Midnight Shrub

Chapter break (part 1)

A/N: nabila is having another dream like usual. but this time, she's not the main character, instead, she's seeing it from each of her parents POVs. enjoy as you read. thank you :)

UDOH'S POV

"Even if you come back to me one year later, I won't accept your proposal to marry my daughter. and I don't care how much Hauwa loves you Udoh, I still won't accept you. I won't let you see her." said Hauwa's father.

"I know you won't accept me sir, but all I ask is that I see Hauwa," I replied.

"See her for what you southerner?!" he sparked at me.

"Is it that hard? That hard for you to let me see the woman I love?!" I retorted out of anger. Bad move if you ask me because before I could see it, it struck me. He struck me so hard on my cheek, that I could feel the place vibrating. Sultan, the emir of the north, was known for his brute and violence everywhere.

"I have been nice to you all these while because Hauwa asked that I don't kill you, but it seems like death is the only answer at this moment," he said with fury in his eye. Meanwhile, I couldn't focus on him. My cheek stung so hard I wondered how I hadn't passed out yet. I was going to soon anyway, my head hurt me so much I could swear tears were about to start forming if I didn't pass out.

"Weak." he spat at my feet. "Lock him up!" he commanded the two guards at his sides.

I was being dragged y my sides, my legs were dragging on the floor, I couldn't find my balance and this was all because of one, just one slap. Within,inutes, I was thrown into a room. It was dark so seeing was impossible by this time of the day. Just a blink, one blink and I'll be fine. So I closed my eyes. As I closed my eyes, memories of Hauwa and I kept flooding my mind. How we first met, our first meal together, the little self-defence she attempted to teach me, our first date, everything. I am a southerner, I know what sight is, I know I am not just seeing these things coincidentally, no, as a southerner you can not see your death but you can sense it. And I know Anya, I am not ready but if it's my destiny, I won't fight it.

HAUWA'S POV

"Udoh, c'mon, hurry up," I told him as I pulled his hand. We were already in the southern kingdom as we ran away from the north two days ago. Udoh broke me out of my room using his sight skills to know the guards' rotations and conveniently free me.

"I am moving as fast as I can," he replied looking terrible. Now that I think of it, Udoh has been looking this way since we left the west. Is he fine?

"Udoh." I stopped running. "How are you feeling?" i asked scanning his body.

"I..am..no, i love you," he said looking even worse now. I went closer to him and cupped his face in my palms. "Your body is hot!" I shouted at him.

"In my bag, you'll see a southern book, you can't read it so I translated it for you, just read it to the tree." he replied as his eyes searched my eyes. He's dying.

"You're dying." I tried to fight my tears back but I couldn't, they came pouring out. "No, no, no, but why? Why?!" I shouted.

"Hauwa, calm down, you're with child," he said placing his hand on my belly. I didn't understand him.

"Sorry? I am with child? I am not with any child here." I said trying to correct his statement.

"No, no you-" he tried saying before he fell to the ground and coughed up blood. "There isn't enough time my love, take the book." he handed it over to me. I stood frozen in shock.