Forbidden!

_{Image by Niu Niu}

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That morning, Natasha was dusting off the books in the library when Chika her best friend ran in, panting and out of breath.

“Tash!” She cried, looking through the shelves, “where are you?”

Due to the note of emergency in her voice, Natasha abandoned what she was doing at once and ran to her friend, “what is the problem? Are you okay? Is your mother―”

“It is not about me, Tash.” Chika replied, looking sad and angry at the same time, “It’s Femi! He’s been arrested!”

“What?” The duster slipped out of Natasha’s grip and dropped to the floor, her heart gave a painful thud. Was their secret finally out? “What are you saying?”

“He was just picked up by soldiers, they are taking him to the palace now.”

Natasha did not wait to hear anymore. She ran out of the library as fast as her legs could carry her, praying with all her might that nothing happened to the love of her life.

As she ran, she had no doubt their long-kept secret had already been found out. They had gone away with it for so long it was time to pay the price. And as long as she was paying it with Femi, she did not care.

They were all natives Kay, a prosperous town ruled by an iron-handed king. The people believed that all their prosperity and wealth had been richly bestowed on them by the gods of the land. And in truth, in the history of the town, there had never been poverty. In fact, the poorest family in the land had two acres of land which gave them bountiful harvest each year.

And so, the people of Kay did not play with their gods. They worshipped them with everything they had and ensured all due sacrifices were done at their appropriate time. And to ensure the gods always got their due, the priests placed some stiff laws to govern the land.

Inhabitants of the Kay were never to get romantically involved, whether with each other or with foreigners. They were to love only the gods who blessed them so richly. Sex in Kay was only as a means of procreation, and once people started showing signs of liking it too much, they got arrested and could spend years in prison.

But it was worse for those who were in love and got caught, it was sacrilege, giving what rightfully belonged to the gods to fellow humans. It was blasphemous and it got the capital punishment. Death.

A lot of the indigenes had secret affairs but it never went on for too long because the dangers were just too great. So love was reserved for the gods and the gods alone.

These were the thoughts flying through Natasha’s mind as she ran through the streets of Kay, her heartbeat racing just as swiftly as her feet. As she closed in on the palace, she began to hope and pray that Femi’s status as the son of the King would spare them. She was not ready to die just yet.

Both of them had been having their illicit affair for over five years, meeting in secret and under the cover of darkness. The only person who had known was her best friend, and that had not been by choice. Chika had trailed her one day and caught them. But she had never ratted them out.

But the secret was out now anyway, now she had to dance to the beat.

It was as she ran into the palace and saw the soldiers guarding it that she realized that she was also a criminal. And she should have been arrested by now. But the men at the gate ignored her as she ran through.

The place was crowded with people as the King was on his throne about to give his verdict. Why had she not been arrested? Or had Femi been caught with someone else? She shoved that sick thought aside as she plowed her way through the people till she got to the front.

Femi, her lover was on his knees in front of the king his father, his hands were chained behind him and two soldiers stood guard in case he tried to run. Everyone knew that the Prince was in for it, his father was not one to ever show mercy, even to his blood.

But Femi was alone there, there was no accomplice. How could he be arrested for an affair and he would be arrested alone? Or could it be that he had withheld her name to protect her? There was no way she was going to let him die alone.

Their love was till death.

Just as she was about to open her mouth to shout his name, a hand clamped over it and silenced her. She was pulled out of the crowd and shoved hard against the wall. Her head smacked it, bringing tears to her eyes, but when they cleared she saw it was only Chika.

“What the hell do you think you are doing?” Her best friend was furious.

“Leave me alone,” Natasha rasped, “I can’t let him take the fall for this alone. If his father is going to kill him, then he has to kill us both.”

“What are you talking about? No one is killing Femi.”

Natasha froze, “what? What is going on?”

“If you had just calmed down a bit I would have explained it to you back at the library. Femi was not arrested because of your affair, it’s still a secret.”

Natasha let out a deep breath, her heartbeat slowing down again, but then, “why then is he arrested? What did he do?”

“He’s been accused of stealing the King’s scepter and using it for selfish intent.”

“That’s impossible, Femi would never steal. Moreover, his father is the King; everyone in Kay knows that he does not need the scepter. I need to tell them―”

As she tried to run into the crowd once more, Chika shoved her back against the wall, “stay still for one bloody second, okay? They said he stole it last night, sometime around midnight.”

It took a couple of seconds for the words to sink in, and she froze her eyes wide in shock, “but that is impossible. Femi was with me last night, back at the library. He’s being set up, can’t they see it? I have to―”

“You can’t do anything, Tash.” Chika said sadly, “I was here when they arrested him; he was the one that sent me to you. Only four people know he is innocent; Femi, you and I, and the person that framed him. And Femi said that it must remain that way.”

“Hell no! Do you expect me to let him go to prison for something he didn’t do? Come on Chika, I just have to tell them he was with me last night.”

“Doing what? Huh? Making love? Use your head, Tash. Theft is not such a great crime here, not even when it’s the King’s scepter. All he would get are two or three years in prison, knowing who his father is anything less would be a miracle. But if you tell them you were together last night, you prove his innocence on the theft, but then show that he’s guilty of blasphemy against the gods. And then, not just him, but both of you will die.”

Natasha felt weak, last night had been one of the most memorable in her life, how could things have changed so quickly? Her lover was going off to prison and there was nothing either of them could do about it.

“So that is why he is not denying the allegation.”

“Yes. If he denies it then they would have to investigate and that would put you in danger. He is doing it for love Tash, please let him.”

She left the wall and made her way to the front of the crowd once more; she felt tears fall from her eyes as she listened to the King sentenced him to thirty months in prison.

As he was pulled up and carried away, he looked then and saw her. Their eyes locked, and he smiled at her. a smile of reassurance. Then he turned and allowed them to lead him away.

She felt Chika’s hands slip into hers, squeezing it for comfort as the tears fell freely.

She would wait for him, and he would return to her. Meanwhile, she would find out who framed her lover, and she would make them pay.

One way or another.

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_{The End.
Thank you for reading.
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