CHAPTER FIVE
907 Words
Writing
Chapter Five: The Escape
Tunde moved quietly through the dark corridors of the palace. He knew that if Lord Kadir discovered he had overheard the secret meeting, he would be in serious danger. But he also knew that Damilare needed to hear the truth.
He found the prince in the royal library, studying a book about the history of Aderin.
“Tunde,” Damilare said, looking up. “Why are you here so late?”
“We have a problem.”
Damilare closed the book.
“What happened?”
Tunde looked around to make sure nobody was listening.
“I heard Lord Kadir speaking with several nobles. They are planning to take control of the palace.”
Damilare became serious.
“Are you certain?”
“I heard them clearly. Kadir said they must remove you before you become king.”
Damilare stood.
“We must tell my father.”
The two friends hurried toward the throne room. Unfortunately, Kadir's men had already begun moving through the palace.
As Damilare and Tunde turned a corner, several armed guards appeared.
“Prince Damilare,” their leader said, “you must come with us.”
“Who ordered this?”
“Lord Kadir.”
Damilare looked at Tunde.
“Do not resist.”
They were taken to separate rooms.
Damilare was locked inside an old chamber that had not been used for many years. The windows were too high to reach, and the wooden door was guarded from outside.
After several minutes, the door opened.
Lord Kadir entered.
Damilare looked at him calmly.
“So it is true.”
Kadir smiled.
“You were always clever.”
“You are betraying my father.”
“Your father is no longer strong enough to rule.”
“My father has served Aderin faithfully for many years.”
“And that is exactly the problem,” Kadir replied. “He is too kind. He listens too much. A kingdom needs someone who can take what he wants.”
Damilare shook his head.
“A kingdom does not belong to its ruler.”
Kadir laughed.
“You still speak like a child.”
“No,” Damilare replied. “I speak like someone who understands what a king should be.”
Kadir became angry.
“You will never understand power until you have it.”
He turned and left the room.
Damilare sat quietly, thinking about his father's lessons.
He knew that fear would not help him.
He had to find a way out.
Meanwhile, Tunde had managed to escape from the room where he was being held. He knew about an old underground passage that had once been used by palace workers.
He searched for the entrance and eventually found a hidden door behind an old storage room.
The passage was narrow and dark, but Tunde continued until he reached the chamber where Damilare was being held.
“Damilare,” he whispered.
The prince immediately stood.
“Tunde?”
“I found a way out.”
Together, they entered the underground passage.
They moved carefully through the darkness until they reached a small opening beneath the palace courtyard.
When they emerged, they discovered that the palace was surrounded by Kadir's men.
“We have to find the king,” Damilare said.
They moved through the gardens and eventually reached the royal throne room.
Inside, King Adewale stood surrounded by guards.
Lord Kadir was facing him.
“You have failed,” the king said.
Kadir looked angry.
“You should have surrendered the throne years ago.”
“It was never yours to claim.”
Several nobles stood behind Kadir.
“Your Majesty,” one of them said, “the kingdom needs a stronger ruler.”
The king looked at them sadly.
“You have allowed ambition to destroy your loyalty.”
Kadir raised his hand.
His soldiers moved forward.
Suddenly, the doors opened.
Damilare and Tunde entered with several loyal palace guards who had remained faithful to the king.
Kadir stared at the prince.
“How did you escape?”
Damilare answered calmly.
“You forgot that this palace has many secrets.”
A struggle followed.
The loyal guards quickly surrounded Kadir's supporters. Some nobles surrendered when they realised the rebellion had failed.
Kadir tried to escape, but General Akinwale arrived with additional soldiers and arrested him.
King Adewale walked toward his son.
“You are safe.”
Damilare bowed his head.
“Because Tunde helped me.”
The king looked at Tunde and smiled.
“Then Aderin owes you a debt of gratitude.”
However, the victory came at a terrible cost.
During the confrontation, King Adewale had been injured.
Damilare immediately rushed to his side.
“Father!”
The king smiled weakly.
“Do not be afraid.”
“I thought I was going to lose you.”
“You must learn that every leader eventually faces a time when others must continue the work.”
Damilare shook his head.
“I am not ready.”
The king held his son's hand.
“Perhaps not. But leadership does not wait until you feel ready.”
Damilare looked at the throne.
For the first time, he understood that his father's reign might soon come to an end.
The battle for the throne had been stopped, but a greater responsibility was waiting for him.
The next morning, Aderin would learn that King Adewale's condition was worse than anyone had expected.
- Writer
- chap_listContents
- likeADD