A Tale Of Five Bandits

Read Story: SEASON 1 EPISODE 4

They journeyed for a day, sighing in relief when they finally reached their destination.

Sewa abruptly nock an arrow on her bowstring when she was shocked to find herself less than a mile from the capital walls. He had brought her to the capital where her face was pasted on every wall with a bounty on her head. She cussed herself for trusting him

. His offer had seemed appealing but she should have been smarter than that.

“What is this? A trap? ” Sewa demanded, her face burning with fury as she aimed the arrow straight to his forehead. “What are you? A bounty hunter? Did the King hire you?”.

Duro raised his hands, heaved a sigh and rolled his eyes, “By the gods”, he muttered.

He took a step closer to her trying to soothe her anger.

“Take another step and you will find yourself amongst your ancestors. Dare me!” She shouted.

“I’m not working for the King neither am I a bounty hunter!”. He snapped, “The person I work for lives in the capital. I told you they were royalty”.

Sewa shook her head in disbelief, her fingers itching to let the arrow fly, “If not the king then who?”.

“That would be me”, A voice boomed behind her. Twirling in one fluid motion, Sewa shifted her arrow to the source of the new voice

. The man standing before her looked to be in his early 70’s. He was completely adorned in white attire; from the fila on his head to the sandals on his feet. Around his neck dangled dazzling beads and an amulet that rested on his portly belly. His fingers, gripping a red fan, were decorated with rings crowned with rubies and sapphires.

The man offered a warm smile, “It’s just as the rumours say; feisty as ever”.

Sewa studied him, taking in his appearance. It was obvious to her that the man was indeed royalty and of high status.

The man clasped his hands in front of him and casted a kind smile. His eyes crinkling at the corners and he extended a hand “Adesewa, I would be so much grateful if you could lower your weapon. There’s no need for that…yet. I assure you that everything Durojaiye has said so far is true”.

His voice sounded thoughtful and tender and Sewa found herself heeding to his words. She narrowed her eyes, drifting her attention between both men and disarmed her arrow. Nevertheless her hand cautiously rested on the dagger on her right thigh. “For a moment there, I was surprised that you knew my real name. Only a handful of people possess that information but for someone with your status and connections, nothing is impossible to find out”. The man merely smiled and nodded.

Sewa bit her lips slightly irritated, “Now, tell me what’s going on”.

“This is no suitable place to talk. If you could follow me to my quarters, it’s safer and more comfortable”, the man gestured to his right.

Sewa looked in the direction of his hand and spotted a hidden tunnel covered with weeds and woods.

Sewa shook her head “Soldiers could be waiting for me there. Warriors with arms in hand. I’m still not convinced. You work for the King, what dealings do you have with a criminal like me?”

The man heaved a sad sigh “The King has lost his mind. Consumed with power, he has gone mad. The other leaders, such as myself, are either too scared of him or are also devoured by greed. There’s no one I can trust within the capital. If I have to resort to getting help from the likes of you to save the Empress from this madness then I would gladly do it”.

She looked back at Duro and he nodded sadly. She thought back to the diseased village she had just left. They had been abandoned by the King, left to starve and die. But the King’s troops were also there in the village, looking for her. That must mean the King was fully aware that his people was suffering and decided to turn a blind eye.

“Just like he did to mine” she thought. She nodded her head in acceptance “lead the way”.

---

Walking though the dim tunnel for fifteen minutes, they reached the end of the tunnel which was blocked by a large boulder with streaks of light piercing through the edges of the barricade. The man clapped once and whistled twice then clapped twice and whistled once.

Before Sewa’s eyes, the boulders rode over displaying an entrance to a room.

The man gestured at them to follow him through the hole. Sewa squinted, giving her eyes enough time to adjust to the sudden sunlight that blinded her. She looked around the room, taking in portraits of the gods, past kings, chiefs and a depiction of the man in his prime.

A long table stood by the side of the chamber with idols too many to count resting on top. The man sat relaxed on a chair and gestured at Sewa and Duro to join him. Sewa looked back at the hole from whence she came from and saw the boulder rolled back to its former position and guarded by two hefty men.

“Allow me to introduce myself properly”, the man shot his puffed out his chest and spoke in a deep voice, “I am Adewole Adeniyi. The Bashorun of the Oyo Empire. One of the seven principal councillors of the Kingdom. The council are under the King, yes, but we represent the voice of the Kingdom and its people and it is our chief responsibility of protecting the interest of the people and to keep the King in check. It is unfortunate that the power we were once bestowed with is now lost. The king has terminated all who dare question his decision and judgement. Most of the councillors now support his tyrannical rule mostly out of fear or greed”.

Adewole looked around cautiously as if the walls had ears and whispered “The King has gone mad”.

“Mad?” Sewa asked confused, “The King is many things; neglectful yes, unkind yes, slacking and heedless yes but mad? Why is a mad man on the throne?

“I do not mean mad in the literal sense. I meant his actions are that of a mad man. He listens to no reason and relishes in cruelty and absolute power”.

Sewa nodded in understanding.

. She felt a hand on hers and turned to see Duro staring sadly at her “He has to be stopped, that’s why I brought you here” he said.

Shifting his gaze back and forth between Sewa and Adewole, he continued “I never expected to meet her in that tavern. There is no other explanation but that it was definitely the will of the gods. They brought you to us. We could use someone with skills in a calibre like yours”.

Sewa sat silently, thinking to herself. Trying to understand the situation she had found herself in. From the looks of things, this would only lead to one thing; possible assassination of the King. A coup. Everything became clear to her. The only way she could ever hope to get a royal pardon would be through Adewole and for that to ever happen, he had to be King or appoint a new King of his choosing. If the King was dead or dethroned, he would have the most power since being the Bashorun, his power roughly rivalled that of the King.

She was still lost in thought when she held a clap and whistling. Adewole and Duro glanced at the boulder as the guards prepared to move it.

“Ah, they are here at last”, Adewole smiled.