The king sent one of the guards to the chief priest, Mr. Kakude, to inform him about the strangers who were presently at the palace and to ask what judgment the gods had for them. Mr. Kakude hurried to the shrine where the Chief Priest was. He burst in and cried, "I greet you, the eye of the gods — the very devil himself. I come with urgent information from the king about two strangers who entered this kingdom. They were seen and captured by two hunters, who brought them to the palace."
The Chief Priest looked grave. "According to what you said, what we should do has been done. Now we wait for the next word from the gods."
The Chief Priest responded, "What a great and wise thing the king has done. Go for now; I will consult the gods and return to the palace tomorrow with what they speak."
"Okay — the devil himself," Kakude said, bowing low. "I will deliver your message to the king." He left.
"Welcome back, Kakude. Did you meet the Chief Priest at the shrine?" the king asked as Kakude re-entered the throne room.
"Yes, my king. He said he would return with an answer tomorrow morning."
"Very well. Kakude, you may return to your post."
Outside, in the dim corner of the palace prison, Princess Oasi whispered to Paramodice, "What is our fate now? We are already in this place — strangers in another man's land. We have no family here, no friend to speak for us. If they kill us, no one can question them."
Paramodice squeezed the princess's hand and said, "Let us put our trust in God. Neither you nor I are going to die. We shall live to rule a kingdom and bear children together." He held her hands tightly. "My princess, let me tell you a story — of the Sakoma and Dakoma kingdoms. I do not think your father told you this."
"Tell me," the princess breathed. "I want to hear."
"My father told it to me before he died," Paramodice said. "He wanted me to know my duty in uniting Sakoma and Dakoma. Do you know those two kingdoms were once one?"
"What do you mean?" she asked. "Are you saying Sakoma and Dakoma were one before?"
"Yes. They were once called Jakoma Kingdom. It was fought into being by brave youths who sacrificed their lives so they might be free from slave merchants who enslaved them. The first ruler was King Takere, one of the surviving warriors who fought for freedom. King Takere had twins who grew to contend for the throne after their father's death. The judgment of the gods was to separate the land — and so Jakoma was divided into Sakoma and Dakoma."
"I have heard this for the first time," said Princess Oasi. "My father, the king of Dakoma, never told me. Neither have I heard it from anyone in the palace."
Paramodice's eyes shone. "My princess, imagine when I join these two kingdoms together and become king, and you become my queen — how lovely it will be." He smiled. "We shall heal what was broken."
The princess smiled faintly. "I wish all this would happen, my love. But do you not think it will be difficult? The world may not want our union."
"Let us depend on God," Paramodice answered. The princess nodded. "I only want us out of this prison. I would rather be in the forest than stay here, where our fate is unknown."
Paramodice's voice was steady. "My princess, I will not die and you will not die. If it must be, I will die in your place — or we shall die together." He spoke like a man planting his feet against the storm. As the old saying goes, "A man who loves a woman will swallow glass for her." He placed his forehead against her hand.
Early the next morning, the Chief Priest came into the palace, his eyes red-rimmed. The king rose. "The devil himself — you are welcome. What is now the final say of the gods concerning them?"
The Chief Priest looked up, struck his staff on the ground, and his voice rolled like distant thunder. "This is the judgment of the gods: they must be sacrificed tomorrow at the shrine. We will not spare their lives — the gods demand their blood." He pointed with his staff. "Bring them out. I want to see them.
The king ordered two guards to fetch Paramodice and the princess from the prison. The palace guards hurried. "Leave us alone! Where are you taking us?" the two cried out, tears splashing their faces. "Leave us alone!"
The guards dragged them, beating them until they were before the king. The king spoke to the Chief Priest: "These are the prisoners you demanded."
The Chief Priest gazed at Paramodice and the princess with a cold, slow stare. "You have made a dangerous mistake by entering this land," he said. "What business have you here if not for evil? Know this: the gods of our fathers demand your blood. You will be sacrificed at the shrine tomorrow."
The princess wept. "The shrine... tomorrow?"
"Yes," the Chief Priest replied. "The gods have demanded both your blood, and we will obey them." He raised his voice when the princess and Paramodice begged, "Please don't kill us! Please spare us!" but his heart was like old wood — dry and unbending. "I am done with them," he told the guards. "Return them to the prison."
The guards dragged the wretched pair away from the king's presence while they continued to weep and entreat, "Please spare our lives! Have mercy!"
The guard never gave ear to their pleading, neither did the king or the high priest. As they believed in obeying the gods rather than seeing the gods angry.
After they were taken, the Chief Priest said to the king, "Tomorrow morning let them be brought to the shrine. We will do the will of the gods." He struck his staff on the ground once more and took his leave.