BORN TO RULE

CHAPTER SEVEN

Writing

Chapter Seven: The Final Test

For many years, King Damilare ruled Aderin with wisdom and patience. He remembered the lessons his father had taught him and refused to allow the crown to change his character.

His first years as king were not easy.

A severe drought struck the kingdom, and the rivers became smaller. Farmers struggled to grow crops, and food became expensive. Many families feared that they would not have enough to eat.

Some advisers suggested increasing taxes so the palace could raise money.

Damilare refused.

“How can we ask more from people who already have less?” he asked.

Instead, he ordered the royal food stores opened. Grain was distributed to the villages, and workers were employed to dig wells and build irrigation channels.

The king also travelled to the affected villages.

One farmer knelt before him.

“Your Majesty, we are grateful that you came.”

Damilare helped him stand.

“Do not thank me. This is your kingdom too.”

The farmer looked surprised.

Few kings spoke that way.

Under Damilare's leadership, the drought eventually ended. The farms became productive again, and the people began to prosper.

But the king soon faced another challenge.

Some wealthy merchants had secretly begun controlling the prices of food. They bought large amounts of grain and refused to sell it until prices became extremely high.

When Damilare heard about it, he summoned them to the palace.

“You are making ordinary families suffer,” he said.

One merchant bowed.

“Your Majesty, we are only doing business.”

“Business should never become exploitation.”

The king ordered the merchants to release their stored food at fair prices. He also created new rules to prevent anyone from controlling essential supplies.

The people praised him.

Years passed, and Aderin became stronger than ever.

The kingdom built schools, roads, hospitals, farms, and trading centres. Soldiers protected the borders, while diplomats developed peaceful relationships with neighbouring kingdoms.

One kingdom in particular remained a concern: Zamora.

King Baraka, who had once invaded Aderin, was growing old. When he died, his son, Prince Malik, became ruler.

Unlike his father, Malik wanted peace.

One afternoon, a messenger arrived at Aderin's palace.

“Your Majesty, King Malik of Zamora wishes to visit you.”

Damilare agreed.

When Malik arrived, the two rulers met in the palace.

“I have heard many stories about you,” Malik said.

Damilare smiled.

“I hope the good ones were the stories you heard.”

Malik laughed.

“My father respected your courage.”

“And I respected his strength,” Damilare replied.

“But I do not want to continue the conflict between our kingdoms.”

Damilare nodded.

“Neither do I.”

The two kings discussed trade, security, farming, and the protection of their borders. At the end of the meeting, they signed a peace agreement.

For the first time in many years, Aderin and Zamora became allies.

The people celebrated.

That evening, Damilare walked through the palace gardens. He had achieved many things, but he knew that his greatest responsibility was preparing the next generation.

He called his daughter, Princess Adanna, and his son, Prince Femi.

“One day, one of you may rule Aderin,” he told them.

Femi immediately smiled.

“I will be king.”

Adanna laughed.

Damilare smiled at both of them.

“Perhaps. But neither of you is ready.”

The children looked surprised.

“What must we learn?” Adanna asked.

“First, you must learn how ordinary people live.”

The next morning, the king sent them away from the palace.

For an entire year, they travelled through Aderin.

They worked with farmers, visited schools, helped repair roads, and listened to the complaints of ordinary citizens.

When they returned, Damilare asked them what they had learned.

Femi answered first.

“I learned that ruling a kingdom is harder than I thought.”

Damilare nodded.

Then he looked at Adanna.

“I learned that people do not need a ruler who thinks he is better than them,” she said. “They need someone who will listen and serve.”

The king smiled proudly.

“You have learned the most important lesson.”

Years later, Damilare would remember that conversation as the moment he understood that his greatest achievement was not building a powerful kingdom.

It was preparing someone worthy to continue its legacy.

But before that day came, one final challenge awaited him—a challenge that would test everything he had learned about leadership, courage, and sacrifice.