It was a day like every other day when I decided to take a look at the Lake. As the story goes, it catered to the needs of the people who had gone before me about seventy years past. The air was washed in tranquility. As I looked in the Lake, there was nothing to suggest that it bore a slight resemblance to the Lake of Moremi.

Princess Moremi was a beautiful, gifted young lady. She was the only child of her mother and she had step-siblings of her father from his other wives. She came later in her parents lives and she was named after her father’s mother who had been known as a warrior queen in her days. She was spoilt and she knew it but it served as a stepping stone for her to make more of herself. She wanted to set a new trend and all her adolescent stage she was seen as a restless child with too much energy to expend. Her father loved her to distraction and he showed it at every opportunity to the envy of her siblings. They were unhappy that he would prefer the company of a young girl to his much older children but Moremi had something neither of them had. She had a singing voice. It was said her music could calm fast tempers and put an end to conflicts. The Lake of Seye was her favourite place, she would go there to be alone, especially after she had been lambasted by one of her siblings. Her father found out her usefulness the day he set out to settle a score with an old friend turned rival. He had donned his most formidable looking war gear and was outfitted to suit the purpose. He was coming back with the head of his enemy who had dared to cross the line. No two ways about it. As he set out with his warriors and guards, Moremi had detained him, begging him to reconsider. When that failed to appease him, she fell on her knees and began singing. As she praised his prowess and greatness he was stopped in his tracks and turned to her, placing his hands on her head. It was a sign of acceptance and everyone present was aware of its significance. When it was discovered that the king’s rival had laid an ambush on the way to lay to waste to everyone who came out to war against them, the king was troubled.
How did his little girl know? More so, how did she know what to do to stop him?
He was in a rare resting position when his diviner came for a visit. “The child is gifted by God and she is destined for great things. You have to give special attention to her but beware there are those who seek her life. Tread softly”. After hearing the wise words of his diviner, the king was determined to protect Moremi. He remembered her birth and the occurrence of the day. The Lake that has been dried since before his time began to flow. There has never been anything like it before.

She became his singing voice – his entertainer. When he received visitors, he called on her to do what she did best. Overtime her popularity began to increase with the people. If you wanted anyone to calm an angry group or present a flag of peace in a conflict, Princess Moremi was who you went to. But she continued to suffer the spite and ridicule of her siblings.

Though she was a child of a prominent king she never used her position for personal gratification. She was always seen among the children of the less privileged in the community, much to the disappointment of her older siblings. "You're a king's daughter, act like one" was usually the words they said until it became a mantra in the inner walls of her mind but she refused to shun said people, a people she called her friends in an almost adoring manner.
A striking thing anyone with eyes observed was she could relate with all age groups - from a day old baby to Eletu, who is said to be the oldest living person in the community.



Table of contents

A day at the lake

Taunted

The Celebration

The Riddle

The plan & execution

Lost treasure

Banished

Last words...

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