Women Of Steel | ✔

XXXIII

Humans like to look at things with a fickle and disinterested gaze, we glance at something and see what we want to see, we see the surface and ignore the deep meaning behind a simple scene. We don't look at the eyes or the stiffness of the body. Like now, an outsider might see a woman and a man tumbling and fooling around on a bamboo bed, the outsider thinks of how beautiful they look together and how they must love each other.

That is how I would look if anyone was staring at me right now, they see the affectionate gazes, the low murmurs and whispers punctuated with playful kisses. Nobody sees the calculating glint in my eyes, they wouldn't catch my slight stiffening anytime Amadi runs a hand down my arm softly or plants a kiss on me.

I let myself play the coy and blushing bride with a more sinister goal in mind. Playing this role is important if I want the king to loosen his tongue.

I grip his left bicep shyly, batting my eyes ridiculously at him. I have no idea if it works but the forest king looks smitten.

"I have never seen a man more strong," I say, biting my lower lip. Amadi revealed a flaw to me the first time I met him, I have not had time to manipulate that flaw until now.

He laughs boisterously, I take in mental notes as I play along. The king is a man who likes to laugh too, and laugh as loud as he can, I suppose he looks more attractive when he does and I do not doubt he is using it as a weapon against me. It is too bad that it isn't working.

Sheer luck and perhaps the gods have given me this chance, for the past few days where Omolara's trial is being debated, the king has not once asked for me or mentioned anything about our wedding procession put on halt. Until this evening, he asked for me to be brought to his chambers, even better, he lies with me on the widest bamboo bed I have seen so far and whispers sweet words in my ears.

"I am strong for the both of us." He winks and I force out the laugh, I can count the number of sexist things this bastard has said in the past hour. The sad fact is that he is not deliberately being misogynist but rather it is the way he was brought up, to think women are the inferior sex, and the way he thinks has become the norm.

I grip his bicep even tighter wishing I could crack it like bones under my grip. "A powerful kingdom for a strong king. No one is like you, My Lord."

I smile sweetly, as he raises me to straddle him like a horse. I throw my hands around his neck and giggle when all I want to do is gag, Amadi smells strongly of perspiration and earth.

"And a beautiful queen for me."

"Men dream to be you, your gods stand behind your back and watch as you tear your enemies apart." I tell him.

He begins to pepper kisses down my neck. I shift uncomfortably.

"I hear terrible things too about your power, my husband." I pretend to shudder. Amadi pulls back with a frown on his face, he tucks a stray strand of loose hair behind my ears.

"Only good things will happen to you, my darling." He shrugs. "My bad side is for the enemies that dare stand against me."

I keep the worried look on my face. "I have heard terrible things about what you do to your enemies, I have heard stories about your infamous snake pit." I cajole softly.

The king smiles wickedly.

"Don't fret, I will tell you a secret my love." He leans closer to whisper in my ears. "The snake pit was dug by my ancestors, a big hole that goes on to an underground space filled with strange snakes I learnt to train as a boy. They know me and recognize me by scent, as long as you stay by my side, you will not be harmed at all."