Chapter 37: The Bonds of Love and Unexpected Connections

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Upon his return to the palace, Prince Rogba was summoned by his father, the king. The room felt heavy with anticipation as the king's gaze fixated on the world outside the window. Breaking the silence, the king's voice held a frosty edge as he inquired, "You stand before me, Prince. Is it true that the tendrils of love have ensnared your heart?"

Prince Rogba met his father's gaze squarely, his own expression unwavering. "Yes, Father," he replied, his voice steady despite the weight of the moment.

The king's brows furrowed, his curiosity mingling with a touch of disapproval. "Is she truly the catalyst behind your decision to relinquish your birthright, or does she stand as the very reason for it?"

In that tense moment, truth hung in the air, waiting to be acknowledged. "Father, I implore you not to misconstrue my intentions or give heed to the circulating rumors," the prince pleaded, his voice carrying a hint of desperation.

"Why should I place trust in your account of events? Your act of valor in capturing a wielder of dark magic may have resurrected your reputation within the palace, yet my skepticism persists," the king retorted sharply. "Did you select her, aware that the Ida's clan and our royal domain are as incongruent as a dog and a lion?"

The prince's own emotions flared, his voice laced with a potent mix of frustration and conviction. "Father, I beseech you, believe me when I say that my affection for Arẹwa is genuine. My allegiance to safeguarding our realm remains unshaken."

The king's stern expression remained steadfast, a mixture of apprehension and concern. "Your words come across as mere justifications. Your actions, propelled by impetuous feelings, have failed to recognize the gravity of the situation. Do you not understand how precarious your choices have made our kingdom?"

"I have not endangered our kingdom," the prince retorted, his resolve unyielding. "My love for Arẹwa has not clouded my judgment. Do not hold me accountable for destroying what you and your fore fathers have meticulously built."

A moment of realization flashed across the king's eyes, his own guilt and conflict laid bare. He pulled his son into an embrace, acknowledging the wounds that time and circumstance had inflicted upon them all. The shadow of his late queen loomed large, a poignant reminder of his absence when his family needed him most.

At the imperial hospital , Sewa, Ifafunto, the fifth prince, and the lady with her baby reached the imperial hospital. As Sewa extended aid to the lady and her infant, the fifth prince's unexpected actions cast a bewildering light upon him. Doctor Dayinsi, an observer of this unfolding scene, hesitated in his approach. His hesitance stemmed not only from his own affection for Sewa but also from the oddity of the fifth prince's behavior.

"I can handle this," the fifth prince declared, a statement that resonated with an undercurrent of protectiveness. The contrast was stark; his past hostility towards Sewa had been replaced by something else entirely.

Sewa's gaze held a mixture of surprise and intrigue as she watched the fifth prince tend to her wounds with a gentleness she hadn't expected. The lines between their roles had blurred, and a silent understanding passed between them.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing," Doctor Dayinsi muttered, his hands poised to assist but now stilled by the unfolding tableau.

Sewa's protests were silenced as the fifth prince attended to her injuries. A question lingered in her eyes, a query she could no longer suppress. "You followed me to the mountain, in secret?"

His response was calm and measured, his gaze never leaving hers. "Yes, I did."

As Sewa grappled with this revelation, her skepticism surfaced anew. "Why? You've shown me nothing but disdain until now."

The fifth prince's voice held a touch of vulnerability, exposing layers of emotions he had concealed. "The danger you faced illuminated emotions I was not prepared to confront. I could not stand idly by and allow harm to befall you."

Sewa's skepticism lingered, though curiosity now mingled with it. "You followed me, discreetly?"

"Yes," he replied, his affirmation resolute.

A soft voice broke the tension, carrying innocence that provided a moment's respite. "Daddy," a young girl approached, her arms reaching out to embrace the fifth prince.

"Daddy's a bit busy right now, sweetheart," the fifth prince said, his tone warm and loving as he redirected her attention.

Undeterred, the child pressed on. "Daddy, are you finally going to live with us?"

The revelation struck Sewa like a bolt of lightning. She glanced between the fifth prince and his daughter, the pieces of a puzzle beginning to fit together. "Are you moving in with us?" she questioned, her tone guarded.

The fifth prince met her gaze with a challenge, a hint of tenderness lurking beneath the surface. "I already have."

Sewa's disbelief was palpable, her reaction visceral. "What? Have you lost your mind?"

His eyes locked onto hers, a mixture of determination and vulnerability in his gaze. "Would you prefer our daughter to grow up without her father by her side?"

Caught off guard by the sudden shift in dynamics, Sewa's resistance faltered. As her defenses wavered, a small voice rose above the turmoil. "Mama, Papa," the little girl called, the embodiment of an unexpected connection between two souls.

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