me & tomfoolery

Royal Pain pt. 4 | Giannis Antetokounmpo Short Story

"Are they still not speaking?" Thanasis whispered to Anou. "No, they are both being stubborn."

"And Ruth is here again." Kostas added.

Ruth visited and time after time Giannis would find a way to cut her efforts short. He wasn't interested in her. The Prince had taken a liking to the woman down the hall, and had he not been wrapped up in his duties, he would've remembered to share with his father how things changed.

At first Giannis deeply regretted it, he still did but, he decided to give Sakari the same treatment. It was exhausting to run a country and cater to her. Maybe he wasn't ready to be a husband, because that was a full time job.

"Son, are you listening?" Charles asked looking over at the future king. "My apologies father, what were you saying?"

"What is on your mind? You have been out of it."

Veronica and Genova entered, the women connected at the hip. "Ah, my beautiful Queen and Madam General. How are you?"

"Displeased." Veronica started. "Very displeased." Genova continued.

"Son, please speak to Sakari. This is not a way to start a marriage." Although he agreed, he would not budge.

"Mother, she wants nothing to do with me."

"Is that a no?" Veronica asked for clarification. "That is. I am sorry."

"Charles..." the look in his wife's eyes. Unfortunately there would be drastic measures taken.

"This is torturous." Sakari huffed as her bags were placed on the floor.
"I agree.." Giannis groaned.

"Sorry brother, you did this to yourself." Thanasis laughed. "All you had to do was settle your differences. And now you and Lady Bakembe have been sentenced to this cottage for as long as it takes."

The drastic measure: Giannis and Sakari were now in a simulation of normal married life. For up to two weeks, they would be living together, depending on each other. No contact with anyone else unless business related.

Once the door closed Sakari sighed. She really didn't want to be alone with Giannis. Her feelings were still hurt. She was used to feeling unwanted or second rate. When she was younger, she would beg her father to leave the military life and he would always say 'our country needs me' which for once, she craved being acknowledged as someone in need.

Giannis watched her intently as she made herself familiar with the cottage. He didn't know his family owned such a thing, it was nice. With the bit of sunlight shining through the window. Sakari's skin glowed as she opened the cabinets to find the items she needs for cooking.

"Are you allergic to anything?" She asks. It was the first thing she's said to him in the last few weeks. He missed hearing her voice. "Ginger. I'm allergic to ginger. Are you allergic to anything?"

"Just nasal allergies." Giannis noticed  the crinkling of her nose would heighten when they left the garden. As if they waited until the moment they needed to leave.

After a few hours, Sakari would be in the living room reading a book. She found peace in literature. If she could do something, she would be a professor, that's how much she loved the subject. Whatever she made filled his nostrils as she descended to the first level. It seems to still simmer as the silver pot sat on the stove. Giannis walked down the stairs to join her. "Are you alright down here?"

"Mhm." She simply stated, not knowing how to speak to him, again feeling small under his gaze. As the days went on it was harder to resist him.

Sakari stood over the pot, making a bowl for him and herself. Catfish Pepper soup was on the menu tonight and Giannis was very pleased.

"Thank you, it is very delicious."
"You can thank my mother, she taught me how to cook."

Three days later...

The young pair went days without speaking to each other. Sakari would cook and clean, minding her business and Giannis stayed on the phone most of the time handling his future king duties.

Giannis tossed and turned in his bed as a nightmare too over his body. His screaming woke Sakari up. Slightly afraid, she walked down the hallway to the room he stayed in. It broke her heart that his screams were even more agonizing up close. The sweat on his body could be seen under the moonlight.

"Giannis..." his mind and body were captured in the fixed reality of his demise. His breath hitched as he tried to claw at his chest. "GIANNIS!" Sakari climbed into the bed to grab him. She held onto him, reassuring him that it was okay. For the first time since his life flashed before his eyes, he felt some sort of peace.

"It's okay, you're okay." Her one hand playing with his hair, soothing him. Her other hand laid on his bare chest. Giannis' breathing slowed down and he was able to relax against Sakari.

"You scared me, what happened to you?" She asks still playing with his hair.

"I keep reliving my death."