Women Of Steel | ✔

VII

I take advantage of Tadenikawo's absence in the next few days, I spend my time interrogating and listening in on the gossips in the palace about these disappearances in the village. Rumours and theories are all I hear, nothing worth investigating.

But I do know where to get a better story from, for the right price. So I have a horse saddled for my use and I sharpen my knives and hide them under my folds of skirt, I also wear a sokoto under my skirts. If something gives me the cause to run on foot then I will not do so in restricting clothing.

The discomfort is only a price to pay. Nobody questions my decisions to leave the palace suddenly, nobody stands in my way.

Or so I think, until Kosoko finds me.

With the king reinstating me as queen, I have had no cause to see the king's right hand, except for formal dinners where not a single word is exchanged between us, fortunately. I should have known that even if guards are not watching me, Tadenikawo has an even better guard dog watching me, one that hides well. One that is dangerous, a foolhardy guard is easier to hoodwink but Kosoko is as cunning as a fox.

He prances to me with that same smile I am used to seeing, the one that makes him look innocent, until you see the crook and hidden corners of that smile then it looks like a mocking sneer. Kosoko is anything but nice and everybody knows it. There is no wonder that He and the king get along just nicely - one might even say they were friends, if evil people could have 'friends'.

Kosoko's clothing is as extravagant as always, always more flashy than the king's, his agbada is made of the finest fabrics and the shoes that grace his feet are made of the finest leather.

"Oloori, where are you off to this beautiful morning?" He questions slyly. "Leaving palace grounds?"

Keeping my hate at bay is difficult, but to trick the trickster, you have to be the trickster.

I force an innocent look on my face, my black painted lips pulled into a nonchalant smile.

"Just thought I'd see the beautiful kingdom, ah, maybe flaunt my power and beauty in front of the village men." I tell him.

His smile does not falter. He rolls up the sleeves of his agbada, folding them up to his shoulders.

Several female servants and guards hover around him, awaiting orders.

"Beautiful suggestion, let me join you then, we would not want the men to riot over your beauty." He winks and my blood boils, my smile shifts towards something wicked. "Women do need protecting after all."

He does not wait for a reply from me, Kosoko shifts his gaze to the hovering guards around him.

"Saddle a horse, I will be leaving with her highness." He barks in command.

I grit my teeth, my blood pumping with both anger and fear - anger that I will have to spend hours with him without causing bodily harm and fear of Kosoko finding out what I am up to and stopping me, or worse, tell the king.

----

Strangely, Kosoko lets me lead the short journey to the outskirts of the village, one hand guides the rein of his horse and the other stroke his full beard in a contemplating manner. Even more strangely, no guards accompany us. It puts me on instant edge, causing me to cast Kosoko glances of suspicion every passing second.

My mare is a smaller horse than his, and female too - somehow I feel he is making a statement of power and authority - his choice of horse says - okurin ni agbara ju obirin. The same phrase that has been whispered and shouted for as long as the world has been.