Someone is Watching Us

He had slept with her! He had slept with her despite trying so hard not to. 

He couldn't resist savoring her youthful body when she offered up herself despite his efforts to control himself! The shame he felt was deep. Even after her family showed him kindness, he treated her as if she were a common whore. Frustrated and angry, he forcefully stood up, determined to leave for Maribah immediately. How did he forget the most important thing? His life's sole purpose was to kill the king of Maribah for what he did to his father and reclaim his father's home. Yet, he found himself entangled with any attractive woman on his journey, causing immense shame. All the suffering and tough training during his youth seemed pointless if any woman could weaken him. Grunting in frustration, he dressed and stuffed his sword into his robe tied around his waist. In his anger, he noticed Ada stirring but refused to spare her even a glance.

"Where are you headed so early in the morning?"

"I've been here long enough; it's time to continue my journey."

"But we just made love and you enjoyed it. You can't leave!" Ada screamed, hastily covering herself with a wrapper and rushing to the door to stop Elim.

Elim was surprised by her dramatic reaction, pausing to study the beautiful lady who had given herself to him without reservation. What did she expect in return? For him to stay? He chuckled briefly before meeting her gaze with a cold stare. No woman could deter him from his goal, not even his estranged mother, if she were still alive.

"I'm sure you understood what you were getting into when you persistently offered yourself to me! You knew it might end in heartbreak. You don't know me, yet you want to claim me for yourself! Whatever happened between us is nothing more than a night's fling," he stated coldly, locking eyes with her.

"It meant more to me," she replied in a tiny, broken voice.

"I knew it would come to this, and that's why I rejected you on so many occasions. I'm sorry, but I can't mend your broken heart or stay here for more nights. Destiny calls, and I must answer," he said, pushing past her.

"No, please! Just one more night, then decide if what you're off to do is more important than hours of pleasure and possibly love with me!" She clung to him, trying to prevent him from leaving through the slightly opened door.

"I don't believe in love! You don't know me!" With that, he shrugged her hands off and left without looking back.

Ada crumbled in tears as he departed because deep down she had hoped that he might stay longer and perhaps fall in love with her after spending more nights together.

Elim wasn't one to be tied to any woman, and he repeated this to himself as he turned away from Ada and her home. Moving through the room towards where his horse was securely kept, he hoped to avoid encountering Ada's parents, feeling immensely ashamed of his actions. Breathing a sigh of relief, he was satisfied when he reached the back of the house without meeting anyone. Untying his horse, he mounted it and left the village of Akwara without saying a proper farewell to his generous hosts. Riding swiftly, the only thing on his mind was killing the king of Maribah. The rich man who had provided him with the money to do so had already directed him on how to enter and exit before the king's guards could react.

———

"It's just two days until your royal wedding. You must be thrilled and proud. Once you're married, Father will pressure me to find a suitable match," Nena remarked as they each settled into their beds for sleep.

Zeep, usually full of pride, didn't respond in her usual manner. Instead, she nodded and curled up in bed, reflecting on everything Prince Mayo had said to her. She couldn't share any of it with her sisters. It had been three days since she last saw him, and he hadn't inquired about her, even though they were soon to be married. It seemed he disliked her, but she brushed it off. Being the prince's bride was what mattered most.

"Are you not happy about your marriage, Zeep?" Nena asked, exchanging curious glances with Asha over Zeep's unusual quietness.

"Can't you see I'm trying to sleep? Tomorrow, I'll be asked to come to the palace to learn about running the royal house. Stop with the questions, Nena. You're becoming as irritating as Zeep!" Zeep retorted.

Nena grunted angrily and covered herself with a wrapper. Asha watched them until she was sure they were asleep. She then picked up another lamp in the room, lighting it to embark on her spying adventure with Nemere. Soon, they would catch up with Prince Mayo and Soma.

"Anything? Have you seen Soma yet?" Asha inquired when she met Nemere at the back of the house, not far from the palace where they usually met.

"No, she might be inside or not. I'm not sure. But I've been assigned to work in the palace tonight, and I think we can both sneak in for a better view of what the Prince and Soma are up to."

"And then, when we catch them red-handed, you must quickly inform my sisters and maybe anyone of high rank who would care to listen," Asha added.

"Do you think it'll work? Will they face consequences for playing such a dirty game?"

"For my sake, I hope the king embarrasses and punishes both of them in public." After discussing and ensuring no one else was in the streets, they stealthily entered the palace.

"I think the garden will be the best place to observe whatever is happening in the Prince's quarters," Nemere suggested hastily as they moved cautiously through the palace to avoid arousing suspicion from the guards on watch.

"There's a pathway from the garden outside the palace, so we don't have to go through the main or back door when we're done. Only a few people know about it!" she continued as they hurried towards the garden, pretending to be servants. Their plan seemed brilliant to them, but they had no idea that very night would change Asha's life forever.

The garden was serene, the perfect spot to spy on the prince and his secret companion. Asha's heart pounded from racing to the garden and from the fear of being caught while spying. However, since the servants had all retired, the garden was empty. Asha and Nemere hid behind the orange tree used for decoration, offering a clear view of the corridor leading to both Prince Denna and Prince Mayo's rooms.

Asha tried not to dwell on what had transpired in Denna's room as her eyes were drawn to it.

"Look!" Nemere whispered when she saw two figures standing close in Prince Mayo's corridor.

"I bet that's Soma!"

"It looks like her! A servant would never dress that way!"

——

"We should do this inside, my prince. This is not the place for us to engage in this."

"I don't care where or when anymore, Soma. I want you now, and besides, my servants may come at any time to attend to me at night."

"Just let them know you are bu—" Before she could finish, Prince Mayo silenced her with a moist kiss, his hands fumbling to remove her wrapper.

"You're not a patient lover, are you?" Soma asked, amazed at the idea of having the prince to herself, especially before Zeep. Maybe, one day, she would brag about it. She reciprocated the prince's hot kisses with an even more fiery one as he threw her robe open, gasping at the beauty of hot and fresh flesh in his hands. All day he had dreamed of this moment and now he could have her. 

"It's them! I can't believe this! Soma is such a snake! You must hurry and report to my sisters!"

"But they are asleep! How do I do that?"

"When you reach my home, Mezin should be awake and ready to answer the back door. Tell her you must speak to Nena, and that it is a message from me! They all want to know, especially since I am not in my bed."

Nemere nodded and hurried out while Asha continued to watch the lovebirds devour each other.

Soma suddenly turned and said, "I thought I saw someone!" Asha, seeing her looking, hid even more beneath the tree. She took a few minutes to calm her racing heart, fearing she had been caught. When she peeked out again, Mayo was whispering something to Soma, dragging her to a chair while both were naked. Asha gasped at their shamelessness, wondering what they were doing. She heard Soma gasp and hold the prince tightly as he drove himself into her, and she wished for them to be caught in the act, that very night. 

After riding through vast lands and forests, he finally reached Maribah. He had been there for a day, blending in, asking questions, and studying the environment to decide when he would strike. No one knew who he was, and he noticed that the King's guards were no match for him. He told himself he would strike that very night, and by morning, people would be mourning the king's death. He observed the drinking house in Maribah, tailing one of the guards who left his duty post for a drink.

Elim swiftly knocked out the guard when he was about to leave alone in the night and wore his uniform. Blending in with other guards, he followed the directions given by a maid who had succumbed to his soft-spoken approach. Her desirous eyes lingered on him as she discreetly pointed to the King's room.

Upon reaching the door, another guard stood watch. At the opportune moment, he planned to incapacitate him, enter the king's room, and complete his mission. Waiting for darkness and quietness to envelop the scene, and noticing the guard dozing off, he struck him with the back of his sword and stealthily entered the palace.

Inside the king's room, Elim moved silently, unsheathing his sword. However, what he saw on the bed halted him from plunging the sword into the king's belly. It was his mother – the thought echoed in his mind. A surge of emotions overwhelmed him. He ached to run his hand over her face, to let her know he was alive and in Maribah. Questions flooded his mind – did she still remember or even love him?

It was as if his mother sensed his presence in the dark shadow standing over their bed. Startled, she let out a loud gasp, and the king, rose alarmed, causing Elim to swing his sword at him and only managing to slice his arm, just as the footsteps of other guards echoed in the hall. In haste, he moved toward the garden, cutting through guards who stood in his path and running as fast as he could.

While this unfolded, Asha anxiously awaited Nemere's return with her sister, still observing Prince and Soma wiggling their waist and making strange noises as though they were dancing to an unknown beat. Suddenly, she noticed a man rushing into the garden wearing a guard's uniform. Fearful of being caught, she dashed out of her hiding spot, accidentally stumbling upon him.

He caught her, preventing her from falling. And for a fleeting moment, Elim found himself lost, staring into her eyes that glowed like the tiny lamp she held. Something about her reminded him of the girl who had continued to cry in his dreams. Yet, he had no time for that. He pushed her away and headed for the road leading from the garden, remembering the directions the rich man had provided to escape the palace.

Asha was confused by the chaos, from the men who had grabbed her to the loud noise from the place and sudden illumination of every room.

"Someone has been watching us! See!" Soma exclaimed upon noticing Asha darting towards the end of the garden in confusion.

"Please, you must catch her and ensure she tells no one what she has seen, or I am ruined," Soma cried, hastily covering herself.

Mayo hurried outside his room to see the entire palace in disarray, a guard screaming something he couldn't understand. He rushed to find the figure who had seen him and Soma, catching up with her as she frantically sought an escape route. 

Just as Asha had found the exit, a hand seized her, and she found herself face to face with Prince Mayo.

"You!" he growled. But before he could take action, the guards outside the garden screamed that the king had almost been murdered. 

Distracted, Asha managed to wriggle out of his grasp and rushed home, hoping she hadn't landed herself in serious trouble.