Chapter 41 "Reunion and Revelations: A Playful Day by the Stream"
Prince Rogba left the dimly lit corridors of the prison, struggling to process the weight of the information he had just received. With a determined pace, he made his way to the main palace grounds, where the laughter of the young princes and princesses filled the air, a reminder of innocence amidst the chaos.
Among the children, a young prince ran towards him, handing him a delicately folded note—a symbolic message from his beloved, Arẹwa. Every step felt like a leap as he rushed to their usual meeting spot by the stream, heart racing with anticipation.
Arẹwa stood there, her silhouette kissed by the golden hues of the setting sun, her eyes reflecting the tranquil beauty of the gushing water. Prince Rogba approached her quietly, unable to contain his longing, enveloping her in a tight embrace, planting tender kisses on her neck and moving to her earlobe. "I miss you," he whispered, his voice dripping with passion and longing.
Silence lingered for a moment, and then he softly inquired, "Are you upset? And why did we choose to meet here today?" He noticed the hesitation in her eyes. "Mother noticed what happened last night... and I feel the need to tell her something," she finally revealed.
In that vulnerable moment, Prince Rogba, momentarily losing himself in the depths of her eyes, leaned in and kissed her tenderly. Their lips met in a fervent dance of love, passion surging between them until they slowly broke apart, breathless and intertwined in the magic of the moment. Arẹwa looked into his eyes, cautioning, "Don't look at me like that; I might lose all self-control."
"Remember when we used to come here with Akin to play when we were young?" Arẹwa attempted to steer the conversation towards happier memories.
"Yeah," Prince Rogba responded with a fond smile.
"We always scared you with tales of the beast... hahaha," she laughed, the echoes of their shared childhood echoing in her laughter.
"Though I am a beast killer," Prince Rogba chimed in, their camaraderie bringing out a chuckle from both of them.
"Ah, there you are," Akin said, appearing in the distance.
"Greetings to the heir of the silver throne," the prince acknowledged, a playful glint in his eye. "No need for formalities; we are here alone."
Arẹwa playfully splashed the running stream with her leg, a reminder of the carefree days they spent creating a garden that the other princes had later destroyed. Laughter filled the air as they reminisced about their playful adventures.
"Don't forget the garden we made—the one the other princes destroyed," Arẹwa playfully nudged their memories.
"Oh! Akin was defeated by the second prince... hahahaha," Prince Rogba shared, and they all laughed, reliving the moments of innocent rivalry. "I defeated him the other day... though he's a successful businessman now, and I am a great warrior," Akin added, grinning at the memory. "Sure," they all agreed, the past blending seamlessly with their present.
As the laughter subsided, a more serious atmosphere settled in. "What... don't play stupid pranks," Arẹwa noticed a shift in their demeanor, a hint of concern in her voice.
"Foxes!" the prince and Akin exclaimed simultaneously, playing a prank on her. She gasped and ran, realizing it was just a joke. They chased each other like children, the joy of their youth rekindled in that playful moment.
After a series of playful antics, Prince Rogba reflected, "Today was so much fun."
"Indeed," they both agreed.
"No one is questioning me about what I see in my slumber," Arẹwa said, her thoughts veering into deeper territories.
"Reveal it, don't hold back," Akin encouraged.
"I feel there's something we don't know, something our elders are either aware of or keeping hidden from us," she began, recounting her journey to the spirit realm, their playful bonding taking on a more contemplative tone.