Heir Apparent: A Nigerian Story.

XXII

Raudah was petrified.
She has been in many ossified situations on different occasions but never like she was when she met the man she'd be wedded to.

She had been avoiding Hafiz since she found out who he really was but getting married to him was something that had never, ever crossed her mind.

She thought he'd be fixed with Huda because everyone in the palace already knew they liked each other but now things just seemed beyond hope.

The door opens and she's pulled in.
The moment she sees her mother's disguise she rolls her eyes.
"That's the best you could come up with?" She shakes her head "Anyway we have a bigger issue at hand"

Her mother sits and crosses her leg. "And what could that possibly be?"
"Ma, do you remember I told you the guy I wanted to buy the book is in the palace?"

She nods "Yes, so?"
"It's Hafiz Abdulateef"

She immediately sits up, stunned. "What? And he hasn't said a word to you about it?"
Raudah nods.

She smirks "Maybe he liked what he saw, you did inherit my looks so it wouldn't be so shocking".
"No Ma. I think he intentionally kept quiet, what if he kept quiet so he can use it against us on a rainy day? If you can remember he also knows you sent me"

She scoffs "Raudah my darling" she walks over and pets her head "Why are you bothered?"

She was freaking out on the inside but displayed a huge smile to look unbothered, she didn't want Raudah to think she was weak.

"We're getting married, the Emperor and Empress fixed a wedding for a few of us here in the palace and I'm getting married to him"
She smiles brightly "Maybe he convinced them"

"Or they sensed the tension around us whenever we are together"

"What about Huda? Is she also set up?"
Raudah nods.
"With who?"
She shakes her head "I don't know, why should I care?"

"You really are daft and stupid, you take after your father with that lack of reasoning. I'll take care of it, you just stay calm and make me look good" she walks out.

::

Sadiya runs into her aunt's room almost tripping on her own two feet but luckily Nafisa grabs her.

"You're a lady, you shouldn't be running around like that"

Sadiya leans her head on the door frame panting heavily.
"What's wrong? Why are you here like this?"

She looks at her aunt with tears in her eyes "You know how we were told we'd be set up and we prayed I would be married to Hafiz?"

"Yes? So?"
"It's Suleiman instead"

"What?!"
She starts crying "It's with that degenerate"
Nafisa groans frustratedly "What about the others? Who is set up with who?"

"Well fortunately Huda didn't end up with my man but instead with Amjad Hammad, Halima with Aadil Salis, Muhibba with Najib and that arrogant Raudah ended up with my baby—"

"—Hafiz"
She nods "I'll talk to him about this, don't worry".

::

Nafisa sits next to her husband.

Nafisa is married to the Emperor but she's called Second Empress or Lady because she's not his first wife and she wasn't a noble when he married her.

"What is this I hear about Sadiya and Suleiman?" She asks worriedly.

He smiles going through some royal pardons "She can't stay single forever"

She shakes her head "But why does it have to be Suleiman? Why can't it be someone more capable like Hafiz or even Amjad?"

She smirks "She should be feeling lucky, not everyone can wake up one day with a man to marry. His father is a great man"

"But not him. He's nothing like his father"
"We'll have to wait and see about that"

She groans frustratedly "All he does is go after women and flirt with anything in a skirt" she huffs "No matter what I say, will you even change your mind?"

He shakes his head "No, I won't so I'd advice you leave because you're wasting your time".
"At least would she be here in the palace? With me?"

He looks at her happily "Do you remember that estate just after the Malin Bridge?"

She nods "Yes I do"
"Well it's been 3months since the completion and there are 10houses built there. I decided to let them stay there. It'll be their home until they wish to relocate themselves"

"But it's far"
She rolls his eyes "It's just 40mins away. It'll be okay"

She huffs, realizing he won't change his mind.

::

Amjad winds down his glass, turning off the car.
The man opens the passenger door and sits.

"Sorry I'm late, I had a few things to take care of"
"It's okay" he huffs resting his head on the seat headrest.

"What's with you? You've been looking off lately? Something happened at the palace?"
"You ask too many questions"

"Just answer"
"Fine. I'm getting married"

He gasps before he burst out laughing hard.
"Is that a joke?"
"Not when the Emperor arranged it, he has arranged everything so I'm not sure what his aim is exactly".

"Who are you getting married to?" Rayyan asks.
"Huda"

"Huda? As in the vassal Huda?"
He nods.
"She's pretty and kinda naive"

He glares at him without saying a word.
"What? You two will be perfect for one another"

Amjad sits up "That aside, did you find out?"
Rayyan nods "Of course, have I ever failed to?" He asks handing him a brown envelope.

"I'm not sure what trade their planning to make or with what but they're going to be doing it through the port. They'll recieve it on the 14th and this will be their last deal apparently some people in Congo have heard a whiff of it and they don't want to be uncovered"

He nods "Wait! Did you say on the 14th?"
Rayyan nods "Yes, I heard it clearly"

"That's my wedding day, the whole city will be chaotic because of the events"
"That's true, it's the first time in history Vassals will be married off to someone who isn't royalty or the fact that they didn't take over their parent's throne. The city will be filled up and busy".

"That's why they chose the date, a day everyone will be too busy to notice a thing"

"What are we going to do?"
"I'll think of something".

"Well you better think quickly".

::