DIAMOND IN THE FOREST Episode 14
Written By Amah’s Heart
Remi set to leave for the palace that morning, her mother walked her down, until she was close to the palace
“Maybe you should tell the Prince…he deserve to know Remi…
“Maami, he can’t even remember that he laid with me and took my virginity that night…he was drunk and I fell for him while trying to clean up his chamber…he asked if anything of such happened after seeing a blood stain but I denied it and that was the end, I did not even know that I have conceived for him except later when I miss my monthly flow…
“Still… try to convince him…you are not asking him to marry you but for him to know he got you with a child, I don’t even want anything from the palace I love my quiet life except if the gods’ thinks otherwise but all I want is for you to be happy and not go through the burden of carrying a child alone…but is entirely my opinion, if you don’t want to then is fine by me too…but I promise to be here for you…as far as the gods keeps me alive I will support you with everything possible…and you won’t feel the gap or emptiness of a single mother.
“thank you maami and please be very careful with Iya Nike, you, Dami and Iyaiya are all I have…and I don’t want anything to happen to you…I have series of dream about you and Dami and it do get me scared…I pray to the gods to keep you all safe…
“am not afraid of Iya Nike or whatever she is capable of…I’m more worried about you Remi…all I want is for you to be happy…and to know that no matter what happens I will always love and care for you…
Remi thanked her mother before turning into the road that will link her to the oba’s palace
As she got to the palace she changed over to the palace uniform and began work
The following day Remi and the princess stayed back in the chamber and talk
“his name is Tunde…so he came visiting with his father the other day…mother called me and introduce us, he is fine looking young man, his father is a prominent man…he is a large community leader in another kingdom, they are royalties…
“Do you like him…for the first time I’m hearing you gush over a young man, many has being coming but you never picked interest…
“well because none of the young men interest me…I think I like him…he kind of occupy my mind this days, he will be coming again tomorrow and I would have love to take him round the kingdom… if father permits me but I doubt he will, so we will just walk round the palace and talk…he likes me too I can sense it and mother said his father is a good man and his mother is one of her close friend…Tunde is their first son and only son…
“I guess after several meetings with the Oba then marriage arrangement may kick off…
“well, even though I would love it to start up immediately I also want to follow all the tradition of the land…I’m glad because father gave me time to chose who I love…I hate to be betrothed to the wrong person…what about you Remi…do you love anybody here or outside here…
“uuhmm…not really, my story is complicated not like yours that sound like a fairy tale…
“Just tell me…have you ever love some one before…or don’t you want to be married someday…
“i…I do…but let the gods decide…i really don’t want to bury my head in love fantasy because I hate to be disappointed…i may end up loving a wrong person…so i don’t want to be a victim of heart break…but I’m glad you found a man that makes you happy…you are the princess and your feeling is very important to me…that is why I’m called to serve you…mine can wait…it doesn’t really count…
“says who…you are equally important…do you know I use to think my brother…the prince has interest in you…he showed that in his action and the way he looks at you before…I know you are not royalty but you are the kind of woman I will love my brother to end up with…you have served me with all sincerity and love…and has never given me any reason to worry, I find no fault in you except that you are not from the royal side, but to me being royal or not royal is not important all that matters is being with somebody that makes you smile…I don’t know what happened with him…the prince seem to be engaging himself more with father…he goes out on a royal tour and recline to his chamber…he doesn’t have time for anything or anyone except father…and visit’s mother sometime in her chamber…he only stop by in mine once in a while unlike before that he was always coming around and I know is mostly because of you…did anything happen between two of you…
“No…not at all…he is the prince and I’m a maiden…whatever that will happen will just be rendering service when I’m asked to, aside that…nothing my princess…
“Do you notice that he likes you… do you like him too or you like another…maybe Leja…don’t be shy to tell me anything…it will just be between us…
“Nothing to tell princess…the prince, your brother is good looking and a nice man, almost all the maiden of the land will love him…so if I say I’m among those that adores your brother…nothing special and don’t have any special one…
“Will you love to have one, I mean a special person in your life….
“Yes…but until then let me go and do your laundry…
“hahahaha…I guess you are trying to skip from the question…we will continue when you are done…
After two days Remi thought of what her mother said about meeting with the prince, she couldn’t sleep that night, it was not yet obvious to everyone that she was pregnant, she wish she can stop work before it began to show.
Leja has being trying to talk to her about something but she did not want to give him any attention.
She was mostly with the princess who never stop gushing over Tunde, her new found Love, indeed the young man came visiting and he was just as the Princess described him, he was not only jovial and filled with smile it was also obvious that he love the Princess very much.
Nike has being acting all suspicious, she was keeping malice with Remi who doesn’t give a care to whatever she does, Nike stayed cleared off Remi’s path, Remi was either seen with Ope or with the princess.
That morning as she woke up she has made up her mind to go and meet the prince later in the day and to tell him the whole truth.
When it was time for her to go her heart started beating but she pushed her self forward towards the prince chamber
She met Leja on her way, after greeting him she walked to the prince
chamber ignoring him as he speaks to her, Leja quietly followed her and
watch as Remi gently tapped on the prince door.
she hard his voice asking her to come in
She went in and gently closed the door behind her, the prince who was sitting, turned from what he was doing to look up at her
Since Leja told him that Remi was his woman and she loves him very
much, the prince has tried to stay far from Remi, he has moved on even
though he sometime wish Remi was his but he do quickly waves such
thoughts off his mind
He thanked the gods that nothing intimate
happened between him and Remi before Leja broke the news he would have
being so broken.
“Good day My Prince…
“You said you wanted to see me…is everything alright…what of my sister is she okay?
“Yes, everything is fine and the princess is very okay my prince…
“So to what do I owe this visit…how may I help you…?
Remi wondered why the prince was acting all serious with her, something
wasn’t right, he did not look at her the way he use to do that makes
her have butterflies, he acted so serious, making her feel she was like
every other maiden which was unlike him.
Remi had thought of her
visit before coming and her mind was made up to tell him the truth if
not she would have turned back and leave, Remi sense Leja was at the
door and with somebody, probably Nike so she decided to speak slowly but
the prince voice was high as he ask her what she want.
“i have something to tell you…i’m…uhmmm…do you remember the night of…of…uhmmm
“What is the problem…tell me, I’m listening…what happen Remi…
That was the first time the prince was calling her name in a different way, so casual, no sensation in his voice, she felt like turning back but she stood there, with her head bent, stammering, Remi was confuse on how to tell the prince that she was carrying his child, but she eventually did and it came out like a bomb
“mo ti loyun…(I’m pregnant)
“kini… ki lo nso (what did you say)
“mo ti loyun…I’m pregnant …
“hmmm….ko ye mi…(I don’t understand) I mean you are pregnant…so…why are you telling me…what is my business with that…is Leja aware…you should tell him…you are telling the wrong person Remi…I’m still wondering why you walked straight here to tell me that you are pregnant…
Remi started shaking as the prince speaks to her but she stood her ground and released the last bomb that got the prince standing on his feet.
“You are responsible my prince… is yours….
The prince stood in shock with his eyes widely open as he stare at Remi.
Remi looked up at him wondering what will happen next.
DIAMOND IN THE FOREST Episode 15.
“What did you just say…Remi…you are pregnant for… who?
The prince asked Remi after getting out of the shock, Remi was no more
afraid, she was in for whatever will come out of this, just like her
mother said she wasn’t asking the Prince to marry her she just wanted to
let him know the truth, he deserve to know that was what her mother
told her, and she has made up her mind to do this and was ready for any
consequences that will come out of it.
She looked up at the Prince who was staring at her waiting for her to repeat herself, and so she did
“you laid with me…the night you got drunk and asked me to take you to your chamber, you took my virginity that night and that was why you saw blood on your trouser…which also stained your wrapper…I couldn’t return the wrapper because the blood stain was still on it and refuses to go no matter how I try so I kept it…that was the night my prince…on the fourth day of the seventh day party that the Queen hosted in the…
“shh..shhh…just wait…oh for the gods sake…I don’t understand you, Remi…I remember getting drunk that night and asked you to take me to my chamber and you did, and that was all I remember, i called you Remi…and asked you if anything of such happened…after seeing the stain on my trouser…you said nothing happened between us…that the blood was from the wound you sustained on your thigh while helping me….the gods bear me witness because that was exactly what I hard you say except I didn’t hear well…did you say that or not…
“I…I did…yes I told you that becau…
“Hold on…that is all I want to know…since you told me nothing of such happened that night… why this…uhmmm….you are Leja’s woman and you two has being together…why didn’t you go to him…he told me himself that you are his…why do you come to me with the news of your pregnancy…I’m seriously trying to understand this…but is not making any sense to me…
“I’m not lying this time…I’m serious my prince…I have nothing to do with Leja…he wanted to be my lover but I never gave in to him for once…I am not in any relationship with Leja…the only man that has touched me…right in this chamber was you…my prince…let the gods bear me witness…
There was a knock on the door and without waiting for an answer Leja and Nike rushed in, the prince turned to Leja..
“Leja…have you being eavesdropping to my conversation again…what is really going on…
“imabinu omoba…(I’m sorry my prince) I just couldn’t help but over hard your conversation with Remi…I was by your door waiting to be summoned I did not mean to eavesdrop but your voice was loud so I hard few of the things you said about Remi being Pregnant…
“Yes…yes…she said so and I’m trying to make sense out of the whole thing…isn’t she the same person you claim to be in a relationship with and that loves you…so what is really going on…because I’m confuse….
“ my prince…we are in a relationship…for a while now…even Nike her sister here can testify to that…I even visited her back home and buys things for the mother…her mother knows me very well…I have never lied to you before my prince…Remi is my woman and we even agree to settle down together and she told me last week that she was pregnant and I asked her to keep the child, we agreed on what to do I was surprise to hear her and telling you that she was carrying your child….i was shock when I hard her say that and that was why I rush in here the way I did…
Remi was so surprise to hear all that Leja was saying and Nike was just nodding her head in agreement to everything Leja said.
Remi wanted to defend herself but the prince hushed her to be quiet so
that Leja can finish talking, and after Leja was done talking Nike
started with her own
“my prince…she confide in me that she was pregnant for Leja who she has being in a relationship with for sometime now, Remi, then said something that shock me, she told me that she was going to make the prince feel responsible for it so that you can marry her, I was surprise at the boldness she use in saying such evil and I hushed her not to say such but she said she wasn’t going to have a child or marry Leja because he is a guard she wanted more, she wanted to become the Queen by all means, and she will make the prince take responsibility for the pregnancy… my sister, Remi said so many things, I can’t even say half of all the ill things she vomited from her guttered mouth, everybody knows that we are sisters, from the same family, I can’t possibly lie or be against her, what will be my gain in that, the misunderstanding we had before has being settled , and that misunderstanding was also because of the prince when she planned to seduce him and I was against her doing such so she decided to engaged me in a fight knowing well I wasn’t feeling too well that was why I passed out that day, but all that was settled and we have being in a good term until she came up with this pregnancy thing again, at first she deliberately became pregnant for Leja so that she can make you feel responsible for it…my prince I hate evil and I can’t support bad thing even if is my mother, but my sister is getting out of hand and she need to be dealt with in that way she will stop all this lies and accusation…how can she accuse a whole prince of this kingdom of being responsible for her pregnancy knowing well that Leja here, her main lover is responsible…this is so bad…apologies my kind prince…
The prince sat hard on a chair and held his head as Nike and Leja accuse
Remi who was just standing as word fails her, she did not even know
what to say or what to do.
Remi knew that Leja and Nike had ganged
up against her and this is their own way to revenge, she breathed deeply
and started regretting coming to the prince chamber if she knows that
it will come to this she would have stayed back and carry her fate and
she would have told the prince right in the beginning when it all
happened and he asked her, but she couldn’t say such because even the
prince did not remember touching her.
Leja and Nike have being
looking for this kind of opportunity to tarnish her image, destroy her
personality before the prince and here they have finally succeeded.
Remi knew she has to be bold and strong for herself, come what may, she
will not allow Leja or Nike…or even the prince to see her troubled
soul.
The prince was quiet as Nike kept talking and he suddenly raised his voice at everyone to be quiet
“Everyone should leave…leave right now…I don’t want to hear another word from anybody…I have hard enough…I need space to think…get out of my chamber all of you…
Leja and Nike were surprise as the Prince
ordered them out, they rushed out with speed because the prince was
obviously very angry, they knew they have planted the seed of hatred in
the prince heart, all they will do now is to wait for the seed to take
root.
They can’t wait for the time to come when Remi will be dealt
with, they thought his action will start immediately but was surprise as
he asked them to get out
Remi left and when she was far away she waited for Nike and Leja to catch up with her and when they saw that Remi was waiting for them they decided to pass another road but she rushed to them with speed and blocked them, they stopped to face her and she started clapping for them
“Wow…that was a wonderful display from two of you…you two make a good team, fantastic team, you deserve a medal for putting up such a show in there…wow…don’t worry you will both reap what you sow…it may not be now but sooner or later your reward will come like a flood…don’t be surprise when it comes…because the gods have mark this day and saw my innocence…the gods will judge this case and whatever that is meant to be will certainly be…
Leja spoke with a smile curved at one end of his mouth
“you finally agreed that you are pregnant after denying it for so long…hahahaha…I told you that you can hide everything but you can never hide pregnancy…I know the truth…I know how it happen but you kept on denying and making me look stupid…you chose the prince over me…I told you Remi that I will mess up your life if it happens to be true that you are pregnant for the prince…and I will do that…the prince can’t have you…over my dead body…I saw you first and I wanted you but you chose the prince over me now I will make you regret ever turning me down…you are carrying his child…that suppose to be my child not his, you allowed him to make love to you and took your virginity that belongs to me…you allowed the prince to lay with you but you refuse to touch my manhood…just a touch that was all I asked that night as my bladder was so hot and I wanted to released the passion on you and you pushed me and insulted me but you shamelessly went to the prince and he laid with you while in drunkenness…you are so shameless Remi…I feel so angry right now that I feel like slapping you…
Remi started laughing out her pain as she hard Leja speak.
“hahahaha…Leja…I will fling you like a kite across the fence if you ever wave a hand to my face…I will beat you like a child…you are huge and tall but I will sit on you and stuff earth dust into your mouth if you ever…I mean ever try to point a finger to my face…I am a hard nut…you can’t crack me easily, you have formed a good team with Nike…no problem… I’m waiting for two of you to bring out all you got, yes…the prince made love to me…ooh it was so sweet, he was fun to be with more than you will ever be, so interesting and I feel good too, please go and hug a palm tree if you are pained…I don’t care, but yes I am carrying the prince child…and I will carry it to term and bring him or her to this earth, I thank the gods that I never had anything to do with you…I never agreed to your dirty request…I can never be yours…you and Nike are match made together…you belong to each other not to somebody like me…listen to this…let me go in detail on how me and the prince had it… as I bared it all open to him…I beckoned on him to come fort and devoured my body and he did, he was so huge and good…I did not want him to even stop as he went on and on before you interrupted us with your stupid knock…
Leja jerked a muscle as Remi spoke…he twist his mouth as anger and jealousy burn through him, he wanted to make Remi to stop talking about how good the prince was in bed with her but he was afraid to touch her, his eyes was red as he bite his lips, Remi hugged herself and laugh as she talked about the meeting with the prince that night making Leja and Nike to boil in envy, Leja hates Remi more than he had ever loved her.
“You make it sound like a fantasy but the prince was drunk and you were in serious pain after the deed was done, you were shaking Remi and couldn’t walk well so with all this your expression… I see nothing else for you but how sad you have to loose yourself to a drunk prince and he hurt you that night even though you don’t want to admit it…the pain was so obviously written on your body that night…
“ooh yeah…talking about the pain…it was a lovely pain…sweet pain that got me with a bundle of blessing…it was far better being with a drunk prince than it will ever be being with you in a cleared eye…just your mare touch feel so disgusting and cold…but the prince was so warm and inviting…please deal with the loss… you and your senseless team member are all losers…
Nike spoke out of anger, boiling even more as Remi seem to have words for everything that Leja says to her and even taking pride in what she and the prince did as she expresses it to them.
“Remi you thought you are smart…I told you….you were messing with the wrong person…we have not even started yet…this just a little bit of what that is yet to come for you…you will regret in this life…you beat me and my mother up and dragged us like animals into cleaning your front door…aahh Remi…you will regret it…I will deal with you…walayi…I swear by the gods…I will mess with you…you want to have the prince…I asked you to abort that bastard that you are carrying and you said no, you want to reap were you did not sow…you wanted the prince… well that will never happen…you will never belong to the prince…I will make sure of that…if there’s anybody well deserving of such then is no one else but me…not you…I suppose to be the one carrying that child for the prince and getting married to him to become the future queen but you ran faster than a shadow to go and hang your cloths where you don’t belong…this is just the beginning for you Remi…calamities will besiege you, you will even beg for death but it won’t answer you…you will be force to kill your self when we are done with you…just be prepared..
“Nike…hmmm, your hatred, envy and jealousy burn like fire…I can feel the heat…i wonder why you have decided to compete with the gods…i did not chose anything for myself…the gods chose me to serve here and that is what I have being doing ever since…this path you have decided to thread hope you are capable because as you know…the gods has blessed me with strength for any battle…so I am not afraid of you or your empty threats…Nike you will fall into the hole you dug for me and will burn in the fire you set for me…I promise you and everyone ganging up against me… am innocent and the gods are not dead…they will vindicate me…so you all should go ahead and bring out what you got I will be waiting because you and your team, Leja ,your mother, yourself and any other person that will join you can not destroy me if the gods did not permit…but if the gods allows you then is fine by me…but be careful Nike…be very careful because you are just about to draw a line of war… my grandma said things like this will happen now I’m beginning to understand her riddles but she said something else…she said the gods chose me because I’m strong enough for the battle… so Nike…you and your team should gang up against me…the gods will vindicate me…and the truth can not be hidden forever.
Remi looked at them again before walking away, she was ready for anyone and anything.
Anything that can’t kill her will only make her stronger,
She doesn’t know what the prince have in mind to do or what Nike and Leja are planning but she was not afraid.
Remi remembered her grandmother’s word again.
“two will want you…only one will have you then disaster will struck…you will be in between and the gods will take you away faraway with the seed of crown…which will become a precious diamond sorted for, it will be hidden in the deepest part of the forest…
Remi remembered her grandmother’s riddle which is still a misery to her, she can’t still fully explain it, when she said two will want you but one will have you Remi had thought she understood but right now even the prince doesn’t want her and she doesn’t want anything with Leja either, maybe the only part she understood is “disaster will struck” she can feel it but what ever may come she silently pray the gods to give her strength to overcome hate with love just as her grandmother has advised her to do but as Nike and Leja decided to trouble her she will not allow them to break her down.
