His Queen

Chapter 37 - Ajala

Ajinkes POV;

I wake up to soft sun rays beating my face. I tear my eyes open slowly and grunt in pain as I attempt to move. My back still hurts.

I regain all consciousness when I recall the last thing that happened before I passed out. The queen ordered me to be locked up. I look around in fear, and to my greatest dismay, I'm indeed behind bars. In one of the cold cells of the royal palace.

How did everything run downhill all of a sudden? If only the prince hadn't chosen to go hunting this morning. Why will the goddess allow this to happen? I know I'm not a witch. I know I'm not in any coven.

But why does bad luck follow, wherever I go? What if… I truly am a girl with bad luck? Why does evil follow me so closely? Perhaps I'm meant to be locked behind bars. Away from people, and friends. I wouldn't want to hurt anyone anymore.

Not my friends, not the royal family, and especially not the prince. All he's ever done is help me. I can't bring him bad luck.

Third Persons Narrative;

It's been hours since Ajinke has been locked up. Yemoja had checked the prince and told the people that it will only take him a few days to be healed completely. However, the queen did not order Ajinke's release.

Rather, she ordered that no one be let to see Ajinke and no one is to make mention of her name.

Days had passed and Ajinke was still sitting alone in one of the palace's cold cells. She had no idea how much time had passed, and the prince still hadn't regained consciousness.

All Ajinke knew was every morning she woke up, she prayed to the goddess to keep the prince alive and restore his health. She didn't even know whether she wanted to leave the cell or not. She didn't know if it was best for her to stay behind bars or not.

She only knew one thing. That the prince had to live.

******

It's been four days, and although it's clear that the prince is alive, he still hasn't opened his eyes. He's been feeding on liquid all this while.

The king, his personal maid, the queen, and her personal maid, are alone in the prince's room. Staring at the still unconscious prince with heavy hearts.

“Why hasn't he woken up? “The worried mother questions with tears at the rims of her eyes.

“He'd be fine, my dear. Yemoja has already assured us of that. ” The king says to soothe his worried wife, although he is disturbed and eager to see his son open his eyes.

“My queen, I don't think this is ordinary. ” Ronke says to the queen, and the queen looks up at her.

“Think of it. That girl is still in the palace. What if she's trying to counter Yemojas rituals? I think it's best we force her to confess what she and her coven mates are doing, and what they are really after. ” Ronke adds, and the queen looks at her. Immediately the queen makes eye contact with Ronke, she decides in her heart that Ajinke needs to be brutally punished and tortured until she confesses her crimes and releases the prince from whatever spiritual grasp she's holding him in.

“Go and get Ajala for me! ” The queen orders and Ronke plays a satisfied smirk as she knows her plans are falling into place.

“Ajala? What for? ” The king questions in alarm. As he knows, the mention of Ajalas name cannot be something good.

Ajala is an old, rootless man who specializes in torturing the criminals of the village. He's been on the job for 15 years, and he's so feared that even mothers of the village use his name to scare their children. They'd say to them.