23 Gift offering

At the presence of a new day as the sun continued to grace the surface of the earth with brightness.

Everything seemed like nothing had happened the day before as the villagers of Ifa-ile trooped out from their Shadows and began again for their usual economic activities.

Even though their market was not as big as that of Ilupeju, it was also busy enough to get everything a person can think of.

In this way had Okiki-osupa who had now been treated nicely, made to wear one of the most beautiful clothes in the whole of Ifa-ile and which Osabiegun had made it a taboo for any villager to call by the name of a captive or a slave rather the queen of tomorrow, gone to the market with troops of slaves walking closely behind her.

It was rare for a royalty to walk among the villagers even so, in a market square. Not in the history of ifa-ile had any royalty done this before, not even Oranmiyan who was their future king.

Perhaps, for only this reason Okiki-osupa began to gain a lot of popularity as every villager present at the market wondered why she decided to visit the market herself.

The villagers, even despite the warnings of Osabiegun secretly began the gossip of Okiki-osupa as a slave from the defeated Efon and the only reason she became the queen of tomorrow, remained a mystery to them.

Okiki-osupa definitely heard part of their gossip but turned a deaf ear to everything which they spoke as according to her, even the dead are being gossiped about and if this was so, who was she?

A fool, one of the villagers called her even so, she heard, she turned a deaf ear again. According to them was the question: if indeed she was a princess of Efon because a princess will prefer to die to save her subjects than her subjects taken as captives. But she chose her enemy over her own people.

Definitely, the captives from Efon according to the command of Osabiegun had been locked up in the dungeon and if the witches demanded shall they be taken as sacrifice one after the other until the very last of them.

Even so, some villagers remained disgusted by the event that shrouded around Okiki-osupa, a few others will not judge her for choosing Oranmiyan as they saw it as a means of her own survival.

With only this, had they decided to see the light from her behavior to which she graced the market personally in the company of the slaves of Ifa-ile.

Fruits and yams she purchased and enough cowries even than the actual price, she gave the villagers who had attended to her nicely and as she walked more further in the market had every villager even those with their gossip bowed to greet their future Queen.

Oranmiyan who was back at the palace couldn't be happier as he remained a prince who not only defeated Efon as one of the undefeated Empire, he also got his wish to have the princess of Efon to himself.

For only this reason had Oranmiyan become nicer to all royal guards, to the royal slaves and even his own mother; the queen.

Oranmiyan had not hesitated to enter into the chamber of Osukapo to ask how to treat a woman nicely and with a lot of gifts had Osukapo presented to Oranmiyan only to give Okiki-osupa whom she understood gained the heart of her son.

Enough beads to beautify her neck, wrist and ankle and enough attire to compliment her gorgeousness.

If Osukapo would think that was all, she placed herself on false hope as in rapid steps, Oranmiyan flew into his chamber and commanded one of the royal slaves to buy more beads and more attire from the market.

With a stringent condition Oranmiyan warned that: not a single person must know about this or even see him at all. For a surprise, Okiki-osupa remained his utmost desire and a big smile he must make on the face of Okiki-osupa.

Eleburu with his entourage even without a formal notification or an invitation from Osabiegun walked on his horse into ifa-ile as all attention now focused on him.

Every villager present at the market square quickly had their eyes away from Okiki-osupa and fixed a stare on Eleburu and his horse and his companies.

Definitely, Eleburu had not lifted his hand into the high heavens for a wave at any of the villagers. His eyes remained fixed on the road as his horse walked him gently and slowly to the palace.

Perhaps, the glitter of the golds around the necks of the Eleburu which shines forth into the eyes of every villager at the market square, and the glitter of the golds around his wrist made them understand Eleburu wasn't any kind of person but a wealthy King to which his crown gave away.

The instant his presence faded away from the market square, his gossip flew around on the lips of every villager. Some acclaimed to be pleased if they could snatch the glitters from his neck, a few only acclaim to be satisfied worshiping him as he would always answer their prayers with them being rich and rich again.

With Eleburu and his entourage encroaching to the palace of Ifa-ile, there was an announcement from the royal guard which notified every noble in the palace for the people encroaching into the palace.

Osabiegun, even though remained in a discussion with the chiefs and elders of ifa-ile to which noted the arrangement of the marriage between Oranmiyan and Okiki-osupa couldn't be more bothered about the people encroaching into the palace.

Certainly, the royal guards braced themselves with their weapons and positioned themselves around the palace to which any move from Eleburu or his entourage would have them close their eyes never to open again.

But even before a battle had unleashed itself had Eleburu taken a preventive measure to which he commanded that an announcement be made which noted he hadn't come for war but for peace and deliberation.

For a period, he had remained in his position as after the announcement everything that became loud was the quietness around the palace.

He only took further steps when he was instructed to by the royal guard who beckoned to them from a distance to get off their horses and walked even on their feet into the palace.

Osabiegun who already sat in the throne outside of the palace where any guest who is not of Ifa-ile can be attended to, and his chiefs and elders who confidently sat before him watched as Eleburu and his entourage slowly and eventually sat even before the chiefs and elders of Ifa-ile.

With the introduction of his name, Eleburu began his words but before he could say anything further had Osabiegun recognize him and a history of his kingdom Osabiegun reminded him as a form of interruption.

According to Osabiegun, Eleburu was the king of Ilupeju whom according to history had never gone to war with any kingdom; rather he made peace to preserve his kingdom even until the moment they speak.

With this Ilupeju confidently engaged in trading even with other kingdoms and became one of the richest among the rest of the Kingdoms.

A eulogy which praised Eleburu for his preservation of his Kingdom, his own royal bard lifted in a song as according to him, Eleburu remained the light in the darkness and whom shall the light war instead give some lightness to pave his way?

Whom shall decide to fight with the air of the earth, for the air remains everywhere and Eleburu as the air is only but a gift to every kingdom.

Oranmiyan who at this moment, came out of his chamber and outside into the midst of his father and the chiefs and elders as he walked confidently past even Eleburu without a bow of respect.

Even with this, had Eleburu revealed more of his white set of teeth as his royal bard who had previously been interrupted began again with the song to which praises Eleburu as the only King worthy of a relationship with Ifa-ile. For with only this shall they not face a financial crisis of any reason.

But if they thought for this reason that Osabiegun would lift his arm and welcome them happily they lied, as their word had only angered him: if Ifa-ile as they saw it would in any way need financial assistance?

A beg for forgiveness for the words of the royal guards Eleburu pleaded that it was not his intention paid Osabiegun a form of attentive ears.

That, his only wish was to solidify a relationship with Ifa-ile to which entailed giving his own daughter as a gift unto the only prince of Ifa-ile as he remained yet without a future Queen.

Oranmiyan who remained steady on his standing beside his father had not only hated the face of Eleburu before him, but also became disgusted in his confidence which noted his failure to secure a queen of his own desire.

If he attempted a word, Osabiegun spoke his heart even before Okiki-osupa had walked into the palace which then automatically disappointed Eleburu for his words.

Definitely, Eleburu braced himself yet again with another word which he spoke further after he beheld the beauty of Okiki-osupa to which any man will not see and take a second look.

According to him, the prince got himself the most beautiful of all even than his daughters whom he thought were the overall beauties of his own land.

Even so, will a King remain yet without a queen? For the glory of a king remained in his number of his queens and what stopped the prince to have the beautiful princess as his queen and even yet his own daughter?

For the prince seemed potent enough to have more than even two queens should he not be afraid and as he spoke further, the entourage of Eleburu began with lifting several boxes before Osabiegun and Oranmiyan, the chiefs and elders with theIr heads bowed to the ground.

With Eleburu having completed his words commanded his entourage to open the box which then revealed to Osabiegun, Oranmiyan and the chiefs and elders enough golds and silvers, enough attires and beads and enough cowries.

Even with all of these, Eleburu and the rest of his entourage remained with their heads bowed for Osabiegun to accept their gift offering.

Definitely, according to the words of Eleburu, can enough silver, gold get  Ifa-ile anything they wanted and even if that was not enough, shall they in their power provide more for only the hand of their princess be taken as their second queen of the future.

Golds with a powerful glitter and a silver as clear even than a crystal hadn't taken more than a moment before the heart of Oranmiyan was changed.

With this, Oranmiyan continued to touch gently on the shoulder of his father for the acceptance of the Golds and silver he had at heart.

But Osabiegun even with all these would not waver as according to him, if all their wishes will be granted was only dependent on the deities of their land.