Julius & Juliana

CHAPTER 10

When Juliana got home by evening, her father sent for her. The guards he had instructed to monitor her movements have reported her to him, having caught her with Julius together. She met her father and saw that he wasn't happy to see her. "How dare you go against my warning? How dare you! I warned you never to go near that boy but you have refused to abide to my word." "But father, he saved my......" "Spare me all that!" King Duncan retorted. "I warn you for the last time, stop seeing that boy. He's a church rat and has nothing to offer you". "Yes he might be poor, but I love him just the way he is. Can't you see father? Love is all that matters. He is poor and so what? He saved my life and...." "Will you shut your gob?" Duncan retorted. "What is love without money? If he can't spend money on you to prove his love then how else can you be convinced that he's not just going to use and dump you?" He frowned at her. Juliana was so angry at her father's harsh words about Julius. Tears was beginning to gather in her eyes. She felt her father would never understand her own point of view about love. "If I get to know that you are with him another day, you will be locked up in your room and will not be allowed to go to your shows as a punishment. Now get out of my sight" Duncan concluded. Her mother was not in their midst. She ran into her room and began to cry.

Her mother was passing by her room and heard her crying. She stepped in and comforted her. When she got to know that her daughter was crying because her father has warned her to stop seeing Julius, she realized that her daughter was in love with the young man. "Cheer up my child, stop crying. Indeed I can see that you've fallen in love with the man that rescued you. Even though your father is against your wish, always know that I'm with you and always will be by your side. I understand how you feel because I've passed through the same situation. Your father has a stubborn heart and will never understand you but I will talk to him on your behalf. Don't worry, he will change." The queen concluded. "Change? Did I just hear you say change? Mother, I don't think he will ever change his mind towards our relationship. They say nothing is impossible, but in my father, I'm begining to see that indeed, something is impossible. You need to see the way he was roaring at me like an angry lion. Why would father treat me, his only daughter like this? Or is it a crime for his only daughter to fall in love with someone? Whether he is poor or not, my heart belongs to him" Juliana concluded and started crying again. Her mother continued to console her, reassuring her of her promise to ensure she convinced her father to allow their only daughter follow her heart in other not to continue hurting her. Juliana hugged her and stopped crying.

A week later, two men came to visit the king. One was older than the other. They requested to have a private meeting with the king and their request was granted. They were both richly dressed mere looking at them, one can tell that they are wealthy. They came in heavy luxurious and expensive cars and were adorned with gold necklaces. During the course of the meeting, the younger man stated his intentions to the king. "I have an undeniable liking and affection for the princess" he began. "I've never seen any girl as beautiful as her in this country. I know her bride price will cost a mountain because she's a princess, her parents only child. I know your great kingdom needs an able and capable man in all ramifications to become an heir apparent to the throne of your highness and having been satisfied with myself that I have all it takes, I've come to seek your approval that she becomes bethroted to me, so that I will be the one to marry her when the time is right and before someone else does" he concluded. Duncan smiled and told him that he must prove his love for his daughter and his capability of taking good care of her when they eventually get married. "You know she's my only child, so I want the best for her. Although she appears to be falling in love with one lunatic who she claims to have been rescued by him but don't worry at all, you are the type of man she deserves and I will make sure she chooses you over him" said Duncan. "Who is this man that she appears to have fallen in love with so that I can pay him off and get her to myself" said the younger man who introduced himself as James Smith. " I always get what I want at all cost and she has caught my attention so I really want her. Let the man name his price, I'm ready to pay him back every dime he has spent on her" he added.

Duncan chuckled and said "He doesn't have a penny. He lives in a remote and dirty environment and yet he wants to have my beautiful daughter, my priceless jewel." James and his uncle laughed for a short while. "What on earth will a clean princess be doing with a man from the gutters who can't even afford to take care of himself? Did he cast a spell on her?" James jokingly asked. They all laughed for sometime and continued with the meeting, drinking together. At the end of the meeting, He gave the king some gifts including a gift for Juliana. When the queen learnt that a rich man was interested in marrying their daughter, she wasn't in total agreement with her husband that they should give their daughter to him just because he's rich.