The Prince Is Mine

"Don't you like how I touch you?" Prince Khal had a mischievous smile on his lips as he moved his fingers behind the female slave, all the while refusing to take his eyes off her own. This situation was annoying to the rest of the slave ladies as they stood at a distance and watched. One of them dropped her axe with which she worked with and moved to distract the Prince but the rest held her back warningly.

"If you get in his way he will have you hanged. He is known for hanging our kind for the slightest mistake or offence. Stay back and stay alive" Angrily Ebubu picked her axe once again and continued working but this time she was hitting the axe harder against the rocks, not because she wanted to work harder but because she was angry at the Prince of Larun Kingdom who paid visits to the site everyday to inspect the work ongoing there. Each time he came he would like to touch the female slaves and this annoyed Ebube who recently was captured and sold as a slave to the King of Larun, Prince Khal's father. 

The day  Ebube was captured she had gone to the stream in her village, Akowa, with her elder brother. She had barely finished fetching water when the Slave Hunters descended on them from every corner. it was impossible for them to escape. She witnessed her brother butchered that day and while she struggled to escape she was induced to sleep and forced out of the stream. When she woke up the next day she found herself lying down in the midst of strange looking men, obviously different from the ones that came for her at Akowa. She wanted to spring up on her feet but soon discovered she was bound. 

"Who are you and what do you want from me!?" She heard herself ask. One of the men looked her direction, spoke some strange words, drew out his dagger and began to approach her where she laid on the ground. When she saw this she began to struggle. It was one of the men who sat seperately that called for the attention of the one moving to attack Ebube and he stopped, turned, hissed detestably and went away. The man that spoke to him heaved a sigh of relief, stood up and walked up to Ebube where she laid, squatting before her he drew his own dagger and placed it on her lips.

"You need to shut your mouth and stop making a noise if you want to stay alive till we reach Larun. First I stopped those men of mine from having their way to your body and then I stopped the other one" he pointed towards the one that rose before with his dagger, "that one is a stammerer. He once killed one of our captives for cursing him. You want to remain alive? shut your mouth" He rose to leave but Ebube spoke as if he hadn't spoken, "You killed my brother"

The man turned to face her and squatted again, rolled his eyes and pointed the dagger towards her nose. "I didn't kill your brother, the Slave Hunters did. I am a slave trader. I do only trading, but for those that hunt for the slaves I really don't need to educate them on how to do their job now should I?"

"You killed him. If you didn't patronise them they wouldn't think of capturing and killing. My brother gone because of you"

"Yes, and you better learn to keep still cause I'm handing you over to him" he pointed at the stammerer once again and continued, "yes I will in a short while. I'm but for the money and nothing else" He walked away and Ebube sobbed.

The next day Ebube could see the injuries on her skin caused by the mosquitoes that denied her sleep. She was feeling sick but insisted to stay sober.

When they entered the kingdom of Larun they headed straight to the palace. They were hindered from entering by the palace guards and then the slave trader was all smiles when he saw the Prince of Larun approaching with his men. It was said that there was no one as handsome as Prince Khal of Larun. The ladies of Larun added him in their prayer points and prayed always that the Prince would ask for their hands in marriage but it was always a time for the men of Larun to mock such ladies who offer such prayers for they believed the Prince would never marry a commoner. When the Prince was upon them he frowned at the slave trader.

"We discussed this Zim. We agreed you wouldn't be bringing slaves to the palace. You really looking forward to my anger. Believe me, if I show you how I get angry you will hate me. Take these to the site then return for your payment, and Zim, I hate it when you bring those that look at me with contempt" He said this while looking directly at Ebube. "Tell the guards at the site to give this one hard labour and ensure she is starved throughout the day. I want to see how hard she stares at me again next time I visit the site. As for you Zim, you go and come back to meet with my father" He tried to move but Zim was already speaking. "Is there any need for that my Prince. I mean meeting with your father?" We could conclude here and now"

"Zim, you do as I say. There is something you must be made to see and hear" he paused and then walked straight to Ebube and gazing into her eyes shook his head, "I hate this one. Take them away" Ebube and the rest that were brought in alongside her were taken away to the site where the slaves sold to the Palace of Larun were forced to work day and night, mostly women. When they were gone the Prince stood there for a while and spoke to his adviser, "I think I know that girl from somewhere"

Prince Khal who returned to his room after dismissing Zim looked intently at his girlfriend, Suza who had refused to leave since morning.

"Why are you staring at me like that?" She asked, chuckled, half dressed with a cup of wine in her left hand. She moved to him and tried to run her fingers on his chest but the Prince grabbed her arm. "Leave Suza. I want to be alone"

"You found another whore?" She asked and the Prince stared at her for some seconds before hitting the cup off her hand. "Leave!!?" He shouted and she hastily walked away. He then walked to the window and stared towards the site where the slaves were working.

Ebube and the rest of the slaves were taken to the site where they were to work at the coal. After they had been shown what work to do, Zim approached Ebube and five others who were positioned at one spot and spoke, "I told you I will be leaving you and the rest of you with the one that stammers. He is