LOVES NOT IN HER DICTIONARY

TOGUI'S POV

Lè nya tè fè mè, nu si kè amètsitsi lè anti no fè kpo aa? Davi ma twèn a kpoæ ooo! Lè dzi fo ho kor kor kèkækè dzi ooo!

"Indeed! what an elder can see sitting? A child would never be able to spot, standing on the tallest building!"

Truly he remains a child. 'he chuckles'.

Whereas, I am sincerely making efforts to relate an important message? He is busy wasting time on silly thoughts about me.

If only he had not turned away when he was supposed to avail himself for tutoring? He would not be struggling with our proverbial sayings. How can a whole custodian even think of surviving without idiomatic expressions? This is a first of all the successive rulers I have had the honor to served!

One would always notice the sour expression he carried, whenever discussions was being done with wise sayings as far back as I can remember. It. was as someone had forced sour lime juice onto his tongue! I don't really blame him that much. His prejudice was his weakness. Even the ghost bodied man's book says" Ask and shall be given into you; Seek and ye shall find!" I couldn't agree with them any better even though I have my reservations about them.

Meaning is only found from questioning what bamboozles one! If only he had just asked back then? We wouldn't be here. Now we are having to pick up from where he left off. Which is no place to boast of, but better late than never.

I am glad 'SOGBO LISA' heard my supplications and made him realize his folly whiles I still had breath. I fear he has a long way to catch up. However, I would put in my very all! to teach him all I can before I go on my ancestral journey.

It is note-worthy he is forth coming but with great difficulty. His disinterest in literary constructions, is a serious hindrance to exchange of crux information. I mean that was the modus of relating crucial information by our fore father's. Which even saved that of the lives of many kings his kindred countless times in situations, where they should have lost their lives! His father! my friend of beloved memory, is a perfect example of such an escape. He was able to decipher a message which was said to deter him from an extended await but heard as an insult by all present in 'DARHOMEY'. Another rival tribe when they had gone to sign a truce to cease the war. The message meant he needed to head home immediately!

" kpo nku me na bè age me gbô" " look at your face alike that of his home".

Whiles every other chief was heartily laughing, pleased the great King 'Fia Ga DENGLOR II' was being humiliated? Well! their understanding of that phrase got to them in their graves. This incident became a folklore in the locality and beyond with the moral of being attentive and abreast with our double layered speeches. I also used to discuss highly classified information with his father in the midst of all the other family heads present to their oblivion. of the topic that we deliberated on. He snorts. That was just by the way, slow but steadily he will fill in the gaps.

My main uneasiness is about the return of the unjustly departed princess. In as much as I am glad the gods revealed her arrival to me. The turbulence I also foresaw with her arrival left my spirit troubled. The female carrying this huge responsibility needs to be protected, if she should accept the fate! Yes! if she does. Because there are opposing forces at play, negative energy trying to manipulate her in an unclear way. She is going to need persuasion to go through with this task. If not she may be the reason for the princess inability to return over another extended period of time. if not ever!

Yet I can not overlook the fact that this is the destined time for her to arrive. I have no fears that my son can pull it off, because he is the only person who can coax the female to go through with the process. And this can only come to fruition? if he gets to her in time. In the end, what must be? will be!

I felt the potent genuine affection between them two. The reason I strongly believe, she will yield to him without much protest. An observant soul might ask, why I look calm? he lets out a long progressive relaxed sigh.

I am wearing this peaceful smile because in the rare case of finding ones lost rib? I am glad and confident to say he managed to accomplish this herculean task! by finding his missing part. A dream many souls wish fervently to achieve to futility. He is a complete man indeed! With this mysterious woman he is so protecrive of ; as an alpha werewolf of it mates. He has never exposed any weakness till now. Natheless, he displayed one in all the sense of shielding her. He even showed meekness on account of her! oh...yes! I picked it up in his voice when we spoke whiles the topic came up. The simple truth is they were meant to be!

I wonder why he has not made her his second already! On a more serious note, he needs to reach out to her instantly! I know he has been awaiting the return of his lost daughter eagerly and would give anything to have her back. Having his beloved wrongfully lost child brought back to you through the woman you love? there could be no greater blessing than this. A whole beautiful family will it be! Somehow I feel he didn't get the urgency but will gradually get a grab on it. But for the menacing evil looming I pray the gods a clear revelation to avert disaster.

Gone are the days of bitter strive between us. I am contented, I can now boldly call him my 'SON' with no lingering feeling of dejectedness. The hopelessness of a puff of smoke struggling to became a cloud just to disperse into nothingness, is the simile, more suited for the anguish that tagged at my heart all the years he was estranged from me. All I had was my care and faith with prayers for him to acknowledge me even if for once for who I sincerely was. The gods are merciful, I have been granted my heart desire! To serve and protect him along with his interests is my outmost priority.

I am going to be his shield including all that he hold dear as much as be there for him until my last breath is taken. Just as I was there for his lated father with or without his consent. It was my obligation to do so as the senior chief priest bound by my forerunners arrangements. To be born under the auspicious sign of royalty as well as having to be chosen by the gods to be their mouthpiece , gives us no choice but to carry on the line with the legacy. A predestined way of life. Either one accepts his fate or suffer through life.

He poured libation and offered a token of three pieces of cola nut to the gods in gratitude of the progress they had brought into his life and that of the king's.

After such a lengthy introspection he went about his daily life. One of which was his meals. TOGUI had ordered for a basket of fish from the best fisherman in the village. He was craving some 'AKPA DETSI' tilapia spicy soup. One of the delicacies of the fishing settlement. Considering the close geographical proximity of the community to the sea?fishing was their primary occupation ensued by other crafts. They made great use of their abundance resources such as the vast water body. As well as their scarce resources namely the coconut tress that were line up aesthetically at the clean shores of the water. The coconut served as a refreshment, the husk was dried and used to set charcoal fire to cook in their homes in relation to preparing family meals. whiles the branches were woven into a basket for carrying loads; all these were sources of in come. The land was not devoid of minimally exploited rich minerals.

The Chief priests long waiting was finally over. He got served his meal and he went about savouring every bit of it to his nourishment.

Whereas, on the other hand, old Soldiers thoughts was running rampant. He was fussing as the oblivious child that he was! as much as trying to make meaning of all the old wise chief priest told him.

"What at all does that old man! think of himself anyway? it is either he trying to kill me! or trying to make me kill him! with my bare hands!"