Episode Five – Chaos In The Palace

Adeyeri had never considered it a possibility that one day, he would be given news that could be worse than the one that confronted him on the day he lost his father, but as he walked with Atoyebi to his chambers, and listened to him describe the state he met Tade, he felt like his heart  would stop. 

Tade was in a pool of blood.

Walking was no longer enough, and being King didn’t cross his mind. Adeyeri ran, unable to wait a second longer than necessary to see his wife. Even Atoyebi could not catch up with him.

“Adeyeri!” Tade whispered as soon as she saw him. Beside her were three maidservants; one was propping her up while the other two were cleaning her up.

“What is wrong? What happened?” Adeyeri struggled to ask, catching his breath, but Tade didn’t respond to him, her eyes closing.

“We are losing her,” the senior maid servant said, but regretted her words when Adeyeri’s eye darted at her in a deep scowl. “I am sorry your Highness. It’s just that she has lost a lot of blood, so…”

Adeyeri did not let her finish. “Leave us!” he bellowed, and the two younger maidservants swiftly rose up to leave, but the older one, who propped Tade up, remained. From her facial expression it was obvious she had things to say. “Why are you still here?”

“Kabiyesi, we need to deliver the baby to see if we can save it.”

Adeyeri swallowed hard, unable to process his thoughts clearly. “There is no way she is ready for the baby! She still has at least one more month.”

“I am the palace midwife, Kabiyesi. From experience, it is possible for a woman to have a baby at this stage to prevent risking the baby further. My only fear is that Ayaba cannot push in this weak state.”

“So what exactly are you trying to say?” The midwife looked down in fright, scared to incur Adeyeri’s wrath. “Speak, woman!”

“We can only save one of them; the mother or the baby. Sadly, you have to choose one.”

“I will not choose!” Adeyeri screamed at the midwife, then gently pulled Tade from her arms into his. “Leave us!” he commanded, and the midwife stepped out of the room, except Atoyebi, who himself was already looking almost as distraught as Adeyeri.

“What can I do?” he asked.

“Leave us!” Adeyeri repeated again, his tone gentler than before. He then turned Tade to face him. “My love, what is wrong with you? What is happening? You were sleeping when I left just now.” Tade couldn’t respond, but Adeyeri could tell that she wanted to say something. “Don’t waste your strength! Don’t worry, you will be fine.”

“I don’t feel fine. The baby!” Tade managed to say, and tears began to flow down Adeyeri’s face.

“The baby will be fine! You will also be fine. I am not going to survive without you. You make my life worth it. I…” Adeyeri couldn’t continue, Tade’s eyes were closing. “Haaaaaaa!” he screamed. “Yahweh, I need you. Please, come and be with us. We need you to rescue us. Please, do what only you can do,” he cried when Iyalode came rushing in with the midwife. “I said you should leave!” Adeyeri directed his anger at the midwife. “Why are you back?”

“Stay by the door, I will send for you,” Iyalode said to the midwife then moved closer to her King. “Kabiyesi, I am sorry!” She comforted Adeyeri, but he wasn’t having it.

“Why are you sorry? She is fine.”

Iyalode moved closer then stepped back in shock at the blood. “Please Kabiyesi, let the midwife come back in quickly. This is an urgent situation. We need to act fast.”

Adeyeri wiped his tears. “Act fast and do what? Send my wife to her grave? Iyalode, please leave me. Tell everyone to go,” Adeyeri said, only to be interrupted by the other Chiefs as they came in.

“Your dream has merit,” Osi whispered to Oluawo, the Chief Priest, as soon as they all came in. Adeyeri heard them.

“The Almighty God will rescue my wife, and you shall all marvel at His power. Yahweh will come through,” Adeyeri declared, cradling Tade’s face.

“Who is that? What is that strange god you mentioned, Kabiyesi?” Oluawo, the Chief Priest asked, his voice coated with irritation, even though his facial expression was calm in light of the situation. 

Adeyeri ignored him and faced Iyalode. “Please bring back the midwife, but I want every other person out.”

Iyalode nodded and went to bring the midwife, motioning with her hand for everyone to leave.

“I am here, Kabiyesi.”

Adeyeri nodded in acknowledgement. “Forget your experience, this situation will be different. Mother and child will come out of this alive. My God will not fail me, and if you play your part right, you can choose one hectare from any of my lands, and I will give you. So please, keep your negativity, use your head, and God will help you.”

The midwife knelt before Adeyeri. “The gods will help me, Kabiyesi. I will do my best,” she promised, but Adeyeri didn’t see the faith in her eyes. She only said what she believed he wanted to hear.

“Not the gods that Iludoyin have chosen in the past, but God Almighty, Yahweh, the God of my salvation,” Adeyeri professed, and he handed Tade back to her, ignoring her confused expression as he kissed Tade’s forehead. “You will be fine, my love!” he assured Tade, who looked like she was already sleeping again. 

“Please Kabiyesi, you can’t be here if we are to work efficiently.”

“Why?”

“We would be too… too…”

The woman was shaking, and the reason became clear. Fear could easily cause mistakes, and it was obvious that they all feared him, so he kissed Tade on the lips, not caring who was watching, and made to leave the room to go and find sanctuary. He needed to pray. As far as Adeyeri was concerned, prayers could unlock the resources of heaven, and he would pray till he could rejoice again. On his watch, and by the power of the Holy Spirit, mother and child would be fine.

The midwife watched in trepidation, a question obvious in her eyes. She wanted to know, just in case she couldn’t save both mother and child, who the King preferred.

“Both of them will come out alive. No matter what the odds are, they will be in my favor. I refuse to accept a negative report. Do your job, and I will do mine by praying.

“I will do my best.”

“And where your best has been exhausted, the wisdom of the Most High God will help you succeed.”

—————————————————————————————————————————-

Banji had a telepathic response to all things Adeyeri. Even without knowing that something was wrong with the royal couple, he was already at the palace to see the King, sensing that all was not going to be well today. Tade and Adeyeri had danced publicly in a show that made a statement. Tade was going to become Adeyeri’s Queen, and the Chiefs would not like it, so Banji had come to show support, only for him to arrive at the palace gate and see Toriola, Areo’s sister, and Yemi’s former lover.

“Good morning,” she greeted, walking up to him with her famous smile; that smile that had made him wish she looked his way instead of Yemi when they had run into her three years ago. Both men had been smitten by her shape, her face, her lips, her everything. They liked her so much, they had kept her from Adeyeri, who was getting more attention and acceptance from all the girls in the village at the time because of his charm and royal status.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, and she put her hands in his, looking down shyly. She was flirting with him, and he didn’t mind, even though he knew that the brotherhood code could not permit him to be involved with a woman who his friend probably still liked.

“I am here to see the King, but these men are proving difficult,” Toriola explained, pointing to the palace guards.

“Why do you want to see him?” he inquired, and her face fell, the smile evaporating. “Are you okay?” Tears built up in her eyes, but she wiped them before they could fall. “What is the matter? Please, tell me!” Banji asked worriedly, pulling her closer.

“I need a job! Areo was our breadwinner, but ever since he died, things have been so hard.”

Banji sighed in relief, and pulled her to walk with him into the palace. “Don’t worry about that! You were right to come to the King. He has been thinking of what he can do to bring relief to Areo’s family. I am certain that he would be happy to see you.”

“Really?” Toriola asked excitedly, wiping her tears as she followed Banji in.

—————————————————————————————————————————-

People were talking in hushed tones, the mood of the palace, dark, and Toriola wondered what was happening. It was as though someone had died.

Could Oluawo’s divination have worked so fast? 

“That yesterday’s dance was too much for a pregnant woman. What was she thinking?” one person said.

“It is a sign that the gods are angry,” another said. “I heard one of the Chiefs say the King wants to crown her as his Queen.”

Banji glowered at the gossipers, and as soon as they saw him, they scurried away.

“I think something is wrong,” Toriola observed, now that Banji had scared everyone away, and there was no one to ask.

Banji couldn’t respond to her. It was as though saying it was actually going to make it happen. His chest tightened in fear. Adeyeri could not survive another painful loss, not right now. Thinking about the King conjured him, as Adeyeri walked out of the palace bedroom area towards the throne room, his eyes puffy and red. It didn’t take special intelligence to know that the King had been crying.

“Please, I don’t think today is a good day for you to be here. Something is wrong. Please, leave. I promise that when things are better, I will send for you to have an audience with the King,” Banji said to her, but Toriola shook her head.

“Please, let me stay, I promise to be discreet and…”

Adeyeri saw them, and called Banji’s name before Toriola could finish. He quickly rushed off to the King, but instead of following him, Toriola blended into the background, determined to eavesdrop so as to understand whatever was happening in the palace.

“What happened, my King?” she heard Banji say as he began to bow down, but Kabiyesi caught him.

“My faith in Yahweh is about to be tested, but I will not flinch. He has the power to solve this too.”

“Solve what?” Banji asked, struggling to be patient.

“My wife is in labor, but it is not her time. This is one month early. She looks weak, and there is blood.”

“That is impossible!” Banji exclaimed.

“The midwife said I should choose between mother and child.”

“Oh! This is so hard, so sad. I am sorry Kabiesi.”

“There is no reason to be sorry or begin to look gloomy. I have to be courageous. I have faith that Jesus will deliver us from this calamity!” 

Jesus

“Who is Jesus?” Toriola pondered.

“They won’t let me stay with her while they work. Iyalode said I could make the women make mistakes with my presence, so I excused them and went to pray in my former room, and I feel better. Yahweh will deliver me.”

“Who is Yahweh?” Toriola wondered.

Banji looked around in trepidation, hoping no one could hear the King. He saw no one, not even Toriola, who had been with him. But Toriola saw in his expression that he was looking for her, and when he didn’t see her, he heaved a sigh of relief.

“Kabiyesi, please, you can’t be talking about your wife’s gods openly like this. Someone could hear, and beyond that, you could incur the wrath of the gods. What if they are even already angry?”

“Let them be angry! Things are about to change around here. I will no longer follow from afar or in fear. What I need is a lady to be with my wife, to be inside that room and give me feedback on how she is doing since neither me nor my manservant, Atoyebi, are allowed inside for now. Can you fetch your sister? She is the only one I can trust with this.”

Banji moved closer to the King, and it was a strain to hear what he was saying. All Toriola could make out was “Areo’s sister.” Adeyeri’s eyes flashed at the mention of her brother’s name. 

“She would be perfect for this. Bring her to Atoyebi, let her become my wife’s servant immediately. She would hold the position temporarily till Tade can decide if she wants her, but take a lot of cowries to present to Areo’s family. We need to reach out to them, show them support.”

Banji nodded in acceptance and knelt as Adeyeri strutted away towards the throne room, while Toriola rolled her eyes. The King had acted just as she had predicted, throwing them cowries like paupers, instead of inviting them over to know how he could help. She waved her irritation away and smiled, because watching him up close awakened her ambition. Oluawo had said that she could be Queen, that she had what it took, and he was already helping her to clear the way. The King was a fine man. He would not only  give her status, but a sturdy body in bed.

“Toriola! Toriola!” Banji called out, not seeing her around, but instead of answering immediately, she stayed back for some minutes to create the notion that she wasn’t eavesdropping, then she came rushing out. “You were with me then suddenly disappeared.” Banji observed.

“I could not stand in front of the King. I was so shy, I had to hide. I don’t think I can have the courage to tell him our story. I must leave, and will find help elsewhere.”

“Don’t be foolish. This palace is where you can get the best help, and the King loved your brother. You must take advantage of that!”

“The King is so mighty, gracious, and… and….” Toriola sighed, not knowing how to finish the sentence. “I don’t want him to think that I am appealing to his pity because of what happened to my brother.”

“But isn’t that why you came in the first place. You must be strong!”

“I cannot face the King. I would tremble in his presence,” Toriola said, tears welling up in her eyes to give credence to her deception.

“Can you face his wife?”

Toriola raised her brow in confusion, pretending she had not overheard the conversation he had with Adeyeri just now. “Don’t worry about the King. I have told him about you, and he is sympathetic to your cause. You will have a temporary position with his wife, who is currently in a critical condition. If you do well in this, the position can become permanent, and it pays really well, so your money problems will be over.”

Toriola jumped into Banji’s arms in excitement then went on her knees in gratitude. “I can assure you, I will serve the King so well that the position will become permanent.”

“That is good,” Banji declared, and pulled her up. If only he knew the permanent position she was after.

“What is wrong with the Queen?”

“She is not yet the Queen, so please refer to her as Ayaba to avoid any weirdness.”

“Oh! You are right. I forgot.”

‘Please, don’t forget! Now, come with me, let me take you to the King’s servant so that he can onboard you. You have to start immediately. The King needs feedback about his wife, and they won’t let him go in.”

—————————————————————————————————————————

Whoosh! I can’t believe episode five is over. I kept scrolling to read more. Lol

Hmm… This story is getting really hot. I want to hear from you. What’s on your mind? Please share in the comments. Thank you!