His tattered agbada swum in the ocean of the breeze, he hung his hand on the cocoa tree, he was worried. He held his fila in his hand. His sad and petrified expression was at its pitch as he searched everywhere cautiously.

" Alabi, calm down, I have told you not to worry about him, I can handle it"

A lady in a rope of blended strands of glittering colours said. She dazzles in the strands of beads on her neck and her hand.

Her shuku hair pointed beauty to the sky and the touch of the sun on her skin illuminated her uncommon beauty. She smiled like a rising sun as she placed her hand on Alabi's shoulder.

"Alabi, I have told you so many times that you are the one I want, the love I have for you is undenying and no one can take that away from me, not even Alamu" she said in a mild voice.

Alabi shook at the call of Alamu, he broke away from her. " That is exactly what I am talking about Aduke, I can't let myself into trouble because of Alamu, you know he is ruthless, proud and arrogant, I don't want trouble Aduke, I can't come from my village and come and suffer here, his father is the richest man in this village and he can do and undo, I am scared Aduke'' Alabi exclaimed.

Aduke got a bit angry, she frowned at him a bit.

'' Alabi, I told you I can't marry Alamu, I am not after his father's money, I can't get married to him, I am contented with what my father left for me, I love you and you are the only one I want, so you have to stop acting like a child and man up" she said in a bit harsh voice.

Alabi buried his head in his neck sadly. Aduke continued.

" And as for Alamu, I didn't see him as an arrogant man because he has not in any way talk to me rudely or arrogantly, he may be a proud man but he's just looking for a good lady to get married to and I chose you over him, isn't that fair enough?" She queried.

Alabi's expression was not in line with her explanations. He looked into her eyes and sighed.

" Aduke, how I wish you understand, Alamu is from your village, I am not, he has every power over me, his father is a popular rich chief here in Abule Opabode, he's the descendant of the popular tyrant Oba Ademola, he might be acting polite and gentle because he wants to get a wife but he is as tough as iron, I know what I am saying, my head might end up rolling down the mountain of Gbanjabila is he discover I pull rope with him on you, I am scared Aduke, I am the only son of my father and I dont want him to lose me now" Alabi exclaimed.

Aduke got confused, she exhaled in exhaustion. Confusion laid tracks on the walls of her mind.

" I guess someone has been researching history, how come you know all these and I don't, are you from a royal family?" She queried.

Alabi stuttered " erhm..erhmm...no o, my father tells me a lot of stories' ' he said.

" Maybe he didn't tell you all the stories because I have never heard of that name before and Alamu came into this village few months ago with the mind of contributing to the economy of our village by bringing in goods from other villages which he has been doing and the villagers love him, I dont know of his father and I have never heard any story of him, so I wonder how you are able to tell his story without a break of breathe" Aduke queried suspiciously.

Alabi kept quiet and stared at his foot, he was quiet for a while before he broke the silence.

"Aduke, it doesn't make any difference, all I know is he wants you" said Alabi.

Aduke got pissed by his words, she paced the space where they stood, her face wilted, her eyes misty and hands shivering.

" But Alabi, do you want me? Do you really want to be with me? I fell in love with you not because you have anything but because you are kind and natural. Do you know how many proposals I've gotten from neighborhood villages? Should I start counting? Should I talk about the son of the popular trader in Alaro village or Adeoye, the Prince of the tyrant Oba Adegoroye of Olope village, I turned them down because I want to be natural, I want a man I can look into his eyes and see the flickering of my image, a man I can dance in the rain with, a man with purpose and not a man with tongues of command and sense of entitlement. I know what I want Alabi that's why I am choosing you over Alamu, please don't leave me" she pleaded.

" Why can't you marry Prince Adeoye of Olope village? At least he's from a royal family.'' asked Alabi.

I can't marry the son of a killer, slayer of kings and a proud man that takes freedom from man and makes them slaves" Aduke blurted out.

Alabi's silence was screaming to the ears, he buried his head in his shoulders as words from Aduke penetrated through the doors of his ears.

Aduke stared at him quizzically in search of a promising and soothing response. But instead, Alabi heaved a deep sigh and said.

"How I wish you to understand "

His response infuriated Aduke, she blew the fuse and let the smoke out of the flame. She poured out angrily.

" i have never seen a man as lazy and weak as you are, you seem not to know how to fight for what you want and you don't know how to defend what you want, if you really want me, you will fight to get me" she said angrily and walked away from him.

Without a second thought. Alabi took the other way. As he walked through the single track of the bush, three hefty men scooped out of nowhere with cutlasses and guns in their hands and followed him as he disappeared into the distance.

Time flew and there was no news of Alabi, Aduke got worried and searched everywhere for him but all her efforts went futile.

She hired people to search the village and neighborhood villages for Alabi and even placed a bountiful price on whoever finds him either dead or alive but none was fruitful.

She cried and broke down for days, she blamed herself for her words and wished she had never said those words to him. Maybe she would still have him to herself now.

"I believe he's only scared, he will come back one day, please don't hurt yourself with this everyday crying" Alake, her best friend implored. The thought of Alabi drastically faded with the test of time from her heart, she got used to his absence, her heart gradually became hollow and killed the love he had for him.

On a rumbling evening, an evening Aduke's mind rumbled in chaos. She walked angrily to Alamu's hurt, her wrapper beating the drum of chaos while her leg shook the sand to the sound of shekere. Her face thrown to the sky, her eyes littered in sparkling fire.

She called out for his name as she approached.

" Alamu! Alamu!!Come out now! '' she exclaimed.

She met Alamu and his friends under the Igi Ose that was in his compound, playing Ayo and drinking palm wine. She walked briskly to meet him and juggled angrily in akimbo. Alamu stared at her quizzically.

" What is the matter, Aduke, why are you so angry? Why did you chase away the beauty that found solace on your face? Why did your body dance to the tune of trouble? Tell me, who annoyed the beauty out of your heart?" Alamu asked dramatically.

His words struck her but she pretended.

" See, I know you so well, I have just come to warn you, nothing must happen to Alabi, he must not die nor fall sick, if not, I will make this village a living hell for you"

She exclaimed and walked away before Alamu said a word. He watched her as she walked away.

Alamu didn't give up on Aduke, it took him loads of time and effort but Aduke insisted she can't marry him. The thought of Alabi visited Alake once in a blue moon, she wished he could just walk out of the shadow, she wished she could feel his tender touch on his skin and carry his baby in her arms.

So much imagination of Alabi eroded her heart. Time whistled by and No news of Alabi, Aduke decided to break her own law and got married to Alamu. He was the happiest man on earth when Aduke accepted her proposal.

He planned the wedding in a blissful way, news traveled to every nuke and cranny of the village that Alani is getting married. All the villagers were invited. Alamu senr news to all the palm wine tappers, yam farmers and other ingredients to reserve their products for his wedding. He paid them handsomely.

The wedding day came by, the feast began. People ate and took home. Palm wine calabash clashing in the air, drum rolling, the lyrics dancing with the melody. Alamu danced with his beautiful bride. But Aduke's imaginations was with Alabi, she wished he was in Alamu's place.

It was time to practice the tradition. A white piece of cloth was handed to Alamu.

" Go inside and prove yourself a man, make her a woman"

Alamu went inside with the white piece of cloth, the atmosphere went quiet, the sound of silence got louder to every ear as they paid attention to what was about to be heard from inside. Aduke grunted in pain from inside. The tension rose, people sat outside in expectation. Alamu finally came out with a blood stain on the white piece of cloth, he raised it up and people exclaimed loudly in excitement.

" you are the real son of your father.'' one of the elders said.

"Thank you everyone, bring more wine and food, let my people dine and wine, let the feast continue." said Alamu.

The drum started rolling and people danced. He drank with his friends and danced till the sun left for the bed. The stars took over the night.

" I thanked everyone for coming, I have to go and meet my wife now, you should go home to your husbands and wives too" his visitors laughed and the day ended blissfully.

Alamu went inside, Aduke sat on the bed and wept.

" What happened? Why are you crying?" He asked.

Aduke looked into him, her eyes swollen with tears. " why did you do it? Why did you cut me to have blood on your white piece of cloth? " she cried.

Alamu's face wilted in shame, I am so sorry, I know you are not ready and I had to show them a stained cloth outside, I am sorry I hurt you" he apologized and ordered one of his slaves to get him hot water to treat the wound.

He brought it in no time. He treated the bruise with hot water and wrapped a cloth around it. " It will heal in no time,'' he said.

" But why don't you do the needful, I am your wife now and you have me to yourself, I am all you ever wanted, and now you have me, why did you lie to the people? Why? '' she quizzed.

" I am sorry again I had to do that, you will understand when the time comes, '' he said and left the room. Aduke looked at him with surprise.

" what kind of man is this?" She worried.

Alamu came back with a bowl of pounded yam and egunsi soup filled with varieties like snail, bush meat, fresh fish and ponmo. He placed them in front of Aduke.

" I prepared this for you, '' he said with a faint smile. Aduke was surprised.

" You prepared this? Are you sure your maid didn't?" She asked jokingly.

Alamu laughed.

" There is no point lying, I cooked it specially for only you" he replied.

Aduke salivated at the sight of the food. She devoured it. Alamu watched her as she ate.

" Aren't you eating?" She quizzed.

" The food is for you alone, it is specially made for you, we will eat together at some other time" he replied

Alamu cared so much about Aduke that she gradually grew in love with him. Alamu was the negative of what she thought he was. His love and understanding was heart melting. She confessed to him.

" Alamu, I never knew you were a kind man, I judged you with what people say about you..."

Alamu jumped in, " you mean what Alabi said about me?" He said jokingly.

Aduke smiled.

" Alabi is a good man and you are a good man too, you made me love you" she said.

They ate together and every word and joke coming from Alamu cracks her up, it was a blissful conjugal night for them.

Aduke settled to the bed and slept off after the food. Alamu stared at how beautiful she was, he smiled and left with the bowls.

The night fell, Aduke woke and traced the bed in search of Alamu but the bed side was vacant, she sat up and saw Alamu lying on the mat on the floor. She wiped her face for clear vision to have a clear look at him.

She called out.

"Alamu, why are you sleeping on the mat, why did you leave me here all alone?" Alamu turned on the mat.

" It's nothing, I just feel like sleeping on the mat" he replied.

"You feel like sleeping on the mat?" She quizzed. She left the bed side and joined him on the mat.

" If that's what you want then I will join you " said Aduke.

She laid beside him and placed her head on his chest.

Alamu got aroused by the succulence of her body, her beauty and the fragrance from her breath blew him away. She reached for his trouser and deeper her hand down his organ. He jumped up and broke away from her.

" No please" he said as he leaned against the wall.

Aduke stared at him quizzically.

" what is going on Alamu? Why are you acting weird? Is there anything you need to tell me?" She queried curiously.

No words from Alamu, he leaned against the wall and stared into his own shadows. Aduke stood up with her wrapper abit loose, she walked seductively to meet him.

" I know you are scared or maybe you are yet to admit that you are now married,but you don't have to, I am all yours now and you can have me to yourself" she said as she tried to touch him.

Alamu shivered, he hid his body from her touch.