How is Feya?" Mbaku asked.
"The last time I saw her, she was fine" Jabari replied.
"Does she still live with Mjoka?"
"Yes, Your Highness. Why do you ask, please?"
"Zima and N'daka have eyes for her. I will use her to lure them into my web"
"Your Highness, won't Lady Zui be angry if she finds out?"
"As long as you don't tell her, she won't find out" Mbaku replied staring fiercely at Jabari.
"I understand, Your Highness. How are we going to use her? Mjoka will not allow any man to meet his daughter this time of the night"
"My wife will"
"I thought Lady Zui was out of the plan, Your Highness"
"She became part as soon as she was helping me with finding schemes"
"But Your Highness, you already had those schemes in mind. You were going to combine them already"
"Yes, don't be afraid. I will make sure Zui and Feya are safe afterward"
"You are aware of the princes' feelings for Feya, but do you know if she has feelings for any?"
"Feya has feelings for N'daka. They were seeing each other before the King made N'daka marry his two wives. Feya got angry and broke up with him. But you know very well, it's not easy to get over such feelings" "Your Highness, are you sure you won't regret this later?"
"Jabari, do you have a better idea?"
"No, Your Highness"
"Then let's go by this for now, until we come up with a better idea"
I heard a knock on my door. I peeped through my window and saw Mbaku out there. What was he doing here again? I haven't fed him with any aphrodisiac again. He knocked again and I opened the door but stood in the way. He looked at my face and I also looked at him. For some moments, we stared at each other silently, gazes locked. He broke the silence by asking; "Can I come in?" I nodded and stood aside so he could enter. He walked past me into the room. I closed the door behind me and leaned on it.
"What now? I am sure I didn't feed you with any aphrodisiac this time", I said. He just smirked and shook his head.
"I need a favor", he said.
What kind of favor was he going to ask from me? I thought as I stared down at my feet. Just thinking of last night, he entered my room and whatever happened, I didn't want to think about.
"What favor?", I heard myself ask.
"I want you to take some leaves to Feya's house, first thing in the morning", he said. I sighed inwardly and nodded.
"Looking at the fact that you want me but not a maid to go, means you want it to be done in a particular way", I said thoughtfully.
He nodded.
"You are very thoughtful when it comes to matters like this", he said.
"Is that supposed to be a compliment or an insult?", I asked.
"You are supposed to sneak it into her house and exchange it with another bundle of leaves", he said ignoring my question. I nodded and smiled. "It seems like a simple task, but it is not that simple", I said again thoughtfully.
"Yes, but I think I can rely on you.", he said. I smiled at his compliment.
"You can count on me. Consider that task completed.", I said.
He nodded. "I will wake you up before daybreak.", he said. I nodded again, expecting him to take his leave, but he still remained where he was and kept staring at me.
"Won't you go, so I can sleep and be ready even before you come by morn?", I asked. He sighed.
"Can I spend the night here?", he asked.
"No way!", I said. "The last time you came here, you left me before the break of dawn. Now, I want you to leave before anything happens.", I said as I opened the door, "I am sorry"
"Are you angry because I left you?", he asked but I didn't answer. "Trust me, nothing will happen if you don't want it to.", he said. When I still looked unconvinced, he added, "Eyeki's hut is closer to yours than mine. I want to be closer so I can help, in case anything happens." I nodded, even though I wasn't fully convinced. I moved to my laid mat, pulled the covers, and slipped underneath it. I moved to the far end of the mat so he could get more than enough space to sleep. I slept on my side with my back facing him. A few minutes later, he joined me on the mat. I couldn't sleep. He was too close and I knew he could touch me any time he wished and I would also surrender to his touches. Some moments later I heard his deep even breath and knew he was asleep. I turned around to face him. He slept very peacefully. How could he sleep so peacefully when I couldn't even wink? Or he didn't feel the way I did? I sighed and looked up at his face. He was so handsome. I have never been able to look closely at him because I felt shy. I raised my hand to touch his face but stopped my hand in midair. He was going to wake up once I touched him. He pulled my hand to touch his face and asked; "Wouldn't you want to wake up early anymore?"
"You aren't sleeping?"
"Can I?"
"Why not?"
"Then why can't you?"
"I like you better when you are cold."
"You don't like me now?"
"I never knew you could ask so many questions"
"You just intrigue me. Why can't you sleep?" "Why do you care?"
"Because you are my wife"
"Sure.", I said as I started to turn away from him. He placed his arms firmly around my waist and pulled me back to him. My face was only inches away from his. His nostrils flared like they did the last time when he was about to kiss me.
"You promised not to touch me."
"Not when you want me to", he said and kissed me. A deep and long one of course. He stopped exactly when I thought I would surrender, and pulled me till I was almost sleeping on top of him. "It's late, sleep", he said. With his warmth surrounding me, sleep came to me in no time.
"Zui", he said. That was the first name that came into his mind to his wake. Her soft warm body was still cuddled in his arms. He looked down at her sleeping face. She was beautiful, far more beautiful than she was the last time he saw her. It never stopped to intrigue him on the fact that, her face looked more beautiful than it was, whenever he saw her after a break of not seeing her for some moments. The sound of the birds chirping told him it was soon going to be daybreak. "Wake up, Zui.", he said, even though he didn't like the thought of waking her up from her peaceful slumber.
***
I woke up at the sound of Mbaku's voice asking me to wake up. I opened my eyes to find him looking down at me. He got up and helped me up.
"It is time to go.", he said and I nodded. I was on my way in no time, with Laya in my wake. She wasn't that bad for a company. We got to Feya's house in no time. I asked Laya to wait for me in the garden whilst I sneaked into their manor and headed straight to where they stored leaves for delivery. I knew the basket Feya used to deliver leaves to the palace well. And as usual, all her leaves were readied for delivery. I took one bundle of the leaves and exchanged it with mine. I turned around to leave when I heard someone's footsteps towards the leaves storage hut. I hid behind the door ready to find a way to escape when I heard Laya's voice.
"My lady, it's time to go.", she whispered. I got out and we left the place hurriedly. In no time, we were back in the palace. Mbaku wasn't at around when we got back home. I had a warm bath and went into my hut.