MRS RÓDRÍGUÉZ - EPISODE 3

Antonio saw the incoming calls but refused to pick.

It’s Alexa, his girlfriend. What does he tell her? That he’s getting married to a lady before weekend??

Everything is not right here with him. He’s faced with marriage arrangements with someone he doesn’t like a bit.
A total stranger for all he knows.

He was never told about this earlier. He always knew his parents would get to approve a bride for him, but he never imagined it this way.

Someone he’s been away from, someone he barely knows? Oh c’mon!
She’s not even from a wealthy background? Why did his parents pick sudden interest in her?

He knew her to be the Buttler’s daughter. She once served in the palace. He had fallen innocently for her Blue eyes- Rare. And her thick dark hair.

She was beautiful. She’s still beautiful.
But he’s remembering the times he once admired and made friends with her.

They played together. Sometimes, he’d take her round the big garden at the side of the Mansion to sightsee the flowers and water anyone that is dehydrated. They would thereafter play hide and seek-Their favorite game.

Then, he was addicted to her innocence, her purity, her naivity. She was just eight. And him, a teenager.

On his fourteenth birthday, he remembered giving to her a bracelet. A bracelet he bought. He loved her like a sister. She was young, she was just eight.

The day he told her he would be leaving for the states to further his studies, he remembered the sad look on her face. The bitter and moody expression she gave and how he tried to cheer her up with his lame but interesting jokes.

He didn’t like seeing her blue eyes go dim in bitterness. He loved them bright as much as he loved her like a sister.

On the day he was to leave, she had given him an old fashioned necklace which she made by herself. A necklace he treasured for so Many years, till he lost it.

That faithful day, he had placed it on his bed cabinet and went on for a shower, he forgot to put it back on. Since then, he never saw it. He searched his room as though he had lost something valuable and precious, but it was never seen till date.

Most times, he’d wonder why he’d keep such old fashioned necklace made for him by an eighth years old girl for so long. He had the necklace with him for a minimum of ten years, consecutively, he’s been without it for two years now.

Losing the necklace gave him nothing to remember of her again. Nothing at all.

Tho he had a good memory of the lady in question, Audrielle. But it has been long. Too long. She’s different now. He is different. He met someone new. He met Alexa Wells, His grumpy but awesome girlfriend.

He loves her and she loves him too. He never thought a day would come like this when he won’t be with someone he desires. Someone he thinks he can spend the rest of his life with.

***************************************

Next Day- Sunny Afternoon.

Audrielle.
She stayed indoors while her mother and her younger brother Simone, seven years old left for the day’s market.

She didn’t go with them. She just needed some time alone to herself. Her mother thought of that too and let her stay back- unlike other days.

She still has Alot to think about. She didn’t sleep well last night. Alot of things bothered her. One of which was her Marriage to the prince of Scotland.

Suddenly, there came a knock on the wooden door. She got up from where she sat and walked over to get it.

“Tasia?”

“Audrielle!” Tasia smiled. Walking into the. House.

Tasia- Her childhood friend. Her best friend you can call her. Audrielle treasures their friendship and can confide verbally with her on anything.

Unlike Audrielle, Tasia is more of a talker. She talks well with people when she feels like. And she’s never too queit as her friend. Having someone exactly like you as a friend bores friendship.

“You came. How did you know I was at home?” She asked, A bit suprised as she shut back the door.

“I saw your mother and Simone. They told me you stayed back. So I came to keep you company” she grinned.

Audrielle gave her a weird look “Company?”. She asked like she didn’t get the message Clear.

“Yes company. And oh yeah. You have a lot to explain to me. What’s the rumor going about?” She asked. Pulling audrielle to a seat beside her.

“What rumor?” Audrielle asked. Maintaining her balance on the chair.

“About you getting married to the prince. How come I didn’t know about it all these while?” She felt a bit disappointed .

“Believe me Tasia I myself didn’t get a slightest clue. And what do you mean Rumor? It’s all over town already??” Audrielle gasped. Really, she didn’t expect it’d be this soon disclosed to the public.
Nobody is supposed to know about it. Not until she and the prince gets well acquainted with each other.
She thought within herself. A bit worried..

“You didn’t know about this too? Or you didn’t just want to tell me?” Tasia frowned, in doubt to Audrielle’s reply.

“I swear I didn’t. ” Audrielle stated as she began giving details to her friend.

“How did prince Antonio take the news?” Tasia asked after listening to Audrielle’s side of the story.

“He wasn’t happy. Be barged out on us”

“But why? I thought you said you guys were friends before he left for the states? Why did he react like it’s his enemy he’s getting married to?”
Tasia rolled her eyes. Finding Prince Antonio’s behavior a bit Sappy.

“We used to be friends. Yeah. But it’s been twelve years. A lot must have happened. A lot changed.”
She sighed out in defeat.

“But you still like him, don’t you?” Tasia asked. Her question, taking her friend aback.

Audrielle shook her head negatively.

“I thought I did. But seeing him today, and the way he stared at me like I was some stranger and how he also walked out on me, my mother and his parents. I know Alot has changed. He’s different now. Very different from the teenage prince I once liked.”
She admitted truthfully.

“But…”
Tasia stopped talking when a knock Came on the door.

“Are you expecting anybody?” She asked audrielle.

“None that I remember. I’ll go get it” she replied. Walking over to the entrance door.

She opened it and courtsied in suprise at the Royal messenger before her.

“How may I be of help , sire?” She bowed her head. Her voice calm.

“The queen mother requests you come to the palace later at evening. She prefer you put on something nice for the evening walk with the prince”

The last part of the message sent her heart racing a marathon.

“The prince?”
She almost let out a gasp.
“Uhm. Okay. I’ve heard you. Tell the queen I won’t keep her and the prince waiting” she genuflected, shutting back her door as the messenger made to leave

She walked back to her friend who already heard the message clearly from the Guard’s mouth.

“It’s almost evening ” Tasia drew her notice to the old clock on the wall.
“You should start preparing” she added.

“Tasia.. I…I don’t think I can do this” she breath hard.

Tasia held her face up between her Palms .

“You can okay. All you need is a nice dress and a super hairdo to put a smile on your beautiful face. You should be happy about this okay. At Least getting married to a prince is a wish that never comes to pass for other maidens like me”
She stated a clear fact

“I don’t know. This is hard… I’m ju- just.. I’m just nervous” she bit her lower lip.

“Stop being naive okay. You’ll be fine. Come with me. I’ll pick a dress for you and style your hair to make you look extra beautiful”
She pulled her hand as they climbed the wooden stairs, up to Audrielle’s room.