Soon the wedding of the prince became a hot topic which everyone was talking about. Prince Obi had tried everything within his power to make the king change his mind but all to no avail. He was even more shocked and surprised when he went to his mother to beg her to plead on his behalf to the king and she was encouraging him to marry Linda for his own well being.
He left her present in anger " What's wrong with everyone in this Palace?" He asked no one in particular. "A while ago my mother was on my side and now she's supporting father. My situation is absolutely hopeless !" He said furiously as he banged the table on his room which sent everything on it shattering.
He stood up from his chair and roamed around his room for a while thinking of what to do to save his self from the marriage .After a while, he smiled,on getting the solution he needed " I will get married to her but i will make sure I torment her and she will suffer in my hands until she runs back to her parents house and then I won't allow into this Palace anymore." He concluded having considered that the best option.
Linda on her part was having sleepless night .She couldn't imagine a life with the Prince and she knew quite well that he will make her go through hell until she runs away from the marriage. She had thought of different things to do to save her self but no solution was forthcoming and the way her parent are happy about her oncoming marriage was holding her back from taking any silly step or decision.
The king sent alot of gift to Linda's parent and then decided to invite them to dinner .Linda was in her room reading when she heard a knock on her door and her dad came in. He came over to her bed and sat on it ."How are you doing my sweet daughter" He asked her as he cuddled her hands "Am fine dad,just trying to keep myself busy" She replied ."That's nice, he said and continued, you know what? The king invited us to dinner at the palace so ,I would love that you dress beautifully because the prince will also be present".
When Linda heard this she was taken aback . She hadn't figured out a way out of her problem and now her dad was asking to go and meet trouble on its own." Dad please I don't want to go, am not feeling too well .Please I want to rest." She said trying to make her dad change his mind.
But he won't instead he told her to take medicine and rest for a while that she will feel better. Linda groaned in frustration." Why is my fate like this" She asked her self before throwing her self down on her bed. Her father stood up and told her to rest that he will cheek on her later.
Linda felt like crying,she didn't know what else to do .She just stared at ceiling lackadaisically,before she knew it she fell had fallen asleep. She had a very terrible dream which left her shaken.In that dream,she saw her self surrounded by people and they were all wearing face mask. Then, one of them came torwards her and laughed wickedly.He pushed her to the ground and the rest of the people began to laugh at her . The one who pushed her to the ground brought out a dagger from his pocket .He bent down to her level on the ground and whispered into her ear."You want to marry me right ? I will make your life so miserable that you will be begging death to come to you" As those words came out of his mouth, Linda body shivered and grew cold .It seemed like as if she was numb because she couldn't feel anything including her body and then the people surrounding her began to laugh at her,this time around their laughter was louder and felt evil .The man in front of her raised the dagger in his hand and was about to stab when she screamed and woke up perspiring profusely . She was even more scared when it dawned on her that the man with the dagger in his hand was the prince .She began to shiver suddenly she had knock on her door and her heart skipped because she thought it was the prince.Her mother came in instead and looked at her in surprise before asking" Linda,why haven't you gotten dressed up?It almost time for us to leave,please get up and hurry." Linda looked at her mother wishing that her mom could just understand her and support her .She sluggishly stood up from the bed to get dressed .
When she came down stairs after getting dressed up,she met her mother and father already waiting for her so she joined them. On their way to the palace in the car that the king sent ,she was feeling so uneasy and panicking. Her mother noticed her uneasiness and tried to assure her that everything was going to be alright. She nodded even though she knew within her that everything won't be alright.
When they all arrived at the palace ,a palace maid led them into the palace to the huge royal dinning table . As they got there ,they meet the whole royal family already seated so they join them." Am very glad you accepted my invitation" The king said . Chief Stephen laughed and said "It's a honour , your majesty .
Soon to they all settled down to enjoy the different kinds of food placed before them. Linda ,was feeling so uncomfortable because they made her sit near the prince ,who didn't even care about her presence. She on her part tried not to have any contact with him and ate quietly. While eating,she felt like taking some fruit salad. As she stretched her hands to take the fruit salad, prince Obi also felt the same and their hands touched the plate together with prince Obi's hand touching her . They both pulled their hands off quickly.He glared at her venomously and she quickly averted her eyes with a bowed head . The king who witnessed what transpired between the two of them pretended like as if he didn't see anything.
Linda decided not to touch anything on the table again and ate her food silently.
When they were all done with the dinner .The king and Linda's father went out to talk while Linda's mother also left with the queen leaving her and the prince together. She knew their parents did this intentional in order for she and the prince to be left alone. She didn't even want to look up and meet his angry gaze so she kept her head bowed while fiddling with her fingers.
After a moment of silence The prince said "Why did you even agree to come to this dinner ? You know how much I hate to seeing your face". She was angry at what he said .She didn't know when she blurted out"And who told you I wanted to come ? I only came over here because of my parent ,so stop blaming me".
The prince looked at her menacingly before spitting out to her" So you've still not learnt how to caution that your running mouth ,right? I will make sure to cut it off for you?
She looked at him menacingly for the first time and said to him" Don't you dare to threaten me,who do you think you're? That I agreed to this so called marriage does not mean I will allow myself to be subjected to you and accept all of your nonsense" The prince was taken aback for a while. After recovering from the shocked ,he laughed bitterly,stood up and stormed out of the dinning room to his room.
From where Linda was seated she could hear things being shattered and destroyed and she knew that they were being shattered because of the prince. She was really scared for her self because of the kind of temper the prince has. Then her parent with the king and queen came in. With the look on their face one could tell that they saw and heard all that happened.
She stood up and told her mum she would love to get back home as she was feeling really tired already. The king bid them farewell and they departed. When they arrived home ,Linda quickly went up to her room and looked the door behind her because she didn't want any disturbance.
She fell on her bed face flat and began to think of what had transpired between her and prince Obi.She couldn't believe that in two days time she will get married to such a man who treats other people with disdain. She doesn't retaliate when other people say things about her,but she's always frustrated when the prince tries to down grade her and she just couldn't take it . At that moment she didn't know what else to do any longer and just decided to rest her tired body .
On the D day of their wedding,it was a memorable day in the kingdom of Afaro.
People from far and near came to witness it. A lot of distinguished and honourable people were present. The prince refused to get dressed up at first but after a lot of pleading from his mother he agreed to get dressed.
Linda on her own part had no choice but to get prepared.She was looking absolutely beautiful but she wasn't happy. When she arrived the wedding venue with her parent ,she felt like as if butterflies were flying in her belly.
People were admiring their soon to be princess for she was a beauty to behold. As her father held her hand and led her to the altar to give her hand In marriage to the prince, she wished that the walk to the altar would last forever but soon they arrived and he handed her over to the prince .
The priest then began to say the wedding vows and told the both of them to repeat after him. After that he asked prince Obi if he will like to accept Linda as his lawfully wedded wife. At first,he hesitated .He didn't want her as his wife but when he thought about his father and all the people present he accepted and said yes .
Likewise,Linda was asked the same question. She also hesitated but remembering her parent and the pain they will have to go through if she says no,she accepted and said yes . There was a tumultuous clapping as the priest declared them both as husband and wife, then he said "You may now kiss".
Linda looked at the prince with a questioning look ,she wasn't expecting him to kiss and she didn't even want to kiss him. He looked at her came closer and kissed her. She was so shocked that she couldn't move .Prince Obi on his part had to kiss because he didn't want any more drama unfolding and anyway he convinced himself that it was just a cold kiss he gave her and nothing more.
After the wedding they all went to the reception of the wedding to celebrate. Linda and the prince changed to a matching dress and sat down beside each other, as well wishers came to wish them well on their wedding day .
While the celebration was going on the king came on board to give the prince and princess their wedding surprise. He brought out two tickets and said "This is a surprise gift from me and the queen .It's a two week trip to London to celebrate your honeymoon as a newly wedded couple." Linda didn't know whether to cry or laugh ..she was just speechless. Now she knew she was done for.
Prince Obi who also didn't like the surprise stood up and went over to his father trying to be calm and said " Dad what are you saying? You know very well that I don't like her and I only agreed to marry her only because of you and mother ,and now you're sending me to London with her alone and for a whole two weeks!"
" My son,this is for your own good. The both of you need to be together alone to be able to understand each other. I am your father and I know what's best for you. So go and get prepared you're both leaving today" The king said and went down to join the others while the DJ continued to play the music.
After a lot of hugging and crying Linda finally left her parent and joined the prince in the car which the king had already prepared to take them to the airport. Linda waved goodbye to her parent trying not to cry again as the engine of the car started she knew that she was in another journey in life now. And in order to survive through she had to fight her way out. She looked at prince Obi who was looking out of the window and was clearly not interested in looking at her or talking to her.
She wondered what her fate had in store for her with prince Obi and what was in his mind. She could clearly see the hatred he had for her in his eye and she knew that starting from right now her life won't remain the same .