Now that you've skipped the questions from the last chapter, go back and answer them🙂

Saturday, 30th March, 2019.

When the witch called Laila said; i am never, ever, ever, going to have sex with you, He didn't think she actually meant it.

The weeks were not dramatic. Instead, he approximated with days.

80 days.

That was how long their marriage had gone without consummation.

Now forget desire, Islamically, that wasn't right.

Now, if he had met Laila a bit earlier in his life, he was sure she would've taught him not just more about self-control, she could've helped with controlling his anger. Because she was so damn good at standing firm on her words. At least some.

Sudais wasn't a good guy. Although, he was trying.

He had weird ways of sending signals.

He couldn't exactly tell Laila that she looked like a goddess he would fall to his knees and would gauge every other man's eyes that landed on her for more than 2 seconds-who had the most flawless makeup that popped all her features out as she donned a gold and navy hue Ankara sewn into a v neck long sleeve gown that hugged her upper limbs but was thrown into a wrap dress from the waist, her head thrown into a turban with her gathered hair sticking out the base of her head and she stood on a blue and silver open toe blue bling bling 2-inch heels. Instead, he used his lame way of marking his territory; "Don't disgrace me today, please."

Was she going to listen to him? It seemed so as she drew her chair out over the sound of music blasting throughout the traditional bedecked hall they had just made their appearance in and had managed to get more shots and attention than all the guests combined.

You see, it was Muri's wedding dinner party. Hosted in Yola the same day after the Nikkah ceremony had taken place. The man was finally married and could shut up about Sudais taking his spotlight.

A few other eye-catching guests arrived but the only person that had managed to catch Sudais' eye was the woman beside him who's scent was still lingering back and forth. The woman was acting oblivious to his nonwavering stare but still had tense shoulders in reaction to his goosebumps-raising stare.

Over the sound of the music still blasting the MC talking about things he didn't care, Maijidda shouted in a sing-song at her brother. "Hamma, you've been staring at Laila since. You're soooooo in loveeee." That was the first time he had taken his unwavering stare off Laila, placed a discreet hand on his hard bulge-as if that would do anything to cure his raging hard-on- and turned to his sisters to shrug.

"O voddi sosai. (She is so beautiful)"

BBC top caster in the name of Maryam Idris Mamman-Mima, yelled alongside Maijidda. "Sosai sosai. (Very very much.)"

Sudais' lips pursed into a slight frown as he narrowed his eyes at them, standing in front of the empty seats of their reserved table. "Ai it's all your fault. Why do you always dress my wife up in such eye-catching attires? And where is Hafsy?" He rose his upper body to quickly scan the busy hall in search of the girl, "Why would she put such loud and bewitching makeup on my wife?"

Laila whose attention was peaked when she heard the man accuse her favorite fashion designer leaned into the table and twisted to glare at him. His sisters did the same, mirroring her actions as they stared at him with tight lips.

"What?" His hands left the comfort of his crotch in question. "Why are you guys looking at me like that? Will you two get out?" And they did, after adding a few more teases that would've had Laila's cheeks red if not for her melanin.

Sudais watched the two disappear before he turned to find Laila still in her position and if you were a sucker for romance, you'd think she was so lost in him. But, he knew she wasn't. She probably was zoned out into one of the numerous planets in her head. So he took her off guard. "Can i kiss you?" He asked, raising a hand to touch her but decided against it.

Laila shook herself out of her trance by blinking rapidly. When the words sank into her dazzled mind, her nose and cheeks crinkled up, her eyes narrowing, why the hell would she let him do that? Before she un-leaned from the table and glanced everywhere but his figure clad in a white embroidered kaftan. "No. Of course, you can't."

He nodded, taking in her exposed neck and how shiny it looked under the dim lights. "Can i touch you?"

This time, she sighed, shook her head, and ignored him by aimlessly revising on her phone just to seem busy and avoid his creepy stare.

He leaned into her, contemplating what to do to get this woman to loosen up, and gently grabbed her chin to turn her to him. "Look at me, give me attention, Boddo."

Laila leaned to him, crossing and un-crossing her legs and hoping he didn't quite catch her hiding her obvious attraction toward his arrogant ass while having difficulties maintaining eye contact with him.

He was used to her looking away to avoid eye contact, he didn't mind. A smile spread on his lips and warmth spread in his chest as he let the next set of sincere words roll off his smug tongue. "You're so beautiful...Fascinating, you know that?"

Laila's peer met his and she immediately threw her head back, detaching his fingers from her chin as she vibrated with laughter. She brought her index to his face, shaking it. "Been there...done that. That's not getting me into bed with you."

He cast his head down, recalling just how smart her comebacks were and how disappointing it was to him that he genuinely meant a compliment and she mistook it for selfish reasons. Shaking his head, he wondered who did so much damage to her. "Oh take the compliment, Laila. There's no judgment or expectation here."

Sensing the part where he didn't call her Sadiya, or Boddo, or Kiddo, Laila figured she had ruffled his nerves. And quite possibly, the emotion he also pretends to never feel; PAIN.

She looked away, muttering a small, "Thank you."

"Oh, and Congratulations."

"What for?"

He shrugged, crossing his hands over his crotch and not bothering to hide it. "You're the first woman to give me blue balls...for this long."

Laila looked down to his hands, to his face, back to his hands, and finally to his face. "Happy to be the first."

An uncomfortable silence engulfed the air around them as everyone pretended like the next person didn't exist.

When the groom's family had been invited to grace the dance floor with their presence, guess what Laila did? Yes. Disgrace Sudais. She did that with the help of Maijidda and Mima by dancing until their breaths ran out and Sudais had the MC pursing them off the dance floor.

The rest of the event went with them mostly ignoring each other and playing games.

With exhaustion, Sudais, Laila, Maijidda, Hafsy, Mima still had work or school to attend and left Adamawa the following day which was a Sunday back to Abuja.

***

Thursday, 9th May, 2019.

80 days?

Well, add another 41 days to it.

A hundred and twenty one long painful days.

At this point, Sudais should be nicknamed; the rock. Because he could count the number of times he wasn't hard or frustrated or both. It had been going on for so long, not just on the inside but on the outside too.

People, including his family had been avoiding him.

If he had a chance, he'd avoid himself too. This life wasn't for him.

Knowing everything he had tried had gone down to drain, even cheating with Simi which ended with her storming out a few days to Ramadan after he had tried to get a hard-on and get down to business but his stupid, sanctimonious body was not cooperating as long as it didn't come down to Laila, he had decided to stay away from her.

Which was close to impossible. They lived together. Although seeing her was less hard for the past month as it was Ramadan and everyone was either working, hungry, reading, tired, or retired to bed.

Now though, they were back at it.

It was Eid. And they were in Adamawa.

On every third day of Eid El-Fitr, Sudais on his barefoot led a mass of thousands of royal men, both on horses and foot from his dad's palace, including his dad who was on his royal horse at the rear of the crew to the government house then back to the palace, clad in a royal Babban riga with a turban and the king's royal stick stuck permanently to his right hand.

Under no circumstances was he to show any sign of pain or feebleness on the 5 to 6 hours of walking.

The tradition had been passed down from generation after generation to each prince next in line. Except, Sudais wasn't next in line. His brother was. But, Bello was diagnosed diabetic 7 years ago.

For the past 7 years, the tormenting responsibility was on Sudais.

With the tradition clear about being barefooted for Sudais, and never stopping even for a second, the crowd's noise lost its edge when the first crew(Tawaga) slowed down a few feet from the government house gates, compelling the rest of the numerous crews to get in line.

Sudais' toes curled under the blazing coaltar of Jimeta, coming to a stop and so did the noises. He twisted his blazing and throbbing body until he stood opposite the crew of men who all looked at him wide, waiting for an explanation or a go-ahead signal.

Instantly, protests went off;

"Yerima, ko fe'i? (Prince, What happened?)"

"Ko'anufata? (What does this mean?)"

"Ko watai problem? (What is the problem?)"

Sudais let their protests fall onto deaf ears until he saw who he wanted to see.

A horse clad in royal ornament stopped by his left as the rider maneuvered to come down. Sudais' free hand came up to grab the straps of the horse before turning to the man and stretching the royal stick to him.

Grabbing the stick with a free hand, he started. "Hamma, You seriously won't go in?"

"Muri, mi watta ko a wadai yam mi wada? (Muri, I won't do it or will you make me?)"

There was this level of respect between the siblings that never faltered, that respect showcased when Sudais pinned his glare on Muri and Muri cast his head down as he played with the ornament in the form of a knife.

Sudais stretched his hand, "Hokkam. (Give that.)"

When Sudais got it, he took a step closer, afraid the wind would sweep his words somewhere inappropriate. "Do not forget. Muri karka min shirme kasa Baba Alhaji yaci uwarmu. Ka gane ko?"

Muri scoffed, "Cin uwarmu kam a zaune ne. We just disrespected tradition. We're the first. He's not going to let it slide."

Definitively, Sudais muttered as he dragged the horse out of the way. "And I'm not stepping a foot into the government house."

Sudais watched the mass of people and horses squeeze through the gate into the government house for a long while before it was his dad Tawaga's turn.

Despite the man being at least 30 feet from his son, Sudais didn't miss the ultimate glare in the man's eyes that were the only thing the Rawani(turban) didn't cover. Sudais might be arrogant but he couldn't keep eye contact with the old man for obvious reasons, as such he dragged his head down and continued to curl his traumatized bloated toes.

Breaking tradition by making the masses of people wait as Muri and Sudais yet again exchanged roles was not something the 2 enjoyed. But they did what they had to do.

It was past magreb by the time the king and his masses had returned home. As always, Sudais headed into his old chambers, got out of his soaked clothes, and sighed once he was able to get liquid other than sweat on his body.

Out and out, he took more than 20 minutes scrubbing off before hastily dressing up in thigh-length armless kaftan called yer shara and heading on throbbing feet to the Masjid.

He made sure to distance himself from the king and senior men that could bring up what had happened. He was not ready for chastisement and will get himself and his wife out of the manor after Isha prayer.

After Isha, just when Sudais thought he was free and was slipping into his shoe at the door to the central masjid, Muri tapped his shoulder. "Baba Alhaji ordered for you and me not to leave this house until he has seen us."

Sudais sucked in a breath, the side of his lip lifting in disappointment. "Toi Baba? (Where's baba?)"

Muri motioned to the front door of the Masjid meant for only his dad and Sudais caught the man's receding figure along with his right hand, some guards, and a few important men. "Moi wonte don? (Who is that?)" Sudais asked, referring to the man that slipped out of the door.

"The new governor."

Sudais hissed before limping back to the palace and slipping into his mum's busy chambers.

In her room, where he had to knock and stand for a minute before the door was unlocked, he caught sight of Mima, Hafsy, Laila, Aisha's first daughter; Nana, Maijidda, and her kids.

He sighed, waving their greetings before making himself comfortable. Legs stretched on the empty bed as he picked one of the kids and placed him on his lap. He played a nursery rhyme song for the kid before slouching into the headboard with his palms behind his head as he stared into space and let his tiredness showcase on his limp form.

Queen Baraka appeared, ranting about her missing bag as she gently massaged her forehead with her fingers while scrutinizing the room.

Her eyes landed on Sudais that was looking at her and she crossed over to him, answering his greetings in between Arabic curses at Mima who bumped into her with the tray of snacks that now decorated the floor.

"Jodoma ya de? A don jam? (What is it? Are you alright?)" the mother inquired, holding her grandkid's hand with one hand and examining her son with the other by placing the back of her palm on his steaming forehead.

"Bandu am don nawa(my entire body hurts.)"

Queen Baraka's demeanor softened as her hand went to his neck, "Sannu babana. What would you like?"

"Mi yidi ndiyam. (I want water.)" he then twisted in search of Mima. Instead, he found Laila staring at him. Caught in the act, she quickly gave attention back to what Maijidda was saying. With no sight of Mima, he opted for Laila, knowing she would burn inside at his order but still do as ordered for the sake of his mum. "Sadiya, hokkaram ndiyam mi yara. (Sadiya, give me some water to drink.)"

Laila's attention returned to him and she rose a brow, muscles suddenly tense.

He rose a fisted hand to his mouth, "Ndiyam. (Water.)"

Realization dawned on her and she went in search.

Queen Baraka rose an index in retrospect, her eyes searing for Laila who was bent over the loveseat couch and was retrieving a bottle of water. "Halima..."

Laila twisted, "Ma?"

The woman pointed at a chest of drawers, "In the second drawer there, you'll find a bottle of mentholated massage oil. Bring it over and massage your husband's legs," She turned to Sudais, a full-blown smile overtaking her feature, "Now that you have a wife, she can take after me."

Dramatically, Sudais faked sadness by pursing his lips, his head shaking before his mum hit the side of his head and they burst out laughing.

The woman had disappeared through her doors again and Sudais washed his feet and went back to his position again-with the exception of the kid that had run off to God knows where, Laila sat away from him, rolling up the sleeves of her straight gown lace with a frown. He was never going to shut up about this.

Sudais inched forward, then placed his feet on her laps and crossed them at the ankles.

With a throbbing vein on the side of her neck, Laila clenched her jaw and rose narrowed eyes at the man who had a smirk lifting the sides of his face.

Laila returned her daggering stare to his stupidly long, creamy, and neat feet while strongly kicking the urge to shove them away. Instead of creating a scene where his relatives were watching, Laila took a deep breath amidst her heavy ones before uncapping the bottle and squeezing a generous amount of the oil onto her palms to rub it.

She lifted one of his heavy legs a little into the air before coating it with the moisture on her palm. A little into the massage and she couldn't believe it, the man was having a hard time holding his leg and he wasn't faking it.

To Laila though, he was. Under her breath, but loud enough for him, she gripped his ankles with a hand that was barely able to wrap more than halfway. "How many times have i told you already? Stay still!"

Sudais groaned, then sucked air through his teeth when she pressed on his little toe finger. "I know you don't believe me, but stomping barefooted for 5 hours straight under-God Sadiya! Gentle mana...You have beef with me, not my innocent-hasbunallahu! My foot!"

Laila shrugged, not slowing as she gritted. "I have beef with all of you...besides, you've had worse. You'll survive."

Despite the piercing pain and even pleasure surging through him, he caught her arm that was squeezing his ankle in her attempt to stop him from jerking and let the sides of his lips quirk up, his cut brow drawing lower than his left while his eyes squinted, "Is that your sick way of telling your husband he is going to be alright?"

Laila paused, glared at him, and quickly cowered away when she realized her eyes met his tired ones square and clear. "Do you want my help or not?"

He nodded, dropping his eyes to her moisturized lips down to her chest, thighs, and then back to pin his stare on her face. He nodded again, liking what he was seeing. "Yeah...no. I don't."

She gripped his other leg and instead of pouring the oil on her palm, she drizzled it onto his foot and muttered, "You do, you arrogant prick. Cooperate with me here."

He went silent at that, dropping his chin unto his palm as he slanted forward and continued to stare at her.

At the sound of the door opening, he rose his eyes to his sister. "Yawwa. Mima?" The girl answered by swiping her widened irises to him, "Mi yidi nyamugo gertogol da kuma barret. (I want to eat chicken and bread.)"

Mima's lips morphed into an O before she glanced at the door, then shook her hands. "I don't think akwai bread and if there is, it'll be hard to find. But there's chilly chicken and white rice."

His nose wrinkled but his stomach immediately growled. He had been on an empty stomach since 9 am. He couldn't be a chooser. "Toh, mi hoosi. (Ok, I'll take it.)"

When Laila was about to conclude massaging his feet, Mima placed a tray of food beside Laila.

When she was done, Sudais' eyes alternated between her and the tray and she instantly shook her head to shoo whatever sick plan he was cooking in his head. "I Laila will not hand feed you. You sit upright and take the tray."

To emphasize her words, she placed it on his lap before disappearing.

Forget Laila, the food was bomb like always, until;

"Baba Alhaji summons you."

The spoon stopped midway as Sudais suddenly felt the urge to puke the food halfway into his system. He held it down, dropping the spoon that went tumbling unto his plate and the tray. Eyes from all around the room flew to him as he muttered fulla curses under his breath.

"Where is he?"

"Zaki."

Sudais blew out a heavy breath before standing with the tray and handing it to Laila. What the hell he wanted her to do with it, she didn't know.

With difficulties and a few yelps, just like every year, he hobbled into the biggest chamber, into numerous doors until he was at the lion-themed lounge, Zaki.

Sudais found himself on the rug, casting his head down and sweeping his legs throbbing to the other side.

In the lounge, although fully air-conditioned with bakhoor filling the room, Sudais felt as if he was in an oven. The fact that his kaftan was armless didn't add up to why the hell he was sweating it. Literally.

Glancing, he caught sight of his brother, Muri, in a similar position on the rug. Baba Alhaji sat at the head of the mat that had a lion's head attached to its rear, roaring at Sudais. The man was rigid with pushed-back shoulders, his palms atop each other in the pin-drop silent room.

Sudais gently stroked his neck as he stared at the fluff rug.

Muri, on the other hand, knew he had no fault, as such, he clasped his hands and wished everything would be done and over with.

"Sudais."

Sudais swallowed his last saliva and slanted his upper body towards the man. "Baba."

The man turned to his other son. "Muhammadu."

"Baba."

The Calipha turned again. "Abba."

Sudais' right-fisted hand came up, "Yallaboi!"

"Muri."

Muri mirrored Sudais by lifting his fisted hand. "Baba uban gayya."

The old man sighed, foreseeing what his kids were about to do. He firmly shook his head, not liking what had happened.

"What happened at the government house, Sudais?" His voice hiked up, "Why did you stop? Mesa baka shiga ba?"

Sudais' eyes closed as he took a deep breath.

Baba Alhaji's blazing facial turned to Muri when Sudais went mute. "Muri, what happened?"

Muri had no idea what or why he had to take his brother's place. He was as clueless as Baba Alhaji.

"AM I TALKING TO THE WALLS!?"

"No."

"A'a."

"THEN ANSWER MY QUESTION!"

Sudais clasped his fingers and took a sharp breath. In a quiet voice, he answered. "Nothing happened. I just didn't want to step into the government house."

Baba Alhaji's mouth hung agape as he stared at Sudais, finding no reason in his answer.

"You just didn't want to step into the government house?"

Sudais nodded.

"Sabida misa?"

"Babu."

Baba Alhaji's right palm flew into the air. "Babu wani. It's because of your stupid pride! Duk pride inka ka kaini ne?"

Like a child, Sudais shook his head again.

"Aikin banza. You dragged our tradition because of your stupid pride and grudge. Me haka? Are you a child? If i..." the man paused to let out a violent cough and the two jerked in alarm only for his palms to come up. "Ha-haba! Me haka?"

"Kayi haquri, Baba."

Sudais then turned to Muri, jerking his hand and begging the boy to back him up.

Muri didn't, leaving Sudais on his own. "Kayi haquri baba. Ka yafemin." If there was anything Sudais had learnt, it was that life was too short. Especially with parents. He might look all tough but he didn't know what he'd do if he ever his parents. Not to talk of losing them on bad terms.

Baba Alhaji went silent at the plea and Sudais went on.

"Forgive me, Yallaboi. It won't happen again." Because he'll do everything in his power to never attend the event again.

"Ya isa."

Now when Baba Alhaji said something like that, he meant it but with punishment.

Sudais' lips produced a lopsided smile as he knew what his punishment was going to be. Muri wasn't there for no reason. Baba Alhaji would think passing the responsibility down to Muri was a punishment to Sudais when it wasn't. He was tired. He had his legs to testify to that from now till at least a week.

Never in the world did he expect a;

"You are not going to make me look weak in front of my people. In Allah ya kaimu babban Sallah da rai da lafiya, we'll host a hawan government house for the first time. You will lead us IN AND OUT of the government house. You will do that if i am your father and you respect me."

With all his heart, Sudais bowed despite wanting nothing to do with the punishment. You never, ever, refuse an emir's order.

The next day, the rest of the family that resided in Abuja branched by Gombe to Laila's family, watched the hawan Sallah and still made it to Abuja before 9 pm.

Now, Mami had always complained about what a robot Laila was when it came to school and how it was bad depriving herself of sleep. Laila wished Mami could see Sudais at 1 Am in her kitchen that night.

Sudais had a cup of tea and bread on the kitchen island along with his MacBook as he munched on with his attention on the screen.

She yawned, walking past the island with his eyes following her until she disappeared behind the double doors of the fridge in search of her nightly apple.

When she found none in the fridge, she went on a rampage, moving things around in search of it until Sudais finally sighed and gave up the who will talk to who first competition.

"What are you looking for?"

She halted, glancing at him before returning her sleepy eyes to the cupboard and slamming it close. In between yawns, she said, "App-apples..."

He glanced at the fridge, then at her. "Oh...i think we're out."

Her lips pursed upwards until they were almost at her nose. Ok, no apples then.

It had become a habit since she was a kid to eat apples every night that she felt incomplete on days she had to go back to sleep without it.

Defeatedly, she crossed her arms as her bare feet slapped against the cold tiles back to the chilly room and into the covers.