Balogun

THE TALK

"Open your heart, they said. It's going to be fine, they said. Then I opened my heart, but it wasn't fine"
      - adetayo_first

                                   
It wasn't all that bad, Abike thought to herself as she followed Fatima down the hall towards the Prince's room.

She had discovered that if she was assigned general services like cooking or gardening, it was easy to steal some moments for herself as there were hundreds of servants in the Palace and if she disappeared for a while, no one would notice.

So when Fatima had asked this morning that Abike accompany her to the General's room instead of slaving away at the garden, Abike had immediately accepted. Although it was a dangerous offer, it was also mouthwatering.

She preferred to sit in the Prince's room all through the morning and just read one of his books, instead of working in the garden. But...but what if he comes back early?

"What if he comes back early?" Abike voiced out her major concern as she and Fatima arrived at the door.

"Hardly. It has never happened since I have been working." Fatima pushed the door open.

"Oh My God, did a tsunami happen in here?" She gasped in shock.

For the first time, the Prince's room was turned upside down. Completely disorganized. The bed was made, but that was the only normal thing in the room.

"Careful." Fatima held Abike back as she made to move farther into the room. "There are glass shards on the floor."

"What happened in here?" Abike frowned.
His clothes were strewn about the room, books carelessly on the floor, one of the table's legs was broken and water was spilled on the floor.

"Well..." Abike tiptoed to the only couch in the room and sat down. "This is all on you." She picked one of the books, checked the title, and settled down to read.

"It's okay." Fatima was laughing. "I am just glad for your company." She picked up all the other books and rearranged them on the shelf, before turning to critically measure the damage.

"You think the Prince did this?" She asked her friend as she began to pick up the Prince's clothes, separating the dry ones from the ones soaked with the water that was spilled.

Abike looked up at her. "Why would he?"

"Why would he?" Fatima whirled to look at her. "Weren't you present in the Great Throne Room yesterday? He was mad angry when he left."

"True." Abike nodded. "He is always angry."

"I don't like him." Fatima began to hang his dry clothes in the wardrobe. "But he is so beautiful."
She giggled and Abike laughed with her.

"I know."

"Do you know he has a harem?" Fatima kept talking. "Fifty beautiful girls just lying in wait for the Prince to come for them."

"I think that's stupid," Abike answered hastily, suddenly jealous.

"Extremely." Fatima nodded. "I mean, why would you agree to be a part of that circus? But I admit the benefits are nice. You need to see their wing, Abike. It's huge"

"You have been there?" Abike asked curiously, snapping the book shut.

"Everyone has been there." Fatima turned to look at her friend. "Well, maybe except you. It's a nice place." She turned back to her work.
"They don't sleep on bunks like us. They have huge Queen beds. And you should see their Queen Bee, her name is Awelewa"

Abike groaned. The name seemed to follow her around like a bad cloud. "I met her already. In the garden."

"She is so beautiful." Fatima closed the wardrobe and picked up the broom.