MY TREASURED DESIRE

Chapter TWENTY-THREE – Only A Deal and You Are Safe!

Chapter TWENTY-THREE – Only A Deal and You Are Safe!

Same Day. 12:00. Hours GMT.

Orient Imperial Villa, Grande-Terre, New Caledonia Mainland, France.

Ndidi George-Orji’s P.O.V.

One of my abductors pushed me gently into a succulent sofa, removing the pink hood that covered my head. A young blonde lady caressed my face as she sets my hair back to normal. My hands were tied.

“Welcome to France, Princess,” the blonde girl bobbed a curtsy to me.

“We are so sorry that it was a rough flight for you. His Majesty would kindly wipe away those momentary unscrupulous behaviour of ours. Please forgive us if you can, Woman of Substance!” It was the turn of a twenty-something-year-old gentleman in cream-coloured three-piece suit to address me. He genuflected after he spoke.

“You have been so kind,” I said sarcastically after the blonde removed the strong adhesive tape used to cover my mouth throughout the duration of the flight till now. “Who is your boss? Why am I abducted?”

But the gentleman, my agemate, bowed in awe and said: “I hope we could be as kind to you as you deserve, Princess. His majesty will answer all your queries, Princess. We are unworthy!”

The blonde lady courteously asked me: “It is lunch-time, and you must be famished. May I know what your best food is? Trust me, we can prepare any of our esteemed guest’s choices: African, Mexican, Mandarin, or European Cuisine?”

“Let me know who my host is, then we can eat and bond!” I managed to say, politely. There was about 10 minutes’ long silence. So, I asked a question and followed up with a diplomatic tease: “Prince Chang or Prince Liu Cheng Yu? My best friends might need to be with me in a new place. Not a big deal…”

“That’s why we cannot toy with someone as influential as you,” the man in cream-coloured three-piece suit said, innocently. But something tells me that he would suffer for something…

At this time, all eyes turned to the inner bedroom door. Next, all the occupants of the large room bowed so low to the ground and chanted: “All hail the Highest Authority in the Cheng Yu dynasty… Welcome O, Prince of Middleville! Hail!”

Prince Liu Cheng Yu did not respond to the obeisance, but he said with a touchy low voice: “Who tied my future queen’s legs and hands as if she were a prisoner? ‘Bring her to me,’ I said – not to kidnap or maltreat my woman?!”

From behind the Monarch, a gunshot could be heard piercing through the peace of the mansion… The handsome man in three-piece suit was hit in the chest. He spewed pure blood from his nose, and from his mouth, as he slowly crashed to the floor. I felt so sad and deeply hurt.

“What kind of evil is this? How sadistic, brutal and vicious!” I could not help but say aloud.

“My Princess… I feel sad too – That’s why I hardly speak. My security details are so trigger-happy and overzealous. This is what happens when I get angry. Please be kind to forgive me,” The arrogant Monarch said softly, making a scorching eye at the blonde girl. Other muscular attendants quickly cleaned up the place where the Head of the Royal Emissaries was slain.

“I never knew that you are so unfeeling! Is this how you treat your subjects, Prince of Middlefield?” I groaned, asking my rhetorical questions. The blonde lady quickly removed my bonds as fast as she probably could, silently apologizing.

The monarch smiled sadly and said with a shaky voice: “That underscores the need for your everlasting presence in my life, my palace, and my government! I need you, your wisdom, and your humane virtues to save me. O yes!”

My countenance changed for the worse, and I said: “With due respect, O King Liu Cheng Yu… You are a bloody psycho!”

The temperature of that beautifully furnished villa dropped so low, that one needs to put on the warmest heater. The people in the room felt as if heaven would fall. Of course, I was not going to accept that savage behaviour of their ruler that none of them could correct. Hear what the man replied with, after 5 minutes of tension in the room:

“Pardon my uncivilized gentleness, My Princess… I am no King. Just a prince until the Rey Chang dynasty is removed and we unite the old Middleville. My great ancestor Emperor Cheng Yu allowed this evil to happen. Buddha wants me to correct the anomaly…”

“Is that why you have caused me to be abducted, King Liu?”

“Will you be making me talk like this when you eventually become my empress?”

“Dreams…” I was saying, when I looked around to see that no one was in that posh living room, except the two of us! “Where are your protégées?”

“I guess the gods borrowed them some respect… You do not stay around a couple when they solve their family problems, do you?” the prince said as a matter of fact.

“Why did you bring me here without the knowledge of anyone?”

“I brought you here because I never liked anyone as I love you… I was a 17-year-old second lieutenant when I met this American girl, Alistair. She was the most precious being I had ever seen. We were studying Classics at Harvard. She was the best in my class. I never cared about her very poor background and the fact that she came to Harvard through a strict scholarship… The passion of her love for me was like fire. And mine was no less… I wanted to marry her right away, but my parents were tough disciplinarians… Let me save the story, I got her pregnant as our graduation got nearer, and I used my wealth to ensure that her education was completed even with the breach I caused. We graduated from Harvard in flying colours, but I lost her to death at her childbirth… That daughter that my love left behind is married to one of my Property Business colleagues. But I thought I could never love anyone again until I met you at Lagos, Achaia, during the emperor’s 86th Birthday… I could hardly sleep afterward!”

“I know Alistair Wu… So, she’s your daughter?” I asked the question because the prince needed a little distraction for him to get my own point.

“I hardly talk about that – Only this deal and you will be safe, Princess: Please, marry me, okay?”

“Your Majesty, please… I am in a serious relationship known to two sovereign nations. I love him so much that it hurts. As you loved Alistair and waited till 19 years, does it hurt?” I asked again.

“Are you kidding me?” he quipped. That banter was not as friendly as he wanted it to be. He still hurts deeply!

“I’m so sorry to touch your deep sores,” I consoled. Then, I concluded: “So will I be hurt if I leave someone I loved since I was a kid. That means breaking my heart and his, for emotional reasons… Believe me, you are the dream of all young ladies across Asia. Be calm and make a good choice… I will also help you with a few friends… But I do not matchmake anyone. It breaks hearts!”

“Is that why you sent those expensive gifts to me in order to reject my love, African Princess? How can I pick someone else when you are the best…? I want only the best as my empress! I had never begged anyone before I begged Alistair not to die… Now, I am begging you… Not to die!”

“What are you implying, Prince of Middleville…”

He rose to his feet, wiped away his tears, and clapped his hands three times… Within ten seconds, armed guards took their positions at each of the entrances to the posh living room. He took a long look at me and pointed to the door… The blond lady appeared, behind her was a man dressed in a white and black tuxedo. The man brought two sets of very expensive evening dresses and pieces of jewellery to match. On his trolley were two pairs of Italian shoes fit for a queen. Each one will match one of the dresses.

“My empress-to-be,” said the blonde lady. “We shall never ever try what we did to you since we left the UK., again. Let me show you to your suite where all conveniences are available…” Then, she looked at the place where the prince was standing before she started her speech… Only the armed guards were there. The Monarch was gone! Then, she came closer to me, hugged me, and whispered into my ears, “Eat and be strong, now. We are all relocating to another Island in exactly 30 minutes.”

I whispered in reply, “Where would that be?”

“Réunion Island in Réunion… still in France…” she whispered clearly, then she bit my ear… I hit her hard in the groin and we started a mock fight. We were separated by two female combatant guards while two other heavily-built soldiers aimed their snipers at me. So, I had to relax. But I thought in my mind, “Why – on earth – did she trigger a fight?”

I took an eye pencil and wrote “Réunion Island in Réunion… still in France…” and went to freshen up. I rang the bell and ate my choice of food. I later changed my dress, picking the least attractive of the two. But I looked in the mirror and I felt sad: I looked so attractive…

I was left with no phone, but my bag was not touched at all. I grabbed my bag when I heard my suite’s door make the slightest screech. Before I could do anything more, another beautiful girl was at the door. The brunette smiled at me, her dark-brown hair glittering as if she was on a film set…

“I am your new companion, Alistair… not Wu.” We both smiled. “We are leaving New Caledonia Mainland immediately. Please, step out – we have a limousine to catch. His Majesty would be waiting, Princess.”

***

A Beach at Corsica Island, Mediterranean Sea, via France.

Ndidi George-Orji’s P.O.V.

Same Day. 16:30. Hours GMT.

Beach Party was going on where we moved to, after about 40 minutes' drive. I pretended to be free and happy amid the beautiful bikini-wearing girls that Prince Liu surrounded me with. I looked around, and I did not see that blonde beauty. I could not eat… Then, I saw a group of young gentlemen coming our way. There was no one I recognise among them. But I still know that this is a Middleville VIP party… I did not see the Prince of Middleville at the party too. Suddenly, I heard a voice inviting me to a dance… I was the only one – amongst the ladies - that was seated. I turned around; it was Colonel Spinks Gunn. Reese had introduced some of the A.S.S.S. team members to me a long time ago. Colonel Gunn whispered into my ears that Colonel Johnson Allen was also around. I asked him if dancing with him would not blow his cover. And he said: “My mission is to let you know that help is around. The blonde girl was the Secret Service Agent sent by your brother, Dr. Alex Junior. He gives a blow-by-blow account of your movements… We shall pick you up at Réunion… But you need to cooperate with the adversaries till then. If we see any foul move, we shall strike!”

I wanted to let him know that the blonde girl’s cover has been blown, but something happened…

“Hello, Sir… I have an invitation, for you to meet His Majesty right away if you don’t mind!” That was one of the Security Details of the Prince of Middleville. Oh, one of my friends would just be arrested. I sensed trouble.

“I am an invited guest of His Majesty. Will he arrest me for admiring a beautiful invitee of his?”

“You will explain that to His Majesty…”

I remembered hearing that aide’s name when His Majesty called to send him on a coded mission as we alighted from the aircraft before the hood was placed on my head. So, I tried my luck: “Colonel Quinn,” I called, and he was shocked!

“How do you expect this stranger to know that I am your future emperor’s bride? Tell me, Quinn. If you are free, won’t you play around?” I joked… The four of us in that circle laughed while I poked at the man’s hard belly so that he could laugh too... Luckily, Colonel Quinn smiled and said:

“Enjoy yourself, Your Majesty… And for my randy friend here, please stay clear from trouble. Find someone else, or His Majesty who invited you into temptation would not be involved in, or aware of, your assassination…” He walked briskly away! And Spinks Gunn winked at me and left the scene.

The party was rounded off when “His Majesty” gave an order that his entourage should move to his Place. The Limousines that brought us there were not used to take us away. Rather, new cars were brought. But the brunette advised me to follow her to the chopper, which took us to our new place.

***

Orient Imperial Palace, Corsica Islands, Mediterranean Sea, via France.

Ndidi George-Orji’s P.O.V.

Same Day. 18:30. Hours GMT.

We entered the suite allocated to me - at the new place whose name I was not told. I asked the brunette, and she pretended that she did not hear my question. So, I asked:

“What happened to the blonde lady that was with me since your team picked me up from London Heathrow?”

“Your friend needs prayers. The security team is checking her out! That’s all I can say. Things would change from what she had told you! If it is not your breath, give His Majesty what he demands… None of us is indispensable,” she whispered as if someone was listening… But, apart from the pilot, only the brunette and I were in the Chopper! And in the room, we were alone.

Then, I remembered that we could have been bugged with hidden microphones or cameras. I realised that we might not be in Réunion after all… The circuit TV camera should have picked that up at the other place, which Alistair called New Caledonia Mainland or so, and they could have heard about her whispers. Oh Gosh! What an unlucky blonde friend!