Guilty of Love

I was condemned to death, not because I stole as the priest and princes. I was condemned because I loved and was also loved.I never even knew it was a crime, maybe because I fell in love with royalty. Right from the beginning of times, the royal blood has been preserved pure; kings give princesses unto prince and princes unto princesses- no commoner dine at the table for kings, no gold ornament belongs to one except the royalty.

I write from the walls of the prison hoping that someday, one will hear the tale of a man whose blood was shed for the purpose of pursuing happiness. I wish God the righteous judge would lift up his throne and plant it upon the grasses of the fields. Taxes are milk, they feed the king and his household. They watch the cattle grow sick and dying, yet, they have no concerns for the lowly. After our death, from whence shall their streams flow; away goes the fortune as the waters are neither seas or oceans but the sun, which rises and sets and goes and return- very unstable.

Darkness makes the stars shine brighter, gross darkness covers my way, I have no hope of the evil days. My sorrow has increased, even with the news of her death. Have they said that to make my death more painful, surely this may last for a night, but joy comes in the morning- yet, how crafty are they, that I might not see the day, I have seen my last sunset and sun rise, and i shall be executed in the dawn.

The candle burns slowly, my eyes are solid dry. I have only my memories with me, that I might take into the afterlife in search of you. I remember how it all started. I a hunter trailing after my daily bread and as well the mines of the king and his royalty. Then came you panting like one who is at the face of death, of course you were. "Sir, do not kill me, hide me from my adversary" she pleaded. Even in the darkness, I saw the beauty in your eyes and soul. For you were to make me a man. Soon some men ran to me "Commoner" They cried, "Have you seen any lady run past here"

"Sure" I cried, "She ran that way, she was putting on royal raiments, I suspect she is a thief ". The men didn't bother giving me a reply, they foolishly ran in direction of the wild animals. I am a hunter and I know the languages of the animals, every one. Soon I heard their shout of agony and pain of how they were feast to nature.

I looked behind me and told her to dust her self, her adversary have been destroyed. She lifted herself from under the tree she hided herself and replied me "No, they are not, I am now cursed to keep running, for there is no place to hide from the royalty eyes"

"What offence could have made you a fugitive of royalty my lady, and why are you covered in royalty?"

"I am a royal servant my Lord, the princess made me like unto her in every manner except in bearing the name of the royal king. This is was a token for saving her life through my art of healing and of herbs"

"Refer to me not as Lord, even as a slave, you are no longer a commoner, you've been clothed with royalty, and lifted above me, though not equal with the king but above the entire masses"

"No my Lord, you are a man. It is custom, I might be clothed in royalty, but i bear no royalty title or name. The clothes doesn't make a man, but the crown makes a woman. I am still but like unto you"

This was when I got enchanted by her. Even from her lips flowed beauty beyond the skin. I took her to my home for her to dwell in. "This shall be the first of your many hiding places my Lady. Sleep now, for you are safe until dawn." She looked at me and thanked me as she walked to my bosom. She laid and slept in no time. I moved towards the window to discover it was a full moon. My mother used to tell me that the full moon symbolizes love.

She met my father in a town gathering at midnight, right under the brightly shining full moon. I soon slept of at the window to awoken in the morning by cries of different animals. The cock, the cows, the goats and the bird, they are cried. I woke up to realize all what happened happened. She was still in my hut. Now she walked towards me and I could truly see her face. The light has brought me to the knowledge of what I was blinded to. She was fair like the flowers paradise. Her lips were rose red and soft. Her face was well designed by the best artist in the world and her body, well pampered like a celestial potter had made her well. She should have been born centuries ago but time was taken to make a perfect lady of her sort. Surely, the royal palace have such great thirst.

"My Lord, good morning" She greeted me as she smiled, her lip spread and her teeth glowed. I was confused and taken away. My heart pumped, it were like they never beat. "What is your name my Lady?"

"I am Wura"
"Wura... gold?"

"Yes my Lord, Gold. I was named after my grandma, she deal with golds and people called her Iya Wura."
"How then did you get into the art of healing?"

"My father has an unbroken linage of healers. I am the first seed of my father and had to take over, I wasn't ready to break the thread"
"I see... What favor did you offer to the royal house that you deserved to be crowned with royalty?"

"Nothing much my Lord, but when you lack something, when you come across it, you appreciate it more. The royal house appreciated my healing art. The princess was stroke by the gods with an illness that could only be cured by the death of the king. The gods are wise in their own ways. They were after the king and his poisons and set a trap through his daughter. I needed money to take care of my father and had to do them this favor. I was never summoned, I ran after them"
"Where is your father?"

"He lies dead at a top mountain in the waterland, the gods made him an atonement for my acts"

I looked at her and became confused again. Days passed and she was still with me. The king sent messages to deliver unto him his prey else the black sheep and prey both dies. I was scared for my life but it was too late. I had fallen in love with an healer. She began exposing the ways of the healers to me and how the full moon was a powerful healing tool. She knew about sorcery but not in abundance. One day, in the market, i heard what I have not heard from Wura. I ran home to confront her.

"Why didn't you tell me you are the prince's wife. You never told me you are a princess"

She stood still. For there was no hiding place. "No my Lord, I was afraid."
"Afraid? Of me. You were actually on a quest to deceive me in all manners?"

"No my love, I never wanted to be a princess. The prince was drunk with wine and he lustfully looked at me. In him was no purity, hence there could be no fertility for true love. This is an art of my people the healers, to always strive for purity, which is a portal to tranquility and immortality"
"No, you lied. You stole from the palace."

"I never did, the princess came to me one night, she told to run and never returned. She could not watch me take the place of the queen in her land as she leaves to smaller kingdoms. She forgot the favor I did for her and of how my father was for an atonement. As ran away from the palace, i heard the king shouted to get me, that I had robbed him of his priced jewelry. I looked in my bags and found the royal crown. At instance i dropped the bag and ran the more. The guides didn't stop for the bag, they were after me"

Now I got confused the more. My life has been full of confusion ever since I met her. I accepted her and her story, love supersedes all. I was ready to be deceived for love. Things were already going well until one day, I was sold out by someone I am yet to know. The royal guides surrounded my house one afternoon and seized us both. They were lead by the royal prince who moved close to me and slapped me. "She is my wife!" He cried out loud. "Never touch anything royal commoner."

I was taken to the prison and brought before the jury. My mother visited me from the next village, she said she was told by the king and the royal guides that I planned with the maiden Wura to rob the palace of the royal crown as well as the scepter. She said I was accused of using an hunter's sorcery to kill the royal guides and as well planned with a nearby village king to take over the royal king's coast.

How can the Royal palace be filled with deceit. For in them lies no truth. Soon, I was deprived the opportunity of seeing any of my families. Then I was pronounced to be killed. Just a few hours ago, the royal guides told me Wura has been executed. I hope its true so I can see you in paradise. I know there is no human king over there. You have shown me love, a wine I can no longer resist. But if you are alive, I know the royal palace will forgive you and let you live on, in as much as you can overcome the evil princess, live on with our love in your heart. Tell to your children of our love. Live on for us Wura. And as for me, I watch the candle burn away, for it shall soon be my time.

I never knew love was a crime.

Thank You

Declaimer :

Story composed and written by me @jiossm. You can visit my blog to read other interesting stories.
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