Women Of Steel | ✔

XLIX

The final two chapters are here, please do leave a comment, I'd love to know what you've thought about this book.

"Your Majesty,"

I hum out a distracted reply as I watch my knife sail through the air and hit designated target -- one of the bamboo poles that hold up the stable sheds. The stables are my usual place of knife throwing practice, and the horses are a perfect audience to brag to.

"Your Majesty," The voice calls again. This time, I whip around, ready to curse out the person only to come face to face with Ifatunji. I have never had a conversation with the chief priest alone, and since the coronation, I haven't seen him.

"Ifatunji." I incline my head in greeting. "To what do I owe the honor."

"I have received word from the guards you set outside the town. Tadenikawo is an hour away from Ile Wura with the war troops." He says.

My chest thumps suddenly in an almost painful beat and I clench my fists in anticipation and fear. It is time for me to fulfil the last and most difficult of my fate; killing Tadenikawo. The realization of being king is yet to dawn upon me, killing Tadenikawo sets it in stone. I fear that I will fail, and doom Ile Wura forever, I fear that I will let my hate blind me and place my revenge over duty. Slowly, I am beginning to learn that Ile Wura is bigger than whatever or whoever I am, for every ten that has scorned me, there are equally ten innocent children who will pay if I fail.

So I carry the weight of saving the world, and ignore the weight in my chest.

"It is your call to make, Kabiyesi, you can stop him now before he enters the village or wait for him here where it is more dangerous, here he can cause harm to Ile Wura." Ifatunji says, I am well taller than the chief priest but even in his shortness, he still commands attention. The chief priest has a voice that makes you want to listen.

"Tell them to saddle this horse," I point to the biggest horse who neighs in answer, a black stallion and Tadenikawo's gift from Kabiyesi Obanikoro on our wedding. "I want just ten guards to accompany me, we will meet him before he reaches Ile Wura, but first, I have to do something important."

***

I find Omolara huddled in her chambers, the windows are shut and all the colourfulness of her once beautiful room is gone, the flowers are wilted and the patterned curtain has been removed and dumped in a heap by the left side of her bed. She sits in the middle of the bed, clutching her brothers clothes to her chest, the former princess does not cry at the loss of her title, but for the loss she will soon face.

"Is there anything you want me to tell your brother for you?" I ask her, uncomfortably I study my calloused hands.

"As long as you tell him anything I say, my brother will be more determined to fight for me, I am not his weakness, I am the sudden water in the middle of the desert. Don't tell him anything about me, in fact, let him think I'm dead. You know how he kept fighting against the forest king while I was in captivity, as long as I am alive, Tade will never stop fighting." She murmurs.

It is the sheer love in her tone that undoes my calm.

"Your brother is a monster," I hiss.

She does not defend him, only smiles sorrowfully. The tears shimmer in her eyes, unshed.

"That monster loves me. As I will always love him, not his sins but the beautiful and untainted parts our father never ruined no matter how hard he tried."

"When you -- when you kill him, look into his eyes and tell me if you'll still find a monster."

***