Diamond In The Forest

Episode 11

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 party 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 presence 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
already favoring him, and just
a little time Remi will be his.

Leja smile quickly turn into a
frown as he saw the Prince
who was already drunk
beckoning on Remi to come
She walked up to him and he
whispered something to her
ear, she blushed before
walking away, the Prince was
looking at her with desires in
his eyes as Remi went back to
serving the guest.
Leja swallowed hard
wondering what the Prince
told her that made her to
blush, he started moving
towards Remi
Nike who has being dancing
and shaking all her body 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 stopped 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
drunk, 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
drunk, he has whispered in her
ears “ mo nifee re Remi (I love
you Remi) she blushed but she
knows that it must be a sign of
being drunk, 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
drunk and 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 butterflies 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
butterflies 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 cup, Remi looked
around for Leja but couldn’t
find him, he wish Leja was
close by so that he can escort
the Prince to his chamber.
The Princess was sitting with
her mother and doesn’t need
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 came 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 drunk, am not drunk or
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 stored up feeling
for you.…I wanted to tell you
this when you came to clean
my chamber the other day…
that was more reason why I
told my sister to send 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
came 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 need
a queen like you to
compliment my kingship when
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 drunk my prince you need
to lie down, I will tell them to
bring cold water for you…stop
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 need 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 already, is
time to relax your head…please
stop talking..

“oopen that cabinet and give
me one bottle of drink there…I
want to get real drunk because
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 party 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 drunk yesterday 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…
please 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
brought cold water to wash his
face and sprinkle some on him.
He removed his wet agbada
and was only in his trouser and
singlet, he was still talking but
Remi wasn’t paying attention
to him as she cleaned up the
whole place
He gently pulled Remi to
himself, Remi thought that it
was because he was drunk that
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 loosen from his grip.
He smell of alcohol but he his
body felt so warm, the prince
pulled at her again as she tried
to walk away, she fell into his
laps,

“duro nbe” (stop) she silently
cried, but he wasn’t listening to
Remi’s quiet plead as he
caressed her body 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 touched
every part of her body, she
struggled a little before
relaxing back, the Prince put
his hand under her cloth and
pulled out her b—-t cloth, he
m0an and gently lay her on the
bed 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 bed too. she was a
virgin and the Prince just broke
her up, he did not force her,
she can’t even explain why she
couldn’t run out, push him
away or fight harder as she
would have done to any man,
she just lay there and watch
him do it without stopping
him, and when he was done,
he slept 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
wrapped up the blood stained
wrapper 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
making 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 party 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 touch her
but she moved away from
him…
“are you alright…you are
shaking…I guess is from
working too hard, you need
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 through
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 wrapped 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
present 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
anybody…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 needs to speak to
somebody about the incident
with the prince. somebody
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.