Chapter eleven Force - part 3
Damilola felt it difficult to sleep. He kept rolling from side to side thinking of the girl he had broken the heart of. She was innocent. She didn't deserve that and he wasn't heartless like what he was a few hours ago, but was he really bad for doing that? He was the crown prince and he could have any woman he so desired even if she was married. Him letting her do that was sacrificial of princely powers.
But she was really lovely and he hurt her. Damilola's mind kept ravaging on and on, before stopping at the view of Mayowa's crying face. He tried getting the face out of his head but it only stuck deeper. Why was he feeling this way? He was the crown prince and she was an ordinary maiden of OSU. His dad surely won't like how he felt right now. And not to forget how angry he got when his dad wanted to take her for himself. It was like she was his and nobody's. No one was to touch or even look at her.
Aaargh! So annoying! I feel I am becoming the very thing my dad doesn't want me to be and I am scared! No, this is not right. She was just a girl to give me pleasure but in the end....aargh!
Damilola stood up from his bed due to frustration. If he knew, he would have just ignored her. Why did he ask her to come to him? Now, look at where he found himself. Restlessness had become a friend of his pushing peace far away. Damilola was a calm person. He never felt restless even in tough situations, that is why his father always came to see him to install peace in him during his worries. His father was a man filled with worries even if he never showed it to the people. He only did in front of his dearest son, Dami who was mostly calm and composed. He had the perfect attribute of a king!
But now, he was more than restless. The only time he had been really restless was when his mom died. It had taken him two years to get back his composure and come to terms with the fact that she had gone for good. Now, a little chubby girl had made him so restless if not more than before.
He went to the kitchen to get water. He suddenly felt his throat was on fire and he needed something to quench the fire. No one was awake. The maids and all the palace workers had gone to their respective quarters. He strolled in quietly to take water. He took a big mud-like cup filled with water and gulped the entire content. He took another cup and gulped it this time fiercely hoping he could somehow wash the memories of the night away. Then, again he took another and gulped it hardly. He was satisfied but it was as if he was not satisfied. Weighing his option, he decided to take a stroll round the palace to clear his thoughts and maybe, finally sleep. Just as he was about to leave the kitchen, he spotted the maid who was about to walk in. He recognized her to be the head maid. He didn't really pay attention to people in the palace except for his family but he surely was not going to forget this face.
It was just some years when his mother had died that he caught his dad enjoying his time with the maid at his front. It was the first time he had seen his dad in that situation and for some reasons, he didn't like it. But after he got used to it. It was his dad and he was a king, he could do whatever he wanted. But one thing his father always assured him was that his mother would always be and remain the one and only woman in his heart and he had shown it by taking care of the children she left behind.
"My Prince, did you need anything?" she asked wondering why the prince didn't ask his guard to get him water. It is not like it was bad but it was something he never did.
"I just wanted to drink some water. I was dry" he replied looking at her keenly, making sure he didn't miss any reaction from her. It was something he loved doing, to watch and observe people's reaction when he was speaking with them or even at anytime he felt the need to.
"Ah, my prince, you could have asked someone to get it for you. You didn't need to come all the way here. Its a bit far from your room" she said slightly in worry.
"Its no problem, I was even planning on taking a stroll. Now, if you will, please excuse me" he said with vigour and also calmness.
"Yes my prince" she bowed her head in honour and with that Dami left the kitchen not minding what the maid was up to and what she wanted.
Damilola, knowing that going to sleep won't help him to sleep, he decided to take a stroll as mentioned earlier. Maybe this will bring sleep close to him.
Damilola continued to stroll not knowing exactly where he was going. He was lost in thoughts of the girl. He kept replaying the incident in his mind over and over again, thinking of what he should have done, asking himself why he really he took the situation to heart. He felt messed up, broken and confused. Why was something affecting him this much that he couldn't even sleep? Dami never joked with his sleep. It was his best friend but for the first time in six years, it was different. It felt like he would never be able to sleep again.
Dami walked a little more and felt a weight in his sleep and decided he wanted to go back to his room. There, he would continue his thinking and hopefully, he would sleep. Just as he was about to turn to go back to his room, he heard a scream and from the voice, it was girl's. Who could that be at the middle of the night? For sure, he went to enquire. He wanted to feed his curiosity and also being the next in line to the crown, he needed to learn how to make sure peace was in the palace at all times especially at night.
HELP!! HELP!! SOMEBODY HELP ME!!
Walking to know where the scream was coming from, he found it was coming from Akun's.
AKUN AGAIN?!
He was not surprised, Akun had done this several times, forcing girls, beating them up and so on. No wonder he made sure his room was faraway from the royal family and closer to the workers. No worker would dare walk into his room, much less stopping him unless they wanted to lose their lives.
He wanted to go and avoid his brother. He didn't want to interfere with his brother's issues but then again, his father didn't like women being subjected even though he had the power to, he preferred persuasion so it would be wrong to avoid it. And the girl's screams were too loud. He couldn't just ignore. If he did that, he was sure he would never sleep again.
With no choice and confidence, Damilola walked straight to Akun's room. It was locked just as he thought. He picked the lock and went in. He saw Akun forcing himself on a girl. Akun was too busy having his fun to notice him and the girl was concentrated more on having someone help her to even notice the help at the corner.
Taking a closer look at the girl, he recognized her to be the girl who was sitting close to Mayo on the tree This probably should be her friend or even sister. Suddenly, a mighty rush of annoyance went through his veins in a minute, he went closer to Akun who was still in the mood of getting his plans achieved, and threw a jab at this back. If this was really Mayowa's friend or sister, he needed to help her. He felt a sense of responsibility to anything that belonged to Mayowa or anything that Mayowa holds dear to heart and he was sure this girl was part of it. Mayowa would surely be happy and maybe forgive him because he saved her friend or sister. He thought and knew he was doing the right thing.
Akun turned around in pain to see who would dare walk into his room much less hitting him while he was busy. He was shocked to see that it was Damilola. What could Damilola be doing here? How did he even come to this vicinity? His room was way from his. How could he come here of all days?
Nonsense!! He cursed.
"What the hell are you doing Damilola?" he asked in anger mixed with pain.
"I should be asking you that" Damilola asked back looking at the girl who was trying to catch her breath. Looking at her closely, she really looked like the girl that sat close to Mayowa and judging from how close they were on that day, she must really be someone Mayo held dear.
How did Akun get her here? He must have seen on that day as well. Whatever, he knew he needed to save her to get on Mayo's good side.
"Get out of my room!" Akun shouted in anger.
Denle used the chance to get up and go hide behind her saviours' back. Akun frowned at this. She had been praying for someone to come save her and now the person had come. He was like an angel to her. She was shaking, her eyes still filled with tears as she snuffed back the catarrh that was forcing its way out of her nostrils.
"She is my woman and you have no right to enter my room. Give her back and get out you fool!" Akun growled.
"I am sure she doesn't want that" Dami replied back feeling the girl's breath on his back. He could feel that she was shaking and sooner or later she was going to pass out.
Akun moved close to Dami wanting to tear the girl away from him. "How would you like staying in prison when the king hears of this. It would be better if you just let this one be unless... you know what will happen" Dami smirked. He knew this was none of his business and seriously, he never cared what his brothers did but this was someone whose cries pricked his heart so bad, not to mention she was close to the girl he had just hurt. What other way to appease her. The girl, she looked innocent like Mayowa, just a little fierce in her looks.
Akun was filled with rage. What he wanted to just do was to kill his brother right here, right now. This girl was more to him than any he had ever had, that he wanted to take her innocence with him and maybe even take in for him. Since abortion was not a good thing in OSU, he would have to come in to take responsibility and then she would have no choice to leave him. If that didn't happen, something else would have worked but now...now? Dami had spoilt everything. Dami was the crown Prince and he knew he had more power than him. Oh! So annoying!
Not wanting to let this girl go, he moved to get the girl but Denle took a step back as if readying to run, Dami on the other hand pushed her back while using his right hand to stop Akun from coming near her.
"Stay out of my business. Give me back my girl and get out!" Akun shouted, but there you could hear cries of pleading as if knowing that he was on the vulnerable side.
"I am sorry this time but I don't think I can" Dami said still maitaining his ground on the matter.
While Dami and Akun continued to converse, Denle could feel all her body getting wet, and quivering due to what had just taken place. It was her first time being in such situation and her heart couldn't bear it. She felt all her strength move out of her body instantly. Her mom had stories about girls who were raped and how they suffered to get through. She had not been raped, but being in it made it a whole lot more understandable to the plight of the girls. Left with no more strength, Denle fainted on the floor making the two boys turn to look st her.
Akun moved to get her but was stopped by Dami who had already gotten to her and lifted her up in his arms. Akun felt his heart shudder at the sight. The very Prince he despised so much was holding his property. Isn't he tired of taking things from him? He is the crown Prince, he has more respect and recognition from the people, he has the King's utmost love which he never got and now his girl. NO!! THIS ISNT ACCEPTABLE. SHE IS MINE!!!
Dami held tightly onto the girl and decided it was time to take his leave, but Akun was persistent, he held his arm preventing him from leaving. Dami had no choice but to command Akun's guards who came in to stop their very own master. The guards ran into sensing that there was a problem and if it was their master who was in trouble, they didn't want to get on his bad side more than they already have. Seeing the open door confirmed their suspicion.
"Guards, hold your master for me" Dami commanded. Being the crown Prince, he had the authority to command any guard irrespective of whom they belonged to if they were not with their sword. And unfortunately for Akun and fortunately for Dami, both of the guards didn't come with their swords. Dami smiled. They were so occupied with how they were going prove dutiful to their master that they forgot their swords. Now, their master was going to be more than angry.
Knowing that they had no choice, they painfully went to Akun.
" Don't you dare touch me!" Akun shouted. The whole incident was already frustrating and now this...Damilola was using the crown Prince's powers on him. He was supposed to be the crown Prince and his stupid and careless guards had to forget their swords. Such insolent ants!!! And if Dami takes the girl from here, it would be hard to get her, no it would be impossible because of the guards. Damilola's room was very secured than any other room in the palace due to him being the King soon.
AARGH!!!!
"I am sorry my Prince but we have no choice" unless they both could die if they disobeyed. If they were with their swords, then Dami had no right. It felt like it was all planned. He really couldn't get this girl and all because of Dami. Akun thought. Now, he hated Dami more.
Akun raised his hands asking them to stop, signalling that he wasn't going to stop Dami.
Dami seeing that decided to go again but was stopped by the words of Akun "Damilola, just know this. You have gotten yourself a true enemy. For taking away my girl, I don't consider you a brother at all and I will get my girl back"
Damilola sighed. Akun's words did hurt him a little. Even though his father told him not to care about his step family, he still did. His heart wasnt as hard as his dad not to care and besides, he knows how many times Akun had helped him in the past when they were kids. Then they didn't know anything and they were best of friends, but because of his father, he lost a friend and now a brother....Dad should have looked for other ways to deal with the situation not showering love only to him and his siblings in front of his step siblings.
"Akun, I understand and I also wantt you to know, if you ever touch this girl without her consent, I will be forced to lock you up" Dami said as he finally left the room with Denle in his arms. Akun clencehed his fists in anger and then turned to his guards who both gulped down the little saliva left in their mouth. They knew they were gone!
Damilola lay Denle on the bed whose eyes were still closed. She looked really peaceful as she slept. Now, that he thought of it, she was the one whose eyes were focused on him that day at the parade while Mayowa's eyes were down all through. She couldn't even look at him.
Oh Mayowa! Sigh
He hoped that she was alright.He was not like that and he didn't know why he behaved so. He hoped that helping her friend would make it easy to appease her. She was so innocent. She even wanted to give herself to him.
Making sure that Denle was all tucked in, he went to lay on the floor but the cold breeze made it difficult for him to sleep, so he went back to the bed to sleep, maintaining a distance between him and the girl. He could hear her soft breath filling the entire room. It was peaceful.