( EPISODE 1 )
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This Story was written by Amah
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"Ekaro Mami...the Oba's men are here... they brought a message from The
Oba...
"Haaa, hope all is well...
"I hope so Mami, they are probably here to remind us about the first moon
light dance where the princess will chose a personal maid and two attendant
for herself...
The woman took her wrapper and tied around her waist before going outside
to attend to the men.
Remi went to the kitchen and picked up her water Calabash, she called her
younger brother to join her so that they can go to the stream, she has
wished to hear what the king's men came for but she needed to fetch water
for the house and also for her grandmother who lives not too far from them.
One of the king's chief guard who has picked interest in her was among the
men that came to the house, she wanted to avoid him seeing her,
Despite he has made his intentions known to her in the last festive dance, he
has walked up to her after the dance
"You are beautiful and you dance well too, my name is Leja, I'm the Chief
guard here...
"Thank you Leja, my name is Remi...Oluwarem
ilekun, that's my full name...
"Remi, that's a beautiful name, is that your sister...I mean the girl you came
in with... she's not much of a good dancer, maybe you can teach her...or she
won't be able to participate in the next festive dance...
"Her name is Nike, she's my step sister...I will teach her, please don't
exclude her from the list of maidian who will dance next season...
"Alright, I won't if only you will teach her to be a good dancer like you
are...I like you Remi...can I get to see you tomorrow evening under the oak
tree close to the market place...I will be there waiting for you...
"Sorry Leja, I can't, I'm not allowed to keep male friends for now, Mami
said there's time for everything and the time for me to start keeping male
friends has not come yet...
"Okay Remi, I respect your wishes, I will patiently wait until you are ready...
just don't forget that some one cares deeply for you and don't fail to let me
know if you need anything...
"That's so kind of you Leja, goodbye..
Nike has refused to talk with her on there way home because of Leja, as
they got closer to the house, Nike turned to Remi angrily
"Who do you even think you are, because everyone was cheering at you at
the dance floor you decided to go and sell yourself to Leja, I liked him first
before you but he didn't even look at me when I was dancing rather his eyes
was on you... you know I like him yet you went there to seduce him so that
you can have him... you and your witch mother plan....
"Shhhh... don't call Mami a witch, leave her out of this, Nike, you can
become a good dancer if only you can come and practice with me, I will
teach you some good steps, and as for Leja... I'm not interested in him... I
have no interest in him at all, I have made that known to him already... you
must not be bitter all the time Nike...
They were still talking when Nike saw her mother coming, it was a good
opportunity for her to impress her mother who usually tell her to attack
Remi, and she should not allow Remi to win her in anything
Nike suddenly slapped Remi who was still talking, Remi held her cheek in
shock, Nike did not stop there she started raining insultive words at Remi,
who stood and wondered what she did wrong.
When Nike mother walked up to them, Remi was about to complain to her
about her daughter's behavior but the woman hushed her to keep quiet
"Nike my daughter, can not just attack you, when she's not mad, you and
your witch mother has always been jealous of me and my daughter, that
was how she bewitched my husband and made him to love her more than
me, is a good thing he ended up in the grave, the gods fought for us and
stroke him dead because he was displeasing me to please your wicked
mother, let me tell you something... no matter what you people do The gods
eyes is on us I will surely win, Nike Will always be ahead of you no matter
what..you and your mother will not succeed. daughter of a witch
She and her daughter walked away, leaving Remi standing
When Remi got home she complained to her mother
"I don't understand why they always see us as enemy, we are not in any
competition with them, when your Baba was alive he does everything
equally, if he buys one wrapper for me he will also buys one wrapper for
her, he tried not to show favoritism to any one of us yet she was never
satisfied...iya Nike will see her daughter doing wrong but will not call her to
order... you were born in the month of (August) while Nike came after a
month, (month of October) so by right you are her elder sister... for
everything they have been doing to us (God will judge).
Remi remembered her last fight with Nike as she walked along the bush path
with her brother, her Calabash was placed safely on her head as she greeted
other women coming from the stream that morning, she has tried to avoid
Nike and her mother ever since their last fight, Remi who always listen to
her mother's advice has kept to herself and kept away from all trouble.
"E ku aaro, (morning greetings) please hope all is well
my name is Leja, peace be unto your household, greetings from the king we
are going round the whole village, reminding people of the coming first moon
dance, where the princess will chose her personal maidian... please info your
daughter to be at the palace on time that day because the event will be
starting early in the morning...
(thank you)
(Thank you ma)
They turned and went to the next house belonging to iya Nike and knocked,
Nike who has being watching Leja speak to iya Remi (Remi's mother) from
the window with her mother gets more angry with every minute that passes,
she was relived as Leja approached their hut, she quickly ran out of The
house but Leja did not pick interest in her he just greeted them and gave
them the message, as he tried to leave iya Nike said to him
"Leja, oko mi..se daadaa ni o wa? (Leja my husband, hope you are fine)
"Mo wa daadaa...ese. (am fine, thank you)
"Sometimes, you can come and visit us. My daughter is fond of you, you are
strong and the gods blessed you with good look, I also hard that you have
acquired another large plot of land close to the steam...you are doing well for
yourself...not all Young men of this land are well doing as you are...you have
the Oba's ear...
"The piece of land was giving to me by the Oba, after I saved the prince
from drawning at the oku river where he went to swim, I didn't acquire the
land rather it was a gift but I appreciate your kind gesture..
"So a whole "omo oba" (king's son) can not swim, that's unfortunate...
thanks to the gods that you were there to save him... what do you say to
my request of coming around...
"I will, on one condition...if Remi will be around and agree to sit beside me,
then I will honor your request, ... and by the way Remi is a very good
dancer, I asked her to teach her sister, Nike some fine moves that is the only
way Nike will be selected among the palace maidians... she need to start
practicing now with Remi... before the said day arrives... where's Remi, I
have not seen her around..
"You should have asked her mother where she sent her to... she sometimes
send her out to go and give herself to other men just for them to have food,
she can even sells her daughter for a loaf of bread. (believe me) they are not
what they appear to be.
(that's not true) but not withstanding maybe I should bring some money for
them since that's the reason Remi goes to meet other men, if I give them
enough money they will have enough food... that's what i will do. (have a
nice day, good bye)
He walked out, leaving them standing and wondering what kind of man he
was
"You shouldn't have told him that iya mi, it will seem like we hate them and
that will push me far away from Leja, I don't want that... now look at what
you caused, they have gotten undeserved money from Leja, that money that
Leja intend to give them was suppose to be ours if you have acted well...
"You are right (my daughter) i acted without thinking but don't worry we will
still win, from now onward just play along with Remi, pretend to be sorry
and tell her to teach you the dance, because Leja said that's your only way
to the palace so do everything you can do to enter there...
Leja came back and gave Remi's mother money but the woman rejected it,
Leja pleaded to her to accept it if not for anything but for her children, Remi
and her brother, he did not tell the woman what Nike's mother said, he kept
pleading until she finally took it
Few days later Nike came to Remi and pretended to be sorry as she ask
Remi to teach her how to dance and Remi was glad to do that
They kept practicing every day, non stop as Remi tried to make sure that
Nike gets the dance moves Right but Nike was a slow leaner and it was
difficult teaching her but Remi was determined to make her get itll
The day finally came and Remi prepared early in the morning and left with
Nike to the palace
They arrived on time with other young girls and boys, the dance floor was
getting crowded as more people kept coming,
They later changed into their dance costumes.
Remi took Nike to one corner and asked her if she still remember all the
dance moves, she told her how to throw her legs and waist and how to
Master all the move
The king's only son was looking out from his window and saw two girls
practicing their dance moves, he picked interest in one, she was beautiful and
a good dancer as she teaches her second some dance steps, he doesn't know
who the young beautiful girl is but he was determined to find out.
After the dance he Will ask Leja, who seem to know everyone, who the girl
may be.
When Remi and Nike was returning to the dance floor Leja saw them and
came to Remi
"E jowo Remi, (excuse me)ikini irele mi (my kind greetings to you)
He walked to a quiet place with her leaving Nike to join others, Nike was
really angry as Leja took Remi away, jealousy was written all over her but
she tried not to show it as she smile and walked away.
Leja kept on greeting Remi with full smile on his face
"Ko ye mi... (I don't understand) is there a problem... Hope we are not in any
trouble with this your early morning greetings...
"Ra ra o (not at all) I just wanted to wish you luck and to tell you that you
are beautiful and hope you still have me in mind concerning my request...or
maybe we will talk about it after the dance....yoo dara o (good luck)
"Ese... thank you.
She walked back to join the others, the prince saw Leja talking with her
from his chamber window, he wondered what Leja was telling her
No one has ever caught his attention like The strange girl did, it wasn't
because of her beauty alone but there was something else about her and he
was determined to find out.
it was a good thing that Leja knows her, getting to her won't be difficult
because Leja will help him out with her every detail.
fee
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TBC.......
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