Brinda

Princess Zaria

Stopped dead in his tracks, King Adigun felt his resolve mellow and his raging heart take on a more sonorous tone; the beauty before him had done that to his anger and he couldn't help but wonder if it was the same girl he knew or had seen in the past. They had met once, when their kingdoms were discussing the entire ordeal and had not seen each other since then.

"Your highness", Princess Zaria bowed her head and smiled. "You have aged gracefully, my King".

King Adigun approached her in silence and stopped within arm's length. His eyes ran across her frame and steeled atop her beautiful face. Her skin glowed of beauty and pure ebony, while her hair was bobbed into her traditional shuku style with beads placed all around it. Around her wrists and ankles were black beads meant for royal families, and her feet and hands bore marking made from traditional paints.

"You need to cover yourself up some more or people here might not necessarily be welcoming of you", he pointed out at her short attire which was revealing of her belly button. "Before things get out of hand, I want to be sincere with you as best as possible".

He took a moment to breathe, and felt his chest tighten at the fact he was about to get rude with the innocent woman. It wasn't something he would enjoy but at the risk of losing his kingdom again and the woman he loved, he wasn't about to make such compromise.

"Is this about the wedding?" she asked, sounding excited. "Your wish is my desire, my lord. We can have it the traditional way or in the way your current culture permits".

Seemingly subservient and willing to take up another's culture wasn't what King Adigun had expected. People from her tribe and kingdom were known to be hot headed and pretty troubling to work with too.

"There will be no wedding", he said bluntly. "There will be no marriage between us and there will be no making you my second wife".

Harsh in his words and true to his desires, he waited for her to speak and did so with his heart braced for the worst to come.

Princess Zaria stared at him for long and then replied, "Is it fine by you if I asked why you wouldn't be willing to go ahead with the pre-arranged marriage which seals the unity between our kingdoms and which has been set in place from when we were just kids?"

King Adigun sighed, groaned a little as he walked ahead and leaned against the wall closest to her so he could see her face better. Her demeanor remained calm and everything about her seemed rather unreal; she wasn't threatening and her facial expression bore no immediate sadness.

"I am sorry", King Adigun said and looked down at his feet. "I can imagine this isn't what you hoped to hear after being prepared for this all your life. It is complicated and also something I don't want to get into because I have a wife and a queen, and I promised never to take another wife after her".

He took a moment to catch his breath and slowly approached the Princess. Gently reaching for her chin with his hand, he held her face up and held a smile on his as well.

"Don't get me wrong. You are beautiful but I cannot let myself break a vow I made to Ambika Devi", he reiterated. "My parents might not necessarily be happy about it, but as king, you tend to make decisions which are best suited not just for you but for your kingdom and this is one of them for me".

He retrieved his hand from her chin and watched some beads of tears roll down from her now visibly upset face. She sobbed tenderly and her beauty only continued to resonate through, but she wiped her face clean and then looked back up to him.

"It hurts to have my entire life fashioned towards this very moment, only to get rejected", she said. "It brings me comfort to know that your decision isn't because you find me repulsive. If it is your decision to remain married to one woman, then I have no choice but to do as you please".

Quite caught off guard, king Adigun replied, "What becomes of you then?"

She shrugged her shoulders and smiled, "I learnt the Chiroma culture so I could blend in well with your people and I want to believe I can learn a thing or two here too".

"How about you help me teach these people all you know about your culture and the Chiroma culture as well?" the King demanded politely. "It will be of great comfort to me to know inclusiveness and diversity is becoming a thing in Brinda".

Princess Zaria agreed with a bob and then went on her knees. "I will do as the King commands".

King Adigun smiled, placed his hand on her shoulder and asked her to get up. He turned around and motioned towards the door but stopped at the sight of Ambika Devi standing there in silence and presumably having been there for quite some time. With no guilt at heart, King Adigun approached his wife with the wildest smile a man could have.

"Is it time?" he asked.

Ambika Devi smiled warmly. "Yes it is".

He planted a kiss into her hand as they walked away together.

"Who is she?" the Queen asked.

"A princess I just employed to help teach your people about my culture and also learn about your culture", he replied happily.

Things definitely seemed to be turning around fast.