Stars Align✅

CHAPTER 23: IT'S DECIDED

~GOMBE, NIGERIA~

"I'm here to speak to my father" Suhad announced even before he was within ten feet with the guards guarding his father's chambers. He wasn't in the mood to joke with them or for them to delay his meet up with his own father.

Any day but today.

"Mai Martaba asked to be alone today" One of the fadawa said curtly. He wanted to avoid the piercing gaze of the crown Prince because he knew he wasn't in the mood to play. But, he had to follow the orders he was given. "You cannot get in. I'm sorry your highness"

"Thought you'd say that" Suhad muttered and even before he reached where they stood, some of his own guards came out and pushed the King's guards aside.

It wasn't that the king doesn't have good guards, he does. It's just that based on their father's nature, he preferred having a small number of guards guarding his chambers so it was easy for Suhad to have his own guards overthrow them.

Then again, the King's guards will not go down without a fight. So, as they were held back, they fought in the other guards' hold, "How can you betray your own King?" One of them asked angrily.

They were causing a loud commotion that the people from outside could hear them considering there was about ten guards pushing back five guards. They were simply outnumbered.

"They only follow my orders. No one else's. Neither the King nor the Queen" Suhad replied just in time one of his guards opened the door for him before closing it shut once he was in. The door closed along with the commotion. Nothing is heard in the King's chambers.

Suhad exhaled lowly before he made his way to the door of his father's room. He knocked on the door and waited for his father's permission. He knew his father will never stop any of his children from seeing him. Whatever he guards said wasn't from the king but rather from Queen Saeemah. The fact of Suhad only being allowed to see his father twice or at most thrice a year was initiated by Queen Saeemah as she believed that the less Suhad is to his father, the better.

"Come in" His father, the King's voice came.

Suhad inhaled sharply. It's now or never, he thought.

He held the doorknob and twisted it before stepping in to his anther's room. Everything is pretty much in the same position it had always been. Mai Martaba, his father, seated on one of the couches in his study room-which is part of his room, sipping something from a mug whilst reading a newspaper.

He raised his head up and smiled when he saw Suhad, "Masha Allah! Today my son is here to see me. I see you're not busy anymore huh?" His father teased making him smile and look down.

Another one of Mamita's doing. Of course she never tells her husband that she's the one stopping the Prince from seeing his father. Instead, she tells the King that the Prince is too busy with work. That he needs to keep the family businesses running though the El Khabirs are pretty much helping in that aspect.

"Ina kwana Mai Martaba" Suhad greeted as he squatted down.

"Lafiya qalau. How are you? When did you come back?"

"I'm fine. I came back yesterday along with Mamita and Fatima" he replied as he sat down on the carpet.

Mai Martaba nodded, "Ango kenan! So you didn't even tell me that you wanted to marry the daughter of that minister. Instead, you went to your mother. Ko dai kunya na kakeji?" the old man teased again making Suhad look down and rub the nape of his neck.

He cleared his throat trying to hide the embarrassment, amusement and anger. He couldn't hide the fact that the thought of marrying Bilkisu makes him want to throw up. He still likes the girl, she wasn't a bad person, and he respects her for that but the one he loves is Jannah. However, his mother had already informed everyone in his family of his marriage with Bilkisu. "Actually Mai Martaba, I want to talk to you about that"