Duncan was nervously pacing the room, his hands balled in tight fists. In the dining hall, a small meza, jedwali had been set up with a chair in front of it. He had already gone over his plan for a half hour, and it was only a matter of dakika until the Parliament member would arrive to determine if he could marry the woman of his dreams. And what if... he didn’t pass? Did he change his image and attitude for nothing? What if...

His thoughts were rudely interrupted kwa the knob on the front door turn.

Clara walked inside with a lovely young lady, maybe twenty-two, followed kwa Charles closely behind. The young lady surveyed the room, clipboard and pen at the ready. Duncan stopped in his tracks. He reviewed everything he had learned in his head, huffed up his chest, and approached the Parliament member.

“Good evening, miss.” he alisema as he gracefully bowed down to kiss her hand.

“Oh! Well, good evening. Is this the young man to whom wants to legally be considered a suitor?” alisema the young lady, who blushed when Duncan kissed her hand.

“Yes, Miss Christine Pierce. This is Duncan. He’s been in the family for quite a while now.” alisema Clara, winking at Duncan.

“Well, so far he’s off to a good start, I must say.”

“Would the lovely lady care for some croissants?” alisema Duncan as he gestured towards the small table.

“Why, yes I would. Thank you, Duncan.”

Duncan led Christine over to the meza, jedwali and pulled out her chair for her.

“Duncan! wewe are certainly the gentleman.” alisema Christine. Clara was beaming while Charles gave Duncan a quick thumbs-up.

“Thank you, Miss Pierce.”

After Christine had eaten her croissants and had something to drink, she rose from her seat, clipboard at hand. She quickly checked off something on her slip of paper. After several checks later, she scanned the page.

“Ah, yes. The only portion left to complete is the... dancing portion.” alisema Christine happily. “If wewe can pass the dancing part, I will be able to make wewe a suitor.”

Duncan breathed a sigh of relief. He’d known how to dance ever since he was a child. His mother had always danced with him in Courtney’s jikoni when he was a little boy. That was long before he had developed feelings for Courtney.

“Yes, milady. I believe I can pass that part of the test.” he smirked. He gently took hold of her hand, his touch as light as a moth’s wing, and led her to the center of the dining hall. He began to sway and twirl her. Christine giggled. After about three dakika of waltzing, Duncan let go of her hand and bowed.

“Well, I think that it’s obvious wewe passed. That was the best ballroom dancing I have ever been a part of! Tell me, wherever did wewe learn to dance like that?”

“Everything I learned I learned from my mother.”

Clara and Charles smiled at Duncan as he signed his name at the bottom of the piece of paper on the clipboard. Christine kissed his cheek while Duncan silently cheered in his head. As soon as Christine left with her papers, Duncan made a beeline straight for Courtney’s room, right before anyone could congratulate him.

*******

Courtney was sitting up straight on her bed, acoustic guitar, gitaa at hand. Whenever she was stressed out, she would just pull out her guitar, gitaa and start to sing. She had the loveliest voice. She had gotten that trait from her biological mother, long before she had passed away.

Her fingers started to ache. Even though she had been playing since she was fourteen, she still never got used to the painful feeling on her fingers from strumming on her guitar.

All of a sudden someone burst into her room.

“Duncan! What are wewe doing here? And look at what wewe did to my door!”

“Who cares about your stupid door? I passed!”

“You what?!”

“I passed the test! I’m now officially a suitor!” he whooped as he ran to her bedside, sweeping her up and throwing her over his shoulder like she was a sack of potatoes. Courtney yelped and laughed as he paraded around her room, waving an imaginary flag in one hand and holding her back with the other. As he let her down, Courtney wrapped her slim arms around his neck and ran her fingers over his sheer black hair.

“What happened to your Mohawk? Green was so totally your color.” she whispered teasingly into his ear. Duncan tightly wrapped his arms around her back, his forehead now pressed against hers.

“You have to make sacrifices if wewe are going to get what wewe want.” he whispered, his eyes closing.

“Do wewe want me?” Courtney alisema mischievously, her Onyx eyes locked to his teal ones. Duncan’s eyes shot open as he pulled her so close that they could barely breathe...

“More than wewe could have ever imagined, babe.”

*******

The inayofuata day...

Courtney nervously sat at her makeup table, her two best Marafiki Bridgette and Jennifer applying the final touches to her face. The smell of so much perfume and makeup almost made Courtney gag, but it was way worth it. Her lilac makeup brought out her eyes and none of her makeup covered her freckles, which Duncan alisema he liked. As she heard Pachelbel's Canon start to play, her bridesmaids left her with smiling faces. She rose from her kiti, kiti cha and took a deep breath.

“You look lovely, sweetheart.” alisema Charles as he approached his daughter.

“Thanks, dad. I feel like I’m getting cold feet though. I’m getting married today AND I’m becoming Queen tomorrow.”

“Don’t be nervous sweetheart. You’re marrying the man wewe upendo and he’ll rule Jeneous right inayofuata to you. There’s nothing for wewe to worry about.”

“You’re right daddy. Thanks. Is Philip mad at me for deciding to not give the kiti cha enzi to him?” Courtney asked her father as she looped her arm through his.

“Well, he was at first, but then his mother gave him a juisi box and he completely forgot about the whole thing.” he alisema with a laugh.

The two opened the door and the blinding sunlight caused them both to squint. Once their eyes had adjusted, Courtney gasped at the beautiful wedding Clara had planned. All of the guests at the fake wedding had returned, knowing that this one was real. There was an ice sculpture of Courtney and Duncan, only as a mermaid and a merman, and they were holding hands. The beautiful ngome garden was behind the wedding alter, Duncan, the priest, and the groomsmen up front. He checked her out as she approached him and smirked.

Typical Duncan.

*******

“Mornin’ Princess.”

Courtney’s eyelids fluttered open as she stretched out her arms.

“Good morning.”

“Ready for your big siku today, future Queen?” Duncan alisema softly as he rubbed her smooth shoulders.

“You know we could just reschedule the ceremony for tomorrow. I’m so comfortable, and I don’t want to get up.”

Duncan frowned at her.

“You’re not going to make a good Queen with that attitude.”

Courtney smiled up at him.

“I guess you’re right. Do wewe know where Clara put the clothes?”

“They’re in the closet over there.” Duncan alisema as he pointed towards the nearby closet.

“Can wewe be a good husband and get my dress for me?”

“Alright. But you’ll have to make it up for me. I really don’t want to get up.”

“You sacrifice so much for me.” she alisema sarcastically.

Duncan groggily made his way towards the closet and threw a dark plum dress over Courtney.

“I’ll be changing in the bathroom if wewe need me.” alisema Courtney sleepily. As the bathroom door clicked shut, she slipped out of her silk nightgown and stared at her formal dress. All of a sudden, the bathroom door flew open.

“AAAH! Duncan, get OUT! I don’t have any clothes on!” she screamed as she hid behind the kuoga curtain.

“This is your way of making it up to me.” he alisema mischievously.

Courtney pondered this for a second.

“OUT!” she screamed once zaidi before ushering him out of the room. Duncan smiled while he put on his velvet shati he was scheduled to wear.

“I upendo that woman.”

*******

Duncan and Courtney stood outside of the large ornate door that led to the dining hall. Courtney wore her princess crown for the last time. A nervous expression washed over Courtney’s face, which Duncan took notice to. He took her hand and rubbed her palm.

“Nervous, much?”

“Why shouldn’t I be?” she sighed.

“Because I know you’ll be a really great ruler.”

“And I know that YOU’LL be a better ruler too. Much better than Julius would have been.” Courtney whispered as she pecked her husband on his lips. The two opened the doors and stepped into the dining hall. Inside, the entire people of Jeneous were standing in front of all four walls of the room. In the front were two plush chairs. Just waiting for them. On either side of Courtney and Duncan were a row of guards, swords in the air. The two took deep breaths as they approached and sat in their chairs. Clara and Charles stood beside them and removed their crowns. Charles placed his King’s crown on Duncan’s head.

“Duncan Smith, do wewe solemnly swear to rule the people of Jeneous according to the statures of Parliament and the respective laws and custom of the saying?”

“I solemnly promise so to do.”

Clara removed her crown and steadily placed it on Courtney’s head.

“Courtney Valdez, do wewe solemnly swear to rule the people of Jeneous according to the statures of Parliament and the respective laws and custom of the saying?”

“I solemnly promise so to do.”

Duncan and Courtney rose from their chairs and made their way to the center of the room where all the people of Jeneous could see them. Hands clasped, Courtney leaned over and whispered to Duncan, “You gonna grow the hawk back?”

Duncan winked at her.

“I’ll think about it.”

They smiled at each other as the main Member of Parliament approached the two.

“Presenting, His and Her Royal Majesty, Duncan Emilio Smith and Courtney Clarice Renaldo Valdez, King and Queen of Jeneous.”