Friday, 27th December 2019.

Pride. Brainsick pride.

Something Sudais had in excess to the point he could sell it was pride.

Pride had stopped him from achieving so many things in life.

For a second, drop the pride, do the job and pick it up. Something he hardly did.

On a few occasions where he had dropped his pride to do something, in the end, he got reminded why he should never, ever put his pride down for anything or anyone.

That applied even to his relationship. Which was why he mostly had toxic relationships.

Which was also why he hadn't gone to see Laila in Jimeta for 4 days since he woke up to find her gone. Intel told him she left that Tuesday night.

Now admittedly, he shouldn't have dismissed her that way. But in his defense, he was piecing puzzles together, his head was a mess in the direction of the full picture.

Laila just had to push him to the wall by being pushy and asking questions she didn't want to know the answers to.

Now back to the pressing issue; cheating. Laila's words had gotten to him more than he would like to admit. He had been so self-centered, thinking only about himself getting hurt by her cheating when he had cheated more times than he cared to count. Before they formed any connection and after he found out she cheated, he used that as an excuse to get away when they were still tied to each other, married or not.

He had never stopped to admit that she cheated once, while he, well, he didn't even keep count.

Suddenly, he was realizing after her outburst that she felt the same way. Maybe him cheating had even pushed her to reciprocate the energy.

He wasn't a saint, neither was she. They both had struggles growing up, learning survival when people their age were mostly growing and being kids. Coming from families like theirs puts immeasurable pressure and expectations on them. You can't do this, you can't do that. That is the right thing to do but you can't because you come from a royal home.

He understood her, ok? And he really hoped she'd understand him without him having to explain too.

It was hard talking to her about how he felt, most of the time anyway.

So, he'd let her be.

She'll come to see things from his perspective, hopefully.

Sudais had started his day with his routine; wake up, take a shower, eat Naja's food, and venture to greet his mum who he surprisingly met in her lounge connected to her room but masked his surprise, placed Maijdda's kid on his lap and exchanged greetings before his activities began considering it was a Friday.

Sudais' frown followed the movements of Hafsy who bent over the couch and picked up her phone that was beside Mima, then stood straight with a palm to her waist and get engrossed in her phone.

Wrinkle lines appeared on his forehead as he held the kid on his lap tighter.

He swiped his eyes from Mima laying on the couch, Hafsy standing by the couch, Maijidda working on her laptop on the rug while Mama was sitting against the couch Mima occupied before he addressed. "May i ask why nobody in this house is greeting me?" That was excluding his mum who he was the one greeting her. "Kwana na hudu none of you girls have looked at me and greeted me." The ladies he was addressing shared a look, then went back to what they were doing. "Mi don volwanma? (Am i not talking to you?)"

In sync, Hafsy and Mima mumbled from the back of their throats. "Ina kwana."

Sudais stared at them in disbelief, his brows drawing in before he looked at his mum who had a blank facade, then to Maijidda who pretended he wasn't there.

He was already pissed and didn't need another drama from his family, please.

When their greetings went up in flames, Mima stood up with a sigh, plucking her charger out and disappearing through the corridor. Hafsy disappeared through the front door and the living room fell into deep silence with only the kid in Sudais' lap laughing at what he was watching on the tablet between his little fingers.

"Mama, what is with these girls?"

The woman muttering azhars shrugged, pointing her chasbih at 'these girls' -Maijidda.

"Maijidda." He called out, nose flaring.

She ignored him.

"Maijidda."

"What?" She threw back.

His lips parted, his eyes widening.

What the hell?

"What is this?"

Her firm finger rose in his direction. "This? It's you. It's all you."

"Me?" He poked the tip of his fingers into his chest. "What did i do?"

"What you did is become a disappointment." She fired, dropping her laptop off her lap and almost jerking at him. Her expression was hard and almost trembling, he legit had no idea what she was talking about.

She dropped her shaking head, placing a palm over her forehead and chuckling. "You didn't just become a disappointment, you just made everything make sense."

Genuine anger and curiosity took over his features, stiffening him up. "What?"

"It's karma wallahi," she dropped her palm and rose her now teary eyes, "It's karma. For all the things you've been doing. It didn't hit you, so it's hitting me, your sister."

"What. Are. You. Talking. About. Maijidda?"

"The fact that you're maltreating Laila! You sent her away to Jimeta. All you've been doing since you married that Naja'atu is maltreat Laila. You-"

"Sadiya said i sent her away?"

"She doesn't need to," she yelled, jerking forward and angrily wiping the tear that fell off her cheek.

She was overreacting. Why was she overreacting?

Sudais turned to his mum, then brought his eyes down to the kid who was watching his mother in a daze, his concentration no longer on the tablet, courtesy of his mum's outburst.

"She doesn't need to. I was wondering why all of a sudden my husband started to maltreat me, shout at me, ignore me, i even heard he is going  to remarry and it just made sense!" Her arms dropped, her tears now full force and her voice breaking, "It's karma for all the things you've been doing to Laila."

He rose narrowed eyes at her, "Bana wasa dake Maijidda. Or do i need to—"

"—-Maybe the same thing is happening to Dadda, or Mino, or who knows who it'll happen to next. It's coming back. Haba! Just because you have a new wife does that give it away to mistreat the other one? And for what? For what reason? What has this girl done to you?"

Maijidda was here talking crap about shit she didn't know and he wasn't about to take it. "You don't tell me what to do."

"But i will tell you you're going to hell for it! You and my husband. Wallahi Allah baze qyaleku ba."

Sudais scoffed, shaking his head. She had no idea.

"Ya isa haka, Hauwa'u. Ya isa." Queen Baraka spoke for the first time, her tone leveled. She was in support of Maijidda, she just didn't want the siblings fighting about it.

"Do not speak on things you have no idea about," Sudais warned in a tight voice.

"I don't need to," Maijidda shrieked, standing up and turning to their mother who was sternly looking at her. "Haba mama, Vi mo. (Tell him.) you didn't raise us like that wallahi. You taught us to be fair in everything we do. Look at him. Why is nobody talking? Because he is a guy? Or because he is now the Lamido? Does that give him the right?" She turned to her brother, furiously wiping her tears with her clothes, "This is botherline misogyny! Wallahi Baba Alhaji would've been so disappointed. For your own sake, i hope you go and rectify what you did. Don't die on the path of being an unfair husband, wallahi Allah baze barka ba."

Marching to him, Sudais pulled back when she attempted to touch him. Turns out, it wasn't him she was reaching out for, it was, "Sake min dana." He didn't let go the first time and she yelled, "Let go of my son!" And he did. She hastily picked the boy, strapping him to her waist and picking up his tablet. She picked up her laptop and stormed out.

Knowing his mum, she wasn't going to say anything until she had gathered her thoughts, and she didn't.

Sudais left with a permanent frown which only disappeared after asr when someone he wasn't expecting banged the door into his study. His first instinct was to yell, but when he saw the intruder, he stood, hollering. "Mutuminaaaaaa!"

The grown-ups hollers resonated throughout the room as they fist bumped and shared a tight handshake before Sudais put a pause on his systems and walked them to the lounge by the side of the study.

"When did you come in?"

"Like 2 hours back," Tahir said, slumping into the couch with a loud sigh, "I'm here to see Goggo. She is freaking out about the wedding."

"Ahh ahh! Ango ango ba!" Sudais teased, gaining a glare from his best friend who hissed and shook his head. "You look exhausted. Let me have them bring you food." Sudais walked back to the study to pick up his phone and call Naja who immediately picked up.

He went back to catching up, glad to see a face he hadn't seen in over 2 months.

A few moments in, the doors were opening and creaking close from afar until it got closer and the lounge door was being pushed open.

At the door stood Naja in a hijab with a smile and a tray, accompanied by a maid with a similar tray.

They placed the trays on the table before she sat on the arm of the couch Sudais occupied and exchanged greetings with Tahir.

They went on teasing each other, Tahir calling her Amarya-amarya, while Sudais and Naja ganged up to call him Ango-Ango.

When she stood to leave, she clasped her palms, "Do you want anything?"

Sudais nodded, taking his eyes off Tahir whose smile had mostly died. "Bread, please. There is also zobo that Sadiya made. Have someone get it from her fridge."

She nodded at the command, silently making her way out.

Once she was out of sight, Tahir rose his back from the couch to open the food warmers.

"Ina goggon nawan? Why can't she bring it?"

Sudais' mood instantly soured and he slouched into the couch.

Tahir noticed that and halted, his hand with the serving spoon hanging mid-air. "What is it kuma?"

Sudais stretched a weak arm out, "She is in Jimeta."

"Oh, she went out..." Tahir concluded, scooping the Biski into a plate.

"No...she moved there."

Tahir dropped the spoon, turning to Sudais. "Bangane she moved there ba. Isn't it against tradition for your wife to even leave the palace? Not to talk of moving out. Or did you move her there?"

Sudais shook his head.

"Ahh ahh. Wetin? Wetin dey occur?"

"We fought."

Tahir shrugged, "All couples fight. I'm sure it hasn't reached the point to move to Jimeta. Infact, be kamata ace bata gidan nan ba. No matter what happens."

"We didn't just fight on something minor-which she might not know. We fought because of Asma'u."

Now that caught Tahir's attention. His shoulders stiffened and he closed the food warmer "Asma'u? Asma'u Gambo?"

"Yes...she said and i quote, 'My dad says hi.'" Sudais rose skeptical eyes to his friend and they stared at each other before Tahir jutted his chin.

"You don't think..."

Sudais nodded and that lead to Tahir's eyes growing wider.

He slowly turned, taking the room in before returning his eyes to his best friend. "Kuma shi ne you let Laila stay in Jimeta all by herself? Tafida lafiyanka kuwa? Do you realize what this could mean?"

Sudais shook his head, dropping in onto his palms and sighing. "Wallahi I've just given it a thought. I think me saying it makes me realize it's real."

"And you're still sitting here? Calling yourself the Lamido?" The only sound in the room came from the faint sound of the Ac and Tahir's yelled. "So this is what we're doing now?" Still, silence. "If i had a wife, 2 wives, and a family that are under my protection, I'd do anything for them. I wouldn't be sitting here like a bum."

Sudais scoffed, "So you're also mad at me now?"

Tahir gave a single nod, "Yes. Because you know what this might mean and you still let her go."

"She left in the middle of the night."

"Then what are all those stupid cars you have for then? They drive, right? Fast too. If not that night, the next morning. Wait, how long has she been gone?"

Tahir banged the table when Sudais didn't answer him, "How many days bro?"

"Four."

Tahir's mouth went impossibly wide, his hands slowly lifting to rest atop his head. "Fou-Tafida!" He brought four fingers up, "Four days? You fought over Asma'u! Stupid Asma'u who dumped you. Left you miserable. Knowing you, you probably said something impulsive that pushed her to leave. You know she left and you decided to sit back knowing all the dangers and let her go?"

Sudais stretched a hand in frustration, "What was I supposed to do?"

Tahir scoffed, shaking his head and tutting. He surveyed the room before fixing a disappointed gaze at his friend, "I'm done with this, man. Do you even love her?"

Sudais had originally planned on yelling at Tahir to shut up but instead, the question had him shut up.

The question lingered and echoed in the room even after Tahir had banged the door out.

Sudais let out a groan as if he could physically feel the pain.

He ignored every knock or call through his nap time from asr to magreb. Only it extended for the rest of the night.

Despite being exhausted to the point his vision blurred, Sudais couldn't sleep.

He tossed and turned, his mind that had been occupied by Tahir's words, Maijidda's outburst, and Laila's tear-stricken face made it impossible to fall asleep.

The feeling of guilt, fear and another emotion he didn't want to think about was taking over his being.

Laila was right. What she had forgotten to add when she said he was self-righteous was the fact that he was stupid and selfish. Very stupid and very selfish. More so, very foolish.

Just because the attack on his cars went down months ago didn't mean it didn't go down. Just because he'd never admit that he was scared like a kid about the safety of his family didn't mean he wasn't. Just because he didn't want to go down that road again, didn't mean he wouldn't. He had to.

He hadn't just done wrong by Laila, he had done wrong by his friend, his mother, his siblings, but most importantly, his dead father. He was entrusted two things by the honorable man; Laila and the throne. Which he was doing a shit job at the foremost.

Three people never failed to tell him the truth; his Dad, his Mum, and Tahir. Mama hadn't said a word since he hadn't been listening anyway, and Tahir, Tahir just had to place everything on a clean slate for him. Reminding him how selfish and stupid he had been going about everything.

He had accepted the throne, took an oath-to serve with justice and equality, without fear or prejudice or hatred for anyone- and even though he did right by his people, he couldn't say he did the same with his family.

Especially Laila.

And maybe the day he had been dreading had come; The day he was to drop his pride, get the job done, and then pick it back.

Sudais rose from the bed with a groan, lifting the covers off him and heading to the washroom. He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and threw on a new set of Jallabiya with matching slacks before picking a key.

He hadn't driven in over four months, considering he was Lamido now.

Sudais had raised an index to his lips to every man that was still awake by 3 am that night and left them with their jaws dropping to the floor as he rode the Range rover out the gates for the first time as a Lamido. Something that the men had never seen in all their years of being at the Manor.

The fear of dropping his pride and showing vulnerability almost crippled him to the point he was losing focus and almost crashing into the trees of the empty roads.

Forty minutes later, he parked away from the front door and picked up the leather bag he had brought along with him.

He held the key and bag with one hand and knocked on the door with the other. He could've just come with his key but decided against that. He was going to do this and he was going to do it right.

Sudais hated waiting, but at that moment, he was glad for the delay. He bounced on his leg, biting the skin on his lower lip, closing his eyes, and murmuring gibberish to himself just to avoid the brewing volcano building inside him.

If Laila wanted to torture him, she did pretty well at it.

The door rattled with the locks for a few seconds as Sudais held his breath before it flew open.

"Hi," he breathed, mustering a smile. She went to slam the door close but he placed a firm palm against it, "I come in peace."

Laila watched him in confusion, glanced around, then sighed and stepped out.

"What are you doing here?"

Sudais jammed his lips at her sleepy, barely audible voice.

"Why are you here?" She added, taking a step back from him.

"Peace be unto this house." He started, looking down and Laila immediately hissed.

"Which peace? Thunder fire you and the peace."

He nodded to himself, okay, plan A backfired. Unto plan B.

"Here are some apples and Caprisun as my peace offering." He raised the bag to her, dangling it.

Laila might've been mad-no she wasn't mad anymore, she was tired and she just wanted to go back to tossing on the bed without being able to sleep- but she wouldn't decline apples and Caprisun even if it came from this jerk.

She took the bag, opening it to ensure the content before sighing and looking up, not into his eyes. "Why are you here?"

"To take my wife home." He said it like it was the most obvious thing, inching dangerously closer to her while she stepped away from him.

"How?"

Sudais shrugged, "By car?" Then chuckled at his joke.

His small smile dropped when he realized she wasn't bulging and still had a permanent frown.

He took a deep breath, "And to say i am sorry."

Laila scoffed, shaking her head and throwing it back. "You say that a lot but you never mean it."

"And you don't say it at all," He said, lifting his arms to slowly drop them. "Do you know how heavy those words are for me? I hardly say them. It's hard for me, But I am sorry, Sadiya...I mean it, i really am."

Funny how it was always Laila avoiding his eyes and in that situation, it was him looking down, slowly rubbing his palms.

"I hate what happened to us."

He lifted his head, nodding. "Me too. Will it make you feel any better if i let you hit me?"

She immediately nodded, grabbing his hand and leading him into the dim living room. He hadn't proceeded even being in the living room and his head was snapping to the side along with a hot sting.

Although he offered it, he hadn't expected her to accept the offer. He brought a palm to the area where she slapped him, freezing for almost a minute before he released it to say; "Baby wait—"

His face snapped to the other side with a smack along with a guttural sob from Laila.

"Bodd—"

"You kissed her in front of me!" She closed her eyes just to thrash her empty hand and push his chest, "Haba Sudais. You know how i am and you still kissed her in front of me. You yelled—"

"I am sorr—"

"SHUT UP!" She shouted, sending his face flying to the other side with a slap before her voice lowered. "Shut up...i made your food and you told them to return my food. You yelled at me in front of your so called wife," another crate of anger hit her and she hit his chest in return, then stabbed her index into him, "I walked in on you getting your penis sucked. I knocked, you could've told me not to come in. What else are you going to punish me with?"

"Shh—"

She snatched her hand with the leather that he reached out for, "Don't shh me up! Am i going to walk in to find you giving her head next? No? Are you going to ask me to join?"

"No. Hell no. Listen," he ignored the tingling feeling on his cheeks and stepped forward, grabbing her vibrating shoulders and calming her down by saying Sorry in all the languages he could speak until she stopped crying and he dropped his hand off her.

They fell into an uncomfortable silence before Laila cleared her throat, "Now let's talk about our main problem; Cheating. Should i go first do you want to go first?"

She had imagined this but she didn't imagine she'd be sniffling, talking to him in a pajama, barefooted, and grasping a leather bag of her favorite things.

"I'll go first," he said, closing the distance between them and placing his hands on her shoulders. The first thing he said had Laila laughing lowly and shaking her head, "Ni munafiki ne. I was selfish," he paused to bite his lip at how hard it was for him to admit, "I kept blaming you for cheating once when I cheated numerous times and I'm sorry for that. I'm not going to give a reason for why i cheated because it...it was stupid. Stupid things a stupid man did because he let his emotions cloud his judgment. But I'm assuring you now, I haven't cheated since the day before Baba Alhaji died. When we went to Lagos before we got married...i went to tell the woman i was cheating with that it was over and we ended it, respectfully. I don't make promises because i am impulsive and tend to break them when I'm pissed but i promise you, insha Allah, i will never disrespect our marriage again."

Laila licked the front of her teeth while letting his words sink into her. She bounced her legs and gathered herself. When she felt steady enough despite a stubborn lump still in her throat, she dropped the bag that landed between her barefoot and his flip-flop foot to grab his cold hands into her warm ones. "Look Sudais...i am really sorry for cheating. Believe me, i hate myself for it and it keeps me up at night. But i am sorry, i am so sorry for disrespecting you...disrespecting us. Just like you, i do stupid things when I'm emotional. The part of my brain that makes me see reason shuts down and i am not just sorry for cheating," she paused to sniffle, releasing his hand to step back but he was quick to hold her, shaking his head.

Laila dropped her head, sniffling back stubborn tears, "I'm sorry for making it hard to get to know me. I am sorry for being cold and distant and insultive sometimes. I am sorry for talking about myself too much and forgetting that you're human too. I am sorry for being another one of the things you constantly have to worry about."

He shook his head, squeezing her hands, "You're not a thing. And I want to worry about you. I want you."

Sudais lifted a hand to raise her chin, then tutted as he wiped her tears. "I missed you so much...all those months, you were the reason i was losing it and venting on everyone."

Laila smiled, lifting on her toes to peck his lips. "Me too."

Sudais' smile mirrored hers, only that he wasn't teary. He intertwined their hands. "Let's go home."

Sudais waited for Laila to put something on before he picked up the bag and they hit the road.

Laila insisted on the windows being rolled down and some music to play.

After much persuasion, she let Sudais choose a slow R&B/soul song only because he promised to sing it for her.

I used to count the stories in the sky

Now i count the ones in your eyes

I used to think that my paradise was-

Waiting for someone on the other side

But you- he set his right hand to her and she clasped her left into his while her right was out the window, her smile stretching to her ears. Take me higher than I've ever been before...

***

Saturday 28th December 2019

"Hey! You called for me."

"Hi, yes i did. Come here." Sudais waved back, glancing at her and then back to his screens.

Laila halted until he finished before she stretched her newly decorated hands out.

He hummed, taking hold of her hands to examine her henna, "It looks beautiful. Let me see your feet."

Laila stepped back and lifted her boubou.

"I forbade you from wearing anklets, so you got your ankles henna-ed?" He rose a brow, hiding a smile.

Laila pouted, "But it's beautiful right?"

Unfortunately, "It is."

"So...why'd you call me?"

"Oh," he stood up just to place an arm around her shoulder and drag her to their bedroom. "I set out an outfit for you. I just realized I've never seen you in a laffaya and you're married to a half arab guy."

Laila stepped back, raising squinted eyes at him. "Just realized?"

"Yeah. It's a good outfit for the event." He shrugged, getting the packaged box to give to a still squinting Laila. "Ok. You caught me. I didn't just realize. I got it a long time ago but whenever i want to give it to you, we fight." He concluded, thrusting the package at her and she didn't hesitate to tsk and plant herself on the bed to unwrap the package.

In it was a peach lacy laffaya covered in stones, flat Simmi shoes in the same shade, and another box with a full set of jewelry.

Laila looked up, "Thank you."

"Ahhhttt." He waved it, "Get going. And oh, do that black lip thing."

Her nose crinkled, "What thing?"

"The one that you outline your lips with the black thing and then put gloss over it?"

"Oh." she nodded, her eyes wide and her lips slightly parted.

"Yes, do it. Go, we don't want them to start arriving to find you not dressed."

Laila had attempted to get up and something clicked, "Sudais, did you get Naja'atu a matching laffaya too?" She didn't let him answer as she added, "Because if you did then I'm not wearing it."

He sighed, closing the closet door and walking back to her. "No, I don't even know what she is wearing today. But why do you keep comparing yourself to her?" She kept quiet and he sat on his left leg on the bed, "Let me tell you a story...I was once very insecure about a particular kid in my class. I couldn't beat him, he was mad smart, and confident. He dressed to kill, the teachers loved him and i kept thinking about why i couldn't be like him. And then i found out that others were looking at me the same way. Then, years later, i became friends with that boy and he told me he felt the same way about me. Do you know who that boy was?" He asked, taking her hands into his as she shook her head. "It was Tahir."

Eyes distant, she shrugged as she said, "There's a moral to the story but I don't know it."

"The moral is that-"

"Ahhht—" she lifted a palm, "And I don't want to know. Me and your wife will never, ever be like you and Tahir," the fact that she said it out loud had her anger simmering as she abruptly stood up, "Infact don't provoke me yanzu yanzunnan fa, banaso."

Laila stretched to move but he caught her, raising a palm as he pleaded. "Haba matana. Haba uwar gida ta," Laila glared at him and he wiggled his brows, tickling her, "Haba full chicken ina," That had Laila pushing her tight lips up in an attempt to not smile as she gripped his hands that were around her waist to stop him from tickling her, "Na isa? Ai i can never compare you to Naja'atu," he stood and dragged her across the room while saying, "Have you looked in the mirror lately?" He pushed her to the full-length mirror, standing behind her and pulling her waist flush to his crotch, "Kin dira kamar zuwar yesu."

"Get out!" Laila howled, throwing her head back to laugh as he shook his head.

"No seriously, waye Kim kardashian?"

That had her glaring at him, he should respect his reciprocal oo.

"Nace waye babanta?"

"Stop," Laila croaked in between laughter, the praises were too much, "Stop it, my stomach hurts."

When their laughter died, she threw her head back and he leaned down, pecking her forehead before dragging her to the door. "Get dressed."

Laila nodded, slowly walking away with a certain tease to her gait. She halted at the door, turning to find him in a stiff stance, palms crossed over his crotch. She did an internal happy dance, letting his gaze explore her from foot until it was on her face, then dropped her head, looking at him through her lashes. Since she couldn't cross snd uncross her legs, she instead pulled her moisturized lower lip into her mouth and watched him jerk, sucking a breath.

He was torture enough, taking long strides and closing the distance between them, their heavy breaths mixing into one, "Change of plans, you have to take another ghusl bath."

Sudais grabbed Laila by the waist, pushing her into the door and looking at his hands around her. She wasn't naked but he meant it when he said he loved the contrast between his skin and hers. That aside, his manhood was throbbing.

He didn't mean to be domineering but he couldn't help it, letting his hands travel, explore and squeeze until he was at her thighs, almost ripping the fabric off as he hoisted it and hoisted her along with it, flashily wrapping her legs around him, her back slamming against the door after the contents in her hand had tumbled to the floor.

"We're going to be—"

"To be late, Shh. I know," he shook his head, placing a palm over her mouth so she couldn't make too much noise. "10 minutes."

Despite the desire in her eyes, she shook her head, her words coming out mumbled while he nodded, fumbling with their restrictive clothes, "10 minutes and then you can go."

It might not be 10 minutes like they stupidly told themselves the night before and instead turned it into an all-nighter, releasing their pent-up fiery frustrations and brainsick pull while she could swear Sudais took revenge for all the times she had slapped or hit him. So, she'd use the excuse of being royalty. After all, they were built to be late.

He waited until she nodded, grabbing his head and initiating the kiss.

***

Sudais was hosting a Fund Raising Event at the palace for an all-widows foundation that he devised and most of the prestigious men attending the event were attending it with their wives and children. The women weren't meant to attend, as per tradition they were to stay in while the men did their thing.

Laila decked in everything he had set out, excluding the black lip thing because it didn't go with her outfit and mostly because she wanted to get on his nerves. So, she went nude. Although she doubted that was any reason to get on his nerves but Laila was Laila, she loved drama.

Far into the event, Laila was sure her cheeks would sag from how much fake smiling she had been doing for most of the event. She was in charge of entertaining the women while monitoring the food she was going to give them considering dear queen, jumped to take up making food for Sudais and his men.

Just to disappoint when Muri's wife dragged Laila to the side and told her the Lamido wanted to see her.

After crossing into his chambers, the first sound she met was his angry voice. "Did you make food for my guests?"

Laila was too stunned to speak, gaping at him from across the room as he stood rigid in sleek black and purple alkyabba.

"Answer me Sadiya, did you make my guest's food and put them on disposable plates?"

Laila jerked back, physically yanking herself out of staring at him, and shook her head. "No," then pointed a finger to her back, "Your queen did. I thought you knew that?"

He furiously shook his head. "Haba, i knew it couldn't be you." He looked away, dropping his hands only to fold them as his mind replayed what Mama had told him about Naja'atu. The woman knew absolutely nothing about royalty.

He couldn't hold it back, he had to rant. "Wannan ai hauka ne. Wani kalan hauka ne zesa a kawo wa manyan mutane abinchi a disposables? Mama was right wallahi, Naja'atu being queen is a mistake. She knows nothing about royalty. People who come from good backgrounds suzo suna cin abinchi a disposables a gidana? Inaaaaa-"

"What did you do?"

He whipped to her, thrashing his arm. "I told them to get that bullshit out of my sight kafin nayi ashar."

"Okay," Laila sighed, taking calculated steps to him as she slowly dropped her hands, physically telling him to calm down. She got where he was coming from, they were royalty after all and they had to try to be perfect in the things they did. "I have quite the number of food i could give your guest. I can try to present Naja'atu's food too, calm down."

Her words had the effect, he slowed down. He waited until she gently gripped his arms before he relaxed and dropped his head.

"Your guest are going to get food fit for royals, okay?"

Sudais sucked a breath, pulling his lower lip into his mouth and biting it. He lifted his head while nodding, "I trust you. Thank you so much. You've saved me a lifetime of embarrassment."

She nodded, smiling before patting his arms. "Now go entertain your guests. Give me 30 minutes at the most."

Laila strolled-ran out back to the palace's big kitchen and started to roar commands at everyone to get their asses up and get the food for her husband's guest.

By the time she had managed to have the food presented, she was sure all the workers in the house hated her for setting them on fire with pressure, orders, and roars.

But well, she was her father's daughter.

All Laila wanted to do was hit the bed after Isha, but well, it was her day to spend with Sudais.

Out the shower, she leaned into the mirror of their room as she tried to take a look at her dotted eye to see if she was really seeing another dot appear or not.

"What are you doing?"

Laila gasped, moving back to splay her fingers over her chest to calm her accelerating heart. Breath still heavy, she said, "I'm trying to see if there is another dot growing on the sclera of my left eye."

"Ohh..." he walked to her, placing a palm on her forehead and tilting it back to examine her left eye. "Looks fine to me," He concluded, stepping back. "Maybe it's your itchiness making you see stuff."

"Yeah..." she shrugged, returning her glasses and adjusting her cotton veil over her cotton boubou around her shoulders.

"Put it over your head."

Laila twisted her mouth, "Yes sir."

When she looked presentable, at least to him, he walked them to his chambers to Tahir who hollered at her sight.

Sudais chuckled.

If he wasn't married to Laila, he'd think Tahir was going to snatch her away. He had an unexplainable soft spot for her and although it pissed Sudais off at times, he could only give thanks to Tahir's outburst that set the kick-off for him and Laila talking again.

He had a best friend that would never let him fall astray and he had a wife that would always have his back, no matter what.

"I should get you guys food," Laila announced as she stood up.

Tahir shook his head, "We ate around 5. We're not hungry."

"Guy, speak for yourself. I am. Bread, please. Did you make me the banana bread?"

Laila and Tahir threw their heads back and laughed in sync.

In between laughter, she nodded. "Yes, I did,"

Sudais stared at them, then brought his hand to unbutton his jallabiya from the neck, it was itching.

He numerously cleared his throat before turning to Laila, "Then i'd like to eat it with tea. And get this man-" he paused to clear his throat, glancing his red eyes at Tahir and forcing a laugh that came out croaked, "Get this gauro some food abeg. He—he is hungry. Duk burga ne."

Tahir's mouth went agape, "Ni kake cewa gauro?"

Sudais cleared his throat and hissed, "Angaya ma din."

Tahir turned to Laila, "Nine fa na dinga ce masa yayi aure," then he turned to Sudais who was snorting, "Ni in?"

"Kai din banza. Kai waye?"

Laila shook her head and laughed her way out, heading to her kitchen. She placed every necessity on a tray before picking it up and heading back.

Laila latched the door after her and her smile fell.

Releasing the tray, the contents went tumbling down, breaking, cracking and splashing, but all Laila could do was scream and bolt to the scene.

On the rug was Sudais kneeling and slanting forward, purging blood while scratching his throat and clutching his tummy with another hand. Laila fell beside him just to place her hands on him like Tahir and roar gibberish until she could say something meaningful.

"What? What is it?"

"Food! The food at the event. We ate it like hours ago."

Laila brought an arm over her head, bouncing, "My food! He ate my food? You guys ate my food?"

"Yes. It looks like it was poisoned." Tahir yelled, holding Sudais back so he wouldn't fall onto the bloodied rug.

"Then why are you not puking?"

"I don't know!"

Laila's brain had shut down at first, but it started working.

She grabbed Sudais head with one hand and pulled it back, yelled at him to open his mouth before she shoved two fingers down his throat, wiggled it, and revived when he juggled, gasped, and jerked forward to purge stinky, chunky substances.

She glanced around, unable to breathe as she searched for anything helpful. Her frantic eyes landed on the scattered tray and she dashed for it, picking up the pack of liquid milk and running back. She uncapped the milk and poured a little content into his mouth before yelling,

"Remove his top, get him to stay still with his head down, I'll get the driver!"

You didn't think i was going to let them be happy, right? Sips tea🙃