Chapter Two - Come With Us

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Ajinke's POV;

I cannonball into the water, and once I make it in, I begin to pray to the goddess to work some wonders and make me vanish out of these waters. However, I can only hold my breath for so long.

I pull my head out of the water, and my gaze is met by the icy glare of the prince. Prince Adebiyi. He is the only son of the king and queen, and his coronation is fast approaching.

So, I just barged in on the soon-to-be king's bath. I'm dead.

The royal guards soon grab me and pull me out of the water. It is disrespectful, and unheard of, for anyone to barge in on the prince's bath. Only his relatives are allowed to do that.

This river belongs to the royal family, and they use it for whatever they want. However, only the prince comes here to bathe. He seems to love this river, and his guards guard around the river to stop ladies from disturbing him.

The only place they don't guard is the cliff I just jumped from, cause no normal person is crazy enough to try to jump from that height.

I guess I've changed that notion now.

I freeze in fear when I hear the barking of dogs, and I turn around, only to find the three creatures running towards me, and the fat Mr. Adigun trying to catch up with them.

In a panic, I begin to step back, but trip over something, and fall back. I'm about to land back in the water when I am suddenly caught. I look up, and my intestines shrink on seeing who caught me.

My dirty self is in the prince's arms. Oh, god! Who did I offend!? Ajinke, you are dead today.

A guard suddenly pulls me up,

"Sorry, sir. "He says to the prince. Holding my upper right arm with a firm grip, while I stare in horror at the fast-approaching dogs.

Mr. Adigun then blows a whistle after seeing the prince, and the dogs stop running in sync. I watch the prince tie his wrapper around his waist, and Mr. Adigun bows before him.

"Your highness, good morning. " Mr. Adigun greets, and the prince nods.

Blood of my father! I'm dead, my end has come! If this man tells the prince what I've done, there will be no redemption for me. Stealing first thing on a Saturday morning.

"Good morning, how may I help you? " The prince questions Mr. Adigun, and the man shoots a demonic glare at me.

"Your highness, this girl. She's a thief. She stole my mangoes! And not only that, she jumped into the royal river, while you were in it.

She's a nuisance in the village. She should be stoned to death for stealing and disrespecting the royal river! "Mr. Adigun says, and my throat dries up.

" I did not steal anything oh! "I exclaim in a bid to save my life, but the prince simply stares at me before turning back Mr. Adigun.

"We would do no such thing. " The prince replies in the deepest, the calmest but still most threatening voice I've ever heard.

"Your highness, she entered the royal river, she has to be stoned to death for such disrespect.

She has no right to be in the royal river. She's a thief and just a common... "Mr. Adigun begins,

" Wife. She's my wife. "The prince cuts him off, and thunder and lightning begin a show of the century in my head.

Mr. Adigun, I, and the guards are all stunned by the prince's words.

When did I get married? And that too, to the only prince of Akomojo village!? Without my own permission!

"Ehn? "Mr. Adigun questions and the prince turns to me. I almost swallow my tongue when he moves towards me.

He stands beside me, and the guard lets go of me. I gasp slightly as I feel the prince's arm around my waist. I stare up at him in horror and plain confusion.

"Isn't that right? " He questions me. Looking down at me, and I gulp.

"Y... Yes. " I reply. Before looking down at my bare feet. I'm slowly turning cold with fear.

"So, are you calling my wife a thief? " The prince questions and I keep my gaze on my feet.

"What? N... No sir. How can she be your wife? She's The daughter of the late Alao. She's the girl with bad luck. "Mr. Adigun says, and a pang of pain erupts in my heart.

"Are you arguing with me? " The prince questions Mr. Adigun with a stern voice, and I almost jump in fear.

"No, your highness. " Mr. Adigun replies.

" I said this young lady is my wife. I expect you to respect that and walk away.

Except you want me to inform the king that you called me a liar, and are being disrespectful to you future queen. "The prince replies, and at the last words, my heart dings in panic.

" Did you steal? "The prince questions me, and I take a second to think. Should I just come clean, and accept whatever punishment I get? 'Cause I honestly don't understand what motive the prince could have for calling a stranger who's been accused of stealing and being bad luck, his wife.

"No. " I blurt against my will, and I look up and find the prince smiling.

"You may leave, sir. " The prince says to Mr. Adigun.
Stunned by the unimaginable view before him, he obeys without a single question.

His dogs follow after him like they are also confused by what just happened, as they constantly look back at the prince and me.

The prince doesn't take his hand off me till Mr. Adigun is out of view. Then he gently removes his hand.

"Bring them out. " He suddenly says to me, and I almost die of a heart attack. I look up at him in shock. He knows I stole!?

Should I keep this lie that I didn't steal?

I look up at him again and find him glaring at me. In fear and utter embarrassment, I put my hand into my Brest tube, and pull out two Mangoes from the outer sides of my breasts.

I keep my shamed gaze on the floor, and I hear his voice again.

"Throw them away. " He says, and I obey without hesitation. I'm dead meat.

Will they use me for some sacrifice of some sort? Cause I did jump into the royal river without being related to royalty by any chance.

"Bring her with us. " I hear the prince say to the guard, and I almost collapse. Ah, Ajinke, you're dead. You're dead oh!!

"Ah, sir, please. I'm sorry. I'd never steal again. Please, please don't report me to the king and queen. Please, sir." I begin to beg in panic as I resist the guard's pull, and the prince simply turns to me.

He stares blankly at me, and my heart fails. Oh, sacred goddess! I'm dead. Done for!

He looks at the guards, and they increase their pull. They are a total of five guards, and right now, three are trying to pull me away from the water I am battling to rush back into.

"Your highness, please. I promise I'd never steal again. I'd rather let hunger kill me than steal again.

Your highness, please... Please have mercy. Please let me go. I swear I won't steal again. Please... " I continue begging in tears. Only God knows what doom will befall me if I follow them.

I'd rather lock myself in my tattered house, and die of hunger in there than face the defaming, horrible justice of the people of this village, or the wrath of the royal family and chiefs.

"And... And I'm sorry for jumping into your river. I... I didn't mean to do it. Please.

Don't take me please. Please... Please. "I begin to wail in desperate tears.

" Listen, it's either you come peacefully, or I send you back to Mr. Adigun for the villagers to do with you as they see fit. "He replies, and my heart explodes.

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