Chapter Four
Departure
"We received word that Edgar spoke on behalf of Obren and you're set to go there to meet prince Cesar in a month's time," Steven cheerfully relayed to Ayanda who laid upon the Victorian chaise lounge sofa with her eyes closed in the east den. Edgar had only been gone a few days and yet Ayanda felt like a century had passed. She looked out at the gardens through the stained patio doors and inhaled deeply, unable to join in on Steven and Joseph's excitement at her having to perform like a jester in hopes of obtaining the affections of a known womanizer like Cesar especially after having met the love of her life in Edgar. "How wonderful," she replied flatly. "It truly is," stated Steven. "So wonderful mind you that I am going to give you another minute of lounging about like you are before I insist that you correct your posture." Joseph, who sat on a chair near Ayanda, groaned while he adjusted himself and said, "Let's not celebrate a victory which has yet to be won Steven. She still must work on winning over the-king-to-be. Speaking of, we'll have to figure out a way to notify the chef in Craorus of the princess' dietary restrictions." Ayanda was so heart broken over losing Edgar that Joseph's snide remark didn't even phase her. "Now be kind my friend. Ayanda knows what's to be done and what is at stake should she fail." She felt Joseph's eyes on her as he replied, "Does she now?" Ayanda exhaled heavily, sat up and looked to Joseph. "I'm in no mood Joseph," "that's painfully obvious." "Joseph," Steven cautioned. Ayanda shook her head. "You clearly have something to say to me so spit it out." Joseph leaned back and motioned for Steven to take the lead. Steven sighed and moved a chair so he could sit directly in front of Ayanda. "You have been an extremely fortunate girl thus far, but that's only because of Joseph and me watching over you. Once you get to Craorus-" "I'll be on my own. I got it. You've both told me that many times," "yes but we need to be sure it has truly resonated with you. Once you are over there you can't afford to take risks like not-so-secret meetings with men who aren't the prince." Ayanda's jaw dropped as she looked from Steven to Joseph. "How did you-" "Because unlike you, we're not imbeciles." "Joseph!" Steven warned in a hushed tone. Joseph rolled his eyes and Steven focused back on Ayanda. "Joseph's words are harsh but not far from the truth. Do you know what would've happened to you both if anyone had seen what we saw or knew what we know?" Ayanda's expression changed from surprised to disgusted as she scooted back from Steven. "You two spied on us?" "For your own good and for the good of both Obren and your true country of origin." "How the hell does watching me in secret help anything?" "We were able to avert attention away from your afternoon rendezvous and keep suspicion from falling on either one of you." Ayanda scoffed and looked away from him. Joseph said, "have some respect girl. Your lack of control and utter idiocy nearly cost you and your family everything." She shot a look at Joseph. "You don't need to keep reminding me about what'll happen to my family if I don't obey!" "Obviously we do!" "Joseph calm yourself." Said Steven before addressing Ayanda again. "You must forget Edgar and focus on the king-to-be. Your feelings for one another have proven to be dangerous and will lead to all our undoing if you do not get them under control." Ayanda was practically seething when Steven placed two pointed fingers under her chin and forced her to look in his eyes. The same frightening coldness he had shown to her twice before sat there hidden behind his calm demeanor, threatening to surface again. "Am I understood?" She fought the urge to slap his hand away and tell him where she thought he could go and nodded instead. "Yes Steven. I understand." He smiled. "Good." He stood and went over to Joseph whose breathing was slightly ragged from his earlier outbursts Ayanda noticed, and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Like my colleague stated earlier, we need to figure out how to get word to the chef about your change in diet. Meanwhile, be sure to keep up with your daily exercises so you're in top shape when the time comes for you to.... traverse to Craorus hmm?" Ayanda's brow furrowed. "I think you mean travel." "Ahh yes. That's the word. Well we ought to be going." She watched as Steven helped Joseph to his feet and out the door before she grunted angrily and threw herself back against the couch. The next four weeks of waiting to head to Craorus were agonizing as her incessant longing for Edgar threatened to rob her of what little sanity she had left after her kidnapping and being forced to adopt a new identity so vastly different from her own. And Steven and Joseph's hovering and need to dictate her every move only made things worse.
"Excuse me?" Asked Ayanda of Steven while they sat out on the south facing terrace where they were enjoying tea. Steven took a sip of his drink and Ayanda almost rolled her eyes at how pretentiously he drank it before he addressed her concern. "We told you that you'd need to do whatever it takes to impress Cesar and get him to pick you for his bride," "right, but what the hell does my body count have to do with that?" Both Joseph and Steven exchanged a look before Steven said, "I asked about your sexual partners, not how many lives you've taken.... wait. Have you killed before?" "And if so, how many and why?" Added Joseph. Ayanda's cup of tea rattled against the saucer, nearly spilling over as she slouched back dramatically in her seat, causing her knee to hit the table. "You two are utterly hopeless! And by the way, since we're on the subject of sex; why is it that I'm allowed to be alone with you two, who are men while I'm an unwed woman?" She sat up and brought her hands together and mockingly held them against one side of her face. "Is no one worried about one or both of you stealing my precious virtue?" Steven's expression turned stern while Joseph openly balked, causing Ayanda to grin as Steven retorted, "mind your tongue girl. We would never disrespect the crown in such a manner as to even think of defiling its princess." "And we're the ones who found you and brought you back in one piece. Plus we're ambassadors. Those two things in concert have caused the king and queen to grant us grace when it comes to the rules, especially given the predicament of their health. You need guidance and they trust us to deliver it." Ayanda raised a brow. "They really trust you both that much?" "Undoubtedly so." Stated Steven. Ayanda sneered. "Well they shouldn't, given what you've done." Joseph rolled his eyes and Steven glowered as Ayanda went on. "And by the way body count in the states has two meanings. One is for how many lives you've taken which for me is ZERO, and the other is for how many people you've slept with, which for me is only two. I'm not a virgin, but I'm also not that experienced if THAT'S what you were eluding to with your invasive question earlier." Steven gave a thoughtful pout and Joseph said, "I see. So you haven't taken anyone's life?" Ayanda exhaled exasperatedly and shook her head in response. Joseph picked up his cup of tea and brought it to his mouth while saying, "And just when I thought you might be at least a tad bit interesting." She shot him a look and he stared in her eyes while he loudly sipped his drink just to further annoy her. Steven chose to interject. "Exercises meant to improve your sexual prowess will added to your daily training routine to better prepare you to receive the king-to-be in more ways than one." Ayanda felt her irritation for them both give way to surprise at Steven's statement. She leaned forward. "I'm sorry, did you just make a joke? And a sex joke at that?" Joseph snorted at her reaction and Steven nodded, the hint of a smirk appearing on his face. "I'm not quite as out-of-touch as you believed me to be." He held up a finger. "However, your beguiling the prince is no laughing matter. So take the rest of the day to rest up because from tomorrow until the day you leave, you'll be working diligently to become the woman of Cesar's wildest dreams and then some." Ayanda sighed and looked out at the nocturnal garden which had yet to bloom under the light of the sun as Joseph and Steven continued sipping their tea.
Ayanda stood in her underwear before the full-length mirror in her room and examined herself. The month was up and her time in Obren was over before it had truly began. Tomorrow, she would be headed on her kingdom's private jet to the land of Craorus to try and win the hand of the next king-to-be. "No pressure there, right?" She thought aloud while looking herself over with approval. 'I'm looking like a whole snack if I say so myself.' She smiled and struck a couple of poses before she had to rush to cover herself with a robe that was laid out on her bed when she heard a knock at the door. "Uhh you may enter," she called out. One of her handmaidens quickly stepped in and closed the door behind her before formally greeting Ayanda. "Apologies milady but the king and queen won't be able to join you for supper this evening." Ayanda's expression was full of concern. "Really?" "Yes your highness I'm afraid so. They have business to tend to that simply will not wait." Ayanda nodded and waved her off. "I'll take my dinner in the study then," the maidservant curtseyed on her way out. "Right away milady. I'll send in another servant to help you dress." Ayanda gave her a polite smile and then blew out through her lips dramatically before falling back against her bed when she was alone again. King Sadiki and Queen Omolara's health seemed to worsen as the time for Ayanda to leave crept closer she noticed. They stopped coming out of their rooms to eat and Ayanda barely saw them around the castle. Even though they weren't her real family, they were the closest thing she had and she worried that losing the woman whom they believed to be their only daughter so soon after having just been reunited with her was what was causing their collective health to decline so fast. She was not permitted to go into their bedroom and Steven and Joseph told her that they were even too sick to answer the phone. Ayanda didn't feel right about not seeing them at least once more before leaving but there seemed to be no other choice. After dinner, she asked her eldest handmaiden Elna to write a letter for her in the official language of Obren under Ayanda's dictation that detailed how much Ayanda appreciated and adored the king and queen, making sure to leave out anything about their illnesses since only a select few were supposed to know of their predicament and Ayanda wasn't meant to be one of them. After Elna finished the letter, Ayanda gave her strict instructions not to let it leave her hand until after she was in the air. "I'll deliver it to the king and queen personally if I can your highness," declared Elna. Elna turned to leave the study with the letter but then stopped and looked back at Ayanda with prideful tears in her eyes. "It has been an honor to tend to you my princess and I hope that you find all the happiness you deserve in your new life," she then swiftly bowed and rushed out of the room. Feeling touched by her words, Ayanda let out a small breath and wiped her eyes as her vision blurred with tears. She wished she could chase Elna down and hug her, but that sort of behavior wasn't fitting of a royal. Ayanda headed back to her room and went to sleep, dreams of how different her life in Craorus would be playing in her head.