A Request To Visit The Palace
THE room was quite airy and slightly cool, but Rina found it extremely cold, as she held on to Raghav, her two hands wrapped around him, the kiss lingered on.
Rina felt the whole world at her feet that moment, she was ecstatic. Suddenly she felt his hand crawl up to her laps and in between her legs, pulling at the ropes on her gown, her stomach tightened.
What! What does he wanna do now? Oh no, she instantly placed her right hand on his in an attempt to stop him and he deepened the kiss.
“Ughh”, she moaned.
“Are you okay?”, he asked in a soft tune, still kissing.
She couldn’t reply, she couldn’t nod, she just kept mute and silent, reciprocating the kiss.
Just then, his phone on the bed buzzed loudly into the silence of the room, startling her, and she flinched.
He cussed and withdrew from the kiss, then picked up the phone and peeked into it.
He slowly turned to her, his dreamy eyes romantic as ever.
“I gotta go Rina, something important though not important than you”, he pecked her on the left cheek.
Her eyes dropped instantly in sadness, why now?
“Must you?”, she asked in a whisper.
He smiled and nodded.
“I’m really sorry babe, but I must”, he got down the bed.
“Ahh”, she sighed, splaying her left hand on her cheek.
“I will be back Rina, I’m not leaving you”, he chuckled, then turned to leave.
“Raghav?”, she called getting down the bed.
“Yes dear?”, he turned to her.
“Wait..”, she said and rushed up to him, then planted her mouth on his, he reciprocated and the kiss was the sweetest she had ever had.
He withdrew.
“Alright, see you soon princess”, and he walked out the room.
Rina stood smiling as she watched Raghav walked out, her prince, her very own prince charming, then slowly the tears streamed down her face, they were tears of joy.
***
Raghav hastily walked through the hallway leading to his room, his mind on the message he has just gotten. He hastened his footsteps, he really needed to be out of the palace now.
On getting to the door of his room, he met his mom coming from the other direction, his countenance fell.
Since his discover about her trying to matchmake him through tricks, he really hasn’t been in good terms with her.
“Oh Raghav, where you been to? I’ve actually sent Alina to come call you”, she said.
He growled, then turned on the door knob.
“I’m fine mother, what’s it?”, he asked then walked into the room, his mother followed.
Queen Arya sighed, closing the door behind her.
“Is that how to welcome your mother?”, she asked.
He scoffed, dropping his phone on the bed then walked towards his wardrobe.
“Mother, just go straight to what brought you here”, he began selecting out some casual wears.
She sighed, seriously her son was becoming cold towards her these days, what the hell?
“Son, why this sudden change of yours?”, she asked.
“You are still delaying me here mother, I gotta go somewhere now, I’m in a haste”, he began putting on the clothes.
She sighed again, she was complaining he was difficult, now he has become more than difficult. Well, she shrugged.
“I only wanted to inform you of something”, she said.
“Go ahead”, he said applying his colognes.
She hesitated, how was she gonna bring this up now?
“Bring it up anyhow mom, I’m leaving”, he said startling her.
“Alright, uhhh, your cousins would be visiting the palace soon, the permission has been granted, I just wanted you to be aware”, she rushed it, then looked away.
“Which cousins?”, his cold voice asked, looking at her.
Huh? She turned to him.
“How many cousins have you?”, she asked.
“Oh mother please, I have Alisha and Aunt Aarti, when are they coming though?”, he turned back to the dressing mirror.
She groaned in pain, why must he even mention them? Why?
“Well, it’s neither them”, she rolled her eyes.
What! He turned to her.
“Then who?”, he asked.
“My sister’s children”, she said, avoiding his gaze.
“Jeez!”, he exclaimed, “those devils?”, he began walking up to her.
“Hey son, watch your speech”.
“Don’t you tell me that mother, that’s what they fucking are. Who allowed them in? Who gave them the permission? Who?”, he ranted in anger, his voice shook.
She swallowed hard.
“I did”, came the low reply.
“You mother…you!”, he shouted as he raged in anger, his widened eyes were now red.
“I don’t like Amaya and his sister one bit, I never did”, his voice was now low as he spoke.
Arya looked up at him, he was panting in anger, she flinched.
“It’s enough son, these are your cousins, how can they possibly harm you?”, she asked.
“You say that mom? Do you need a soothsayer before you believe me? They are evil and can possibly harm us, ahh gosh!”, he exclaimed splaying his right hand on his forehead.
These so called cousins of his, these cousins. Why must they come the exact time he is leaving for a business trip? Goodness They must have something up their sleeves.
“What are they coming for? And why must they come the moment I’m leaving?”, he looked at her.
“Raghav, it’s been long since they visited, why not let them this once”, she pleaded.
He scoffed.
“Raghav, why do you so much hate your cousins, they have nothing bad for goodness sake”.
“They may have done nothing bad, but they are planning to…”, he paused, then sighed.
“You can’t see or perceive what I perceive mother, they aren’t what you think”.
“Don’t you say that about my late sister’s children again, what has come over you?”.
“Look mother, I’m so peeved right now and don’t have one minute anymore to spend for argument, I’m leaving”, he began walking out the room.
“Raghav?”, she called.
“It’s even slightly acceptable you came to tell me about this, I thought you had come to tell me about my childhood friend”, he scoffed.
“Ugh…”, she mouthed.
“I want to leave mother, allow me lock up the room”, he said, he was now standing by the door.
Arya watched him for some seconds, fumed as much as she could, then walked out the room.
Why was Raghav being so difficult to talk to, so difficult to tame?
Just then, Zoya came up to him immediately, and locked up the prince’s chamber, three other guards joined him instantly.
“Your grace”, they bowed in unison then led the way.
*
*
*
Zaina sat on the couch watching the television when her phone on the side table buzzed, she turned to it and picked it up.
It was Rina, she smiled and answered it.
“Hello prince’s bride”, she smiled.All text © NôvelD(r)a'ma.Org.
“Ohh please, stop it I’ve told you”, Rina said.
“Oh come on, don’t pretend you don’t like it”, she said laughing.
“How was the dinner party?”, she asked.
“Well I didn’t go up there, I stayed in the prince’s room all the while, but minutes later after he had left, he returned fuming”, she explained.
“Huh? Fuming?”.
“Yes, I noticed he was peeved though he tried covering it up. Seconds later, his sister came in and I overheard their conversations, seemed the dinner was for him to meet with someone and I guess it was Vidya”.
“Who else? It’s really her? She’s been boasting with it”, she hissed.
“Well, I don’t care. The prince never gave her a chance to even say ‘hi'”, and she bursted out laughing.
“My gee, seriously?”, she joined in the laughter.
Rina sighed.
“I’m sorry baby Z, I couldn’t come to your graduation”, she digressed.
“You know what? You are supposed to apologize properly, apology not accepted”.
“Huh? Zaina, you are joking”, she laughed.
“And I’m damn serious, how could my best friend not be present at my graduation?”.
“Aww Zaina, I’m sorry, you know I can’t”, she pleaded.
Zaina bursted into laughter, Rina joined and they laughed hysterically.
“You know you can pass for an actress”, Zaina said still laughing.
“You actually started the acting, I gotta play along”, she chuckled.
“Hahaha”, she continued laughing.
“Well congrats baby Z, you have finally left high school with a certificate. It’s just so unfortunate I…”, she paused then sniffed in.
“Aww don’t go that direction Rin, it’s gonna be fine. It’s enough please”, she said.
“I will be fine…always”, she chuckled.
Zaina chuckled in response.
“Always. So how’s the prince baby?”, she asked.
She heard her giggle.
“Well he is fine, we actually had our first kiss”.
“Awwwn Rina!!”, she shouted into the phone.
Rina gasped, what the…
“Gosh, you gonna blast my eardrums”, she said laughing.
“Wow Rina, I guess you don’t just know what’s at your doorstep, I mean someone has been craving for his attention for months, trying all tactics to no avail, but here you are, trying nothing and you get to kiss him, come on”, she chuckled.
She laughed.
“I know though, I feel blessed”.
“You should. Well same for me, guess what?”, she asked.
“Prince Zashil?”.
“Brava!! You are absolutely right, we will be having a date two days from now”.
“Woah baby Z, a date with a prince?”.
“You can say that Rin, well he accepted my conditions and decided we go on a date”.
“Wow, I’m so happy for you, another congrats to you”.
“Thank you, aren’t you gonna cut the call? No work today?”.
Rina laughed.
“Seems someone is still trying to get me. These days I virtually stay idle all day, the prince has refused me working”.
“Huh? Really?”.
“Yeah, and the most funny part is, I still get paid at the month’s end”.
“Alright, get paid for doing nothing”, she giggled.
“Whatever”, she rolled her eyes.
“Well if you have nothing doing, I have something to do, I’ll talk to you later”.
“Alright baby Z, bye”, and the call ended.
She dropped the phone then turned to the television when her mom suddenly called from the balcony outside.
“Yes momma”, she replied as she sat up.
“Come over, someone special wants to speak with you”, came the reply.
A smile played on her face, and she got up, then left for the balcony.