Love. A four letter word that everyone seek in their lifetime. Yet, as Onika sat in her study room adorned with shelves of books, she couldn't help but feel like her life was out of her control. Normally, a young woman her age should be out having fun and meeting new people but instead she was forced to do the opposite. She had big shoes to fill one day since she was an only child and heir to her country's throne. Her mother and father were the head and someday she would be in their position. She sighed thinking about her life. One that was filled with structure. From the time that she was conceived, her life had been planned out down to the very last detail and there was absolutely nothing that she could do about it. She loved her life but sometimes she wished that her life was normal. One that don't consist of authority and too much structure.
The only friends she was allowed to have were Candice, Iesha and Thembi. And that was because their fathers were friends of her parents. Although they weren't as wealthy as she was, she never thought to treat them any different or make them fell inferior to her. They were best friends since they were toddlers roaming about the palace. Though they were given a lot more freedom than Onika, they shared many milestones in their young lives together. They had the most educated tutors, wore the finest of clothes and lived in huge castles. From kindergarten all the way till they graduated high school they remained the best of friends.
"Onika darling there you are" her mother said entering the room and knocking her from her thoughts. "I've been looking everywhere for you" Onika just sat their staring at her mother. She's so dramatic!" she thought.
"Mother, you know I'm always in here at this hour."
"Yes, but sometimes you're not" she countered. This was true. Onika made her own schedule. This was the only freedom she had but she still had to obey the rules her father had set for her.
"Well, I'm here today. What's the matter?"
"The seamstress is here darling. She has to get your measurements for the upcoming banquet"
"Doesn't she already have them" she asked as a matter of fact. She had taken her measurements countless other times so Onika didn't see why she would need her to do it again.
"Yes, but sweetheart" she paused trying to find the right words as Onika cocked her eyebrow waiting for her mother to finish. "How can I put this?" she asked pausing again. "As of late, you've been looking a bit more womanly" was all she came up with.
"Are you trying to tell me I'm getting fat?" she asked glancing up at her.
"Of course not baby. Not at all. It's just your hips are bigger and not to mention your bottom which is-"
"Huge" she cut her off.
"Yes, exactly." Nicki huffed and closed her book before standing up and straightening her dress.
"Well we shouldn't delay her any further" she responded before walking towards the door. Her mother followed shortly after shaking her head. What am I going to do with her? she asked her self.
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Drake entered the ballroom in an all black tuxedo. He had his hair cut low but his waves still were visible. Iesha took a quick glance in his direction.
"Who is that?" she asked staring. All the girls looked to the direction that she was pointing.
"Probably some lame who my father felt sorry for and invited him here" Onika alleged turning back around. She hadn't even notice that the girls were still staring at him trying to figure out who he was. Once it got quite she faced them. "Would you guys stop staring. I don't want him looking over here"
"Nika you're clearly blind. He's gorgeous!" Candice countered. The rest of them shook their head in agreement. She rolled her eyes at them before they continued with the conversation that they were having.
Drake spotted her in the far corner of the huge hall with three of her friends. She was more beautiful, in person than the pictures he grew up looking at. Her aura made him a bit nervous to approach her. Robert gave his signal and he began walking over to greet her. His heart was beating so loud that he could hear it thumping in his chest with each step he took.
When he finally made it to her, he bowed gracefully as she stared at him. She scrunched up her face at his presence. No man has ever approached her in public in her entire lifetime because her father was very stern about no one coming near his daughter. Everyone in the palace knew not to try him either for fear of major punishment. But what she didn't know was he had been cleared by her father. He would never tell her that though.
"Hello madame" he said reaching for her hand. Onika quickly backed up along with her friends.
"Are you mad?" she asked. She was angry and confused. Was this gentleman really about to try and converse with her? He was nowhere on her level. Yet, he was talking to her like she and he were common. He smirked at her reaction as her father looked on laughing inside. He knew how difficult his daughter could be at times. It was a great quality to have being of nobel birth. She was strong willed and wasn't afraid to set the record straight if need be.
Onika began walking away while her friends followed her lead leaving Aubrey there by himself. She wasn't going to stand around and try to converse with him any longer. To her, he was beneath her and had no right being in her sight. Little do she know, she would be seeing him again. For the rest of her life.
"Onika darling there you are" her mother said entering the room and knocking her from her thoughts. "I've been looking everywhere for you" Onika just sat their staring at her mother. She's so dramatic!" she thought.
"Mother, you know I'm always in here at this hour."
"Yes, but sometimes you're not" she countered. This was true. Onika made her own schedule. This was the only freedom she had but she still had to obey the rules her father had set for her.
"Well, I'm here today. What's the matter?"
"The seamstress is here darling. She has to get your measurements for the upcoming banquet"
"Doesn't she already have them" she asked as a matter of fact. She had taken her measurements countless other times so Onika didn't see why she would need her to do it again.
"Yes, but sweetheart" she paused trying to find the right words as Onika cocked her eyebrow waiting for her mother to finish. "How can I put this?" she asked pausing again. "As of late, you've been looking a bit more womanly" was all she came up with.
"Are you trying to tell me I'm getting fat?" she asked glancing up at her.
"Of course not baby. Not at all. It's just your hips are bigger and not to mention your bottom which is-"
"Huge" she cut her off.
"Yes, exactly." Nicki huffed and closed her book before standing up and straightening her dress.
"Well we shouldn't delay her any further" she responded before walking towards the door. Her mother followed shortly after shaking her head. What am I going to do with her? she asked her self.
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The young man made his way into the velvet room that stood out more than any other room he could think of. The walls were aligned with gold accents along the bottom. The ceiling was a painted mural of all things that represented his country. From the National bird, local fruit and various other things. In the center of the room hung a beautiful crystallized chandelier with candles intricately placed within. Before him were two large thrones painted in gold accents. In them, the leaders of the country sat comfortably waiting for the guards to close the door to begin their meeting. With his father standing next to him, they both bowed their heads in common courtesy.
This was the first time he had ever stood before them. To say he was a nervous wreck would be an understatement. He knew that this time would eventually come. All his life he had been groomed for this moment yet it was still unreal to him.
This was the first time he had ever stood before them. To say he was a nervous wreck would be an understatement. He knew that this time would eventually come. All his life he had been groomed for this moment yet it was still unreal to him.
"Hello Mr. Graham" a deep voice greeted his father. "I see we meet again only this time you brought a visitor with you." His father nodded his head.
"Yes sir, may I introduce you to my son Aubrey Graham who just turned 20 years old yesterday" Robert nodded while Carol gave a warm smile. They had met Aubrey when he was a week old and choose him above all liable candidates for this task.
"I see he has grown into a fine young man Mr. Graham" he paused before continuing. "Come here son" he motioned to a place in front of him. Aubrey carefully walked over to him with his hands behind his back as his father looked on. His eyes focused ahead of him. On the outside, he was taught to stand tall and be confident but the inside was a complete opposite. He was nervous, no doubt but he had to keep his composure. The King sensed his nervousness and rose up to greet him.
"Don't be nervous son. I don't bit" he laughed making Aubrey feel a whole lot better than he did before.
He stood in front of Robert which his hands behind his back. Another common gesture when approaching royalty. Robert extended his hand to greet him and Aubrey accepted.
"I assume your well prepared for this journey you're about to embark on"
"Yes sir" he replied shaking his head.
"Good. Now I have to warn you, my daughter can be a handful but most of the time it's a mechanism she was taught in order to be a great ruler someday." Aubrey just nodded his head slowly taking the information in. He knew very well of Onika. From her favorite color to her worst enemy and so on. Robert had hired the top officials to groom him of his daughter's personality as well as teaching him his role as her future husband. He also was well educated by the same tutor that she had throughout her life.
"I assure you sir that I am prepared for the task you have given me" Robert smiled.
"Very well young man. I'm inviting you and your father here to our upcoming banquet. There you will meet her. I'll give you a signal when I think you should approach her" Aubrey nodded his head listening intently.
Once the instructions were given to him, Aubrey and Dennis left down the hall. He was excited nervous to meet the girl that he would eventually call his wife.
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Onika sat in front of her white vanity getting primped for a banquet she didn't want to go to. Her father held massive banquet every year for his councilmen and their families. It was by invite only. A select group of individuals who worked for her father or was close to him only attended. The only thing that she was looking forward to was seeing Kevin. A very wealthy boy whom she was attracted to. Knowing that he would most likely be there was the only thing that convinced her to go. Although her father forbid her to date anyone for the simple fact that he had already chosen who she was going to marry and didn't want her to develop feeling for someone that wasn't in her future, she didn't see nothing wrong with admiring him from afar. Besides she knew for a fact that Kevin indeed found her attractive. He had told her countless times before. Even speaking to him was a big deal. She couldn't figure out why he would make such a stupid rule in the first place. If her father was to ever find out about Kevin, she knew that both of them would be in for it.
"Don't be nervous son. I don't bit" he laughed making Aubrey feel a whole lot better than he did before.
He stood in front of Robert which his hands behind his back. Another common gesture when approaching royalty. Robert extended his hand to greet him and Aubrey accepted.
"I assume your well prepared for this journey you're about to embark on"
"Yes sir" he replied shaking his head.
"Good. Now I have to warn you, my daughter can be a handful but most of the time it's a mechanism she was taught in order to be a great ruler someday." Aubrey just nodded his head slowly taking the information in. He knew very well of Onika. From her favorite color to her worst enemy and so on. Robert had hired the top officials to groom him of his daughter's personality as well as teaching him his role as her future husband. He also was well educated by the same tutor that she had throughout her life.
"I assure you sir that I am prepared for the task you have given me" Robert smiled.
"Very well young man. I'm inviting you and your father here to our upcoming banquet. There you will meet her. I'll give you a signal when I think you should approach her" Aubrey nodded his head listening intently.
Once the instructions were given to him, Aubrey and Dennis left down the hall. He was excited nervous to meet the girl that he would eventually call his wife.
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Onika sat in front of her white vanity getting primped for a banquet she didn't want to go to. Her father held massive banquet every year for his councilmen and their families. It was by invite only. A select group of individuals who worked for her father or was close to him only attended. The only thing that she was looking forward to was seeing Kevin. A very wealthy boy whom she was attracted to. Knowing that he would most likely be there was the only thing that convinced her to go. Although her father forbid her to date anyone for the simple fact that he had already chosen who she was going to marry and didn't want her to develop feeling for someone that wasn't in her future, she didn't see nothing wrong with admiring him from afar. Besides she knew for a fact that Kevin indeed found her attractive. He had told her countless times before. Even speaking to him was a big deal. She couldn't figure out why he would make such a stupid rule in the first place. If her father was to ever find out about Kevin, she knew that both of them would be in for it.
"Are you ready to see your boo?" Thembi teased while applying her makeup.
"Of course but I can't let my father see me with him. He'll surely have a fit!" Thembi laughed at her friend. "You know how he is"
"Did he give a hint as to whom your going to marry yet?"
"No, but I'm sure it has to be him. I mean how could it not? His father's wealthy like us and he's very easy on the eyes. Not to mention he's training to be an officer." Thembi shook her head.
"Well aren't you lucky!"
"Nervous is more of the word." Nicki turned to face her friend. "What if he's not though? Omg, I will die!"
"Oh please!" Thembi laughed. "Your twenty first birthday is coming up in a few months. Then you'll find out for sure if he is or not."
"Ugh, the suspense is killing me though. You have no idea how nerve-wrecking it is to have your parents choose who you're going to marry. I mean what if they pick someone that I don't like, or have anything in common with?"
"Beats me"
"The day I become Queen is the day that I will surely change that absurd law" Nicki scrunched up her face just thinking about it.
"Well, until then you'll have to deal with it. Besides I think your parents knows what's best for you by now."
"Not hardly" she replied as she slumped back into the chair. "They let other people raise me because "they're too busy dealing with other matters" she made air quotes with her fingers and sighed. "That's another thing I'm going to change. I'm never letting anyone raise my children but me and their father" Thembi turned to her best friend and smiled.
"You have this all figured out don't you?"
"Of course! I know who I'm going to marry, how many children I will have, the laws I'm going to change and all" she smiled. Thembi shook her head and turned around facing the mirror to touch up her makeup.
"You do not know who you're going to marry Onika!"
Nicki rolled her eyes at her friend. "You just dampened my mood Bembi" she informed. Thembi chuckled.
"Ugh, the suspense is killing me though. You have no idea how nerve-wrecking it is to have your parents choose who you're going to marry. I mean what if they pick someone that I don't like, or have anything in common with?"
"Beats me"
"The day I become Queen is the day that I will surely change that absurd law" Nicki scrunched up her face just thinking about it.
"Well, until then you'll have to deal with it. Besides I think your parents knows what's best for you by now."
"Not hardly" she replied as she slumped back into the chair. "They let other people raise me because "they're too busy dealing with other matters" she made air quotes with her fingers and sighed. "That's another thing I'm going to change. I'm never letting anyone raise my children but me and their father" Thembi turned to her best friend and smiled.
"You have this all figured out don't you?"
"Of course! I know who I'm going to marry, how many children I will have, the laws I'm going to change and all" she smiled. Thembi shook her head and turned around facing the mirror to touch up her makeup.
"You do not know who you're going to marry Onika!"
Nicki rolled her eyes at her friend. "You just dampened my mood Bembi" she informed. Thembi chuckled.
Nicki got up from her vanity once her makeup artist Sadé was done. Thembi was already dressed and ready to go. Nicki grabbed her dress that was hanging up and sprinted to the restroom. The banquet was getting ready to start soon.
Once she was finished, Thembi zipped her up. Nicki turned to face the mirror in the far corner of the room. She was wearing a long flowing black dress with gold trimmings around the waist. She had all of her jewels on which consisted of a very rare black diamond ring, black diamond studs and a gold necklace all given to her by her parents last summer.
"You look gorgeous"
"You really think so?" She asked her friend while her maid helped slip her foot into her sparkling black Louboutin shoes. Thembi nodded.
Once they were finished, they headed down the hall escorted by two of her guards.
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An hour into the banquet, Nicki sat at her table looking for any sign of Kevin. She huffed looking at all the people gathered around. They were having fun while she was bored. Realizing that Kevin wasn't going to show up as she thought he would, she got up to mingle with her friends Iesha, Candice and Thembi. They were all gathered in the far corner of the room sipping some punch and talking.
"Hey Nika" Iesha greeted her.
"Hey guys" They all looked at her. She was clearly disappointed in Kevin not showing for the banquet and they knew that was the only reason she agreed to come otherwise she wouldn't have came in the first place. The girls wanted to lighten her mood a little.
"You sound sad. Want some punch?" Thembi asked handing her a cup. Onika happily took it and drank. A few moments later she realized that it was clearly spiked with something strong.
"What on god's green earth is in this?" The girls giggled.
"Adam mixed it especially for you" Candice informed her. Nicki sat the cup down on a nearby table before giving him a scowl. He was palace's mixologist who always had a thing for her. Even though she threatened to have him fired by her father, he still didn't care. He knew that she wouldn't do it anyway because he was the best in a the land.
"Hey Nika" Iesha greeted her.
"Hey guys" They all looked at her. She was clearly disappointed in Kevin not showing for the banquet and they knew that was the only reason she agreed to come otherwise she wouldn't have came in the first place. The girls wanted to lighten her mood a little.
"You sound sad. Want some punch?" Thembi asked handing her a cup. Onika happily took it and drank. A few moments later she realized that it was clearly spiked with something strong.
"What on god's green earth is in this?" The girls giggled.
"Adam mixed it especially for you" Candice informed her. Nicki sat the cup down on a nearby table before giving him a scowl. He was palace's mixologist who always had a thing for her. Even though she threatened to have him fired by her father, he still didn't care. He knew that she wouldn't do it anyway because he was the best in a the land.
Drake entered the ballroom in an all black tuxedo. He had his hair cut low but his waves still were visible. Iesha took a quick glance in his direction.
"Who is that?" she asked staring. All the girls looked to the direction that she was pointing.
"Probably some lame who my father felt sorry for and invited him here" Onika alleged turning back around. She hadn't even notice that the girls were still staring at him trying to figure out who he was. Once it got quite she faced them. "Would you guys stop staring. I don't want him looking over here"
"Nika you're clearly blind. He's gorgeous!" Candice countered. The rest of them shook their head in agreement. She rolled her eyes at them before they continued with the conversation that they were having.
Drake spotted her in the far corner of the huge hall with three of her friends. She was more beautiful, in person than the pictures he grew up looking at. Her aura made him a bit nervous to approach her. Robert gave his signal and he began walking over to greet her. His heart was beating so loud that he could hear it thumping in his chest with each step he took.
When he finally made it to her, he bowed gracefully as she stared at him. She scrunched up her face at his presence. No man has ever approached her in public in her entire lifetime because her father was very stern about no one coming near his daughter. Everyone in the palace knew not to try him either for fear of major punishment. But what she didn't know was he had been cleared by her father. He would never tell her that though.
"Hello madame" he said reaching for her hand. Onika quickly backed up along with her friends.
"Are you mad?" she asked. She was angry and confused. Was this gentleman really about to try and converse with her? He was nowhere on her level. Yet, he was talking to her like she and he were common. He smirked at her reaction as her father looked on laughing inside. He knew how difficult his daughter could be at times. It was a great quality to have being of nobel birth. She was strong willed and wasn't afraid to set the record straight if need be.
Onika began walking away while her friends followed her lead leaving Aubrey there by himself. She wasn't going to stand around and try to converse with him any longer. To her, he was beneath her and had no right being in her sight. Little do she know, she would be seeing him again. For the rest of her life.
