Martha's POV

"Any luck?"

The cherry desperate voice of my mother welcomed me as I stepped foot into our bland small apartment.

Exhausted from the futile job hunt, I did not fail to notice the house was in order. Everything was in order unlike it usually was. Nothing was broken or turned upside down. They didn't come today.

I noticed the center console in the living room was clear of it's usual decoration of papers; Electricity bills, water bills, Cleaning bills and much more.

The TV and cable decoder remotes were the only things present on the table and my mother's clean feet in a relaxing posture.

"I told you they'd give up,” I said shutting the door behind me.

My mom looked at me in confusion like I had spoke a foreign language. Her brown eyes scanned the apartment, the clear skin on her forehead furrowed to understand what I meant.

I dropped my knockoff leather brown bag that anyone could tell was old by peeling off the cheap leather on a table. I pulled off my high heels and sat on the one seat black and gold chair that squeaked protesting about my not so heavy weight.

"They didn't give up. I accepted his offer."

"Mom! It was not your decision to make," I grumbled in annoyance, resting my back on the couch still ignoring it's complaint. I was tired of going back and forth.

"He was going to throw us out on the streets with nothing. What did you expect me to do?" She snapped.

"So you chose to sell me out?"

Our tiny apartment was quite affordable and a once in a lifetime offer for a two bedroom in the town's central. It wasn't painted making it look bland but that was the least of out problems.

I lost my father at the young age of 10 and ever since, things haven't been easy for my mom. Hustling endlessly to put food on the table for both of us, working at the local market for six years. My late father worked at the local hospital in our town as a medical consultant. He was the bread winner of the family.

Years later, the savings my father left was no more and then we had to fend for ourselves. We tried to fend off daily incomes my mom made from the market.

A bonafide family friend truly concerned about our unfortunate predicament made addendum and got my mom a better job with good pay as a caterer in a well established restaurant in the town.

It was an auspicious uprising. We could afford the apartment we lived in. Incongruous of other victual business in the town made business in the restaurant drop but they managed to put their heads above waters.

Hence the debts that she collected so I could go to the university. Tuition fees, allowance and other expenses.

Passed through four years later with a G.P

Grade

of 4.1

Second class upper

. It had been a surly journey to get a job with a promising organization that paid well.

The plausible explanation of most of the corporations and companies was the economy wasn't efflorescence and they had to cut back and not in a good position to hire until things became prolific.

"I just need more time. Once I get a job, I can get a loan and everything will be fine." I slipped the hair band in my hand to pack up my short curly hair in a messy way.

"You've been saying the same thing for over a year. We're going to be hungry and homeless." Her pink glossy lips curled to the side in frustration. Her once fair radiant skin was now looking darker and she had wrinkles under her chubby cheeks. The stress evident on her face.

That old bastard who was unfortunately the king of my birth town, Aromire. Which we currently resided in, asked for my hand in marriage offering to pay off my school debts and any other necessities.

I'd never felt more repulsed in my life.

He walked in like he owned the place in his white agbada that suited his slightly huge stature, red royal beads around his neck, his wine cap rested on his head side ways and his royal gold staff in his left hand, promising heaven on Earth.

The aphorism that older people were wiser, did not apply to the sixty something year old king, who thought forcing a young girl like me to marry him was ideal.

I still wondered how he found out about the debts I and my mother owed the shark loaners of the town. They had been on our necks even before I graduated from the University.

I was grateful to my mom for all her hard work and struggles just for me to get a degree.

"We can ask for more time from the loaners," I suggested.

She argued, "Its been four months since you graduated the university and still no job. We are deep into debts Martha, I have no more excuses to give. Even if you get a job now, There's no way we can pay the debts as fast as they want."

"That doesn't mean we are going to give up that easily!"

She put off the 32 inch flat screen TV. Shocking! She was watching her favorite evening show. My mom has never missed an episode. For a brief moment, I noticed the insipid look in her brown small eyes.

"Honey, the king already paid them. Now we owe him. I couldn't take it anymore so, I told him you agreed."

"I can't and will not marry him mom!" I disagreed wholeheartedly, my voice loud enough to be heard at the end of the Street.

She stood up from the couch, picked up the head tie to her Ankara blouse and wrapper that fit her chubby body so well. Annoyed at my behavior, she gave me a sultry glare that shut me up immediately.

"Don't be foolish! Do you have any idea how other girls out there are dying to be in your shoes but here you are complaining.

Did you even ever come to think that the king might be the reason why you haven't gotten a job? After all, he controls the town."

"Don't be the type of mother that forces her only daughter to marry a rich old man because of money and power. Don't be that kind of parent." I knew I hit a tough spot by the shocked look on her face. Behind the walls of the town I knew no one and had family whatsoever anywhere.

The rate of unemployment was so high that you had to know someone to be someone. I knew nobody which made me.... a nobody.

Running wasn't an option. I had heard stories of how ruthless the king could be, especially when one defied him.

The thought of being able to convince him, if I could get an hour with him crossed my mind. I could make him understand and realize his mistake on wanting to marry me. He already had three wives and children who were older than I.

I tried swaying my mom from even considering it days ago but she replied there was nothing new under the sun and there was no crime in marrying four wives as long as they were all cared for.

"Mom, you know how grateful I am and I love you but you had no right to give me out for marriage against my will," I said in a gentle voice.

Now she looked remorseful, I hoped she changed her mind and understood what I was going through.

"I'm truly sorry, my love. But, there's nothing I can do."

"There's got to be something we can do."

"I'm sorry, Martha. You need to pack your things. They're going to be here any moment now. You're moving to the palace," She said with finality.

She walked out of the room.

I had watched entertainment news, read magazines and seen on social media how old Kings took in beautiful young wives and I very well used to judge the girls thinking it was their choice to marry the king's.

Who would have thought I'd find myself in that position. I'm sure most of them were in my shoes and had no other option but to do it. I felt broken beyond repair.

The despair and anguish I felt, no hope of things I'd planned and hoped for.

I doubted divorce was an option when it came to royalty. I was going to be stuck with a disgusting old man for the rest of my life.

It seemed there was no hope that any good thing was ever going to happen to me.

There had to be something I could do. I could just run into my room, pack a few things and run off to wherever my legs took me.

I was doomed.

I left for my room to change into something more comfortable. A jean shorts and my old college sweat shirt.

What was I going to do? Running was a tempting idea but also a foolish one. As much as I resented what my mother did, I still cared for her and wouldn’t abandon since I’m all she has left.

I checked the time on the wall which read 4:50. If I was fast enough, I could meet up with an old secondary friend that worked in a grocery store down the street. I was what you’d call a loner, I had zero friends I kept in touch with. Just acquaintances on a polite level.

Since I was little, I found it hard to connect with people or even tolerate my peers. People classified me as proud and snobbish, not that it bothered me. I had no idea how to make friends or even engage in conversation without my big mouth saying something offensive that hurt their feelings which I only meant as a joke. Some people just don’t know how to handle jokes.

I sneaked out of the house and ran all the way to the grocery store like there was fire on the mountain. I hardly seemed Gloria out because I had no reason to. She was two years older than me and I thought she’d know what to do if she were in my position. And if she didn’t, she could just hide me in her house.

“Are you alright? See how you’re breathing so fast,” Gloria said as she sighted me coming her way. Her eyes inspected me from head to toe, her eyebrows furrowed, “What or who is chasing you?”

“A lion,” I said, panting hard. The cold air from the stores air condition made me cool down a bit.

Gloria was a dark girl of average height, petite bum and a full chest that attracted men of all kinds to her like moths to light. Though we rarely spent time together whenever we met it felt as though we’ve been friends forever.

“What did you take that made you ran all way to this place to look for the most beautiful girl in the city.”

I began, “There’s fire on the mountain.”

“Run! Run! Run!,” She sang with a bored expression.

I faced her, putting my palm firmly on the counter.

“Gloria please listen to me, this is a matter of life and death.”

She studied my expression and said, “Okay, what’s going on?”

“The King has asked for my hand in marriage and my mom accepted.”

She paused with the calculation she was doing for a customer, her eyes widened as she gasped.

“Eh! We are rich!” She exclaimed causing the few people to look at her as she began dancing around.

“What do you mean by we are rich? I do not want to marry him and you have to help me.”

She stopped dancing and muttered an apology to the patient customer in front of her before turning to me, “Help you to do what and it’s like your head is not correct for you to say you won’t marry the king.”

“He’s old enough to be my father and that life is not what I want,” I argued.

“My dear, you are already in a tough position with your financial problems, I don’t think you have the luxury to be picky.” She put her hands on her waist like a mother about to scold a stubborn child. “If you marry him, you can say bye bye to your troubles. If you have his child, you’re set for life. A life with endless luxury. Think about your mother not just yourself.”

She was making a good point, but at what cost would I lose myself because of money.

“I deserve the choice to choose who I marry and that’s certainly not the king. I’ll be miserable, Gloria,” I cried.

“You would not. All this old kings don’t even pay attention to their young wives. It’s like a competition among his peers on who has the prettiest and shinning trophy in their arms.”

“The idea of being a trophy wife is not tempting at all.”

“Well, the idea of having a loaded bank account should be tempting. I trust myself, if I were in your shoes I’d be married already to him by now.”

“Have you forgotten I have feelings for his first son?”

“Feelings that you’ve never acknowledged or worked towards. You’ll get to see him more and he can be your side man.” She winked.

“Ah Gloria! How do you know all this.”

“Leave that one aside, Martha. You must marry the king!”

Clearly coming to see her was a complete bad idea and I was actually contemplating the idea. I should just marry the king and scam him of his money and run out of the country.

“You’re a bad friend to be giving me such bad advice.”

“No, I’m a smart one who is being real with you. The king might not even notice you after he marries you.”

“Are you sure?”

“100 percent sure you’ll be a trophy wife,” She held my chin and raised it, “So chin up, start acting like a queen and become instantly rich. Don’t forget me hustling in this hell hole, so I can tap from your blessing.”

“Let me first step foot in the palace. I still have a day or two to run away.”

“Hmm and where would you run to?”

“I don’t know, somewhere out of this town or country.”

I said my goodbyes to Gloria thanking her for not being so helpful as I expected. At that point, a miracle from above was all I needed.

****

Thank you for reading.