A Bride For The Prince: A Forbidden Romance (A Nigerian Love Story)✓

Prologue

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Also PLEASE NOTE - This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to people or places is purely coincidental.

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"It's Prince Chinedu! Shh! He is coming."

One of the young women who had come to the village stream to fetch some water said in low whispers. But the prince could still hear her. It wasn't like he wanted to hear what they had to say. To him, it was the same thing. Nothing ever got old in Uluagbu kingdom.

The fact still remained.

He was the prince and with that came respect from others. 

 But it also came with obligations to the royal family and to the people.

That was the part he loathed, especially because these obligations gave him little to no freedom. In fact, the closer he came to succeeding his father, as his father would so often remind him, the more he was stripped off of his rights.

And it was with these pressing thoughts that he walked right past the maidens who had been busy adjusting their wrappers and pretending to be fetching water. 

He was tired of everyone trying to be something else just to please him.

He'd had enough when he reached the palace and turned abruptly to face one of the men who dutifully followed him.

"As you can see, Uche, we are back at the palace, so there'd be no need to accompany me."

He hated this.

Uche bowed slightly, and with whimpering lips, spoke up, "Your highness, the king had made it clear that -"

"Oh please spare me what the king says. I'm sick of this pampering. You are relieved of your duties until I require them."

"But your -"

Prince Chinedu made a face, immediately silencing the guard who swallowed and nodded before leaving the prince's presence.

Not long after Prince Chinedu retired shortly afterwards to his private chambers, there was a knock on the main door.

Swallowing back an infuriating remark, he commanded, "Come in."

The door slid open to reveal another of the guards who looked hesitant to come in at first but obliged when the prince gestured with his right hand.

"What is it, Maduka?"

The guard bowed in respect before speaking, following permission. 

"My Prince, the king requires your presence immediately."

Heaving a quiet sigh, Prince Chinedu raised two fingers to his temple and blew more air out of his lungs. He wasn't at all looking forward to speaking with his parents, let alone the king, until dinner time. But what little quietness and privacy he craved until then was gone at this instant. He dismissed the guard and changed into something more comfortable before making his way to the main palace - the kingly quarters.

When he got there, one of the guards accompanied him inside, opening the double doors to reveal a big auditorium with chandeliers slapping the ceiling and giving way to the space that housed the king's throne.

On both sides of the throne seat stood two other guards dutifully positioned there. And on the far corners of the auditorium stood six other guards whose names and duties the Prince would rather not bother himself with.

The queen was nowhere in sight. And Chinedu knew she was not too far away. It was only a matter of minutes before she joined them.

"Sit down my son." His father ordered as soon as he dismissed the guard who had come in with Chinedu. And at that moment, his mother, the queen, made her presence known.

Chinedu bowed in greeting to her as well.

When she was seated, the king began.

"Have you given reasonable thought to what we discussed last week?"

Chinedu didn't need to think deeply to know what his father was referring to. There was nothing reasonable about what his father had proposed to him. The truth was, he had dismissed the thought as soon as he left the king's presence last week.

"Father, I am not interested in Princess Anya. I already told you that numerous times. What more would you have me do to show you that I'd much rather pick my own bride?"

"It's tradition." The king simply stated.

"You said that last week." Chinedu argued.

"And I'll continue to say it because it's how things are supposed to be, Chinedu."

Chinedu shook his head. "Have you seen the rest of the world, father? Arranged marriages are not a thing anymore, you know. For instance in the US, you rarely find things like that."

"This is Nigeria and this is my kingdom." The king was getting agitated now. And Chinedu could sense it. He himself was trying hard to be diplomatic but it seemed as though the more he tried, the more futile the situation became.

Nothing was working.

Nothing could change tradition.

"And in my kingdom, there are laws we abide by. I knew I should never have sent you to school in America."

Chinedu stared at his father, already seeing where this conversation was headed - which was nowhere, just like the previous week and the weeks before that. He looked to his mother who met his gaze with a much softer demeanor. But she also knew she was powerless when it came to tradition. No one dared challenge tradition.

Chinedu sighed heavily. What else could he do if he couldn't convince his parents? He'd tried everything. But knowledge itself failed where tradition was concerned.

Finally, after a dead silence passed the trio, King Chuka spoke up. 

"I called you here for something else though. It still concerns your marriage."

Chinedu looked up at that instant, wondering where the king was going with this one. He remained silent. Perhaps silence would force his mind to come up with another idea - anything not bound by the stupid tradition.

"I'll let you choose your bride."

Chinedu blinked twice, unsure if he had heard correctly. He narrowed his eyes and found his mother's gaze again. Even her face showed shock. She'd been taken by surprise as well.

"What?" He finally found his voice.

"One year, Chinedu. One year to find someone you want to marry." The king continued as if this had been premeditated.

But indeed it was. It seemed like it.

"If after one year you are yet to find a bride, then you will marry whoever I choose. Is that clear?"

To Chinedu, this was better than being forced to succumb to tradition. This was freedom - at least the beginning of it, even though it was only a year of freedom. He would take that. Above anything.

"Clear, father. It's clear. One year is enough." He replied, although a part of his mind was scolding him for agreeing. What were the chances that he would find someone with whom to spend the rest of his life with and get to know them within one year? 

But Chinedu dismissed the thought. He would sort out the details later.

One year.

He had one year to create his destiny.

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