BONUS chapter sponsored by Anonymous ❤️
TIRHANI
"How are you feeling?"
"Are you going to ask me that question everytime you come here?"
"Yes," I respond without missing a beat, much to his displeasure. My father has always hated having people fuss over him so you can imagine how easily irritable he is since being here and having the medical staff checking on him regularly, and then there's us, his family. The overbearing ones.
I'm standing over his bed and looking at the man who raised me and it kills me to say that the man I'm looking at right now is nothing like him. He might try to cover it up and act like he's doing better but I know him and I know his voice and tone, the man laying here is just a shell of my father, nothing like what he used to be and it takes everything in me to man up and hide my true emotions, I can't risk them showing anywhere at this time.
"Then you'll annoy me just like your mother, every five minutes she's in here demanding something from the nurses, she's treating me like a child, not like a king."
"That's because she's worried about you, you scared us there,"
"Once in a while I must make you lot shake in your boots," He laughs but then groans in pain.
"Are you-"
"I'm fine, Tirhani. Stop it now,"
"Okay, I didn't come here to fight with you. I just came to check on you and see if you've changed your mind about letting me help you,"
"I haven't changed my mind and it's a little too late to do that, my days are numbered," He says like he did not just talk about death and that leaves me with a sealed mouth. He looks at me to find me staring right back at him. "What? We are all going to die someday, my father died too, you know?" he speaks humorously and this time I can't stop the chuckle.
"You're not taking this seriously, are you?"
"This? Oh no, I'm just taking each day as it comes. If I let this depress me then I might die sooner,"
"Why won't you let me help you? I'm a match,"
"I know you are and I appreciate that you didn't even think twice about it but I need you fully healthy, with no missing organs. There is no point in helping an old, dying man. I cannot risk with my successor, who is going to lead on the throne if I weaken you before I even die? What of your wife and future children? You have an entire future to consider, yours and the throne's. I don't want you wasting your energy trying to stop the inevitable, this was going to happen someday, you can't stop it from happening, son. You just need to be ready for it, to be prepared because that day is coming, "
" I am ready, "I assure him.
" I know you are, hence you handled Rony the way that you did, "He says then laughs again.
" Where did you hear that from? "
" I have connections, "He smirks" I'm glad you have seen for yourself what a snake he is. Always be aware of him. He failed to dethrone me, he might think that he will succeed with you but that will never happen. If Rony were to get that seat then the entire family would be ruined, you know that. "
" It won't happen, I won't let it. "
" I have faith in you. And my daughter in-law? How is she? "
" She's okay, "
" Let me ask you this, do you regret the choice that we made for you? "
" You're asking if I regret that she was chosen to be my wife? "
