Balogun

POISON

"Arrogant now, hm? I will rip that pride off you."
- Our amiable Prince Murewa.

                                   xXx

It was five a.m. Monday morning and Abike was up again.
She walked drowsily through the hallway to the kitchen —where she poured the Prince a glass of milk— before making her way to his room.

"Don't bring me milk by five a.m anymore," he had said last night, so what she was doing by this time, walking down this lonely hall to his room, she had no idea.

She knocked twice before pushing open the door.
She found the Prince sitting on his bed, pulling on his boots.

"Good morning, my Prince." She greeted sunnily.
He looked up at her, his gaze like a soft caress as it traveled down her body, then back up.

He turned back to his boots and tied the knots on both before standing to his feet.

His workout bag was on the bed and he began to stuff supplies into it.

Abike sighed and walked slowly towards him, stretching the glass out when she was few feet away.

"I brought your milk," she said quietly.

He stopped loading his bag, took the glass and downed its contents.
Abike took it back and sighed as he turned to his bag again.

She turned to the door, surprisingly calm.
She was used to his fluctuating behaviour and although it still hurt, she was a lot better at handling it.
In fact, when she had made the decision to bring the milk this morning despite his instructions, she had known he could act this way, so different from how carefree and playful he has been yesterday.

"Why did you come?"

Her fingers froze around the knob and she turned to look at him.
He had his bag around his shoulder, one hand around the strap, the other hand in the pocket of his slacks.

"To give you your glass of milk," she answered.

"I told you not to bother anymore."

"Why?"

He sighed and crossed his arms, Abike admired his muscles for a few seconds before looking back up.
His stare was intense.

"It's too early. No one wakes up at five a.m around here." He shook his head.

Abike smiled. "They don't have a duty that requires it, that's why."

"I only told you to do it as a punishment for when you told me if you didn't see me in the next hundred years, it would be too soon." He shook his head again. "But you can stop now."

"I'm not going to stop." Abike walked slowly towards him.
"Working for you is easy, I really don't do much. Just bring your food at a particular time, take the tray back and..."

"Have sex?"

"I wasn't going to say that."

"Why? It's true, is it not?" He took a step away from her.
"Why are you here, Abike? For real. You are no longer bound by duty, then what made you leave from your bed at five a.m. to come here?"

"Is there something you would like to hear?"

"The truth."

Abike stepped forward but stopped when he raised an arm to halt her.
"Don't take another step, Abike. I am warning you."

Abike flung her arms up.
"I don't know why I am here. I don't."

He turned and walked to the bed, putting more distance between them.
"Abike..." he called slowly, his mouth working but no words coming out.
She moved towards him again, this time ignoring his outstretched arm. "Don't come close to me."