I watch the palace workers move around my palace in disarray as they prepare for the coming of Princess Deze. They carry different items, from lockers to flower vases and paintings for the princess chambers. Frankly I would have preferred the Princess to stay else where and not in my personal palace. If I had done that, it would have created issues with the nobles about keeping to tradition.
Tradition demands that Princess Deze stays with me for at least 40 days before any marriage preparation can begin. During these 40 days I'm supposed to court her and make sure she gets accustomed to the palace and the unique ways of our kingdom. This would all be easier if Princess Deze takes this marriage as politically as I do. Something tells me that she might have romantic ambitions considering she is so young. She is just in her 20th year, at that year all females are obsessed with the idea of first love. A palace worker stubbles into me dropping a plain black flower vase, it falls with a clash to the floor but doesn't break. She falls to her knees immediately and cries, "Your Majesty, have mercy." Her fear penetrates into my senses making me dizzy. This is why I don't like to relate with humans most of the times, their emotions are too flimsy and I can't block it. I feel everything they feel, like this girl irrational fear that's almost like I would kill her for simply stumbling into me."Its okay" I say bluntly. She looks up at me and her energy instantly changes to that of adoration. "Thank you, your majesty," she stammered.Being the king is mostly suffocating, people always act on eggshells around me like if they breathe wrongly I will call lightening to strike them down. Technically, I can do that; it is within my power to call on lightening, but why would I? Most palace workers are too perfect to be interesting, they all act the same. When they are not scared of me, they are complete fans. I shouldn't complain about the adoration part because it does make me stronger. Nevertheless, it is imprisoning. Sometimes I feel like leaving it all.I'm about to go back to my room when I see her . Aurora. She is walking beside Madam Iwin balancing two trays on both hands. As she comes closer, I duck into the room beside me, hiding by the door. We have spent four days together now and she haven't realized that I'm the king. I don't know why I'm putting so much effort into keeping it from her when it is absolutely impossible that she won't find out. However I am scared that when she finds out she would start treating me like everyone else does and whatever this thing is between us would change. As she comes closer I start to feel her energy that fills me with peace. I'm drawn to it like birds are drawn to flying or humans are drawn to believing in gods. Every time we are alone in the garden, all I want to do is wrap my arms around her. "I always miss her so much" Aurora said and I saw a tear drop slide down her face as she thought about her mother. I restrained myself from wiping her tears. I always restrain myself from touching her. I imagine that touching her would be like jumping into the sea on a hot summer day; the water would wrap around your body in a cool, welcoming embrace. One thing about swimming in the hot summer weather is that you don't like to leave the water.I am resolved to never seeing her in the garden again. There is no point, and besides, I don't even know what I want from her. Marrying Princess Deze is my duty to my father and now also my duty to the kingdom. Princess Deze is the daughter of Dicha, who is the most powerful goddess. An alliance between our kingdom will definitely make my rule stronger. Those are the logic to it all. And all my life I had always lived by logic; why break it for a human girl?I wait till her energy fades out completely before leaving for my room. Aurora PovMy shoulders hurt from balancing trays, and my legs hurt from climbing stairs. In spite of it all I'm putting on my best smile because according to Madam Iwin palace maidens only smile. So I smile and smile some more till my face muscles start to twitch. We pass through corridors in the king's personal palace as she told me the names of several rooms I'm supposed to remember. I wonder if Madam Iwin ever gets tired. For her age she should be tired by now but I seem to be the only one disturbed by the countless stairs climbs. Her long royal robe flows dramatically as she walks; her feet seem to float without much sound as they glide along the floor. Finally, the princess room is fully made after several shouts from Madam Iwin. It is without question unnecessaryly huge. It is thrice as big as our dining hall which I already think is quite big. The walls seem to go on forever as they reach the plain white ceiling. The east wall is designed with a green wallpaper that has trees and flowers drawn into it. The west wall is designed with a similar green wallpaper but with painted green rubies. A crystal ornament hangs in the middle of the ceiling, catching the sunlight and giving off a beautiful sparkle. On the south wall is a large portrait of what I believe to be the princess. She's looks like she slightly more human looking version of the goddess Dicha. She has round kind looking green eyes. Her hair is in an elaborate royal hair do that loops like a basket on her head. Her smile is intimidating, yet friendly."Stop staring and arrange the princess things," Madam Iwin commanded, interrupting my admiration of the princess. She points at several bags on the floor. I guess it is normal for belongings to arrive even before the person. "You should already know where each of these belongs," she said, as if daring me to say no. I nodded, hoping that I would remember the royal arrangement I read in her guidebook. Kibi has been helping me study, he knows a lot about everything in the palace. There is something about him that is guarded. Almost like there is a part of himself that he is keeping away from me. He never talks much about himself and avoids most questions I ask him. Especially the ones about his family. He has an enigmatic air about him. From his face he seems to be no more than 28 years of age but when I look at him in his eyes, he seems like an old man. Whenever he looks at me I feel like all that he is to me right there in the garden is all that matters. Excitement buzzes through me as I think about meeting him this evening. I shouldn't feel this much for someone I just met.After arranging all the princess things, which managed to exceed my expectations of extravagance, Madam Iwin dismissed me. I walk out to the corridors hoping I will find my way to my room. I'm passing a corridor that is brightly lit with candles when I see a gilt portrait on the wall; its frame is encrusted in golden metal. At the bottom is king Zao written in fine cursive. I take a few steps back in order to see the face of the king. I gawk, closing my eyes as if closing it will make me seeing clearer. I gawk again. "It can't be" I say to myself out loud. It is staring at me but I can not accept it. The skin, the eyes, the shoulders, the jawline, the cheek bones. Kibi I thought. I close the space between the picture and me, reading the inscription on the bottom. Still the same, King Zao. I step back again, examining this face, in this painting.Paintings might not be exact; Kibi only looks like the King in paintings. The more I made excuses for myself, the more I knew the truth. That same brooding look, the intense glare Even from a painting, they have a seeming presence. I don't know how to feel, but all I know is that I'm never going to that garden. At dinner, I picked up all my food, tossing vegetables around the plate, not listening to Soka and Niola's conversation. "How do you feel about the Princess coming in 2 days" Niola asked me, breaking my trance. I smile weakly, the least thing I want to think about is the future wife of Kibi, King Zao. The whole thing sounds so ridiculously funny in my head that I have to stop myself from laughing out loud to prevent looking like a lunatic. "I feel nervous but excited," I replied."Don't worry you will do just fine" Niola assured me. I can see Soka examining me, but I do my best to ignore her. In the few days since I have known her, Soka can already read me easily. I certainly do not want any probing from her. Even if I want to tell her something, what exactly do I say. I was kind of falling for a cook who turned out to be our king? I zombie myself through the rest of lunch, trying to laugh or smile at all the right parts of the conversation. In the room I rush into bed trying to avoid any conversation with Soka that might lead to her asking me about my mood.In bed I wonder if he went to the garden and how he felt when he didn't see me. He probably felt disappointed at not being able to have his little fun time with a palace worker."Rora, what's going on?" she asked, concern etched on her face as I watched her wave her hands in front of me. She was trying to rouse me from my thoughts, but my mind was still stuck on the king and our enigmatic conversation in the garden.Soka's dark skin glistened in the dim light of the kitchen, her curves accentuated by the simple white dress she wore. Her eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, but I detected a hint of sadness lurking beneath. "Where did you go?" she asked, her voice laced with concern.I shrugged, trying to brush it off. "Just lost in thought, that's all." But Soka wasn't buying it. She knew me too well. "Who is he?" she asked, her voice low and conspiratorial as she dried the wooden bowl with a towel. I felt a flush rise to my cheeks as I tried to play dumb. "Who?"Soka rolled her eyes, her thick braids swaying with the motion. "Don't give me that, Aurora. I know the look, and this is definitely it." She was ri
Under the royal poinciana's vibrant orange blooms, he stood expectant, his hands clasped behind his back. As I entered the garden, his eyes locked onto mine, and he spoke my name, "Aurora," for the fifth time, his voice low and husky. I couldn't help but shoot him an annoyed glance, my patience wearing thin."I didn't mean to lie to you," he said, closing the distance between us, his stride confident and purposeful. I felt a flutter in my chest as he drew near, his shadow engulfing me and blocking out the warm sunlight."So, what exactly did you mean to do?" I snapped, my tone sharper than intended. Realising my rudeness, I collected myself, hanging my head in a subtle nod.He sighed, his shoulders sagging in defeat. "I do it all the time. Sometimes I just need a little escape from being...all this." He gestured to his royal attire. "That day, we talked t felt like we were friends. I haven't had that in years." His voice dropped, taking on a vulnerable tone. "I can disguise myself and
Zao POV"Tradition is tradition. We do not know better than our fathers," Miniter Stan said calmly, stroking his silver beard in a attempt to appear unruffled. The others nodded eagerly, whispering among themselves in agreement. Kibi, however, shifted uncomfortably, his eyes darting towards them with a hint of unease.I've seen men like him before - intelligent and innovative, but born with ideas too revolutionary for their time. These conversations are futile, I thought to myself. No matter how much I might desire to challenge their outdated beliefs and wipe the smug looks off their faces, I am bound by my position. As king, I possess veto power only in matters of war, and even then, the council's influence is not to be underestimated.The weight of tradition and the council's resistance to change hung in the air, a palpable force that stifled progress and silenced dissenting voices. I knew that to challenge them would be to risk everything, and yet, a part of me yearned to break fre
Aurora POV"Aurora." His voice was unmistakable, that deep but soft timbre echoing through the corridor. My first instinct was to keep moving, to escape the sudden tension building in my chest. But, of course, I couldn't. I was just a palace maiden, bound by duty and protocol. So, I turned around, bowing my head in the usual royal courtesy. "Your Highness," my voice sounded shaky to my own ears.I saw his shadow move closer, his presence looming over me like a dark cloud. Within seconds, he was standing right in front of me, so close I could smell his scent - a subtle blend of sandalwood and citrus. My heart raced, my mind reeling with conflicting emotions.uuu"Aurora," he said again, his voice softer, more intimate. I bowed my head further, avoiding his gaze. "Please, Aurora, speak to me," he added, his tone suddenly timid."Yes, Your Highness, what would you like me to speak about?" I replied, trying to keep my voice neutral, my head still bowed. His presence was already flooding my
Aurora Pov Princess Deze, resplendent in her red gown, glided towards the table, her eyes locked onto King Zao's imposing figure. Her boldness was tempered with respect, her composure unwavering as she approached him. "Your Majesty," she said, her voice like music, "I request the pleasure of my maiden, Aurora, joining us at the table." King Zao's eyes narrowed slightly, but he nodded graciously, his gaze flicking towards me. "Of course, Princess". He didn't show any sign of knowing me, he barely looked at me. I felt a flutter in my chest as I took my place at the far end of the table, trying to blend into the background. The King and Princess Deze sat at the head of the table, their conversation flowing like a gentle stream. The food arrived, a sumptuous feast of dishes from both the Southern and Northern Kingdoms. Steaming plates of jollof rice, fragrant with tomatoes and spices, sat alongside delicate bowls of egusi soup, its melon seeds glistening like tiny jewels. Suya sk
-Past Time- Aurora POV The palace was abuzz with the Princess's daring fashion sense, a stark contrast to the modest attire of the kingdom's females. Her deep necklines, vibrant hues, and bold headpieces had already inspired some nobles to revamp their wardrobes. At her first lunch with the palace's female nobles, she wore a stunning, hugging dress with a train and deep V, captivating every female present - except Eni, the daughter of the King's top minister and potential king consort after Princess Deze marries King Zao. The scene unfolded like a delicate dance, with the Princess gracefully gliding into the grand hall, her dress shimmering in the light. The nobles parted, their eyes fixed on her, as she made her way to the table. I watched with bated breath, my hands trembling slightly as I adjusted the delicate silverware. The Princess's confidence was infectious, and soon, the room was filled with laughter and chatter, the nobles eager for her attention. Lady Eni, however, r
Luci had her afro in two buns, with two strands of twists decending on her forehead. She was wearing a matching set of plain red bikini. Her skin looked a little more tanned than it usually was, giving her a nice glow in the sunlight. She laid down on the sun lounger, looking at the waterfall as the sun caught its water beads as it fell into the kidney-shaped pool.Sira observed her from some distance with a tray of drinks in her hands, willing herself to go talk to her like she planned. At that moment, she didn't know what exactly she wanted to say, all she knew was that she needed to say something to her.She sat on a Sun lounger beside Luci's own, facing her as she placed the tray beneath her. Luci turns her head and smiles at her."Here, Pina Colada," she says, giving Luci the drink."Perfect, exactly what I need," she says, taking a sip. "That's strong. Great" Sira observed her keenly, trying to see if she had an annoyance towards her but was simply hiding it, but Luci looked as
She knew where she was, yet she kept her eyes closed, hoping steadfastly that she was wrong. She hoped what she remembered was a dream that was far from reality. Dreaming was enjoyable, and it was pleasant when he placed his lips on hers like they were always meant to be there. His lips were soft like baby skin and sent butterflies fluttering through her whole body, first from her lips to down her throat, flowing all the way down to the tips of her fingers and tips of her toes, and finally shooting up to her brain. It was a pleasant dream indeed, although the memories of having such a dream cannot be entertained."Are you awake now?"With the sound of Gerald's voice, she had to accept reality. She opened her eyes, and it was definitely not a dream. Gerald was in a pair of plain maroon boxers, and beads of water hung on his chest hairs. There was nothing unattractive about his shirtless body in that moment; his lean chest was well defined with muscles, and his waist narrowed down to his
The heat from the tension in the car could melt an iceberg. They weren't talking, and none of them were on their phones either. It seemed like they were all waiting for someone to break the silence, but it was already 20 minutes into the trip and still no one had said anything. Gerald was driving, and while Luci sat in the front seat, her hands rested on the armrest as she stared out the window like there was something incredible going on out there. Her tawny skin looked blotchy, like she had been crying all night. Sira looked at her in the mirror and felt a pang of guilt spread over her. It was her fault that Luci was going through this, if only she had known about Gerald's feelings for her, she would have kept him at arm's length.After a few seconds of staring out the window, Sira would move on to staring at the back of Gerald's head as he drove the car. She had always liked to watch him drive, he was always perfectly calm when he drove.Now seeing him drive reminded her of the nig