1 I won't marry the useless prince

"Sheshije! Open the door you block head!" complained Mrs Tadale. "A girl of your age shouldn't be in bed when the sun is so bright like the iraki flowers of the Ukadama spring" she futher scolded.

Sheshije got out of the bed grumbling.

she had been so disappointed ever since her father had announced to her that she will be getting married to Prince Kodawa, the son of king Sandewa of the Ukadama kingdom which has been their motherland for decades.

She had tried her best to make her father change his decision but he was way too difficult for a compromise.

Kodawa was one hell of a person, being the only son of the king he had it in mind that he could have whatever he wanted in the universe in a blink of an eye. He also believed that he was the most handsome and masculine lad across the entire kingdom, he also believed that all the beautiful maidens of the kingdom were all his assets rightfully given to him by virtue of being the only heir to the throne.

therefore the news that Sheshije was adamant that she was not willing to accept the marriage pricked him really hard.

He wanted to approach her and put some sense to her head.

He had sent his guards to monitor her moves and report to him if she was seeing any man in the kingdom.

The guards tried to dig as much details as they could.

"Your highness the girl does not have a romantic relationship with any man in this kingdom and also across the entire land of Tubheta. She is friends with Nashangai, the daughter of the man who sings uruasi( traditional taveta songs) through out the night. She always goes to bath and fetch water at the spring when the shadows get long." he smirked on hearing the remarks.

***

It was a hot afternoon, sheshije and Nashangai were happily chatting under a giant Lukuruki tree while enjoying the grace of its sweet fruits. "let me laugh out my heart today because very soon I will be missing these moments..." Nashangai talked with a funny face. They have been friends ever since they were very young and had passed through thin and thick together. when sheshije told Nashangai about her father's plan to marry her off to the prince, her friend had felt sorry for her.

She also hates the prince due to his ill behaviors.

"Don't think about such nonsense.. you know I can never accept to be that devil's wife. Infact am planning to run away from home..Id rather die in the ukadama forest rather than getting married to him. Iam planning to leave before dawn."

"I'd rather ran to the dreaded forest, full and die like an ireghenyi (monkey) rather than getting married to that arrogant creature of a prince!"

she declared.

They happily chatted for a while before they parted ways. It was still mid day, on reaching home Sheshije gathered her linens and headed to the stream.

She wanted to leave home the following day with her clothes all clean.

Some people who had caught wind of the rumors circulating around the kingdom about how she was to be the crown prince' wife in the near future, looked at her with pity, they felt sorry for her because everyone knew how uncouth the lad was.

Unknown to her and everyone else at that time, an old woman had been observing and following her around since the time she had left her homeyard.

"Today fate unveils itself unto the two destined souls...one from the mountain side and another one from the forest side...mmmh such a devine combination." The old woman whispered before disappearing into thin air.

She picked up some paw paw leaves , crushed them and mixed them in the water which she had fetched with her dissected calabash bowl. She stirred them up and foam began to appear, within some seconds the soap was ready for washing her linen.