Chapter Three (Supposed Farewell)

Prince Jade

Jade paced the path leading outside of town. In a matter of days, he would take this same path toward Bayero. Few people frequented the route, so he chose this place to meet with Mirabel. It was supposed to be his special farewell and to mend the chasm the past weeks had dug between them.

He checked his watch and concluded that she wouldn't be coming tonight. He wondered why Mirabel decided not to meet him, except maybe she was still very much angry about his attitude of the past weeks. He was wrong for ghosting her, but he couldn't risk seeing her because seeing her meant telling her things he wasn't supposed to. And besides, he had so much on his plate.

He waited a little longer before finally leaving, concluding that his message didn't reach her as he returned to the palace.

Jade fooled himself into thinking that he didn't want to get her in trouble; that's the reason he always met her in secret. But he knew better and wasn't completely honest about his reasons for meeting her secretly. He finally admitted he was a coward, afraid of disappointing his parents.

Jade pushed the condemning thoughts away and hurried back towards the palace. Was he scared to meet her publicly? He quickly erased the thought and hurried back the way he came.

***

"Must you go on this journey?" the queen wiped at her eyes, pleading with her son as they stood on the path away from the kingdom of Afonja.

Jade pulled his mother to his solid chest. "Mother, you know I must. If there was a time, I needed to prove myself worthy of being a prince, I think it is now."

He held his mother at arm's length to look at her face. The past three weeks have taken a toll on her physically and emotionally. She looked lean, and her eyes were sunken. Jade had no choice but to inform his mother about the situation in the kingdom. His father might not have approved, but he had no choice but to tell the queen of their present predicament, especially now that he had to travel to speak with Badejo of Bayero in person.

"My child, is there no other way?" Her voice was placatingly mellow.

"I think this is the best way. Our men are being attacked by Bayero men. And our land might probably be under a possible attack. I can't just sit and do nothing, while father recovers his health."

"Jade, my dear child, you know Badejo of Bayero is not an easy man. He is selfish, treacherous, and conceited. There is a reason your father treads gently and wisely around him: to keep him as an ally, not a foe."

Jade watched his mother's voice rise a notch, desperate to make him understand he was entering the lion's den.

"I know all these things, Mother. And that's why I'm going on a peace treaty." Jade explained patiently, "And you know that Badejo would take us more seriously if I made the journey on my own. He would think it as a sign of respect to him for Father to have sent me instead of just another servant. He might be more obliged to reason this way, Mother."

His mother must have seen the resolution on his face; she sighed and threw up her hands, walking a distance away from him. "I know that look on your face; you are too much like your father. Anytime you have that look on your face, it means there's no turning back."

"I'm afraid so, mama" He walked gently back towards his mother, "Please take care of father, and don't tell him I went to Bayero kingdom. I will be back before he begins to notice my absence."

The queen snorted, "Go tell that to someone who doesn't know your father. You know, he can be perceptive. I doubt the dust would settle on your departure before he notices your absence."

"All the same, find a way to dissuade him from worrying about me. The day will break soon, I better get going," he said after observing the darkness in the sky gradually give way to dawn. "I should leave now." He helped his mother adjust the heavy cloak around her shoulders to protect her against the cold and as a form of disguise. Staring in the direction of Jeromi and five others of their solid and trusted guards with lamps in one hand and sword in the other, waiting to attack any threat to their prince and queen, he signaled to him to take his mother home while three of the guards prepared to follow him.

Jade quickly gave queen Ewaade a peck on the cheek, turned his back, and proceeded to where he tied his horse. He rode away without a backward glance at his mother. They could board a bus at the nearest town, but someone might recognize them, and he couldn't risk that, so they had to ride on horseback even if it meant the journey would take longer.