The Lost African Princess: The Prequel: The Lost African Princess, #0

By Brianne Turner

Set in the fictional east African country of Mononiko, Princess Tumo navigates the pressure of cultural expectations and the weight of an arranged marriage. Kai, a social anthropologist, is beginning a new assignment and looking forward to yet another exciting adventure. Fate brings these two unlikely individuals cross paths. As their lives become intertwined, alliances are tested, risk are taken, and loyalties are strained. Can they withstand the impending storm or will they be consumed by its fury? Prepare yourself for a story filled with love and adventure, where each decision holds consequences that reverberate.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Brianne Turner
• Release date: Apr 21, 2024
• ISBN: 9798223098478

Brianne Turner

Brianne's love for reading started at a young age and has grown over the years. Her passion for reading fueled her creativity inspiring her to write short stories. It was only recently that she found her voice as an author and began sharing her stories with the world. Nesteled in the outskirts of Seattle she shares a home with her beloved fiance Ben and a an active tuxedo cat named TomTom.

Book preview

Chapter 1: Tumo

Istand at the dining -room door and take a deep breath before entering. Good morning.

My dad is sitting at the table reading from his phone, and he looks up. You are late again. Are those books keeping you up? The staff comes out with breakfast and places my plate in front of me. We have a meeting later with the Nestory’s on Juko, at 4, and they have offered us lodging for the night. Ensure that you bring something appropriate.

I stop eating. Why do mom and I need to attend?

My dad gives me his stern look. Tumo, please don’t start. The morning is going well.

Smirking, I take a sip of my coffee. Whatever do you mean? I’m just asking a valid question. I see my dad rolling his eyes and my mom lets out a small laugh.

Adimu, you raised her to be inquisitive. I warned you about raising her to be so strong willed. My mom goes back to eating. Our family dynamic differs from past royal generations. The royal family expects women to be seen and not heard, and to follow the lead of their husbands. Witnessing the impact of that upbringing on my mother and grandmother, my father was determined to spare me from the same fate. He taught me to always speak my mind and let no one steal my power.

To answer your question, you are 30 and you should start thinking about marital prospects. He goes back to eating and I make eye contact with my mom, who shares the same look. Surely, he won’t make me marry Lencho Nestory. He has a reputation, and he’s 11 years older than me. He also has a history of preferring submissive women, which goes against everything my dad taught me. The Nestory estate is on Juko, an island that surrounds Mononiko and, while Juko is under my father’s rule, the Nestory family has a significant influence on the island. The Nestory’s made their fortune from the mines in Africa and some alleged shady business dealings. Other eligible bachelors from noble families have asked for my hand. He’s going to consider them, right?

I couldn’t finish eating as my mind wanders to the thought of me marrying Lencho. The rumors are enough to scare women off.

She looks down at her phone. Oh, my Adimu, we are running behind schedule. I think breakfast is done. He looks at her and smiles and the servants come in to take our plates. Rising from the table, I head up to my room and Nessa, my trusted maid, follows closely behind. The staff dining room is within earshot of where we have breakfast. I can only assume she heard the conversation.

I sit down on my bed and begin taking off my heels and Nessa closes the door behind me. Is he really considering Lencho as a marriage prospect?

My toes sink into the plush carpet as I pace around my room. I hope not from the rumors I hear he’s a womanizer. He is also a known serial cheater, and I won’t tolerate that.

Nessa stands close by, her brows furrowed and biting her bottom lip. Why would your dad try to set up an arrangement with Lencho? There are plenty of eligible bachelors available who are around your age.

I flop onto my bed with an exasperated sigh. I don’t know. This makes little sense. Can you help me undress? I want to go out to the market to distract myself.

Nessa bites her lip. Tumo, that is not a wise idea to go out right now. I give her puppy dog eyes and pouty lips.

Please, can you help me undress? I will be back before 3. I just need to get out of this place and breathe. I will take Golef with me. That seemed to quell her fears, and she helped me take off my dress and my silver crown. I threw on jeans and a T-shirt, then texted my guard Golef to meet me in the garage.

He opens the door for me. Tumo, do you really think this is wise to do right now?

I smile at him. It’s the night market. It’ll be completely safe. Plus, I’ll have you following me. I pat his broad chest as I get into the backseat of the SUV.

He shakes his head and closes the door before getting behind the wheel. The garage door opens, and he pulls out and starts driving toward the night market. Golef parks a few blocks away from the market, and I put on sunglasses and a cap. As I navigate through the bustling market, the vibrant colors of the stalls catch my eye. Briefly I look up and see the string of lights crisscrossing above the stalls illuminating the night. I hear drums beating in the distance and smell sugary treats being handed out to passersby. This is my happy place whenever I feel overwhelmed. In the summer, my cousin and I often visited the market before heading to the cave. Nowadays I just go down here with Golef following inconspicuously behind me.

Chapter 2: Kai

Rosie wraps her legs around my waist as I thrust into her. I lean my head down and take her breast in my mouth and my tongue circles her nipples. Her moans grow louder as I tease her nipples with my teeth, causing her body to tighten up. Finally, she reaches her orgasm, and I follow. I wake up and head to the bathroom, disposing of the condom and starting the shower. I head back to the room and grab Rosie’s hand, and we take a shower together. We dried off and Rosie borrows one of my shirts and I change into comfortable sweats. She goes to the kitchen and gets the coffee started and I take out the ingredients for breakfast. While the bacon and the rolls are cooking, I scroll through my twitter to see the latest news and look up at Rosie leaning on the counter scrolling on her phone.

I smirk and say, you know this feels almost domesticated. Are we turning into those people?

She sets her phone down on the counter and looks at me. absolutely not. We know we are only hook-up buddies and nothing more.

I place my hand over my heart. I’m wounded that you just look at me as a hook-up, like the years we spent together meant nothing.

She rolls her eyes, takes the spatula out of my hand, and takes over cooking. You know exactly what I mean. We will always be friends, but this is just sex. We scratch each other’s itch when we are single and horny.

Rosie and I met in class in high school, and we became instant friends. She and I would do everything together and we were pretty much thick as thieves. Our relationship didn’t shift until our last year of undergrad. We had a one-night stand after we had been out drinking and she complained about her recent breakup. We explored the possibility of a relationship, but that was a disaster and we remained friends with benefits. When we are both single, we hook up, but when we are dating, we stop sleeping with each other. If we weren’t so headstrong, then maybe we would work out, but I’m glad that we can remain as friends.

We have breakfast and then spend an hour binging on Netflix before she leaves to do some chores.

Once I finish cleaning up, I open my laptop to check my email to see if I got a response from the social anthropologist assignment in Mononiko. Currently, I am working as an adjunct teaching in the anthropology department at UNC and although I enjoy teaching students; I prefer working in the field. There’s nothing quite like the excitement of exploring unknown places, and it typically pays more than adjunct teaching. I got back from my last assignment 9 months ago and moved in with my parents temporarily until I found this apartment, thanks to Rosie. Rosie talks to the leasing staff frequently and they told her of an apartment opening and I was one of the first to apply for the apartment. The apartment is within walking distance from UNC and it’s a 1 bedroom, and 1 and a half bathroom. My view overlooks downtown, and I would sit at the big bay window and watch traffic and people moving about.

Two months ago, I moved into my apartment and paid the entire amount for a 15-month lease upfront. During my last assignment, I saved a considerable amount because my sponsor covered my housing, food, and other necessities. I’m able to live modestly, relying on my savings and adjunct teaching job. Yet, I eagerly expect another assignment to save more and travel. My parents and sister Moesha are relieved that I’ve been stationary for the last 9 months, but this lifestyle doesn’t suit me. My parents hope I settle down to get a normal job and build a family. I want that eventually, but I’m only 34 and I still have more of the world I want to see.

My phone dings bringing me out of my thoughts, and I see it’s from UNC. On my computer, I open the email and skim it to see I got offered the assignment to Mononiko. My heart beats fast and I grin at the email. This assignment was competitive and highly sought after. I doubt my capabilities and always get nervous when applying for assignments. After grad school, I spent months anxiously waiting for any assignment to come my way, feeling discouraged and on the verge of giving up. However, just when I was about to lose hope, an acceptance email arrived in my inbox. 

Glancing at my watch, I realize it’s almost 4 p.m. and decide to call Moesha. She picks on the second ring, greeting me with a curt watcha want?

I joke, damn, no hi, no how are you,

She snorts. Nope now, watcha want.

Smiling, I responded, I got the job, and they want me to start May 3rd. The assignment is for a full year. The date works out perfectly, seeing how my last class just ended.

She screams and the phone sounds far away, which I think it means she may have dropped the phone. I hear some fumbling before she comes back on the line, CONGRATULATIONS. I am so proud of you, Kai. You were stressing over nothing. I knew you were going to get it.

I smile. Your optimistic nature is one thing I love about you. I know you and Khalif’s lease just ended and y’all moved in with mom and dad temporarily, but would you like to take over my apartment?

Let me ask Khalif we are currently at mom and dads. I hear some mumbling. Thank you, Kai. We would love to move in. We haven’t been able to find a place within our price range and moving into your place allows us to continue saving for a house. Also, are you on the way to dinner?

Glancing at the microwave clock, I notice that it’s already 4:30pm. Mom doesn’t like I don’t go to church with them on Sunday mornings, but as a compromise, I always make it to Sunday dinner. Which I will be late for if I don’t leave. I will be if mom asks. I already left my apartment.

Moesha laughs. I could tell her that, but if you are late for Sunday dinner again, mom will not be happy.

I quickly put on my shoes and grabbed my keys and head to the car.

Chapter 3: The snake

Iopen my trunk and grab the grocery bags before I head into the house to relieve the nurse.

Hello miss Vaquero, your mom is currently taking her nap. I gave her the afternoon medication, and I noticed she was running low, so I placed in refills for you.

I smile thank you Vickie I don’t know what I would do without you.

She smiles and grabs her bag and heads out the door. I put away the groceries and make me some herbal tea before I sit down on the couch. As I scroll through my phone, I see a constant stream of my former friends posting on Instagram, showcasing their adventures, travels, and updates on their lives. A year ago, I would’ve been in those photos and be waking up with a hangover from the previous night.

My mom started experiencing debilitating headaches, but she brushed them off. It wasn’t until she started struggling to recall names and birthdays that I began urging her to see a doctor. Losing her job as a relator was the push she needed finally to make an appointment with her doctor. The devastating news came: her doctor diagnosed her with glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor. The doctors give her 16 months. Soon after her marriage began to fail. My stepfather cherished her and loved to take her to events and took care of her, but when she got sick, he traded her in for a healthy model. The only kindness he showed was to pay for her end-of-life care. He took everything else, and I tried to fight, but my resources dwindled fast, so I had to take what he offered. A fire started within me that day and it has only grown since the divorce and her diagnosis. Like they did to my mom, I have every intention of wreaking havoc in their lives before she passes.

I made myself some tea and sat by the window to look at the garden. My phone beeps and I look down and see a message from Laurent Nestory.

Laurent: Hi baby, just checking in on you to see how you are doing today.

Me: I just put my mom down for her nap. Today was another one of her bad days and it was heartbreaking to watch.

Laurent: I’m sorry baby, I’m coming to the States in another week. I can hire a nurse, and you can join me.

Me: I would love that. Thank you, my love.

Laurent Nestory is a beautiful man, and he has been by my side since day 1. This relationship originally started off as innocent because he reached out to help me find my biological dad. My mother had told me that my father was from Mononiko, and I got on Redditt to find ways of finding my father. Laurent responded and, after exchanging emails, he informed me that my father may be the King of Mononiko. At first, I believed he was playing a cruel prank on me until he claimed to have a way to prove it. I went to a DNA lab and submitted my blood samples and after pulling some strings; we confirmed my dad was the king. I showed my mom the results, and she confessed she slept with the King and Queen and that the King was my father. I only wanted to build a relationship with him, so I reached out. But after waiting for weeks, his secretary told me he’d pay me to leave, and it shattered me. My mom had just received a diagnosis of glioblastoma and her marriage was unraveling. I would normally talk to her about this, but seeing as she was going through a lot, I instead turned to Laurent. 

Laurent was honest with me and told me he was married and had children, but he only married his wife out of obligation. I normally wouldn’t date a married man, but he was the only one I could turn to. After spending a weekend with him for the first time, I did my research and discovered that he has a reputation in Mononiko, but getting to know him, the rumors don’t match the person I know. He even said that he would help in taking down the royal family and everyone in between. At first, I was going to only care about the royal family, but Laurent made me realize that getting revenge for my mom I can’t worry about hurting others. My phone beeps and Moesha’s name comes across my screen.

Moe: Hey chickiedee, do you want to meet me for lunch?

Me: Absolutely. Give me 20 minutes and we can meet at our normal spot.

I knock on my neighbor’s door, and she has agreed to watch my mom while I go out to lunch.

Chapter 4: Tumo

Iwent to the market and bought a few things, and I was back home before anyone missed me. When I came back, Nessa had already packed my bag and even had my dress and matching shoes picked out for the flight. I’m not much of a fashion person, so most of the time Nessa buys my clothes based on what I like and picks out an outfit based on how I feel that day. I get changed and Nessa follows me downstairs to the foyer.

My mom is standing by the door. Hi mom I hug her and give her a kiss on the cheek, and she hugs me back.

I’m glad you got back in time. I look at her with a shocked expression and she winks. My dad makes his way down the steps, and we follow him to the car that will take us to the private hangar. Once we arrive, the flight attendants help us on the plane and the ground crew takes our bags. We sit, buckle up, and take off. The flight attendants come and pass out drinks.

You look beautiful, Tumo. I love the dark pink color on you. You should wear it more often. I smile at the compliment from my dad. My dad never lets a day go by without complimenting me or my mother. The plane takes off, and the pilot informs us we will land in an hour. My father gets up and goes to the back room to work on something.

I think your father is going to accept Lencho’s marriage proposal, my head turns to my mom with a shocked expression.

"When did Lencho propose? Dad hinted I should start thinking about marriage prospects, but I didn’t