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Episode 10

Nike saw Remi and one other
palace maiden, Ope talking
about something and laughing
together, there were baskets
containing a ewedu leaf in
Ope’s hand, and another in
Remi as they walk towards the
kitchen side.

Nike dropped everything she
was doing and ran upto them
“Remi my beautiful sister…

where are you going with
Ope…I can go with you if you
don’t mind…I don’t have much
to do around here…

“We are going to the Queen’s
kitchen, tomorrow will be the
beginning of the full moon, so
there will be a great party as
the Queen will be adding
another year, the party will last
for seven days…you can join if
you want…

“No Remi…the Queen
specifically said only four
maiden should start the food
preparation…if your sister join
us we will become five and the
queen may not like that…

“Then you should step aside
Ope…Remi is my sister and she
is the princess personal maiden
which made her higher than all
of us, I should be the one
helping her and not you, and if
Remi said I can join in the
preparation who are you to say
no…they suppose to pair me
and Remi together because we
are related…

“Nobody is dragging the
sisterhood with you, all I’m
saying is that the queen want
only four maiden to start the
food preparation, Remi, me,
Seun and Ayo. We are complete
already…maybe she will add
you in the next grouping but
for now you are not needed…

there are still other things to
do, like fetching firewood from
oja oba, joining the other
maiden to remove sand from
the ofada rice and washing the
wrapping leaves…but we are
complete in the queen’s
kitchen…sorry…

“sorry for yourself too, who are
you to tell me what to do, even
my sister Remi, who holds
more rank than you here
doesn’t order me or anybody
around…why don’t you go and
fetch fire wood, pick the rice or
wash the leave so that I can
join my sister in the queen’s
kitchen…don’t you ever tell me
what to do again…we are all
palace maiden here…so don’t
order me around…
“Nike, is okay…it hasn’t come to
that…Ope please let Nike join
us…there are a lot of things to
do and Nike’s help will be
greatly needed, and after
sometime I will be leaving to
attend to the princess, I have
some other work I have to do
later…ejoo Ope…
“Remi don’t beg her…why are
you even begging her…she is a
nobody, if she want to die let
her go and die…anyway, Remi
What other work do you have
to do aside this….can I join
you…you can always call me if
you need help with the
cleaning or washing…we are
sisters and i will be glad to
help out..

“No Nike…I don’t need any
help, if I need any I will let you
now but for now I am fine…

They all walk down to the
kitchen together and join the
other maiden, every one of
them got busy as they talk and
laugh about one thing or the
other, Remi assigned work for
them and they all get started,
the Queen came down to check
how the preparation was
going
“eku se oo (weldone)

They all knelt down in
greetings to the queen before
getting up to continue with
their work

The Queen saw Nike and asked
Remi

“isn’t that your sister, Remi, the
one you fought and almost
killed…I’m glad that two of you
are getting along…that’s how it
suppose to be…no enemy or
fighting in Oba’s place…work in
unison…in togetherness…so
gbo? (Do you hear me?)
“Bee ni queen mother (yes,
queen mother)

She looked at Nike who got so
serious with her job so that the
Queen can commend her
efforts, she was happy that the
Queen noticed her presence,
she felt so important and
adjusted so well as she kept on
smiling from ear to ear, she
wish the Queen will ask her to
come and be one of her
personal maid, she will be so
happy, she will no longer be
ordinary palace maid, she will
be like Remi

“Ki ni oruko re? (What is your
name?)
“ Oruko mi ni Nike…your
majesty(my name is Nike)
“se daadaa ni o wa (hope you
are fine)
“Been ni die…mo wa daadaa,
ese (yes, a little, am fine, thank
you )
“Why little? are you not
enjoying your work here in the
palace?
“ I am Your majesty, I always
want to help out in many ways
just like my sister, Remi does,
and give my best service but
the position I’m fixed in does
not allow me to do much, as an
ordinary palace maid I don’t
always have much to do until
I’m assign for it… I’m so
privilege your majesty to work
here and to be speaking with
you…many wish for such
opportunity…I wish you can
assign me to do more than I’m
required to do here, maybe to
be one of your personal maid…
or something close to that for
the period that I will be here…I
really want to serve well in this
palace and not lazy around like
most maiden do here…please
don’t take offence in my
request…

“No…no offence, is a good
thing and I will look into that, I
have enough personal maiden
but I will see where I can fix
you up…

“aaah…may the gods keep
blessing you my queen, you
will live long in good health
and will keep prospering in this
kingdom…more years will be
added to your greatness…

Nike knelt down and was
singing praises to the Queen
before the Queen left.

After the Queen left Ope who
was not deceived by Nike’s
show confronted her
“congratulation hard worker…

we have seen how much of a
strong girl that you are…the
rest of us here are just lazing
around…while you are the best
worker and you want to be
well recognized…now the
Queen has said she will
consider and place you
somewhere…you should be
celebrating…you are
succeeding…you will soon be
rubbing shoulder with your
sister Remi…that’s what you
have always wanted…I told
Remi bringing you here to the
kitchen… to join in this
preparation was a bad Idea
now you have come to make
us all look like we are not
doing anything and you are
the most hard working maid
here…
“jealousy…jealousy…go and die
Ope and everyone else who is
jealous because the Queen
herself picked interest in me…I
don’t care about anybody I’m
only here for myself…so stop
talking rubbish, I am very
hardworking and also the most
beautiful among all of you
here…and that was why the
Queen singled me out and
asked of my name and well
being…she doesn’t even know
if any of you exist but she
picked interest in me and that’s
why you want to kill yourself…

“is unfortunate that the Queen
is just noticing you after
several months of working
here, she knows Remi and she
knows me and everyone else
and she ask of our well being
anytime she see’s us so you
should be worried that no one
noticed you…if not for Remi is
related to you nobody will
even know that you exist…
people like Remi that are
beautiful and well endowed
has never talks or boast about
their appearance but you…a
common palace rat is making
noise…

“Ope, am I the one you just
called a palace rat…I will beat
you up Ope, I will stuff the
earth dust into your mouth
and make you eat sand…I will
beat you blue and black…
jealousy…enemy of progress…
“beat me….hahahaha…
mtcheeeww… if not that
fighting in the palace is not
allowed…I would have
continued from where Remi
stopped on you the other day
but on a second thought, I
think I will just let you be… you
almost died that day because
of that small beating she gave
you…you just passed out…we
all poured water on you before
you came back to life… is not in
my hands that you will finally
die… look for somebody else
that will kill you not me…Remi
should ha….
“Ope, please stop mentioning
my name…and stop all this
childish argument…there are
lot of things to be done around
here, two of you should not
spend the rest of the day
exchange words and looking
for who is the strongest…
enough…am going to do some
other things for the Princess…I
want by the time I will return
all the preparation should be
almost done, that empty drum
need to be filled, Ope, you and
Nike should do that, fill the
drum from the big tank at the
back yard, please no more
argument…or I will separate
two of you to join others in
fetching firewood…I guess that
will keep both of your mouth
shut…

Remi left the maiden in the
Queens kitchen to continue
with the preparation
She went to the Princess
chamber

“I was almost sending for you
Remi, have you gone to clean
my brother’s chamber…
“Not yet my princess…I was
trying to foresee things in the
queen’s kitchen…the maidens
are preparing for tomorrow’s
day…so I assisted a little before
leaving…
“ko si wahala (no problem) are
you still busy…do you still have
something else to do…
“Yes my princess but every
other thing can wait until I’m
done cleaning the Prince
chamber…the other maiden are
attending to most of the
chores…

The princess nodded and Remi
left with her cleaning bucket
and rag to the Prince
chamber…

She gently tapped on his door
and he responded asking her
to come inside, she went in
and close the door before
kneeling to greet, she looked
around the place,
there was much to be done
around the big chamber, it will
take her time to fold up the
wrappers scattered on the
chair and bed, using water and
soup to clean the ground and
dust off every dirt on the floor,
chairs and window, she will
finish up more fast if the Prince
was not in the room, relaxing
on his bed and looking at her
all over
“I was already wondering if my
sister did not give you my
message yesterday that I
needed your help in cleaning
up here…
“Yes…she did, I was assisting in
preparing things for the
upcoming Queen’s party and
the full moon celebration…
“yea…which starts tomorrow…
is going to be a full seven days
of eating and drinking and
getting merry…that’s why I
want this place tided up…are
you excited about it…like I
am…
“Of curse…my prince…I am, let
me start with the cleaning
right away…

“alright if you can’t finish up
today then you can continue
tomorrow after the party…
don’t over work yourself…sorry
that I have to chose you to do
this…I feel so comfortable with
you doing it than any other
person…do you need me to do
anything…sorry I don’t really
know how to do much chores
but I can help with little, if you
ask me to…or you can teach
me…I will be glad to learn
under you…
“no…not at all…thank you, I
feel honored my Prince , I can
handle everything…but I would
have love to start from your
big bed but you are lying down
on it…never mind, let me not
disturb you, I will just start
from the tables and
wardrooms…

“Remi…is fine…if you want to
start from the bed then I will
stand up…I will leave you
alone in the room…don’t let
anybody into my chamber…I
will just check up on the queen
mother…giving you space for
you to be able to work
effectively…
Remi nodded as the Prince
stood up and walk past her to
the door, he turned back and
look at her before walking out.
Remi felt relaxed as the Prince
walked out, she was happy
that her trick worked and the
Prince left the room for her,
she began her cleaning with a
smile, singing to herself, there
was a lot to do but it will be
faster now that the Prince was
out of the room.

Nike and Ope were getting
water from the water tank to
the Queen’s kitchen drum
when they saw the Prince
coming, Ope and Nike greeted
and stood up at his command
Nike wore a very broad smile,
she wanted the Prince to
notice her, Ope watch Nike in
disgust

“My Prince…E ku abo, that’s a
beautiful agbada you are
putting on…well crafted with
beautiful design…
“ose…(thanks) you are Remi’s
sister…Right?

“Bee ni…(yes) Remi is my sister,
in my family we are very
hardworking, my prince I am
one of the most hardworking
maiden here followed by my
sister, Remi… I a…
“What is your own name…
The prince ignored Nike who
was still talking to face Ope
“Oruko mi ni Ope…my prince…
(my name is Ope)
“Have you seen the queen
mother this evening…looking
out for her
Before Ope will say anything
Nike replied him
“Yes…yes my prince…I can take
you to where she is…I saw her
sitting and talking with some
visitors at the royal sit out, can
I take you there…
“Take me there? …why…when
am not blind…your information
will do…Ose
The Prince turned and walked
away
“Hard-worker…maybe you
should turn into a town crier so
that you can announce to
everyone, go to Oba himself
and tell him that you are most
hardworking maiden…
desperate fool…
“Jealousy…jealousy that is your
own problem… go and die
Ope…just watch out for me in
this palace…you will be
surprise at what the future
holds for me…nonsense…lazy
girl…
Leja walked up to Nike who
was still battling words with
Ope.
Ope carried her water and left
after greeting Leja

“Hey…Nike ba wo ni (how are
you)…have you seen Remi…
“What happen…I don’t know
where she is…what do you
want I may be able to help you
if you ask me to…
“you can’t help me…I just want
to see Remi, she has being so
busy and I haven’t set my eyes
on her since today…I got a gift
for her and I want to present it
to her, by myself…
“Well, keep looking for her
then…I don’t know where she
is…why do you buy a gift for
her…today is not her birthday…
what is inside the gift wrap…
what is she celebrating Leja…
“Is none of your business, I will
find her…thanks for your time…
Nike carried her water and left,
while Leja went on searching
for Remi.


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