Ajinke's POV;
Ronke stops in her tracks on seeing me, and I look down at the little boy clinging tightly to my leg. I look back up at Ronke and find her staring hatefully at the child.
"Please, Ronke! He's just a little boy. He didn't know what he was saying..." A dark-skinned lady begs as she runs from behind Ronke, and stands between us.
Ronke shoves the woman aside and glares at the child still sobbing behind me.
"Come here." She orders the little boy coldly, and the child tightens his grip on my leg and moves to hide himself properly behind me.
"Mommy, please... Tell her I'm sorry. I will not do it again." The little boy cries, and I find that he's talking to the dark-skinned woman who came to Ronke begging.
"I said come here! "Ronke screams at the little boy, and at this point, the maids around begin to stand, and circle us to watch the scene.
"N... No..."The little boy cries, and my heart aches at the fear the little boy is emitting.
"What did he do? "I question Ronke in awe, and she eyes me in contempt.
"You better stay out of this. It has nothing to do with you! "She says coldly to me, and I'm shocked. I guess she's still sulking over my attitude to her yesterday.
" Come here! "She says. Grabbing the child's hand and pulling him away from me.
" Aunty, please!! Mommy!! No!! "The little child screams as Ronke begins to manhandle him, and I look up at his mother in bewilderment. What kind of mother allows her child to be treated like this!?
"Shut up! "Ronke screams at the boy as she throws a heavy smack across his face, and my eyes widen in shock.
"Ronke! "I scream in shock as the little boy's cries get stuck in his throat.
"Are you mad!? Does this concern you!? "She screams at me as she battles to capture both of the child's hands in one of hers.
"Ronke, please *naw. He's just a child."The boy's mother begs, and a level of disgust washes over me.
*Naw =now (a sort of persuasive word)
"Are you sick or something!? Is he not your child!? Did she help you carry him in your womb?
*Abi goddess Yaremi sent her to be his second mother! "I scream at the boy's mother, and everyone turns to look at me.
*Abi =Or
I grab the little child and pull him away from Ronke. Putting him behind me.
" You have no right to treat someone's child like that! "I yell at her, and she starts laughing.
" Come oh, who released this mad dog, and told it that it can be barking anyhow? "Ronke questions. Pointing at me, and I roll my eyes.
"If you like yourself, you better give that stupid boy back to me. Or else..."She begins.
"Or else what!? "I scream at her in annoyance and pure irritation.
" I'd take you to the queen, and tell her how stupid you are, and what a trouble maker you are! "She says, and I eye her.
" Fine then. Let's go!
Let's go so I can tell her what a lunatic you are and ask if she permits anyone in the palace to treat a child like this! "I scream, and she falls silent.
" Let's go naw. You don't want to go again? " I question, and she eyes me.
"Ajinke! Give that boy to me! "She yells at me.
"No!
Won't you say something!? "I say. Directing my question to the boy's mother.
"Ronke, please forgive my son. He was just being a silly little child..." The woman begs, and it dawns on me that she's a pathetic coward.
I won't let Ronke touch this child. Not today.
"Ajinke! Give me that child! "Ronke screams at me.
"Make me! " I dare her, and something in her eyes snap.
I push the little boy to Asake as Ronke launches herself at me, and I fall to the ground with Ronke sitting on top of me.
"You, stupid, ugly girl! Just because the prince took you out to eat... You think you can act anyhow with me *ehn!? "She says as she begins to throw punches at my face.
*Ehn = Right!?
She takes a hand full of sand and begins to harshly rub it on my face, and I lose my cool. I throw a punch at her nose, and once she lets go of me in pain, I sit on top of her and pack a handful of sand.
I open her mouth and begin to feed her with dust.
" You think you're some God that can treat people anyhow *ahbi!? Well, you have **jam the wrong person today.
I will teach you! "I say to her in anger as she battles to free herself from under me.
*Ahbi =Right!?
**Jam =Hit or come in contact with.
She puts her hands up to my face trying to dip her fingers into my eyes, and I bite her fingers mercilessly with my teeth.
The mannerless monkey has to be taught a lesson!
Maids form a close circle around us as we begin to roll each other in the dust and pull at each other's hair.
A strong pair of hands suddenly takes hold of me and lifts me off Ronke. Restricting my movements, and I begin to swing my legs and hands in protest. I'm not done teaching the arrogant goat a lesson!
"Stop it! " A powerful masculine voice calls, and I calm down enough to notice that guards have come to the scene. One holding me put, and the other holding Ronke who is gagging, choking, and coughing out the sand I fed her earlier.
I stare at her in anger, and she looks at me. I make to launch at her again, but the guard holding me pulls me back, and I know better than to battle his grip, so I stay put.
"Come with us!" The guard behind me orders, and I jump a bit in fright. All four of us walk a distance in silence, and we step into the royal family's part of the palace, and I gulp. We keep walking with some maids staring at us, and finally, we stop before a massive door.
I gulp as a guard knocks and walks in. Not long after, he comes back out, and signals to the guard behind us who in turn nudges Ronke and me, causing us to stumble forward.
I swallow as we walk into the prince's room, and I see him sitting at the edge of his king-size bed attending to some papers.
"What happened? "His ever so deep voice questions, and I gulp.
"Your highness, it's this little trouble maker that just came in. She's a headache, and doesn't know how to mind her business! "Ronke instantly replies while pointing at me, and I shake in fear when the prince finally looks up. At me.
He stares at me for a few seconds and questions me.
"What happened? "He questions me, and I swallow.
"I... I... She was harassing a little boy, and... And I got in the way, but she didn't want to be reasonable, and she attacked me...
Forcing me to act back. "I reply, and the prince looks over at Ronke, and I do same, and only then do I see what a mess I've made her look like.
He looks back at me, and my breath gets stuck in my throat.
"Harassing? "The prince questions me, and I nod.
"She... She was with a cane, and the little boy was crying a lot. He was terrified of her."I reply,
"Is that true Ronke?"The prince questions and I stare at the ground.
"Your highness, it's not like I was harassing the child. He misbehaved and I only gave him a little spanking.
And she came out of nowhere acting like a lunatic."She replies, and I look up at her in alarm. Such lies. She looked like she would kill that boy a few seconds back!
"Mind your language! "The prince cautions, and I most jump. One shouldn't use careless words before royalty.
"Your highness, she is lying. She beat up that child and was going to do more. I watched her throw a heavy slap at that child." I speak and the prince looks up at me and then Ronke. He then sighs.
"Bring me the boy."The prince says to one of the guards, and I stare up at Ronke.
"Your highness, that is not needed. I've worked here for many years. You should know I'm not a liar.
However this little witch!! "Ronke begins to say in panic, and I smirk.
"This would be the last time I'd tell you to mind your words."The prince says, and my smirk grows.
The little child soon comes in still sobbing, and the prince calls him over.
" Come here, dear. "
"What happened? Why are you crying?... Who beat you? "The prince questions the little boy as he gets on one knee and picks the boy up.
My heart melts at the kindness of the prince when he sits with the little child on his lap.
" She beat me... "The child cries. Pointing at where Ronke and I are standing, with his back turned to us, and my heart skips a beat in excitement.
"Who? "The prince questions the still crying child.
"A... Aunty Ronke..." The child sobs and I look up at the witch. She's shaken the child up so badly, he hasn't been able to stop crying.
"Ronke? Why... What did you do?" The prince questions.
"Your highness!! He... He's a little child. Obviously, he'd lie to get me punished for disciplining him."Ronke blurts before the child gets a chance to speak, and the prince glares up at her.
"Do not utter another word if you know what's best for you."The prince warns Ronke, and chills run up my spine at how cold his voice and expression were.
"You were saying?" The prince questions the little boy who has his back turned to Ronke, I, and the guards, but is facing the prince.
"Come on, tell me. Why did she beat you? I won't beat you."The prince encourages, and the little boy nods while scratching his head.
" Because... Because... She beat me because I said that the new Aunty is finer than her. "The little boy says and a cord snaps on my head as the boy points at me.
I stare up at Ronke in alarm as the boy says this. She beat him like that because he said I am prettier than her!?