Chapter Five.

"Let's go" Princess Ifedimma said as she stepped into the kitchen, the maids smiled at her.

The princess had told the maids she did follow them to the stream to get water, they were at first scared but she relieved them of all fear and assured them that nothing would happen, they all nodded and went out, they were seven in number.

Though they had water available in the palace but then the people of Ama loved fetching water directly from the river most times cause they believe it held special blessings on its own, and that they were blessed fetching from the rivers.

"Where are you morons off to?" Adaku, the royal maid asked as she eyed all of them, the maids looked at themselves and kept quiet... The royal maid didn't know that the princess was with them.

"Can't you talk or are you all dumb and deaf!" She yelled at them, the maids flinched.

What's wrong with Adaku???.... Ifedimma thought as she looked at the royal maid who looked angry.

"You can see the water pots with us and you are still asking," Ifedimma said, Adaku's head sparked, she snapped her head backward angrily.

"Who...." She was still saying with anger when the other maids paved the way and she saw the princess with a water pot in her hand, looking at her with a frown.

Oh my!!.... Adaku exclaimed as she now realized that she had almost yelled and talked back to the princess.

"My... Pri..... My Princess" Adaku stammered "I'm sorry" She said,Ifedimma nodded.

Can't those fools signal to her that the princess was amidst them??... She thought angrily as she walked away with her head bowed, the maids chuckled silently.

"Wait?!" Kwento said as he ran toward them in shorts and shirt, they all turned and looked at him, some smiled, some blushed while others grinned "Sister can I go with you all???" He asked with his usual sweet smile, Ifedimma laughed as she saw the reaction of the maids.

"So that the maids will faint on the way or that their face will be red as tomatoes right??" She asked, the maids laughed nervously as they moved away from the siblings.

"Well, it isn't my fault, I am good looking" He said winking at his sister who hit him playfully while he laughed.

"See his mouth" She said and they both laughed.

"They won't faint 'cause I am not Anozie, the demi-god" He said with a big smile, his sister smiled and they walked towards the maids, they all began walking, the princess and prince behind them talking and laughing.

Kwento took a water pot from a maid who had two, she smiled shyly looking at him, he smiled at her and continued talking with his sister.

The maids made sure they were always looking at the princess and prince at intervals to ensure they were safe and following them... Cause no one wants to see the wrath of the king or the queen.

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"I am here again...The blessings of the gods be upon all of us, those who drink the water from this river and every river connected to it will continue to enjoy peace, joy, and happiness" Hadiya said as she began fetching her water in tears and also spoke to the river, the twins had beaten her so much that her head rang bells.

She fetched water into the pots, bowls, and kegs, she set everything aside, and began to put off her clothes.

The Prince stiffened where he was as he saw her putting off her clothes, he stood up quietly and walked to where the guards were.

"My...." As one of the guards was about to talk, he motioned for them to keep quiet which they did immediately and became alert, the other one wanted to look back on what was happening.

"Don't look back" The Prince said, they looked at each other confused but still followed his order, after a few minutes the Prince stole a look at the girl, she was about to put on her veil, he saw the side of her face, it was beautiful to him, he watched as she put on her veil, she began carrying the pots.

They were too much for her..... How would she carry all these... He thought, a thought came to his mind, he sighed and found himself walking towards her, she had her back turned to him, he stood behind her, the guards watched from afar cause he told them not to follow him.

"Excuse me????" He said, she got startled and staggered backward almost falling off, he caught, her holding her oversized dress, her back was pressed to him as he held her, he released his hands around her, she turned and looked at him.

She was stunned to see a very beautiful.... Or should she say, good-looking young man... He was so handsome... She thought as she stared at him, she blinked a thousand times.

He looked at her veiled face, her eyes were so beautiful but were red and tired, and her eyelashes were so thick and long.

"Good day" He greeted, this drew her out of her thought, she stepped away from him.

"Goo..... Goo..... Good day Sir" She stammered, her voice was so faint and lovely... Anozie thought.

But wait doesn't she recognize him as the Prince of Ama???... He thought.

"Aren't those too much for you??" He asked, she shook her head in negative "Really??" He asked.

Hadiya noticed that his accent and words were so refined and pleasing to the ears .. She smiled under her veil and he also had a good voice.

"Yes Sir" She answered politely, she turned to leave.

"Anozie, my name is Anozie" He said, she stopped and looked at him, she nodded, took her water pot, and walked away.

Wait....?! Does she not recognize him or was she not in this village?... Different thoughts occupied his mind as he turned and walked to his guards.

He will find out more about her... He made a mental note of that and with that his guards packed his stuff and they left.

Hadiya came back for the other bowls and water pot.

"Who is he???.... He is so pretty..." She said and smiled under her veil, she frowned immediately.

"No, Achike says that I shouldn't call men pretty but handsome, he is so handsome, he must be from the city... He was even putting on a city dress!" She kept talking to herself as she carried the water pot and keg.

*******

Ifedimma and the other maids were already ahead of Kwento who was carrying a bowl of water by its handle and his phone in the other hand pressed to his ear, he was receiving a call, he was through and wanted to hang up when he collided with someone, a water pot came down crashing into different pieces, his bowl fell off his hand including his phone.

"Oh, mother!" The voice yelled as she reached for the phone, Kwento stood there shocked and wet "I'm so sorry, I didn't look at where I was going, I'm sorry" The girl said as she took the phone, as she raised her head to look at the person, fear gripped her, she shivered with thorough horror as she stared at the last child and prince of Ama kingdom.

Ehenn.!!! I'm in trouble! She thought as she knelt with her head bowed.

"Get up," He said as he pulled her up, she stood up and wiped his phone with her attire, he smiled "Don't worry, it's waterproof" He said, she haven a relief.

"I'm sorry once again your highness," She said and bowed slightly, he smiled "Please you can come home with me to dry your clothes and I will help you fetch your water, I'm sorry" She apologized.

"It's fine, don't worry" He said as he collected his phone from her, he took pictures of her while she thought he was checking to make sure it was OK, he smiled and put it in his pocket.

"I'm glad it's OK and you are too,my prince" She said as she stared at him, their graze met, she averted hers immediately blushing slightly.

"What's your name??" He asked as he stared at her.

"Erinma the daughter of Amandi" She said, he nodded as he wanted to talk, he heard his sister Ifedimma calling his name in fear, he laughed.

"I have to go, I'm Kwento" He said again and walked away when he heard her call him again.

"He doesn't remember me" She said as sadly..... She is the daughter of the king's best friend Amandi, she had liked the Prince since when she was little, they were both friends then until he went away to the city forgetting her.

She looked at her broken water pot, turned, and went back home..... She was so scared when she saw he was the one she collided into, she sighed and scratched the back of her neck as she remembered all their little memories together.

****

"You left me without telling me your name" A voice said as Hadiya bent to fetch water from the river, she was scared, and with that, she lose her balance and almost fell into the river but Anozie caught her by her dress which tore and she fell into the river.

She made her way out of the river, and Anozie stood there very concerned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you" He said deeply concerned as she looked at the veiled girl, it was so hard to read her expression.

Hadiya saw the concern on his face, and her heart melted.

Has anyone been concerned about her so much like this???.... She questioned herself as she tried to dry herself by dusting off the water.

"I'm sorry" He apologized again pulling off his clothes, he had on an undercloth that covered his body but it clung to him like his second skin, he handed the shirt to her "Please don't refuse" He said as he dropped the shirt by her feet, turned and left. She sighed.

She took the shirt, she smiled under her veil... The shirt was so beautiful, she hugged the shirt and smiled again, she brought the shirt to her nose and sniffed it...

Hmmm... She thought... The scent was so sweet and lovely that she kept it close to her nose for some minutes, she wore the shirt over her oversized and torn gown, she turned around and looked at her reflection in the water.

"Ehenn! I too, I'm putting on city clothes, Ah! City girl!" She exclaimed and smiled again. She took her water pot and fetched some water into it, then Anozie's concerned look came into her thoughts.

"Was I not a little hard on the city man?? She asked herself as she stepped out of the river, the hem of her gown was wet already. She placed the pot on her head and walked home, still the thought of the city man filled her.

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Ifenkili stood, leaning her back on a tree while her mother walked towards her, she stood before her daughter.

"My child???" Ifeoma called, Ifenkili who was lost in thoughts looked at her mother.

"Mama" She said and stood aright folding her shoulders "It's the prince" She said.

"What about him???" Her mother asked.

Ifeoma had told her daughter about the Prince, Anozie but the reasons behind her motive for her daughter to marry the Prince has not been revealed to Ifenkili..... Ifeoma her mother thought it wasn't yet time to reveal something like that yet.

"I love him mama and he is not even looking in my direction" She said almost moved to tears, her mother smiled.

"You have to keep trying, maybe he hasn't noticed you, make him notice you" The woman told her daughter who thought for a while and smiled.

"True mama" Ifenkili said "Maybe since all those dirty girls are trying to get his attention that's why he hasn't noticed me, the beautiful one," She said and blushed.

"Yes, I am sure of that," Her mother said "You don't worry, I will get in touch with one of the maids who would tell you about his whereabouts and then you could follow him and try to make yourself obvious to him but my dear be cautious and don't lose him," Ifeoma said, her daughter nodded with happiness.

"Thanks, mother" Ifenkili said with a big smile.

"You are welcomed my child" Her mother answered "So you will go to the market now and get some items for me so that I can prepare something for you and your father, who is in the meeting of the elders"

"OK mama," Ifenkili said nodding her head, her mother smiled, went into the house brought out a bag, handed it over to her daughter, and gave her some money "I will go to Nnenna's house, so we could go to the market together"

"Ok, just come back on time" Her mother told her, she nodded and waved to her mother as she went her way.

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Kwento just finished doing one of his schoolwork, when a maid came in and served him his food, he took the tray from her.

"Thanks, a lot," He said smiling at the maid who blushed, he shook his head as she got out of his room, sat on his chair, and set his table, he began to eat as he also checked his gallery.

He stopped eating as he stared at the pictures of the girl, he collided into, he chuckled a bit as he remembered what happened, he stared at the pictures again, he slide it, and it brought out another picture, this one was more clearer and beautiful, he smiled as he saw her concerned face, he brought his spoon to his mouth, he ate his food, his eyes caught something, he frowned and checked the pictures again.

"Erinma, the daughter of Amandi" The girl's voice rang in his head.

He dropped his spoon and hurriedly checked all the pictures seeing the same thing he saw...

Memories began flooding in, he smiled as tears gathered in his eyes.

On the upper part of her chest, there was a scar there which he could remember very well... She had saved him from falling from the stairs during a function in the palace, and although they fell she sustained the injury instead of him.

On her wrist, amidst some beads (bracelets) she used in adoring her wrist, there was this particular one he knew so much about, when he was much younger, he had made it for himself in such a way that he would recognize it if seen.

When he left the village, he didn't forget about her but now he missed her so much, he smiled as the event that happened to them replayed in his memory.

Kwento was busy smiling and enjoying his moment when someone barged in throwing his door open, throwing him also out of his wonderful moment.

"What??" He asked groaning as he dropped his phone, he didn't have to look back to know who just entered or rather barged in.

Ugonna hissed loudly, she had been calling his name for as long as she could remember.

"Were you deaf or something cause I have been calling your name and I have stood behind your door knocking for a thousand years" She said angrily, he turned to her and laughed, she frowned with anger.

"Seriously! Since a thousand years, you were given birth to twenty-something years ago and you have been knocking for a thousand years?!" He exclaimed and laughed at his sister who for all didn't see anything funny about what was going on, she fumed.

"Must you always show your childishness and stupidity???" She asked as she held the door, he smiled.

"Same childishness and stupidity that makes people love me and makes the girls always drool and want to faint when they set their eyes on the god of good looks," He said and winked at her, she huffed.

"god of good looks my foot," She said and stamped her foot on the floor angrily. She wondered if Kwento was really her brother cause he was so stupid and childish for her liking, she eyed the smiling Kwento and hissed.

"Chill!" He said and laughed at her "If not because I'm your brother I would have been on your crushing list" He said wiggling his eyebrows at his sister, who rolled her eyes and groaned.

"Mother wants to see you," Ugonna said and with that, she left his room, he rolled his eyes.

"What now??" He murmured as he prepared to go to his mother's room.