One Virgin, Many Deaths

A Stageplay

By Geoff Adeleye (Nigeria)

Act 2, Scene 2

ACT II

Scene II
                                                    

 
                                              The same
                                     Enter DERINDE and BADEJA
DERINDE: Son, here we’re in the palace. It demands high courtesy.
   You know, as you would be expected: you must deport yourself
   in propriety. When he comes up, prostrate at full length. Being gods
   like he gathers caprices behind; and could flare up at any time.
BADEJA: I’m not sure I can comply with all these dos and don’ts.
DERINDE: You just have to do.
BADEJA: Why?
DERINDE: You can’t be rude here.
BADEJA: No! I’ve got to voice my minds.
DERINDE: Son, no animal goes to a lion’s den with bragging
   and threatening, and if it must do so not at its presence.
BADEJA: If he dare move me, I give him a torrid time.
DERINDE: You make heartsick. Son, more often than not, I told you
  to shed off being sulky and thin-skinned.
BADEJA: I’m just ingenious; I think I should be given opportunity
   to dissemble my minds.
DERINDE: But you mustn’t for any reason tilt at him.
BADEJA: I can’t guarantee you that.
DERINDE: So you’re here with your arrogance? I wonder at your
   new change of attitude. You weren’t like this before.
                                  Enter BADEDIRAN
   [To BADEJA] On your belly now! He’s come! [BADEJA
   hesitates] Submit your pride, big fool! [BADEJA bows; that is,
   he prostates, and they greet BADEDIRAN]
BADEDIRAN [sits down]: My people, you’re welcome!
DERINDE [bows]: Your Majesty, may you outlive all your predecessors!
BADEDIRAN [wags his flywhisk at him]: Thanks. You’re blessed!
DERINDE: And your dominion shall never cease to expand in
   snowball with successive conquests.
BADERIRAN: Thanks. What’s your case?
DERINDE: Thanks.  Here’s Badeja, my son –
BADEDIRAN [jumps in]: Oh, is it you, my son? I’ve heard very
   much about you.
BADEJA [stands up, looking at the floor]: Yes, it’s I, Your Majesty.
BADEDIRAN: So much beyond representation I’ve longed to meet
   with you; but I wouldn’t know how to go about it. What serendipity
   of encounter! I just feel good seeing you. Please, come over and
   shake hands with me. [BADEJA feels reluctant to go up
DERINDE: Son, be no mousy, be at your real self, feel at home.
   He’s avuncular and lovely. Go, take this rare honour! [as BADEDIRAN
   steps down, BADEJA quickly runs to meet him, they shake hands ,
   hug each other, and return to their respective seats.] Our king is
   benign, not imploring coercion, mindful of individual right.
BADEDIRAN: That’s the strength of my reputation.
DERINDE: Your Majesty, I don’t hold your personality otherwise,
   being fully aware of its daring traits, I’m pleading your condescension,
   because I know what is it do so, to grant us our request. My son
   loves Renate, daughter of Chief Belaru – in fact, their love is
   complementary – oh, and you just have to see them in the mood and
   act!  But shockingly, Prince is deadly interfering their nuptial process.
   Please call him off, he’s venturing into shoddy expedition.
BADEDIRAN: Your rubbish is heard. You shouldn’t have your
   king spoken to in such aberrant manner. Even so, I don’t raise arms.
DERINDE: Your Highness, I’m very sorry.
BADEDIRAN: You see the issue is no more contentious as it’s
  been ultimately decided.
DERINDE [shocked]: How?
BADEDIRAN: Some hour ago, the Council of Chiefs met ratifying
   the Prince’s marriage to the putative lady. In addition, since then
   I’ve rested my mind that the storm has been over.
BADEJA [in fury]: Your Majesty, I tear that up!
BADEDIRAN: Nothing else can be done.
BADEJA: Your Highness, that awful ratification is never conclusive –
   too rash, too oppressive. It’s to be rescinded.
BADEDIRAN [To BADEJA]: Son, be wary, too much insolence will
   have your mouth grazed on gravel.
BADEJA: Do I shift stand? No, I don’t! Your Highness, take heed,
   deny power an occasion to push you beyond the confine of
   common sense; thereby making you to be hoisted by your own petard.
BADEDIRAN: Look I may not have stoicism for further rudeness. So,
   be careful.  Go to the street; get any woman of your choice, I promise I
   shall sponsor it. You see I’m not power-drunk.
BADEJA: I? God forbid! For alternative? No way!
BADEDIRAN: Son, why?
BADEJA: A wise man becomes a fool when he exchanges gold for silver.
BADEDIRAN: Oh, I’m baffled! I think your head is hot at times you talk
   sense. Nevertheless, you’ve got to take the potluck. No more
   consideration, please.
BADEJA: This’s injustice!
BADEDIRAN: No, it isn’t.
BADEJA: Injustice is stolen right. Truth is indivisible – it can’t
   be fractioned: let truth be told as a whole. Is this not injustice ridding me
   of my right to marriage?
BADEDIRAN: I think I told you that I’d sponsor your marriage to
   any lady from anywhere.
BADEJA: Nothing, not even compensation or apology can soothe
   the pains of injustice.
BADEDIRAN: You need to weigh your position, consider the cost
   of defiance; don’t put quart into pint pot. Deny the youthful,
   venturesome zest preying on you unwittingly. You know quite well
   that you can’t take me on in power. Back off! It’s of no use
   attempting further.
BADEJA: [slotting it out in ululate]: No! No! I’m not scared.
BADEDIRAN: You?
BADEJA: Yes!
BADEDIRAN: Fiendishly mortal doing so. Respect your father rid him
   of grief; and be no more so daring in ignorance.
BADEJA: Look, it’s either she or nothing.
BADEDIRAN: Good, you shall get nothing.
BADEJA: You lied!
BAEDIRAN: You elfin thing, I pity you. Being particularly mindful
   of humanity, I wouldn’t touch anything dirt; so I’m constrained to
   warn you off: resolve to sheath your sword, and let’s call it quits.
BADEJA: Don’t miss judge my worth. I’m very much ready to square
   up to you. Glorious plunk run in my blood!
BADEDIRAN: Then you should be expecting to strike a bad patch.
   Good wishes!                                                             [Exit BADEDIRAN
BADEJA [To BADEDIRAN who has gone]: And you too! I must
   defend my right. I hold no brief for oppression.
DERINDE: Son, you let me down today, behaving like an
   untamed imbecile. You really made an exhibition of yourself.
BADEJA: Father, it’s matter of life!
DERINDE: That’s enough. Lets go!
BADEJA: Where?
DERINDE: Home.
BADEJA: You can go. Of course, you’re free. I must put him to his
   place. Does she love his Prince, that jealous cock?
DERINDE: Look, I still groan under the heavy penalty placed on me
   for quarrelling with Chief Belaru.  Learn from this, son.
BADEJA: Do I care? Instead of a rat not eating cowpeas, it result
   to scattering.
DERINDE: Stop that nonsense. Don’t you know we’re in the palace?
BADEJA: And so what?
DERINDE: You’ve over-egged the prodding.
BADEJA: Can he do anything? Couldn’t you se how he left like a
   self-convicted criminal?
DERINDE [startled]: Our king?
BADEJA: Your king, not my king. Yes, of course, the king of injustice!
DERINDE: A man who is silent over a serious matter is as dangerous
   as reasonable.
BADEJA: Look, father, I can’t accept the confiscation of my right
   in passivity. I just have to fight.
                                               Re-enter BADEDIRAN
BADEDIRAN: Good! Go ahead boasting!
BADEJA: You haven’t seen anything yet.
DERINDE: Son, be ruled. Don’t be a stupid swank. Please, Let go
   his braggadocio.
BADEDIRAN: Leave go the scum.
BADEJA: Call me whatever names – I can’t come to heel!
DERINDE: Son, with your misdemeanour you make doleful. What hell
   of a child!
BADEJA: Not in anyway inhibited I shall be more vociferous. [To
 BADEDIRAN] You aren’t invincible as you think selfishly that the
    world is your oyster.
BADEDIRAN [furious]: Look, you’ve got to pay dearly for this folly. If
   a chameleon that walked so gently as if its legs wouldn’t touch
   ground could still die, how much more certain will a toad that hits
   itself on the ground as it jumps die.     [Exit BADEDIRAN                                                                
DERINDE: Did you hear that?
BADEJA: Are you frightened? [To BADEDIRAN who has gone] The world is neither yours nor mine: it’s God’s. So be no proud.
DERINDE [grasps his hands]: Let’s go home!
BADEJA: Those who’re afraid should either go back or step aside, and not
   to discourage those who are determined and ready to forge ahead.
   Father, please unhand me.
DERINDE: Your reasoning is as young as you’re. It’s not the day a
   child curses an iroko tree it fights back. The king’s ways are arcane,
   and his attack a blitz comes.
BADEJA: Is that your fright?
DERINDE [dragging him]: Let’s go!                                     [Exeunt]