MAIDENS

MAIDENS 18

They had been indeed. Wura had shown them to the temporal room prepared for the visiting maidens where they had been welcomed. The three ladies were exactly how she had seen them in the vision. Chibundo felt even taller. She might be taller than even her father. They were soon no longer shy and when Wura and Lola promised to introduce them to their teacher in the next class, she had left them smiling and discussing.

Very close to the school gate, she remembered how Dinatu had commented on her smile. Saratu had asked who was the reason for the smile which had only made her smile brighter until they had pushed her out calling her abnormal. Eight. They had eight Chosen Maidens now. Two more to go and the Royal Wedding Procession plans could start properly.

Wura put her hands on her cheek to try to force her cheek together and keep from smiling but the silliness of the plan made her laugh out loud. Lola had finally had enough. "Okay, you must tell me now what you saw in the vision."

"Later."

"No, I cannot wait. Not with the way you are smiling now. I want to smile too." Lola whined.

Wura did not feel like ending this play. "But you are smiling already. I will tell you together with the other Chosen Maidens. I am a Called and cannot be partial to anyone."

Lola was not giving up though. "Wura, please!"

"Lola, please!"

"Wura, please!"

"Lola, please!"

"Lola!" They both looked in the direction of the new voice interrupting their play. Akin. Wura saw fire. He had the boldness to still appear in front of them like he knew nothing of what had happened some days ago. And to call her publicly. He was testing himself. When they did not reply, he stepped out from behind the building, where he must have been standing...waiting...ambushing and came closer to them. He stopped when he was about nine steps from them. At least he still had the sense to stop far off. He looked so sad and beaten that if Wura did not know better, she would have believed him to be suffering.

"Lola please, give me a chance to explain."

Wura blew off then but Lola held her back with a hand on her wrist. "Why? So you can try to kill her again?"

"No. Never. I would never do that. I love you, Adelola. I would never do that."

Wura answered again. "No, you do not want to kill her – you just want to make her a slave to your master."

"Lola, please say something. Give me a chance to explain."

"Wura, let me listen to him."

Wura faced her friend then with the anger she had prepared for Akin. "Are you mad?!"

"Look me in the eye, Wura. Am I?

Wura swallowed the next words in her mouth. There was something in Lola's eyes.

"Wait for me," Lola said and moved to a corner while she sat on a low fence and watched her friend. She would be waiting to jump in should the liar try anything.

*****

Lola kept the smile on her face as she listened to the words of Akin. He had gone on and on about how he had left her to get them water to drink and had been abducted by some enemies of Aiyélojà kingdom to get secrets from him about the kingdom. He had only managed to escape yesterday amidst great torture. He swore that he had thought about her and the troubles she might face throughout his ordeals. Lola had never heard him sound as sincere as he did now, pleading and begging. She would have fallen for it had she not been enlightened by the Iwe-Mimo.