A Tale of Five Bandits - Episode 19

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"Go on, that can’t be the end”, Leke, sitting cross-legged, said to the herbalist. “Kolade couldn’t have died just like that. He didn’t get his revenge”.


The herbalist offered a sad smile, “The tales are real and life isn’t a fantasy. We don’t always get what we want and sometimes we die without being able to fulfil our wishes and desires”. 
Leke shook his head in disappointment, “So you’re telling me that, the mighty Kolade, the hero who was favoured by the gods and who slew a whole cavalry died a shameful death” . The herbalist nodded in response and Leke continued, “But that is not what the legends say. So I have been lied to my whole life, we have been lied to our whole lives!”.


Sparing a glance at the humongous man lying beside him, he voiced bitterly “Goke, are you listening to this? Kolade didn’t live happily ever after. Grandpa Dotun lied to us. How could he look at us in the eye, his grandchildren and lie to us like that. I’ve always held him in high esteem but I’m finding out after his death that he’s a liar”.


Goke mumbled apathetically, “I need to do something.  My limbs are getting numb and my fingers are itching to cut down my foes. I can hear my sword whispering to me that they need to taste blood

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. Why are Duro and Sewa taking so long? It’s been hours since they left”.


Monifa arched an eyebrow confused, “It hasn’t even be an hour since they left, Goke. And to you Leke...” she said turning to face Leke, “Stories are often told to children like garri mixed with sugar because they love a happy ending. A story where a lowly peasant becomes a hero, defeats evil and saves the princess. You tell a child the reality of life then the people call you pessimistic or a sadist. In reality, all they are doing is letting the child grow and learn by himself, the harsh ways of life from experience. So don’t blame your grandfather, he was only doing what he himself had been taught and besides the man is dead, lamenting does nothing but shame his memory”

       
The herbalist nodded his head, impressed with Monifa’s words. Leke heaved a wryly sigh, “I understand. Perhaps, it’s personal to me because the heroic tales Kolade was my favourite story when I was a child. How he saved the poor maiden from the clutches of the evil King and defeated the great serpent in the evil forest after the King abandoned his people and how Kolade’s valiant efforts were rewarded with the crown itself. From what Ajala just told me, I am indeed shocked to discover that the maiden actually betrayed him and helped the King capture him in exchange for being the Queen herself. Then the dauntless Kolade was publicly decapitated. What an awful factuality”.


The herbalist nodded sadly, “Yes, it is a sad story indeed. The truth is that the people actually loved him and felt grateful to him for slaying that terrifying beast and thus, he became a legend and his name lived on for generations. And of course they couldn’t tell the gruesome truth so with each passing generation, the story became...sweetened and tweaked to make it more innocuous for children”.


Leke hummed and nodded his head in understanding. Goke slammed a fist into the ground, “Enough of this sad tales, I say we plunge into that village head first and driver away those troops”.


Monifa shook her head, “Patience, Duro and Sewa will soon be back”.


“Then at least entertain me with a mild swordplay when we wait”.


Monifa smirked, “That can be done. Let’s see if you are just all brute”, she said as she unsheathed her sword and formed a stance. 
Goke grinned from ear to ear, twirling his axe “I will try to be gentle” as he stuck the first blow.
                               *********************************


Inside the village, Sewa and Duro wandered around warily taking in the trees that stood high in the village, the little huts, marketplace that displayed all kinds of goods, and lastly the frenzied villagers running helter-skelter as they gathered like bees around a hive at the village’s square.


Duro managed to get his hands on a young boy and questioned him, “What’s going on? Why is everyone excited?”


The lively boy beamed cheerfully, “There is news that the King himself has blessed us with his presence. The gods be praised”.


Duro and Sewa shared a stunned look and shooed the boy away.

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. Duro scratched his head nervously, “What would the King be doing here? With the rising plague, I would expect him to ward himself safely within the walls of his palace”. 


Sewa pondered thoughtfully, “You are right. There is no way the King would leave the safety of his guards and palace. What if this is all a scheme? What if it’s all a ploy to get the villagers in one place while the guards carry out their job of purging the village and its inhabitants. It’s easier to tame them that way rather than trying to control a berserk crowd”.


Duro contemplated her words, “You have a point. Let’s watch from somewhere safe, not too far from the crowd. We might have to call in the others soon”.


They sneaked cautiously past the guards that stationed themselves around the crowd, swords and spears drawn to prevent any villager from leaving. Lurking outside the circle were other warriors standing stoically with woods ablaze with fire in their hands as they waited patiently for their orders. Duro and Sewa climbed a hut that stood fifty feet from the noisy village square. They laid flat on the roof, narrowed their eyes and piqued their ears to watch the happening before them.


Sewa’s eyes widened and her jaws dropped as she tapped Duro’s repeatedly, struggling to speak but couldn’t her voice. Duro looked at her with confused and concerned at her odd behaviour, “What? Speak, what’s going on”. Sewa remained muted in shocked and pointed at the gathering.  

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