****
THIRD PERSON
Yasmeen looked like a goddess.
She was wearing a white. White lace of Sani's choosing. Over the lace was a black and gold 'alkyabba'. The hands were adorned with henna and gold.
The palace was packed to the brim and people were still arriving. The kakaki was playing in preparation for the royal nikkah. Everyone was excited except the bride. She knows if this marriage happens, the only thing that will separate her from Sani is death.
Everyone was gathered in the courtroom where the fatiha was taking place. Sani mounted his throne, fully turbaned. Hecwas shaking hands and smiling with everyone.
He had locked Yasmeen in the room. Knowing her, she'll try to do something stupid and he couldn't afford to lose his temper in front of all these people.
"Dangin Amarya (bride's family)" the imam called. Two men moved and sat by his right. They were men Sani paid to be Yasmeen's uncles because the only relatives of hers he knew will rather die than give her to him in marriage. So he got rid of them and forcefully took her. He smiled at himself.
Ruckus and greeting of coming from outside caught the attention of the people in the room. Mubasshir feared he was late. All it took was less than ten minutes and Yasmeen will be lost for good.
He entered the court room and everywhere went pin drop silent.
"Greeting your royal highnesses. You cannot proceed with this wedding for so many reasons "
Mubasshir yelled although the room was silent. He wanted his voice to ring in their bloody skulls.
"Who is this man?" A turbanned old man asks. Mubasshir recognized him. The emir of zazzau. A friend of his father's.
Sani was stunned to the point that Mubasshir was worried he got a stoke. He wasn't worried because he cared about his uncle, he was worried because he couldn't beat a man with a stroke.
"Mubasshir Mustapha, son of the late emir of Rimi"
After a murmur in the crowd, another old man spoke.
"We were told you died!" The crowd nodded and murmured in agreement.
"I did not" he simply stated, leaving them to wonder what had happened to him.
"You have no right to stop this wedding, We know you are not married to her. You have failed to bring tangible evidence of your union!"
An old man on Sani's right says. No doubt his adviser.
"It is true. I am not married to her. But there is a reason" Mubasshir produced an iPhone from his pocket and Sani quicky recognized it as the one he have Yasmeen some days back. Although still stunned by the state of life of his nephew, he wondered what he was up to.
"He raped her " Mubasshir said.
He walked further into to the crowded courtroom and played the recording.
"I have had my way with atleast twenty girls like you. You should be fucking ecstatic I am willing to marry a nobody like you"
Sani's voice rang through the quiet room. Everyone fell silent again.
"He is a rapist" Mubasshir spat again.
"How dare you!!" Sani yelled, finally able to break the trance that the sight of his nephew had put him in.
"That could be the voice of anyone!" The adviser said again.
"This is the phone of the girl he is about to marry. He has her locked in a room. I'm sure the keys are in his pocket. Why don't we get her in here?"
