Heir Apparent: A Nigerian Story.

XVIII

It's been two weeks since Prince Masoud Nurayn Of Ulan Bator Kingdom was buried alongside his ancestors.

The Emperor was hesitant more than ever to hand out his throne. Things were getting complicated and he wasn't sure Najib was fit enough to be Emperor.

He sat across his wife pondering over who'll be the Heir Apparent.
"What do we do Mina?"

She shakes her head "I can't think of anything, it's a huge turn of events. All Vassals haven't been in the right mind for their training".

He nods "Salis and a few others feel Najib can't be named Emperor because he's a suspect. Apparently he has fought the boy so many times over being heir".

She nods "I can understand their concern"
"And a woman can't rule. A woman judges everything with emotions and you can't rule with emotions"

She glared at him but says nothing.
"You know I'm right"
She nods.

"What do we do Mina? I don't have much time" he says walking over and sitting next to her, holding her hands.
"What can we do? Is there an option? You've always been smarter than I am"

She chuckles "Believe me, I know" she huffs "What about Munir?"

He raises his head and looks at her surprised "What? Munir?"

She smiles "I know, I still don't like him because of his mother but I also know he's very capable and no one is as fit as he is".

"I never thought of my nephew"
She nods "We raised him too so it's going to be perfect".

"Yes! That's true" he says excitedly.
"What about Huda and Raudah?"

He smiles "We informed 4men we're getting them married, they need wives remember?"
She nods "No, five men"

He raises his eyebrows.
"Najib".

He looks at her unsure.
"Whoever killed Masoud wanted you to think this way. They don't want either of them to be Emperor and we'll do just that but we'll still name someone else as Emperor. Someone everyone forgot existed".

"Okay. I'll let you handle the set up and I'll handle the throne issue". He hugs her "What would I do without you!"

"Nothing" she smiles.

::

Salis slams his hand on his desk angrily.
He had no idea his son was back until he met him at the hall.

He raises his head and looks at him "What are you doing back here? I told you to only show your face when things are put in place here, didn't I?"

"Yes but The Emperor called for me and made sure to tell me not to tell even you about my arrival, I had to oblige"

He shakes his head "That doesn't sound good.  He's planning something, if things don't go the way they should the Vice Premier won't be happy. I told him I'd make Amjad Emperor even though the bastard caught on to my plan" he huffs "What is he planning?"

Aadil wanted to tell his father but he knew better than to open his mouth. His father wouldn't sit quiet and things would just end up escalating not to mention the fact that they promised not to say a word about it until he gives them permission to.

"How's Ma doing?"
He hissed "Don't you know the way to her room? I haven't seen her in a while" he huffs "Just get out"

He nods and walks out.

::

He walks over and sits next to her.
"What are you thinking about?" Hafiz asks.

"Nothing much" Huda responds.
He huffs watching as the rain fell heavily. "It's unlike you to be moping around"

"I've always hated Bandar with a strong passion. People always talk about the mountains, lakes and cherry blooms we have there, they always talked about the fresh air and peace there but I always hated it. It was more painful when I actually put both my feet on the Aventine Palace grounds. Being in the castle, studying always made me so happy. I was with people I knew cared about me and that made everything worthwhile. Going home for a few days felt like a small sacrifice I had to make just to come back and I was always more than willing to do it with no questions asked. My last trip home was more difficult because my brother wasn't there and my parents became more twisted in their own way but the thought of coming back made it easy. Unfortunately being back felt more like torture than I've ever felt. My closest and craziest friend is so obsessed with winning nothing matters to him anymore, my emotional and sweet friend was slowly, in silence going through depression that only I knew about, I did all I could but failed and the last" she scoffs "She was only part of us for show anyway. We've all changed within a period of just 2months, one is already late" she turns and looks at him "What's left for us?"

He nods "You're young and you have a bright personality"
"I don't want the bright personality, hell I don't even need it but what I want desperately is to go back home and let those two be, they should be happy with each other"

"You know my mother and father always look so happy together, they try their hardest to look happy. My father raised me in a very twisted way so much so that I felt awkward talking to myself about my own feelings, doing that made me feel weak. And now my mother despises him, so much. They try to smile or joke around with each other but you can see the hatred clearer than the light of day. But it doesn't matter to me, you know why?"

She shakes her head, engrossed in what he's saying "They chose to live that way" he replies.

"But she's with him for you"
"Is she?"

He looked carefree, like what he was saying was normal, he was casually saying it with no emotion. "She wants you to be—" he cuts her off.

"—Happy?" He scoffs "No, she wants to be the General's wife. The life she has lived for over 34years? You think she's only sticking to him because of me? If that was the case then how do I know? If she was trying so hard to hide it from me how'd I know?"

She shakes her head.
"I was 13years when my mother came ranting to me about how my father preferred sleeping with younger women, because they still looked radiant and especially if they were virgins" he laughs "Well it wasn't that hard to pick up with the way she gets when my father hires a young maid. That was the very first word my mother personally taught me, Virgin. Do you know why?"

She was too perplexed to say a word "Because she wanted me to hate him. If I hated him then she'd win. She forgot I knew about all the so called meetings she had with different men every week. They chose to live that way and now that I'm out of their hair it's really up to them. My point is for you to let people do as they wish, they wouldn't change if you cried or begged. Do what makes you happy or at least what keeps you sane".

She looks at him with pity "But I'm not that way, I can't be who I'm not"

He chuckles "I honestly don't really care if that's who you are or not but that's how you survive the kind of life we're born in and I said all this today because I like you, I don't want to have to pull out your body from the lake next"

She looks at him wide eyed "That's not something you say to someone you like"
"Really? It's supposed to be an advice. To hype you up"

She shakes her head "When you're talking about finding my corpse? I wouldn't even tell someone I hate such words" she giggles.

"Oh, I had no idea but I hope you get my point".
She nods.

"There's a reason it's Masoud who's gone and not Najib. If they were coming after one of the female vassals, who do you think it'd be?"

She says nothing, she knew who it'd be.
"So don't do things because you don't feel comfortable or you're emotional, do it because that's the only way you'll survive sanely"

She smiles "But how can you talk about yourself that way without feeling emotional?"

"Because I've been living this way for so long it's become a habit"
"Anyway, let's go in. It's getting cold"

"You go in, I'll join after a while"
"Okay".

::