Chronicles of the Crown: A Husband’s Appeal.

“I’m sorry, Indira”, King Sergie said with remorse, as he exerted his muscles in trying to hold open the door his wife was trying to shut in his face.

Indira glowered at him. Of recent, her loving husband had capriciously shut her out!

“Unhand this door, your Highness“, Indira fumed.

“Pray, allow me explain, Indira.”

Weekend Writing Prompt #248 – Capricious

Advertisement

A Delicate Decree

Major Sujamal saluted his new boss in her office.

General Emira was aware of his presence as she kept on writing.

Her waist-length wavy hair was loose around her shoulders. She was wearing army camouflage T shirt dress and black boots.

She looked too beautiful to be a soldier, but she was tough with deadly calm, and had cracked many difficult military missions on land, air and sea with the ease of a hot knife through butter.

“You know, Major. I’m tempted to let you remain at attention, but someone must have spiked my Ro-something —-

“—Roti” the Major put in.

“—Right. Roti, this morning which is why I’m feeling maternal”, She said all this while still writing and without looking at the Major in question.

“At ease, Major”

Emira got up from behind her desk, and leaned on it as she crossed her legs at the ankle.

“Have a sit, Major” She gestured to one of the chairs as she crossed her arms.

“I will rather stand”

“Consider it an order”, Emira responded in a low steely voice.

Sujamal sat reluctantly and gazed at the wall behind her back.

Emira signed inwardly as she studied him. The man was running and aching from a past. Hence, his wild and unwilling ways of handling official orders. And that, threatens to upset the operation should it stay unresolved.

“I need you to discretely find your mother…” he snapped his head to face her, as his eyes flashed at her, but she ignored him as she calmly continued, “And personally investigate her — in disguise of course”

He shot to his feet,

“No”

He said in a slightly shaky voice, that she nearly felt sorry for him.

Emira leaned back more with a smile,

“Rejecting orders, Major?” She wasn’t surprised. She knew he was diligent and debatable.

“It’s too…personal for me to get involved”

“I think I already established how personal. All I can say is she may not have any idea how involved she is or even what she’s involved in. You’re to find out everything about her and report to me daily.”

Sujamal was now pacing, “I–I can’t do…” He began as he shook his head.

“You seem not to realise you don’t have a choice in the matter. If I didn’t know better I would have said you were doing your very best to sabotage this operation…. Let me finish, please” She raised a palm as he tried to speak in his defense.

“I said report to me and bring the suspects in talking condition. I even showed you how to subdue them enough to bring them here — should you have missed that class in military training. Yet you kept doing as you darned well please.”

Emira placed her palms beside her on the desk, as she prayed for calm.

“Your past is clouding your better judgement, Major. And I refuse to watch you unwittingly end your career thereby loosing one of my best men, one way or the other.”

She picked a folder from the desk, looked at it solemnly, then stretched it towards a fuming Sujamal, who had lost the battle of trying not to glower at her. She smiled inwardly as he looked kinda cute.

“Consider this your suspension assignment. Otherwise, feel free to appear before a panel of Top Brass Military Generals to explain why you should not be dismissed.”

He hesitated then slowly and reluctantly collected the file from her.

“Follow instructions to the letter and proof to me that you’re in this job for noble reasons” Emira said as she sat behind her desk.

Oh hahn. Tu-tri-bat. Tell your….girlfriend, that should she try following you again, I shall put her under arrest for trying to disrupt a military mission.” Emira warned in a casual voice. “You may leave now.”

“Yes, Boss” Sujamal saluted her and walked out.

Emira sighed as watched him leave. She swivelled in her chair as she prayed for healing of the Major who was wounded in his soul.

She sensed troubling tensions at the military base and she didn’t like it. She began to pray for peace, protection for her soldiers and the strategy for a successful mission.

15 minutes later, her phone rang. She checked the caller ID and picked the call with girlish excitement.

“Hello Mama”, she gave a tired smile.

https://puttingmyfeetinthedirt.com/2020/11/01/november-writing-prompts-2/

BFF Drama

It’s was a side pool greet and catch up for family and mostly friends of the about-to-wed couple.

Most were chatting with someone animately while some were trying to de-stress from flying to the wedding destination before the wedding itself.

“So how is your collection coming? And you are looking hot, by the way,” Brie enthused to Sapphire, who was dancing in her seat while sipping Ginger ale, at the table for three with only just two of them at the moment.

“Thank you, Brie. and you are glowing yourself” Brie smiled at that.

“I have placed the collection on hold until after our dear friends’ wedding.” She sipped a bit more of her drink. “I try not to put too much on my plate, you understand. Besides that, I need a break so I am vacationing right about now.” She sighed deeply as she leaned back in her chair. Apparently, a bit spent, after bouncing and dancing in her chair.

“I feel you, Girl. No wonder you are looking so good” Brie raised her drink to salute Sapphire who returned the favour.

“You know what they say, if we don’t take care of ourselves ____

_____who will?” Brie finished as they both laughed.

“I might add that to my to-do-list”

“See that you do, Girl.” Sapphire joked

“Ha!”

Brie suddenly turned with a relieved smile on her face, “Isn’t that Claire?”

Sapphire followed Brie’s eyes as squealed, “Well bless your heart. It is Claire!”

“Hey Girl! Come over here!” Sapphire waved at Claire and bounced with excitement as Brie grinned broadly at a nervous Claire who relaxed a bit at the two women’s warm welcome.

However, silence had fallen at the poolside. A stunned silence laced with disapproval.

Sapphire sensed it but ignored it as she got up, hugged and swayed Claire. She held her at arm’s length with a sheen of tears in her eyes. “Sister of the Bride, what took you so long. I have missed you!”

“And I you, Safie” with a subdued voice Claire answered with a grateful smile on her face.

“Move over, ‘Safie‘. You aren’t the only one who has missed her,” Brie declared in mock annoyance, as she embraced Claire. “Doesn’t she look great?”

“Yes, she does.” Sapphire replied emphatically, “Come on sit, sit”

Claire had barely sat, when Lisa hissed, “What is she doing here?”

Claire stiffened.

Brie groaned.

Sapphire took a quick intake of breath and swivelled, “And what is that supposed to mean, Lisa?”

“Well, after what she has done. I wouldn’t show up here.” Lisa spat as if she had suddenly tasted something bitter.

“Well thank the good Lord, Claire is not you. And in case you have forgotten, she’s sister to the Bride. So she has more rights to be here than most of us” Sapphire fired back.

Claire tried to pacify Sapphire, “It’s okay, Safie. Calm____”

“No Claire. The atmosphere has been so tensed that I literally had to bounce it off. Let’s settle this once and for all!” Sapphire retied her sarong ready to do battle.”Why are you behaving as if you have never made a mistake before?”

“You can hardly call sleeping with your friend who also happens to be a friend’s boyfriend, a mistake.” Lisa rejoined with venom.

“Are you sure that’s all there is to your tirade, or you’re upset because you couldn’t get the attention of the guy in question!” The wedding party gasped and gaped.

Lisa jumped up, “How dare you, Sapphire?!”

“How dare me? I’m not the one who sounds bananas and bitter! Rehearsing an issue that the friend who was hurt has moved on from. Apparently, you were too busy being bananas about the issue that you forgot you are here for a wedding rehearsal.”

“That makes for some Bitter Bananas” Brie nodded like she just gave the insight of the century. Claire shot her a scolding look to stop adding fuel, while Brie shrugged a silent what, back at Claire.

“Why are you defending her?” Another acquaintance put in.

“Because she’s my friend? Because she’s sorry and has apologized? Because I am not without sin? What do you guys want from her anyway? Her death on the cross?”

“We used to be so close. All of us. But she torpedoed our BFF!” Another Lisa supporter put in.

“Oh yeah sure. BFF Hahn? Bucket Filling Friends you mean? It’s all about belonging with a group to fill a bucket with activities. Not really deeply caring about the people you call friends. Because if it was really Best Friends Forever, you will not fly all the way here to see a friend wed, only to turn around and resent their sister. How can you claim you love your friend but you can’t even be polite to their sister. Again how bananas is that? You need to see a therapist pronto. Because your type of love is bitter, Lisa”

“The door is on the left side, Lisa” Sapphire called, as Lisa stormed out.

She turned on the others. “I came here to reconnect and recuperate with friends. However, since my vacation has been torpedoed….” She shot a withering look at the one who mentioned the word earlier, “Then let me state it here and now. Anyone who as much as looks at Claire wrong will have to deal with me. I hope that is clear enough.” She looked around at those at the pool. “And yeah. Feel free to inform the others when they arrive. That being said, One love and peace, y’all.” At that, she sat, hailed the waiter, ordered lemonade for herself and asked the waiter to take Claire and Brie’s order too.

As Brie and Claire chatted. Sapphire’s mind was churning. The bride and I need to talk about her sister. This nonsense is got to stop.

Writing Prompts: BFF – Bucket Filling Friends; Bitter Bananas.