The Princess Was Fleeing. (Completed)

°Four - Tomorrow

Prison.

[Groans]

[Heavy sighs]

Despite sprawling on the floor, Jola was still far from being comfortable. She was feeling pains inside and outside her body. She felt completely miserable. Though she wanted to have a hope that all will be well, she still could not. Even if the chiefs asked for her release, would the people just sit back, watch and do nothing? She doubted that.

“…we are assuring you that she will be judged tomorrow. I hope we are…” She recalled the chief’s words and sighed.

“Tomorrow,” she mumbled.

“Yes, tomorrow!” One of the two guards at the gate shouted. “Tomorrow, you will be judged and I am very sure that by this time tomorrow, your head will have been off your neck! Daughter of the demon! Devil incarnate! You better keep your mouth shut or I’ll lose my temper!”

The other guard joined in speaking angrily and she was scared. It was just as if the guards had been expecting her to talk. That was the first word she had mentioned since she was sent to the prison and that single word earned her words; insults and curses.

“Tomorrow,” the word slipped from her lips again but she was relieved that they did not hear. She just hoped that their plans may be foiled; that their plans may go awry, just as her father’s plans went awry. She could still remember all he said the night before his death. Just eight days ago!

* * *

The king was sitting on his throne, his wife and daughter were sitting on both sides. The chiefs were not on their seats for the king had dismissed them; all of them. He had claimed that they were plotting against him.

The king stood with all pride and smiles. He glanced at his daughter and chuckled. “Tomorrow,” he started. “Tomorrow, my daughter shall be married to Gbeji Kingdom’s heir prince!”

It was not as if the people did not know that she was getting married, since that was how he always sing it in their ears, but they still shouted for joy; the joy that did not exist within them. “And tomorrow, I shall announce the new chiefs!”

“Hey!”

It was a sad news taken with feigned joy.

“And tomorrow, to celebrate the feast, we are going to get the king’s offenders beheaded!”

“H…”

The pretence could not work for that. Their lips went wide apart. Which offenders? All the offenders had been killed, except for two palace maids, a palace guard and the chiefs!”

“Yes! That’s a surprise, isn’t it? Anyone who is displeased about this news should please signify now.”

Who would dare? They all looked at one another but no one dared.

* * *

However, it was not the crow of the cock, or the sweet songs of the birds that woke all and sundry, it was the news of the demise of the king in the night, when some had not even go to sleep. Some of the inhabitants still disbelieved that it was not the chiefs that sent a killer to the king. They found it hard to believe that his death was of natural causes. He died in sleep? Just that night? Worse still, one of the palace guards spread the rumour that the king was stabbed to death.

Jola just hoped that tomorrow do not arrive, she just wanted to die before the morrow. But it arrived!