BENEATH THE CROWN
(AMANDA’S TALE)
CHAPTER 27
**ADAKU’S POV**
I watched him drînk the lîquîd I served him, a smile slowly formed on my lîps. Now it is time for me to prepare for the spécial nîght ahead. I swayed my way to my room, took a báth, wore sè×y lîngérîe, sprayed my pérfúme, and downed the remains of the lîquîd to prepare me for the nîght ahead.
I walked out of my room towards the king’s room, knowing I was irrésîstîble. “And I am sure the king will lîke what he sees,” I said to myself, cát-wálking into the king’s room, expecting to find him on the bed but met an émpty béd.
**AMANDA’S POV**
I laid on my bed with several thoughts running through my mind. I wouldn’t lîe; I mîssed the king’s toûch, I mîssed everything about him. I just wanted someone to lóve me and treat me like a queen but got nothing but paîn and tears. I sighed at my thoughts and cûddled myself under the sheets to sleep.
I snapped my eyes open when I heard banging at my door. I laid back, thinking it was a mîstake, but the knocks became persîstent, so I stood up and walked to the door to open it.
I was stunned to see King Ikenna standing at the door. He pûshed me into the room and loçked the door shût behind him.
“Good evening, your highness,” I greeted, avoiding eye contact.
He stared at me without saying a word. I proceeded towards the bed, waiting for him to say something, but he grabbed me and drágged me towards himself, kîssîng me furîously and rîppîng my clóthes off.
I struggled to pûsh him away, but he wouldn’t budge. I knew something was wróng because he was always gentle with this kind of thing. I tried to calm him down but ended up being pushed on the bed with my hands pînned over my head while he continued his ássáûlt on me.
I watched as he fórcefûlly had his way with me, with tears in my eyes due to the paîn. He rólled off me when he was done and slept off without a word.
I stood and went to the bathroom to wash off, stifling my crîes.
I am really tired of my life.
**ADAKU’S POV**
I traced the king down to Amanda’s room. Why does my perfect plan fail all the time? I listened to the king groáning in pléásure as ángér bubbled inside me. “I was the one who was supposed to enjóy this, why her? Why didn’t he think of me first?”
I dragged my hair in frûstration and stôrmed off in ángér. It is time I deal with her once and for all.
Now how do I deal with this problem, I thought to myself as I walked to my room, feeling the hèát radîating from my bódy. I was lost in thoughts when an idea struck me.
I walked down to the guards’ quarters and sneáked into a room, climbing into the bed and started touching him. He jérked up and looked startled to see me.
“My queen! What are you doing here?” he asked frantically, looking around to see if anyone is there.
“Stop it, Ifeanyi. No one is here. Drop the queen stuff,” I snapped.
“Okay, Adaku, what are you doing here? This isn’t part of the plan,” he replied.
“I know, but I need your help. I need you to quénch the fîre in me, please,” I pleaded.
“You know this is an abômînatîon, and what if the king finds out? What will happen?” he asked.
“Nothing will happen, and nobody will find out. How will they find out when it is a sécrét between us? Come on, let’s have a goód time,” I said as I dragged him towards myself.
This was going to be a lóng night, I smirked to myself.
**THE NEXT MORNING**
**AMANDA’S POV**
I stirred in my sleep as someone tapped me. I opened my eyes to see King Ikenna staring at me.
“Good morning, your highness,” I greeted.
“What happened here last night?” he asked, leaving me shocked. Was he drûnk or what? Why can’t he remember what happened?
“My king, you bárged into my room and fórced yourself—”
“Save it. Do I look stûpîd? How could you stóóp so low? How dèspèraté are you to get what you want?” he said, causing tears to roll down my eyes.
“My king, I would never fórce you to do this; it was you that came to me,” I cried with a héavy heart.
“And you expect me to believe that; I know the gamés you are playing, but I am overlooking. But this time I won’t overlook,” he said in ángér.
“My king, please believe me. I did no such thing; how will I drûg you when I don’t sérve you?” I said.
He sighed and stood up. “Look, let’s prétend this never happened and make sure you stay away from my things or you will have yourself to bláme. Why can’t you just be like Adaku? You have a lot to learn from her. She is everything a man can wish for. In fact, stay away from me totally.
I watched as he walked away with tears streaming down my face. What exactly have I done to this?
**“WHY ME!”**
**UJUNWA’S POV**
I walked around in search of a job, hoping to find any, even if it’s a cléaning job. I am more than willing to do it. I looked around but had no luck. I was soon lost in thoughts, thinking of how to survive if I couldn’t find a job.
I was snapped out of my thoughts when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see my nîghtmáre – Soma.
I quickly turned to walk forward but was pulled back by Soma. “Uju, that is not how to greet an old friend, you know.”
**Good morning,” I greeted, attempting to hide my face.
“Morning! Wow! You haven’t changed at all, still beautiful as always,” he said, making me feel émbárrássed because he was far from the trûth.
“It is nice seeing you; I have something to do,” I said with the intention of walking away.
“Ujunwa, you don’t have to lîe to me. I have been following for 5 minutes and noticed you were lóst in thoughts; you didn’t even hear me call your name. What could be the problem?” he asked.
“It is nothing serious,” I replied.
“Uju! You know how much I háté lîés. Come on, tell me the truth. I could be of help.”
I sighed, looking up before turning to face him. “I need a job to survive, and I don’t mind doing anything, even if it is a cleaning job, I will do.”
“That isn’t a problem; I will gladly help you. Why don’t you wórk for me as a salesgirl in my new boutique, and I’ll pay you generously?” he said softly.
“Okay! How much is the pay, and when can I start?” I asked, not having much of a choice.
“Hmm! The pay will be 100k per month, and you can start immediately,” he said with a smile.
Tears rolled down my cheek because that was the same amount he gave me monthly for my upkeep only. Oh! I lost a diámond while chásing stónes.
“Thank you so much; I am grateful,” I smiled.
“You are welcome. If you béhave yourself, I have a surprise for you,” he said as he pulled me towards his car and immediately took off towards the direction of his shop.
Throughout the entire drive, one thing bugged my mind.
**WHAT WAS THE SURPRISE**