Diamond In The Forest

Episode 25

Dami digged up more ridge for
his grandma at her backyard,
he kept on digging and
suddenly he stopped to wipe
sweat out of his forehead, the
sweet aroma coming from his
grandma’s kitchen filled his
nose

His stomach made a funny
sound, he can’t wait to eat
whatever the grandma was
making
He sat on the ridge and held
his digging hole in hand as he
look straight at nothing
He was deep in thought when
his grandma startled him
“Eku se omo daadaa… (Well
done good child) I’m making
risi ati omiobe (rice and stew) I
guess you are tired… you have
tried for today… go and wash
up so that you will have
something to eat…I bought
rabbit from the hunter…I added
it to the omiobe…and dried
some by the fire for tomorrow
efo riro…so we will be having a
rabbit stew with rice…I have
miss my usual bush meat…
when your grandpa was alive…
people come here to ask if
there’s any bush meat
available…I will serve them and
they will eat to their
satisfaction before going to
their different houses… your
grandpa was a good hunter, a
loving husband and a great
father not just to your mother
who happens to be our only
child but to other children…
“And you are a great loving
grandma… you seem to be
taking maami’s death with
ease… being your only
biological child…every mother
will cry their eyes out if they
loose their child…

“No mother wishes for the
death of their children, every
senseable human prays to
grow old and and die at a very
prime age…peacefully. it was a
mishap… like a blow to us all
but death is certain, mine May
not come earlier but it will,
both the good and the wicked
dies my child… killing another
will not make the wicked to
live forever, the wicked will
still die anyway…

“I wish mother has lived…I
wish Remi wasn’t banished, I
wish father was
alive…uhmmm…I just wish for
many things yet I can’t have
any…

“If wishes where horses even
beggars will take a ride on it…
isn’t it how the saying
goes?…life happens my son…so,
we the living have to move
on… let’s not dwell on our loses
but take everyday as a gift
from the gods… only the living
has hope for tomorrow…a
living dog is better than a dead
lion… being alive is not because
we deserve it or we did more
good than the dead…not at all…
only the gods favors those they
chose to favor, so everyday is a
blessing and live it as such and
don’t be ungrateful rather be
thankful in everything…in that
way you will secure more of
the gods blessings…

“Bee ni iyaiya ( that’s very true
grandma) I imagine what Remi
could be doing, being all alone
in the forest, no good shelter,
no good cooked food, no
friends or anybody to talk
to…just all alone, exposed to all
kinds of danger, wild animals
and bad spirit that hooves
around… she is carrying a
child…who will help her during
birth time… How will she cope
with everything…iya you
assured me that egbon mi (my
elder sister) will be fine but I
find it difficult to believe just
imagining all the danger she
has to face.. except you are
saying that to console me…all I
see is the impossibility of her
survival…I know she is very
strong, she has a strength of
five men yet even her strength
may fail her in such an
environment… she won’t be
able to make it iya…I fear…
hmmm…I fear for her…

“Don’t be… Remi is fine…I
assured you that… she carried a
diamond that must not be
tampered with… maybe if she
has stayed behind the wicked
would have found a means to
hurt her and the seed of crown
so the gods sent her away and
I’m certain they will protect
her… I know she has being
through alot, wrongly accused,
injustice done her and then a
harsh sentence was passed,
your mother died and she was
banished with the child that
was still forming in her womb…
that is just too much for one
person… yet she will scale
through, victory will be hers
when the sun finally set in her
favor…

“Amin…(Amen) let me run to
the river and have a long swim,
I will fetch more water on my
way, I can’t wait to eat the
rabbit stew with rice…mo nbo
iya (I’m coming grandma)
Nike came to meet Leja where
he sat
“You know you can’t drop out
now… whatever happens has
happened..I wanted her off my
way and is done…
“You are so heartless… do you
know that Remi also lost her
mother and I’m very sure your
wicked mother has a hand in
her death…how can you be
okay with yourself knowing
well that Remi might be dead
by now for your sins… like
mother like daughter…too
evil….how do you sleep at
night with your conscience…
“I don’t have one, I don’t have
a conscience…if you become an
enemy I will make sure I clear
you off my way…
“Do not dare use those
threatening tone on me… I’m
very sure you know who you
are talking to, I told you Nike..I
warned you not to do anything
against the oba that he has the
ear of the gods and yet you
disobeyed and went ahead just
to have the prince and become
Queen…now the prince does
not want you or any maiden
close to him…ever since Remi
was banished for the very sin
you committed… you suppose
to be the one in that evil forest
and probably dead by now not
Remi…but I’m sure the gods
will deal with you for all your
atrocities…
“You mean deal with”us” I’m
as guilty as you are so don’t
start what you can’t finish…if I
go down you are definitely
going with me Leja… so you
better cooperate and stop
trying to shift the blame on
me… and leave iyami out of
this… I’m waiting for my flow
this month if it did not come it
means that the prince will be a
father with your child…I will do
everything I can to make the
prince to become mine…
whether he likes it or not… I’m
fully into this no going back…I
will achieve all my aim… just
watch and see…

Ope walked past Leja and Nike
as they argue that day, Ope
noticed that since Remi left, the
palace has loose it’s color,
everything seem boring and
quiet or maybe is the way she
feels and Leja and Nike seems
to be having argument every
now and then
The next morning
Ope passed Leja without
greeting him, Leja called her
“Hey…do I look so small or I’m I
invisible that made you to
walk pass me like that…
“Imabinu… ekaro (don’t be
angry, good morning)
“You have being giving
attitude this days Ope…I
noticed it but wanted to keep
watching you until I’m sure of
what you are turning into…be
guided…

“I’m guided you are the one I
should be telling to be
guided…I don’t mean this as an
insult but why don’t you hush
Nike like you are doing right
now…I know both of you are
upto to something…I don’t
know what it is but I just hope
it has nothing to do with Remi
being banished… Remi is a
good maiden and has a heart
of gold… her sister Nike was
always jealous of her and I
know it right from time is just
Remi did not see the green
snake in a green grass that
Nike was.. you lied the baby
she carries was yours but I
know is not true it belongs to
the prince… Remi said it
herself… and I believe her…
even the princess confirmed
it…I saw your guilty face that
day her sentence was
passed…it was as if you were
being punch… Leja I
understand that jealousy is
making you do the things you
don’t want to do…but the gods
will not forgive you if you
don’t let the cat out of the
bag… Remi maybe dead but
she will not be forgotten in the
heart of those of us that love
her… don’t you feel guilty… you
killed an innocent girl with
your evil minded companion…
“I did not kill any one… stop
assuming things that you are
not sure of… whatever happens
is in the past now.. everyone is
trying to move past that…
“Not everyone… Leja… you can
not move past it because it is
glued to your conscience…
Mikai hard a whistle from the
far end of the forest and
whistled back
“That was my father, I call him
Pah, he is back from
hunting…we use mouth whistle
to communicate sometimes…
Let me call him to come over…
Mikai whistled again three
times with her mouth different
sound, before turning to Remi
who has thousand and one
question she wanted to ask the
girl who looks like she was not
afraid of anything or anyone.
“What are you roasting…I
mean what kind of animal is
that… burning out… that’s not
how to roast a game…
“Is a grass cuter… the one it’s
back is covered with spikes…
that is what i use to make my
arrow…
“Ooh…it looks like a hedgehog
to me… and your bow and
arrow is made from a bole..tree
trunk… that’s not good.. you
can’t do anything with this…I
will give you one of mine…I
have different types some
made from animals skin… Pah
thought me how to make my
own weapon…I really have
questions I would love to ask
but let my father come first.
“Same here, I also have
questions but let’s wait for
your father…

The monkey jumped on the
tree and
started making strange noise, a
mouth whistle was hard not
too far from where they where
and Mikai responded
“I guess your father is close
by… that is why Ore..my friend
is making those funny noise…
“Sure he is… animals has a
funny way of communicating
to humans… when you live
among them you will get to
understand them better…here
he comes…pah…

A tall young man, maybe a
little younger than Leja or
same age, with a hand made
raffle hanging on his shoulder,
he was good looking and has a
big scar on his forehead, Remi
has expected an older man but
was shock to see a young fine
man, a Father to Mikai who has
a little of his resemblance
He stood surprised as he
looked from Remi to Mikai,
Mikai spoke first

“Pah… her name is Remi, that’s
her friend the monkey, who
she calls Ore… she is lost…I
guess… so we are not really the
only one living in the
forest…we have a companion…
and she is expecting a baby…
look at her tummy… God added
to us… we will have a friend
and a sister… isn’t that cool…
pah… pah
Remi smile as she watch Mikai
speak to the man who seem to
be lost in thought as he stare
at Remi. When he got himself
he moved closer

“Pardon me please… I’m just
shock to see another human
here after many years. before I
start throwing the question
going through my mind let me
introduce myself first… I’m
Sipah from the far north. I
guess Mikai has introduce
herself already…I thought we
are the only human here… I’m
glad to meet another maybe
we can talk about why you are
here… you will need good food
and a shelter…

“I’m Remi… you and your
daughter’s accent sound so
different and sweet to the ear ..

I’m so happy that I’m not alone
here… thank you Si…pah
“Just call me Pah… and don’t
thank me yet… because we
haven’t done anything for
you…I will pick up your things
and we will all leave here…
“Thank you “Pah.. I’m grateful
Sipah and Mikai gathered up
Remi things, wrapped it up and
carried it, as they turn to leave,
Sipah turned to Remi…
“Forget about the bush
meat…is almost turning into
charcoal, whenever you want
to roast a game.. don’t leave it
ones you throw it into the fire
just… keep turning it untill is
properly done…I will teach you
how to do that… Do you still
have another person here or
you are the only one…

“Yes, I’m just the only one with
my monkey friend… Ore, hope
you don’t mind if he comes
along…he has being so helpful…

“Ofcurse not…Ore is from now
onward our friend… let’s go
home
Remi smiled as she looked
from Sipah to Mikai who were
both smiling, Sipah has a very
attractive fine smile as he
looked at Remi, she looked up
the tree where the monkey
was jumping from branch to
branch

“Ore… is time to go… come let’s
go… there’s home for us
somewhere…

They walked untill Remi could
see a mould house and the out
house was built with leaves
and sticks the whole place was
widely fenced, and there were
vegetables and yam farm,
there was also corn and Millet
farm everything seem to be in
order and well arranged
She smiled as Sipah ushered
her into their home in the
heart of the forest
She thanked him ones again as
Mikai took her into a warm
room
Sipah rushed to the fire place
to cook something for Remi,
who despite how stressed and
troubled she look she still
posses an inner beauty that is
so welcoming
He can’t wait to hear her story
and what she was doing in the
forest
Remi’s looked out at the small
window and saw Sipah, cutting
wood and putting them on fire,
something was cooking in the
fire place, Sipah has a well built
muscle and and an inviting
smile, despite the scar on his
forehead he was still very
handsome and also young
Remi wondered if he was truly
the father of Mikai because of
how young and handsome he
was
She can’t wait to hear their
stories and what made them to
build a home in the heart of
the forest surrounded by wide
animals but for now she will
silently thanked the gods for
sending Mikai and Sipah to her
aid.