It is often said that there was a thing line between love and hate. When you love someone deeply and they do something you think to be unforgivable,you could end up hating that person.
Adunni used to love her sister but now all there was in her heart towards Apeke was nothing but hatred. As she passed the secret path leading out of her house to meet Jumoke all she could think was that she was going to make sure Apeke didn't win this time. Not on her watch.
She was going to meet Princess Jumoke. Adunni was confident she could use the princess to win. She didn't feel guilty about this at all because she knew she was also being used.
She knew she had reached her destination when she saw the tree that had been marked as their meeting spot.
"You're late." Jumoke said.
Try sneaking out in a house of six people. She thought to herself and simply said,"My apologies."
"As expected."Jumoke said. Commoners always had an habit of apologizing to royalty. Jumoke thought. Why? They were always doing something wrong.
She hoped the filthy commoner was taking her seriously and didn't simply decide keep her waiting. If she wasn't taking her seriously she would make sure she teaches her the difference between a commoner and royalty. She would teach her why the commoner must always bow for royalty because royal blood is simply better.
Adunni wanted to speak but thought it best to be quiet.
"If I may ask ,what is this meeting for your highnesses?"Adunni asked.
"Straight to the point. At least you can do that much right." Jumoke looked at her in disdain which made Aduni swallow. If she wasn't royalty, Adunni would have thought her a lesson.
"I need that plant you got for my sister the other time."
Adunni wondered what she needed it for. She had given Asake a plant from Omowumi's house which served as an ingredient in making the sedative they used for her siblings.
"Ok. Is that all?"Adunni said as she wanted to leave her as soon as possible.
"That's all." Jumoke said. Adunni and Apeke were definitely weird. She concluded. She was surprised that Adunni didn't want to be in the presence of royalty,she was so eager to leave. It was unsettling and then there was the over bearing sister who acted like she was better than the whole lot of them but was actually a snake and nothing but it. She was not going to let her accomplish her goal.
"You can leave." She dismissed her.
Adunni bowed and took her leave. "Just you wait."Adunni said under her breath. She would soon be married to the crown prince and then she wouldn't have to bow to undeserving people like this arrogant fool.
She would make all those who had looked down on her pay.
They would all pay.
..
Apeke was busy helping her mother around the house when she heard the mail man.
"The mail man is here."
She ran like she was being chased. She went to the mail man.
"I have a mail for Apeke Adegbenro." The mail man , a middle aged man with a big belly and naughty eyes that always caught the forbidden fruit.
"Yes, that's me." Apeke said and snatched the mail com his greedy hands. She was about to read the contents when her mother snatched it from her.
"What are you doing with this? Why is that white boy still sending you messages. What do you see in him anyway? Is it his oyinbo skin? He's simply toying with you. He's not serious. Why would he be? He's white , you're not. He probably just wants a taste of you. He just wants to know it feels to bed a black woman, that's it. He's not prepared to marry you. Why don't you see that?"
"Mother! How can you say such a thing? He loves me and I him. I'm not marrying that prince no matter what you do or say." Apeke said and snatched her letter away from her hands.
"Ah, this child has killed me. What is wrong with her? Who have I offended that has refused to forgive me?" Fabumi lamented .
..
Sunmi walked in the market ,asking around about the guard who had been forcefully collecting goods from people in the name of the King. He had a lead already, someone had already mentioned a name but he couldn't be sure whether it was the truth or not and had had to be,if not the crown prince would have his head on a stake.
He walked up to Moremi's stall and asked the same questions he had been asking everyone but instead of being quiet in fear,she confirmed his suspicions.
Sunmi was already becoming frustrated because people were bearly willing to speak out of fear but with Moremi's words he was now sure of the culprit. Now all he had to do was lay a trap and he was sure he would fall into it.
"When does he usually come here?"
"Once a week at least but if he thinks someone is going to report him he usually comes here to instill fear."
"Someone has tried to report him before?" Sunmi was surprised because he had never heard of this before.
"Yes, I have."
"But?"
"I wasn't even allowed to enter the great palace."She chuckled.
"What is royalty without people to lead? I think the people on the high horses sometimes forget that their job is to make our lives better,to serve us and not to treat us like filth."
Sunmi was surprised at her outburst. Her words were deeply rooted in..pain? He couldn't be sure but he felt like she knew first hand what it felt like to be treated like filth.
"That's blasphemy."
"Then let me beheaded but the truth shall always remain the truth. It doesn't change whether it is believed or not."
Sunmi took a deep breath. Her words were true but he believed he was in no place to solve the problem and even if he could it would be better to do so one at a time.
So,he was going to start with that which was ordered for him to do.
He needed to make the guard to think he was going to be reported so he would do something stupid.
"I know what you're thinking and I have the perfect plan " She smirked.
..
The dubious guard whose name was Lakunle was busy having fun with a prostitute when he heard someone calling him.
"Who is that bastard?" He said under his breath. He wore his clothes and yelled,"Who is it?" He got no reply until he reached his door.
"Oh, it's you."He wondered what Moremi was doing here.
"Yes,it's me. I'm here to collect what you stole from me."
He burst into laughter and said."Stolen? I have stolen nothing form you."
"You are a liar!" Lakunle had his suspicions about this situation.
Moremi wasn't one to shout for no reason. She only fought when she was sure she could win or at least achieve something. She was a 'live to fight another day' kind of person. So,there had to be a point to this because she knew he wouldn't just give it to her.
"Leave me be woman,I haven't stolen anything from you."
"We'll see what the King has to say about that."
"You fool,the king was the one who sent me to collect every single thing from you."He chuckled trying to scare her.
"Heard enough?"Moremi smirked making Lakunle confused. He wondered who she was talking to. Had she gone mad?
"More than enough." Sunmi said.
"Arrest him!"He ordered the guards.
Lakunle was too stunned to speak. What was happening?
..
Prince Adelaja sat with his friend while having a drink.
"Did you hear everything that girl said?" Adeniyi said.
Adelaja knew what he was talking about. He had decided to follow the guard out of boredom. He heard all that girl said. He thinks her name was Moremi. Was she right? Had royalty built a wall around itself that had made it had for the people to reach out to them.
"It's true you know." Adeniyi said as he smoked.
Adelaja hummed.
"We have to change that guard at the gates first or at least.. " Adeniyi paused. His friend wasn't listening to him.
"What?"
"It's nothing."Adelaja replied, already understanding him.
Adeniyi looked at him with an expression as if saying"You can't lie to me."
He sighed.
"I'm not sure marrying Jumoke is the best decision anymore. What that girl said reminded me of Jumoke. She used to be so sweet,she loved everyone equally regardless of their status but now she's so bitter. I can bearly recognize her and I can't handle the way she treats the people,it repulses me. I am no saint but I hate it when.." He couldn't complete his words as he suddenly felt emotional "It reminds me of.." Adeniyi looked at him as if saying"You don't have to say it. I understand."
Adeniyi had already seen this coming. He had even tried to warn Jumoke. He almost laughed at the memory. He didn't even know what he was thinking.
He had tried to tell her that she was doing was dangerous for her relationship with Adelaja but she was so blinded by her obsession that she didn't see how wrong her actions were. She told him she wasn't doing anything.
"What now?"
Adelaja was about to reply but was interupted by Sunmi.
"Sorry to intrude ,your highness but we have the culprit. He's in the cell as we speak."
" Good job. You see? All you needed was a good motivation. Do you need more motivation."The price said.
"No,your highness. I've been motivated a lot. That's more than enough." He laughed awkwardly.
"Good for you. Aren't you going to thank me?" The prince asked.
"Thank you your highness."
"Good. Now take the good for nothing to the king. It's his name that he was using to steal,after all."
"Yes,my Prince." He bowed and left.
There was some silence after his departure.
"I can't marry her,can I?"
Adeniyi shook his head implying,no.
"So,who then?" Adelaja swore under his breath. He hated this,he was going to have to break a promise. He had already promised to marry her and only her. Now he would be breaking his promise. His whole life he had thought he was going to marry Jumoke and he hadn't thought much if it ,now that he wasn't going to marry her,he didn't know where to begin.
..
He walked into the throne room with a smug smile. He bowed to the king. "Kaaabiyesi oo."
"You may rise."The king replied.
"If may speak your majesty?"
"Go on,speak."
"There's been a guard stealing from the people in your name. He goes to the market and forcefully collects goods from the sellers in your name."
The king chuckled.
"Some people are just so audacious. Don't you agree?"
The guard smirked, thinking he had won for sure.
"Yes my King."
"You know I've been on this throne a long time and I guess some people have begun to think that my brain has dissolved or something."The king stood up. His expression quickly changing to that of anger.
"Do you take me for a fool? I know it was you who did all that and the guard you just tried to kill is the one that should be giving me this report. "
The guard who was in fact, Lakunle ran with a he could but was soon stopped and dragged back to the king's feet.
"How dare you!"The King said.
"You tried to trick me? Do you think it is easy to sit in this throne? " The king scoffed. He couldn't believe the idiot actually thought he would fall for his cheap tricks. He already heard about the matter immediately Apeke came to complain about it. He had sent his spies to find out the identity of the thief already. He didn't want to stop his son as he was proud of how he handled the case and wanted him to have his own practice because one day it would be him in charge.
Sunmi was bringing Lakunle to the King according to the crown prince's order in the accompany of two two guards when a woman suddenly ran to them.
"Your wife is in labour,you have to come home." She said.
The man in question looked at Sunmi as if requesting permission.
Sunmi, understanding what it's like to be a father ,let him go.
"I wish her a safe delivery."
When they got very close to the throne room Lakunle noticed that there weren't that many people around so he decided to fight. He might as well go down fighting as he was sure he was going to be killed if he was brought before the King.
So he attacked Sunmi and since he was stronger,he was winning. The guard that was left with them tried to help but being a rookie ,he couldn't do much so he ran instead, thinking to get help,he bumped into someone who he told and ran as fast as his legs could take him.
The man in turn told the King. He walked right past the fight, stealthily without raising alarm.
"You are in a lot of trouble,young man." The King said.
"Not as much trouble as your Kingdom's going to be in when we win."He smirked.
The king frowned, immediately realizing he was a spy.
..
Apeke ran to her room in joy and opened her letter.
Ife mi(My love)
How have you been? I hope you still manage to keep that beautiful smile of yours that reminds me of the rays of the sun every day. Please keep smiling like that for me.
I miss you a lot and no words can express that. I wish to have you in my arms right now but all I can do is hold a pen in order to send you a message but I know that soon it won't be so.
My mother seems to be getting better which means I'll be able to see you soon. I look for forward to having you in my arms again.
Until then,my love.
Yours sincerely,
Yours.