Getting Married To The Prince
THE noise from the slap was so defeaning and thundering that the Queen and her mom had to stop their conversations to look at them.
What really happened? What could have prompted Vidya to do such thing? Giving a royal maid a slap, for what exactly?
“Are you out of your mind Vidya?” Her mom came again, getting up this time.
Vidya sighed as she lowered her head.
“I’m very sorry mom, but look what she did to me?” She showed off her stained dress to the women.
“Oh come on Vidya, it’s just water”, Arya said.
The maid rallied around and took up a napkin.
“I’m very sorry Miss, here, help yourself”, she said handling the napkin to her.
Vidya glared at her, so hard that she flinched, and immediately began cleaning up the water stain herself.
Arya laughed.
“She is in her teens Roshan, it’s normal, overlook that”, she said.
Roshan sighed turning to the Queen, then she sat down.
“I’m really sorry about that My Lady”, Vidya said smiling, the maid had finished up the cleaning.
Arya smiled and turned to her.
“It’s nothing to worry about Vidya, we who see these things every minute of the day knows how it pinches”, she said.
Vidya smiled as she picked up her cutleries and continued eating, she glanced at her mother and saw her staring at her, she quickly looked away.
“Vidya has really grown into a beautiful young lady, she would be so fit for the Prince”, Arya said.
“What!” Vidya gasped, dropping her cutleries.
“Goodness!” Roshan exclaimed, “are you serious My Lady?”
“Damn serious”, she replied.
“Wow, thank you My Lady. I’m so really happy, thanks Your Grace”, she bowed.
Arya smiled, enjoying her meal.
“Thank you so much Your Grace, this is really good news”, Roshan said.
Arya waved her left hand.
“Oh it’s nothing Roshan, what else can I use to smoothen our long years of friendship?” She asked rhetorically.
Roshan nodded, glancing at her daughter who was already over the moon. So, her long time dream was suddenly becoming a reality huh?
“I’m really grateful”, she said.
“That reminds me My Lady”, Vidya said and Arya turned to her, “Um, when is he coming back? I mean the Prince”, she pouted.
“Very soon Vidya, you won’t be in the dark once he returns, you will be informed”, the Queen said.
Vidya nodded, grinning from ear to ear.
“Prince Raghav is really something these days, he has been postponing his return here and there, why?” Roshan asked.
Arya sipped some water before answering.This content © Nôv/elDr(a)m/a.Org.
“Don’t mind him. He will surely be returning soon, that I know for sure, and then”, she cleaned her mouth with the table napkin, “I will send you guys an invite to the palace for a dinner party, there you will meet and familiarize yourselves with my son”, she stated emphatically.
“Yuppie!”, Vidya clapped her hands, rejoicing, her mom turned to her and she flinched in her seat.
“Sorry about that”, she continued with her meal.
Arya laughed.
“That is teens for you, it’s their time”, they laughed it over.
… Minutes Later …
“Vidya, what were those things for?” Roshan asked the instant the royal convoy left their house.
Vidya rolled her eyes in confusion.
“What was what?” She spread out her arms, licking her lips.
“Those nonsense acts you pulled up”, she replied, “slapping a royal maid, throwing questions at the Queen, delving into our conversations…”.
“Gosh! Mom! For Christ’s sake, what was wrong with all that?” She interrupted, folding her arms.
“You must be crazy”, Roshan blurted.
“Huh?” She was taken aback.
“Yes. Must you show the Queen the stuff you are made of even before going into the palace? Must you?” She asked.
Vidya sighed.
“Well mom I’m rude, you and I know that, I can’t hide it”, she said.
“You really have to, especially in front of the royalties, what example are you showing them?”
“I get you mom, I will try to”, she rolled her eyes.
“Very most especially in front of the Prince, you know he never would take such rubbish, forget the Queen did”, Roshan said and walked away.
“Oh!” She mouthed and flopped down on the couch beside.
Whatever, all she wanted has finally been given, the say by the Queen that the Prince was hers.
She smiled broadly staring into space.
Suddenly there was a knock on the door and she instantly looked out through the window, she saw two guys.
She studied them properly and it dawned on her instantly, they were from Zaina, they had brought her the leaves, she got up and walked towards the door.
*
*
*
A throng of students stood outside Miss Alisha’s office, all holding their plant albums in their hands.
It was the day of submission and so they had all gathered outside her office waiting to be called.
When called, you go in and submit your album, she asks a series of questions and then study your album, then award you marks.
“Wow, yours is beautiful”, a student said to Rina, who held hers guarding it jealously.
Zaina turned to Rina and they smiled.
“Thanks”, she said to the student.
“I wonder how many students gonna commend you today for this beautiful work Rina, I told you it’s damn beautiful”, Zaina said.
They were sitting on the bench beside the office.
It was a long bench, five more students sat on it, chatting away as they waited for their turns.
Those who couldn’t get seats, hung around waiting to be called.
“Thank you Zaina, it’s nothing, it’s just a design I decided to add to the covers, nothing more”, she said.
“About five students had already commended, I wonder what Miss would say when she sees it then”, Zaina said and they laughed.
“Hey girls”, someone greeted and they looked towards the direction of the voice.
Oops! It was Vidya.
“Hi… hi”, they greeted.
“We really haven’t seen today”, she said as she got to them and looked around.
“Gosh! No seat”, she stressed.
Zaina spread out her arms and shrugged.
“No seat”.
“Just wait, when one of the students gets up from the bench to go submit his work, then you can sit”, Rina said, but it wasn’t Vidya she was talking to, she already had in her mind what to do.
So immediately, she turned to the students sitting on the other side of the bench, and furiously walked up to them.
“Hey you”, she called to the one sitting closer to Rina, “Get up”, she said.
The student was surprised, she looked at her curiously.
“Excuse me”, she said.
“Excuse your butts. I said get up, don’t let me call the palace gua…”, the student got up immediately.
“You should have remained”, she said and sat.
Zaina and Rina watched this little drama and sighed, what a human.
“So did you get the leaves?” Zaina asked.
“Oh yes Zaina, thanks so much. The guys brought it immediately the Queen left my house, you know I told you the Queen was visiting remember?” She said flashing her thirty two.
Oh God! Not again, Zaina and Rina sighed, turning their faces and looking away.
Vidya saw all these and continued.
“She actually came and you know what?” She was now shouting, lots of students began turning to look at her.
“What?” Zaina asked.
“She will be sending me an invite to the palace for a dinner party to meet with the Prince, um… we will be getting married”, she said clapping her hands and smiling sheepishly.
The onlooking students gasped.
“I see”, Zaina nodded, “Is the Prince back?” She asked.
Vidya suddenly stopped talking and rolled her eyes.
“He will be back soon”, she said.
“Gosh! I’m so happy and excited, I even overslept last night”.
Rina nodded, no wonder she was damn late to school that morning.
What happiness, ew, she looked away, already feeling disgusted with the way she moved her hands, clapped her hands and rolled her eyes.
“How about the album? Let me see it”, Zaina said to stop her from continuing talking nonstop.
“Oh!” She mouthed and unzipped her bag, then brought it out.
“Here”, she handed it over.
“Oops!” Zaina gasped, Rina almost laughed out. What was this?
The plants were all correct though, but the way with which she had joined them in an album was so funny, it looked like crumpled paperwork, it was rough.
“Is this the album? Or just an intro?” Zaina asked.
“Intro? Did Miss Alisha asked us to make an intro too?” She asked looking from Zaina to Rina.
Rina laughed.
“No Vidya, she didn’t. She is only asking because the work”, she laughed again, “it looks weird, I wonder what mark would be awarded to you for this”, she said still laughing.
Vidya sighed.
“Well, that was because after the Queen left, I had become so tired, I just had to rush this”, she said.
Zaina scoffed.
“Vidya Sujit”, a student standing by the door to Miss Alisha’s office said and she looked up.
“Who dares?” She replied.
“Come submit your album”, the student said and walked away.
“Oh, see you guys later”, she said and got up, walking towards the office.
Rina sighed.
“What a friend you have got”, she said.
“I have told you it’s we, not me”, Zaina snapped.
“Alright… alright”, she raised her hands, surrendering and laughing.
“She is something. Well if what she said it’s really true, I’m happy for her, very happy for her”, she shrugged.
“You mean she getting married to the Prince?”
“Yes”.
She shook her head.
“I don’t think so. I mean I don’t think the Prince would let anyone choose a bride for him”.
She shrugged.
“Well, that’s for them. But her album…”, they bursted out laughing.
“That’s more of a comic book”, they continued laughing.
“Miss Rina”, a student interrupted.
They turned to the voice, it was a junior student.
“Yes dear, what can I do for you?” Rina asked.
“The principal wants to see you, now, in her office”, he said.
Rina glanced at Zaina.
“Okay, thanks I will be there”, and the student left.
“My God, the principal, what does she wants?” Zaina asked.
“I really don’t know. Let me just go”, she stood up and began walking away.
“What about your album?” Zaina called back pointing towards Miss Alisha’s office.
Rina rolled her eyes and walked back to her, then handed her the album.
“I’m still behind, my number is 48, presently now she is on 29, I will be back before then”, she said.
Zaina nodded.
“Free yourself Rina, you are loved”, she winked and Rina smiled, then walked away.