13 Chapter 12 - Run! part 1

Faraway from the palace where Denle lay peacefully on the Prince's bed, Mayowa looked at the person in front of her. She was stunned!

It's not possible, was she dreaming? How did she get back here? Was she finally allowed back in the village. Mayowa was scared. She didn't realise how far she had come and now, she just felt like going back. This person is bad news. Where did she come out from? Was she following her? Oh Lord! Why? It seems like problems just don't end.

"Are you surprised?" the girl whose eyes shone bright under the serene moonlight with long nappy hair asked, smirking.

*Wha--what are you doing here?" Mayowa asked stuttering. Her whole body was lit up in fear and anger.

"I should be asking you that. What is pretty innocent Mayowa doing out here all alone in the night and lest I forget, crying as well. What happened? Finally got what you deserved"

"Please leave me alone" Mayo pleaded in fear. This was the last person she wanted to see. How come she was here? Is she dreaming maybe? She thought.

Why would Bimbo of all person be here? Looking at how everything turned out, she couldn't help but blame Dami for all of these. If he wasn't serious about her, he shouldn't have asked her to come. She would have continued with her fantasy about him. At least, she was happy. Now, all these. What was she supposed to do?

Looking into Bimbo's eyes, she could see the hate swirling uncontrollably in her eyes which were clearly tinted. Her sclera shone brightly under the bright moon. Not too far away, wolves howling could be heard. Mayowa's body stiffened at the sound. What she wanted now was just to go home peacefully.

Oh God, let me go back home safely!

This was the one time she felt she needed her family by her side. Even if they were hostile to her, it was better than being put in this situation.

Gathering all her confidence, looking deeply into Bimbo's eyes, Mayowa asked "What do you want?"

"Why not guess?" Bimbo replied.

Mayowa sighed deeply knowing what this was all about and it made fear creep into her heart. Mayowa stood up, trying to be strong. She looked round, hoping she could find someone or maybe some possible route of escape. Now that she looked deeply, she really had left the borders of Osu. Oh God, what was I thinking! She thought. But luckily, she wasn't far from the borders. The only bad thing was Bimbo who was standing just right at the borders preventing her from passing.

Mayowa spoke again after trying to figure out a way of escape "You know it was not my fault. I warned you several times but you didn't listen"

"Warned me?" Bimbo asked, clearly in anger. Her long dark robe swung around following the breeze any where it went. Her dark skin shone brightly on the moon with her eyes being the highlight. Bimbo was always a beautiful girl but now, she looked a bit haggered. Well, it is understandable. But even at that, she looked better than Mayowa thought she would. You would have thought that she would be all dried up, with no clothes to wear and a very poor skin but this was not the case. Even thought her hair was messy and unkempt, her body features made up for the mess. She even had a robe, something Mayowa had never worn or seen in the market. It wasn't a popular thing in Osu. Only the royals wore something like this. It wasn't that it was costly, it wasn't just given much of a value especially because of the weather. It could only be found in places that were cold. Not really on the continent.

"You warned me several times?" Bimbo continued. "I suppose you only warned me once. You can't deny the fact that you were also tempted by the offer. You wanted to escape the life which your family subjected you to. Or are you telling me, you didn't want to run away from your family, most especially your mother. oh yes.... your darling mother, how is she? Hope she finally started loving you?" Bimbo smirked.

Mayowa understood everything Bimbo was saying. She was at fault. If she had not been so eager to leave her mother, maybe Bimbo would have dropped the idea, but she only stepped back at the last minute, when everything was almost completed.

"My mom is dead" Mayo said in anger mixed with regret.

"Oops, I was not expecting that, but I am sure you must be happy. Remember how you would always come to me crying, and I would always comfort you, but when I needed you, you didn't comfort me, instead you stabbed me" Bimbo angrily lamented.

"I'm sorry. I know I was tempted and I really was into it, but you could have ruined the kingdom if you pushed on. I know I wanted a family that would love me, but I wouldn't let my happiness cause the destruction of a whole kingdom. No matter how I thought about, it was wrong". Mayowa said hoping she could convince Bimbo and hopefully get her back. One time, she used to be her friend.

" And who told you it was wrong. We could have had the perfect life we both dreamed of. You having a family that really loves you and I having money and comfort. I won't have to be on the street begging plate to plate everyday. Didn't you want that life for me to end" Bimbo said almost tears. Somewhere, within that confidence, you could see the pain. Pain of regret and sadness. Mayowa understood everything and one time, she really wanted it and maybe still wants it, but what is wrong is wrong. A wrong can never be a replacement for a right thing.

"You could have let me take the staff and face it myself if you weren't interested" Bimbo blurted out, her anger spiking up with every passing second.

"I never stopped you. I only warned you and you still went on with it. Then, you were caught and you didn't expect me to support you. Now that I think of it, why didn't you mention my name? Why didn't you try to implicate me? To be honest, I was really expecting that" Mayowa asked still in shock mixed with fear. She wanted to end this and run away. She was done with Bimbo and she didn't know why destiny would choose to lead her to back her in a very difficult situation as this. If Denle heard, she would be shocked. No one would have thought that Bimbo would come so close to the borders after being warned strictly.

"Maybe, it is because I wanted a time like this to come. I was also disappointed that you didn't help me out. You only watched and saw been thrown out" Bimbo said. "You know Mayo, we would have been living our best life, me in wealth and you with a family that loves you. He assured me of it and I had seen how he helped people achieve their dreams even though it felt impossible. You were so into it....I really don't know how you changed in the last minute. Oh, I am sure it should be that Denle of a girl right? I never really liked her. She was too forward and nosey"

"She helped me realize what I was doing was wrong. I don't know what that man did to you but he just wanted the Kingdom's special staff to finish us off. I don't know, maybe he has an issue with the king or past king or...I don't know, but he didn't mean well" Mayowa tried to explain herself.

"What do you mean finish us off?" Bimbo asked, oblivious to what Mayowa was saying. Somehow, she hadn't heard of this part.

Mayowa then took her time to explain hoping to keep the Lion subtle "According to what I was taught, every kingdom, after being inaugurated is blessed with a special staff. The staff follows ritual proceeding and is bound to the growth of the kingdom. If the staff is stolen or broken, the kingdom might face famine, diseases and will lose its strength. That means the kingdom would be prune to defeat when in war. And if it is discovered by the other kingdoms, the kingdom due to its weak strength will have no choice to go under a kingdom who would fight diligently for it. The kingdom might start growing because of it's host staff but will never be stronger than the kingdom unless the staff is returned. Not many know of it so that there won't be war on kingdoms fighting to get hold of each other's staff. Sometimes, not even the kings know about it. Only a few do. And because of that, it is not given much importance even though it is the importance. Some know it but just as an ordinary staff. Now, do you understand?"

"And how did you know all these" Bimbo asked intrigued by all Mayo had to say.

"I stumbled on a book during one of our visit to the Royal library. The librarian was quick to take it from me but hopefully, I had read all" Mayowa explained, hoping that she was getting Bimbo to her side and fortunately, let her go back home safely.

Bimbo thought for a while before saying "It doesn't matter. I believe it would have been best if we took it. And now that you say it is that important, I would have been given a lot of wealth. That man that you talk of, helped me when I was banished for a single staff. He took care of me and I should repay him, starting with you...Now if you will, please come with me or I will force you"

"What do you want with me? I am not the staff. And you know you weren't just banished for the staff but you attempted to kill the king's daughter, all because she stood in your way. The king might not have known too much about its importance, but trying to kill his daughter was what sent you away. She was just a baby!" Mayowa continued.

"Oh shut up! I don't care about the past. It is ended. Now, it is the future. Come with me. I am so happy to find you here. I was actually planning to risk my life to come take you from the kingdom" Bimbo smiled as she pulled out two daggers.

Mayowa gulped hardly. This was so serious. What would Bimbo want with her that she even wanted to risk her life for it. All she could think of now was RUN!