Twelve

"What were you doing in there with him?" Michael asked Apeke immediately she came out of the prince's Chambers.

"Talking."

"Just talking?"

"Look,if you've got something to say ,then say it. If not ,get out of my way." Apeke was pissed. What was wrong with him? Was he just jealous or did he not trust her at all?

"Apeke."He called out to her but she ignored him and walked away instead. She walked towards the lake.

...

"Jumoke what are you up to?" prince Adelaja asked Princess Jumoke.

"What do you mean?"

Did he find out that she had gone to the village? Jumoke wondered.

"Don't try to pretend. I know you went to see Apeke ."

She must have told him,the little tatle tale.

"Oh,so this is about her. Are you really going to pick a fight with me because of her?"Jumoke and Adelaja had been really close even before they could walk. She didn't want to believe that their bond could be broken so easily by a simple commoner.

"I'm not trying to pick a fight but I need to make something clear to you. Nobody forces me to make decisions I don't want to . Nobody. Not you ,not my mother,not anyone. It is my decision who I want to marry and you will not go around bullying my people just because you feel insecure. Are we clear?"

"Crystal."

"Good."

...

Fabunmi and the head queen were busy talking when Apeke walked out of the crown prince's Chambers with Michael hot on her trail. 'Apeke,what are you doing?'Fabumi wondered if this was why she was refusing to marry the crown prince.

She was blinded by infatuation. She was only being silly. She would learn to love Adelaja. Why couldn't she see that?

"Do you know why your daughter refuses to marry my son?"The head queen asked. She hadn't seen what Fabunmi had.

"I don't ,your highness but I promise you I will make her understand. She will agree to this alliance."Fabunmi vowed.

"She had better."

...

"I'm sorry." Michael apologized. He had overreacted as he was blinded by jealousy.

They were at the lake now. Apeke turned to him and said,"It's okay."

Michael heaved a sigh of relief. He was glad she was no longer angry with him.

He held her hands and said,"I want you to be mine. I realise that I haven't even asked you that. "

"Yes." Apeke smiled. She was truly happy in that moment and she didn't want it to end. She dreaded the future and what it held for her. What it held for them.

Micheal held her hands,pulled him to himself and kissed her. She didn't expect him to do that but she was glad he did. She loved how it made her feel when he placed his soft lips on hers.

She wished to stay in this moment forever. She didn't want to worry about the future.

She was just going to have to enjoy this moment and hope the future wasn't going to be nearly as bad as she was beginning to think it would be.