"Aremu, you will toast if my father finds you here. Don't say I didn't warn you," Abike said repeatedly while Aremu kept tickling her.
"What exactly is wrong with you? Every time, you scare me with your father. Is it a crime to fall in love with a warlord's daughter?" Aremu replied as he stopped tickling Abike. The joy on his face had vanished and he felt bad because Abike wasn't allowed out of the Balogun's compound and he had to risk his life just to meet her.
The young love birds started dating about two years ago. Abike was returning from the river on a hot afternoon when Aremu ran into her while chasing a rabbit.
"You could have hurt me," Abike said to Aremu who was panting heavily from the rabbit chase.
"I am sorry, I didn't expect a beautiful lady like this walking alone by this time. I am sorry," Aremu replied as he helped Abike clean her dress.
"You don't look familiar, are you a stranger here? It's not safe to walk alone on this road," Aremu said after cleaning the dirt completely.
"I am not a stranger and no one will try to harm the daughter of a warlord," Abike replied and Aremu paused to look around.
"Warlord? You wanted to crack a joke right? That was funny," Aremu replied.
"Joke? I am not joking because my father is the Balogun (Warlord) of Iletu Kingdom," she replied.
"I don't believe anyways, a warlord daughter should have guards and maids around her," Aremu replied.
"I don't just like all of that, I love being ordinary when outdoor. Moments like this are when I enjoy myself the most," Abike replied.
They chatted for a while before parting ways and Aremu loved Abike's personality even though he still didn't believe her to be the Balogun's daughter.
Weeks passed and Aremu thought of knowing if Abike was truly the Balogun's daughter, he set out for the Balogun's compound and just sat at the palm wine joint opposite the heavily guarded castle.
It wasn't long before he arrived there, that Aremu saw Abike stepping out of the compound with some guards.
"You can go back since I am not going too far. I just want to enjoy the cool atmosphere," Abike said to the guards but they insisted on following her and she promised to tell her father that she refused to let them follow her if he found out that she went out alone.
Aremu paid attention to everything and could slightly hear them. He left the palm wine joint and went in Abike's direction some minutes later hoping to find her. Aremu walked as fast as he could and eventually catch up with Abike, he looked around before approaching her to be sure she wasn't secretly followed by the guards.
"Hi, it's me the guy who ran into you the other day. I hope you didn't feel any pain the next day," He asked.
"I am fine and it was just a slight fall. Are you stalking me because I noticed you at the palm wine joint," Abike asked.
"No, why would I?" Aremu stuttered.
"Really? Okay," Abike replied.
"Actually, I was following you. It crossed my mind again that you claimed to be Balogun's daughter so I decided to confirm and fortunately for me, you stepped out of the compound just when I was waiting," Aremu replied.
"I knew it, why would you think I would lie about who my father was," She asked.
"Nothing, I didn't just expect to meet someone like you on the road," Aremu replied.
"Someone like me?" Abike asked and they both burst into laughter with her expression. They walked around together and Abike enjoyed Aremu's company.
"Can we hang out together again? I think I enjoyed your company," Abike asked.
"Why not? It would be an honour so just tell me when," Aremu replied and from that day they became friends. Their friendship transpired into a relationship even though Abike always felt like her father would never agree to her marrying the son of a mere hunter.
Back to the present.
Balogun was told about Abike and Aremu so he barred her from leaving the castle for some time which made Aremu worried. He waited for a while and made up his mind to sneak into the Balogun's compound.
He did that successfully not minding the consequences and Abike wouldn't stop warning about Balogun catching Aremu in his compound.
Aremu turned his back on her and said, "If you love me truly you could have found a way to see me."
"Don't say that, you know how much I love you. Staying away from you is for your good because my father can't do anything to me but I don't want him to hurt you," Abike replied.
While talking, they heard footsteps approaching them and Aremu was terrified. Abike quickly left to check who it was and it turned out to be Balogun.
She knelt immediately to greet her father who just walked past into her room.
"Guards, take this thing out of here," Balogun ordered.
Aremu began to shiver and he regretted sneaking into the Balogun's compound.
"Dad please, don't do this. I love him," Abike pleaded but it all fell on the warlord's deaf ears.
"I knew you would be in my daughter's room when the guards said they saw someone sneaked in but couldn't find the person," Balogun screamed at Aremu who knelt in front of the warlord.
"I am sorry, sir. It won't happen again," Aremu stammered
"There will never be a second time because you will regret the day you met my daughter," Balogun screamed at Aremu who watched Abike crying from afar. The guards held her down and she couldn't intervene.
"Please Dad, don't do this. Please," Abike pleaded from a distance.
Balogun took a rod to beat Aremu and he rose from the ground, the guards tried pressing him down but he used all his might to withstand them.
"Let him be. He wants to fight me," Balogun told the guards.
"I dare not sir and will never do that because you will be my inlaw someday. I don't mind giving up my life for you to know how much I love Abike," Aremu replied Balogun.
"If I hear my daughter's name from your filthy mouth again, you will hate yourself," Balogun warned.
"I can't stop sir. Abike makes me happy and my life feels complete with her," Aremu replied.
Balogun drew his sword and commanded Aremu to denounce his love for Abike but he didn't. The warlord threaded Aremu but he didn't flinch.
He eventually dropped his sword some minutes later and moved closer to Aremu whose heart was pounding heavily. He was scared but was ready to do anything just to prove his love.
Balogun hugged Aremu and everyone was shocked.
"Let her come," He ordered the guards to free Abike who rushed to meet Aremu.
"You have found a man who is worthy of your love," Balogun said to Abike and returned to his throne.
"I am pleased with you, Aremu. I have always wanted a brave man for my daughter, someone who will protect her no matter what the threat is," Balogun said to Aremu and he prostrated in front of the warlord.
"Stop sneaking around my compound and let me know your parents as soon as possible," Balogun added.