"Desmond! What's going on out there?". Andrei demanded from the foyer. The noise was so loud he'd heard it from his home office which was like literally one of the last rooms on the first floor.
"Your Majesty, some people are here to see you." Desmond replied.
"Let them in." He said.
Desmond bowed and went to do as Andrei said and immediately he opened the gate, about ten people barreled into the compound and marched straight to the house when they saw Andrei.
"Long live the King." They greeted.
"Good evening." Andrei said. "What is the matter?".
"Your Majesty, my name is Uzo and my daughter Hosanna is a student of your school." One of the men said.
"Okay?".
"She came home from school looking all bruised and battered and when her mother asked her what happened, she said that the Crown Prince ordered the other students
"Sorry father." Raymond said as Joachim took a seat on the bench outside the house. He'd just returned from the hospital after spending days in the house unable to go there due to lack of cash."Thank you son." Joachim said. "Where's your sister?"."She went to her friend's house.""And Joni?"."She's inside.""Call her for me." He said."You want to talk to her? Why?". Raymond frowned."Just call her for me.""Okay." He grumbled and went in to get Joni. He knocked on her bedroom door. "Joni!".After finding out that she was the owner of her father's house, the first thing she did was clear out the guest bedroom in the house that Celestina used as her spare wardrobe and made it her own bedroom.Of course Celestina wasn't happy about it but there was nothing she cou
The Imperial Mall was the largest building in the whole of Mercia. It boasted of many restaurants, boutiques, an arcade and a spa. Just next door to the Mall was the country club which was only open to the likes of the royal family and their counterparts. It wasn't as big as the Mall but it was impressive as well and it was a place where Joni had always wanted to go. Jared pulled up next to a black Maserati which had the emblem of the royal family as the license plate and you'd know without a doubt who owned the car. "Isn't this your brother's car?". Joni jerked her thumb towards it. "It is." Leon sighed through his nose. "We'd probably not run into him. Come." He gestured for her to go ahead. "Oh wow! Everyone is wearing their Sunday best." She remarked dryly. "I look like I'm going to the market." "You're fine." He told her.
"Joni wait!". Leon called out to her when he saw her heading towards the main gate of the country club. She'd changed into her casual clothes but her hair was wet and dripping down her back since she hadn't bothered packing it up. She was probably too pissed off to do so. He caught up with her and grabbed her forearm to stop her but she yanked her hand away and turned to glare at him. "Leave me alone Your Highness." She snapped. "I think your sister has done enough damage." "Oh so we're back to that now? 'Your Highness?". He asked. "We never left it." She said. "Where are you going?". "Home... Where else?". She frowned. "Let me take you home." He said. "I brought you here so..." "No need." She cut him off. "I've got legs. I'll walk." "Three mile
"What? No way!". Ina cried. "It's my right as the first daughter of this family!". "Is it?". Anna and Andrei chorused then they glanced at each other with smiles on their faces causing Ina to groan in exasperation. "Leon! Say something!". She urged him. "Oh now you want me to say something? I thought I'm an embarrassment to you guys?". He questioned mockingly. "I don't care either way about who gets the crown or not. What I want and need from you Andreina Emilianne Sebastiani is for you and that idiot I call my brother to leave me the fuck alone!". He bellowed at her. "The next time you try that rubbish with me again... I'll forget that you're a girl and I'm going to deal with you. I swear on grandma's grave."
Joni's POVTwo weeks. Not that I am actually counting but it's been two weeks since I talked to Leon and... I think I don't like it very much.We're still seat partners alright but it's like I'm in a different world than he is. We are from different worlds but he's done everything to make me part of his own world but foolish me had to open her stupid wide mouth to ruin everything and now I'm on the outside looking in.Lunch time came and I still couldn't find the courage to talk to him since he didn't want to talk to me. I was wrong to have vented my anger on him but the words seem stuck in my throat."Your Highness." Collins walks over to our table and bows. "Are you okay?".Leon looks up at
Leon's POVI stare at Joni from across the room wondering why she is smiling. She hasn't stopped smiling since the incident with my iPad happened earlier today and a very large part of me think that she implicated her stepsister just because she could.She knew that I wouldn't get mad at her about it so she made her sister take the fall instead.The little minx. She'd get what is coming for her as well and it'd not be pretty."You won a lottery?". I ask her."No. Why would you think that?". She frowns at me as she attempts to shove a big piece of pizza into her mouth.I stare at her mouth as she chews and swallows her food momentarily forgetting what she'd asked me. I've always wondered how it'd feel to kiss her but I probably would never find out.I can't even hug her so that is saying something."L
Three days laterLauretta halted in front of Leon's room and hitched the bag higher on her shoulder. She'd been told that he'd spent the night in school and was in his room so she'd come straight here. She couldn't risk leaving the money in her locker and having it stolen.It was all of her mother's savings for almost three years. She was supposed to use it to buy more goods in her store but after they were visited by the police two days ago, her mother had had no choice but to cough the money out and now they were broker than a broken bottle.Lauretta raised her hand to knock, hesitated for a second before she took a deep breath and rapped on the door."Who is it?". Leon's voice asked from behind the door."Um... Good morning Your Highness. It's me, Lauretta." She replied. "I have brought... um the money."The key is turned in the lock and then opened to
Andrei's POVI like to think that I'm an impartial King. My son Jaxon thinks I favor his brother Leonidas above all of them and that is not true. They've had me for eleven years since he was away and Leonidas has never resented me for not being by his side all those years which I'm grateful for so I let him make decisions on stuff that only concerns his 'friend' Jonina which unfortunately is also the cause of the recent squabble among them.In the years since I became King, I have never had any cause to hurt someone so bad, they'd wish they were never born - with the exception of Elroy of course. I think of all the teenagers in my kingdom as my children which is why I created a charity foundation to help the less privileged ones to get quality education and become whatever they want to be in future.My father was a good King but he never would've done half of what I've done for this people all by myself so it pains me
Three weeks later Leon Ashes to ashes Dust to dust I'm listening to every other word the priest is saying as he stands in front of Joni's coffin at the cemetery. I finally accepted her wish the next day after she told me to let her go and the ventilator machine was turned off. A little boy of about ten needed a kidney transplant and Joni's kidney matched his so I gave them the go ahead to do the transplant but that was it. She didn't want anyone to have her heart and no one got it. The preparations for her funeral were made and here we are three weeks later... finally putting her to rest. I rise to my feet and move to the front when the priest calls on me to give my speech. I don't have a speech to eulogize her but a song so I sing that thanking her for her love and when I am done, there isn't a dry eye at the cemetery. The priest gives his final speech, prays for her to find a resting place and it's over. I am standing by her coffin staring down at it when I suddenly look up
LeonI feel something pull at my hair. Like someone trying to pick a strand of my hair from my head and without thinking too much about it, I swat at the hand over my head but then I hear someone giggling - a familiar giggle and I lift my head sharply.I'm hoping it's her but there's nothing. She doesn't move and my shoulders slump. It's just been twenty four hours and kinda too early for a miracle but I hope one will happen soon."Why do you look so downcast Your Highness?". Joni asks me.I look around the room in shock until I see her sitting on the sofa with a strawberry smoothie in one hand and sandwich in the other."Am I dreaming?". I croak out."Maybe." She laughs.I look her over and see that she's dressed in a white and red polka dot gown with white wedges to match. Her hair is packed up in a loose bun and she's wearing the diamond earrings I gave her for Christmas."You look beautiful." I say."Too bad it's not 14th yet." She pouts. "I wanted to go to that dance.""You can.
LeonI have just pulled on my jeans when I hear Liese's frantic voice calling my name as I stand in my closet still thinking of a shirt to wear but I abandon that thought and rush out to meet her."Leon." She breathes running over to me. Tears are running down her cheeks so fast, it's like a dam opened up in her tear ducts."What's wrong?". I ask her."I... Collins... Joni..." She stutters."Joni? What happened to her?". I demand."Accident... It was bad." She says. "She's been taken to the hospital."I run back to my closet, grab any shirt and shrug it on then my car keys are in my hand the next instant and I hurry out of my room not bothering about my shoes.I breeze past grandma who is shocked to see running barefoot but before she can call my attention, I am already halfway down the steps."Leon! Where are you rushing to without your shoes?". Mom calls as I pass her as well just as she comes out of the living room."Hospital!". I call over my shoulder."What!". I register her shoc
A month later Joni Life... A period between birth and death. "Life is short" is what people say and that's the truth. I never used to believe that until today. As usual, my gorgeous boyfriend thought it best to take me out on a date seeing as we're almost ticking the last of the boxes on my never have I ever list but a part of me knows he's very excited about number 99 and 100 and I am too but I'm just not as excited as he is. He's like a kid who's been given cartblanche to choose any candy he wants in the candy store. It's February 14 in a week's time and every student is buzzing with excitement concerning the upcoming dance for Valentine's day. I've been a student of IHHS for eleven years and counting and I've never been to a school dance before. Minus kindergarten and elementary school, say during my junior years, I'd never been asked by a boy to go to the dance with him so when Leon asked me today which took me by surprise, I said yes. It's the last dance for me before I
LeonIt's new year, also mom and dad's birthdays and I might have made an unconscious resolution to be a good boy this year. No getting into fights with my brother or anyone else but that didn't stop me from being the devil and just to taunt my brother, invited his flavor of the month; Gabriella Sysavane.The girl didn't want to come but I'd convinced her not to be scared and I might have created a scene in her head where my brother would end the day with two girls who were not her in his bed because I know he's capable of doing it and she'd said yes."Why are you smiling?". Joni asks me."He's coming." I say."Who?". She looks over her shoulder to see Jax marching towards us with a murderous glare. "What crawled up his ass?"."Gabriella." I chuckle."Did you invite her?!". Joni gasps looking shocked. "What happened to being a good boy this year and all that?".I shrug not saying anything as Jax gets to us. I grin at him and give him a side hug."Happy new year bro." I say."What are
Joni It's new year's eve in Mercia but it feels like it's already new year. Everywhere has been decorated in preparation for the King and Queen's birthday party tomorrow and the whole Kingdom's been invited to celebrate with them. We arrived in Mercia yesterday morning and while it was good to be back home, I couldn't wait to see the world again but preferably only with Leon next time. It's a nice day to go for a walk and I do exactly that even though I really don't have a destination. I wave at people and greet some I like on my way until I get to the Catholic Church and stop outside the gate. I've never been to church once. I didn't feel the need to do so before but now I feel like it's about time I let go of all the pain and heartache and possibly the hatred I feel for my dad and stepmom. I walk into the premises of the church then up the short steps leading into the church before I change my mind. There are several other people sitting on pews and praying while some are kneel
Leon I still can't believe what Andres had told us yesterday before we boarded the jet. My own self-absorbed twin brother going behind our backs to date a non royal while openly telling me not to date one. The motherfucker. He should be glad I didn't find out about this while I was still in Mercia or else I'd have given him the beating of his life. Gabriella Sysavane. I don't think I know her though but Collins would. I look around the beach in search of my best friend but can't find him or my sister anywhere which makes me frown wondering where they'd gone to. The beach isn't crowded today thankfully so I have no problem looking for them. We arrived in America very early this morning and my grandma's driver Ron came to pick us up at the airport and drove us to her penthouse. We all woke up feeling well rested and after a quick lunch, we came to the beach. Joni and Andres are playing volleyball with Raymond and some other kids and Collins was with them just a little while ago. I
Liese I jerk awake all of a sudden from a dream which turns out to be a bad idea because the action makes me feel dizzy and my head feels like ten elephants are sitting on it. I groan and clutch the sides of my head wondering how the hell I got back to my hotel room last night. We'd partied hard celebrating Joni's birthday for a week but we all decided to get drunk yesterday. I just don't remember the details after or how I'm in the hotel room right now. I turn my head to look at the alarm clock and see that it's ten am in the morning and I sigh. We're leaving France today but not going back to Nigeria because Leon has another surprise in mind for Joni. I think I'd be very jealous of Joni for snagging a thoughtful and wonderful boyfriend like Leon if he wasn't related to me. My older brother loves with all his heart, body, mind and soul and Joni is damn lucky to be the recipient of his affections. Unlike he who shall not be named. Y'all know who I'm talking about so no need to
GabriellaScrewed.I wish I had another word to qualify how screwed I am but no words come to mind. I stare at the stick in my hand again for the millionth time hoping that the pink line which looks like a cross that I'm seeing isn't actually true.I can't be pregnant.I bite my bottom lip to keep it from trembling as tears gather in my eyes but I don't want to jump to conclusions just yet because these things aren't accurate. I just got it to find out why I've been feeling so tired and dizzy lately.My mom must not find out though or I'm dead. She'll strangle me with her bare hands, squeeze me like cloth and spread my skin out to dry.I'd disappointed her and myself by getting pregnant. I should have learned from her experience not to fall into a situation like this but no! One crooked smile flashed my way and I'm putty in his hands.You can't blame me though. Any girl in my position would want to be recognized by someone like him in a crowd. He was after all every girl's dream guy a