I sat up straight as a servant approached with a plate. I grabbed my eating tools. “We can go anywhere; Ode is a big town.” The servant placed the food in front of me and nodded. I smiled and thanked him. My nose had not lied. They served fried fish and yam coated with spicy stew. I dug in, and for the next few minutes was focused on my food.
“What's the next step with our training?” asked Kiki. “We all can use the weapons effectively. What next?”
“Practice more,” I said. “The gods know I need more practice with that rang.” I polished my plate with the last piece of yam. “But the main question is, where are we going to find the stones?”
“Are they made of gold?” asked Ifeoma. “They’ve been called so many names, and they all have to do with something precious.”
Tokunbo’s eyes darted around the room. “They are precious,” she said. “Imagine we came back victorious and the Harvest of Blood was no more. And people with magic gifts got them back and could use them?” Tokunbo shook his head. “That would be the day.” He looked around. “I think the next step in our training would be how to handle magic.”
“Nuju has finished eating, let’s go to town and celebrate,” said Kiki, looking at me and ignoring Tokunbo. “After all, we can all use the rang now.”
I smiled. “And some of us can now shoot an arrow straight,” I said, eyes fixed on Kiki. Kiki and I had come a long way since our disastrous early start. After she removed the glue from my palms and we agreed to a truce, we’d become great friends.
Everybody broke out laughing. We walked out of the palace and got on the main street towards the market.
Further away from the palace, the street got narrower and narrower, just as the building and surroundings got smaller, uglier, and dirtier. People stared at us. Perhaps they recognized us from the Harvest of Blood ceremony. I pushed the thought of that day to the back of my mind. In the market, most stalls were closed or closing down for the night, replaced by food vendors selling roasted corn and spicy meat. The smell of corn made me homesick. I wondered how Mama, Kemi, and Dotan were doing. “Who wants corn?” I asked.
Everybody wanted one despite having just finished dinner. We made our selections, and the corn seller threw them on the charcoal fire.
“Eating corn together reminds me so much of my village,” said Ifeoma. “Tales by moonlight is my favorite.”
Kiki and Tokunbo agreed. It was a common thing we all shared despite coming from different villages.
“It reminds me of coconut,” said Dola, with a faraway look in her eyes. “The best way to enjoy corn is with coconut.”
“You live close to the big sea where there are a lot of coconut trees,” said Kiki.
We found space at a bench and sat together, munching away. We didn’t talk much, just enjoyed each other’s company.
It was dark when we walked back to the palace. Earlier, we’d seen some men lighting the wick of the oil street lamps, the flickering lights throwing dark shadows along the walls of nearby houses. It was about time the king, Segun, Taka and Princess Bonetta were back.
We followed the road uphill. The only way I knew we were on the right track was the increased number of streetlamps as we headed back. As we rounded a corner, and a small group of soldiers on horseback blocked the narrow road, and we had no choice but to stop and wait for them to pass.
“Where are you going?” asked one of the soldiers.
“To the palace,” said Kiki.
“Hmm, is that so,” said one of the soldiers. “You don’t look like you belong anywhere close to the palace.”
My stomach tightened. Kintola had educated us on how to act when walking around the city and how to handle ourselves when confronted. Kiki had already blown it.
“We train with Kintola,” said Tokunbo in a loud voice. “And we are on our way back to the palace.”
Unconsciously, we’d bunched together, as Kintola had taught us, ready to defend ourselves. United we stand.
One of the soldiers on a huge black horse walked his snorting animal closer. The clip clop of the hooves on the cobblestone road rang loud. “Nuju?”
The voice was familiar but he didn’t sound like any of the soldiers that trained with us.
The soldier dismounted and light from the flickering streetlamp fell on his face.
“Your Highness!” I gasped and bowed. “You’re back!” I glanced at my friends. “Crown Prince Taka.”
Tokunbo, Dola, Kiki, and Ifeoma curtsied, and the tension in the air dissipated.
“We went to the market to buy corn,” I blurted. “We were on our way back.”
“You are guests of the king,” said Taka. “You’re free to come and go.”
I smiled. “Thank you.” I turned to Kiki, Ifeoma, and Tokunbo. “Let’s go.” We sidestepped the horses and resumed our walk.
“Nuju?” said Prince Taka. “I was wondering if you have a moment.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
Prince Taka wanted to know if I could spare him a moment. Despite the cool evening breeze, I felt incredibly hot. My eyes darted from one friend’s face to the other, then back to the prince. “Yes, I have a moment.”
“Excellent,” Taka said and dismounted from his horse.
I looked at Kiki. “You… you people can go ahead, I’ll catch up.”
“Are you sure?” asked Tokunbo, taking a step forward.
“Of course she’s sure,” Ifeoma said and placed a hand on Tokunbo’s shoulder. “We’ll see you later, Nuju.”
Bisi and the others continued towards the palace, while the soldiers with Taka fell back a few steps.
What does he want from me? What would my friends think of me?
Prince Taka glanced at me and looked away. “You look wonderful. How have you been?”
This was the crown prince of Ode. I had to pick my words. “It’s been interesting. I picked up a few survival skills.”
Prince Taka nodded. “Very good.” He let out a sigh. “We’ve been traveling with father for the past two weeks. Segun, Bonetta, and I went to see the oracle at Ijebu.”
“Segun mentioned that.”
Taka lifted his head and cleared his throat.
I glanced at him, expecting him to say something. When he didn’t, I continued. “I hope the oracle was favorable to you.”
“It was favorable,” said Taka.
The horse whinnied and shook its huge head.
“Your horse is beautiful,” I said. “So big.”
“Thank you. I like him a lot, too. Can you ride?”
Taka rubbed the horse's neck to calm him down.
I laughed. “No. The opportunity to learn never came.”
Taka stopped stroking the horse. “What!” He turned to me, then looked up the hill at the fleeting images of my friends. “What about your friends? Do they know how to ride?”
I followed his gaze. “I don’t think so.”
Taka shook his head. “The gods! We’ve been so much consumed on training and the whereabouts of the stones that we forgot the basics. “How are you going to get around?”
I shrugged. “By cart. That was how we traveled from Nuso to Ode.”
Taka shook his head. “Won’t do. Most of the terrain you will travel will be rough. I’ll inform Kintola. You must train at the stables as soon as possible. First thing tomorrow morning.”
We walked on. I didn’t know what else to say. It seemed like Taka was out of words, too. The silence between us deepened, the growing tension sliced through by the clip clop of the horse's hooves on the cobblestone. I tried to steal a glance at him. His eyes were already on me.
Taka’s eyebrows shot up. His lips moved, but no words came out.
“What?” I asked.
“Nothing. Has anybody told you you’re beautiful?”
I smiled. There it is. Flattery. “No, in Nuso there was no time for that. I spent most of my time hunting for food to sell or eat, putting food on the table and doing what I could to support our family.”
/> “I hope you and your group succeed with the endeavor,” said Taka without turning his head. “If magic comes back, then the ways of my father will come to an end.”
That's not what I heard from your sister, I wanted to say. Maybe he’s just good at hiding his real feelings. Once we passed the drawbridge and entered the premises of the palace, a guard came and took the reins of the horse from Taka.
“I’ll walk you to your door,” said Prince Taka.
My stomach was in knots. Was he saying these things so that I would see him in a different light? For many years his father’s policies had innocent children slaughtered. Even my father died at the hands of the king’s men. Where were Prince Taka and his chivalry? My chest heaved with every inhale and exhale. Careful, Nuju, I admonished myself. You can’t blame the son for the sins of the father.
“What are you thinking about?” asked Taka. “Your face got serious.”
“Nothing, I have a serious face most of the time.”
Taka opened his mouth wide and laughed in silence. He shook his head, the silent laugh now a smile on his lips. “I find you intriguing. No girl I know can hold an arrow. And to shoot and kill a panther in the air in one shot! Few men can do this!”
“I’m sure the girls you are acquainted with are excellent at other things.”
Taka did not answer. We arrived at my door, and the two guards were not there. Good thing they were not there. They would wonder what I was doing, playing the two princes.
“Remember to tell Kintola about the horses,” I said.
“I’m going to his quarters from here.”
I had to decide. He has something more to say.
Taka leaned towards me. His closeness was like honey pulling on an insect. Not to succumb, I turned around, reached for the door handle, and pulled. I’d locked it. I reached into my pocket, got the key, and poked around. My hand trembled so much that I couldn’t get the key in.
“Let me help you,” said Taka.
He placed his hands on mine to stop me from continuing to try, took the key, and unlocked the door. He pushed the door in.
“Here you go.” I rushed into my room, shut the door, and placed my back on it as I waited for my heart to stop pounding.
There was a knock on the door. “Nuju, it's a great idea to shut your door at night, but safer to lock it, too.”
It was Taka’s voice. I’d left the key on the other side of the door. Fuming, I opened the door, my body tensed. Ready to fight.
Taka smiled and gave me back the key. “Get a good night’s sleep; tomorrow will be a busy day.” I shut the door, locked it, and let out a shaky breath. Why did I expect Taka to attack me? Then I remembered. My opinion of him had come from Princess Bonetta, but interacting with him myself, I was seeing a different person. He was portraying himself in a good light, but who wouldn’t?
Chapter Twenty-Three
I don’t know what went through my mind, but I flung my door open. “Prince Taka!”
Prince Taka turned; his hand reached for the hilt of his sword and stayed there. He walked back towards me, one cautious step after the other. A few steps from me, he stopped.
Taka cocked his head, eyes narrowed. “What's the problem?”
I inhaled. “No problem.” Blood rushed through my body. “Do… do you want to come in?” I blurted out. “For water or maybe orange juice?”
Taka’s eyes widened. All the tension left his face. “Oh.” He stood up straight and shook his shoulders. A broad grin spread his lips. “Why not?”
I opened the door wider and let him in. I’d left the room untidy, but I guess Enitan or Bisi had come in and done some tidying. They’d squeezed some orange juice out in a jug. I poured a cup for Taka and one for myself.
Taka took the drink and walked over to the couch. “What do you think of Ode?”
“Well, it's different from Nuso.”
“The way we live must disgust you,” said Taka. “Living amid plenty while communities like Nuso, Kiti, and others live nothing like this.”
I said nothing. I was disgusted, but the king must live up to expectations. I wanted to learn the truth about Taka firsthand and not by secondhand information from Bonetta. Taka had a lot to gain if we were unsuccessful, but his actions ran contrary to those claims.
“It’s very different from Nuso,” I said. “Tell me about yourself.”
“About myself? What do you want to learn?”
“Everything. From when you were little.”
Taka laughed. “All the way back?”
I nodded and sat on the couch in the small sitting room in my apartment. Taka sat beside me.
“Alright. I was born eighteen years ago right here in this palace. As soon as I could walk, tutors from all over the world were employed to teach me. Bonny came a year later, and Segun came a year after Bonny. We were close as kids. Father was never home. He traveled with the army, one campaign after the other. Attacking and conquering. A lot of communities pledged their allegiance to Ode in those days. Nuso was subjugated about then.”
At the mention of Nuso, my breath caught. A lot of lives had been destroyed then, way before I was born. The elders told the stories at tales by moonlight.
“What's on your mind?” asked Prince Taka.
I hesitated, not sure how he would take it. “How different the circumstances we grew up in are.”
“You lost your father as a child, right?” asked Taka.
I nodded.
“We lost our mother, too, as children. She’d gotten ill while father was away. All the healers had gone to the fight with father. A messenger ran to the war front but didn’t get to father early enough. By the time Father heard and rushed back, Mother succumbed to her illness.” Taka paused, shoulders stooped. “Could he have saved her? Who knows?”
“I’m very sorry,” I said. I don’t know what possessed me, but I touched Taka’s hand. He took my hand in his and locked fingers with mine. His touch felt like lightning creeping up my hand.
“No, Nuju, I should say I’m sorry. Not just to you, but to everyone who suffered from the things my father did.”
This went against what Bonetta had said. Did Taka say all this to impress me? Does he know what his sister thinks of him? They saw each other last ten years ago when they were both children; does she base her opinion on what she heard while she was away? By what others had said or implied? A decade was enough time for people to change. Perhaps everything she thought she knew about her brother was completely untrue. Maybe even intentionally conjured to cause a rift between them or to deter others from believing in Taka when he would be king.
“If you and Segun, and the rest of the people, bring back the stones, then that would be a step in the right direction. A step to fix all the wrongs that have happened over the years.”
“How does the king see it? Is he rooting for our success?” I asked.
“Of course, Segun and Bonetta’s lives are at stake, plus yours and that of the other participants.”
I took a deep breath. “What about you? What's your position on this quest we are going on?”
“I would like to see justice done. But, at the same time, I’m loyal to the king and serve at his pleasure. I do what my king wants.” Taka drew a deep breath. “Meaningful change doesn’t happen overnight.”
That fell in line with what I thought about him. He was a rule follower.
“Nuju?” Taka looked into my eyes and disarmed me. His grip on my hand tightened, and he leaned closer. My pulse raced, throat dry. I closed my eyes and waited. It never came.
“I’m… I’m sorry,” he spluttered.
My eyes flew open. “What?” my voice was hoarse.
“Please forgive me. I… I feel like I’m taking advantage of you. I told you a pathetic story to make you sorry for me.”
“No, no…” I’d made an idiot of myself. How did I get into this situation?
“I’d better go.” Taka got up and headed for the door. “Thanks for the drink, and g
ood night.” Before he shut the door, he turned. “Remember to lock it.”
I got up from the couch and threw myself on the bed. This was all new to me. Despite what had been told to me, the king was still responsible for my father’s murder. How can I even have feelings for Taka? I was just another conquest to him. But it was you that invited him to your room.
Chapter Twenty-Four
I was awake all night, tossing and turning, reliving the previous evening and how I had made a fool of myself with Prince Taka. What made me think I could invite him the way I had? That would give him ideas even if there weren’t any before. I wanted to kick myself.
Here at Ode, I was like a fish out of water with new experiences thrust at me from every angle. I slept in an apartment bigger than our hut in Nuso, with servants at my beck and call. I rubbed shoulders with royalty who a few weeks ago didn’t know I existed nor cared. All that was clouding my mind and affecting my judgment. Focus on the main goal, I told myself. The little things will sort themselves out.
Enitan appeared as day broke, as always, and now busied herself offloading the breakfast tray onto the dining table. She put out plates of fried plantains, egg stew, and a fresh glass of orange juice. My stomach rumbled, and hunger beckoned.
“I heard you had an exciting evening,” said Enitan.
I was getting dressed, and I froze. How did she know?
Enitan laughed. “Don’t look so surprised. Here in the palace, the walls have ears.” She cupped an ear with one hand. “If you listen hard enough, they will yield their secrets to you.”
I finished eating, got dressed, and Enitan and I walked out together from the room. She carried the now empty tray of food. Despite the turmoil going on inside me, I’d eaten. I learned from experience that going hungry could cloud one’s judgment and interfere with the thought process.
“You’re sad. Maybe this might console you.” She looked around to make sure nobody was within earshot. “Prince Taka has a favorite at every point in time, so don’t expect much from the attention he’s lavishing on you. By next month, he’ll find another darling.”
Betrayed Page 8
