H Haider Jega

On getting to the palace, I met my father in my chamber seated on the sofa and watching the news on my television. "Abba, what's up? Good morning" I said, I sat next to him and he turned to face me with a frown on his face.

"Why did you go to your mother's house?" He said. His eyes were rare of peace, the only I could see in was anger and great worry. I sighed.

"She wasn't well so I went to see her," I said bluntly. I was tired of always having this conversation with him. "And how did you know I went there?" I asked.

"Dk told me, Look Alhaji Zakari is not a good person. For my ex-best friend to snatch my wife and you still visit them do you think you are also a good person?" My father asked.

"Abba, I only went to see my mother. It's not like I went there to stay there forever. And also, DK wasn't well so we had to stay there so that I'd treat" I said.

"What's wrong with DK and speaking of her, why isn't she here..." My father said as though she heard him. She came in with a frown on her face but immediately she saw him. She smiled and bowed her head and greeted him.

"Good Morning sir." She greeted.

"DK my dear, how are you doing? I hope you are better now?" My father asked.

"I am sir," She said.

"That's good, Come over here please," He said and she moved towards him. "Thank you for always informing me about Haidar's whereabouts. You see the thing I didn't want to utter before was that his life is in great danger DK. He was once shot when he was 17 years old at a party and when the bullet didn't hit him in the right spot that would kill him. I have texted these exact words "He missed death today, but tomorrow he shall die". That instant I sent him abroad to go stay with my brother. And this happened a few days after his elder brother, the supposed crown prince was stabbed to death. DK I know you are not God, but please don't let me lose my stubborn son" I didn't know my father was so worried about me until I saw tears in his eyes. I looked at DK and she was scarce of emotion. She didn't move nor say a thing. She looked quite unbothered by his statement.

"Your Majesty, I will ensure his safety even if I have to lose my life. I promise you this, Your majesty. I won't let you lose another son" From the way she spoke I could tell she could die for the sake of her job. She said it bluntly. Scare of emotions. I didn't know the type of woman she was. She was a rare type of girl and I had never seen her type before.

"Thank you." My father said with a smile. She smiled back.

"Sir if you'd excuse me I'd have to go freshen up, I'll be right downstairs in a jiffy," She said to my father.

"Okay DK. Till you return then" My father said. She smiled one more time and trusted what I say. The smile did not reach her eyes. She seemed very bothered. She walked upstairs and the next thing I heard was The closing of her door. I turned to stare at my dad.

"You too, Go take a shower. You look like a rag. And one more thing, you and DK would have to go to the Abuja conference meeting going on in the presidential Vila. You would be representing me because I already informed the president that I was sick" My father said. He looked fine to me. He didn't even seem sick at all, I knew he only wanted me to attend the conference so that I can learn a thing or two. I hated all these meetings where I would be faced with old people staring at me. I hated it so much because of the continued squatting and greeting. My father and brothers would be there as well, I wanted to tell him to send Zubair but I thought otherwise because Zubair would do nothing but disgrace us. My brother was rude and acted as if the world was in his hand. My father would never send him to such a place.

"Okay Abba, what time is it?" I forced a smile on my face.

"It starts By 10:30, This morning. So you should probably go get ready" My father said. I resisted the urge to sigh loudly. I just decided to go to my room and take a quick hot shower. I got dressed in one of my finest White Getzner kaftans and wore a Zamani cap on my head. I looked myself in the mirror and I looked charming, if the president had daughters then they should probably get ready to see this fine man. I sprayed perfume and walked out of my room and knocked on that of DK's. She opened just immediately.

"Your Highness," She said. For a second there I found her lost in staring at me. She looked at me calmly before looking down. I could see a bruise on her neck. How could she have gotten bruised? She didn't fall and I remembered that vividly.

"Why are you Bruised on the neck?" I asked her.

"I was trying to put something on my neck. I didn't know it had a pin so it cut me" She lied. Yeah, I knew she was lying. There was no way a pin would cause this sort of wound on her neck. The bruise was thin and could barely be seen but I noticed immediately because of the color of her skin, that she was light-skinned.

"A pin cannot cause a bruise, but that's your business. We are leaving for the presidential villa. Are you ready?" I asked looking at her clothes. She was still dressed in all black, yeah. I was beginning to think she only had one clothes.

"Yeah of course I am" She shut her door and we both ambulated downstairs. Something about her seemed weird today. I knew something was wrong but what was my business? I couldn't wait to see Nailah.