CHAPTER 9

Amina- I’m still waiting for your apology, my Prince.She starts by picking up the paintings that were on the floor.

-I apologize for what I said this morning; I really meant it..

She’s staring at me and I correct my sentence as fast as I can.

-I really didn’t mean it. There you go.I laughed.

Amina- Hahah, what a comic.

I sit on my bed and watch her arrange my room. It’s strange to say it but Amina, seems more comfortable to me today. Usually I feel like she’s always on the defensive. She never behave like other maids. I don’t know if it was meant to get my attention or she’s really like that.

As I look at her every day, I realize how much she looks like her father. She kept the same values.

Amina- Oh, my prince.She says, turning to me. Is that you in this picture? She said, holding up a frame with a picture of me when I was little.

-No. It’s my twin brother.

Amina- Ah! She said, rolling her eyes. How hilarious you are today.

-Hey! I forbid you to take me for an idiot.

Amina-Hum.. You look happy in that picture.

-'Cause now it’s different? I ask her curiously.

She takes her eyes off the frame and puts her eyes on me. I have the impression for a few moments that she is analyzing my thoughts, so she is taking her time. A silence thus settles, and for the first I feel myself in front of a person.

Amina-Hum.. She said by breaking the silence.Yes, I admit the little boy in this picture looks less arrogant than the man I have in front of me. The Prince Mosi in this photo exudes simplicity quite the opposite of what I see now.

-Ouch. I said, touching my heart.That’s hurtful!

She’s laughing, and I’m signaling her to sit next to me.

-To be honest with you, you are not wrong. I have changed a lot in the meantime... but it’s a bit normal, isn’t it? A prince must know how to be hard and firm to be respected.

Amina-That’s.. completely wrong.She admit by sitting next to me.

I look at her with frowning.

Amina-Don’t make that face. She Laughs.Let me tell you what my father used to tell me when I was young. So...

She starts by taking a break and I take the opportunity to look at her carefully. Why, all of a sudden I feel so comfortable with her? Her voice, her character pushes me to be myself. She never hesitated to put me in my place, when I could have fired her. I totally envy her friendship with Tendaji.

Amina-My prince, are you listening to me? She said, taking me out of my thoughts.

-Uh.. Sorry what did you say?

Amina- I said that a king does not have to be hard on his people. A king must be good and it’s by his goodness that he’ll be respected. She finishs with a smile.

-That’s true. And when you look closely, God the King of kings,rules this world with love. Why wouldn’t I do the same?

Amina- Oh wow. Am I talking to Prince Mosi or his twin.

-Ahaha. I said, rolling my eyes. How cruel you can be.

Amina- It is the usual lack of habit to see you think. She said honestly.

-If you continue, I will fire you.

Amina- I will say nothing more. She ends up covering her mouth with her hands.

-Yes, it’s better for you.

Amina-I continue my work otherwise we will be there all night long.

-I’m going to help you. I say by getting up.

She frowns when she catches a garment on the floor.

-You? Help me?

I wave my head up and down, straightening up the lamps that had fallen. I don’t see her doing all this and just sitting back. She agreed to help me, why not give her the camera back?

-Amina?

Amina- Yes, my Prince?

-Did you really mean all that nastiness about me? I sincerely ask him.

Amina-Uh... she said when she stopped. Yes.

Amina- I don’t know everything depends on you. Why you ask me all this question.

I shrug my shoulders and keep put away my clothes.

______

-POV Amina-

The next morning, after my very long evening with the Prince, I woke up completely exhausted. I stretch myself and notice that Bélinda is not in her bed. I do not pay attention and get up to prepare. After I finish, I go down to the kitchen to prepare the Prince’s breakfast. It is already six o'clock in the morning, the prince will soon wake up. I take a tray, and I put down two milk pies, donuts and a glass of orange juice. And I go upstairs and serve it in his room.

After the intense evening we spent yesterday fixing up his room, I wonder if he’ll be able to get up today. This is the first time I’ve had such a good time with the prince without any argument. He wasn’t arrogant, or distant or mean. It was quite the opposite. I was even surprised. He offered to help me, and we went faster than we thought.He’s not that stupid. I laugh and bite my lip and knock on his door waiting for him to open it for me.

The Prince-Come in, he said in a deep voice.

I push the door with my elbow, being careful not to overturn the tray, and I enter the room by greeting him. As usual, the prince hates t-shirts, he’s always shirtless, I’m getting used to it. I put the tray on his bed and wait for his consent for me to leave.

The Prince-Thank You.

I smile and turn around to get out of the room.

Prince- Wait, you don’t even ask me if I slept well?he asks while drinking his orange juice.

-Did you sleep well? I repeat looking at him strangely.

He looks at me and looks away while smiling. But what’s wrong with these guy ?

The Prince- Yes I slept well. He answers. I thought of something all night long.

-Can’t you tell me after? I’m really busy right now.

Prince-No Amina, you know very well that you are the only person I can talk to about this.

-And what is that?

The Prince- It’s about the Kingdom.

-Okay, but not now, maybe tonight. I don’t want to get the queen’s wrath.

The Prince- So,tonight at midnight in my garden by the bridge. I’ll wait for you there.

I shake my head and get out of his room. Suddenly the Kingdom became so important to him, I do not know what impact our discussion had on him but I am surprised. So I go downstairs to finish my work in the kitchen. As I entered the room, I found Bélinda sitting on the table filing her nails. I ignore it and head for the oven to see if the chicken hasn’t burned.

Belinda- It took you long enough. She starts by staring at me.

-Hello Bélinda, how are you?

Bélinda- Oh please spare me your nonsense. Why do you hang out so much with the prince huh? Already yesterday the scene of the car and today. You think I can’t see behind your little game.

-I don’t know what you’re talking about. I answer him calmly. I’m just doing my job.

Bélinda- Don’t look at me like that, I’m not your friend or one of your poor family members.

-Oh, wow.I’m afraid. I say by rolling my eyes.

I honestly don’t even know what Bélinda has against me. It’s true that she behaves badly, but I’m sure that deep down she’s not like that.

The queen walks into the kitchen, scraping her throat, pulling me out of my thoughts.

-Good morning, my Queen. I say with a bow.

Bélinda-Good morning my queen.

The Queen-Prepare three glasses of juice and snacks, we have a guest.

Bélinda-Why three glasses when there is only one guest My queen?

The Queen- Just do what I tell you to do and avoid stuffing your nose everywhere. Amina, I want the three glasses ready in two minutes.

-Yes, my Queen. She ends up coming out of the kitchen

Bélinda- But who’s this guest ?