Ara was dressed in her black gown. It fitted her perfectly as if her measurement was taken to sew the gown. A black shoe was given to her as well. She put on her shoes, packed her natural hair to the back, making sure she styled her hair in half party to have a nice look. What she didn't know was that, even if she had packed her hair to the back without any style, she would still look nice and command attraction. But, it was her way of packing her hair if it was not plaited.
She made sure to forward the money she promised her younger sister, Omo, including the airtime before leaving her room. The workers were the only one living downstairs like she was told by Sewa. While the Prince stayed upstairs. She hope she wouldn't run into Florence and wish she could stay somewhere else far away from her, but it was impossible as long as they both worked in the palace.
Now climbing the stairs to answer the third Prince. She couldn't even understand why the third Prince wanted to see her. Grace told her Prince Adedamola was in the second Prince room which made her steps a bit slower.
She wasn't really that scared of the second Prince, but she wasn't ready to face him yet. He looked a bit dangerous and she better mind her business like she was told to. Ara walked
towards the middle room as Grace described for her. She could hear voices echoing from the room which got her attention. She wanted to just knock and leave immediately she was done, but Ara seemed to be interested in whatever they were discussing.
"Why did you bring her here?" The first voice sounded dominating with a bit of anger emitting in his voice. But then, a cough came out three times from someone else which sounded like it was intentionally done before he spoke up. "Hmm, bro May be you want to ask me how she
walked in here by herself?"
"Damola cut the crap! I know "
"I know you like her. And this is the first time you ever like someone again ever since she left. So I'm only helping as a loyal brother I am. But hey, I didn't bring her here. She came here on her own will."
Ara could tell who and who was talking. The second Prince and his brother, Prince Adedamola. But she couldn't tell who they were referring to, or who the she was. She wasn't even interested in knowing, so she just listened. There was a bit of silence before the dominating male voice that belonged to the second Prince spoke up again.
"Damola I'm not stupid! You've been giving the stupid instructions while they thought I did. And you better stop that nonsense immediately."
A loud laughter reached out to Ara's ears. She could tell that was Prince Adedamola because the second Prince she saw does not look like someone who knew how to smile talkless of laughing at all. Then she heard Prince Adedamola's voice. "So you knew and you didn't try to stop me bro. Thanks anyways. I'm done for now. She's exactly where I want her to be."
Then they switched to another topic that completely confused Ara. It was then she realized she could be caught by someone, and it wasn't proper that she was listening to people's conversation. She decided it was better to just knock. She moved away a bit, standing well to hit her fist on the door when something else penetrated into her ears.
"So, who are those carrying the goods this time and how many bags of cocaine?"
Ara gasped!
She wasn't sure if she heard that well.
She wasn't sure if the two Princes have been replaced by another set of people.
They couldn't have been the one saying that!" She thought.
Cocaine!
Princes dealing with hard drugs.
That can never be possible.
Ara's mind fought with a lot of words.
She tried to think of a word that sounded like cocaine but she couldn't find one. She couldn't believe what she just heard, and instantly she blamed herself for eavesdropping and listening to their conversation. Now she was scared more than ever. Her heart was racing like it was running from a gun pointed out of nowhere. Her hand gripped the wall unable to move. But she still had to knock. She wondered what she had gotten herself into.
Her hand was shaking with fear over what she just discovered. While trying to knock again, the same voice she recognized to be so dominating and scary spoke in a soft manner that suddenly stopped Ara's heart from beating. This time, Ara wished she had not entered the palace at all. He spelled the words so smoothly that Ara's body suddenly turned cold.
"Kill them. And you better not make any mistake this time around."
"What if---"
"Damola do as I say! And I mean it this time around. Or I do it myself."
Without knowing, the last word Ara heard landed her fist hanging in the air on the door. She gasped! Covering her mouth. Scared and started moving away slowly from the door, hoping she was not heard. But they heard the noise. They just couldn't point out where the noise came from because it was light and anyone wouldn't have been so bothered by it.
But the second Prince knew that was a knock, and the knock was from no one else except from Ara because she was the one his brother was expecting. His mind drifted to her while he was talking to his brother hoping she arrived. Of course, he wanted to see her, but his actions was not matching with his secret thoughts. The moment the slight knock hit his door, he knew. He knew it was her. And for her to have kept shut, not announcing her presence, he knew she heard them, and the knock might probably have been a mistake, but he kept quiet. He didn't mention it to his brother.
Ara stayed at the corner, praying the knock was not heard. After five minutes of hiding, she realized no one came out. She moved away from where she hid and heaved a sigh. She felt her mind settled and the heavy beating of her heart stopped.
"Hey miss, have you seen my brothers?"
Ara lifted her head to stare at the young guy standing before her. She just stared at him unable to respond to his question. She was just getting over what she heard, now facing another cute teenage boy standing close to her. She wondered who he was. Another prince again? She was getting tired of meeting all these princes here and there. She would need to have Grace or Sewa tell her all about everyone living in the palace to be prepared on meeting anyone of them.
Ara wondered if may be the young guy was a son to one of the workers, but it was obvious with the way he dressed and carried himself that he wasn't just anybody's son but a Prince. Suddenly, something popped down to Ara's mind. She realized he mentioned brothers and that suddenly seized her attention.
"Oh, you are new here. I just got back from school so I really haven't met the new workers," the boy said, and stared back at the figure before him, admiring how beautiful Ara was.
"But hey, why are you so pretty?" The young boy said again, like he was jealous of Ara's beauty, but Ara knew he was just trying to get her attention.
Ara finally managed to smile a bit. She shouldn't lose her smile because of some things that shouldn't cause her any problem. She smiled not because the boy called him pretty, but the aura of confidence around the young boy who couldn't even be up to fifteen years of age, yet has triggered her to smile. How well he would be taming some girls', Ara thought.
Ara turned to the young boy. "Well, why are you so handsome too?" She asked back with a smile, but getting the young boy to laugh.
"Miss, you are so funny. I asked you first. But anyways, permit me to introduce myself. I'm Musi Adegoriola. The thirteen years old, fifth prince and lastborn in this palace. I'm really not expecting Dad to get married again. Looking up to God for that."
Ara laughed. His Dad was a king, and he could if he ever wanted to any day, any time. Ara resumed back to a light smile, replying the young Prince. "Nice name you've got. You remind me of someone."
"I hope is not the popular Goriola Adams, cause it's like every girl on earth were created to just crush on this guy."
Ara laughed. She couldn't believe it would be so easy laughing with someone since she walked into the palace. Even if the present situation didn't want her to, she managed to do what she liked doing best. And she finally met someone who made her feel so free. She was free with the young Prince, speaking back just like she would have done with her sister. She stared back at the young Prince. "Well, sorry to disappoint you my Prince," Ara said. "I'm one of those ladies who finds him really cute."
A boyish grin appeared on Adegoriola's face. He seemed to have immediately liked Ara and he wasn't hiding it. It was the first time he ever liked someone working for his brother. To him, his brother's workers were just like him. Hard face, unfriendly, mean, and extremely strict. He continued to enjoy his conversation with Ara, forgetting he was there to greet his brothers in the first place.
Adegoriola's smile widened. "Don't worry, I'm not offended. Thank God he's now married to my lovely lawyer, speaker and a role model I'm hoping will one day be my mentor. Mrs. Adams Jadesola Coker herself. Now girls can crush on me the way they like. So, miss pretty, here is another Goriola to crush on."
Ara smiled before bursting into laughter. She liked his Charisma. She liked the way he confidently spoke to her. Did he just say thirteen? He looked young in his stature though, but his manner of speaking wowed Ara. She was enjoying their conversation too, that she also forgot the reason why she came upstairs. At a point, her laughter was a bit loud, forgetting where she was and acting like she was in her father's house where she could laugh and fall on the ground. She forgot even a small laugh was considered a noise in the second Prince house.
And there was one thing Ara was spoilt at. She could laugh till eternity, The high pitch of her laughter could wake a sleeping corpse in the grave. But this time, her laughter successfully brought out two men from where they were to witness what was happening. Adegoriola was the first to see his brothers resulting to a sudden excitement, while he saw the beautiful smile on Ara's face instantly drained and replaced with fear. Even him was scared of his brother though, but not to that extent.
"Good afternoon Brother Adedamire." Adegoriola greeted his brother, bowing his head in a respectful manner. Then greeted Prince Adedamola in a casual way.
Ara finally knew his name after many hours of entering the palace. Adedamire... She pronounced. The popular second prince. Adedamire... She pronounced again in her mind, lifting up her eyes to look at him once again for the second time, but only to realize his eyes were on her even before she could return the favour. She instantly looked away. He did not.
Ara was starting to feel uncomfortable expecting Prince Adedamola who called for her to speak but all he was doing was smiling like he won a jackpot. "Em..." Ara felt he sounded like he doesn't even know what to say before he was finally able to come up with something. Prince
Adedamola smiled at Ara, and she wondered why his elder brother found it difficult to do so. "I actually called you to let you know there will be a party tonight, so please get prepared."
Ara couldn't even hide her I can't believe you called me for this' stare. She couldn't believe she was just called for that nonsense Grace already told her.
Turning to finally leave, Ara came to a stop when he finally heard him speaking to her.
"Do not serve anyone tonight. Not even me," he said. And the next thing Ara heard was the noise made by his door.