Chapter nine

MMA'S POV,

Visiting my mother during weekends is what I always look forward to every week, I hastened up my feet when I sighted the small hut I and my mother lives in.

"Mama I'm back" I shouted once I entered the empty room we use as our sitting room. I stopped and searched the room with my eyes when I heard no sound.

"Mama" I increased my voice but there was no response.

"Did she went somewhere without locking the doors?" I asked myself as I kept the cellophane bag containing foods I was holding on the ground and went outside. I sat down on a log of wood we usually use to relax outside as I wondered where my mother might have gone to.

I was taken at the sound of strange noise coming from the bathroom at the extreme of our compound which I ignored. The sound came again and I was curious to know the cause of the noise. I took a long stick near me as I gently walked towards the bathroom ready to strike any intruder.

My eyes widen at the sight of my mother in the bathroom struggling with her breath.

"Mama" I screamed dropping the stick as I immediately run towards her.

I tried to carry her up which was not easy for me.

"Mama, what is happening to you, why are you lying down in the bathroom?" I asked while trying to lift her up.

"I'm okay, h..e..lp me u..p" she said with an inaudible voice as I supported her to get up.

"Mama you don't seem fine to me" I said while applying hot water on her forehead.

"Mma, you worry too much, I'm fine" she said with a faint smile but that also increased my worry.

"Mama, you can't tell me you are fine when I saw you lying down in the bathroom, mama what is happening to you" I said as tears trickled down from my eyes.

"My child, you know I hate seeing you cry" she said as she cleaned my tears with the back of her hands "I promise you I will be okay, I have met mazi Uche the herbalist and he gave me some herbs so there is nothing to worry about" she said as I stared at her not knowing what else to do. I felt like I can't leave her to stay alone while I serve at the palace.

"What if I was not around today, she might had been in the bathroom even till now" I thought to myself while staring at her as she was already dozing off.

Mrs Obi's POV,

I escorted my daughter to the wide road that leads to the palace as I went back to the house, I placed my hand on my left breast as I tried my best to endure the deep pain I was feeling on my left breast. I sigh when I remembered the words of the herbalist when I visited him because of the pains.

"Mrs Obi, your sickness is a strange one and I think what you need now is the help of a medical doctor which is hard to find in our kingdom. This is above my specialty so I advise you seek the help of a medical doctor" the herbalist said.

"But how can I get a medical doctor" I had asked because I knew Medical doctors are rare in the kingdom.

"As far as I know, there is no medical doctor in our kingdom but they are found in the city which is very far from our kingdom" the herbalist said.

"Maxi Uche, can't you help me? Atleast you can give me any herbs that will make the pain lessen, this pain is too much" I begged.

"I will give you some herbs that will help reduce the pains but they can't cure the sickness and you might die if you don't see a doctor anytime soon" the herbalist said.

"Woman watch where you are going to" I was interrupted by the voice of a bicycle rider as I looked around and found out I was really walking in the middle of the road.

Osondu's POV,

I was setting the table as the prince was busy with his phone. He suddenly kept his phone as he took one of the plates.

"I will serve myself" he said as I was surprised.

"My prince the queen will sack me if she sees you serving yourself" I said as he looked up at me.

"Can you do me a favour by not mentioning that woman's name?" He said almost like a question as I kept mute.

"You can join me" he said surprising me the more.

He walked towards me as he slowly sat me down on the seat opposite him. I sat down dumbstruck watching him serve the food.

"You don't have to stare at me like that, eat up" he said as he dug his spoon into the plate of food.

I gently scooped a little amount of the food into my mouth while watching him too.

"My personal maid, it seems you two are fond of each other" he suddenly said while busy with his food.

I looked round the dinning room in fear praying no one bargs into the room, I will automatically get sacked if anyone sees me eating in the same table with the prince.

"Are you okay" his voice brought me back to present.

"Uhm, I'm sorry I didn't heard you" I said.

"I'm talking about one of my personal maids, her name is Mma, what's your relationship with her?" He asked as I almost choked on my food.

"My prince, she is no one to me" I said immediately.

"That wasn't my question" he said as he fumbled with his phone.

"My prince I have no relationship with her" I said not understanding his weird behavior.

"Still not my question" he was still staring at his phone.

Sudden sweats appeared on my forehead as I ran out of what to answer him.

"I have not seen her since two days, do you have an answer to that?" He asked again making me wonder the sudden interest from him.

"She went to visit her mother" I replied.

"I see" he said as he kept his phone and focussed on his food.

Mma's POV,

I gently knocked on the door while waiting for the permission to enter, I wouldn't like to meet any obscure sight so I choose to stay outside until I get an approval to come inside as I was not in the mood to be reprimanded.

"Come in" I heard his deep voice as I gently pushed open the door.

I entered the room but was surprised as the vase of lily has already been replaced with a fresh one and the bed dressed.

"Good morning my prince but who.." I said pointing at the bed and the vase.

"I did" I was surprised by what he said.

"I heard you visited your Mother?" He asked while staring intently at me.

"Yes my prince, I'm sorry I left without informing you" I said as I almost knelt down.

"Hey don't kneel down, so how is she?" He asked as I was taken by surprise by his question. At a point I considered disclosing my suspicion about her looking unhealthy to him after all he was a medical doctor but I decided against it, I can't possibly expect him to help me out, the queen will kill me if she hears that.

"She is okay my prince" I replied while avoiding his steady gaze at me.

"Okay, your morning duty has been done already, courtesy of me so you can leave" he said as I nodded.

"Mma" he suddenly called as I turned to his direction.

"Stop overworking yourself, you are looking skinny" he added as I stared at him in surprise.

"Okay my prince" I replied.

"You can get some rest now" he said as he went towards his bed and lied down.