CHAPTER 5

Why are you being so difficult ?

He looks at me with his insistent look and I walk beside Bélinda who stares at me from top to bottom. I don’t know what I’m feeling right now. I just know that I am uncomfortable. Her hateful looks that the other servants throw at me, are no longer true looks. They’re guns pointing at me, so I can feel their jealousy. They’re just waiting for the green light to shoot me down.

The Prince- You are going to change rooms tonight.. He says standing up to face us. That way I’ll give you time to get used to the idea that you’re going to work for me.

Bélinda- All right, my prince. She bows and I imitate her without saying a word.

I don’t want to speak to this man, we’re both enemies.

The Prince-You have something to add Amina? He says leaning towards me with a smile.

The Prince- So I will be a good prince and introduce you to your room. Follow me. He smiles at us and walks towards the exit and we follow him under the envious gaze of the other servants.

Bélinda- My Prince? She starts by pushing me to be next to him. Why did you choose me?

The Prince- I said it earlier.

Bélinda- Yes, but..

I stop listening to them and focus on my survival plan in a room alone with Bélinda. I don’t know how, I’ll do it? First I have to have a discussion with her about the cinema she did earlier.On prends les escaliers et je remarque que c’est le couloir qui ramène à la chambre du Prince. We take the stairs and I notice that this is the corridor that leads back to the Prince’s room. I frowned and watched him stand in front of a door, which was two doors from his room.

The Prince- This is your room. He said when he opened the door.

We enter a large room, much larger than the one we had downstairs. It is in order, tidy. There are two beds with two green blankets; on the bed next to a window, there is an orange towel; on the floor, a white carpet where two pairs of slippers are placed. I step forward to look out the window at the royal garden. The view is really beautiful from here.

Bélinda- What is today’s agenda, my prince?

The Prince- I’ll let you settle down and in 10 minutes, I’ll need your services. I’ll be in the guest room waiting for you, so I’ll leave you to it.

He leaves and I close the door by blowing. I don’t believe it, it’s the beginning of a nightmare.

Bélinda- You and I are in competition from now on.She says by sitting on her bed.

-All right. So listen to me.What you did today, you will pay for it.

Bélinda- You don’t scare me. She laughs. Really your threats don’t bother me at all.

-Yeah whatever. I say by rolling my eyes. I go get my clothes.

Bélinda- I don’t care..

——-

A few minutes later, we reached the Prince in the guest room, serving him fruits and his favourite drinks. I thought we were gonna meet his friends, but he was all alone.

Bélinda- My prince, would you like me to bring you something else?

The Prince-Yes. I need you to make me a good meal. I heard you were a wonderful cooker.

Bélinda- Yes, my prince. She said with a smile. What dish do you want me to prepare for you?

He thought for a few seconds and asked her to prepare Pundu Madesu, a traditional dish from a neighbouring country, named Congo. It exists in other countries but under a different name.

The Prince-Go, my friends may not be long.

Bélinda- I’m going right now, she says when she leaves the room.

-I’ll help him.

The Prince-No. You stay with me. He says by grabbing my arm.

-Why?

The Prince- Because I decided so.

-I see.

So I stay by his side and remain silent. I always keep in mind that I cannot speak with him.Under the orders of the Queen and elsewhere, his social status and mine are totally different and I want to avoid taking the risk of disrespecting him as I have been able to do in recent days. Even if he deserved it.I find it strange that he is so calm today..

The Prince-You don’t want to talk? He asks nicely.

-I have no right to speak to you.

The Prince- Since when ?

-Always. I answer coldly.

The Prince- Look at me when I speak to you. He says by pulling me by the arm.

-You’re going to end up ripping off my arm if you go on, just stop being so violent. I say by blowing.

The Prince- All right. You won’t tell me why you can’t talk to me?

I look at him with my arms crossed. I close my eyes, trying to calm myself. He is right. He is the Prince and I am only a simple servant. When the Prince asks for something he must obey, very well.

-In fact, the dialogue between you and me is only supposed to be for the simple things, like I don’t know.. you ask me to do something for you and so on. On our side we maids have the right to only ask you if you need something and nothing else.

The Prince- It’s true that I didn’t see my father and my mother talking to their servants. But.. I think it’s tacky, I’m with a person all day and... I can’t even talk to them?

-Hmm,I shrugged my shoulders.

The Prince- I still have pictures of your father in my photo album. He says.

I look at him not knowing what to say. I did not know that they were close together so that he kept pictures of my father in his album. This is the first time, since I know this Prince, that I see him as serious. And it bothers me.. I am divided between breaking the law and not breaking the law by remaining silent.

The Prince- I didn’t know you were his daughter..

-Now you know.

That’s all I can get out of my mouth.

—————

The night had already fallen a few minutes ago, I was doing the dishes singing a little song. The Prince’s friends had a lot of fun today, I was able to attend their little rich discussion and I came out with my head full of questions.

It was yet another side of the Prince that I saw. He seems more sincere, less boring, and selfish. He seemed to have a heart. Until today I still don’t know what to think of him.

I left Bélinda in the room with the stars in my eyes. She is very happy to receive compliments from her Prince Charming on the dish she prepared. I told you, watching them eat, it looked like it was really good. In fact, the friends of the prince enjoyed her dish.

It made me happy to see all these people laughing and smiling in front of me, I had the impression of reliving the human side that is missing in this palace. Everyone’s too serious here.

Tendaji-Hey.He says by entering the room.

-Hi Sweetheart. I respond while I put down the last plate I had just washed.

Tendaji- I am completely tired. He says by taking a seat on a chair.

-Me too. How was your day?

Tendaji- Quite normal.. I drove the King and the Queen around. And this is it. Now, all I want it’s a big hug from my best friend.

I laugh and hold out my arms to him. He stands up and approaches me and I hug him hard.

-You feel better now?

Tendaji- Much better.

-You’re such a big baby.

Tendaji- I know, but you do the best hugging..

The Prince-hum. .hum. He enters the room scraping his throat.

I frowned and wondered what he was doing there, and detached me from Tendaji.

Tendaji-Good evening, my prince.

-Good evening, Prince. We both bow surprised to see him here.

Prince- Hi. I was just getting something.

Tendaji-It’s super weird. He tells me by whispering in my ear. I nod while avoiding laughing, it’s super embarrassing to see him in this state. He wears a set of dark blue pajamas with white stripes. He still manages to be elegant.

The Prince- You plan to stay like this watching me for how long. He says drinking his water bottle.

Tendaji- I think I’ll go.

-Stay here. I said, opening my eyes so that he would not leave me alone, but here he goes laughing.

The Prince- I understand you are running away from me? He says by sitting on the chair in front of me. We can for once talk like two adults.

-I already told you I can’t talk with you.

The Prince- You can’t or you just don’t want to talk with me ?

-Kind of both. I assume. Can I go to my room, my Prince?

The Prince-Okay..Amina What do you have with me huh? Why are you so difficult?

-Because now it is my fault? I said, crossing my arms. Need I remind you one more time that you and I can’t communicate because of our different social status.

The Prince- That’s what scares you so much? Our societal difference? Well.. He says disappointed. I was wrong about your case, your father didn’t care that I was the King’s son despite everything he loved me despite his status.

He looks at me from top to bottom and he takes his bottle with him and he leaves the room.