Episode Eighteen: A Traitor Is Alive

Tadeyanju had sneaked up on Tade so many times to watch and listen to her since she came back to Iludoyin Kingdom, he knew her voice even in his sleep. This was why he was sure that she was the one  he had heard. 

My father?

I thought my father was dead.

The words echoed in his mind even though she had said nothing afterwards. It was easy to dismiss it as imagination, but he knew that it was not. War or not, he was going to seek her out. So, while Otun and the messenger went to join the chaos in the palace, Tadeyanju went in search of the eavesdropper. He knew she was not alone, he had heard the footsteps of two people as they scurried away. They were trying to run and hide, but he knew the bush like the back of his hands. Finding them was child’s play. Tade’s soft sobs also made it easy. Tadeyanju traced the sound, only to find her nestled in Prince Adeyeri’s arms.

“Your Royal Highness!” Tadeyanju exclaimed, but it came out as a whisper, reality dawning on him.

The Prince had married his daughter.

Adeyeri had married Tadeyeri – his Abobaku.

Did they know what they were doing?

“What are you doing with my daughter? What happened?” Tadeyanju asked, bewildered.

Adeyeri released Tade gently and walked forward to face Tadeyanju. “What happened?“ he reiterated sarcastically. “That is a question I should be asking you!” he bellowed. The discovery of Tadeyanju and Otun’s betrayal was like adding pepper to an open wound.

Tadeyanju sighed deeply. He had no personal issues with Adeyeri. He believed that the Prince was a good person, but he represented an institution that doomed his family, and when you fight battles with such institutions, you take no prisoners.

“I don’t know how much you heard, but I am sure you already know that I plan to kill you, and that I killed your father.”

Tade gasped, bursting into tears of fear, shock and betrayal. If Adeyeri had been punched in the face, his breath would be more intact than it was now! Tadeyanju and Otun were his father’s closest allies.

“You were going to kill me and your daughter,” he said, stating the obvious, hoping this was all a mistake, or that he would wake up from a bad dream.

Tadeyanju looked away in shame. “I would never kill Tade.”

Adeyeri laughed dryly. “Of course. Only one of your men will do the dirty work.”

The words drove the guilt deep into Tadeyanju. “I could never have killed Tade. She is the only one that matters to me in this world. I am doing all this for her so that she can live a normal life.”

Tade rose and walked past Adeyeri to stand before her father. “All I needed to live a normal life was to have grown up with you.”

Tadeyanju moved closer to her as though he planned to touch her, but Adeyeri stepped in between them.

“Don’t you dare touch my wife. You are a traitor, and we want nothing to do with you,” he stated, his voice and hands shaking in anger. Tade held his shoulders in comfort, standing behind him. They were picture perfect.

Tadeyanju’s heart broke, and he couldn’t trust his voice. He had thought he was showing his daughter love by killing the King and throwing his weight behind Otun to get him to repeal the Abobaku tradition. However, Adeyeri had shown more bravery and wisdom than him. In a simpler move, he had saved Tade from her fate, and at the risk of his own claim to the throne.

“I was doing all this for her,” he said again, his proud shoulders drooping in shame. He couldn’t even bear to look the couple in the eye. Just moments ago, he had been boasting that he would kill them.

He would kill his own daughter!

And the Prince.

“So murdering an innocent King, and his heir, is justifiable to save yourself…” Adeyeri was saying, but Tadeyanju didn’t let him finish.

“Not myself, but her…” he said, pointing at Tade, whose eyes were heavy with tears, and Tadeyanju wished the ground would swallow him. This was not how he had planned to introduce himself to his daughter. “Can I have a word with Tadeyeri alone?” he asked.

Adeyeri did not dignify his request with a response. Instead, he motioned to Tade to come with him. Naturally, he should have arrested Tadeyanju immediately, wrestling with him till he conquered him, but Adeyeri was not stupid. Tadeyanju was a trained fighter with a gang of fighters probably lurking in the bush, waiting to come to his rescue. Even at that, Adeyeri could probably take him down one on one, and he was tempted to, but he buried his anger to protect his wife from being a part of this mess. There was a usurper doing battle in the palace, and he had to take Tade to safety before joining the warriors of Iludoyin to fight.

“When all this is over, I will find you and kill you,” he said and stomped away, pulling Tade with him.

Tadeyanju followed them but said nothing, and they ignored him, but as they neared the palace, they began to hear loud war cries, cutlasses clashing, and arrows flying in the air. Ignoring Tadeyanju, Adeyeri moved Tade to a corner near a tree he considered his, for that was where he kept some of his personal items, like his battle sword.

“I need you to hide here. I must join the fight, but once it’s over, I will come for you,” he said, and kissed her forehead. Tade nodded in fear. “Why are you still here?” Adeyeri bellowed at Tadeyanju when he turned and saw him.

“I won’t leave my daughter!” he replied.

“You are mad if you think I will leave my wife with you,” Adeyeri returned, and charged at Tadeyanju, who allowed the blow to land on his stomach then held Adeyeri to prevent him from throwing another punch.

“Your Royal Highness, I know we are enemies, but on this issue, we have to be on the same side for Tadeyeri,” he said, and Adeyeri struggled briefly with him to be free of his hold. “Do you honestly think I will hurt the daughter I am doing all this for?” he asked just at the same time the battle cry in the palace grew louder.

Men were dying!

The battle was getting fiercer!

His mother was in the palace.

Adeyeri was torn. He had to go and save his mother and fight for his people. No matter how much he cared for Tade, hiding with her in the bush when the destiny of Iludoyin hung in the balance was not something he could let himself do.

“If anything happens to her, I will find you, cut you into pieces, and feed you to the dogs. But whatever the case, get ready to die anyway. I will kill you for ending my father’s life, for Areo, and for Iludoyin, and this time when you die, you will stay dead.”

Tade flinched. She had never seen Adeyeri this angry before, or say words like this. She went to stand by his side, looping her arms around his to calm him. “I don’t want to stay here with him. I don’t want to leave you,” she said, holding on to him tighter, and he pulled her into his arms. It was the first display of affection, and it surprised her, but he was just getting started. 

Despite her father standing before them, Adeyeri kissed her on the lips. He too, like Tade, did not understand how he couldn’t help being expressive. He didn’t want to leave her too, yet, to take her into battle was a nightmare. He tasted her tears, and pulled away, wiping them with his hands.

“Don’t cry.”

“Come back to me, Adeyeri! Don’t die. Please!” she said in between sobs.

Tadeyanju stared at the couple, and his eyes grew misty. They were in love. He wasn’t even sure they knew it, but they were, and it made him feel like a fool to have been planning to kill Adeyeri. He shuddered at the thought.

“Pray for me, and if the gods will it, I will come back to you,” Adeyeri said.

Tade touched his chest. “Those gods have no power to protect you. Be careful. Be determined to be safe. Don’t be reckless, don’t be emotional, and pray to Jesus. I will pray, but you must pray for yourself too. At the height of battle, when things are about to go really bad, say, ‘Jesus, help me.’”

Adeyeri nodded. “I will say it, but promise me you won’t do anything stupid.” He kissed her again then kissed her forehead and left her arms.

“Like what?” Tade asked, but Adeyeri was already climbing a tree.

At the top of the tree, he brought out a box and removed a sword from it then looked out to see what was happening at the palace. His heart broke into a thousand pieces. The men of Iludoyin were outnumbered by the invading soldiers.

Who were they?

How did they cross the border?

Why do they think they can fight for my throne?

Some men suddenly entered the palace with Chief Otun.

Interesting.

Adeyeri jumped down from the tree. “Don’t do anything stupid like coming to the palace until all this is over,” he said to Tade, a defeated look plastered on his face.

“You sound scared,” she observed.

“I will be foolish not to be scared. There are two strange armies in the palace,” he replied, sharpening his sword with the knife that was always in his pocket.”

“Two armies?”

Adeyeri scowled towards Tadeyanju. “I believe the internal traitors are one group, but I don’t know the other group. I will find out soon enough,” he said, and began to leave when Banji came running into the bush. He was panting heavily, almost fainting. 

“Thank the gods I found you here,” he said as he sat on the ground.

Tade and Adeyeri rushed to his side. “What is happening?” Tade asked, taking the words out of Adeyeri’s mouth.

“You can’t go to the palace. It’s a war zone. It’s brutal,” Banji said between breaths.

“Tell me something I don’t know.” Adeyeri replied

“Our men are dying, others are running. The King’s guards have surrendered.”

“They what?” Adeyeri stared in shock, unable to imagine why men who had sworn to defend the throne with their lives chickened out without attempting to fight for a significant amount of time.

“Chief Otun came with men. He has laid claim to the throne. Can you believe it? He has men too! Iyalode and Osi have been arrested. The other army is led by a man who says he is a Prince, the rightful heir, and your elder brother.”

“My what?” Adeyeri asked, shocked.

“Do you have a brother?” Tade inquired, giving him a puzzled look.

“No, I don’t.” 

“Yes, you do!” Tadeyanju said, and all eyes suddenly turned to him.

Banji rose and almost bolted if not that Adeyeri caught him in time. “A ghost?”

“He’s very alive! A traitor. He killed my father. He’s Otun’s man, Tade’s father”

Banji almost passed out from the news. “This is a lot!”

“We can process all that later. Right now, we need to join the battle. The men need to see their leader for motivation,” Adeyeri said, and made to leave.

Banji pulled him back. “I do not think you understand me. It’s a bloodbath over there. You are a threat. They will slaughter you. The best thing is to hide. You are the heir. Protecting you and keeping you alive is an assurance that we can live to fight another day; a day when we have our own army, a day when we can fight to win.”

Adeyeri looked Banji in the eyes as he responded. “Even though you are right, I must go to the palace. A coward is not fit to be an heir.”

Tade moved to block him. “Adeyeri, there is a time for bravery, and there is a time for wisdom.”

Banji joined her. “My Prince, let’s pick wisdom this time.”

Adeyeri stared at the two of them, their words sinking in, yet he couldn’t listen to them. “Banji, go and pack food, water, and plenty of my money from the safe then come and wait here for me.”

“What for?” he asked.

“For backup.”

“Are we leaving Iludoyin?” Tade asked, optimistic about the option. The thought of Adeyeri going into a battle that was doomed to kill him was already killing her.

“I am leaving for the palace, Banji’s assignment is simply a backup to ensure that my wife will be alright no matter what happens to me.” Tade’s face creased into a frown as she folded her arms beneath her bosom. Adeyeri held her shoulders affectionately. “I just want you to be okay,” he said to her then faced Banji. “If anything happens to me, take her far away from Iludoyin, and set her up with my money.”

Banji nodded in understanding. Tade looked bewildered. “Adeyeri, nothing must happen to you. I will not be a widow on the same day that I became a wife. For all we know, I may be pregnant already.”

Adeyeri smiled, and closed the gap between them, kissing her forehead. It was becoming a habit of his – touching her. He found that he couldn’t keep his hands off her. He touched her stomach.

“If you are already pregnant, that will be the greatest news. It will mean that my father’s heritage lives on, and you can always come back to lay claim to the throne if he’s a boy.”

Tade moved away from his hold. “You sound like you know you will die. It doesn’t make sense. Why will anyone walk gallantly to be slaughtered. You are outnumbered. You have been betrayed. Your Chiefs have been arrested. It makes no sense.”

“It doesn’t, but I have to go. I cannot leave my mother alone in the palace. I must go and save her,” he said, and walked briskly away, ready to join the battle.

To save his mother!

To save Wuraola!