Episode Two – The King’s Wife II

Every woman in the palace was dressed like they were going for a beauty pageant. For the past two hours, they had all been in a frenzy, testing new outfits, jewellery, and fixing hairstyles to complete their looks.

Jealousy was not an emotion that one would associate with Tade, but today, she couldn’t help it. Not only did she not have options of clothes to wear, she didn’t have anyone who seemed particularly interested in helping her get ready. It was as though they assumed that she would not be going for the event because of her pregnancy. Nobody cared about her, and it was a sad truth that hurt. She was the wife of the King, but while they would literally cut off their body parts to get a compliment from Adeyeri, they dragged their feet to do her bidding. She wondered if they had held a meeting, because everyone was the same. She could read the signs clearly. They had expected Adeyeri to marry a different woman,  perhaps someone of noble blood.

It would have helped to have Adeyeri there with her right now, but after the heated conversation they had earlier in the day, he had left her to go and meet his Chiefs, clearly upset by her opinion on how he was letting them literally rule him. In a cold palace, he was the only one she had. If she was wise, she would have made her point with discretion. He was all she had, and she simply wanted to help him. 

“Holy Spirit, please help me. I need you now more than ever before.”

She was walking through the palace, thinking about what she could wear to make her look beautiful at the folklore night when Atoyebi approached her.

“Good evening, Ayaba. Kabiyesi has a message for you.”

“What is it?” Tade asked excitedly, glad that Adeyeri was thinking about her enough to send word.

“He says that he is going to inspect a field with Chief Osi, and would go from there to the folklore night.”

Tade’s heart fell. She had been hoping he would come to their room first so that he could approve of her outfit, and help her tie her wrapper nicely like he had done on his coronation day, but now she felt truly alone.

“He also said that if you don’t feel up to coming for the event, you should stay back. He would just open the ceremony and come and join you as soon as he can.”

Tade’s shoulder dropped in resignation. Was Adeyeri trying to avoid being seen with her? This was officially the third main event that he had prevented her from attending, claiming that she needed to rest, and such events would wear her out. She had agreed with him at those times because she did not have anything to wear, but tonight, she had been hoping to make an appearance. She was bored, and she was also beginning to feel excluded.

“Thank you, Atoyebi. He is right. I will not be going to the folklore night. I am not feeling up to it.” Atoyebi nodded, but he did not look excited about her answer as he walked away from her gloomingly. “Atoyebi,” she called out, and he came back to her.

“Do you want to tell me something?”

“It is not my place to have opinions.”

Tade smiled sadly. “I am frustrated by the lack of any opinion from anyone around here. Trust me, Atoyebi, your opinion will be appreciated.”

“What if you don’t like it?”

“Then I won’t pay any mind to it.” Atoyebi sighed. “Go on! Tell me what is on your mind. It seems important to you, and I would love to hear it.”

“I think you should come for the folklore night.”

Tade studied him for a brief moment, wondering what led to his suggestion. “Kabiyesi obviously doesn’t want me there. Why are you suggesting that I attend?”

Atoyebi looked around, hoping no one could hear him. He then moved closer to Tade and whispered, “There are so many women lining up to take your place beside our King. Some of them plan to declare their intentions tonight.“

“Adeyeri is not looking for another wife, he has me!” Tade replied, trying not to look bothered by Atoyebi’s revelation.

“You may need to remind the people of Iludoyin of this.”

“How?”

“By actually showing up at events, and in places where people will see you.”

Tade sighed frustratedly. She didn’t need to prove a point to anyone, yet there was sense in what Atoyebi said.

“I am pregnant, and  have no clothes. Nobody here has offered to help me with my wardrobe. I don’t even know what is expected of me as a member of the royal family.”

Atoyebi nodded his head pitifully, and Tade wished that she hadn’t told him anything. She had just been frustrated, especially since she had no one to turn to.

“Do you have anyone from your family that may be able to help you?”

His question was a confirmation of the thoughts in her heart that no one in the palace was willing to help her.

“I have an Aunty, but she has moved to the next village.”

“I think you need to invite her to come and help you out with your womanly needs. Everyone needs someone. I can help you send word to her.”

“I don’t know about that,” Tade replied, not wanting anything to do with Aunty Shade. “Even if I send for her today, it will still take at least two days for her to get my message and arrive, and that is if she drops everything to hearken to my summons.”

Atoyebi sighed, clearly confused, but his face suddenly lit up after a few moments.

“I think my wife can help you with the clothes for tonight. She is good at things like that, and she trained with the servant of Queen Wuraola, so she will know how to dress the wife of a King.”

Tade sighed, musing over the idea. “I really don’t want to stress anyone about this.”

“You can pay for her services,” Atoyebi said with a smile, and Tade returned the smile even though she wasn’t sure about hiring his wife.

“I will think about it,” she replied, and Atoyebi nodded in understanding, but from the look on his face he hoped that she would go with his advice. “Dear Lord, I don’t know what to do. Please teach me,” Tade muttered as Atoyebi walked away.

—————————————————————————————-

There was no more escape route, no more sneaking out of the palace to go and have a good time with his friends. In a blink of an eye, Adeyeri had become the responsible adult- A King.

He still didn’t feel ready! 

“I am not ready for all this,” he whispered, but Banji heard him.

When Adeyeri had been invited to inspect the farms his father owned so that he could meet the farmers in charge, who would be remitting profits to him on a weekly basis, he had sent for Banji. He had wanted to make his friend a Chief, but the other Chiefs had kicked against it, saying his family did not qualify for the title. Adeyeri had not been pleased with the decision because he wanted to work closely with his best friend, so as soon as he heard about the farms, he called Banji.

Banji would manage his affairs and keep track of his finances. He was the best man for the job, and Osi had agreed. He left them thirty minutes ago, and had promised to see them soon at the folklore night.

“What are you not ready for? This wealth?”

“Everything really!”

“Your Highness, men have killed for this title. Why are you not enjoying it?”

“For the very reason that my best friend would never call me by my first name. No one calls me Adeyeri anymore. It’s all choking me.”

“I bet Tade still refers to you by name. Your wife doesn’t follow the rules.”

At the mention of his wife, Adeyeri’s heart skipped a beat. “They won’t let my wife become my Queen. The child she carries cannot be my heir even if he is a boy. Can you believe that?”

Banji sighed. “Does she know?”

“It will break her heart. How could I ever do that to her?”

Banji sighed again. “We all anticipated this from the beginning. She knows that marriage between both of you is an abomination. You only did it to save her from her fate. We knew she could never be Queen. Did you promise her the throne?”

“Banji, I am in love with her. I don’t need to promise her anything. I need a Queen, and it has to be my wife, Tade.”

“You can love Tade, and still marry another woman who will sit by your side on the throne. The Queen will simply be for the people of Iludoyin Kingdom, while Tade is yours to have and to hold forever. She will be your succour in times of despair, your…”

“Can you take a second to listen to yourself?” Adeyeri queried, interrupting his friend.

“I am just trying to get you to see reason, Kabiyesi. Iludoyin will never agree to a former Abobaku becoming royalty. The fact that she is your wife is already an abomination.”

“But didn’t the word of God, according to Tade, say that with God all things are possible?”

“Yes, according to Tade. How can we really verify these things? She is always making lofty claims, saying it is from the word of God; words that a white man told her.”

“What are you implying? Didn’t you give your life to Jesus on our way to Oyo?”

Banji looked away. “I did it because you wanted me to, and it was at a time when all hope seemed lost, when we didn’t know if we were going to live or die.”

“And now?”

“Now, I don’t know if it makes sense to defy the gods of Iludoyin for a god we do not know. This Jesu has no roots or origin here. He belongs to the white man.”

“So you are renouncing your faith!”

“I will do what you decree. Even with my doubts, I have not broken my word to you by worshipping the gods of Iludoyin. Your wish is my command. If you still choose Tade’s god, I will stand by you, as I always do, but I am just requesting that we don’t give up the known for the unknown, and lose out in the end.”

Adeyeri couldn’t hide his shock, but still, he attempted to lower his voice to match Banji’s whisper so that the guards would not overhear.

“Jesu rescued us. He gave us victory against our enemies. He saved our lives. Have you forgotten so soon?”

“I have not forgotten, but I also remember that His servant, Brother Joseph, was brutally killed, and Jesu did nothing to protect him. What if all the testimonies we are accruing to this Jesu was just fate, or even the gods of Iludoyin helping you get back what has always been yours?”

Adeyeri took a deep breath then shook his head as though to shake off Banji’s perspective, but he knew that some of his words already took root.

How does one really believe that Jesus is God, and He lives in one’s heart? 

Adeyeri had asked Tade this before, and she had said it was by faith; the evidence of things hoped for, the assurance of things left unseen.

Lord, help me see you. I don’t want to lose faith. You are my beckon of hope, Adeyeri whispered..

“Don’t worry my dear King, we will figure things out,” Banji said reassuringly. “I am not trying to give you more things to worry about.””

“I will give away half of my Kingdom if it means that Tade can rule by my side.”

“You really love her!”

“Since the day I married her, I have never hidden it, and you know this. Everyone knows where I stand concerning her.”

Banji nodded in agreement. “That was why the Chiefs decided to let you keep her.”

“Keep her? Hmmm… I will tell you this because you are my friend. If they had refused to let me keep her, I wouldn’t be their King too.”

“Haaa! Kabiyesi. Why are you sounding like this? Do you mean that you will let your father’s legacy perish because of a woman?”

“She is not just any woman, she is my life partner, my helpmate. Tade is the bone of my bone, and the flesh of my flesh. Together, we are meant to fulfil our purpose.”

Banji could not believe what he was hearing, and the passion in which Adeyeri was speaking. “You really spent more time with Brother Joseph after I left for Oyo. I should have stayed back.’

Adeyeri patted his friend on the shoulder, deciding to change the topic. “Areyou bringing a date to folklore night? Or are you still finding it difficult to get your own woman?”

Banji threw back his head in a hearty laugh. “Word has gone round that I am the best friend of the new King, and as you can imagine, it has increased my approval rating by two hundred percent. Apart from the ladies who are queuing up to become your queen, every other single girl in Iludoyin Kingdom wants me.”

Adeyeri smiled at his friend’s boasting. “I am happy for you.”

“Your happiness seems pregnant.”

Adeyeri’s smile deepened. Banji knew him too well. “With great power comes great responsibility. If you have become the most eligible man in Iludoyin Kingdom, you must do well to pick the most eligible woman that you can love, and build a family with, and not leave a trail of heartbreaks across the village.”

Banji laughed. “Your highness, if I leave a trail of heartbreak, I have learnt from the best.”

Adeyeri scowled. “What do you mean? I haven’t broken anyone’s heart.”

Banji opened his eyes wide in exaggerated shock. “It’s a good thing that we will soon join them at the folklore night. I will be by your side to count your victims as they begin to serenade the dance floor.”

Adeyeri sighed. Banji was right. He definitely had a trail, and Osi had reminded him of one of them earlier; his niece, Omolewa, who was planning to come and win his heart tonight. Chief Osi had dropped the hint by way of speaking in favour of the girl as a potential Queen for Adeyeri, but it had triggered him instead. Many girls like Omolewa would show up tonight, and they would not be subtle. That was why he had sent Atoyebi to discourage his wife from coming to the folklore night. His past could hurt Tade, and it was his duty to protect her from it.

———————————————————————————————————————–

“Shhhhh…”  Toriola signalled to Abike to keep quiet as they began to hear voices on the bush path. They had left the party because Toriola had said she wanted to re-adjust Abike’s hair, and her friend had obliged her. The real truth however was that she had seen two of the Chiefs; the newly installed Balogun, and Chief Osi, leave towards that direction after observing some of the ladies on the dance floor.

“Let’s not be here for too long. King Adeyeri is already seated on the throne, and girls are already dancing,” Abike said despite her friend’s warning.

“Just be quiet for a minute. You will have your chance to dance, but it won’t be enough. I think the Chiefs are already plotting on who to nominate as Queen.”

“Really?!” Abike exclaimed, alarmed, and Toriola nodded, then put a finger on her lips to shut Abike up as they walked a little closer to the Chiefs so that they could hear their conversation clearly.

Toriola had been right. They were discussing the next Queen, and were not alone, The Chief Priest and Iyalode were with them too.

“That is my mother, Toriola, I can’t be here. If she catches me eavesdropping, I will be in trouble.”

“Are you going to hide behind your mother all your life? You mentioned earlier that she is not willing to use her position to support you. Won’t you arm yourself with the information you need to support yourself?”

Abike nodded her head, seeing reason.

“I don’t like that we are having this conversation here without the King. The choice of who to crown Queen is his,” Iyalode said, irritation obvious in her tone. 

Balogun nodded in agreement. “This bush is not even the best place for an important conversation like this. Anyone can eavesdrop, and…” 

Osi cut him off before he could finish. “We have to give the King an ultimatum to pick his Queen, or else he will drag his feet forever.”

“Can’t you see why?” Iyalode asked.

“Why?” Osi asked, knowing the answer but refusing to acknowledge it.

“He is in love with his wife. He wants her to be Queen.”

“You have spoken like a woman,” he responded.

“What does love have to do with a King’s marriage to his Queen? It is simply a royal duty to produce heirs,” the Chief Priest said, and all the men nodded.

“The longer we take to crown a new Queen, the more problems we create. The King’s wife, Tade, is already pregnant. The gods forbid, but if she gives birth to a boy, people could mistake him for the heir,” Osi argued, and the other Chiefs nodded in understanding, except Iyalode who simply rolled her eyes.

“What is your problem woman? Do you want an Abobaku to be Queen?” he queried.

“She is no longer an Abobaku! “

“Her bloodline has been corrupted. She can never be Queen!” the Chief Priest said adamantly.

“What we need right now is unity. Let us help the King choose a Queen. It is clear that he won’t do it by himself,” Osi said.

“We can’t simply force a woman on him. It has to be someone that he actually likes.” Iyalode chipped in, and Osi smiled. “We are in agreement concerning that. Tonight, almost all the unmarried women of Iludoyin are here, looking their best. They are dancing and displaying their beauty, and no doubt, the King’s eyes will roam. We all know that King Adeyeri has a weakness for women. As a Prince, he had found them irresistible.”

“What is your point, Osi? We can’t be here for too long?” Balogun said, shifting uncomfortably.

“Let us all be alert and watch him so that we can see who his gaze lingers on, and more importantly, who he rises to dance with. I will tell him that as a King without a Queen, it is expected that he dances three times tonight. Tomorrow, we will put forward the ladies he dances with, suggesting that he picks one to become his Queen.” Iyalode sighed. “Do you not like the plan?” Osi asked, trying to hide his irritation.

“We can go with the plan. It seems okay,” she said, not showing any further emotion.

“You people are focusing on crowning a Queen when there is a much bigger issue at hand,” the Chief Priest said.

“What issue?” Balogun and Osi asked at the same time.

“Have you not noticed that the KIng has refused to bow before the gods? He even skipped all the native rites. We have still not done the blood sacrifice! This spells doom for us as a Kingdom.”

Iyalode nodded. “You took the words out of my mouth, Oluawo. I have been secretly worried, wondering how to bring it up.”

Osi waved their worries away. “Let us attend to these issues one after the other. If we attempt to do everything at once, we will not achieve anything.”

“Osi is right,” Balogun said, and added, “I even think that not having a Queen is part of the problem we are having with his spiritual apathy. That wife of his did not grow up here, and she might have introduced some strange god to him.”

The Chief Priest nodded in agreement. “You are not wrong about the woman. I cannot even stand her. Every time I am in her presence, I sense the power of the spirit within her.”

“Can the rumours be true? Could she be a witch?” Balogun asked.

“She is a nice woman. I have not noticed any darkness in her,” Iyalode countered.

“That is your biggest problem. You try to see the good in everyone. We have been blindsided once in the past by Otun and her father, Tadeyanju. We cannot allow that to happen to us again,” Osi said.

“What do we do now?” Iyalode asked, looking confused. Beyond who the King made his Queen, his spiritual state of mind bothered her.

“Let us focus on getting a Queen, probably someone that we can control. Then, we will take it from there.” Osi said, and they all nodded in approval, their plan for the night set in place.

——————————————————————————————

Abike and Toriola quickly retreated to the village square to join the party to avoid getting caught by the Chiefs.

“Your duty is cut out for you tonight. The Chiefs need you to win the King from that witch he married.”

Abike sighed. “It won’t be an easy task. Many of the young ladies here want the same thing.”

Toriola smiled and pulled Abike to the dance floor. “But you want it more, and now, you know what is at stake, so dance like your life depends on it. Make the King see you.”

“What if his wife comes?” Abike asked nervously.

“I have it on good authority that the King’s wife won’t be coming here tonight,” Toriola assured her with a gentle nudge on the shoulder. 

“In that case, let me go and work my magic.”

“I wish you all the best,” Toriola replied then left the dance floor to go and find the Chief Priest’s son, Awoyemi. 

The meeting she just overheard now had opened her eyes to the possibility of more ways to take down Adeyeri, and she had to explore it.

_________________________________________________________________________

Who will save King Adeyeri and his wife, Tadeyeri from the laws and watchful eyes of the people in Iludoyin Kingdom? Will Adeyeri’s faith in God shake?

What are your thoughts? Please share feedback in the comments. We want to hear from you!