2 The Decision.

As king Daru ll approached the front of his palace ,the wind gently dropped him on the ground and was gone .He stood there unable to move until one of the villagers who was on his way to the palace saw him and exclaimed in surprise"The king is back! Our king is back!!"

Soon ,everyone started to gather in the palace to witness the arrival of their beloved king .When the Queen had the news she rushed out of the palace in total surprise for she had nearly lost hope of seeing the king .She ran to hug him and the people began to jubilate for the return of their king.

The Prince soon came out to withness the arrival of his father as tradition demands he bowed to welcome his father back to their land . Looking at the king one could tell that he went through a lot of suffering for his appearance was not something to be proud of .He looked so tattered with bruises and mark all over his body ,his mouth had swelled up and he was really weak.

After a lot of jubilation the king was taken in and the people were told to return to the palace the next day to hear what the king had for them . After having his wounds treated ,the king had his bath and was treated to a very delicious dinner. He ate to his satisfaction before he rested.When he was left alone in his chamber he could not sleep as he kept on thinking on what to do .He knew that his people's happiness matters and at the same time his son's happiness also is his responsibility.

After a lot of thinking the king answered the call of nature. The next day ,the whole people in the kingdom had already assembled in the palace to know what news the king had for them . When the king had arisen ,he went out to meet his curious and eager people. When he arrived he sat down for while before he cleared his throat and began:

" My people ,I have journeyed far and wide and crossed the seven rivers and mountain to meet The Great One. It wasn't an easy task but I made it through and saw her.

Suddenly there was alot of murmuring from the people "Wow our king met The Great One"one of the village man said . "It is a woman ,I thought The Great One was a man" the king heard one of his subject saying.

"Please my people ,maintain silence so that you all could hear the message I have for you all and yes The Great One is a woman .A woman whose beauty is far beyond the imagination of man.My eyes had never behold such beauty before .She was like the moon and spoke with the violence of the sea .Her presence was eerie and when she stood ,she was like a god ..." as the king continued to praise her beauty the people were left spell bound and they all wished to meet her but before then everyone's ear was itching to hear the message she sent to them through the king.

The king knowing what his people were waiting for then decided to break the news to them .To release his people from their suspense he said "The only solution to the problem we are facing now lies in the hands of the prince " When the prince heard this he stood up from his seat and asked his father in awe" The solution to our problem is with me,how?

The king looked at his son and said "The only solution to our problem is you marrying princess Adora ,the woman I chose for you" . " What!" The prince exclaimed in utter surprise,he was really taken aback .He was not expecting the solution to be like that ,he thought that it might be that he will have to take a journey to an evil forest to retrieve an object which his ancestors might have buried underground. If that was the s case he would gladly partake in the journey for he was a fearless warrior but getting married was way too much..

" No father,I can't .You know that I don't love her and have no feeling for her and we had dismissed this issue a long time ago so why are you bringing it up again?" The prince asked his father with his frustration visibly visible .

The king looked at his son and then at his people who were all dead silence listening to what the king and prince had to decide to in order to save them. " My prince this is a matter of life and death and I won't force you to take any decision. But think properly before making any decision for what use is a royal family without people which itv rules . Whatever decision you make will affect everyone of us including you, yourself but remember as a prince ,you have a duty to your people.Their well being should be your main priority for one day you will become a king to rule these people and whatever decision you make today will tell in the future" The king said before turning back to his room.

The prince stood for a period of time not knowing what to do ,he was totally speechless and his situation could be seen as being left between the devil and the read sea. Marriage was a life long contract which you can't just jump into without thinking and on the other hand his people were in dire need of his help .What could he do?

The prince told the people to go home that he will get back to them the next day .And so the people departed with a heavy heart not knowing what their tomorrow will be .

The prince retired to his room .He laid down on his bed and began to think.

He had met Adora a lot of times but he had no love for her and he was sure that she also doesn't love him but on the contrary women were unpredictable so he might not know. Soon he had a knock on the door before he could ask who was at the door,the door opened and the queen came in. The prince wasn't surprised to see her cause he already knew that she will definitely come to convince him to marry the girl his father chose for him.

"Mother please I want to be left alone"

The prince said to his mother. But still she persisted and came over to him then sat down on his bed. "My son, she began,please heed to the advice of your father and listen to the cry of your people. I know it doesn't seem right that you're being forced to marry a woman against your own will but let me remind you that me and your dad also got married under the same circumstance. Today here we are ,we have no regrets. Please my son listen to us and make the right choice.That's all I have to tell you,the ball is in your court" She stood up and began to leave ,the prince looked at her until she left. He closed his eyes to think of a solution to his present predicament but soon fell asleep.

The next morning,which seems like night because of the darkness,the prince aroused to address the people. Everyone was present both old and young including the king and queen for they knew that whatever decision the prince makes will either make or mar their lives forever.

The prince came forward to address his people , as he stared at the helpless face of his people he could see their pain and despondent situations. The little ones were looking up to him with great expectations and he knew that even the elders too were counting on him. "After a lot of thinking, I've decided that no matter what happens I will always think of my happiness first " The prince said.

The people looked at him with perpetual fear written all over there face ,they couldn't believe that their prince could be this selfish and soon they all began to murmur among themselves. "Please am still speaking my people and your total attention is needed " The prince said .Many of the people just shook their head in agony while done stood staring as they've already lost all the hope they had before the prince started to address them.

"As I was saying,he continued , My happiness is more important to be .I know that I have a responsibility as your prince ,I know that you all are looking up to me with great expectations,that's why I said my happiness matters and my happiness lies in your happiness my people. Therefore I've decided to marry Adora and make her my wife ,to save my people from all their problems . The prince finished his speech with a broad smile .

The people were all cut off guard ,they didn't know that this was what he meant by having his happiness first .They all gave a shout of joy and so celebration and jubilation were in earnest to welcome the new princess into the palace.

The wedding ceremony of the prince and princess were one to be remembered in history for it was a very grand wedding and the day they were joined together as husband and wife,that day did the sun came out and shone like it had never shine . The people all danced and ate to their satisfaction for food was in surplus no one was left out even the poorest of them in their kingdom that day eat like a king .

After the marriage of the prince and princess, it wasn't long before the princess gave birth to a beautiful bouncing baby boy and you know who that baby boy was ? That was my grand father,your great grand father" King Daru ll finished telling his son the story. Prince Obi looked at his father for a long time .He had actually enjoyed the story of his ancestors and digested everything his father told him but wait ,where was his father dragging this story to? He thought.

" Father I appreciate the time you sat down to explain to me my family history but father if you're expecting me to get married to the woman you want me to then you will be disappointed father because am never going to. I will marry the woman I want and not the one you want me to . .. whatever you just told me now are ancient dad,we are in a new era things are no longer the same ,let's move forward dad" The prince said and got up furiously.

" Wait my son,yes I know that we are in a new era but tradition is tradition and therefore it must be followed . I had already chosen a wife for you .She's Linda,my best friend's daughter and you have to marry because I won't have you coming to destroy all the things I've worked for all these years and that's final no more argument,you may take your leave now.

The prince looked at his father with shock ,he could not believe what his dad was saying and of all girls why Linda? From the first time he had known that girl she had been nothing but trouble,a thorn in his flesh infact and now he wants him to marry her ,no ,never! he said .

" I won't marry her , father I won't .Why her of all girls .Father you know quite well how I hate her ? Why father,why? Prince Obi kept on questioning his father although he knew that he won't get any reply since his father had already started reading his book.

After standing there for a while he went out banging the door of his father's room in utter frustration .Once he was gone the king shook his head in disappointment before he continued to read ...Prince Obi went out burning with rage anything that came his way he destroyed. That was one weakness of his ,he was a very hot temper person and could be really aggressive when he's angry.

When he got to his room ,he overturned everything on his table . He was really in a bad situation and everyone knew best to let him be .How can such a man marry Linda ,a girl who can't even hurt a fly ? She was the complete opposite of prince Obi.