Welcoming the princess

Martha still laid on the mat waiting for Melissa to return, seeing that her adopted daughter hadn't returned she wondered if all went well in the palace as Melissa hadn't returned. She dragged herself up to seat as she was still weak, looking around she saw the half covered food that Melissa had kept for her, together with a cup of water. She dragged it to her side and started eating it little by little. She cursed and wished she had eaten it earlier she could have stopped Melissa from going out to look for a job. She never wanted Melissa to work as she feared of been caught or anyone finding out that Melissa was indeed a princess as she looked so much like the queen of Ubi whom was her real mother.

Martha sat down on the local mat eating the food, the food was still sweet and hadn't yet turned soured amd she wondered whom had given Melissa the food as it was sweet, she needed to gather her strength as she doesn't want anyone to find out her hidden secrets.

Finishing of the meal, she drank her medicine that she had refused to drink for some days, amd she wondered were she had gotten the strength and appetite to eat and even drink as if it were before she would have become nauseous and weak.

She managed to stand up after drinking her medicine and she came out of their old house, her friend from work where they were both working as cleaners in a restaurant came to her home to see her.

"Martha, how are you feeling today?," Mrs Damy crossed the gutters as she came to meet Martha whom sat in front of the old house on a bench.

Martha sighed as she sat there facing the streets. "Am fine," She managed to reply as her throat was still sour and talking much still hurt her breathing.

"I came here yesterday to check on you, but your daughter told me you were sleeping, where's she?" Mrs Damy asked as she opened the house door to peep inside of it. She was still wondering how a dark skinned woman like Martha would attract a fine man that impregnated her and made her gave birth to her beautiful daughter. She knew Martha late aunt was a Nun, so she doubted Martha could had taken the child from somewhere, but where?. She was still jealous as she sat down beside Martha on the bench.

"I was thinking if you ain't ready to resume your work with us, why didn't you send your daughter to come take your position, beside she has come off age," Mrs Damy told her.

"No," Martha managed to respond.

"Why no?," Mrs Damy frowned as she questioned her. "Anyways they had already had a replacement for your dismiss, you know only me can't do the whole works and running of some errands." Martha frown deepened.

"So you will have to go and look for another job when you have recovered and besides you know is a restaurant," Mrs Damy told her and she nodded.

"Anyways I just came to check on you as I would have love for your beautiful daughter to come working with us because I wonder how you both would be managing now that you are no longer working" Mrs Damy said.

"Thank you," Martha managed to reply.

"This one that you are not saying anything much Martha, did your sickness affect your throat?," Mrs Damy questioned. "I have been asking you of your daughter and for her to come work with us that's why I even came here self, so she can be assisting you now you are sick" She stood up as she stared at Martha.

Martha sighed and managed to speak to her and she could also see the pain written all over Martha's face as she forced the words to come out of her mouth as her throat hurt.

"She's not home now," She told Mrs Damy whom shook her head in pity and replied her "Okay, am leaving."

Martha sat in the house frontage for sometime before she grew tired and went back into their house to lay back on the mat, hoping and praying all was well with her daughter. She knew Ubi Kingdom was very far so had nothing to worry about the queen showing to come claim her child, but then she feared maybe someone could recognize Melissa's resemblance to the Queen as Melissa's had blonde hair and looked so much like the queen in her younger days. She fell asleep after sinking deep into her deepest thoughts.

In the Emam palace.

Princess Miranda was ushered into the living room and she was all smiles as it was her first time visiting Emam kingdom, though her father had spoken to her highly about the kingdom as he wanted her to marry his friend's son to unite their long time friendship. She wasn't interested in marriage at first, but then she thought of having her own home, her own family and royal palace would be a good idea as she was not happy as how her mother had shadowed her because she was still grieving about her other twin daughter that had gone missing and was kidnapped when she was a baby. She smiled sweetly as she sat on one of the executive couch in the living room. She turned to stare around as the king and queen also took their respective seat, then her eyes fell on the crown prince whom was also staring at her. Their eyes met and she smiled to him. He was her fiance and their engagement was like a contract proposal which she accepted.

Prince Charles Freeman, he was dark, tall, masculine and sexy for a man. His handsomeness was enticing and she would say she hasn't seen such a charming young man before. She blushed as the Queen spoked to her and drew her attention away from her son.

"You are welcome to our palace my daughter, am happy that you accept our marriage proposal to your father," spoked Queen Vicky.

"Thank you Queen mother," Princess Miranda replied.

"You are welcome, don't you see she looks so beautiful and white like her mother, Queen Maria?," Queen Vicky asked as turned to face her husband, he nodded in agreement and respond, "Yes she does, Queen Maria is one of a kind and a rare beauty at that, am happy to have her daughter as our soon to be daughter in-law, you are welcome once again to our kingdom," King Desmond told her..

"Thank you your majesty, Am highly honoured to be here" She smiled.

Prince Charles sat quietly all thru staring from his parent to the beautiful fair princess that was adorned in a shinning golden crown, necklaces, beads and other royalty ornaments that was used in decorating and enhancing of her beauty. Nonetheless her skin was so white and smooth and it reminded him of the girl he had seen during the day that had blocked his entrance into the palace and his heart skipped a beat as he thought of her.

He stare at the beautiful princess again and he wondered why he has been seeing a lot of beautiful white ladies of lately.

Queen Vicky spoked next as she smiled towards her son and asked him, "What do you think son, isn't she beautiful?," And he stared back to his mother and replied, "She is mom."

Queen Vicky smiled and stared back to princess Miranda whom was blushing as her cheeks adorned some bright red colour, she asked the queen, "Where's Princess Cassandra?, I haven't seen her yet and I did chatted with her and told her I was coming."

"Oh yes, she went for some shopping, she will soon be back, you know how she likes to go out to shop, come let have our lunch together, she will soon be back to join us," Queen Vicky replied her as she stood up first and started walking towards the dinning while the rest of them stood up and followed her from behind. Soon the royal family took turns taking their respective seat as they all sat round the dinning table.

Queen Vicky told a guard standing next to her with his head bent lowered to go and call on the palace maids to come serve them as the maids where outside in their maids quarters and they do not like having maids around especially when they had visitors, unless they needed them to clean or do a few things and after that the maid would be asked to leave and return back to their quarters.

The guard nodded and left while Queen Vicky decided to to ask after Queen Maria as they waited for the maids to come.

"How is your mother doing now?,' She asked Princess Miranda whose smiled faded and respond, "She's fine my Queen."

"Oh, she use to be my good friend but after that incident she cut me off, most of us off," Queen Vicky said but her husband King Desmond quickly placed his hands on hers to keep her calm, seeing that the mood around the dinning had changed especially with princess Miranda being the affected. He replied her,

"She hasn't my love, it just that it comes with a lot of responsibility ruling a nation and i think that's why she hasn't had the chance to visit, but am sure now that our two Kingdoms will be merging as a family, She will." He smiled to his wife and stared back to Princess Miranda whom smiled in understanding as she also shifted her gaze to stare at the prince whom sat nonchalantly like he wasn't part of the family seating around the dinning.