normal but
Nike is still my sister and she
can’t be like me, even identical
twins don’t have same
behaviour…so is very normal
for Nike to be a little different
from me…I will go and search
for her…
As Remi was about leaving she
Saw Nike walking down with a
full smile on her face, when she
got to Remi, she began to talk
very loud so that Ope and the
other maid can hear her
“Sister mi, the gods has done it
for me…
“,Nike, I was searching for you,
I nee-d to speak to you
urgently… there is something I
nee-d to tell you and is…
“Remi wait let me finish with
my own announcement, so
that my enemies can go and
die, well… finally… finally the
Queen has agreed for me to be
her personal maidens…haaa…it
wasn’t easy o.. but The gods
has decided to remember me,
now I’m one of the Queen
personal maiden, may the gods
be praise, while some will
remain an ordinary palace
maiden till they die, my
position is higher now, by
tomorrow I will resume my
new acquired
duty…aah…aahh…I can’t wait to
tell iyami, iyami will be so
proud of me…who the gods has
blessed nob©dy can curse, now
I will get to even see the oba
and the prince often than
before, I told someb©dy here
that she should watch out for
me… she will be surprised at
what the Future holds for me…
the gods has alre-ady started
working very soon some
people will start dying of
jealousy…
Ope turned from what she was
doing and face Nike in anger
“You are very stupid Nike, so
you are indirectly referring to
me…I don’t even see anything
big in serving the Queen, after
all you are still a palace maiden
or did your title also change
from being a maid, so what’s
the fuss about. You that was
re-ady to sell your soul to the
devil just to be like Remi, Remi
did not nee-d to struggle, talk
or cry her way into the office
that she pres£ntly occu-pied,
the kingdom chose her and she
was favored among all but
you…your case is just so
opposite and you are only
doing this because of Remi not
me because I have no business
with you, you want to be equal
with Remi by all means but she
will always be ahead of you in
everything…
“See this fool, Ope did I
mention your name now,
plea-se did anyb©dy hear me
call Ope’s name…see what
jealousy is doing to you, just
because of this my new Post
you want to kill yourself…
plea-se get re-ady to die because
the gods may decide to make
me a Queen of this kingdom
soon and I will have you serve
me, you will be my footstool…
“, May the gods forbids evil,
such abomination will never
happen so st©p day dreaming
Nike, the best you can ever be
is a palace maiden nothing
else, the gods chose wisely,
they chose beautiful, humble
loving, and Royal maiden of
the land, if they ever decided
to chose a commoner then it
will be someb©dy like Remi,
she poses all that quality, I will
love it if the gods chose her
because she will rule with all
fairness, just like our pres£nt
Queen… while you…
“Shut up that your filthy
mouth, who made you The
mouth piece of the gods, just
watch and see what the Future
holds for me… The gods has
alre-ady started a good work in
me and very soon they will lift
me higher than my enemies, I
hope you won’t die before
then out of jealousy…
“Must two of you fight all the
time… and you will likely drag
me into your argument,, i’m
out of here…I have enough
trouble alre-ady…
Remi started walking away,
Nike left Ope to meet up with
Remi
“Sister mi, don’t mind that
witch, she is always jealous of
me… you said you have
something you want to talk to
me about…
“Yes..I do but I guess your new
acquired office is very
important to you than
anything else, mine can
wait…congratulation anyway…I
nee-d to go and lie down, I
don’t feel too well…
“Aahh…ahh.. Pele…you can tell
me what borders you… I’m The
only one you can trust here,
don’t ever trust someb©dy like
Ope, do you hear what she said
earlier, she said the gods can
chose you to be a Queen of this
kingdom but the gods can’t
chose me because it will be an
abomination, how can she say
such ru-bbish, what is the
difference between you and
I…aah, I swear by the gods I
will surprise that girl, I will…
“Nike, plea-se st©p, I said I have
enough trouble of my own,
whatever Ope said was only
because you two are always at
log head… don’t take her
serious, she doesn’t even know
what she was saying, ofcurse
you can be the next Queen of
this kingdom if the gods says
so…
“Yes… certainly, I like what you
just said…I can be the next
Queen of this kingdom, I will
rule in power, I Will be greatly
feared, I will squash all my
enemies and make them li-ck
my feet…so tell me what
troubled you Remi…
“Let’s talk tomorrow, I’m tired
and I nee-d to attend to the
princess before going to
be-d…Aram kole Dara Dara (I’m
not feeling too well)
Remi walked into the princess
chamber, leaving Nike outside
Nike wish Remi could just tell
her all that troubled her, if
Remi who seem to have the
gods favour over her could be
in trouble that means the gods
has turned their back on Remi
and chose to favor her instead
by ma-king her to be among
the Queen’s maiden, Nike
thought within herself as she
turned and walked away with
a smile
she can’t wait for tomorrow to
come so that she will finally
hear what Remi has to say, she
want to know how useful the
information she will get from
her will be, it may help her in
her next plan.
Remi could not sleep well that
night, when she finally sle-pt
she had a terrible dream of her
mother and brother again, she
woke up amidst sweat and
couldn’t sleep back till day
break
She wish she can ba-re her
trouble to someb©dy that is
trust worthy and who will
un-derstands her without being
judged, she thought of her
grandmother who always
un-derstand, “will she
un-derstand if i tell her that I
l@ywith The prince, he
disflowered me while in
drun!kenness, I could have
st©pped him but I didn’t, I just
l@ythere and whist in pain as
he dig into me, now I’m no
more one of the proud vir-gins
of this great kingdom, every
one will mock me and treat me
like a criminal they will think I
s£dûç£d a drun!kprince and lay
with him, they will think I was
defied even before coming to
the palace to serve, who will
believe me, Maybe iya will
un-derstand, nob©dy has to
know, it will be a secret I will
hold forever…
Remi kept on thinking about
the whole thing to the
following morning.
She got up early in the
morning to go and wash the
stained wra-pper she hide away
but it was no more where she
kept it, she searched around
the whole place wondering
who could have taken it away,
someb©dy spoke behind her
and she startled ad turned to
see that it was Leja
“Is it The wra-pper you
wra-pped up into a bundle and
hide in between those plants
that you are looking for, you
told me it was just some
ordinary dirty cloths that you
wanted to go and wash,
despite how I tried to collect it
from you, you refused to hand
it over, you said it was just
wra-pper the prince vomited on
but I saw a blood stain on it,
where did the blood come
from Remi…
“How…how do you know I kept
it in between this over grown
plants, how…
“I’m the Chief guard here have
you forgotten, one of the
guards on last night duty
brou-ght it to me, he told me
where he found it and on
seeing the bundle
I knew it was from you, I was
curious and opened it only to
see blood stain on it, so that
takes me back to my previous
Question, who’s blood is that
and how did it got into the
prince wra-pper which was
spre-ad on his be-d yesterday
morning, answer me Remi…
“The blood is from my injury, I
told you I stumbled on a chair
and sustained an injury from
there… that was why I couldn’t
Walk well…
“Can I see the wound, and why
do you have to hide it here if it
was an so ordinary, and why is
there blood on the prince
wra-pper…I have questions but
you haven’t given me a
reasonable answer, hope is not
what I’m thinking Remi, you
can confide in me if there’s a
problem, did the prince f0rç£
himself on you…did he…I know
this sounds ridiculous because
the prince is not that kind of
man but the way he has being
looking at you with de-sires in
his eyes was enough to raise
such Questions…
“Leja, I don’t know what you
are talking about, the blood
stain was from the wound I
sustained on my th!gh when I
stumbled and fell down, and I
can’t show you my th!ghs, the
blood got to the prince
wra-pper when I was trying to
clean up the prince vomits, so I
bundled up everything to go
and Wash but I was too tired
and couldn’t wash it that
yesterday so I put it here just
to avoid this same questions
you are asking me now from
anyb©dy that may see it in the
wash room… and becarefull the
way you accuse the prince, that
can be very dangerous for
you… now that i have
answered your question can I
know where you kept it..
“Well, I’m not yet convince but
I will let the slee-ping dog lie, I
kept it in the wash room, go
there you will see it.
Remi nodded and left, Leja
stood looking at her as she
walks away, he was having
trouble believing her, he felt
like something was wrong, he
remembered how Remi was
shaking yesterday, he has tried
to t©uçh her but she stepped
away from him, he silently
hope is not what he was
thinking
Leja breathed de-eply before
walking away
Remi tried all she could to
wash off the stains but she
couldn’t, she started regretting
of not washing it yesterday, if
not for the pain she felt in
between her legs that
prevented her Leja wouldn’t
have seen it or suspected
anything.
Remi hanged them like that
hoping that when the sun dries
it the stain won’t be obvious
On her way back to the
chamber she saw Nike, Nike
who couldn’t wait for the day
to break so that she can hear
what Remi got to tell her,
greeted Remi warmly before
asking her to tell her what
troubles her yesterday, Remi
told her that it was too early
for such talk, Maybe later in the
day they will talk about it
After Remi finished up with her
morning duty to the princesses
she decided to ask her if she
can visit her grandmother
briefly
“Jowo semole yoju si iya agba
(plea-se can I go and see my
grandma)
“Hope there’s no problem
Remi, why the sudden urge to
visit your grandma…
“Nothing, my princess, is being
a while i saw her, I just want to
check up on her
“You know the p@rty still
continues today and even
tomorrow, your help is greatly
nee-ded here, just wait when
the p@rty finally comes to an
end, which will be in few days
from now then you can go, I
will give you a day off to visit
your people…
In the early afternoon as Remi,
Ope and other maiden
prepares for another p@rty day
as guest were alre-ady filling in
the Oba’s large compound
Leja c@m£ to inform Remi that
the prince s£nt for her
Remi’s heart skipped as she
ha-rd that, she went to the
prince chamber and found him
pacing the whole place, he had
a worried look on
Leja stood behind the close
door and place his ear close to
the door so that he can hear
what is going on between the
prince and Remi,
he wanted to eavesdrop on
them but Remi s-en-sed it and
gave the prince sign not to say
anything yet, she quietly walk
to the door and f0rç£fully
opened it and Leja fell with a
heavy thud to the ground.
the prince was shock, Leja
quic-kly stood up in shame
“Leja… what are you doing…
wait a second… are you
eavesdroping on my
conversation…
“Rara o..omooba…(no prince) I
was just relaxing on the door
waiting for when you will
summon me, I’m sorry my
prince…imabinu…
The prince ask him to leave
immediately and he flew out
without looking back, he
closed the door and face Remi,
who’s heart started beating
again.
 
 
TBC…