Saturday, 1st June, 2019.

"What's wrong?" Silence. "Tafida!"

Sudais hiked his phone with faint voices coming from it as he hadn't ended the call. "Baba..."

Tahir's hands flew in confusion. "Ba-what? What happened!?"

"He is..." Sudais shook his head, raising his wide eyes to his friend. As if he didn't believe he was saying it, he repeated. "He is dead...Dead?"

Tahir's hands flew to his head, "Innalillahi wa'inna'ilaihir raji'un."

Dead?

Dead?

Dead?

Moments of silence slipped. As if a rock had hit his head, Sudais stood up, shaking his head, denial at its peak. "No. No. No. No. Hasbunallahu wani'imal wakil! La'ilaha'illah Muhammadur' rasulullah! Innalillahi wa'inna'ilaihir raji'un. Baba?" He kept repeating, sitting on the edge of the couch, only to stand up, pace, stand erect and stare at the ceiling, shake his head, and repeat.

Heading to his room, he announced as a tear slipped from his left eye. "I'm leaving," and hastily wiped his tear, almost slapping his face, and banged the door open.

"Wait!" Tahir ran to him. "Now? It's 8 pm. How can you leave for Yola right now?"

Whipping to his friend, he yelled. "Me zan zawna inyi anan, Tahir? I have got to go!"

"It is a 22hours journey." Tahir reasoned.

"Abuja zani in daw family na. If there's a flight we can catch or the jet's ready, shike-" he halted, finding reason in his words. "The jet!" He shook an index, barging into the room and throwing a random troll bag on the bed.

"Tafida you can't drive like this."

"I can and i will." He threw clothes he had grabbed from the hanger without removing the clips before turning to Tahir. "So, you can either support your best friend when he has just lost his dad or you can do whatever you want to." He whipped to stare at the bag with gritted teeth before kicking it close. He didn't even need clothes.

He picked the first set of khaki uniform and headed for the bathroom.

His uniform would earn him easier passage, along with his ID.

He came out fully dressed in less than five minutes to meet an equally dressed Tahir in his clothes who was slipping into his shoes . "Let's pass by my house and lock it."

Sudais walked to his friend and stretched his arm. Voice tight, eyes pink, he showed his appreciation. "Thank you, man."

Tahir clasped Sudais' hand, palm to elbow in a hard, reassuring way. "Anytime. Let's go." He patted Sudais' arm as he walked out.

Sudais took a few more minutes to gather himself as he closed his eyes.

"It's going to be alright." He said to himself.

In the car in which he had argued with Tahir about who would drive, he agreed to let Tahir take over the last 5 hours of the 11-hour journey.

He was lying, he wasn't going to.

A few hours into the journey, Sudais held his breath with his phone on speaker as he waited for the call to get picked up. At the 7th ring, he was counting-yes, the call got picked.

He glanced at Tahir who glanced at him almost in sync before returning his gaze to the chilly black night atmosphere he was furiously driving in.

"Big-biggi..." Sudais' feet instinctively stepped on the brakes, harshly before it was on the gas again, his eyes blinking.

Well then, someone saved him the trouble of breaking the news to her.

He shook his head at the cries that had him losing focus on the road. "Don't cry, Sadiya...please, do not cry. Pray for him..."

"Baba Alhaji ya rasu! He is dead!"

Sudais nodded, furiously gritting his teeth, and single-handedly gripped the steering harder. "Cuta in tayi yawa qasa shi ne magani. It's alright...ev-everything will be alright. We'll be fine, Insha Allah. Mu yita addu'a."

"No..." he heard sniffles, then another loud sob. "The-he is the on...only person-Only person who loves me. And-and...he is-Innalillahi Wa'inna..."

Sudais shook his head, the insides of his mouth bleeding at how hard he was biting. "Ba haka bane, Sadiya. We'll be fine. Baba will be put to rest. We have to pray for him, kina jina?"

He heard no answer, only a whimper, indicating she either nodded or continued sobbing. "I'm coming to get you."

"Oh-"

"Pray for him." He waited for no answer as he hung up and handed Tahir the phone. "Any flight, Tahir. I won't wait for the jet. Any available flight to Jimeta. Anywhere you can find. Find five tickets."

"Why five?"

"Mino, Maijidda, and Muri are grown-ups and married. I'm only getting me, you, Hafsy, Mima, and Sadiya tickets. The rest can wait for the jet."

Most flights were filled and the last Tahir could find was in Bauchi which was to take off at 2. Small problem, only 3 more tickets were available.

It'd cause a stir between members of his family, but he didn't care. He had Tahir fill out the tickets for him, Laila, and Mima. Tahir would take the jet along with Hafsy and the rest or they'd travel by road. Whichever way, he didn't care at this point.

He had the most important people he needed with him, anyway.

And well, with a mini accident around Lokoja-abaji Dawliko road that had them stopping to get Sudais' left side of the forehead a stitch and bandage and Tahir finally take over driving, at 7 Am, They found themselves receiving condolences from the gate of the now deceased man's estate.

At the front door of his house, he found himself cracking his knuckles absentmindedly at the faded sounds of the key rambling to open up. Instead of who he expected, it was the maid. He answered her greetings before they found themselves in the living room.

Now, that was someone he wasn't expecting. "Mima?"

The kid unwrapped her arms from around Laila and dashed for her brother, cries starting to erupt from her. "Hamma!" He caught the kid in a tight embrace and rocked them as she vibrated and he took the liberty to wipe his tears from time to time too.

Over the sounds of condolences being given at Sadiya by Tahir, he moved his sister with him until he sat them on the couch. More afraid than he'd ever been his whole life, he waved Laila to come over and she did. He wasted no time in pulling them in a tight embrace that he hoped would somehow squeeze his and their hearts about their loss.

Something hit Laila as she rose from his chest, pushing his heavy arms off as she twisted to him, her hand shooting to his forehead. "What happened to you? Why-what happened?"

He sighed, dropping his heavy eyes to her and yanking himself out of his train of dillemas. "It's okay. We got into a small accident."

"Accident?" Mima and Laila exclaimed in sync.

"Yeah. A small one. I didn't want to worry you."

Mima sighed, "I'm sorry," before resting back on him and Laila stared at his forehead, distracted. His cold hands rose to hold her neck to the back of her head and he pulled her closer.

Laila winced at the coldness. Her hands shot to catch the cold organ from her neck to examine it. She brought it to her neck then brought it back to intertwine their fingers as her eyes rose to his curious ones. She sniffled. "Are you...are you sure you are not undergoing cold shock?"

He chuckled lightly, genuinely. "No, I'm not." He was not about to fall sick just when his family needed him the most.

The back of her hand dipped into his neck, then slipped down to his chest, before returning it to his cheeks as she stroked it gently. "Are you sure you don't feel-" she paused to grab his hand and hold a vein under her thumb finger as she examined him. "You're so cold, but you don't have a thready pulse. Is your heartbeat normal? Is it too fast? Too slow? Irregular-like arrhythmia haka?"

A small smile that he couldn't help danced on his lips before he reassured. "I'm fine, Doctor. I'm fine. It's the 12 hours of Air con. I am meant to be cold."

"But you-"

"I am alright, and we all need to take a shower and get going. We're not waiting for the jet. Umma, en dilla. (Get up, let's go.)"

***

Covered to ankle in a brown Jilbab, her photo-chronic specs rose a centimeter higher as she scrunched her nose at the sudden shaft of light at her in-law's dearest hometown. It was hot and her eyes had started to complain until her specs automatically turned black tint in response to the light.

She looked down at Sudais who stood at the last stair of the plane, waving a hand at people he recognized. She gave him a quick once over, only now did she notice that this was the plainest white kaftan he had ever worn. But, it was only right, they weren't here on vacation or to show off the fact that they were royals.

For what it's worth, she felt sad for him.

No matter how old you were, losing a parent didn't hurt less. And she could only imagine considering she still hadn't lost one. They say, you only understand the pain when you go through it, and she hoped hers wouldn't be any time soon.

When she was standing next to him, hands clasped around Mima's, she pulled the bemoaning girl to her side to let the other passengers pass as the trio started to drag their little bags away from the plane and its dissonance.

A few steps away from the plane and Laila's gaze met a pack of dogorai(royal guards) in green and red as they approached them. A few were quick to offer their greetings and condolences before assisting with their bags.

Sudais turned to the ladies and brought his hand up, gesturing to his right, "Mima, war do. (Mima, come over here.)"

Mima blandly walked to his side and he clasped her palm. He turned to Laila and did the same.

Laila stared at their intertwined fingers and then at his eyes that were shielded in black shades similar to that of Mima's.

With a shallow voice, he spoke enough for them to pick. "Whatever happens, ta sakkin jungo am. A fami?  (do not let go of my hands. Do you understand?)

Laila stared ahead, the pack of dogorai expanding by the second. "Mi fami. (I understand.)" She spoke for her and Mima.

The trio's neck was going to hurt with the amount of nodding and amen they kept throwing at the people they walked past.

As they approach the remaining pack of dogarai, faint sounds of trumpets started to emerge.

Behind his shades, Sudais' eyes narrowed. His steps faltered as a few guards went on their knees, almost to their chest, greeting him.

Sudais whispered to Laila, Mima, and mostly to himself, "Wannan kaka'aki in na sarki ne kadai."

If it weren't for the shades, everyone could see the confusion written all over his face.

The sounds got louder and clearer. The siblings cranked their necks to look at each other at the sudden chaos. Consequently, they turned their heads back in search of a certain individual, their older brother; Bello. Their rear was bereft of the certain man.

This trumpet should be blown for him and only him from now henceforth.

With un-faltered steps, they sustained their stroll until they were at the airport's VIP lounge where a man they recognized approached them.

The courtier(bafade) was on his knees with his folded fist up in a second, chanting. "Rankai dada. Allah hokkuma sa'a."

"Kai ar gaggara da kai magajin Idris."

"Kuma ar kai kura kahurin kare mijin Halima me ban tsoro."

Laila swallowed at the words, she looked up to Sudais and found him already staring at her.

Please, let this not be what she was thinking.

Unconsciously, her hold on his hand tightened. He seemed to notice as he squeezed her back and released her when the courtier was presented with a white and gold material in a crystalline bag. The senior courtier tore it open to reveal an Alkyabba.

The dogarai raised their babban riga hands to shield Sudais as the courtier placed the Alkyabba around the confused man, moved back, and bowed before leading them to the convoy.

All the while, non-spoke as everyone was in utter confusion.

In the black Prado car, Sudais and Laila sat in the back seat with a driver and the courtier who wrapped Sudais in a cloak in the front seats.

Laila clasped her trembling hands on her shaky legs as she tried to push her negative thoughts aside.

It can't happen.

It won't happen. Insha Allah.

At the palace, Laila wasn't exaggerating, however, she could swear she could see thousands of people.

People, lots of them hovered over their cars as the convoy moved in slow motion immediately they were close to the palace.

Laila flinched at the sudden and massive amount of people encircling the car she was trapped in. She flinched further when there seemed to be a knock. She felt eyes on her, everywhere and nowhere. She turned around in fear only to meet Sudais's frown at her.

She had forgotten she wasn't alone and would be protected.

Pathetically, she cast her head down.

Get a grip, Laila.

It was debilitating talking every second to people she had never met as they got down from the car and walked to Sudais' mum's chambers, constantly stopping to answer condolences.

The trio passed rooms brim-filled with people they knew and didn't know until they were in the queen's biggest living room.

At the sight of the fair woman who was now in a shade of pink with women surrounding her, he attempted to take off the Alkyabba. His mum, hoisted her palm to stop him, shaking her head as she tried to muster a smile despite her jaded condition.

The room went quiet at that.

Instantly, Mima was by her side hugging her with no shades in sight which made her red eyes visible. A second or two went by before the women broke into violent sobs.

Sudais twisted his neck in search of Laila who stood behind him, contemplating on going to her mother-in-law, or waiting until her son made the move for the both of them. He placed a palm on the small of her back and applied pressure as he walked them to his mum. When they were a few feet from her, they dropped to their knees in sync and crawled further until they were almost hovering over the crying duo.

He couldn't hold it back, his brittle voice said, "Wayyo Babanmu! Bango ya fadi ina zamu jingina?"

"Allah," his mother reminded, shaking her head, "Munada Allah Abbati."

Sudais took in a sharp breath, faintly shaking his head in disbelief at the thought of never seeing his old man again.

His hands clasped his mother's and he brought it to his forehead. Eyes hidden, he clenched his teeth as he willed for the tear threatening to fall not to fall at the sight of his mother and sister.

Laila was close to the deceased or as close as she could get. He was her favorite person in the family. At the sight of women and even men all over the palace shedding tears- especially the man beside her and the 2 women opposite her, she couldn't help but sense her lacrimal glands already in motion.

Unconsciously, accompanied by the need to make the family feel better, she added a hand at the peak of her mother-in-law's cold ones that were enveloped in Sudais's warm ones.

Sudais' eyes flutter open to his mum. She sat with her back supported by the walls of her living room. Her eyes were shut and her face keens up. Mima shook less violently beside her and he quickly turned away from her sight to Laila's.

The feeling of eyes on her had her meeting his pink, teary ones, she promptly looked down, an unintentional tear gliding down her cheek before she sniffled and brought her other hand to Mama's knees.

Sudais brought the hands of his mum and Laila's to his lips to give them a long kiss.

Laila and Sudais sat on their knees for hours and hours, but it was only about an hour.

In a husky and forced voice, Sudais inquired. "Toi Maijidda? (Where's Maijidda?)"

Mama's eyes remained closed as she said, "They should be here soon. She, Muri, and Hafsy had to branch by Minna to pick Mino."

He nodded in understanding.

In over an hour or so, he slowly released his mum's hands, hating the fact that he had to go as the time for the ritual bath and prayer was approaching.

"Min dilli. (I have to go.)"

He stood up, this time with more determination to get the Alkyabba off him as he ventured to his next destination.

Subsequent to Isha's Prayer, the family gathered in the largest front room to announce a particular topic.

Queen Baraka sat at the head of the arrangement on the ottoman similar to what everyone else sat on. On her adjacents sat Adda and Mama kaka. Next were Aisha and Bello with his wives. Adjoining them were Mino and Maijidda on opposite sides. Alongside them sat Muri, his wife, and Hafsy. At the other end of the arrangement sat Sudais with Laila by his right and Mima by his left.

Their expression held nothing less than what they were internally thinking. Why can't this wait?

Expect, it couldn't.

It wasn't a normal situation, so it'd be treated as one.

Mama cleared her throat, rubbing her palms as she tried to gather her voice.

She spoke, voice so low that the members on the other side had trouble picking up what she was saying. "I'm sorry." she went silent, bringing her palm to momentarily cover her eyes. When she started again, her voice cracked. "F-for our loss...Allah Yafo Baba Alhaji. (May Allah forgive Baba Alhaji.)"

With everyone's head cast low, strings of Ameen came forth. The room fell into another tension-filled silence before Queen Baraka spoke lowly, again. "Baba Alhaji was a good man. The best man..." she trailed off, not knowing what to say-how to say what she was about to say. How to clear up the tension, the confusion.

Her palms gestured at her now ex-co-wives. "Me, Hajiya Jummai, Hajiya Khadijat, the family doctor, and the second in command watched Baba Alhaji breathe his last in the late hours of yesterday." she paused to swallow the sob that was hiking up her throat. She let out a breath, a lone tear falling down her cheek.

Sudais took his sight off his mum to Mima.  As silently as the girl could, she cried into her palms.

He used that as an opportunity to grab and pull her flush to him. He draped a hand around her shoulder but didn't stop her from crying.

She needed to. And even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to stop her. Although he needed to let her know that in his egotistical way of trying not to show any emotion, he still cared about her.

A minute or two later, Mama picked up, "Amongst his last words were the khalimat Shahada. Alhamdulillah..."

A loud chorus of Alhamdulillah flew around despite their gloomy expressions.

She sniffled, nodding as if agreeing to the next words she was going to say. "He also left a wasiyah. It's in writing, but he said, and...I'll quote..." she stared at her Bello for long, then moved her gaze to Sudais. "If i die, crown Sudais Idris as the king of Adamawa state and not Bello Idris." gazes of everyone in the room clashed with the person adjacent or opposite to them, except that of two people: Bello and Sudais. The duo stared into the rug beneath them.

"That's not fair," Mino said.

Mama kaka agreed, "That's also what i said."

With a stronger voice, Mino directed her question at her step mum, "What reason did Baba have to do this?"

The room went devoid of an answer.

Queen Baraka stared at Sudais, who in turn stared at his older brother, his emotion unclear. Bello rose a similar rigid gaze at his younger brother.

This was not supposed to happen.

"Why would he choose Sudais?" Mino didn't feel the need to hide the distaste she had towards the decision of their dead father. "He has no qualities to lead. I mean," she gestured at Laila. "Look at who he married. Wata baqar bazawara. Who knows what-"

"Your father made his decision thinking about the betterment of the realm—I will not have someone, much less a child disrespect his decision less than 24 hours after his death, Amina!" The old lady also hated disrespect far more than anything in the world. Much less from a child.

Queen Baraka stared at Sudais who backed his stare to his lap as he heard another loud string of words. "If you have a problem with this compromise," her arm shot up and her index pointed at the door. "Get. Out."

Seconds of silence and then Mino was banging the door on her way out.

A few breaths later, Mama Kaka joined her.

Bello's first wife was next to join.

With a disgusted look at both his mother and brother, the rightful heir to the throne rose. "You chose him," his index pointed at Sudais, "He, who is not even your son to be king when i am the rightful heir?" It wasn't easy, but Bello had tried his best not to completely yell at his mother.

Queen Baraka's visage hardened at that. Her voice didn't falter, even though her heart ached at her circumstances. "I did not choose him, Bobbo, your dad chose him. And he is still my son. I raised all of you. I've never abused my role as the Queen. And I'll make sure no inequality befalls this family."

With a calm voice that even he couldn't understand how he could muster, he turned to Sudais. "What did you do? Why did you kill Baba Alhaji?"

Gasps flew around and only 2 people could speak.

Mama; "What is wrong with you, Bello?

Sudais; "What?"

Bello did not answer as he dangerously stalked Sudais, the rest of his family backing out of his way because of the hot and angry face he had.

"Who did you send to kill him?"

"I did not kill him!" Sudais yelled, his upper body slanted forward and rigid as steel, palms on the floor as he glared up at the brother he had never gotten along with.

Bello's trembling index pointed at the floor. "YOU KILLED HIM!"

"I DID NOT!"

"You jazzed him to give you the thrown and THEN YOU KILLED HIM!"

"I DID NOT KILL HIM! If there's anyone who would use jazz it's you!" Sudais screeched, standing up to get in his brother's face over the sounds of protests in the room.

"Stop it!"

"Daccu! (Stop it!)"

"Bello and Sudais, stop it, right this instant!"

Bello's trembling fist made square contact with Sudais' face as he bellowed, "You killed him," He didn't let Sudais recover as he groaned and added, "You've always wanted the throne!" Another punch, "You hated me for it!" Another one, "You've always acted like you were better than me to everyone!"

Bello rose his fist for another strike but was unsuccessful as Sudais hit his upper arm which had him tumbling back, then kicked the side of his stomach where it'd hurt him like a bitch.

He rose another fist and shouted only to freeze mid-air at the teary woman that intercepted.

Straining himself so he wouldn't yell at the woman, he dropped his hand and used the other to wipe the thick hot liquid slowly running down from his nose. "Mama!"

The entire room went pin drop silent at that. Most held their breaths, while Bello and Sudais' charged-up breaths displayed on their fast-heaving chests.

Queen Baraka took a deep breath as a lone tear fell down her pink, swollen face. "Let's all sit down, please."

Most did, except Sudais who was in a glaring contest with his brother and no longer had the energy to wipe the blood that was now dripping down his white squeezed-up kaftan.

"The two of you, sit."

Moments passed by before Sudais grumbled and went back to his position, legs crossed Indian style, wrist on the opposite sides of his knees, shoulders square, body as steel, the only indication that he was breathing was the angry noises coming from the back of his throat as his chest heaved.

The aging woman turned from Sudais to Bello who was shaking like a club, skin pink; mirroring both hers and Sudais'. "Are you not going to sit down?"

He turned his glare to his mum. It immediately faltered as he met her equally venomous glare. But, he was done falling for her glares.

With as much respect as he could gather, which was little, he stepped back and addressed. "No, i will not. I will not sit one more time and watch you give what's mine to this boy. I will only sit down in this house again when my rightful seat has been returned to me."

Mama shook her head, her voice tight but wobbling up and down. "I said sit down, Bello."

"I have had enough!" His tone dropped, almost as if he wanted to cry. He did look like it too, he had tears gathered in his eyes just like everyone else in the room. "You've put this boy above me every single time because of your deranged guilt over his dead mum. Get over it. He is not—" his outburst was caught midway, an intense open-handed slap knocking the breath off him before he instinctively held the site of assault to turn to his mother, eyes wide and breath coming back in full force.

She stared back at him with no remorse for slapping him whatsoever.

In a second, Sudais and Aisha were standing by Queen Baraka. Aisha was the first to speak, pointing a threatening finger at him. "That is enough! A nani yam? A yinni na? (Do you hear me? Are you mad?)"

"Don't talk to me like that!" Bello yelled, whacking Aisha's hand from his face.

"Why won't she talk to you like that?" Sudais stepped in, stabbing a finger at Bello's chest who immediately shoved him away.

Things escalated again. This second, they weren't fighting. The next they were.

Sudais groaned as he viciously lifted his steel fist and stroked it into his brother's face. A loud crack came before everyone was yelling.

"Ya ishe ku haka!"

"Kar ku mayar damu yara mana!"

"What is wrong with you two?"

"You killed Baba Alhaji!"

"Don't you dare accuse me of killing my dad!"

"Please! Stop this!"

"Baba Alhaji just died for Allah's sake!"

Queen Baraka took a deep breath before throwing her head back and screaming. "SHUT UP!" Her voice simmered down, and so did her head as she swiped a narrowed eye across the room, gritting out so it could get into everyone's thick skulls. "Everyone. Is. Talking. No. One. Is. Talking!"

There was always one thing about Queen Baraka; she spoke, and everyone wanted to listen.

The room froze and she added, body shaking and index pointing at the floor. "Now."

Again, everyone did, except Bello. Her eyes softened at him. "Please, sit down, Bello."

Bello's eyes flickered with a faraway look before shaking his head and defying her orders by storming out.

"Sit down, Please!" Her voice fluttered in desperation at the sight of her son storming out.

She sighed when he was out, forcing a strong face for the remaining family. "Qadr Allahu wa masha fa'al. (Allah has decreed it and what he has willed has happened.) They'll all come around, Insha—"

Laila was on her feet in a flash. Queen Baraka wasn't Sudais' mother? Who the hell was his mum then? He wasn't supposed to be next in line! How the hell did he end up a king? Why was he being accused of murder? Did he really do it?

In a low voice, despite the rage, Sudais said, "Sit down, Sadiya."

She didn't pay heed. Her legs moved until she was away from the stunned family.

What did they expect though? That she was going to prostrate in sujud to thank the almighty for making her queen? Absolutely not.

This was all she had been avoiding. All she had feared.

She left her house, her family, and her dad, just to end up here. AGAIN. Just to end up marrying a king, marrying someone exactly her dad.

No. No. No.

She avoided people on her journey to Sudais' flat considering it was dark and not many people knew her.

When alone, in the confines of Sudais' room, she unleashed her gut reaction. She yanked off her Jilbab and stomped on it.

The anger was still there.

So, in a desperate attempt to release herself from it, she let out a scream. Then another scream. And another, until her throat was as dry as the Sahara. She didn't stop there. Her frantic gaze swiped over the room until it landed on the made bed. She jumped on it and shoved down the pillows placed evenly. Accompanied with it were the white blankets and sheets.

It still didn't feel enough. God. Why didn't it feel enough? She needed something to keep her going. Something to distract her.

Her mind went blank for a minute until her eyes landed on their bags placed on the media chests. She hastily paraded to her bag and fought against the zip until it snapped. She hissed at that and went ahead to fish out her The guide; Pediatrics textbook and Obstetrics and gynecology textbook. Her journal, pen, and highlighters hit the top of her previous books.

She dipped her hands until she pulled out a spaghetti strap cotton pajama.

Laila stepped out of her itchy clothes, threw them to the other side of the room, and venture to the bathroom to pee, take a 3 minutes shower and brush her teeth.

She was feeling an ounce of anger less than she felt when she had barged into the apartment.

That disappeared and her anger came back ten times folds when a voice snapped at her.

"Do not ever walk out on my mum or me like that again."

Laila walked into the room until she found him at the door with crossed arms.

She scoffed. "Your mother?"

"Yes, my mother. She is my mother."

She nodded, walking over to her splattered textbooks on the bed and sitting Indian style.

The veins on his arms and forehead became prominent by the second. He was never one to be defied and Laila had made it her life mission to do exactly that. With bloodshot eyes that he didn't know of, he gritted. "You should listen to those who know best. Didn't nobody tell you that?"

She sucked in air through her teeth, swiping pages of topics she wanted to cover before she had to go tumbling back to school. "Well...didn't nobody tell you i don't care?" When he didn't reply, she shrugged. "I guess nobody did."

He stood rooted, staring icily at her as she nonchalantly turned page after page and muttered gibberish to herself. Or at least that was what he heard.

It was hard for him. Really hard having control his whole life then a woman from nowhere bounces in and decides to take that away from him. It was frustrating.

His annoying, taut voice strained her ears again. "My dad just died, Sadiya. Are you kidding me?"

She halted, her eyelids closing before she let out a deep breath.

Okay.

Maybe she was being insensitive. Too insensitive to him considering he just lost his dad and got announced as king the next minute. Or killed the man to get the throne.

Okay Laila, but from what she had gathered being with him, he didn't seem like the one to kill to get something. But then, it was hard believing it now that he was announced king and his brother blatantly accused him as if he knew something. Or it was...God! It was frustrating even thinking about it.

She lifted her head, face devoid of the guilt she was pushing down. "I don't. Which is why you shouldn't have married me."

His pupils constricted at her choice of words and before he could stop himself, his arms were thrashing as he stepped closer to the bed. "Oh. So, I'm the one to blame here right?" He stabbed a finger at his chest, his head shaking as the vein on his forehead looked as if it was about to pop out. "I never wanted you. I was just infatuated with you. But shitty personalities do not show in pictures, I shouldn't have been that stupid!"

Fire was what Laila felt. A burning fire was what settled down in her chest as she started to feel the signs of hypoxia kick in. She took off her specs and placed them on her textbooks as she rubbed her eyes, too stunned to get coherent words out of her mouth.

"What?" His voice came again. "All of a sudden cat got your tongue?" He was a few inches from the bed and seemed to relive the sight of her exhausted and hurt figure. "This is a marriage of convenience. We know that. We can—"

"Well, then i want a divorce. And I'm keeping the kids." Maybe Laila just wanted him to stop talking, but she smiled after her sarcastic comment to frustrate him further, her eyes scribbling down his red eyes, blood oozing/dried nose, and tight lips.

"Really?" He scoffed, dropping his hand to look up as if to ask himself, 'Sorry, but really? This is what i gotta deal with less than 48 hours after my dad's death?' He turned to her again, this time around, he didn't yell. "It's cute, you know. I thought there was a redeeming bone in your body. I was wrong," He turned around to leave the room but stopped at another thought. He walked to the door and widened it. "Get. out. of. my. room."

She picked up her books to shove them in her bag and smiled at him when she turned around. "With pleasure."

I will edit later insha Allah😭