My brothers exchanged bewildered glances.
"I'll explain at home" i whispered to them, walking towards Mubasshir. He was looking down at me, literally. I'm 5"4, he is well..really tall.
"Thank you, for everything " i said sincerely. He nods curtly, handing me my suitcase. I smile at him and turn to leave.
MUBASSHIR'S P.O.V
Watching her walk away from me made my heart constrict for a second but I ignore it. A feeling that her brothers won't protect her as well as I would set in but i shook it off. Get it together Mubasshir.
Mama was in the living room when i got home. Her face lit up like the sun. I missed her so much its almost unbelievable.
"My baby boy! You've grown!" She says and I laugh. Grown indeed.
"My beautiful mom! you've grown also" i teased.
"Yep, aging like milk" she says with a laugh, forcing me to take in her radiant skin and sparkling smile. Its wine, definitely.
****
"Everything is in shambles. Zunzurutu told me that the crown is in so many debt because of Sani. He doesn't listen to anyone. Immediately you left, they set up that mine again. And they've been transporting gold and tin ever since. I don't know how he got the money, but he bought 50% of the company's shares . He owns 50% of whatever they get"
I was close to shaking with rage. After I had showered and eaten, mama began to bombard me with what Sani did and didn't do. He's a tyrant.
"All he does is marry people's children forcefully and send them away after a month or two. He hasn't been able to keep a single one"
Speaking of forcing people's children, I contemplated whether to tell her about Yasmeen or not. Knowing mama will probably tell me to be patient about it, i kept it to my chest for the mean time.
"I don't know when he became like this wallahi. He used to be very kind and humble" she laments. Even I don't know. He used to be my role model. Someone I wanted to be like. I cringed. Now i know it was all a facade. A plot to get his hands on my father's throne.
That night, i went to bed looking forward to bashing my uncle's face the next day.
****
The palace looks the same except for a few new cars and strange faces here and there. I see Dambazau at the entrance of the main chambers so I called onto him.
"Allah ya sa ka fi haka. Welcome my prince, it has been a while. Yaushe a gari? (When did you return?)"
"Jiya (yesterday)" I said to him with a smile. He was one of my father's friends, his confidant.
"Do you want me to inform the elders, so you can meet with the emir?" The emir. My mood instantly fouled, not that i was skipping with joy before.
"Please do" I say. He bows and walks away. While I waited for the elders to acknowledge me in my own palace, I decided to give myself a tour. Dambazzau met up with me at my mother's chambers after a few minutes.
"His eminence will see you know" he says. My heart begins to race with excitement and fear of what I was going to do to him. I don't trust myself. I don't want to ruin Yasmeen's chances of getting her justice with my stupid tantrums.
He was sitting in my chair with a slightly rotund abdomen, looking as relaxed as ever. He aged twenty years in the last year and the fact there was now a striking resemblance between my father and him pissed me off. He is nothing like my father.
