3rd of June.
"What?" To he entire car became anxious as the driver said that.
"Are you sure it is not one of the other cars?" He continued to speed off as grandpa asked.
"We have 3 cars right? Well there is a 4th" Jim the driver said.
"No way, let's regroup then, let's meet an hour ahead. Inform the other cars" grandpa said as everyone in the car became conscious of the other.
"Click" Joseph brought out a riffle from only God knows where "I would come with you sir" he said to grandpa.
"Are you doing anywhere? Grandpa?" My hands began shaking out of fear, I wasn't ready to loose someone close to me again.
"Stay calm princess, we are doing this to protect you" grandpa said as she began wearing a vest.
"Remember everything I told you, read those books. And come back for our people"
"No! Please grandpa don't go"
"Enikpi, promise me you would come back for our people once you've figured it out?"
"Grandpa please don't go, stay! Someone else..."
"I am sure they are looking for me and your grandma, I just have to distract them from you. I wish I had thought of it earlier, I wouldn't even be in the same car with you" grandpa was not listening to anything I was saying.
"Enikpi, before we regroup in front, please make me this promise. Promise me that you would fight for our people and get your kingdom back? Promise me you would do whatever it takes to get back what we lost?" Grandpa said as he turned his back to look at me.
"Promise me" he added.
"Grandpa, please don't leave me" is he really going? Would I ever see him again? No! I can't let you leave grandpa.
"I don't want your parents sacrifice to end here, if all the royal blood gets sheed today then your parents lost everything for not fighting back. They wanted to make capturing them easy so you could get a head start in your journey, don't ruin this for them" so that was why they didn't fight back? That was why all 5 gates were opened? They shed their blood to protect me? I'm so confused, how many blood has been shed just because of me? It's too much, is it even worth it?
"Yes sir, I know you are in a moment with the princess but it has been confirmed, we are being followed by Jukun soldiers" Jonathan interrupted the conversation.
"Jukun?" They are the one invading Ida? Our neighbouring country? But why? Why would they want to overtake our kingdom?
"Yes, they not only invaded Ida but Anyingba and Ofu, they are the same people" Jonathan confirmed, so this was a planned attack? For moths if not years.
So while mom and dad were busy planning on how to make Ida a great nation, the Jukun's were busy plotting an invasion of our beloved home.
"We have finally left Ida, currently at the border of Anyingba. Of we continue at this speed we should be in Nigeria by tomorrow morning" Jim informed.
"Oh thank you Lord, I hope we make it there safely" granny said.
"The exchange would happen once we can't see them anymore, I and Jonathan would drop down for grace and Martha to join you guys" grandpa instructed.
"Grace? Martha?" Last time I saw them was before the whole car drive, they are alive? And not held captive? They are okay? Oh I guess I didn't loose everything after all.
"Princess don't worry, not all hope is lost" Cynthia who has been sitting quietly all these while finally said something.
"Another thing, you must stop addressing Enikpi and princess from now on. No more princess Enikpi, no more majesty, no more royal highness, you must all address her as Daniella from now hence forth, and you too you are no longer Enikpi. She died alongside her parents today" grandpa announced as the car began to slow down.
"Let's go" Joseph said as he came down together with grandad as they did the switch quickly.
"Move it, move it" Martha said as she entered the car, instructing Jim to continue driving.
"Oh Princess, you are alive?" Martha said as she turned around to see me.
"I was scared that you had, princess I am so sorry about what happened. I wish there was something we could do, to help you" the car fell silent as Martha spoke, I was fighting back tears as the reality is just hitting me. I just lost my mom and dad this morning, and now my grandad. Worst part is we never got to say a proper goodbye, and they would never have a problem funeral.
"She goes by Daniella now" Joseph said.
"Daniella? Daniella? Okay, but why though" Martha was asking irrelevant questions at the heat of the situation, why was she so pressed by my change of name? People are literally dying in Ida and I as their princess have failed them.
"Shut up Martha, she is grieving if you can't do anything to comfort her I would advise you don't add anymore to her pain" Cynthia said.
"Sorry princess" Martha said again admit everyone telling her not to call me that.
"Sorry, I am just used to it. I wish they had put you with the former king" Cynthia blurted out of her mouth, it dint matter what Martha did, that was a terrible thing to say to someone.
"How dare you?"
"How could you say that?"
"I did and now what?"
"Shut up, there is a war going on and you people decide to fight? Innocent people are losing their lives and you guys are here fighting about a name?" Granny spoke up, I could tell from her voice that she was not only extremely upset but she was also grieving the loss of her husband, her son and her daughter in law.
"Let me blend you with the other girls so you won't easily be distinguished" granny said as she pulled out a scrunchie from her purse, she began tiring my hair up in a bun.
"There you go" she placed a Bennie on my head covering my brown hair.
"And we are going Suspicious" I heard Cynthia whisper to Joseph, I couldn't make meaning of what she ment but why are they trying not to act suspicious? Are they a couple? I know solders aren't supposed to have a romantic relationship with another solder especially when they are on duty.
"Okay" Joseph responded to her as he wrote a note down for her, she finished reading it and tossed it outside the car. What were they doing? And why did this start immediately after grandad and Jonathan left the car?
"8:03 pm and the day is still bright?" Grace questioned.
"I guess the sky is grieving the loss of its king." Martha responded.
"But this is Anyingba not Ida" grace corrected her.
"Well are we going to find a place and have shelter for the night? Or we would continue driving?" Granny asked Jim who should be exhausted at this point, he drove me this morning to go see off the prince of Nigeria, drove me back home and from there we began our journey and we have been on the road for roughly 10 hours.
"No it is risky, it could give the 4th car an opportunity to catch up if it is still chasing after us. I would take a break and Joseph would drive us for the night" Jim said.
"Okay, when are we going to switch? Although I am a bit tired, you should have told me to rest up earlier, but no issues we've got this" Joseph complains about needing some rest himself .
"Don't fall asleep, you and I would take turns" granny whispered as she immediately placed her hand on her shoulder to take a break.