He set his turban with the hand he had on his Rolex watch as he walked to his mother's chamber. Power radiated off him, his guards on their heels announcing his passage, maids clearing off his way scared he might throw a fit which might get them fired. What made him exquisite is the fact that he knew he had power, he loved it and he wasn't afraid to use it, he had a thick white babban riga with red and black bold embroidery. He had white inner kaftan and trousers on; his black designer shoes with red colored stones attached to it. If he was showing off, then he was doing an amazing job. He walked majestically as if he didn't want to touch the ground, as the incense used on his cloth oozed from a distance that it lingeres after hes passed a spot. Everything about him screamed a beautiful show off. Praises flew from one guard to another then the praise singer would rant about how handsome, majestic, magnificent and how splendor oozed from his looks. He was supposed to get his mother first; he didn't wait for very long before she came out. She was wearing a plain brownish gown, she had on an embroidered dark brown alkyabba, he acknowledged her by bowing, and then she looked away.

"Morning Haidar" she greeted seeing he had no intention of greeting her.

"Morning!" he mumbled unwillingly.

"You look handsome!" She said trying to start up a conversation. But Yarima ignored her. He knew he looked good. A reminder was something he didn't need! Her escorts and his escorts trailed behind them, and the praise singer continued with his praises as they walked side by side to the throne room. On getting to the throne room, the media personnel started clicking away. Her seat was beside her husband by the right hand side. Meanwhile, Yarima sat by the left hand side of Sarki. Sarki had aligned the press, his entire family, and members of the council. Apparently today is the Conditioning day. The other 2 wives of Sarki and their children were seated by the right-hand side. Close to where the Queen, Azeem and Azeema were seated. Moving down towards the opening were other relatives of the Sarki. Opposite them are the members of council and their immediate family. Beside the council are the media personnel and some palace guards. The media personnel would stream whatever event and put it live on the universal channel! Everyone has the universal channel as it doesn't need a subscription to watch. After a few minutes of waiting, Sarki came into the throne room. Everyone stood up to acknowledge his presence! He walked majestically to his throne and sat down then, everyone sat down. After moments of silence, the microphone man to attach it to Sarki's alkyabba. Sarki began.

"Assalamu Alaikum, people of BirninGabas. As you all know about the conditioning which every Sarki must fulfil before ascending the throne! Today I am honored to tell my son Haidar the condition, as well as you all" The praises started!

Mai martaba Sarkin BirninGabas!

Gyara kimtsi

Sarki Abusadiq!

Dan Sarki Uwaisu da Sarauniya Salma!

Babban dutse!

Allah JA Zamanin Sarki!

Na talakawa! Mai tausayi!

Allah qara Nisan Kwana!

Allah taya ka riqo!

Not wanting to hear more, Sarki gestured to the praise singer to end it. But the man had his eyes closed and wasn't about to give up.

Sarki Abusadiq na Fatima Zahra!

Sarauniya Fatima Zahra Mai son mutane!

Sarauniya Fatima Zahra Mai Kirki!

Sarauniya Fatima Zahra

Uwar Yarima Haidar......

He kept shut when he finally opened his eyes and saw Sarki glaring at him. This made people around and those watching chuckle, making Sarki himself smile. Then he continued!

"It has been our tradition for generations to place a condition on any young king. I've had it imprinted in the journal and the journal bearer would read it out now" he relayed adjusting his alkyabba as they waited for the journal bearer to come forward. He stood before the Sarki.

"I Mu'azu Labaran, the journal bearer of Birningabas read nothing but the Sarki's condition on the succession of the throne." he stated calmly, waiting for Sarki to give him go ahead to read it. When Sarki nodded,

"I Sarki Abusadiq, son of Late Sarki Uwaisu, term my condition to my son's succession to the throne of Birningabas, as his marriage to Maleeka Sa'eed Saifu, daughter of my closest friend Sa'eed Saifu! And also producing an heir to the throne" The journal bearer concluded.

Sarki Abusadiq sighed, releasing a breath he didn't know he was holding. This thing had been imprinted on his mind for 12 years now! He had prayed to witness this day! He had finally accomplished his mission. Yarima on the other hand felt as if he had been knocked off of air. Everything felt as if he was dreaming! He pinched himself twice just to make sure he wasn't sleeping. Why on earth would his father term that as a condition for him? His father knew how much he would love to be king. His father knew how that meant to him, why on earth would he do that to him? People started murmuring trying to know who Maleeka is. Sa'eed was perplexed by his friend's announcement. He did not include him on this part of whatever he was planning! What would Maleeka do when she hears this? It's no news that she dislikes Yarima with passion. Sarki dismissed everyone; he stood up with his escorts on his heels. This was a decision he had taken without asking for advice from anybody. Deep down inside, he felt he was right.

......

He yanked the turban off his head and kicked it aside. He groaned painfully. His heart was clenching with pain, anger, and most of all fury! It took him an hour to leave the throne room because he was so shocked he couldn't move a muscle. After everyone had left, he dragged himself up, the babban riga suddenly felt like it was drenched and heavy for him. No-one was there to console him. Did they know? When he noticed his useless escorts behind him, he didn't know when he roared for them to leave his sight before he slit their throats. He had to see his father at once! At that moment the maids decided they wanted to bring in his food.

"If you don't carry that thing out of my sight this instant, I will forget you're ladies and I'll use you as my punching bag!" he yelled angrily, making them scurry away. He fumed to his mother's chamber, where he knew he'd meet his father. When he tried going in, the guards refused him entrance. Saying Sarki had specifically warned them not to allow him in.

"Unless you want to lose your jobs, get out of my sight this instant!" he bellowed.

The guards became conflicted. They loved their Sarki, he's everything a person needs as king. But his son is kind of terrifying.

"Please Yarima be understanding! You're putting us in a tight spot" one of the guards said, earning himself a slap. Sarki came out angrily, probably hearing the ruckus going outside.

"Did you not hear, I don't want to see you? Or have you suddenly gone deaf" Sarki yelled angrily at Yarima who looked down.

"I need to talk to you father!" Yarima said.

"I will send it to you when I want to talk to you. Now leave my presence" Sarki growled.

Yarima unwillingly left, he needed to be on his father's good side if he wanted him to change the condition. He went straight to his grandma, the only person who had his best interest at heart. The only person who he knew he could get what he wanted from.

......

Maleeka finished work early so she called Buba her keke guy. They had a deal that she'd pay 1000 naira at the end of every month; he'd drop and pick her up from work everyday. She was going to pay him today, since tomorrow would be the beginning of a new month. She had heard about the conditioning, but had refused to follow her father. She needed to compile and review some documents to make sure the foreigners weren't scammed by her people's proposal. She and Azeema had a lot of fun. Azeema told her about a cousin of hers who had shown interest in her. And that she was already developing feelings for him. Even after Azeema described the guy, Maleeka didn't recognize who she was referring to. Maleeka made sure she didn't go to the palace without tangible reason. She couldn't risk being insulted by the Queen Mother. Whenever her mother would send her to the palace, Maleeka would grumble throughout the way. Then she'd be sneaking around so she wouldn't be spotted by the Queen Mother.

"Hajja Maleeka! Hajja Maleeka!" Buba praised cutting her thoughts short.  She frowned. If Buba was about to beg her for money then he'd better wipe that useless smile off his face because she didn't have any money to spare on him. Her thoughts wandered off to Azeema, who despite being overly pampered had a man to call a boyfriend. Maleeka had gees. She had unknowingly friendzoned all her male friends. Always misbehaving and talking loudly in front of them. Who would want a girlfriend who's not composed?

"I've been talking and you've been ignoring me. You've already started ignoring me! What will you do when you get there?" Buba said cutting her thoughts short once more.

"Stop talking nonsense Buba and drive me home. Where am I getting for God's sake?" she queried looking at the familiar environment. She would soon get home. Buba laughed loudly as if he had been gifted a ticket to go see Empire season finale! Maleeka hissed softly. Whatever was making Buba overly excited was starting to irritate her.

"Don't forget us oo. This one you're forming ignorance. Don't forget your dear Buba" he said, parking in front of her house. She jumped off his keke before she strangled him for interrupting her thoughts. She handed him a 1000 naira note, rolling her eyes. Buba shook his head indicating he wasn't collecting. She stuffed it inside his pocket and left him yelling for her to take back the money so she could favor him in the future.

She announced her return with a salam. She followed the sound of her mother's voice to the living room where she heard her answering from. As she headed to the living room, her phone started ringing stopping her on her track. As she searched for the phone in her scattered bag, the call ended. She snatched it out of a compartment in her bag it had slid into. She had 17 missed calls, all because her phone was in her bag. Most were from Hanan and a few from Azeema, the others from her other friends. Why was everyone contacting her today? She thought as she walked into the living room, dumping her phone back inside her bag, forgetting to un-mute it once again. Her mother looked disturbed. For a second, Maleeka thought something was wrong. But when she saw her father, she released a breath she'd been holding. She greeted both of them who answered looking at her expectantly. When she offloaded her blazer and khimar flinging them on the sofa in the parlor, they both looked relaxed since she was behaving like the Maleeka they knew, scattered and untidy. They were glad she hadn't heard about her role in the conditioning yet.

"How's work?" her father asked, making Maleeka look at him suspiciously. He had never asked about her work before. In fact he hated it. He would say the work is for men. He'd ask why she preferred working in a male dominated area. When she explained how she wasn't going to leave her job. He gave up but he'd complain once in a while. Asking how her job was is something she knew he'd never say. What has changed? She thought.

"Most people didn't show up. Apparently all workers were asked not to come. I didn't receive the memo, nor did I complete my pending work load from days back, so I completed it. I don't know why they had to give us a break because of some conditioning. I mean who cares?" Maleeka blabbered, making her parents inclined to not tell her what was up. They allowed her to freshen up, eat, pray maghrib and then her parents called her to their room. Maleeka silently prayed they weren't about to ask her to bring a husband.  She had no-one in mind, since she leaves home very early and comes back home a bit late, the male gender wasn't seeing her.

"Please don't yell!" her mother begged as Maleeka sat on the praying mat beside her parents bed.

"Have you heard anything about the     conditioning?" her father asked, playing with his hands like some school boy.

She shook her head, she was already getting bored. He had better not ask her to follow him, to congratulate Yarima.

"Well, I don't know how you'll take it but,” Her father's phone started ringing interrupting whatever he had to say.