BENEATH THE CROWN
(AMANDA’S TALE)
CHAPTER 25
AMANDA’S POV
I walked in on a strange face in my room. I was shocked to see a young man snîffing through my stuff. I walked towards him without removing my gaze from him. The face was unfamîliar, and I am sure he must be new, but how come he knew my room and what is his mîssion here? I stopped right in front of him.
“Who are you, and what are you doing in my room?” I asked.
The young man avoided my gaze at first before lunging forward to kîss my lips hárd. I was lost for a moment due to shock, but something snapped in me, making me land a tight sláp on his face.
*SLAP!*
I immediately turned, cleaning my lips, but his next words shocked me. “Do you like the táste of my lîps, lady? You can have all of it in exchánge; I will have your bódy.”
I looked to see if he had grown two heads, and I burst into laughter, thinking he was making a joke. “You are very hîlarious, you know. I guess it is your first time in this palace, but let me make it clear to you. I am the king’s wife, and my quarters are óff-lîmits. Kindly walk out while I am being nice.”
“I know that, your highness, but our dear king doesn’t want you, and I am here because I am attrácted to you, and I want you for myself, and no one needs to know about this; all you have to do is cômply, and I will make you feel like a wóman,” he said, grinning at me.
To say I was shocked was an understatement. I couldn’t fáthom out what gave him the mind to spèw out the nonsénse he was saying.
“Look, I know you doubt me, but believe me, I have something…”
*SLAP!*
“Get out of my room at once and never show your face in front of me ever again,” I yelled furiously.
He walked towards me with a smirk on his face before beginning to whisper. “Better cómply while I am still nice; if not, you will face the conséquences. My number is under your pillow; you have until 12 midnight to cómply with me.”
He smirked then walked out of my room, leaving me to wonder who the héll he is and what he wants with me.
Whatever it is, he is going to get what is coming for him. No one threátens and goes scôt-free. I smirked, squeezing the dámn paper.
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The young man walked out of Amanda’s room before calling a number.
“It is done; you are in for a good show tomorrow.”
“Good, let’s see how she will get out of this one tomorrow,” the caller said.
The call ended, and the young man walked off with a sharp glint in his eyes.
THE NEXT MORNING
AMANDA’S POV
I woke up to loud screams in the palace. I stood up from my bed, wondering what the commótion was all about and where. I walked out of my room and traced the noise to where it was coming from. I noticed her maids running hèlter-skèlter looking for something. I wanted to ask what was going on but decided against it and just followed them silently.
I got to Queen Chiamaka’s room where she was busy searching furîously for something.
“Where is it? Where did you all keep it? Why does it have to be today of all days that this will happen? Where is my staff?” she screamed furiously.
I just stood, looking at the scene, and wanted to turn back but stopped when I heard Adaku’s voice.
“My queen! Please calm down; I am sure it will be around here somewhere. No one can take it from your room,” she said, rubbing Queen Chiamaka’s back.
I rolled my eyes at the scene and decided to stay and have a good show.
“Then where is it now? You know the elders are around and demand our presence. You know fully well I can’t appear without it. What do I do, Adaku?” Queen Chiamaka cried.
“Mum, please calm down; I am sure the maids will see it soon. Relax a little bit, please,” Adaku said comfortingly.
“My queen! I am sorry, but we can’t find it. It isn’t here,” Olanma said as she bowed.
“Then where is it? You were the one that collected it from yesterday; how can it go mîssing like that?” Queen Chiamaka snapped.
I watched as King Ikenna walked towards his mother, trying to calm her down. “Where could her staff be? Are you sure you thoroughly searched her room?” King Ikenna asked as he turned his gaze towards Olanma.
“My king, I have searched everywhere in her room but still couldn’t find it,” Olanma replied.
King Ikenna looked at Queen Chiamaka, who was crying, and sighed. “Let the guards conduct everywhere, and I mean everywhere.”
I saw a smirk form on Adaku’s face, and I had a very bád feeling about it but decided to watch what will happen next.
The guards searched everywhere, but they couldn’t find it. It remained in my room, and I was pretty sure they would not find it there either. However, I was shocked the very next minute when I heard a scream coming from my room. I turned to see the guards walk out of my room with the queen’s staff.
The guards walked towards Queen Chiamaka with the staff and gently placed it in her hands. “My queen, it was found in Amanda’s room. Amanda is the thîef.”
One of the guards dragged me forward and made me kneel before the queen. The queen looked at me in anger; she didn’t wait for me to explain before landing a tight slap on my face.
*SLAP!*
“You ungrâteful thing, I knew it had to be you, you are the only thîef in this palace. Is this how badly you want to be queen of this kingdom? You will never be queen of this great land!” she roared.
I scoffed as I looked at her. “The funny thing is that you gave no room to allow me to explain myself before accusing me. Are you this slow-wîtted that you can’t think properly? Well, what was I expecting from such a wonderful queen that you are…”
*SLAP!*
“You no longer have regard for our queen. Who are you to talk when she is talking? I don’t want to hear your mouth till she’s done talking,” the guard beside me said as he slapped me.
I looked down in tears and opened my palms, allowing my tears to fall freely into them. I threw my saliva into my palms and rubbed my two hands together. I stood up from my position and looked at the guard with my tears freely falling.
*SLAP!!!*
“You involved yourself in a matter that doesn’t concern you. Because of that, I HEREBY SEIZE YOUR VÓICE, YOU WILL NO LONGER SPÉAK AND YOUR HANDS SHALL BE USÈLESS FROM NOW ONWARDS,” I yelled in anger as I slapped him.
I turned to look at Queen Chiamaka. “My dear queen, I have no hand in the thèft of your staff. I am not interested in being queen or even being like you. Come to think of it, of what use is the staff to me when I won’t be able to use or go out with it. Why don’t you all stop to think for once? Why do you like frustráting me, why do you derive joy in my paîn, just why?” I snapped, looking at them. “How would I even steál the staff when I wasn’t around the palace premises in the evening? Why are you accusing me of something I didn’t do?” I yelled.
King Ikenna sighed, looking at me. “Amanda, tell me the truth. Are you responsible for the théft of the staff?”
“I know you would not believe, but I didn’t steál…”
“My king, she is lyîng, she is responsible for the théft, and I can attest to that because she paid me to do it and even sedûced me,” a voice from behind said, cutting me off.
I turned to see the young man from yesterday walking towards King Ikenna. Now I understand; I knew there was something suspîcious about his coming to my room, but I never imagined that it would be something of this magnitude.
The young man knelt before King Ikenna. “wMy king, Amanda is a vîle, jeálous woman. She paid me to stèal the staff from the queen’s room and even sedûced me, but my conscience couldn’t bear the guîlt because of the late king’s kindness to my family. Here is my evidence, my king, I am telling the truth.”
The young man stretched his phone to King Ikenna with a video playing. King Ikenna’s eyes reddened instantly as he turned towards me.
“How could Amanda, after all we have done for you, how could you even do this to me? Am I not enough for you? You slût! How dare you lîe to my face,” he roared as he threw the phone towards my direction.
I shakily picked up the phone and clicked the video. I watched what happened yesterday play but in a reverse way, like I am the one who kîssed him. Tears fell from my eyes as I wondered what I did to suffer so much, what exactly is my offense.
I looked at King Ikenna who stared at me in anger. I turned to Queen Chiamaka and Adaku before finally turning my gaze towards the young man. I walked towards him.
I stood in front of him, looking into his eyes and watched a lopsided smirk form on his face. I really wanted to slap the smirk off his face but kept my cool.
“I don’t know you from anywhere before, but you choose to end up this way. I don’t blame you, I blame who sent you, but I will give you grace to redeem yourself. I give three hours to speak the truth. If not, you will begin to rót and sméll. No one will help you; you will live in this state and watch as mággots eat your body. Déath will be far from you; you will beg for déath, but it won’t come. This I promise you; you have only three hours,” I said as I watched féar play in his eyes before returning it to a sharp glint.
I turned to King Ikenna and bowed in front of him. “My king, give me just three hours to prove my innocence, please.”
King Ikenna looked at me with disappointment in his eyes as he walked towards his mother before taking her to her room. Adaku smirked at me before following.
I was left alone with the young man. I turned to look at him before smirking. “You have just three hours, be useful with it.”
“You are just bluffing; you can’t do anything. I told you, you won’t like the conséquences, but now this is the proof that I am not joking…”
*SLAP!*
“Neither am I joking, boy. You méssed with the wrong person. Go and ask the guard standing; he didn’t hear a thing that was said here,” I smirked.
“What do you mean?” he asked with féar in his eyes.
“Ask him,” I smirked before walking off to my room. You shouldn’t have messed with me. In your next life, you will avoid someone like me. Don’t worry; the person that sent you will pay soonest, and hers will be so grand.
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I walked out of the palace and made my way to the market to get foodstuff for Chidi and the other people. I have already messaged Mama last night; I just hope she will have all that I need.
I was lost in thought and didn’t notice the person that approached. I was snapped out of my thoughts upon seeing the person’s face. I looked at the person with so much anger coursing through me.
“WHY ARE YOU HERE?”
**MICHAEL’S POV**
I missed Amanda so much and can’t get her off my mind; I even dreamt of her calling out to me. I tried to call her, but she wouldn’t pick my calls. I hope she is ok. I must go and see her to be sure she is ok, I thought to myself.
I stared at her picture and smiled. “AMANDA! I AM COMING!!”