As the rumors about Olayomi's parentage continued to spread, the children of the kingdom began to take notice. They would gather in the marketplaces and town squares, listening with wide eyes as their parents and elders discussed the latest gossip.
At first, the children didn't quite understand the implications of what they were hearing. But as the days went by, they began to pick up on the subtle cues and innuendos. They started to realize that the rumors were not just about Olayomi's parentage, but about his very legitimacy.
And so, the children of the kingdom began to taunt Olayomi, calling him names and making snide comments about his mother. They would whisper to each other as he walked by, their eyes gleaming with malice.
"Bastard," they would hiss. "Son of a nobody."
Olayomi tried to ignore them, but it was hard. The words stung, and he couldn't help but feel a deep sense of shame and embarrassment. He knew that he wasn't a bastard, but the constant barrage of insults began to take its toll.
Despite his own pain, Olayomi refused to tell his mother about the taunts. He knew that she would not take it lightly, and he didn't want to see her get hurt. He also felt a deep sense of compassion for the children who were taunting him. He knew that they were only repeating what they had heard from their parents, and he didn't want to see them get in trouble.
So Olayomi kept his silence, bearing the brunt of the taunts and insults with a quiet dignity. He knew that he was not alone, and that his mother and Ajokeaiyewunmi were always there to support him.
But as the days turned into weeks, Olayomi began to feel the weight of his silence. He felt like he was carrying a heavy burden, one that he couldn't share with anyone. He began to wonder if he had made a mistake by not telling his mother about the taunts.
One day, as he was walking through the market, Olayomi saw one of the children who had been taunting him. The child, a boy with a cruel glint in his eye, looked up at Olayomi and sneered.
"Bastard," he spat.
Olayomi felt a surge of anger, but he bit it back. He knew that he couldn't let his emotions get the better of him. Instead, he looked the boy straight in the eye and said, "I forgive you."
The boy looked taken aback, but Olayomi just smiled and walked away. He knew that he had taken the high road, and that he had shown the boy that he was not going to engage in a war of words.
As he walked away, Olayomi felt a sense of pride and self-respect. He knew that he had done the right thing, and that he had shown the boy that he was not going to be swayed by his taunts.
But despite his sense of pride, Olayomi couldn't shake the feeling that he was still carrying a heavy burden. He knew that he had to find a way to deal with the taunts and insults, and to find a way to forgive those who were hurting him.
As he walked back to the palace, Olayomi made a silent vow to himself. He would find a way to rise above the taunts and insults, and to show the world that he was not defined by the words of others. He would find a way to forgive, and to move forward with dignity and pride.