Chapter 21: Chapter 21

“Camper here told me you wanted to take just a shower first. But I see, this is more than a shower. Except of course, if you took the shower with her,” his mother said. Camper bowed his head after his eyes met Dakar's.

“Mother, why are you here?” Dakar asked and sat up in the bed. He was naked and couldn't step out.

“Wondering why a sonwho was supposed to come and see his sick mother has not arrived ather Chambers”

“I apologize, mother. I was just busy”

“Oh trust me, I can see that you are. Now, sinceyou're busy with a game for two, I won't be punishing only you”

“Luna—” Ñiraka tried to speak but that was a wrong move.

“Oh shut up you harlot! Take her away, Camper. And lock her up in the dungeons for the night” Dakar's mother ordered and Camper immediately went to the bed. She was naked but he couldn't help but obey the Queen's orders. He took her out like that.

“You two, take him and beg him beg,” she said to her guards who were standing behind her. They understood what she meant by making him beg. They were to beat him till he asked for mercy.

“And, just in case you fight back, I swear I'll have your fingers delivered to me on a platter of gold". She glared at him and walked away.

Chapter 27

Dakar received fifty wipes and countless blows and kicks from his mother's guards. He didn't fight back, not because he was afraid of her, having his fingers. She wouldn't even do that. He just refused to fight back because he respected her. And he knew what he did was stupid. Choosing another woman over your number one woman.

Finally, he was returned back to his Chambers the next morning, shirtless, bloodied and swollen up. As he was trying to patch himself up, Camper sneaked in.

“Hey... Whoah! You look awful, mate,” he said. Dakar ignored him and continued to wipe the surface of his bruises.

“Those must be very painful. What created them? Was the guard wearing a ring?,” Camper asked and bent down to look at Dakar's face. Red lines were all over his face, coupled with deep slim cuts.

“Get away from me, Camper”, he growled and Camper moved away.

“I hope you're not angry with me, man. You know I am terrified of your mother. She scares me,” Camper said and sat down opposite Dakar, on a stool.

“She scares everybody”.

“I wonder how Ñiraka is faring. The dungeons are cold and ants trail out at night. Scorpions too”

Dakar looked up at Camper and raised a brow.

“You talk like you have actually spent a night or two there”.

“Well, yes. Two weeks ago, I mistakenly found myself in General Lito's daughter's room. I swear it was a mistake”

“What took you to his house in the first place?”Dakar questioned with his eyes on Camper. His friend turned scarlet and looked away. He suddenly began to count the clothes hung in the wardrobe.

“Why did you go there, you womanizer?” Dakar inquired with a very serious tone.

Camper sighed and scratched his head.

“I... I went to see someone else” he mumbled so low.

“I did not hear you”

“What do you mean by that? You're a wolf, you know what I said”

“Who did you go to see?”

“Her handmaid, Laila. God, have you seen that girl's backside. She's the definition of beauty. I sneaked in to see her but I entered the wrong room. And,well, she was in her night dress and she screamed loudly. She began to throw things at me”

Dakar chuckled then said, “If she hadn't screamed, you'd have wooed her”.

“I have dignity, Dakar. Something you clearly don't have. Ñiraka always has you wrapped around her fingers”.

“You would do anything to be wrapped around her fingers forever”

“No. I'm not stupid to make it forever. But for a year, yes.”

“You see, you're without dignity too”, Dakar laughed and got on his feet. He groaned painfully as he stretched his arms and walked to his wardrobe. He pulled out a redrobe and put it on.

“Where are you going?”, Camper asked.

“To get some food”, Dakar replied and began to walk to the door.Camper ran up and followed him. They left the room together.

“Hey, about Ñiraka. Can I please just, for one night? Just one night. She's such a beautiful vessel of honor that deserves another vessel of—” before he could complete his sentence, Dakar had grabbed his neck and lifted him up. His feet lost contact with the marble floorand he began to choke.

“If I see you close to Ñiraka in a place that's not public, I swear I'll castrate you and make you my eunuch,” he growled at his red faced friend.

“Sorry... Never—” he coughed and looked pleadingly at Dakar.

“Get out of my sight”, Dakar ordered and released Camper who fell to the floor and laid down panting heavily.

“No wonder, you don't have any friends but me”, he muttered audibly. Dakar grinned as he walked out on him. He and Camper had always been like that. He was the big one, Camper was slim and not as tall as him. There were many a times when they fought with each other, and teamed up to beat up others. Dakar was manpower, Camper was the masterminder. He knew how to device strategies to fight.

As Dakar was entering into his kitchen, his mother's guards ran to him.

“What is it?”, he asked after taking a glance at him. He was already bringing out burritos from his fridge to microwave.

“My prince, your mother wants you to have breakfast with her. Right now,” the guard stated.

He sighed and turned to look at the man.

“I was just about to make my own breakfast,”

“I am aware of your culinary skills, my prince. But your mother told me to tell you, that she doesn't care if you've even eaten breakfast already. You must come to her Chambers for breakfast.”

“Tell her, I'm too weak to move. And my mouth is swollen, can't eat,” Dakar ordered and turned to his fridge again.

“She is listening to our conversation right now,”