Chapter 102: Chapter 102

From the corner of her eyes, Avril could see the girls trying hard not to simultaneously squeal and fangirl. She herself bit her lips and tried hard not to smile.

“That's sweet. For now, I gotta go inside there. See you later, Prince Dakar,” she said and opened the car door. The girls too stepped out and hurried towards the house. Their bags had been left at the human apartment building because Dakar said they would be brought back independently.

After the prince drove off and was making a turn out of the gate, the girls looked at Avril and squealed so loud it made her ears ring.

“Oh, that was so cute!” Chidi whined, and the three girls hugged her dramatically.

“Did you see the way he kept looking at her during the drive?” Nana asked.

“Like she was the most beautiful star in the night sky!” Xiao Wéi exclaimed and fanned herself. Avril rolled her eyes.

“Let's go inside before you tell the whole kingdom that I'm back,” she said embarrassingly and ran inside.

“Oooh, she's blushing! She's trying to hide it!” Nana echoed and ran inside with her, accompanied by the rest of the girls. Avril ran all the way to her room with her hands on her flaming cheeks. But she still took notice of how sparkling clean the whole house was, as if someone had been cleaning it daily since she left.

She entered her room and figured out why.

Aida was running out of the bathroom with her hands soapy and a cleaning brush hanging out of the pocket of an apron. She halted mid-tracks when Avril ran into the room. The latter also halted in her tracks. Aida stared at Avril like she couldn't believe the lady was real. Then she began to cry.

“My lady!” she cried and ran to hug Avril despite the lather on her hands.

“You're alive for real! You're truly alive!”

“I'm alive, Aida. And so are you. I was so worried they'd hurt you,” Avril replied. Aida unlocked and knelt down, hugging Avril's legs.

“I'm so sorry, Fiorella. I betrayed you. I testified against you,” she cried even more.

“Tell me why you did that.”

Aida sniffed and looked up at her mistress.

“They took my mother. They took my mother and threatened they'd never return her unless I did what they said. My mother is the only one I and my little brother have. She's all we have. I'm sorry. I never knew that was what they were going to make me say. I only knew after I arrived at the court. It was too late to do otherwise.”

Avril exhaled and pulled Aida up.

“I knew from your eyes that day that you were under force. But who took your mother? Who are those people?”

“I don't know. They were masked. Their scents were masked too. But I... I recognized the voice of someone who felt like their leader. I don't think he suspected I'd ever know him. But I do.”

Avril's heart thudded. She looked behind her and gently lifted Aida up.

“Who is it?”

“Nobleman Adolphus,” she whispered. Avril's eyes lit up with confirmation. She remembered how both the attorney and blacksmith kept giving Nobleman Adolphus looks. She exhaled.

“I suspect him too. But we have no proof. At all. But I'll discuss this with the prince.”

“It's so good to have you back. The Palace is boring without you,” Aida beamed.

“I've missed being around too. Where's Gia?”

“She'd be back soon. Went to get apples from the prince's orchard.”

“I'll be leaving again. This time with the prince. A little journey.”

“Oh, really? Okay, that's okay.”

“A journey?” Nana spoke up from the back. Avril turned to see her friends leaning against the wall.

“Yes. Dakar needs to go somewhere. And I'll be accompanying him,” she answered.

“You have a lot of explaining to do,” Chidi stated. The three girls walked fully into the room.

“I'll excuse you. Lunch would be ready soon,” Aida said and walked out of the room.

Avril exhaled and sat on the floor. The girls walked closer and sat on the floor in a circle by her. Avril then proceeded to explain everything Dakar had told her. In the end, everyone else was looking sober and shocked, but it was surprisingly Nana who was sniffing with moist eyes. Not even Xiao Wéi, who was prone to cry at the slightest sad incident.

“Seriously, you're crying?” Chidi eyed her.

“What? It's a sad tale,” Nana sniffed again.

“Weren't you the one who almost handed him his ass earlier today?” Chidi asked again.

“Hey, that was necessary. It would be awful to make him think we all would accept him instantly. He must see we're not desperate to have him back in Avril's life.”

“She has a point,” Xiao Wéi commented.

“I'm grateful for you girls. You have enough drama to keep me from going to the theater for life,” Avril joked.

“Now what's that thing about a journey you were saying?” Chidi inquired.

“Athena, she has sent word to Prince Dakar that she finally has a permanent solution to his curse. She says I have to accompany him to her temple.”

“Really? That's fabulous news!” Nana expressed. Avril smiled.

“That's amazing. When do we leave?” Xiao Wéi asked. Avril frowned.

“We?”

“Yes. We're going with you,” Chidi answered.

“What? No, definitely not. The journey could be dangerous. No way am I dragging your butts with me.”

“The journey is dangerous, but you're going on it?”

“I'm with Dakar.”

“The same Dakar who loses control and the demon inside him finds the littlest opportunity to stop you from breathing?” Nana retorted.

“I... ”

“Avril, now that you've said the journey's dangerous... We're definitely going with you. You need us. Just in case you need extra human backup. Just in case,” Chidi added.

“Look, I barely had Prince Dakar agreeing to let me even come with him despite Athena saying I should.”

“If you could convince him to let you, then you can convince him to let us,” Nana argued. Avril groaned.

“I can't put you girls in danger. What if something happens to one of you?”

“What if this guy isn't even your guy still?” Xiao Wéi asked.

“Yes, what if he's an impostor who wants to take you away to someplace because you blindly trust him?” Nana asked.

“What if the real prince is somewhere, and this fake one goes off to sacrifice you and returns without you?” Chidi asked.

Avril palmed her face.

“Fine, fine. We'll all go together. I also can't do without you girls,” she said with her face still covered.

Before the girls could rejoice for their victory, another voice spoke.

“Make room for a fourth girl. I'm coming too,” Verona stated.

“No way, Vee,” Avril rejected immediately.

“Yes, he would. I don't need you to tell him for me. Just make room, that's all I said.” The girl eyed Avril.

“It's good to see you too, Verona,” Avril smiled at her.

“I didn't miss you,” Verona said with sarcasm then strolled into the room.

“I missed you too, Verona.”

“Well, I didn't,” Nana rolled her eyes.

“That's a relief, Nana,” Verona sneered, earning a pout from the Ghanaian.

**Early the next morning, Avril was called to the main Palace for breakfast with the king and prince. Well, she had not expected that. That king, there was something else about him that she did not like to stay in his presence. Maybe it was because she wasn't familiar with him. Prince Dakar made people who weren't familiar with him feel even worse. It was most likely a family thing.

Avril had breakfast with the two men, and it wasn't as bad or awkward as she expected. The two kept taunting each other subtly, and the king directed a few questions at her which she answered. There was something in his eyes that showed he was somehow proud of his son for retrieving her.

After breakfast, Avril and Dakar walked back to the prince's quarters. When they were halfway from the gate, she turned to him and told him about the girls who were bent on following her. Prince Dakar had just stared at her when she said it.

“Your friends are as stubborn as you are,” he said and shook his head.

“I love them for being that way, though sometimes I want to shove their heads in a water tank and lock it,” she joked. Dakar cracked what resembled a smile and drew closer to her.

“It's fine. They can come. You might need that company. I could be frustrating sometimes.”

He placed a kiss on her forehead and smoothed it back.

“You should go get ready. Verona would help you pack up. She knows how the journey's going to be like.”

Avril nodded then walked past Dakar towards the concubine quarters, leaving him standing there and watching her leave.

Next morning, all five girls were ready. They had packed leather jackets, trousers, boots, gloves, and enough rations in a bag. Verona had said the journey would be quite manual, which meant there would be no vehicles to assist them.

They were, however, going to travel out of Remus using one of the prince's Jeeps.

“I'm excited,” Avril whispered to Verona as they made their way to the palace.

“You won't be in two days,” Verona replied.

“Gets tougher?”

“This time of the year is worse. Winter is a few days away.”

“Oh. That's not good.”

They arrived at Prince Dakar's palace and found him and his best friend waiting in front of the building. They were dressed similarly and appeared to be discussing something. Immediately, Dakar noticed them, he stopped talking to Camper and stared. Well, stared at Avril alone.

Everyone visibly noticed he had stopped breathing. Avril had taken his breath away with her long waves in a ponytail, her brown leather jacket that seemed to be tailored to her fitness, and blue, smooth jean trousers that made her walking step elegant.

“Hi,” she waved at them.

“Come here,” he breathed, and she stared at him like he was made of mouthwatering bread. She gulped and walked to him.

Dakar held her hand, drew her close, and kissed her neck sweetly.

“You're beautiful, Fiorella,” he whispered into her ear. She bit her lip to hide her smile.

“Did I ever tell you I love it when you say that line to me?” she smiled brightly at him. He peered into her brown eyes and smirked.

“You didn't have to,” he answered and sealed her lips with a kiss. Avril drew closer and held the lapels of his black jacket as she kissed him back with as much fervency as he kissed her.

“Do they have any idea that we're here?” Nana whispered.

“Dakar, you can swallow her after we get to Lioa. Because their gateways are not going to extend the time given to you,” Camper admonished.

“I miss you so much,” Dakar muffled into the kiss and pressed her lips harder to his.

“I-miss-you-more,” Avril replied and hung her arms over his shoulders.

“Prince Dakar,” Camper groaned.

“I love you,” Dakar muttered as he finally let go of Avril.

“No doubt. Let's get going now, then you can resume telling her that the rest of the way,” Camper interjected, and Avril rolled her eyes.