Love Unveiled

~ Zola ~

The previous night's dance by the river lingered in my thoughts, a delicate melody playing in the background as I toiled among the vines. "What's on your mind my friend? You've been dancing with the clouds all morning." Kemi asked noticing the faraway look in my eyes.

I sighed, the memory of the ruined dress a shadow that clung to my thoughts. "It's just that...my aunt tore the dress your mother made for me."

Kemi's eyes blazed with indignation. "That woman! How can she be so cruel?"

"Kemi, anger will not mend what's broken," I replied.

"That woman has no heart, treating you so. I should give her a piece of my mind!"

I placed a hand on Kemi's arm, urging her to temper her indignation. "Anger will not change what happened."

"And so what will you do? What will you wear tonight?" She asked disappointed.

"I will go as I am." I shrug pretending to be unbothered when deep down the anxiety of showing up to the banquet in my tattered clothes filled me with shame with each passing hour that I began to think it's best I do not go at all.

As the day unfolded, we continued our work in the vineyards. When the sun began to cast its warmth over the rows of grapes two women approached us dressed identically, their attire signalling affiliation with the Adebayo estate. Their arrival stirred a curious flutter in my chest.

"Which one of you is Zola?" one of the women asked smiling. Kemi quickly pointed to me, and the woman followed with, "His Royal Higness, Prince Ade has requested your presence at the estate. You are to be prepared for the banquet this evening."

My heart skipped a beat at the unexpected summons. Prince Ade had ordered preparations for me? 

Kemi's eyes widened, and an excited smile on her face. "Well, we shouldn't keep these women waiting." She nudged me forward to follow them.

With a mixture of excitement and trepidation, I began to stop forward but suddenly four big burly men carrying a palanquin appeared. Their arrival, marked by the rhythmic beat of their steps.

"Prince Ade's orders," one of the men announced, "to ensure you arrive at the Adebayo estate with the elegance befitting the occasion."

Kemi and I exchanged astonished glances, our laughter bubbling forth like a stream finding its course. My shaking hand found its way to Kemi's and we entered the wooden palanquin together. The palanquin gently lifted from the ground, carrying us toward the Adebayo estate, I stole a glance at Kemi. Her eyes sparkled with a mixture of excitement and joy, mirroring the sentiments that danced within me. 

A short while later the Adebayo estate unfolded before me like a dream—elegance woven into every corner, the air infused with the sweet scent of flowers that adorned the lavish rooms. As I stepped into the opulent estate I noted how it was a flurry of busy activity in preparation for the banquet tonight, and a sense of wonder enveloped me. Kemi and I were led into a room  adorned with mirrors and silks and Kemi immediately gushing over the dresses lining the bed that they lay on and before I knew what was happening I felt gentle hands guide me toward a glistening bath adorned with petals and fragrant oils. The water embraced me in its warmth, washing away the traces of dust and labour from the vineyards. 

One of the women, with a warmth in her eyes that mirrored a flickering candlelight, said to me. "My dear, we have been entrusted with the honour of preparing you for this special night."

The oils, rich and indulgent, were massaged into my skin. The sensation was both soothing and invigorating. The scent of the rich oils enveloped me, and with each touch, I felt a shedding of the past and an embrace of the beauty that awaited.

Next they braided my hair, and while other tugged at Kemi's hair she complained that she could do it herself making the women's laughter dance in the air with lively echoes.

Finally, they presented me with a beautiful dress, a vision of elegance, awaiting me like a promise kept. 

The fabric felt like a second skin and soon after I was finally adorned with delicate jewellery and a mirror was brought before me. I looked at my reflection in the mirror, and for a moment, the image seemed like that of another person—a girl from the vineyards now adorned in the splendor of the Adebayo estate. 

The women, their eyes gleaming with satisfaction, stepped back to admire their handiwork. "You are a vision, my friend," Kemi declared with her own dress that complimented my own in beauty. 

Shortly after I was led toward the banquet hall, and the anticipation heightened. The moon, a silent witness, cast its silver glow upon the path that led from the chamber to the heart of the celebration.

As the doors to the banquet hall opened, a collective gasp echoed in the opulent space. The guests, adorned in their finest, turned their attention toward the entrance, their eyes widening with admiration. Ade, dressed in regal attire, stood at the centre of the room, his gaze fixed upon me.

His smile, was a light in the sea of faces and he approached, his hand outstretched, and as soon as our fingers intertwined he led me before the gathered guests, and Ade's voice resonated with grace and authority that reverberated through my chest. "Esteemed guests, if I may have your attention."

The room hushed, and all eyes turned toward us. Ade, with a gaze that bore into my very soul, began to speak.

"I stand before you not just as a prince but as a man who has found in the vineyards the one whom my soul loves. Like a lily among thorns is my darling among the young women. Zola, the object of my affections, has graced this estate tonight not as anything to be ashamed of, but as the very essence of my heart."

Murmurs rippled through the room, but Ade continued, unwavering. "How beautiful you are, my darling! Oh, how beautiful! I declare before you all, unashamed and with pride, that Zola, is the keeper of my heart." His words of declaration filled the room like a gentle breeze. 

The guests began to respond with applause—a recognition of a love that dared to be unveiled. "We rejoice and delight in you; we will praise your love more than wine." They spoke and Ade, with a proud smile, led me into a dance. Music swirled around us, and as we moved in harmony, I felt the resonance of his love—the same love that had reached across the vines, across the riverbank, and now embraced the entirety of the Adebayo estate.

In the quiet moments between steps, Ade whispered words of devotion, each syllable a vow that echoed in the chambers of my heart and as we danced, I marvelled at the resilience of this kind of love—with it a force that had guided me from the toil of the vineyards to the grandeur of the Adebayo estate. In Ade's embrace, I found rest and a home.