Part 11 (6)

Governor Babida arrived with the Commander of the backup troop at the ruins of the administrative headquarters. The henchman Polo walked silently behind the two powerful men and listened over their conversation.
"General….?" Babida the lumberjack tried to call the superior officer by his name but the latter had not yet introduced himself.
"General Dipi, Your Highness!" replied the high-ranking officer.
"Well General Dipi, here is the wreckage of our offices and lodgings. We need to rebuild the building as fast as possible," said Babida the lumberjack to the leader of the new men in uniform.
"Well noted, Your Highness, today my men will take some rest after their long journey from the imperial city Ekule for some of them and from the northern village Okala for the others, '' answered the imperial General.
"But tomorrow after sunrise, once the men will be done with the breakfast, I will assign fifty of them for the construction of the administrative edifice." General Dipi added.
"Thank you, General!" Governor Babida uttered, very pleased by the announcement of the Chief of the backup force.
"Now General, we may go back to the garden, today is my marriage date with my bride. The ceremony will be by the riverside in the afternoon. We will be happy that you play the role of the priest and celebrate our union." The woodsman invited General Dipi to the big event of his life.
"That's wonderful news, Your Highness. It's a great honor that you offer me to be the priest, which I hereby accept," declared the Commander of the backup troop to Governor Babida.
They then turned and took the way back to Okunde's garden, always trailed by the henchman Polo who kept quiet.
The men of the old troop were almost done helping the men of the new force discharge the vehicles and animals.
"Ah, that's excellent. Our men are working fast. Soon all the material and provisions will be safeguarded." Babida the lumberjack spat out delightedly.
"Yes, your Highness! Our men are getting along pretty fast and it's promising for the reconstruction of the village," underscored General Dipi.
While the two Commanders were speaking, the young maiden Suzie came from behind and was looking extremely beautiful with the white roses around her curly hair.
She was already ready for the wedding ceremony.
The logger Babida felt a human presence on his back and turned to have a glimpse. His heart nearly got out of his chest at the sight of his bride Suzie.
"Oh my goodness! You're stunning, young Miss," exclaimed the groom Babida.
General Dipi who had his focus on the troop was thus distracted and he turned to look at whom the Governor of Okunde was telling a compliment and was baffled by the mesmerizing beauty in front of him.
"General Dipi, here is my gorgeous bride, Suzie." The lumberjack proudly introduced the young miss to the leader of the backup troop.
"Without a doubt, Your Highness! She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." The General confessed.
"Young Miss, this is General Dipi, the Commander of the new imperial forces. I have requested that he be the priest for our marriage today and he agreed." The groom Babida told a blushing Suzie after all the flattering remarks that she had just heard.
"Oh really? That's very kind of him. Greetings, My General." The young maiden Suzie answered, then slightly bent to salute the high-ranking officer.
"Well, I think it's my turn to prepare myself. I have to go and take a purification bath too. Comrade Polo, you may take General Dipi around the garden." Governor Babida declared.
"General, young Miss, Comrade, excuse me please!" The lumberjack then said before leaving Okunde's garden for the nearby river.
Upon the logger's arrival at the stream, the water was calm and clear and one could see one's reflection.
Governor Babida got closer to the water, looked at his projection, and screamed: "Oh my goodness! That's not me."
Babida the lumberjack was frightened by his image. His beard was so voluminous and covered a quarter of his face.
"How long have I been walking around while looking this awful?" The muscular woodsman questioned himself.
"I used to jokingly say that I'm lucky the young miss wants to marry a massive bearded man like me but now I must say it seriously. I'm really lucky." He spoke to himself.
"Let me shave now!" The logger then added.
He took his axe and used the sharp blade to trim the beard while mirroring himself with the clear water of the river.
Done, he looked at his reflection and amusedly declared: "Now it's the young miss who is lucky to wed a handsome man like me."
Governor Babida thereupon removed his silk trousers and all his military ornaments. He then dove into the water and began to bathe.