Damilola, Denle and Shola travelled for days in search of Mayowa. They didn't know where they were going but kept on going.
It was night time so they stopped to rest. Dami still didn't like the fact that Denle was following them, but he could do nothing. She insisted on going to find Mayowa, with him or not. Knowing that leaving her to go would only warrant in her coming later to find Mayowa, he agreed to let her tag along. At least then, he could keep her safe. He still blamed himself for Mayowa's disappearance, he wouldn't want another disappearance on his backbone. Sigh.
Shola looked for wood, placed them together, got a piece of stone and scratched it to bring out a fire. The fire lit up, burning the wood fiercely, as Denle and Dami sat down.
Suddenly, Denle felt the need to get up and help Shola prepare the food. Through out the journey, she had pitied him. He had been working so hard while she did nothing. She knew that having her come with them was stressful even if Dami wouldn't want to admit it.
If she wasn't with them, they definitely would not try to make each place they stayed at for a while, comfortable. They probably didn't want her stressed. But what could she do? She couldn't stay home knowing that her only friend was somewhere no one knew. Only God knew where she is. They had been travelling with their intuition, not really knowing where to go. Denle was impressed with Dami's determination and commitment to find Mayowa. Even though she knew it was because he felt guilty, he was a prince, a crown prince's for that matter. No one in that position would do what he did. After all, he didn't tell her to run away.
"No, don't worry, I can handle it" Shola said taking the rabbit he had just killed from Denle's hands.
" I insist please. Since we have been on this journey, I haven't been of much help. Help me not feel like a burden...pls" she smiled cutely at him..Shola felt his heart skip a beat with that smile. He had never paid close attention to her looks, but now....
Dami sat close to the fire, observing them "Is something going on with them?" he thought and shook his head.
Mayowa, where are you!!!
A voice echoed in his mind. All through the journey, nothing had been on his mind except Mayowa; what she might be going through, where she was and how she was doing"
Shola with the help of Denle put the rabbit on the fire he had created specially for cooking to roast. They smiled, satisfied with their work.
After some minutes, the meat was ready and they ate satisfied. "Its delicious" Denle complemented while looking at Shola.
"Thank you. Roasting meat is my forte" Shola replied happy.
"It's so nice. I want more" She said, looking and realising there was no more. She looked at Dami who was ravaging the meat in his hands and still had more. Dami didn't notice Denle staring at him until Shola cleared his throat, alerting him to relax.
Dami then looked at Denle and cleared his throat "Do you want some?" he asked.
Denle wanted to refuse, but she couldn't lie to herself or try to be respectful because he was a prince. All she was thinking was satisfying her belly.
"Yes" Denle replied.
Dami painfully passed the meat to her. Denle and Shola noticed that reaction and smiled. Denle took the whole meat either way and finished it, even licked her hands after the last bite. Dami roared silently in anger.
After they had eaten, Shola went to wash the dishes and prepare the carriage for tomorrow.
Denle wanted to help him, but she stayed with Dami seeing that he didn't look alright.
She started conversation.
"Thank you for letting me come with you. I know l've been a pain to you" she smiled.
Dami looked at her. She did have a beautiful smile like her friend. That is why Akun isn't giving up on her. He chuckled at his thought.
"You don't have to thank me. I am the cause of everything. If I didn't call her that night, she probably would have been home"
"Well, I don't know what happened and I guess you don't want to tell me, but you being here, risking your position just to find her is enough for me to know you are a good person"
"You shouldn't be too sure"
"You have convinced me. No crown prince would risking leaving his kingdom at a time close to his coronation no matter how important it is, but you did it anyway and to go find a girl. If the kings in the other kingdom were to find out, they would use it against you" Denle said.
As she turned to look at him, she noticed a tear escape willingly from his eyes, which he quickly cleaned.
"Are you crying?" Denle asked knowingly.
"No. My eyes are scratching me"
Denle nodded as if in agreement. She didn't want to bother him further. "We will find Mayowa" she assured him
"I hope so" he replied.
"I will go see what Shola is doing" she smiled. Dami didn't say much and just went into deep thoughts.
"I have to say, I'm really surprised with how concerned Dami is. You wouldn't expect that from a crown prince over an ordinary girl" Denle said, as she helped Shola set the carriage for tomorrow.
"That's how he is, especially when he feels he is at fault" Shola replied
"But he isn't"
"I know I am"
"No, I didn't mean that"
"I understand. If I didn't underestimate Mayowa's pain, and slowed down in my Chase after her, I would have known where she went. Now...I really don't know. I just hope she is okay. I have taken an oath that if Mayowa is found dead, or in a bad state, I will kill myself"
Denle's eyes widened at this revelation. Death was not a joke, much less committing suicide. Denle had heard of how people who killed themselves were tortured by the gods, for taking a life they didn't give to themselves.
"No, pls don't say that. She will be found safe and sound" Denle assured. She now realized, that though she was a close friend to Mayowa, she was the relaxed one. Maybe, it was because she had no guilt attached to it. Shola and Dami feel so guilty as they were involved in her disappearance, with Dami being the lead.
"I hope so...for all our sake....Now go to sleep, I'm almost done here. We have a long day tomorrow. Dami and I intend to pass the ritual forest. It's going to be dangerous"
******************
The next morning, the trio set out on their journey to the east. They didn't exactly know where to go, but they had to keep moving, hoping they would find some clue to help them out. As they journeyed into the ritual forest, their sense organs heightened following how dangerous the ritual forest was, not for Dami and Shola, but for Denle. Dami threw a small glance at Shola, as the rustling of leaves could be heard.
He asked "I hope the carriage door is locked. They have no business with us. Denle is what they want, so...."
"Yes. Don't worry. we will get out of here safely" Shola replied him.
"I hope so. I wish there was another way" Dami sighed.
Dami and Shola rode on the donkeys while Denle sat calmly in the carriage. She wasn't outside but she could feel something was about to happen. She wanted to signal to Shola to let her out as it was getting suffocating sitting in the carriage. The ritual forest was longer than she expected. She had begged to ride on the donkeys, but they both refused, telling her that after they were far away from the ritual forest, her desires would be granted.
"Do you hear that?" Dami asked Shola.
"Yes, I think they are close"
"Let's stay calm so they won't get suspicious. I hoped we wouldn't have to face them" Dami said worriedly.
They kept riding until some group of young boys who didn't look more than 19 years of age, jumped out of nowhere. Dami let out a "I knew it" expression. The boys were five in number. One boy who looked slightly older than the rest was the one to speak. He had a dark skin which shone under the sun. He probably was using good herbs. His hair was cut very short, almost leaving his head bald. He seemed like the type of person to not miss the early morning excercise, based on his masculine nature. Dami was sure he was the hungry one and the rest were here to help him quench that hunger.
"I feel you have something that I want" The boy spoke.
Dami tried to maintain a calm and expressionless faced to not create any doubt. "And what do you mean?" he asked, pretending not to know.
"Don't act smart with me. I know you know what I am talking about"
"I am on way to something very important with my friend, so I would like to take my leave, if you permit please?" Dami answered looking unaffected.
"No, I don't permit until you give me what I want" the boy said, getting angry. He needed to quench his hunger and more importantly, make his father proud.
"I don't think they have any virgin with them" one boy on his left who was slightly fair spoke. He seemed to be a follower and didn't really want to be there.
"Shut your mouth!" the boy flinched. "I know they do. I can sense her. She is somewhere here. I can't just pinpoint where".
The boy then decided to act calm. Maybe they would sell her if he acted nicely. It had been long he had sensed a virgin come by and he needed one to expand the ritualist race. They were getting too small in number. If nothing is done, they probably would get exterminated.
"Ok, I don't think I have introduced myself, my name is...."
"We don't have anyone so need to bargain. As you can see, it's only the two of us" Dami was quick to interrupt, knowing where it was going. It wasn't the first time he had come across such people. They acted the same way. It made him wonder if they all stayed together in one coven.
The boy's eyes narrowed. Something was telling him he should go, but his senses betrayed that thought and he didn't want to lose such opportunity. The other boys at the back seemed exhausted. If they had it, they would have gone. His eyes moved to carriage. "Hmmm" he hummed and smirked.
"Ok, let's agree that what you said is true, but can you let me take a look inside your carriage?"
Denle who had been quietly listening to them, widened her eyes. Now, she was sure they wanted her. When she heard "virgin", she became confused as to why they would need a virgin. Now she was certain they wanted a virgin for some ritual and she was the only virgin here. It made her wish she wasn't. This was what Shola meant when he said the ritual forest would be dangerous.
Oh! What a burden she was becoming!
Now, what where they going to do?
Shola knew this was the end. His senses were probably stronger than they thought. He looked at Dami who probably understood that there was no way out of this. Dami gave him a signal and he nodded lightly.
The boy stood there happy, knowing that he was right. They had a virgin with them and a very good one, he could feel it. She is so close. He couldn't wait to have her. While he was still in his thoughts, thinking of how he was going to enjoy himself, Dami and Shola had bolted from there.
"Randa! Randa! They are gone!" his friends called him.
He came back to his senses, annoyed. They actually had the guts to run away. Oh, he would so deal with them.
GET THEM!