“I could stay out there no more when I heard that mean message” the king told his wife as he was standing facing the mirror hung on the wall for a better look. His wife sat on a chair beside him. The table in front bore ornaments, ointments jewelries and creams. She was waiting to dress him in her usual way.
“What could the message speak of?” she demanded, looking worried too.
“ Disaster of course. Crisis, catastrophe, anything awful. Your dream alone explained everything. You said the masses gathered here crying and when you tried going through the crowd you couldn’t”
“Yes, they didn’t allow me. I wanted to see for my self what was the cause of the grief but I understand they were hiding it from me”
“Did you try asking questions?”
“None was willing to talk to me. In fact, I was interested not to hear but to see it myself, which they did not allow me, neglecting the fact that I am their queen”
“what was your instinct about the mourning scene?”
“I don’t know what exactly happened and who the victim is. But I think something unspeakable happened either to you or the prince or even both of you for none of you were seen in the dream and the mourning was here in the palace”
The gorilla was so tongue-tied that he couldn’t reject the bad news about him and his son.
“It’s very perceptible that the evil we will face in this community in the nearest time especially in our family will be awful and woeful. It’s been revealed in many ways and I have began to see signs”
“I pray the gods have solution to this”
The gorilla concurred with a facial expression with no word. The rodents pulled a tray of different dishes in a small wheeled cart into the room and positioned them carefully on the table. They pulled out the empty cart. Soon afterwards, a deer showed up and humbly bowed to the royal couple.
“The elders right?” the gorilla asked
“Yes, your highness they are readily waiting for you outside” The deer said.
“Tell them he will join them soon” Queen said. The deer turned to go deliver the message.
“I will be going now” the king said.
“Not with an empty stomach. Food Is set”
“I’m not hungry”
“It’s a very long journey you are about embarking on. Take something, at least little. Will you be the one to kill yourself?”
“Don’t worry my darling. I will be fine”
“A journey of about seven to nine hours and your are trying to convince me that you will be fine without food? Do you know when you will come back today? It’s at night. That’s a while day trek. No, this is not you. Those elders going with you must be well fed before they left their homes. I will package something for you. Your servant will carry it along. Hunger can’t be the cause of your death”
She left hastily to get them. She came out with what could sustain two or three full grown animals for a whole day and handed it over to one of the deer that will be going with them.
“You think the chief priest will offer you something to eat when you get there?” She joked making the king smile which if was in words it would mean 'I know he won’t’.
“Please be careful. Good luck” she waved. She doesn’t look happy for she’s started missing him already and she feared the trip could be dangerous. She watched them from the high balcony until they were out of sight. Two buffaloes led the way, two elks at the back, four elders, the king and the two deer carrying water, food and a long mat were all in the middle.
The prince went to meet his lover at their usual nook. The vegetation there is thick and evergreen mostly because a river was by the side which never goes dry. There, epiphytes and undergrowth were common.
Other days they play in secret but that very day it was different. This was how it started. As they were in their meeting nook sharing some romantic chats, they heard a song coming from a near distance. The song was played with a harp whereas giving a melodious rhythm. So it was at the process of tracing the song they unknowingly got out of their nook. They found him. It was a baboon sitting on a long horizontal branch about thirteen feet high.
They approaching him. When he saw them , he rushed down to meet them, to pay the prince his due respect.
“I like that song. Can you play it again? “ the prince demanded.
“Sure. Wholeheartedly your highness”
“Ok then. Let’s hear you”
“So….” The chimp said throwing a side glance at the prince's lover as if telling him that he understands the relationship between them
“what?” the prince asked. “She? Any problem? She’s my….. .”
“you don’t have to say it. I know”
“But you were like asking”
“For confirmation” He cheered and greeted her as if she’s already a royal family member. The female smiled shyly.
“so can you play it now? “
“Yes, but I will like to play a different one. You will definitely like it. Am I permitted?”
He was permitted. He played a romantic song using the prince and his lover. While he played it, monkeys from nowhere emerged with different voices and musical instruments. The song chorus was easy for any animal to catch once heard. They echoed harmoniously. The crowd increased faster than gradual. The two lovers watched the happy animals dancing and frolicking till they too could not resist the urge. It was hard to explain how they started moving their bodies. There were a lot excitement that made the event seem like a no ending party.
Colorful pieces of flowers were hurled in the air making the environment look splendid. Some animals offered the prince and his lover some gifts, monkeys and other tree animals got them fruits, some presented whatever the consider special. Most animals there had something to offer. The event was more of romantic acts rather than dancing. Sometimes the lovers were tied together facing each other, sometimes they are made to sit on a 'U' shaped rope-like wood descending from between two trees and make them swing on it. They made them do what they could not publicly do as lovers. They climbed trees, they did so many things and the last was dancing to the river. They played in the river, splashing water on faces. The young elephants did it better. The water fall was the river’s best scene.
Picture were made of them in different spots and actions by the chimpanzee. He was the community’s best artist which he win a prize for it in a competition some years back. And then she pictures were what the prince treasured most.
The king returned from the trip to the chief priest looking distressed and disappointed. The food they took along was returned untouched because he lost his appetite. The cooked ones all got soured.
“Can you tell me it went?”
“the chief priest sent us back”
“How do you mean he sent you back? “
“After crossing the icing river, we met the owl near the grassy valley before the dark forest, he told us that the chief priest asked us to reverse, that it is yet opened to him the solution we seek. Therefore there’s no need reaching his temple when we can’t find what we seek”
“ if the spirits doesn’t speak now when will they? Is it when all the inhabitants of Greenwood all got perished? “
“I wonder what keeps them so long to speak on a certain situation like this. They see how critical this issue is. Why all these delay? Even if they haven’t gotten answers to the problem at least we wish to know the cause. Maybe we too can come up with some ideas that will help use survive till the final solution is found.
“My lord, it’s ok. Let’s not say what will attract hatred or a curse upon us. They know better, so let them decide”
The king took his wife’s words even as he was not willing to let go. Those were the right words and must be respected especially as it’s coming from her. He sat fuming and sweating.
“When again will you return for answers?”
“We weren’t asked to return. Maybe he will send the owl to deliver it when time comes”
“Maybe”
The prince returned from the party while his parents were still on some important deliberations in the chamber. He respectfully greeted them and inquired about the trip. All what happened was poured out in brief. He excused himself but his father would not let him without an explanation on where he too was returning from. For his fur was still holding some tiny pieces of flowers. He answered, though, he hesitated. That was however, because he contemplated on whether to tell the truth, leave some piece untold or tell a different story altogether. He wouldn’t want to his parent’s wrath now that they are obviously not in a good mood. But if he should lie and they come to find out later they may do worse. Even if it won’t be worse, it’s better to get over it now than later. He eventually decided it was better telling the truth and face whatever that’s to come up, which he did.
“Just lucky” the queen said to her son after hearing from him. He was baffled to hear that. He wondered what that statement meant. Maybe that was because he did not say he climbed trees with the squirrels or monkeys that day.
“You are still carrying those colors” She said again. Now the prince was sure she had notice or have heard about the unplanned party. Those flowers would have betrayed him if he had told lies.
“ You are not an infant that i should be telling you everything. Bad things are happening in our community recently which you know. Stop roaming about looking for nothing. Stay in your house. It’s better to prevent than to control”
“My Lord, he’s not a child. He’s reached to have a good sense of reasoning. Son, you can run up to the hills if that’s what seems the best for you but before you do that, I want that female in this house and not only that I want her here, give us a replacement, simple!”
The prince and his father were very sensitive to notice that the queen has a specific female in mind. The prince thought they have already chosen a female for him. His mood changed. No longer for regret for over what he did but for what he’s sensed. It have she seen or heard about him and his lover? It better be.
“Are you feeling bad about it? Won’t you marry?” The queen asked.
“Do you have one in mind?” the king asked. Now the prince was certain that even if a female is secured for him his father too isn’t aware. He listened attentively.
“I won’t talk about it with you. That will make us gossips” she dismissed their son. “He must be tired. Let him rest. Son, later, I have a talk with you”
“Me too. A serious one” the king added