#tocatcharebel

David

Whoever came up with the idea of house arrest was a sick bastard. 

I suppose I was lucky. I wasn't on house arrest. It was more like I was on probabtion for my blatant rule breaking.

General Monsare may be a rebel but her family words still held true. She did not go gentle. Her first act after arriving back from the North was put me on leave for three months, for insubordination. I couldn’t been so lucky as to think that in the jubilation at having a nation once again, she would forget about my blundered kidnapping attempt and the impromto and unsolicted rescue mission, all in the spanse of less than a week. 

I was surprised that I wasn’t fired or court martialed but now I was bored. I had never been bored in my entire life since. Now it the was a state I found myself constantly, unfortunately. 

I poured myself a glass of water after looking outside. I supposed I should be grateful that I got assigned an apartment for the time of my paid leave but at the same time, I hated the quiet the maddening calm. 

I blew some dust away from the bars on the window. I really needed to start cleaning this house. I could practically hear my mother breathing down my neck about cleanliness being next to godliness and if I didn't get the mold out the house I’d have craw-craw in an instant. I smiled. I missed the old hag. I wondered where she had gone to this time or if she would even tell me where she was. Libe certainly didn't know where she was and we both knew her better than to ask but I could tell it was something to do with the new republic. 

I looked out the apartment window at the hustle and bustle going on down below, the same how it was before. I knew that it looked like nothing had changed but the city was at a tipping point. I could feel it. Getting independence was just the first step. 

I took one last look outside when I heard a bunch of furious knocking at the door. I grimaced, running hand down my face. 

This man had terrible timing. 

I pulled myself off from my sofa and went to open the door and Libe was standing there in a white te shirt with a silver jacket. 

“What happened to phoning before you arriving?” I asked. 

He just pushed past me into the house and then turned back to me with his hands in his pockets. 

“Davido, you do know you're not in prison right?” he said and then made a show of open and closing my front dor. “You can go out if you want to.”

“Of course,I know that.”

“I don’t think you do, because no ones seen you out here for three weeks.”

“How do you know that?” I looked at each of the walls. I had the feeling someone was watching me. I knew this paid leave business in a nice appartment was too good to be true. 

“Relax, bro. Your neightbour, he hasn't seen you out and was worried that you had died in there.”

I coudhged out a laugh. Mr Uchu or at least that's what he called himself always sat out in front of his door every morning and evening. It was nice to know he cared. I should probably go out to reassure him that I wasn't dead. 

“As you can clearly see libe.” I gestured to myself. “I’m not dead.”

“Well, stop acting as if you're under house arrest.”

I grimaced. "I’m not acting like I’m under house arrest. What makes you say that?”

Libe snubbed his nose at me, looking me all over. My skin itched all over from his eyes. Was he cursed? Wouldn’t surprise me, really.

“Looking at you, you’d think that someone had just died.”

Not someone. 

It wasn't until I saw the gentleness in his eyes that I realized that I had said that out loud. 

“Look I’m not saying that what happened didn't matter…”

“I had it coming. Honestly, I’m surprised I'm not dead.”

“Ah David, you're mistaking how violent she is.” 

“Libe she wanted me to kidnap Aria because she thought she may be a threat.”

“Okay, that was war time and that girl wasn’t exactly entirely innocent.”

I winced at the memory of Aria and Aaron holding me hostage in Hellgate. 

“Besides we’re not at war any more.”

I fell back on my sofa. That’s what everyone loved to say but honestly, a small part of me missed the war. I missed having a purpose, now I had to make a new path. The rebellion had been my entire life, even durign my time working the palace. I was itching to go home but then I doubted that would ever become an option. This stage of what no was toojarrign to coperehend. I wasn't sure Libe would understand. 

He sat himself down next to me. 

“You’re angry because you’r e on leave but think about it this has been your whole life, this cause, this war.”

He looked out into the distance and I didn't need to ask to know that he is thinking about Truth. 

My first five older brothers went into business and farming like good dutiful sons, while Truth, Libe and I went a different direction, since the time we were teenagers. 

This was all we knew, all we wanted to know. 

“If only he were here,” I blurted out, breathing deeply so I wouldn’t fall apart. 

“He would tell you to go get your barber and and put him in front of a firing squad.”

I punched him in the arm.

“What the hell?”

“It’s true, remember when he would drag us out of bed just to cut our hair. I swear he was training or something.”

I howled out a laugh. That was Truth, acting more like a father than a brother.

“I’m serious though, stop acting like this is a punishment and you’re in some sort of prison.”

“But it is," I whined unseemingly.

“That woman is hard as nails, and if she wanted to pucnish you you wouldn't be alive and breathing, with all your body parts intact in this nice house that you're not paying rent in.” He had a point, unfortunately.  I was lucky to get off with what I did, with just a slap on the wrist. 

I was lucky that she was in good mood after having the Republic's independance acknowledged. 

I was lucky that she and Aria were on such better terms now. 

I had always been conditioned to accept horror and when there was a reprieve I was ready for it to burst. It would eventually, but something I could do was try to  live as best as I could until then. Be as good in peace as I was in war. 

I clapped a hand on Libe’s shoulder. 

“Notwithstanding the hair comment, thank you.”

“Someone has to make you don’t spend all your ime brooding. People will think it’s the hallmark of your personality.”

I rolled my eyes.

“I am not broody.”

“Keep telling yourself that bro,” he got up and then went straight into the kitchen to inspect the shelves. 

“David Obiakra Soro, have you forgotten how to season food!”

Aria

I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. No literally, I wasn’t angry or anything, I was on the wrong side of the bed. I usually slept on the right side of the bed close to the balcony door and James slept on the other side but now as I pulled the covers off myself and felt the other side of  the bed. It had gone cold. James was gone. I pulled on my housecoat and know ked on the ensuite bathroom door. No answer. Maybe James decided  to get in some extra studying. I got up and decied to go and look for him. I knocked on the door adjoining mine. No answer. I panicked a little. He was fine. He had to be fine. I slipped my feet into my handles an headed out the door. The second wives’ palace was quiet. Now servants had the option of coming in for work instead of living in the palace. Now the halls were empty except for some solitary guards at the entry points. I went towards the entrance near the window overlooking the zoo and there he was. Standing in a white housecoat looking out into the morning. 

  I walked slowly up to him, not to jolt him out of his thoughts and wrapped my arms around his waist. He stiffened, then relaxed, then I felt his fingers start to caress my hands. 

“Good morning,” I said, my voice slightly muffled by his housecoat. He gave my fingers a gentle squeeze. 

“You should go back to sleep,” he said gently. 

I shook my head against his back. 

“So should you!” I implored and moved to stand beside him and take his hand. “It’s still really early you know. I don’t even think your mum is up.”

He chuckled gently and brought my hand up to his lips. 

“I just couldn’t sleep.”

I knew the felling all too well so I asked, “Is it nightmares?”

He shook his head. 

“No, I just couldn’t sleep that’s all.” 

Then he trunred to me with that too-easy smile of his, then kissed me and pulled me back to the bedroom and all the while I wondered how he was really feeling right now.

My meetings finished early in the afternoon but  I decided to stay behind with Advisor Lenny to go over some of the new domestic disputes which thankfully didn't include Aaron Omafidon complaining about not being able to hire help to clean Château East.

I leaned back in my chair as we discussed the situation with the new treaty with Auja and the newly formed Southern republic. I had to admit I was learning a great deal from her. 

Once we were finished, I found myself stopping at the threshold of the door.

“Is everything alright, Imotenya?” she asked with her long hand on my shoulder. 

“Yes, I fine,” I said, hugging my files to my chest. “I’ll see you later."

I didn’t wait for her reply before I went back to the second wive’s palace into the kitchen. Though the nausea I felt when I thought of food was beginning to subside, there were some times that I found that I couldn’t stomach some meals some days. I asked Judith about it and she told me that I should try starting small, so that was what I did by having a bowl of quaker oats for lunch that day. 

Then I began to think of the long walks that I had found myself taking around the palace recently . It felt so unfamiliar even though it was my home for such a long time, and then for a while it was a kind of prison. But weren’t all homes a prsion at some point of life?

Some days I woke up and walked past my mother’s old office and half expected to see her there. I go into the Administration Building and feel Jonathan Korade’s eyes peering at me from some unknown point threatening me with my worst fears and I sometimes forget to breath. It took me multiple breathes to remind myself of where I was. I go to eat in the main dining room and I hear Cisi’s shrill laughter, feel Mustafa's calming gaze. I see them all. I feel them all. I didn’t know how the blood got out of the room. How long had it taken? I was too afraid to ask. And then on top of that I saw Alexander everywhere. Feel him everywhere. The brother that I lost that I had never knew I had. 

I poured a generous amount of condensed milk in my bowl as I began to look though some notes from the meeting as I ate. I hadn’t lost my need to multi-task. It kept me from strayinging into painful memories

This palace was a crypt. Death hanging from every inch of it like a shroud, making a mockery of those still alive, living in its walls. I shook my head and I looked at the walls of the second wive’s palace, our home for the time being. James’ mother had come to live with us here to. I was really scared to meet her . I mean, I did kidnap her son and force him to marry me at least at first but she didn’t treat unkindly at all. Quite the opposite really, almost like a second mother, alway offering to make meals for us when we’d both had particularly busy days, me witht the council and James with his studies and his own council work. Come to think of it James never really accompanied on my palace excursions. It's as if if he could help it, he'd avoid being the palace as much as possible. Always running from it.

  After I finished eating, I went to the library in the main palace. Suprised my feet had led me here of all places, I peered inside and saw James laying back on one of the couches, his eyes lightly closed. 

I padded over towards him and lovingly ran a hand down his face. His warm honey eyes flew open and then he relaxed when he realised it was me. 

“Aria, are you finished for the day?”

I shook my head. “No, just a small break, you have no idea how liaising with the republic takes a toll on your head.”

“I can imagine. It’s all anyone can talk about in class," James said coming up to a sitting position and patted the spot next to him. I sat down and put my head on his shoulder and he wrapped his arm around my shoulders and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead. We sat there for about a minute just relishing this moment in each other’s company. It was pure bliss which I couldn’t afford to take for granted. 

He turned and pressed a soft kiss in the hollow of my neck.

“Stay with me Aria,” he muttered. I closed my eyes and snuggled into him, while laughing gently. 

“I’m right here,” I said, but then he pulled away his face marred by worry. He wasn’t as gaunt as he was before but I still could see the feint circles under his eyes.

 “I mean be here with me. It’s like your mind is so far away right now.”

I pulled my knees up to my chest. He could read me like a book. 

“Sorry, I’m just a little tired,” I said. Then I left the warmth of his embrace and faced him seriously because we needed to talk about what was going on with him. 

“And I’m worried about you too,” I said finally. 

James’ eyes widend and he took my hand in his. 

“What, why? I promise you there is nothing wrong with me.”

I looked down at my lap, choosing my next words very carefully. 

“Then how come you never spend much time in the palace?” There I had said it. James’ blinked rapidly. 

“What?”

“You leave the house earlier than you to and come back later than you need to and the rest of the time you are here, you’re always in the library. This library.” 

I huffed out a breath.

“It’s like you don’t think of this place as your home and I can understand why. I mean so many horrible things hace happened here and I understand if you’re uncomfortable here…”

“Aria!”

My mouth clamped shut. Then James sighed bringing the stump on my left hand to his lips.  

 “I know what you mean. Yeah, this place brings a lot of bad memories.” He went silent. It was my turn to squeeze his hands. He didn;t need to say more but I was more than glad to hold space for him if he did.

“But a lot of good things happened here to.” He gave me a nudge and a soft grin. 

“I met you.” Then his grin fell from his face. “I learnt the truth about my family.”

“But that’s just it,” I huffed. “I went and kidnapped you because I thought it would give me leverage over your dad and then forced to marry me if that didn’t work.”

I felt so guilty about that. How blinded I was by rage, revenge and pain. I became the very thing I had spent my whole life fearing. I became jealous and vengeful like my mother and a manipulative monster like Jonathan, my uncle. 

James’ warm hands came up to cup my face.

“You gave me the option to leave remember? I’m not excusing what you did but you’ve all but made amends.”

I shook my head. I remembered saying something like that to David once I found about his past. Sometimes it was easier to extend compassion to others rather that ourselves, because of a misplaced sense of pride, an aspiration to a moral high ground that others coudn't hope to understand. 

I sniffed back some tears. Morals, bloodlines and legacies aside, I didn’t know if I could ever really be worthy of James but I would try. 

“I’m with you because I want to be,” he said. 

“But that’s the thing,” I pressed. “We can be together and not be here in the palace. With the past and it’s ghosts looming over us.”

James let out a bitter chuckle.

“Idi mi, ghosts are not constrained to a certain palace.”

“Sometimes they are,” I said. “Cursed to stay in one location” 

James threw his head back in the laugh that I loved do much but it stung because it was at my expense. 

“I didn’t know you knew so much about ghosts but I’m serious. We’re all haunted by the past. Living on the fringes of life and death.”

He looped own at his feet and  my arm found his hosulders and I kissed his cheek. 

“So yeah, this place may be haunted but with you, I can handle the ghosts in any place.”

I didn’t wait for him to continue on about ghosts and hauntings of the past, before I kissed him, holding him so tight that nothing past, present or future could ever take him away from me. 

“Let’s try and get out of here as soon as possible, “ I said pulling away from him. “Find our own place, what do you think?”

James beamed pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. 

“I’d like that. We could even move to Sapele or anywhere and you could come here for work.”

“You know I never thought of that.”

“See. I never thought how fun and freeing talking about the future could be,” he said. “Palace life does get boring after a while.”

“You’re telling me,” I said and kissed the ebuillent smile on his lips. 

“Okay,” he said giving me a peck on the nose . “Back to work with you. Advisor Lenny won’t be happy if you’re late.” He pulled me up to my feet and I groaned. Trust James to keep me in check. He always did. I couldn’t fault him for that. Not at all. 

I'm running a sale on my YA royal dystopian set in Nigeria until Monday.

Check it out at: https://tinyurl.com/2c2xrbhn

If you like dystopians with plucky heroines, Nigeria as a setting, and plenty of family drama, then be sure to pick up the To Catch a Rebel series.